European Stock Exchange

    European Stock Exchange

    The Bridge Between Crowdfunding and Regulation

    The European Stock Exchange - It's Time to Think Different

    Pitching Investors With Customer Motivations Won't Work


    When pitching to investors, entrepreneurs always seem to start with a customer pitch, then add a slide or two about the business. In reality, they need a separate pitch about the business, carrying over only a slide or two about the solution. Remember, investors are buying into the business, not the product. Investors are business experts, while the entrepreneur is more likely the product expert.

    In every case, the relevant pitch needs to start by highlighting a real customer problem, then outlining a new solution, with all the features and disruptive technology. One of the most common red flags I hear from my fellow investors, and even customers, is that they hear yet another “solution looking for a problem.” These don’t get funded, nor bought by customers.

    Beyond that common starting point, the why and how of the business are more important to investors than the what. Attracting business investors is as tough as attracting customers, but it’s a different challenge. Investors have business motives, so using customer motivations to attract investors won’t work. Here are the motivation elements that investors expect to hear:

    1. Size and growth potential of the market opportunity

    Your customers don’t care if you are targeting a billion-dollar market and growing at double-digit rates, but investors will skip small or shrinking opportunities. Large and growing markets imply a high startup growth potential, with high odds of scaling and success.

    2. How the solution and business model work to fund the business

    Every customer understands that your solution has to generate more revenue than cost, but you should not put that data in a customer pitch. Investors will impatiently expect a winning business model, customer segment definitions and volume projections.

    3. Competitor positioning and sustainable competitive advantage

    How you intend to beat specific competitors (business model, intellectual property) is a key investor decision criteria. Your solution may be a technological marvel, but if it is vulnerable to competitors, potential investors will likely walk away. “First to market” is not sustainable by a startup.

    4. Startup team strengths and domain experience

    Customers may be attracted to your marketing message, but investors look harder at the startup team, seeking superior expertise in the key areas of growing a business, product domain, financial, marketing and sales. In my experience, the team's credentials are more important than the product.

    5. Specific elements of your marketing and sales plans

    Of course, these should never be in a customer pitch, but investors expect an overall strategy with specific budgets, milestones and metrics. Partnerships, distribution channels and pricing models should be included. “If we build it they will come” is not a marketing and sales strategy.

    6. Projected revenues and expenses over the strategic period

    Typically, investors want to see five-year financial projections to check your commitment and understanding of the business's potential. This allows them to calculate burn rates, break-even points and forecast the company valuation over time.

    7. Immediate investment requirements and use of funds

    No investor pitch should end without asking for a specific amount of money, providing some details on how that money will be used and what equity in the company you are offering in return. Investors are also interested in future investment requirements, time frames and long-term strategy.

    8. Potential investor return calculation and exit strategy

    Startup investments are extremely risky, primarily because the stock has no value until a future liquidity event, such as an acquisition or public offering. The entrepreneur needs to show a strategy for such an event, and a projected value and return to the investor.

    Putting together a good investor pitch is hard work. It requires the same level of understanding of your business that you probably have already put into developing your product or service, over a period of months. A great product can’t exist without a business, just like a great business can’t exist without a product. A great entrepreneur has both, with the ability to tell the difference.


    Featured Posts

    KPMG - The Pulse of Fintech Q4, 2106

    China: WeiyangX Fintech Review

    The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, Monash Business School & Tsinghua University, Join

    From cancer treatment to restaurant openings - how crowdfunding turned us all into investors.

    Ram Ahluwalia of PeerIQ Shares the Future of Online Lending

    How Crowdfunding Took On Private Equity And Won

    Brexit slowdown? There's been a 'large-scale drop' in UK startup funding for the first t

    Innovate Finance Report on VC Investment into Fintech: Up Globally, Down in the UK

    Brexit bites UK fintech as funding falls by 34% in 2016

    Germany: Investment Crowdfunding Grew by 39% in 2016

    {"items":["5fda4b180abcba0017a07b13","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b1b","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b1a","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b19","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b1c","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b17","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b16","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b18","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b15","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b14"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Strips","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":"100%/100%","isVertical":false,"gallerySize":30,"collageDensity":0.8,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":true,"imageMargin":0,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":false,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":true,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":1,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":120,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":true,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":3,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_HOVER","galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":true,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":1,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":18,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":160,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":0,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":226,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":5,"targetItemSize":226,"selectedLayout":"5|bottom|1|fill|false|1|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":5,"isSlideshowFont":true,"externalInfoHeight":0,"externalInfoWidth":0},"container":{"width":226,"height":288,"galleryWidth":226,"galleryHeight":127,"scrollBase":0}}
    Recent Posts

    KPMG - The Pulse of Fintech Q4, 2106

    China: WeiyangX Fintech Review

    The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, Monash Business School & Tsinghua University, Join

    From cancer treatment to restaurant openings - how crowdfunding turned us all into investors.

