Five Tips for Better Meetings with Investors

Joseph Stubblebine
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As a savvy businessperson, you know the importance of investment. Without adequate financing, your company may not achieve its goals, and you may have difficulty expanding, acquiring equipment, and generally gaining enough working capital to stay afloat. If you've been wondering how to get investors' attention, take a look at the following five tips to help you achieve greater success in meetings with potential financiers.

 

Often, successful businesspeople are more than happy to share their tips about how to get investors on board with your brand-new business plans; after all, your good fortune could also benefit them. Many prosperous professionals enjoy watching the new kid on the block learn and grow. Managers and small-business owners frequently train their own employees and revel in their protégés' accomplishments; this type of mentoring may also help you succeed.

 

Turning to your peers for advice can have a favorable side effect: namely, the welcome attention of wealthy individuals with the power to help your business get off the ground. The substantial financial backing provided by these angel investors is a dream come true for many small-business owners. A significant increase in working capital can open metaphorical doors in the business world; in turn, this can lead to considerable company growth in a relatively short period of time.

 

Figuring out how to get investors absorbed in your company's plans for the future can be tough without the right guidance. As you plan your next meeting, it may be helpful to consider the following tips:

 



  1. Charisma counts. Private investors are much more likely to trust you with their hard-earned money if you relax and show off your magnetic personality as well as your inspirational ideas.

     
  2. Financial transparency is vital. It is important to prove that you will update investors about the state of the company—and of their assets—regularly.

     
  3. Use visual aids. Instead of wondering how to get investors to listen to your brilliant proposals, show them your strategies for short-term growth in a visual way. Charts and graphs can be very helpful during business meetings.

     
  4. Focus on benefits. After revealing your clever tactical plans, turn the conversation toward long-term benefits—specifically, long-term benefits for the investor. Again, graphics can make communication easier.

     
  5. Provide printed information. Before leaving the meeting, present potential investors with a printed overview of your discussion. If they need time to consider their financial options, this reference will keep you at the top of the list.


 

If you take the tips above into account as you communicate with your peers and other prospective shareholders, you may be able to generate more capital than you think. You may even gain the support of angel investors in the process.

 

If you've been pondering about how to get investors interested in your company, try asking a peer for advice. Fishermen may never reveal their secrets; successful company owners, on the other hand, are much more likely to share insider knowledge. The best things in life are free; however, in the business world, even the noblest dreams require assets to start with. If you possess the know-how to get investors excited in your venture, you may accomplish much more than you expect.

 

(Photo courtesy of Ambro / Freedigitalphotos.net)

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