Pitching is an art, this is how to master the art.

You need to know the type of pitch, it is very important to understand the type of pitching that you are going to pitch. Technically there are three types of pitch. The famous one is the elevator pitch, there is a 30 minutes pitch and there is an “investor deep pitch”; this is when an investor has given you the total attention and need to hear about your idea or product intensively. Most of the time is when the investor is attracted to your idea.

3 important things on a pitch, problem that you are solving, why is important to solve the problem & proof that you can do it #SeedstarsDar

— Jumanne Mtambalike (@J4Mtambalike) November 3, 2015

You need to know characteristics of each pitching technique when it is elevator pitch 5 minutes or less is all you need to make your point clear. It should cover very few topics. Within those 5 minutes, you should be able to make the investor knock is head and say yes this is what I want. 30 minutes pitch provides a room of short but detailed explanations and rooms of questions so be prepared. Investor deep pitch this is when you get your facts together, most of the time you can carry your study of the market, product statistics in terms of usability, ROI and so on.

Happening now @bunihub info session @SeedstarsWorld introducing mentors and Startups @costechTANZANIA pic.twitter.com/REX9KE29CF

— Jumanne Mtambalike (@J4Mtambalike) November 3, 2015

Three things each pitch should have, first, the problem that you are solving, why is important to solve this problem and proof that you have enough experience and resources to solve that problem.

For an elevator pitch 5 minutes or less is all you need to make your point clear. @bunihub @SeedstarsWorld @costechTANZANIA #SeedstarsDar

— Jumanne Mtambalike (@J4Mtambalike) November 3, 2015

The biggest mistake in pitching; first is practicing to pitch during the pitch session. We never practice pitching in front of real investors you have thousands of people to try your pitching simulations. Never jump into the solutions; investors are not interested with the solutions. They always want to hear stories and real-time user experience and how users have embraced your product.

Questions you pitch should answer, any pitch should answer the following questions, why should I put money in your product, problem or opportunity you have seen, how this opportunity matters to the users and what is the best solution that you have come up with.

The Structure of the pitch, in one statement any pitch should contain problem, solution and team. It doesn’t matter how you rotates those things they can give you the perfect structure you need to attract investors into your products.

Never practices pitching with the investors remember there is only one first impression. Practice pitching with your trainers, co-workers, team members, friend, and family. Sometimes look for people who always criticize you and hear what they have to say about your product. Only a strong flame can make a fine steel.

Investors and their numbers, “over 200,000 users just one month of operation” these are the type of statements investors expect and like to hear during pitching but whatever you do, make sure you know what you are talking about. Fake statistics they won’t help you at all.

Resourceful video from Google for Entrepreneurs to get you started 

For Google Docs (Presentation) users, you can get the template for your Startups from Slides Carnival. You can also be inspired with Pitch Decks from some of the largest global tech companies when they were still startups from bestpitchdecks.com.