2. Be passionate, not crazy. Investors are easily deterred by a person thats not excited about their product or service. if your not passionate about it, don’t expect anyone else to be.
3. Be yourself. We all admire people who do something new, different and unique. There is no praise for counterfeit. But sometimes we find ourselves mimicking or following the people we want to be like. And while there are some eternal truths — returning calls, being on time and treating people with respect — each one of us has a unique story to tell and a unique way of doing it.
4. From my 10 commandments of selling, Thou shalt hustle. Before you go to pitch, do the work necessary to make investors feel like they need to get involved now rather than later. Creating urgency through results works.
5. Know what you want out of your investor. Smart entrepreneurs know that its all about relationships, money is a tool, like a shovel, a truck or a computer it has its uses, but its not everything. My business partners all bring something unique to the table. Differentiate your self by placing money behind the right partner. The right partner will make or break your business.
6. Don’t get greedy. I hear 3-4 pitches a week, and most of them are asking for too much money for for to little in return. Money isn’t everything, but if your asking for it, you don’t have it, always respect money and what people who have it have done to get it. When you offer a little for a lot you are showing that you don’t respect them or what they have done.