As an established Investment network, we have been responsible
for reviewing literally thousands of investment proposals and one of
the repeating themes that we have been asked over and over is to explain
the methods that can be employed to create the perfect investment
proposal or investment summary that is almost guaranteed to get the
attention of Business Angel Investors.
The type of investment proposal that will GRAB a business angel Investor’s interest and have him/her almost demanding to discuss the investment pitch further! Over the years I have seen this occur many times on Venture Giant, and I have seen seemingly weak value propositions receive 9 - 10 angel investor contacts on the day of despatch only because the investment proposal had been well written and well thought out!
Is it possible, and can it be learned? I believe that it can be – and this article hopes to explore some of the crucial elements that you should think about whilst crafting your perfect investment pitch. I have also taken the liberty of enclosing a sample investment summary that I am sure will be of great benefit to entrepreneurs looking to create their own investment proposals but not knowing how to apply some of the points that I will talk about below.
My main aim with Venture Giant was not only to create a portal that can get entrepreneurs connected with Angel Investors so as to raise the necessary angel funding that they require but to also create more and more resources of useful, actionable articles that can assist entrepreneurs actively to become ‘investment-ready’ – and this to all in a very reasonably priced environment. From the feedback we are receiving I am now starting to see more and more entrepreneurs benefiting from the knowledge and experience that is featured in our News Channel. At the very least (according to one of the emails I received recently) entrepreneurs are now demanding more from Angel investors and citing the correct investment terms when doing so, and this is very encouraging.
As Venture Giant is primarily an angel Investment deal flow service for angel investors, high net worth individuals and angel syndicates our main aim has always been to send out the most attractive investment opportunities to our investors that read well, make sense, and ARE investable.
Ultimately, if the investment proposals we send out to our Investors on Venture Giant are not up to this standard then we are at a risk of losing active angel investors that sign up to use our service.
It is in my interest to ensure that our entrepreneurs’ submit investment proposals that are of a certain calibre and meet our guidelines of service.
So, the main purpose of this article is to concentrate on how to create the perfect investment opportunity that can be used to submit onto Venture Giant, or for that matter - on any other investment network.
Six points on the perfect investment pitch:
1. The first point I would like to address is that regardless of what you are seeing in the press and in the media about the recession and shrinking GDP data - there will always be money out there for businesses that can MAKE money. Always was there, and will always be there. So your investment proposal must always be geared towards this important point. So make your proposal sound like it can actually make money by creating a convincing proposition.
2. Second point to consider when describing your product is to KEEP IT SIMPLE! I have seen it to many times and it is deeply disappointing for me – an entrepreneur submits a really good opportunity to our angel Investors, but it turns out to be too darn complicated!
Yes agreed, it is important to show to a potential angel investor that you know your stuff – but keep your investment proposal simple.
When investors look through your investment summary they are going to scan through it - and using jargon rich words like CMS, CRM will inevitably confuse and put-off most Angel Investors and move them away from your value proposition! Ignore this advice at your own peril – Use simple words like Software - not a CRM solution! Online media/advertising instead of PPC campaigns etc.
3. Another major point that I have seen entrepreneurs overlook is what Industry sector their business is in! Let me give you an example:
‘What industry sector is google in?’
Think about it for one second: Immediate responses will inevitably always be: Computer, Software, but NO. It’s Advertising! Why? Because 96% of Google’s revenue comes from advertising! So as an industry sector, you would choose Internet, and Advertising. You do not want to lose potential investors because you chose Computers or Software instead of Advertising or Media!
4. Don’t be shy! Talk about your Funding Requirements with no shame! How do you wish to use the money that you raise? What will you purchase – and why is it needed? These are all very valuable questions, and they must be addressed in your investment proposal.
5. Include your background/experience information ONLY if it is relevant to your business or investment proposal. Do you have complementary skills that will assist you in running your business and turning it into a success? If so, talk about this. If not, does your management team have the necessary skills? Talk about this! If not, then skip it for now!
6. Scalability! Does your business have global appeal? Make sure you include this if it does! Facebook, Google are scalable globally.
If you would like further in-depth analysis of any of the terms listed above, we have written entire articles about each aspect of your investment proposal and this can all be located in Venture Giant’s News channel.
