Preparing Your Pitch Video

Transcription

1 Preparing Your Pitch Video Spend time and money on a great pitch video - we hired a professional agency to help us script and film our pitch video. It cost more than doing it ourselves but that definitely paid off. Oliver Bridge, Cornerstone Preparing your pitch video I Version: March 2016

2 Preparing your pitch video Your Crowdcube pitch video is a great way of showing people why they should invest in your business so we ve put together some top tips about what to include in your pitch video. By following this guide you should be able to inspire and inform the crowd and ultimately motivate them to invest in your business. The most important element to remember when creating your video is your audience - always think from their perspective. Content Find a hook: What will quickly get people s attention? The first 30 seconds is key and should be designed to get people to watch the rest of the video. Spark people s interest. Keep it short: Three to four minutes is plenty. Make it impactful and don t waffle. Tell your story: Your video gives you a chance to add personality and a human element to your pitch. Make sure you narrate your story in a clear, memorable and passionate way whilst keeping the audience engaged throughout. Keep it on brand: Link your video message to your brand. A good example of this would be JustPark, a platform giving driver s access to a network of parking spaces, ending their video with join us on our journey. Camden Town Brewery ended their video with become a hells raiser and invest in Camden Town Brewery ( hells is a name for one of their beers). Check out the standard: Watch as many crowdfunding videos as possible to learn what styles you like and don t like. There are plenty of playlists on YouTube and Vimeo with great videos from all the crowdfunding sites. It is important to watch both the ones that funded and the ones that didn t. Speech Show off: If you have a product make sure you include it in your pitch video. Remember, the audience doesn t know your product as well as you do, so showcase the wow factor, you need to grab their attention from the start. Show your product, describe how it works, what need it fulfils and how it s different to its competitors put yourself in the investor s shoes, they may have never heard of you, your brand or the product, so share your enthusiasm and knowledge. Keep it simple: People need to understand you quickly and clearly use everyday language, not industry jargon. Your video isn t the place to convey every single technical detail of your product or service. Make it natural: Write a script that includes all the key points of your crowdfunding campaign. Read it aloud and revise until it is perfect. You must sound natural and conversational when you film the final product.

3 Short, direct and varied: Avoid long, rambling narratives so it s easier to edit the footage together. Film as many takes as you can. It can be hard to memorise a script and still sound natural. Avoid long, boring shots of just talking to the camera by interleaving the footage with quick cutaway shots of your offices, employees, customers and other settings. Finish with the ask : All successful salespeople will tell you if you do not ask for a sale, you will not get one. Close your presentation with a specific request of the audience, not just Thank you. For example: We re strong believers in our idea and we hope you are too. If you d like to know more, please feel free to contact us directly or ask a question in the Discussions. Or you can invest today and be part of the team that will make it successful. Audio and Visual Show your face: People invest in people. It s key to show your face, and the faces of your key team members this will gain investor s trust. Most importantly, be yourself - don t put on an act or over-complicate things. A real life setting: Give the viewer a taste of your day-to-day work life, because that s what they re investing in after all. Equipment: You don t need expensive video equipment or a production studio. But you do need to use your best resources well. If you do not want to buy top notch tech you can always call in a favour. Most entrepreneurs know someone who knows someone with a decent camera and mic. Good quality audio: Use a good quality microphone, film in a quiet place and make sure any background music is kept fairly quiet. The quality of the sound is as important as that of the images make sure your message is clear and understandable. Using music can create a positive impact, but choose it wisely (and legally), and do not let it drown out your dialogue. Oliver Bridge from Cornerstone s top tip is to: Spend time and money on a great pitch video - we hired a professional agency to help us and script film our pitch video - it cost more than doing it ourselves but that definitely paid off. Look for details: The first frame of your video often acts as your preview picture ensure this portrays your business correctly. Make sure you re dressed appropriately for your client base. Check the background of your office something may seem small to you, but investors will spot it and judge accordingly. Top tip: Review as many of the live and funded pitches on our site as possible. Think about which videos immediately engage you and get you excited. Richard Eckley, Senior Investment Analyst - Crowdcube

4 The basic script The Idea the problem it solves, the unique value it offers to users, and how it achieves this The Market how big it is, what the key trends are, how you will take advantage of it The People tell investors about the people behind the business Business Model explain how you ll make money Successes what the business has achieved to date? f you need some help articulating your idea, you can take a look at the statement below. Do not repeat it exactly, but by applying the principles to your specific business, you ll ensure the main factors are covered. We have a mission and a team that is taking us there. Why? We discovered a [large problem] and solved it with a [product] that has [this amazing technology] inside. We re going to market and sell it to [these customers], using this [business model], with [these advantages]. In particular, we re working towards [these milestones] over the next few quarters. In conclusion, this is our vision and it offers a great investment opportunity. We have raised [this financing] and are asking for [this much] more. Top tip: Your video should be a summary of your complete pitch and gives you the chance to show your product or service in action. Michael Wilkinson, Head of Equity Investment - Crowdcube

5 What next? Ready to set the world alight? If you ve already read our Business Plan and Financial Forecasts Standards guides and have those documents ready, start your pitch application at Contact the team for more information: If you ve already submitted your application and have any queries, please call us and we ll put you through to the right person Crowdcube The Innovation Centre University of Exeter Rennes Drive Exeter EX4 4RN /crowdcube Please note: The information in this note is intended to be general information and is not comprehensive. Crowdcube Capital Limited is unable to provide any financial, legal or tax advice and this document is not to be relied upon as such. We recommend that independent advice is taken from an appropriate professional in relation to the corporate documents of an investee company and the crowdfunding process.