Getting bogged down in detail is one of the main reasons why otherwise invest-able propositions don’t get picked up by would be investors.

Are you ever guilty of over complicating your ideas when sharing them with others?

Could you be accused of occasionally or regularly subscribing to Oscar Wilde’s theory that “all the best things in life are complicated”?

Maybe?

Here’s the thing, Oscar probably wasn’t talking about investment pitches!

Even if you think your potential investors will understand or ‘get’ minutia or nitty-gritty…

…hold the phone, don’t go there.

Don’t assume that seasoned investors need to know everything you do to get as excited as you are about your ideas.

They don’t. They’re usually far too busy and have a limited attention span.

Investors want to know the following about your big ideas:

–     What problems can you solve?

–     Why this is valuable?

–     Who cares?

–     How big and how scalable is the opportunity you want to tackle?

–     Do you  have evidence that your ideas are working or could work?

–     Do you have evidence that a market exists or can be created for your idea?

Of course, they’ll also want to hear about you and why ‘you’ are invest-able, that your sums make sense and how much they can make if they invest in ‘You Inc’.

But none of this will matter if your big idea hasn’t grabbed their attention.

So, even if you’re chomping at the bit to tell investors about (say) a cool new bit of software; the type of code you used; how difficult it was to get A system to integrate with B, and ya-da, ya-da, ya-da on ‘how things work’ or ‘operational stuff’ …

…hold fire on sharing these details, unless you’re asked.

Focus on the big picture first. Remember that’s where the opportunity lies.

Your job is to make it as easy as possible for investors to see the Promised Land. Don’t make it hard for them by burying the good stuff.

Do you have any questions about investment pitches?

Here’s your chance.

I’m spending the next few weeks delving into all things investment and I’m actively looking for your questions about investment pitches- so please fire away.

And if you’ve made investment pitches – what are the biggest lessons you got from these experiences?  Why not share your observations?