Category: News

1. Avoid general statements, such as “We will provide excellent customer service” or “I am very hard working”.  Everyone could make these claims. 
2. Do due diligence on any investor you’re thinking of doing a deal with.
3. Try to target angel investors with experience in their industry – their expertise will be invaluable.
4. Expect the angels to want an active day-to-day role to share advice, knowledge & expertise.
5. Ask for a non-disclosure agreement to be signed if there is any information you feel uncomfortable disclosing to the investor.
6. Remember no legitimate investor will ask you to pay money.
7. Be completely open from the beginning.  If an investor finds a skeleton in your closet, the deal will be off.
8. A market with high growth potential is very attractive to investor.
9. Start your pitch with “a hook” – a statement or question that grabs the investors’ attention and makes them want to hear more.
10. Don’t write “No Competition”.  There is always competition, even if it is indirect competition.
11. Be enthusiastic – Investors expect energy and dedication from entrepreneurs.
12. Don’t use acronyms – people outside the industry won’t know what they mean.
13. Gestures, body language (e.g. nodding and smiling) and confidence are very important when you’re speaking to investors.
14. Ask family, friends and colleagues for feedback about your business plan and pitch.
15. The more you practice your pitch, the more relaxed you’ll be when you’re in front of the investors.
16. It’s really worth spending money on a good lawyer.
17. Don’t be afraid to admit your weaknesses and admit you may need help in certain areas or strengthen part of your team.
18. Use short paragraphs, bullets and lists: This makes it easier and quicker for the investors to read.
19. Don’t write “Guaranteed Return”.  No return is guaranteed!
20. Check your business plan for spelling and grammatical errors they make you look unprofessional.
21. Don’t say “My projections are conservative”.  90% of companies say the same thing.
22. Make sure you have legit market research to back up your claims about market size and competition.
23. If applicable, investors will want to see that you have the necessary patents and protection in place.
24. Don’t say “We only need a 1% marketshare to have a turnover of 1 million” – financial projections don’t work like that.
25. Last but certainly not least (here comes the sales bit), visit www.angelinvestmentnetwork.co.uk if you need any help raising funds.  In the top right corner, you’ll find a drop-down list of all our networks around the world.

Angel Investment News

• Venture capital report: financing trends continue to improve: https://bit.ly/gvfztB
• The state of early-stage funding in Australia: https://bit.ly/g3aEqB
• Both China & the US have a “good environment” for entrepreneurs, according to Kaifu Lee, founder of Innovation Works: https://bit.ly/fLD3dG
• New Zealand angels flying high, but more needed – venture fund chief: https://bit.ly/fCYYJA
• StartUp Britain was launched, a scheme offering support & resources for startups or businesses looking to grow: https://bit.ly/hN1ryp
• UK must do more to encourage start-up angels: https://bit.ly/eOdHSg
• SPRING Singapore invested S$20m in 69 startups last year: https://bit.ly/gp4fnv

Business Plans & Pitching

• Investor Pitch on a Napkin – The 7Ps of Elevator Presentations: https://bit.ly/fZN4t3
• How to write a Business Plan of Success which guarantees the anticipated positive results: https://bit.ly/h67Bgy
• Some quick tips on how to give the perfect investor pitch: https://bit.ly/hhYB5E
• The 7 Sections Of A Business Plan: https://bit.ly/fp1npK

Fund Raising

• Some key areas that can be critical for companies to receive funding: https://bit.ly/hZz3YY
• Finding Investors in your Start-Up. Tips from Richard Branson: https://bit.ly/eHQUv1
• Raising Venture Money – 10 tips for success: https://bit.ly/fXXhD7
• 50 Quick Tips on Raising Angel Funding – Part 1: https://bit.ly/i8waKS
• How to Find an Angel Investor for your Startup: https://bit.ly/h9zhe7

Marketing & Social Media

• 2011 social media statistics show huge growth: https://bit.ly/gqyNMy
• Why You Can’t Ignore Social Media: https://bit.ly/eLYJqG
• 7 Reasons Why A Blog Is The Most Valuable Investment for Startups: https://bit.ly/gVuxPt
• First Lesson in Search Engine Optimization: https://bit.ly/fG6pGR
• A Business Marketing Strategy to Increase Business Profits: https://bit.ly/fthvIz
• The 5 Step Marketing Plan for Business Success: https://bit.ly/gX4EN4
• Advertising on a Budget: https://bit.ly/fBPOoc
• 10 Easy Ways to get Amazing PR for your startup: http: //bit.ly/gI0lLi

Start-Up & Entrepreneurship

• Traits of a Modern Entrepreneur: https://bit.ly/eD5Ubo
• Sage Advice: 7 Entrepreneurs Share Their Words of Wisdom: https://bit.ly/gScN6D
• Why is it that so many good startup ideas never take off?https://bit.ly/hnS7gw

• Why Startup Companies Shouldn’t Listen to Talk About the Recession and Charge Ahead: https://bit.ly/fe24Uo
• 5 Key Bootstrapping Strategies: https://bit.ly/eauvnP

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