How to write the perfect Investment Summary
on Venture Giant for submission to Angel investors
Venture Giant is NOT an ‘unmoderated forum’. All investment proposals are checked by us, and we do not approve all investment proposals.
TO maintain a fair and equitable environment please always ensure that you do not mention your company name or supply any types of contact details in your investment proposal that you submit on Venture Giant. So instead of using your company name use a generic term, like "our Aeronautics Company" or “Media Trading Platform”. Alternatively use expressions like: “Our Limited Company,” or “We”, “Us”, “I”
An investment proposal by a company called "Media Deals" is attached below and through our assistance received a lot of attention on Venture Giant.
Please review it - and though it may not be related to what your industry and/or business, this sample investment proposal will at the very least give you an idea of the quality of investment proposals that we send out to our registered investors.
1. Investment Title Guidelines:
The type of investment proposal that will GRAB a business angel Investor’s interest and have him/her almost demanding to discuss the investment pitch further! Over the years I have seen this occur many times on Venture Giant, and I have seen seemingly weak value propositions receive 9 - 10 angel investor contacts on the day of despatch only because the investment proposal had been well written and well thought out!
Is it possible, and can it be learned? I believe that it can be – and this article hopes to explore some of the crucial elements that you should think about whilst crafting your perfect investment pitch. I have also taken the liberty of enclosing a sample investment summary that I am sure will be of great benefit to entrepreneurs looking to create their own investment proposals but not knowing how to apply some of the points that I will talk about below.
My main aim with Venture Giant was not only to create a portal that can get entrepreneurs connected with Angel Investors so as to raise the necessary angel funding that they require but to also create more and more resources of useful, actionable articles that can assist entrepreneurs actively to become ‘investment-ready’ – and this to all in a very reasonably priced environment. From the feedback we are receiving I am now starting to see more and more entrepreneurs benefiting from the knowledge and experience that is featured in our News Channel. At the very least (according to one of the emails I received recently) entrepreneurs are now demanding more from Angel investors and citing the correct investment terms when doing so, and this is very encouraging.
As Venture Giant is primarily an angel Investment deal flow service for angel investors, high net worth individuals and angel syndicates our main aim has always been to send out the most attractive investment opportunities to our investors that read well, make sense, and ARE investable.
Ultimately, if the investment proposals we send out to our Investors on Venture Giant are not up to this standard then we are at a risk of losing active angel investors that sign up to use our service.
It is in my interest to ensure that our entrepreneurs’ submit investment proposals that are of a certain calibre and meet our guidelines of service.
So, the main purpose of this article is to concentrate on how to create the perfect investment opportunity that can be used to submit onto Venture Giant, or for that matter - on any other investment network.
Six points on the perfect investment pitch:
1. The first point I would like to address is that regardless of what you are seeing in the press and in the media about the recession and shrinking GDP data - there will always be money out there for businesses that can MAKE money. Always was there, and will always be there. So your investment proposal must always be geared towards this important point. So make your proposal sound like it can actually make money by creating a convincing proposition.
2. Second point to consider when describing your product is to KEEP IT SIMPLE! I have seen it to many times and it is deeply disappointing for me – an entrepreneur submits a really good opportunity to our angel Investors, but it turns out to be too darn complicated!
Yes agreed, it is important to show to a potential angel investor that you know your stuff – but keep your investment proposal simple.
When investors look through your investment summary they are going to scan through it - and using jargon rich words like CMS, CRM will inevitably confuse and put-off most Angel Investors and move them away from your value proposition! Ignore this advice at your own peril – Use simple words like Software - not a CRM solution! Online media/advertising instead of PPC campaigns etc.
3. Another major point that I have seen entrepreneurs overlook is what Industry sector their business is in! Let me give you an example:
‘What industry sector is google in?’
Think about it for one second: Immediate responses will inevitably always be: Computer, Software, but NO. It’s Advertising! Why? Because 96% of Google’s revenue comes from advertising! So as an industry sector, you would choose Internet, and Advertising. You do not want to lose potential investors because you chose Computers or Software instead of Advertising or Media!
4. Don’t be shy! Talk about your Funding Requirements with no shame! How do you wish to use the money that you raise? What will you purchase – and why is it needed? These are all very valuable questions, and they must be addressed in your investment proposal.
