Pitching to investors is a pivotal moment for any entrepreneur. With countless startups vying for limited investment dollars, grabbing an investor’s attention is critical yet challenging. Anamaria Meshkurti, a tech investor with AMVS Capital, receives numerous pitch emails daily. Through her extensive experience, she’s identified following three strategies to get investors to take notice and engage:
Do Your Homework
Anamaria stresses the importance of thoroughly researching potential investors before reaching out. As she explains, “It’s very, very important to make sure that you understand what that investor is looking for, what they have invested in before, what they’re looking to invest in in the future.” Taking time to understand an investor’s areas of interest, past investments, and future goals helps ensure an appropriate fit. Anamaria continues, “Like that you will make sure to have the right fit and also to really send the right message to that investor to catch their attention.”
Entrepreneurs who pitch without regard for an investor’s preferences will likely be ignored. Anamaria admits she often receives messages unrelated to her focus areas, evidencing the sender’s lack of basic research. Avoid this misstep by investigating investors before contacting them. Visit their website, study their previous deals, and align your pitch with their interests. This tailored approach demonstrates you value their time and are a potential match.
Craft a Concise, Hard-Hitting Pitch
Brevity and clarity are paramount when initially pitching investors, according to Anamaria. She cautions entrepreneurs against lengthy pitches saying, “So many times startup entrepreneurs send me pitches that are so long, they attach pitch decks that are very long and sometimes I have to spend so much time to read them.” This excessive content causes investors to disengage, with Anamaria admitting, “This is not the right way because it will just make me skip that message immediately.”
Instead, she advocates condensing your pitch into a single paragraph covering key details. As Anamaria outlines, “In a short paragraph, summarize very quickly who you are and why you’re the right person to lead this company, what does your company do and put in numbers that are going to attract me.” By briefly introducing yourself, your credentials, your company’s purpose and market opportunity, you can grab attention.
Specifically, Anamaria urges including hard numbers demonstrating a sizable market and company traction. For example, highlight your total addressable market, year-over-year growth, customer count and revenue, or impressive projections. She explains such figures can compel investor interest saying, “Those numbers are going to get my attention.” A short, compelling pitch paragraph focused on your investment upside is more effective than a dense, prolonged pitch.
Persist with Ongoing Updates
Pitching investors is not a one-and-done process, emphasizes Anamaria. Even after an initial “no,” continually update investors on major company achievements. As she advises entrepreneurs, “Even if you get a no, keep the investor posted with major updates.” Though timing or fit may presently be off, your business’s progress could prompt future investment.
Anamaria recounts receiving interesting pitches that weren’t ripe for investment. However, subsequent achievement updates like major client wins, entering new markets, or securing other funding often restart conversations. As she notes, “Who knows, we might come in and invest in the next stage.” Ongoing updates demonstrate resilience while keeping your company top of mind.
Specifically, Anamaria suggests sharing developments like:
- New major customer deals closed
- Expanded market reach nationally or globally
- Secured additional funding from investors
- Launched groundbreaking product features
- Achieved key revenue or growth milestones
Though initially dismissed, persistently updating investors ensures you remain visible. Continual positive developments build ongoing investor interest that could ultimately convert to capital.
To learn more about Anamaria and her approach, visit her website here.
