Creating a pitch video for your startup is a great way to quickly and efficiently explain your product or service to potential investors and partners. However, there are several key steps you should take to ensure that your pitch video is effective and professional.
Videos are extremely engaging and we can see that through traditional marketing, especially when videos get 66% more qualified leads for consumers. These results show that videos elicit more action and engagement from the viewer. When investors see videos, they aren’t reading static text, you are inviting them to a story and opportunity.
Whether you’re using your pitch video to enter a startup competition, secure funding, apply to an accelerator, or introduce your new startup to the world — you only have a few minutes to capture the viewer’s attention and convince them that your business is a winner. How can you make sure that your video Is up to the task?
Here are some tips to help you to create a pitch video for your startup
1. Tell a Story:
A great way to make your pitch video stand out is to tell a story. Explain your product or service in a way that resonates with viewers. Explain the problem you are solving and why your product or service is the best solution for that problem. This will help to engage viewers as well as make your product or service more memorable.
2. Keep it Short and Sweet:
The most important aspect of creating a successful pitch video is to keep it concise and to the point. Your pitch video should be no more than three minutes long, and should focus on the key points of your product or service. Make sure to explain the problem you are solving and the value your product or service offers in the most concise way possible.
3. Focus on the Benefits:
After you have set the stage with your story, focus on the benefits of your product or service. Explain why customers should choose you and what makes your start up unique.
State Your Value Proposition to Investors…
What makes you remarkable? Seth Godin describes this in a scene from his book, The Purple Cow. Imagine you are leaving the city on a road trip with your family and you notice cows in the countryside.
One of your kids points to them and everyone enjoys it. But after 40 minutes of seeing the same thing, it gets tiring. It’s old. Then, all of a sudden, your child points to the back and says, “Is that a purple cow?”.
Now that’s strange. You swerve to the side of the highway. You take pictures. You wonder why it’s purple and if it makes purple milk. It has your full attention.
It’s the same for a startup. There is so much noise, so many other products, all fighting for the same attention from the same customers—and many of the same investors. The only way we can get this attention is by being remarkable. We have to become the purple cow. What makes us so different, so crazy, that investors and customers have no choice but to stop and listen to you?
In your video pitch, state some of the ways that make your startup unique and valuable.
What makes your product or service special? Also, include things about yourself. Have you had experience starting businesses before? Was it a success or a failure? What did you learn and how will it help with this startup? How is your team? Do you work together and do you complement each other well? Do you have numbers and information to support your viability?
4. Get Creative:
Don’t be afraid to get creative with your pitch video. Use animation, music, and other visual elements to make your video more engaging, don’t forget to keep it short as a rule of thumb, your pitch video should be no more than five minutes long. this will ensure that you keep your audience’s.
5. Conclusion:
Re-watch and Edit Your Video Pitch. The first version is never perfect…
Watch your video and assess if anything should be changed. You might have to re-record or make minor edits.
Don’t be afraid to snip the video and make small edits but verify that it makes the video better and it does not become distracting. Stay away from most special effects, background music, and anything that takes away from your true purpose: a video pitch to show your value and opportunity to investors.
You can also send the video to a few friends and your team to get some feedback. Once you are happy with your video pitch, it’s time to upload!
Bonus:
Do you already have a pitch video that will grab the investors’ attention? Or did you follow the steps above and feel ready for the next step: seed funding? Why not give your project a chance and sign up for free with Pitchdrive? We will analyse and qualify your application with your pitch deck and the video and see if you’re ready for funding. Try it today! Click here to get started.
