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ABC’s original Shark Tank, aired for the first time in 2009. Since then, “Shark’s” have made fortunes from investing in products like The Squatty Potty and Groovebook.
Let’s put ourselves in Mark Cubans’ shoes for a minute…
If an entrepreneur comes to you without a specific plan, isn’t personally using the product themselves, and doesn’t seem very confident.. the likelihood of you investing with them is probably quite slim.
The same thing applies to investors of our fund!
As fund managers, we are need to be entrepreneurial.
When you make a pitch, you are essentially selling yourself, your plan, and your product.
A successful entrepreneur/fund manager should have the following:
- Self-conviction
- Purpose
- Proof
- Plans
- Pitch
- And an unbeatable deal!
SELF-CONVICTION
Do you believe in yourself? If you don’t, there’s no way that other people will.
People follow people. Especially those who know who they are and where they’re going.
Want to amp up your credibility? Invest in your own fund! When investors can see that you believe in your deal enough to invest, they’ll know you’re serious.
Personally: I always put my own money into my funds. We are here to ride with the investors!
Go all the way in…and they’ll follow!
PURPOSE
High-net worth individuals get sick of hearing the: “We promise this will make you rich” rant.
Instead sometimes they want to hear:
“This is going towards something bigger than any of us. We have a purpose. We have a mission. Be apart of positive change!”
As human beings, we intrinsically know that contributing to a good cause makes us feel good. Make investors feel like you have a purpose!
PROOF
Now, this one can be tricky. You may not have the longest track record, but use what you do have.
How well did your fund perform last year? What other experience do you have? Who’s on your team?
Also, don’t forget to use testimonials! Investors are more likely to believe other satisfied investors than they would the fund manager.
Treat your investors well and they could play a huge role in bringing new investor friends knocking to your door!
PLAN
This is probably the most important one of all. Knowing where you want your fund to go.
How are you going to make your investors that return? What are the fees? What will you be investing in?
All of these are things you need to know BEFORE you ask for them to take out their checkbooks.
PITCH
Never give investors a reason to doubt you.
Instead, help them fundamentally understand the problem and what solution you’re providing.
During your pitch make sure to focus on what makes you different! What makes you a step ahead of the rest?
And in all honesty, what it ultimately comes down to is THE DEAL.
Time after time the deal always beats out the degree. Make it so good, investors can’t tell you no.
I’m going to say this again, because it is so important: Pitch the Deal over the Degree.
Having a great deal surpasses having a great degree 9 times out of 10!
Thanks for the read!
DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not to be taken as tax, financial, or legal advice. You should always consult a legal professional before taking action. Furthermore, this is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. The content is solely just the opinion of the authors.
