How to make a pitch video

Once you embark on your startup path, sooner or later you’ll face a question of how to make a great pitch deck to attract investors to support your project. Believe it or not – but better do believe – that a great and one of the most powerful moves is to make a pitch video.

In fact, quite often brands use a pitch video as a main tool in this pursuit of investors. Do you know why? Papers are great, of course. And you need them to write everything that matters for investors. But video is the most direct way to communicate your ideas in less than a minute.

All right, maybe in 1 minute. Your video can show your project and its value in action — whether it’s just a preview to your ideas or detailed account of the benefits you provide. Video gives you the opportunity to speak directly to those who would like to invest in a project.

Video is quite a novel approach to make investors interested in giving the money. Not that long ago you would have to make a really, really long document with everything that might be interesting for those guys. However, since videos have taken over the internet for their amazing ability to give information in seconds, it is now great help for startups on a pitching phase.

What could be better than a medium that grabs attention in seconds?

Especially when it is so important to make someone interested in what you have to say really quickly. You might already know the various data from many research campaigns that claim one thing: people are 60 percent more likely to buy a product after they watch a video about it in comparison to other mediums including texts.

So, does it give you a hint, what should investors receive from you?

Right, a video. A pitch video.

For example, even on Kickstarter there are 60 percent projects that won considerable investments only because they have a pitch video. We are not saying that just video is your ticket to generous investors. No way, unless you’re trying to get money for a movie.

You are supposed to have a great project, but your best medium to showcase it is video. The best way to attract potentially interested investors in your project is to tell them a story. Nowadays investors consider how the video has been made, I’d course, but also how you make them fall for the story.

A good pitch isn’t meant to answer every question you expect the investor will have. It probably will be a part of your White paper, but it’s now what we talk about here. Your pitch video meant to demonstrate the strengths of your idea, your strong sides. Keep it simple: use storytelling and don’t complicate your idea with unnecessary stuff.

What to know before making a pitch video

Duration. We all know that people love to watch videos. But no one likes too long videos. Before you start making a video you should really know how long it is better to be. A good pitch video shouldn’t be like some movie. Five minutes is the border.

Some people say that one minute is the best length possible. However, for the pitch video, where you have to convey some details, it is expected to use more time. Don’t make it boring though.

Make it unique. The worst thing you can make with this video is to film strange data and clips. Well, of course, the data is important, but it is better to include in the video something more interesting.

For example, animation. It can help to make the whole video more engaging, vivid and fun. Do not start without a script. A script is your navigation in the whole shooting process of the video. Besides, how could you even mull over all the important links that unify the whole story?

The alternative for this is a storyboard. If you decide to make an animated video, storyboard is your script. It’s just a sequence of frames that matters include each scene of your pitch video. Pitching your startup to investors is always left a room for worries. Is it going to work? Have I described my idea well enough? Are they even interested in such a thing?

However, it doesn’t have to be so terrifying. With the right details in your video you can grab investors’ attention long enough to make them believe in you. What is really interesting is that you can get investments with a video on any stage of the pitching process. So, let’s take a look on how one should make a pitching video.

What a great pitching video consists of?

A unique visual style is the first thing you have to think about. It’s a frame you put your message in, and it’s going to tell a lot to those who can give the money on your project.

Throughout the video describe the idea of your product and how exactly it can be useful for your audience. You shouldn’t be very direct or something of that matter – no, implement the details into the story.

Use simple words and avoid buzz vocabulary.  Music is a big helper. However, it shouldn’t be for the sake of music. You are making this to put an emphasis on your ideas. So use it accordingly. You need to establish an emotional bond with your potential investors. Do everything that would make you clear within the first 10 seconds. That is why you have to make the strongest announcements first.

And, the last one consists of three things:

• Who you are?
• Why is your product worth being funded?
• What opportunities do you open?

Let’s proceed!

Create a Positioning Statement. It is the first thing you have to know for yourself and for the investors. A Positioning Statement is a very short overview of your project that consists of two things:

• who you’re addressing to with the product;
• why your product is irreplaceable for them.

Once you have your product positioning, you can move to the next stage of the process and write the concept of your story.

Well, the concept of the story and video. You don’t need to write some fiction here. Just show the value of your product in the engaging way. 

Figure out your budget, and don’t spend too much money, if there is no need to.

Conclusion

One of the most fundamental aspects that affects the success of startups is raising fundings. Without it even the greatest ideas go down. 90% of startups die, mostly because they couldn’t get the investors that will help them to make business a successful one.

That is why if you have decided to make a pitch video for investors, make sure you did your best. Look for examples, communicate with the audience, and create the video that would be hard to say no to.