Here are nine mistakes that an entrepreneur can make when presenting their pitch.

1. A deck for reading and sharing should not be used when giving an oral presentation. The former will require a lot of words to explain your company. In the latter, too many words will distract from what you’re saying. Stick to 3 bullet points, size 30 font, about 30 seconds per slide if you’re restricted to giving a 5–10 minute pitch in person. If you have an hour, use the pitch as a means to bring everyone up to speed on your company, then leave the rest of the time for Q&A.
2. Don’t focus too much on the technology or product. Maintain balance. It is important to communicate the different aspects of your business so that investors can understand the value in what you’re doing. The product is just one part of it.
3. Don’t ask for an NDA at the start of the conversation. If there are technical aspects of what you are doing that are unpatented, don’t go over the specifics until due diligence. See point #2 above.
4. Present in person if you can. Phone calls and web calls can be OK, but many investors will want to meet in person before they write check. They want to get to know you.
5. The team is 50% of the investment outcome, or more. Don’t just gloss over the slide. Answer the question on why this is the team to make it happen.
6. If you say you need money to build product to get the customer, then you’ll know it can work, you’re going about things the wrong way. It is better to interview a decent representative sample of customers, wireframe it for them, go back for feedback, and adjust your idea based upon their responses. It is better to have decent evidence that something will work than to assume it will work, even if you do come from the industry.
7. Really think about your market. Not the market from a study where it says $X was spent last year. The math is: how much do you charge for your product. Multiply that by how many customers there are. That is your market. Is it growing? How much? Why is this an opportunity now?
8. Oftentimes, the financial slide is a hockey stick. This slide is expected. Don’t describe the numbers as “conservative.” Many investors will cut any number you put up there in half. And entrepreneurs need to know their numbers; they need to understand the assumptions behind the numbers. Your financials should reflect your operational assumptions. They should reflect goals and milestones you plan to achieve with investor dollars. And, if you’re really looked into it, you’ll be using your most realistic numbers, instead of your optimistic or conservative trajectories.
9. Demonstrate a can-do attitude. Demonstrate that you can learn from your market, from your investors. Demonstrate that you’ll be a good steward of their money.