9 Speed Networking Tips – when pitching to investors

Updated October 2025

How do you handle an Investor Speed Dating or Business Speed Networking event?

Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball

Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London.  Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page. 

Business speed networking events are a powerful marketing tool.  You get to meet many investors in a short time and you can quickly assess whether someone might be interested in your investment opportunity.  Many investor conferences now use speed networking so you can meet multiple investors in a short time.

What is a business speed dating event?

Typically, you line up either side of a long set of tables. Investors are on one side, people with investment opportunities on the other side.  Then, every three minutes or so a bell rings and the line moves on so that you meet the next investor.  The big question is how to use that three minutes of speaking to an investor in the most effective way?

While it can be tempting to just turn up and hope for the best, the most successful people at speed networking events plan their investment pitch carefully.

First, let’s make sure you don’t make rookie mistakes.  Some typical errors made when networking include:

• Rushing
• Packing the encounter with facts
• Talking too much
• Using a scripted pitch

Instead, prepare your speed networking pitch as carefully as you run your business.  These top 10 tips will help you increase the success of your investor pitch when you are speed networking.

While every speed networking event will be a bit different, these are solid planning tips you can use to increase your chance of success.

Remember, the purpose of a an investor speed dating event is NOT to sell your opportunity.  Instead, you want to:

• Identify if the investor is interested
• Give them just enough information so you are memorable
• Build a relationship
• Agree to be in touch again

These are the steps you should use:

1.      Ask some questions first

Before anything else, you should ask questions.  Learn the other person’s name and find out something about them. At an investor speed dating event,  it’s tempting to use the three minutes to get across as much information as possible.  That’s a mistake. 

But why questions?  When speed networking you want to know who you are pitching to and what they are looking for. For example, to an investor you could ask:

• Tell me, what type of investment are you looking for now?
• Do you have any particular remit at the moment?
• And, follow up with a second question to get a bit more information

2.      Demonstrate a fit next.

Having asked questions, you can then move into your pitch.  But not before you show how your offer matches what they were looking for.  

For example, you might say.  “If you are looking for early stage tech business that can scale, then perhaps you’d like to hear about ABC co, because that’s exactly the sort of business we are…..

3.      Give your short elevator pitch

A powerful elevator pitch is one of the most powerful tools you can have at an event like this.  You should have prepared multiple versions of it, and now is the time to get out your short 30 second pitch (c 60 words).

For example, “ABC Co is a fast-growing software business solving the problems that travel agents face. We’re like the Right Move for travel agents.  I’m Ben, the founder and we’ve been running for 2 years.  We are currently at the prototype stage and are working with the three largest travel agencies in the UK.  Is that the sort of thing you’d be interested in?”

Like this, you’ve immediately got across just one or two facts that describe your business and given a clear picture of who you are. 

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4.      Listen to their answer for clues that tie their needs with what you offer

At this stage your investor can either say “Sound interesting, tell me more” or say “No, that’s not the sort of thing we want right now.”

 If there is clearly no fit, they’ll say so – there’s no point trying to convince them otherwise.  Instead, ask if they might know someone who could be interested.  Pick their brains and their investor network. You can still build a relationship that might be useful in 1, 2,or 10 years’ time.

If they are interested, then you can begin to lay out your story in a powerful way.

5.      If they are interested, go on and say more.

Unfold what you offer bit by bit. Keep checking you have interest and understanding at each stage. Ask more questions. You should be in a dialogue by now. Keep asking questions

6.       Use the last 30 seconds to close the deal

If you have established they are interested then stop pitching. 

Now you need to use the final second to close the deal by agreeing next steps.

For example: “It sounds like there could be something interesting here for us both?  Can I take your card?  Shall I email you to arrange a meeting when we can discuss this in more detail?  When would be the best time to call you?  

7.      Finish on a positive note

Make your final words warm and positive.  Leave the investor with a good feeling about you. 

For example: “It’s been a real pleasure meeting you.  You asked such good questions.  I am looking forward to speaking again.  I’ll call you on Monday.”

8.      Keep your promises and follow up

Whatever you committed to do, do it.  You’ve made a great first impression, make sure that every contact from now on is equally positive.  Should you fail to deliver at this stage, it will leave your investor in doubt about whether you can deliver later.

9.      Practice all this BEFORE the event

To really get good at this, practise.  Get someone to role-play different types of investor (interested, disinterested, friendly, grumpy, challenging etc etc).  Keep working at it until you feel really comfortable that you can deal with all different types of situation.  When we coach people for speed dating events, we usually role play these encounters and video the interaction so that you get instant feedback and you can make rapid improvements.

How To Improve Your Investor Speed Networking Forever

From our tailored training you will find it wow investors at speed networking events. A quick return on your investment is one of the many benefits of working with us.

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Contact us to become improve your speed networking

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Read our Ultimate Guide to Investor Presentations