What problem(s) are you solving? Be mindful that whatever problems you introduce will need to be clearly & obviously solved later. Give the audience an idea of how big that problem is. How many people does it affect? What costs are involved? This helps investors understand the potential market size & growth potential for your specific solution. Above all else, don’t just quote facts & figures at the audience. Make your problem feel human. Make it emotional. Give them a human being to connect to, empathize with, relate to. If you can do that, they’ll be far more likely to care & far more likely to invest.

What is your venture, how does it work, and whom does it serve? This is a ‘Wizard of Oz’ moment, where the stark black & white world of the Problem is suddenly solved with a big technicolor array
of hope & optimism for a perfect future, once everyone joins you on the road to success.

How have you made money? What are the figures like? How big is the market size & potential? Who else occupies the same market segment as you? How are you better? How will you continue to grow & become even more profitable? What have you accomplished thus far? How many customers? How much money have you made?
Anything you can show to demonstrate accomplishments & traction with your intended customers. What do the next few years look like? What are your goals & what will you need to reach them?

Why is now the right time to take action? If they don’t jump in & invest right now, what will they miss out on? And why are you the person, or the team, to make it happen? When someone invests, they’re not just investing in an idea on its own in a vacuum. They’re investing just as much — if not moreso — in the person they believe can make that idea a reality. Convince them you are that person!

Your entire narrative argument should be made by now. They should know what they’re buying before you ever put a price tag on it. What’s more, they should already be convinced & excited to dive in! They should know what goal you’re trying to reach, now all they need to know is what resources you need to make it happen. Tell them! Make the ask! No matter where you’re pitching or why, always — always — have an ask. But it doesn’t have to be money! Just ask for whatever it is you currently need.

After all of that, don’t forget to conclude with what I like to call a “Grateful Crescendo”. In a line or two, hearken back to the feelings that made your problem/solution narrative compelling. Conclude by painting the picture of how amazing it will feel if you could solve that problem together! Show them how much better off the world will be because of what you could do together. Then conclude with an earnest thank you over your logo, name, and contact information. Easy peasy! You can do this!