Many startups seeking investment capital make common mistakes when pitching their business to potential investors. These easily avoidable errors can be statements made in their elevator pitch, in an email introduction, or even in the formal pitch deck they use to present. Here are 10 statements from startup entrepreneurs that are likely to turn off potential investors:
1. “We have no competition.”
Of course, your startup has competition, and to think otherwise shows an investor that you are naive. A simple Google search will often surface any number of potential competitors. Your job is to identify your top potential competitors and explain why your company is better.
2. “We want you to sign an NDA before we give you information about our business.”
Investors are busy and get inundated with business pitches. The great majority of investors will not sign a non-disclosure agreement, and you are just putting up a roadblock in even asking for one. If you have extremely confidential information, don’t include it in your pitch deck.
Dispatches From The Front 