Investor Decks and Pitching Tips for Dubai Entrepreneurs

Did you know that Dubai investors on average fund only 10% of business proposals they hear?

So, if you are a budding entrepreneur in Dubai or UAE, stats are stacked against you. But, instead of deterring you, this should motivate you all the more to work harder on your business pitch. Your business pitch determines, more than anything else, whether you’ll get the desired funding or not.

In other words, your pitch matters. So how can you deliver a great business pitch?

Well, keep in mind the following tips:
 

• Keep it short

Timing is paramount. Shorter pitches get better results. A great idea means not much if you can’t distill it into a few moments of absolute power. For your pitch to make an impact, it needs to be compact.
Here are some timing pointers:

• Take 60 seconds less than what you said you’ll take
• If prospective investors say, “You will only get “N” number of minutes to make a case”, you should finish your pitch at least a few minutes earlier
• Maintain a nice pace. Make sure you don’t rush toward the end
• Don’t stay on a single slide for long (anything beyond 3 minutes is too long).

 

• Tell your story

Facts are great, but nothing catches listeners’ attention better than a good story.
Detailed numbers, valuations and endless spreadsheets, although necessary, don’t excite anyone. If investors want data, they can get it from your term sheet or financial plan.
What they may want to know is the story behind your dream. Tell that right and you will capture and hold their attention.

• Focus on core components

If you don’t show respect for investors’ time, they will never back your project.
Therefore, don’t waste their—and your own—time by highlighting things that aren’t really necessary. Use every second of your pitch time to talk about the core components.

• Explain your product clearly

Even better, let them handle your prototype if possible.
However, don’t go on and on about your product. Honestly, investors are not so much interested in your product as in knowing how much your product is going to make.
So get to the good part—the money and how you are going to generate it —quickly.

• Explain your product’s uniqueness

Is your product just the same as hundred others?
If yes, forget about pitching right now and work on finding a truly unique product or service.
Investors don’t want to waste their time on a venture without any unique features.

• Tell them about your go to market strategy

No product sells by itself. It is you, or your marketing team, who will sell the product.
Investors want to know your marketing strategy. And they will be all ears only if your marketing strategy is sound and airtight.

• Explain the revenue model

There’re only two things investors really want to know:

• How will you make them rich?
• How soon the money will start coming in?

Talk about your revenue model and show them how you plan to put it into practice.

• Practice, practice, practice

Pitching is an acquired skill. The more you practice, the better.

• Be wildly passionate

One can fake knowledge or even skill but not passion. You need to show investors you’re wildly passionate about what you want to do.

•  Anticipate questions, and prepare for them in advance

When an investor throws a question or two at you, that’s a good sign. It shows he or she is interested in what you’re saying.
However, you may lose their attention if you flounder with your answers. Therefore anticipate questions and prepare for them in advance.
Want help with business pitching in Dubai and UAE?
​
Get in touch with our experts. They can help you with everything, from creating a killer investor deck to business coaching and business plan writing.