5. Include your background/experience information ONLY if it is relevant to your business or investment proposal. Do you have complementary skills that will assist you in running your business and turning it into a success? If so, talk about this. If not, does your management team have the necessary skills? Talk about this! If not, then skip it for now!
6. Scalability! Does your business have global appeal? Make sure you include this if it does! Facebook, Google are scalable globally.
If you would like further in-depth analysis of any of the terms listed above, we have written entire articles about each aspect of your investment proposal and this can all be located in Venture Giant’s News channel.
How to write the perfect Investment Summary
on Venture Giant for submission to Angel investors
Venture Giant is NOT an ‘unmoderated forum’. All investment proposals are checked by us, and we do not approve all investment proposals.
TO maintain a fair and equitable environment please always ensure that you do not mention your company name or supply any types of contact details in your investment proposal that you submit on Venture Giant. So instead of using your company name use a generic term, like "our Aeronautics Company" or “Media Trading Platform”. Alternatively use expressions like: “Our Limited Company,” or “We”, “Us”, “I”
An investment proposal by a company called "Media Deals" is attached below and through our assistance received a lot of attention on Venture Giant.
Please review it - and though it may not be related to what your industry and/or business, this sample investment proposal will at the very least give you an idea of the quality of investment proposals that we send out to our registered investors.
1. Investment Title Guidelines:
The investment title of your
proposal must explain what your business does. So create a compelling
enough title that will position your business to be understood instantly
in the investor’s mind before he/she has even read your investment
proposal! Consider also that the Subject line of the email that is sent
out to our registered angel Investors will include your Investment
title. A simple, catchy, snappy title will ensure that an investor will
open his email and read your entire investment proposal that he receives
through Venture Giant. A good title will also ensure that any other
investors browsing through our angel investment network will be
compelled to read more!
Media Trading Platform
- Sample Investment Title:
Media Trading Platform
2. Investment Summary Guidelines:
This is the public part of your
proposal and this must compel an investor to want to read the ENTIRE
investment description.
Ideas to mention here are:
Ideas to mention here are:
- Why your investment opportunity is attractive!
- How much money is needed, and how will it be used?
- What will be the return on
investment (ROI) for an Angel Investor and when will they see this
return?
Ideally
you should aim to write this paragraph AFTER you have
created and drafted your entire investment pitch below, so as to ensure
that you do not miss out any important facts!
We have created a state of the art UK media trading system that offers Print-media-buyers and ad-sellers (newspapers, magazines and publications) the opportunity of accessing real-time print ad inventory for which agencies and/or advertisers can either buy or bid for. We are seeking a £50k angel investment to be used for Working Capital and Online Marketing. Based on our projections, Angel Investors will see a ROI in year 2 of 34%!
3. Investment Description Guidelines:
Your Investment description that you create on Venture Giant will have to answer the question:
“What’s in it for the Angel Investor!” – I have seen it to many times! Entrepreneurs talk and talk about their product and business…. And then that is it! Strike a balance, and talk about your business, how you will make money, why you are seeking investment and how an investor will make a return!
This is your investment pitch – and don’t forget to add some Industry Statistics! A simple search on Google will reveal some interesting facts that you can include in your investment proposal.
- Sample Investment Summary:
We have created a state of the art UK media trading system that offers Print-media-buyers and ad-sellers (newspapers, magazines and publications) the opportunity of accessing real-time print ad inventory for which agencies and/or advertisers can either buy or bid for. We are seeking a £50k angel investment to be used for Working Capital and Online Marketing. Based on our projections, Angel Investors will see a ROI in year 2 of 34%!
3. Investment Description Guidelines:
Your Investment description that you create on Venture Giant will have to answer the question:
“What’s in it for the Angel Investor!” – I have seen it to many times! Entrepreneurs talk and talk about their product and business…. And then that is it! Strike a balance, and talk about your business, how you will make money, why you are seeking investment and how an investor will make a return!
This is your investment pitch – and don’t forget to add some Industry Statistics! A simple search on Google will reveal some interesting facts that you can include in your investment proposal.
Your investment Description is essentially your pitch (or elevator pitch).
Address key issues like:
- What makes your investment proposal an attractive investment opportunity?
