John Rampton and Murray Newlands are not only interested in investing, but in providing start-ups with the right kind of support and insight they need to find success.
John Rampton has been named the 3rd on Entrepreneur Magazine's list of Top 50 Online Influencers, a blogging expert by Forbes, and top 10 Most Influential PPC Experts in the World. Through his Marketing Agency Adogy, he helps start ups. A contributor for Forbes Magazine, you can follow John and gain a little more insight on his Blog.
Murray Newlands runs Influence People, a social marketing media agency based in downtown San Francisco, a startup advisor, investor, and entrepreneur, you can read his articles on INC, and Entrepreneur.
One of the things television shows like Shark Tank and The Profit have shown us is how to be prepared to answer the tough questions. When reaching out to investors, it's important to remember that it is not all about you! The money, time, and expertise that they will be investing into your brand means that it's as much about about them.
Remember that investors are looking for companies with a promising mission/vision. Your ability to be profitable, and be unique, and fresh enough to differentiate you from your competitors.
In approaching investors like Murray Newlands and John Rampton, what are some of the questions that you should be able to answer?
What is the experience and credibility of your team?
The team matters! A great leader knows that he should surround himself with smarter team members. You should be prepared to convince the investor that your team is able to offer the support, intellect, and know-how to help you achieve success.
"It's your team that's going to win me over, not your half-baked idea!" ~ John Rapmton
In 7 Ways to Impress Potential Investors, Murray Newlands mentions the importance of having a clear business plan.
It's impossible to know where you are going if you don't know how you will get there. Having a business plan ready when pitching to potential investors is a must. It doesn't matter how original and game changing your product is, they want to know how you will be able to get it there!
How Well Do You Know Your Numbers?
Being prepared to answer questions about growth, debt repayment plan, will help you to prove that your company is ready to handle it's financial obligations.
"When pitching to investors based on your company's financial performance, it's advisable to show proof that your current assets are enough to cover current or short-term liabilities. Expect investors to evaluate your revenue streams, acquisition cost and turnover rates." ~ Murray Newlands
What Makes You Unique?
What distinguishes you from your potential investors?
Your ability to prove that there is space in your market for your product will have a large role to play in your ability to convince investors to invest in you.
What are some of the things that will help you stand out?
- Intellectual Property Protection
- Exclusive Licenses
- Exclusive Marketing and Distribution Relationships
Are You Trustworthy?
How comfortable do you make your potential investors? You have to be able to make them feel as if they are working with an entrepreneur with a lot of integrity, one that they can trust. They want to work with Entrepreneurs that will not run with their tails between their legs when things go wrong. These qualities will be easy to determine by taking an indepth look at the team that you have chosen to surround yourself with, and why they have chosen to follow you.
In order to simplify the process, answer all of these questions in your pitch. Create a pitch that will answer any questions your investors will have before hand. It will show them that you are prepared, you know your brand, market, strengths, and weaknesses, all qualities of a great leader.