Tufts Entrepreneurship Center recently hosted the annual Paul & Elizabeth Montle Prize, a competition created to recognize individuals that demonstrate outstanding entrepreneurial skills during the early stages of their ventures. Knowing what it takes to be successful, the competition judges provided valuable feedback to the innovative concepts in development.
The Montle Prize panel of judges was comprised of tech, marketing, and start-up experts:
- Peter Clay – Board Member, Tufts Entrepreneurship Center
- Beth McCarthy – Lecturer, Tufts Entrepreneurship Center
- Stephen “Zam” Zamierowski – Managing Director, Tech-Venture Center, Deloitte
Based on the expertise of the judges, we’ve highlighted key takeaways for fine-tuning your pitch and appealing to future investors.
How to Master Your Pitch
- Be very specific about the value of your venture right away. Note why and how you are going to solve a problem.
- Know the potential impact of your venture and how it is different from the existing competition.
- Know your customer persona and display empathy early on in your presentation so that it is obvious what the problem is and who has it.
- Add a story or mention current events that the audience will be familiar with as a way to make your customer focus relatable.
- Tell your company’s story by including a visual of someone using your product. Another way to do this is to provide a visual representation of the before and after shot of where you are in the development process.
- Don’t just discuss the big picture. Have a strong strategy on how you are going to establish a business and go to market.
- Outline where you are today and where you are going in the future. Don’t be shy about celebrating your victories. Showing a timeline can demonstrate this clearly.
- Remember that developing partnerships and connections is a key part of the business process and should be addressed in your pitch.
- Know your audience and anticipate the questions you are going to be asked. Design your presentation in a way that answers these in a clear and concise manner without cluttering your message.
- Slow down! Don’t get rush through key topics.