- How much money is needed, and how will it be used?
- What will be the return on investment (ROI) for an Angel Investor and when will they see this return?
- Sample Investment Description:
Our Online Media trading system has been in development for the past 12 months. It offers Print-media-buyers and sellers the opportunity of accessing real-time print ad inventory for which agencies and/or advertisers can either buy or bid for.
Publishers always have excess adverts to sell at discounted rates before their 7PM print deadline (the "deadline discount" game) and there is a great demand for this ad-space as it is usually heavily discounted. But in the UK there is no way of accessing these heavily discounted ads. The only real way is to create relationships with magazines, and/or, call each publication and ask them for a 'deadline discount'.
Our online eBay type bidding system aims to solve this problem by enabling magazines, newspapers and other publications to advertise their 'deadline discount adverts' to people wishing to purchase these adverts. All discounted advertising space is automatically categorised by magazine type, ad-size and cost.
Purchasing an ad on our online trading system involves a user simply "adding the advert" to their shopping basket and paying for it via a credit or debit card.
We expect to generate revenues from these purchases of between 6% and 8% on all transactions. It is FREE for Media publishers (magazines and newspapers) to upload their advert availability.
This trading platform can be scaled globally, and my longer term plans is to licence the platform to individuals on a country to country basis. Apart from the upfront and ongoing revenues, further commercialisation could come from INTERCONNECTING the databases together from each country. So, a UK based customer who was looking to buy advertising space could also browse advertising opportunities in India (for example) and if that customer from the UK system subsequently chose to purchase an advert in a different country, we could automate and revenue share between licensees. The commercialisation possibilities are endless.
The Industry
It is often stated that 'offline media (magazines and newspapers) is in serious trouble'. However all the real-data points to the contrary. According the media handbook 2007, it is estimated that the value of consumer magazines are £7.2bn and the business media industry - including magazines are valued at £18bn to £20bn.
Magazines themselves - the printed ones - have continued to flourish in the last decade since the launch of the Internet. At least one new title is launched every day of the year and has resulted in rising total volumes of sales and of consumer expenditure on printed products.
The Advertising Association (AA) predicts a 15.6 per cent increase in consumer magazine ad-spend over the next 12 years, taking overall advertising investment in the industry from £750m in 2006 to £889m in 2018, which is a view shared by the UK's leading advertiser, Procter & Gamble, who have increased their investment in print by 10.7 per cent over the last two years.
In Summary
We believe that our online service could do amazingly well in the fight against online advertising as advertisers identify how effectively magazine advertising can build customer loyalty. Our online service has now been created and is all set to launch.
I have had 10 years experience in the publishing business, and I have worked with Random House and learned their marketing methods. I have seen this gap in the market, and I believe an online media trading system is much needed. Using my skills, and experience in this space, I believe that I can turn this business into a great success and commercialise this media trading platform to generate sustainable turnover and profitability.
This Media Trading System is a Win/Win business solution for print media. Advertisers will get discounted ad-space and publishers of magazine will get to move inventory in a much easier, faster and streamlined way.
Please contact me to discuss this investment proposal further.
Venture Giant
Insider Edge:
Always try to end with something that the investor should do.
So use expressions like:
Demonstrate how you are going to translate their investment into you or your company into profit for them!
Thank you for taking the time to read this brief outline, and I hope that it helps you to create a compelling enough story that will get you the Angel Investor interest - whether it be through Venture Giant, or otherwise!
Rishi Anand
Founder and Managing Director,
Venture Giant
Always try to end with something that the investor should do.
So use expressions like:
- We have a full business plan available on request. We are very passionate about our business and we would invite any interested angel investors to contact us now to discuss this investment proposal further with us now.
- Always make it easy for Angel Investors to understand your business and investment proposal. Talk about your background and business, and then talk about your product! Yes you have the scientific knowledge on the chemical composition of Biodiesel, but an angel won’t so keep it simple!
Demonstrate how you are going to translate their investment into you or your company into profit for them!
Thank you for taking the time to read this brief outline, and I hope that it helps you to create a compelling enough story that will get you the Angel Investor interest - whether it be through Venture Giant, or otherwise!
Rishi Anand
Founder and Managing Director,
Venture Giant