'RULE 1: THE PITCH

Entrepreneurs must start the meeting by stating their name, the name of the business, the amount of money they are pitching for and the percentage of equity they are willing to give away in their company.

They must follow this with a pitch of up to three minutes. If it exceeds three minutes, the Dragons can stop entrepreneurs at any point but they cannot interrupt the initial pitch.' (BBC 2 Website, 1st Golden Rule of the Den)

As you can see from the 1st Golden Rule of the Dragon's Den, pitching an idea needs to be direct and to the point. If the investors cannot understand your business idea in a short amount of time then your potential clients won’t either. You need to come across and speak well so that your pitch can be heard clearly and your overall communication helps make a positive impact. 

If you are serious about applying to go on Dragon's Den, or any other large investment, those few minutes of your pitch are vital. If you are not clearly spoken, speak too fast or too quiet for example, you may run the risk of being asked to clarify certain points later. This could take up valuable time that could otherwise be used for questions where you and your idea can really shine. 

With all the other elements of the development of your pitch, make sure you also include voice work preparation and performance practise. It’s essential. Don’t wait until you’re presenting and your mouth suddenly won’t work for you, or you all of a sudden remember you mumble and speed up when nervous! 

For the pitch learn how to make sure you are engaging and not monotonous. Learn how to speak slower if you have a tendency to talk fast when nervous. Learn techniques on how to control and reduce the impact of nervousness. Learn how to put your authentic best self across, appropriate to the situation. Investors can spot a fake a mile off! 

For many people, you will do fine just rehearsing your pitch out loud, recording yourself, getting constructive feedback and practising answers. For others, you may benefit hugely from voice and speech coaching to help you sound great and reassuringly confident. If you would like to find out more about how I can help you make your next pitch the best you’ve ever made, please get in touch. 

For more information on the services I offer in relation to this post, please view the Business and Performance sections of my website and contact me to book your Voice Work Consultation.