Pitching Process
Master the investor pitching process from discovery calls to partner meetings with frameworks for demos, storytelling, and objection handling
The Pitching Process workflow guides you through every stage of investor conversations, from initial discovery calls to partner meetings. Learn how to tell your story, demo your product, and handle objections effectively.
Overview#
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Stages | 4 (Discovery, Pitch, Follow-up, Partner Meeting) |
| Tier | Free |
| Typical Duration | 2-6 weeks per investor |
| Best For | Active fundraising conversations |
Outcomes#
A successful pitching process delivers:
- High conversion from first meeting to follow-up
- Clear understanding of investor concerns
- Efficient progression through decision process
- Strong relationships even with passes
- Multiple term sheets to create competition
The Investor Decision Process#
Understanding how investors evaluate:
INITIAL SCREEN (2-5 min)
├── Does this fit our thesis?
├── Is the market big enough?
└── Does the team seem credible?
│
▼
FIRST MEETING (30-45 min)
├── Is the problem real?
├── Is the solution compelling?
└── Do I want to dig deeper?
│
▼
DEEP DIVE (1-3 meetings)
├── Are the metrics real?
├── Can this team execute?
└── What's the risk profile?
│
▼
PARTNER MEETING
├── Full partnership buy-in
├── Term sheet negotiation
└── Reference checks
│
▼
CLOSE
Stage 1: Discovery Call (30 min)#
The Goal#
- Establish mutual fit
- Share your story
- Understand their process
- Get to next step
Call Structure#
Opening (3 min)
- Quick intros
- Confirm time available
- Set agenda
Your Pitch (10 min)
- Problem and insight
- Solution and traction
- Why you're the team
Discussion (12 min)
- Answer their questions
- Learn about their focus
- Identify concerns early
Close (5 min)
- Summarize key points
- Understand their process
- Agree on next steps
First Meeting Script#
1## Opening
2
3"Thanks for taking the time. Before I dive in, I'd love to
4understand - what drew you to take this meeting?"
5
6[Their answer helps you tailor the pitch]
7
8## The Pitch (10 min)
9
10### Hook (30 sec)
11"[Company] helps [who] do [what] so they can [outcome].
12We're at $[X] MRR growing [Y]% month-over-month."
13
14### Problem (2 min)
15"The problem we're solving is [pain point].
16Let me give you an example: [specific customer story].
17This costs [quantified impact]."
18
19### Solution (3 min)
20"We solve this by [core approach].
21Here's how it works: [brief demo or description].
22What makes us different is [key insight]."
23
24### Traction (2 min)
25"We launched [X] months ago.
26Today we have [metrics].
27Notable customers include [logos/names]."
28
29### Ask (1 min)
30"We're raising $[X] to [milestone].
31This would get us to [18-month goal]."
32
33### Close
34"What questions do you have?"Questions to Expect#
Market Questions:
- How big is the market?
- Why now?
- Who are your competitors?
Product Questions:
- What's your unfair advantage?
- How defensible is this?
- What's the technical risk?
Traction Questions:
- What's your growth rate?
- What does retention look like?
- How are you acquiring customers?
Team Questions:
- Why are you the team to do this?
- What's your superpower?
- What are you missing?
Business Model:
- What's your unit economics?
- How do you price?
- What's your sales process?
Stage 2: The Pitch Meeting (45-60 min)#
Demo Best Practices#
Before the Demo:
- Test everything twice
- Have a backup plan (video, screenshots)
- Know the WiFi situation
- Prepare for technical failure
During the Demo:
- Start with the "aha moment"
- Tell a story, not a feature tour
- Use real data when possible
- Keep it under 10 minutes
- Pause for questions
Demo Structure:
1. Set the scene (who is the user?)
2. Show the problem (their current state)
3. Reveal the magic (your solution)
4. Show the outcome (transformation)
5. Highlight depth (what else can it do)
Storytelling Framework#
Use this narrative arc:
THE HERO'S JOURNEY FOR FOUNDERS
1. THE ORDINARY WORLD
"Before this, I was [background]..."
2. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE
"I discovered this problem when..."
3. THE INSIGHT
"The key insight that changed everything..."
4. BUILDING THE SOLUTION
"We built [product] to solve this..."
5. EARLY VALIDATION
"The first customers showed us..."
6. THE VISION
"Where this is going..."
Handling Hard Questions#
"Your market seems small"
- Acknowledge, then reframe
- "That's the current market. We see it expanding because [trend]."
- Share bottom-up analysis
"You're competing with [Big Company]"
- Show differentiation
- "We're focused on [niche] where [Big Company] underserves."
- Speed/focus advantages
"Your growth seems slow"
- Provide context
- "We've been focused on [product/retention]. Now shifting to growth."
- Show leading indicators
"Why should you win?"
