Getting to Wow! Silicon Valley Pitch Secrets for Entrepreneurs

Book excerpt: "Getting to Wow!" is the entrepreneur's practical guide to crafting a clear, compelling, credible pitch. Written by two Silicon Valley experts with many years of experience as entrepreneurs and investors, the big idea behind the book is that every time entrepreneurs talk or write about their startups they are pitching. Pitching is not limited to the formal slide deck presentation that most entrepreneurs concentrate on. The authors also point out that much of the advice entrepreneurs get about pitching is just plain wrong. (For example, contrary to the common wisdom, a pitch is not a presentation.) Throughout the book, they correct the "common wisdom" and offer the clear, unvarnished truth. The book's foreword, "Life's a Pitch!" is by Guy Kawasaki, former Apple Evangelist, co-founder of Garage Technology Ventures, and now Chief Evangelist at Canva. Guy makes the point that all of us are pitching, one way or another, every day. While the primary focus of the book is on developing your investor pitch, many of the principles of "Getting to Wow" apply to your sales pitch and to all of your marketing communications. Please note: The paperback version of the book is printed in black and white. If you want the full color experience, with the ability to zoom in on the nearly 100 slide examples that are provided, you might want to also download the ebook (Kindle version), which you can read using the Kindle app on your computer, your tablet, your phone, or your Kindle Fire. The book starts with an overview of "The Mind of the Investor," covers techniques for distilling your story into a very short, compelling "Wow statement," discusses the crafting of your slide deck in detail, offers advice on "Pitching with Impact," and ends with a detailed discussion of "The Inquisition," the question and answer part of your investor meeting. Finally, the appendix provides a treasure chest full of additional resources for entrepreneurs eager to accelerate their success. The book covers all the dimensions of pitching and is useful for everyone who is trying to promote their company.