What to consider when pitching as a startup - PART 2
As we enter the final weeks of our current cohort of incubation, we are turning our focus toward the skills startups need when moving into the fundraising and scaling phase.
We are hosting labs sessions for our startups, and for the first of these labs sessions, we invited Nicholas Bjorklund (pitch and public speaking expert from Paris) to share his wealth of experience on pitching as a startup. Below are a few key points written by Nick.
Read PART 1 here.
Zamokuhle Thwala
Founder of AgriCool pitching at the 2020 AfricArena Summit.
BODY LANGUAGE AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Reference: 110 Communication Skills
80% of your communication comes from your body language and non-verbal communication.
Eye contact
Eye contact is key. This is how we make a connection with the people we’re speaking to. When speaking to a small number of people (3-5) try to make a connection with each one and don’t get “stuck” speaking to one person of the group.
When it comes to a larger audience (+- 30), you will still pass through the audience catching different people along the way, but you will notice this is easier. This “connection” is made more quickly and it’s important to try pass over the audience at large.
With large audiences (100+) you’ll notice this is the easiest. Because of the context eye contact won’t truly be possible and all you’ll need to do is maintain focus with the public while still moving your eyes around the room so that everyone feels included.
In all contexts try not to drop your eyes to the floor or look above their heads. Also, never pitch to your slides. This is a bad habit that can happen if you’ve learned your text by using your slides.
Lastly, eye contact is a verbal cue, so remember that where you look, your listener will be encouraged to look as well. For example, if one slide of your presentation is very important, then you can direct your public to focus on it by looking at it yourself. You can also underline this direction verbally, “as you can see here” and with gesture to the screen. Rest assured that when you return eye contact with your public, they will come back to you.
Gestures
Gestures on a basic level animate and draw attention. Humans speak with their bodies as much as they speak with their voices. Start paying attention to how you non-verbally communicate. There’s probably room to improve. There’s no need to do too much but doing too little can be disastrous. Also, a face is just as much a part of the body as hands are. So remember, you’re never fully dressed without a smile!
Parasite gestures
Parasite gestures are the negative side to our non-verbal communication. These are defined by repetitive gestures that distract the public. We all have a tendency to do these simply because biologically speaking, the situation is uncomfortable and produces stress. They come in the form of physical gestures and vocal ticks (uhms and ahs).
You will notice that they will be most present between your trains of thought. When your brain is actively communicating with your listeners, it doesn’t have time to focus on anything else. It’s in the few seconds when you’ve finished a thought and are moving on to the next when your brain will notice where you are and “bug”. This is why it is so important to practice and prepare so that you can move on to the next subject with ease.
For vocal ticks, we have a tendency not to hear them. This is why recording yourself is so helpful to give you an outside perspective of yourself. When you hear yourself say “aaaaaahhhh” “ummmm so” or “what I mean is” ten times in 30 seconds, you will do what you need to erase that. If in the moment you need to gather your thoughts and find your words, it’s better to leave a slight pause and then continue rather than “uhm-ing”. Time dilatates on stage, meaning the 2 seconds it takes to find your words feels like an hour, so don’t worry!
Lastly, it’s important to know that these are things you should focus on during preparation but should forget when you’re on your way into the room. You should be focused on the task at hand, not your habit of rocking back and forth on your feet. Don’t over-analyze yourself. Parasites gestures and vocal ticks are something we all have and should be avoided but at the end of the day, they won’t make or break your pitch.
USING YOUR VOICE
A lot of our power in public speaking comes from our voices. Try to speak at a good rhythm and volume, and articulate well. Although you may be nervous, take a deep breath, smile and just communicate what you’ve come to say. Remember, your audience wants to hear what you have to say as much as you want to say it!
If you have an accent, don’t fret too much about it. Most people will understand you or know what you mean if you happen to pronounce something incorrectly. Practice as best as you can and don’t worry about the rest too much.
GUY KAWASAKI 10/20/30 RULE
10 Slides, 20 minutes, 30 sized font. Unsure what the flow of your pitch deck should be? Take a look at the following information. Be careful though, a professional deck will rarely be actually exactly 10 slides. In reality, consider that they will be closer to the double. Personally, a slide a minute isn’t too bad. More than that and it becomes a terrible distraction.
https://learn.marsdd.com/article/how-to-create-a-pitch-deck-for-investors/
https://www.alexanderjarvis.com/guy-kawasaki-102030-rule-for-founders-startup-business-pitch-deck/
https://www.alexanderjarvis.com/reid-hoffmans-private-pitch-deck-guidance
Remember that as with all technique and method, you can learn from it, and then learn where to bend or break the rules for the situation knowing what works best for you.
FINANCIALS
We’re talking business, so business and the commercial aspects of your project are essential. Avoid busy excel sheets or overcomplicated charts. If you want to, you can add an addendum to your pitch deck and use it as a reference. If the audience (during the Q&A) asks you to go into more detail, and a graph or table will help you bring your point across quicker, make use of the addendum. Specific financial projections that are more in-depth are better suited for one-on-one meetings and discussions.
SLIDES
Reference: Death by Powerpoint (as a Presentation aid)
One quick word on Powerpoint and slides - they are visual aids and not the presentation itself. You are not helping people understand your slides, but rather, they are there to help explain and illustrate what you’re saying. Slides come in three categories - a written proposal, a presentation aid, and a hybrid.
Most times in your career, you will be presenting with the hybrid meaning. You’ll be using it as a tool in the room, but you will also send it as a reference. Obviously, a written proposal or pitch will be read and not presented, so they will be longer and favor more text. Whereas as presentation aid will be the opposite, shorter, favoring images and keywords rather than complete sentences
FURTHER READING AND REFERENCES
Simon Sinek (storytelling) - The Golden Circle - Start with the why
INTRODUCING NICK
Nick is a people person and loves to talk and exchange with others. Email him today if you’re interested in working more with him or have any thoughts or questions.
ARE YOU A STARTUPS AND INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR INCUBATION PROGRAM?
We are opening our next cohort in October 2020 - Call for applications coming soon! Read more about the incubation program here. Stay connected here.