- Team uniqueness
- Market insight
- Execution proof
Questions to Ask Investors#
About their process:
- What's your typical timeline from first meeting to decision?
- What would you need to see to move forward?
- Who else is involved in the decision?
About their value-add:
- How do you typically help portfolio companies?
- Can you connect me with a founder you've worked with?
About fit:
- Does this fit your current thesis?
- What concerns you about this opportunity?
Stage 3: Follow-Up#
After Every Meeting#
Same day:
- Send thank you email
- Share any promised materials
- Note key concerns raised
Follow-up Email Template:
1Subject: Thanks for meeting - [Company Name]
2
3Hi [Name],
4
5Thank you for taking the time today. I enjoyed our conversation
6about [specific topic discussed].
7
8As promised, I'm attaching:
9- [Document 1]
10- [Document 2]
11
12To address your question about [concern raised]:
13[Brief, clear response]
14
15As discussed, the next step is [what you agreed to]. I'll
16[your action] by [date].
17
18Looking forward to continuing the conversation.
19
20Best,
21[Your name]Follow-Up Cadence#
| Day | Action |
|---|---|
| 0 | Thank you email + promised materials |
| 3 | Check if they have questions |
| 7 | Share relevant update (if available) |
| 14 | Gentle check-in on timeline |
| 21+ | Monthly updates if still in consideration |
Investor Updates (During Fundraise)#
1Subject: [Company] Monthly Update - [Month]
2
3Hi [Name],
4
5Quick update on our progress:
6
7**Highlights:**
8• MRR: $[X] (+Y% MoM)
9• [Key metric]: [Value]
10• [News/milestone]
11
12**What's Working:**
13• [Positive development]
14
15**Challenges:**
16• [What you're working on]
17
18**Fundraise Status:**
19• [Where you are in the process]
20
21Happy to chat if you have questions.
22
23Best,
24[Name]Stage 4: Partner Meeting#
What to Expect#
Partner meetings are your "final exam." Expect:
- 3-6 partners in the room
- 45-60 minutes
- Deeper technical/business questions
- Questions designed to stress-test
- Decision within 1-2 weeks
Partner Meeting Prep#
Research each partner:
- Their investment focus
- Portfolio companies
- Public statements/tweets
Prepare for deeper questions:
- Detailed financial model walkthrough
- Technical architecture questions
- Competitive deep dive
- Customer reference preparation
Practice tough questions:
- What could kill this company?
- Why haven't you grown faster?
- What would you do if [competitor] copied you?
Partner Meeting Structure#
OPENING (5 min)
├── Partner intros
└── Your 2-minute pitch
YOUR PRESENTATION (15-20 min)
├── Abbreviated deck
├── Focus on new info
└── Live demo if requested
Q&A (25-30 min)
├── Round-robin questions
├── Deep dives on concerns
└── Technical questions
CLOSING (5 min)
├── Their timeline
├── Reference check requests
└── Next steps
Recommended Agents#
| Phase | Agent | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Story | copywriting-expert | Pitch narrative refinement |
| Demo | frontend-expert | Demo preparation |
| Q&A | strategy-expert | Objection handling |
| Follow-up | copywriting-expert | Email communication |
Deliverables#
| Deliverable | Description |
|---|---|
| Pitch script | 10-minute memorized pitch |
| Demo script | Rehearsed product walkthrough |
| FAQ document | Answers to 20 common questions |
| Follow-up templates | Email templates for all scenarios |
| Partner meeting prep | Research on each partner |
Best Practices#
- Practice relentlessly - You should know your pitch cold
- Tell stories - Anecdotes > statistics
- Listen more than you talk - Understand their concerns
- Address concerns directly - Don't dodge hard questions
- Create urgency - Without being pushy
- Follow up promptly - Speed shows professionalism
Common Pitfalls#
- Not knowing your numbers - Fatal error
- Talking too much - Let them ask questions
- Defensive responses - Stay calm and collaborative
- No clear ask - Always know your next step
- Ignoring signals - Pay attention to body language
- Poor time management - Don't run over
After a "Pass"#
Response template:
1Subject: Re: [Company] - Thank you
2
3Hi [Name],
4
5Thank you for your thoughtful consideration and for being
6direct about your decision.
7
8Would you be open to sharing what the key concerns were?
9Understanding this would be incredibly helpful as we continue.
10
11Regardless, I'd love to keep you updated on our progress.
12Would a quarterly update be welcome?
13
14Best,
15[Name]Learn from every pass:
- What objections came up?
- Was it timing, fit, or fundamentals?
- How can you address this for other investors?
Related Workflows#
- Materials Preparation - Build your materials
- Investor Targeting - Find the right investors
- Closing Deals - Negotiate and close
- Fundraising Readiness - Are you ready?