Going For Investment? Nail These 5 Things First

You’ve done a lot of groundwork, but now you’re ready to level up. You’re looking to drive growth and reach new destinations on your roadmap. That can only mean one thing: it’s time to bring investors on board. 

It’s no secret that going for investment is complicated and time-consuming – and often results in disappointment. One of the biggest reasons funding rounds fall down? They lack a compelling story or message that investors can, well, get invested in. 

MYC have helped countless brands along their investment journey, so we’ve shared our five top things to tick off your checklist before diving in. 

1. Know what you stand for 

When you’re asking investors to buy into your business, you need to be pretty certain about what it represents. Not only will it give you clarity when planning your pitch, but it’ll give you a better chance of attracting backers who share the same values as you.

So, carve out some time to hone your mission, vision and value proposition. Be clear about what problem you’re really solving, who you’re solving it for, and what the bigger picture looks like. Ultimately, you want to be able to demonstrate that you have a unique place in the market that investors can’t resist being a part of. 

2. Create a compelling brand

 With the fundamentals in place, it’ll be a lot easier to build a brand that stands out from the countless other pitches. And no, we’re not just talking about design (although a good-looking brand goes a long way to grabbing a potential investor’s attention!).  

Think about the story behind the brand. Do the founders have a unique background, or was their route into business particularly interesting? Or is there another way you can capture the imagination with your brand message, perhaps by explaining the pain point you solve through storytelling? Tie this all together with a strong tone of voice, and you’re guaranteed to make an impression. The best bit? The more work you can do upfront on this, the easier you’ll find creating things like your deck, video scripts and web content down the line. 

3. Back up your claims 

Grabbing attention is one thing, but getting someone to take your startup seriously as an investment opportunity is quite another. To be in with a shot, you need to demonstrate what your brand is doing that’s worthy of their funds (and how). Making sure you have evidence to support these claims can be make or break when it comes to getting a deal over the line. 

So, do your homework. There’s no excuse for not knowing the basics such as market size. And if you can complement these stats with your accomplishments – things like financials, conversion rates, and customer lifetime value – you’ll have a much easier time convincing investors that you’re a safe bet. Scatter these throughout any content you’re putting in front of them to really strengthen the argument you’re making. 

4. Build your profile 

If you were going to back a business, you’d definitely have a snoop at their online presence, wouldn’t you? At the very least, you can expect that investors will try to suss out your credibility on social media and other performance-related platforms – so make sure these are up to scratch.

Go beyond your brand, too. As a founder or member of the leadership team, it’s vital that you also come across as backable – and using platforms like LinkedIn to their full advantage can help you do just that. You can also make your business look even better by ensuring you’re set up on sites such as Trustpilot and have a few glowing reviews to your name. 

5. Get your pitch deck right 

Okay, you’ve nailed the above. But you’ve still a way to go before getting in front of potential investors… it’s time to get your pitch deck right. 

Your pitch deck should be fully branded and include: 

• Market research, the problem you’re solving, and core USPs
• Achievements so far, short- and long-term goals, and growth projections
• Information on your product/service, business model, competition, and team
• High-level financial projections, including income and possible expenses
• How the funding will be used and any plans for future rounds
• Contact details and a closing statement

This will act as a foundation for the next stage of your investment-seeking journey. It’ll be a base you can refer to when devising your campaign video and script, as well as an informative piece of literature to provide insight into your brand. 

Take the next step

Gearing up to pitch to investors can be both exciting and daunting at the same time. There are a lot of aspects you need to get right. 

We’ve supported many founders on their journey, joining forces with clients and other creatives to support the investment process. Not only can we help you firm up your brand and its story with our strategy services, but we collaborate with videographers, CEOs and other specialists to craft a range of content that makes investors stand to attention. 

Looking to get started? Let’s talk.