Last month I chaired the Quickfire Showcase at Berlin’s SuperReturn, the annual Private Equity Conference. Funds get just 90 seconds to pitch to a room full of investors, who collectively have over $100bn to invest. It’s a high profile investor elevator pitch.
What struck me was that many fund managers did not grasp this opportunity . They just hadn’t prepared properly, as though they preferred to be seen as clever amateurs rather than true professionals. But when you are pitching for investment, you can’t afford to look anything but professional.
For example, some pitches over-ran the 90 seconds. One fund manager got bogged down in detail and another bombarded us with facts. Not surprisingly, they found it hard to grab attention.
A good investor elevator pitch is essential for every business. When crafted well you can tell your story quickly and grab your audience. A good pitch is flexible. You can scale and adapt it for any situation, from dinner parties to formal presentations and for the CEO or the receptionist.
Over the years we have developed a set of tools and tests so that our clients’ investor pitches stand out and get acted on.
Improve My Elevator Pitch Today
You may also be interested in testing your Pitch Book against these six tests for investor-readiness.
Paul Farrow is a Partner at Benjamin Ball Associates. In this video from SuperReturn US East, Paul discusses the common mistakes made by Private Equity funds when communicating with potential investors. He reveals the unexpected personality trait that investors look for in fund managers, and why LPs don’t want to ‘be taken through your pitch presentation’. He shares essential advice that will improve your fund’s messaging, help you stand out and impress prospective investors. Click the play button below to watch:
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“BBA transformed our pitch into a compelling investment narrative. They undoubtedly helped us secure Sky TV as an investor.”
Gerry Bastable Director, Blast Films
“The new presentation properly represents the institutional quality of our fund. It has been a step change for us.”
Erwin de Kleijn Head of IR, Saemor Capital
“We were very pleased…[BBA] helped us define and explain our unique value proposition. As a result we have attracted new and different investors.”
Florian Kemmerich Managing Partner, Bamboo Capital Partners
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