Heres the Pitch: How to Pitch Your Business to Anyone, Get Funded, and Win Clients

"A comprehensive, insightful, and practical guide to pitching that all entrepreneurs must read." Symon Drake–Brockman, Managing Partner, Pemberton Capital Advisors

"Martin′s book is simply a must–read for entrepreneurs and investors alike. His practical and actionable advice sets this book apart from anything else I′ve read so far." Eyal Bino, Founder, Worldwide Investor Network (WIN)

"We live in a very competitive world in which entrepreneurs have a difficult time raising capital and finding clients. Entrepreneurs need to stand out and become memorable. Martin does a great job educating entrepreneurs on the art of the pitch, which will help them achieve measurable results." Jason Jacobsohn, Director, The Founder Institute

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction Life s a Pitch xi

PART I The Mechanics of Pitching 1

Chapter 1 The Power Dynamics of the Pitch 3

Chapter 2 Stand and Deliver 17

Chapter 3 Engage and Inspire 27

Chapter 4 The Power of Stories 37

Chapter 5 Handling Questions 47

PART II Forms of Pitch 59

Chapter 6 Attention–Grabbing Pitches 61

Chapter 7 The e–Pitch 73

Chapter 8 Pitch Materials: The Executive Summary and Pitch Deck 91

PART III Specific Audiences 105

Chapter 9 The Sales Pitch 107

Chapter 10 The Investor Pitch 119

Chapter 11 Crowdfunding: Pitching to the People 139

Chapter 12 Pitching the Media 153

PART IV Preparation 161

Chapter 13 Develop a Winning Mind–Set 163

Chapter 14 Prepare to Win 175

Bibliography 189

Index 191

MARTIN SOORJOO is a pitch strategist and founder of the San Francisco based Investor Pitch Clinic (IPC). He coaches entrepreneurs across the United States, Canada, Europe, and India, helping them launch and raise funding. Prior to founding the IPC, Martin spent fifteen years as an attorney. He has worked with start–ups and investors, including senior investment bankers, venture capitalists, and angel investors. This experience equipped him with unique insights into the challenges start–ups face and how investors make their decisions. He is a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro–Linguistic Programming (NLP) and expert in body language.