How to Write a Business Pitch

A detailed guide to writing a successful business pitch

A business pitch is a presentation by one or more people to an investor or group of investors, though it can also be an email, letter, or even an impromptu conversation. The goal of a business pitch is generally to secure the resources and funding necessary to move forward with a business plan or to continue with an already established business or venture.

Get to the point

The best business pitch gets to the heart of the matter quickly in order to keep investors from losing interest or worse yet, thinking there's no point to the presentation. Get to the meat of the pitch as soon as possible; if investors don't understand the idea right away, they'll think customers won’t understand it either.

Elevator pitch

You may want to consider starting with an elevator pitch, so named because it should be short enough to deliver during a brief elevator ride. It can introduce your business pitch and is handy if you stumble across a brief opportunity to sell your idea to a potential investor (for instance, if you find yourself riding to the tenth floor with the likes of Bill Gates). An elevator pitch is a concise and carefully planned description of your company or idea that can be quickly and easily understood. In a longer business pitch, the elevator pitch can be used as the hook: a line or two in your business writing that captures the attention of potential investors.

Pay attention to details

Once you've started off your business pitch with a brief overview of your business idea, it’s time to flesh out the details. You want to get across the reasons investors should to buy in; for example, what benefits will investors receive if they provide the necessary capital? Your business pitch might include the following:

Industry analysis
Customer needs
Marketing strategy
Business model
Overview of the competition
Risks
Implementation plan
Financial projection
Financial needs

Do your research

It is important to do your research. You must know your product, audience, and competitors well and should be prepared to answer any questions potential investors may have. It is important to ensure you are pitching your idea to the right people. Research potential investors and ensure your pitch idea is well-matched to their interests.

While your overall idea is the most important part of your business pitch, make sure to polish the details: be sure your numbers are correct and have evidence to validate any claims you make. Use powerful, convincing words and avoid using superlatives or hyperbole; and, of course, edit your pitch to ensure you have used proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation! You want potential investors to judge your business pitch based on merit rather than surface errors.

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