I want to hit four of these most common mistakes so you can simply skip them! I promise you, I’ve made them all and there’s really no reason to go back there. Most importantly, once you get your foot in the door for an investor meeting, you want to keep it going. The four common mistakes I’m going to address are assumptions, making promises you won’t keep, talking too much and looking desperate.
Today we’re talking: LOOKING DESPERATE
“Looking” is what we’re talking about here. “Being desperate” is reality sometimes. You have this phenomenal idea for a service or product and you know it will work. You’re pushing forward and you’ve run out of money and you have to get an investor soon. That’s understandable – JUST DON’T LOOK DESPERATE!
You have to keep that straight, calm, confident face that lets investors know that you have things together. They don’t know your financial situation, they don’t know everything about the business, but they do know that you’ve got a plan, you’re confident, and that you are able to move forward.
Present where you are going, not where you are.
If you’re feeling a little desperate, don’t present your desperation right now. Present where you’re going to end up. What is the forward momentum of this thing? Who is your investor? What’s their motivation? What is your product or solution to a market that you know a lot about? That’s our little script. Keep going that way. Don’t talk about how you really need some new tires or how you’ve maxed your credit cards out. No one wants to hear that. Just step back and let this investor realize what a great deal you have going forward. Forward is what we’re here for. People are investing in the future.
Run. Meditate. Pray. Center. Achieve.
Whatever you need to do to get calm, to get back on your feet emotionally, do that. Get yourself centered and then look your investor in the eye and close the deal. Put that desperation behind you. Get back to who you really are when it’s a great day then go talk to that investor, because you’re going to come across way more confident, way more in-charge, way more focused into the future and optimistic – and that is what sells. You have to make the investor feel it from you, so you can’t just put a mask on. If you have that confidence and you’re really feeling great rolling in, it’s going to turn out alright.
