The idea may seem weird to you, but trust me on this. You can use stories next time you pitch your business to your investors. Of course, you’re not going to go down all dressed in costumes and go Shakespeare on your investors. What you need to do is to deliver your pitch like telling a story – without the dull monotony of tables, graphs, and loads and loads of data.
Stories are innately interesting to any individual. We revel in stories – real stories, with a conflict and a hero. Stories affect us so profoundly that we become more emphatic, driving us to action. You are the hero of your business’ story. All you need to do is tell. Here’s how.
Tell your backstory.
Tell them how you started your company and why. Your backstory captivates your audience the same way superhero origin stories do – it builds context. It gives your investors a chance to make sense of who you are as the founder, and why you do what you do. Remember, your investors have seen more 10-slide pitches than you have ever given, but your backstory is something they have never seen before – it is yours and yours alone.
Tell your conflict.
Tell them the hardships, trials, and tribulations you had to overcome in order to take your company to where you are today. Tell them how you overcame them and how you led your company through. Doing so makes the investors realize that you are a person who can take care of your company as well as the investments that they will give to your company.
Be honest about any challenges that you are facing today – do not hide any details. Tell them the whole truth, but back it up with tangible plans on how you will tackle each challenge.
Share your vision.
The three words that investors hate to hear is “I don’t know”, especially if you are asked about your company’s future. Investors want to benefit from their investments as long as they can, and being unsure of your future makes them doubtful in investing their hard-earned finances on your company.
Paint a picture so vivid, so real, that they can’t help but believe it like you do. In the end, this is the most important story you can tell. The future is inevitable, and investors prefer that you come prepared for it. You’re going to get there, one way or the other, but the train is leaving the station now. Are your investors in or out?
