The teaser document is the first piece of information your potential investor sees.
It's important to make a strong impression, investors see hundreds each month.
In this article, we will provide some guidelines to create a great teaser for your fundraising campaign.
Your business has to be encapsulated in no more than five words. The hook is massively important - you have twenty seconds to capture investors' attention and imagination. For example: DriveLah “Airbnb for Cars”, CoinBase “Your Hosted BitCoin Wallet” and UberCab “Next generation Car Service.
You should explain your idea so that any investor can understand it in a short period of time. Emphasis the problem you solve and for whom and why it is important. Have a clearly defined elevator pitch.
Show investors that you have the ability to make an impact and that your product or service is unique. It's time to show your unique selling proposition (USP), secret sauce and patents.
Highlight your progress to date and current status. Focus on results, not your activities and try to get social proof.
Use technology and marketing to best understand your strengths. Know your market, target segments, competition and potential rivals.
Know the differentiators, customers and partners. Obsess over the details that sets your product or service apart from the market.
Listen to your customers and use the learnings to improve, grow revenues, extend markets and products.
Monitor changes that could affect your business. Understand the details of your next three years' outlook, revenues, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA), cash flow and even potential challenges.
Hire the best possible team, directors, key staff, advisors, board members or co-founders.
There’s a reason why you are presenting your business to investors. Make sure to remember that and bring that same energy to your fundraising efforts.
Bill Lewis is a sought after Board advisor and counsel; he is also a renowned entrepreneur, technologist and workshop speaker. An experienced Corporate Executive and Non Executive Director advising Fortune 200 companies, Bill has served on the Boards of five companies, including the Global Board of a major system integrator. A prolific writer on technology, the digital age and entrepreneurship, he is the author of three acclaimed books: Midas and 1000 Cows, 100 Mistakes of a Start Up CEO, and 25 Kickass Lessons for the Budding Entrepreneur and numerous blogs and articles.