One of the best ways to get people to really understand your product and your pitch is by having a snappy video. And in our experience, the campaigns that get funded are the ones that have taken the time to work on a compelling and easily digested video.
But your video is not the “be all” and “end all”. It is just another marketing tool in your funding campaign. Think of it as a method to get people even more interested in your project – a tool to take them to the next stage of the investment cycle, your pitch deck or investment document.
Here are some of the key things to consider and essential content messages that all successful pitch videos convey.
Length – Your video needs to be punchy and attention-grabbing. It should reflect the information that is contained in your deck, but it should be no more than a few minutes in length, as statistically, you only have about 90-120 seconds to truly capture someone’s interest. With that in mind, you need to…
Create a Storyboard & Script – It sounds simple but so many people will just write a script without thinking of their vision. Creating a storyboard that sits alongside your script, ensures you are thinking of the visual aspect of your production and not just the written messages. Your storyboard will allow you to understand exactly what vision you will need, which areas lack vision and might require graphics or slides, and what extra vision you may have to shoot, which takes us neatly to…
Visuals – We talk about knowing your audience in most of the marketing tips we provide, and nowhere is this more important than for your video. Think about your audience and then think about the vision that would excite them. The first 15 seconds of your video should show them the stuff they’re excited about, which will keep them on the hook for the duration of the video. Also consider the tone. Your video is a great opportunity for people to see what your company is all about and the manner in which it is going to operate, all expressed via the tone of your language and visuals.
Bold Opening Statement – You are changing the world! Tell people what you are doing. It might sound simple, but so many founders fail to actually sum up what they are doing or the problem they are solving. Use the first part of your video to essentially outline your pitch with a bold opening statement – “We are solving the problem of world famine!” From there you can tell the story in a logical and coherent way.
Problem – After your opening statement, continue by describing the problem your company solves. Appeal to the emotions of your audience and use visuals to help them to understand the problem and if possible, how it relates to them. Tell them why the problem must be solved and why it must be solved now. Here you can display relevant statistics, data and supporting information to highlight the problem.
Solution – With the problem now clear, you need to let your audience know how you are solving the problem. Be excited when you talk about your solution and why it is the best solution to the problem. Perhaps here you can discuss your USP’s and why you are different from your competitors. Show your audience why your company must exist and create FOMO (fear of missing out) amongst them.
Traction – It’s not enough that you are solving the problem, you also need to show potential investors that you are close to being in a position to actually solve the problem! Talk about your traction and progress to date. What have you achieved, do you have any patents or IP, have you launched, are there any commercial contracts in place and so forth? It’s important to explain to investors what you’ve achieved so far and how you plan to keep the momentum going.
Team – Your video is a great way to show investors who you really are and what sort of character traits you and your team bring to the business. Your video can demonstrate your team’s passion and excitement for the project and show potential investors that the people involved have the vision and drive to scale the business. If you haven’t launched yet, share what you and your team have done that validates why your people are the best to solve the problem you have highlighted. Explain why you and your team have the knowledge and experience to take the business to the next level.
Closing Statement – Many founders make the mistake of putting the investment offering or “ask” into their videos. Leave this for your investment document or your investor presentation. Instead of including the “ask”, finish with a bold statement and invite people to be a part of your journey. This is far more powerful than asking for funds! You want people to walk away from your slick video presentation, empathising with the problem you are solving, enthused about your product/solution and excited by the passionate and visionary team behind it.
By sticking to the above content essentials, you should be able to keep your video down to a “punchy” few minutes, meaning you will not only grab people’s interest but also hold their attention and leave them walking away wanting to know more.