    Ram Ahluwalia of PeerIQ Shares the Future of Online Lending

    How Crowdfunding Took On Private Equity And Won

    Brexit slowdown? There's been a 'large-scale drop' in UK startup funding for the first t

    Innovate Finance Report on VC Investment into Fintech: Up Globally, Down in the UK

    Brexit bites UK fintech as funding falls by 34% in 2016

    Germany: Investment Crowdfunding Grew by 39% in 2016

    {"items":["5fda4b180abcba0017a07b13","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b1b","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b1a","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b19","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b1c","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b17","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b16","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b18","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b15","5fda4b180abcba0017a07b14"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"max","cubeRatio":1.7777777777777777,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":30,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":22,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":0,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":["SHOW_ON_THE_RIGHT","SHOW_BELOW"],"galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":0,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":60,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":75,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":1000,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_12","value":"rgba(78,78,78,0)"},"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":2,"calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"MANUAL","targetItemSize":1000,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|max|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":true,"externalInfoHeight":60,"externalInfoWidth":0.75},"container":{"width":220,"galleryWidth":242,"galleryHeight":0,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}
    • February 2017 (11)
    • January 2017 (2)
    • November 2016 (10)
    • October 2016 (4)
    • August 2016 (1)
    • July 2016 (5)
    • June 2016 (8)
    • May 2016 (10)
    • April 2016 (19)
    • March 2016 (19)
    • February 2016 (11)
    • January 2016 (12)
    • December 2015 (1)
    • November 2015 (9)
    • October 2015 (10)
    • September 2015 (12)
    • August 2015 (19)
    • July 2015 (6)
    • June 2015 (3)
    • May 2015 (2)
    • March 2015 (2)
    • February 2015 (1)
    • January 2015 (1)
    • August 2014 (13)
    • June 2014 (1)
    • April 2014 (1)
    • March 2014 (1)
    • May 2013 (2)
    Archive
    Follow Us
    • Facebook Basic Square
    • Twitter Basic Square
    • Google+ Basic Square
    • Home

    • Listings

    • How it Works

    • News

    • Guide to ESE

    • Apply for Listing

    • Investor Registration

    • Contact

    • T&C

    • Privacy Policy

    • Regulation

    • Company Login

    • Investor Login

    • Help

    • More

      Investor Login
      Company Login

       

      © 2015 European Stock Exchange Group

       

      ESE is not regulated by any investment authority and does not broker and or arrange any transactions that require regulation. We do not trade stock or offer any advice whatsoever. Whilst we take reasonable care to ensure that information on the site is clear, fair and not misleading we do not provide any guarantee, warranty or representation as to its accuracy or completeness. The content of this website does not constitute or form part of any offer by ESE to enter into any contract or agreement nor is it a solicitation to buy or sell any investment.  This website should not be regarded as an offer or solicitation to conduct investment business, as defined by the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 in any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom. Investors who are resident in or citizens of countries other than the United Kingdom may be subject to local restrictions. This will also apply to all other jurisdictions where similar restrictions exist.  Please note that the value of investments and the income from them may fluctuate and you may not receive back the amount originally invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. Currency movements may also affect the value of investments. The investments and investment services referred to on this website may not be suitable for all investors. If you are unsure as to whether the investments described in this site are suitable for you we recommend you seek professional advice from a financial adviser. ESE may not provide financial, investment or other professional advice to retail clients. Nothing on this site should be interpreted as constituting financial advice. ESE is a platform and does not arrange or raise capital for any companies listed on the platform.

      YOU SHOULD OBTAIN RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE SPECIFIC TO YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES BEFORE MAKING ANY INVESTMENT DECISION.

      List with Us

       

      Register as an Investor

       

      Collaborate with Us

       

      Our Charter

       

      Jobs

       

      Reports

      Tools

       

      Partners

       

      The Power of PR and News

       

      Information Packs and Fee Paying

       

      Report a fault with one of our pages

       

      Features 

       

      Social 

      News

       

      The Power of Research

       

      History of Stock Exchanges

       

      Investor Certificates

       

      Investor Seats on ESE

       

      The ESE Fund

       

      Reverse Private Equity

       

      ISA Allowances 2014/2015

       

      Investor Portfolio

       

      Ticker Tape Rules 

       

      Verified by ESE

       

      V

       

      Contact

       

      Privacy Policy

       

      General Terms and Conditions

       

      Terms for Listing Companies

       

      Regulation                           *