Be a more persuasive communicator

You need funding, connections and resources. Get coaching now to sort out your Value Story and be ready to pitch as well as talk informally about your business in everyday interactions such as conversations, emails, etc.

Founder testimonial (See more)

Having an attentive coach like Inge is truly transformational. She listens and caters her advice directly to you. Inge also creates an incredibly comfortable, motivating environment in which you can grow. Lastly, Inge is a blast and is a joy to work with. – Chris / Founder, Obie.ai (acquired by Seismic)

 

How to prepare for a pitch assessment

TO DO IN ADVANCE

  • Please send a PDF at least 24 hours in advance – the closest thing to an investment deck that you have – so Inge can review.

  • Prepare to do an informal verbal pitch (about 5-7 minutes) with that same deck, to give Inge an overview of your business at the start of the session. The purpose is to convey information vs. give a polished delivery.

Overview of our process

New client referrals who have a pitch deck are invited for a one hour pitch assessment. The goal is to give you high level feedback on…

  • The story in your deck – is it compelling, cohesive and credible? You need a Value Story that gets a yes to your ASK.

  • Any improvements in terms of messaging and visuals.

  • Any content gaps (Inge flags these for coaching with business mentors if they’re beyond her reach as communications coach). 

An assessment won’t “fix” your deck. Rather, it will lay out a plan for fixing it with further coaching from Inge and possibly other mentors.

Please sufficient time to improve the deck (usually 2 weeks, minimum) before scheduling an investor pitch or competition.

Common issues to be addressed in coaching

There are 14 basic topics in an investor deck. In Inge’s experience, most often missing from a pitch (or underdeveloped) are…

  • Clear customer targets

  • A Value Prop that resolves most potent customer pain, with competitive difference clearly stated.

  • GTM strategy including customer acquistion targets.

  • TAM/SAM/SOM market sizing (using bottom-up calculations) that sets out a clear vision of who you’ll sell to in SAM/SOM periods.

  • Competitive analysis focused on top 3 competitive threats.

If your pitch is missing more than three of the above topics, then consider more business coaching before you see Inge.  

Are you stuck?

Most clients are too inside their own content to see it clearly. Inge brings objectivity to help you find the most compelling story. She listens, pulls out concise core messages and suggests ways to clarify the story e.g. personas, diagrams and metaphors. Her tips for being a more engaging presenter are simple to apply.

Without coaching, you may be…

  • Too submerged in your slides to see the gaps in your story.

  • Losing valuable time, writing and rewriting.

  • Overlooking audience needs in terms of content and delivery.

  • Anxious about presenting and feeling overwhelmed.

Related article by Inge: Can you draw your business on a whiteboard?

5 steps to a great pitch

Inge can help with you with some or all of these steps. Caution: this process takes time! (Inge helps you use your time efficiently!)

  1. Frame your business as a Value Story: compelling, credible and cohesive.

  2. Adapt your Value Story for any audience, any ASK, any format. (It’s not just for investment pitches. Value Story informs a 100-word email, a grant application and a spontaneous conversation at a conference.)

  3. Develop the presence, vocal delivery and body language that connects you with your audience and sells your story. 

  4. Create clean and uncluttered slides that amplify your message vs. distract from it.

  5. Rehearse and refine your pitch until it sounds natural and conversational.

Working on something other than a pitch?

Inge can help with any business communications issue. If she’s not the best resource, she’ll happily refer you to another mentor.

Inge Christensen works as Communications Coach with The Forge, (the business incubator for McMaster University) and Innovation Factory as well as private startup clients. An entrepreneur for 30+ years, she has decades of experience as Creative Director and Communications Consultant.