Pitch Deck Feedback Y/N?
Last week I sent a link to our CPG 2020 Pitch Deck (Draft) to someone I thought might be interested and his response was "thanks for sharing. If anyone relevant come to mind I'll reach out." I then responded saying thanks and asking if he had any feedback on the deck.
How should I take this?
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That's just a courtesy, standard response with 0 meaning attached, is how I read it.
So 100% neutral, not positive or negative. (which can also be read as not overly interesting)
Yeah. I kind of got the same vibe. Giving feedback isn't too much to ask though. Or maybe I'm expecting way too much. 🤷🏻♂️
For most people feedback = confrontation.
People shy away from confrontation.
Giving good feedback is hard.
Being polite and proper takes a long time.
Saying it right takes a long time.
It's easy to say the wrong thing, especially in giving feedback.
People like to keep their options open and not burn bridges.
So between trying to help, putting time in and risking offending, and just not saying anything to stay neutral, the 2nd is way easier and a better long term bet for most people.
Thanks for that. Agree with your comments (and link). I get it if I'm trying to sell something and if I'm annoying. But neither of those. Which is why I love IH. Community is king.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robustness_principle
Thanks to everyone for their comments, suggestions and feedback. I'm def. feeling the IH community love out there. I know this isn't easy and therefore it requires work. From compiling leads through to connecting with them. After reading The Mom Test... it has brought some perspective. Stuff I should know. A great read and learnings I will def. put into practice.
Hey Simon, I know the feeling - all too well. It feels like "Really? That's it?" Annoying as hell, imo.
I've had investors & potential partners not respond for weeks. I've also had investors be super interested and say "this is most certainly moving forward", kinda thing. The most effective method I've had to attract people, but especially investors, is to mention their spot and their opportunity in your process. These are mercurial people and they, like most of us, prioritize tasks based on size and effort of opportunities. That's not to something you should be annoyed at, it's something you should recognize and play with.
My messages read something along the lines of:
"Hey Ms. X,
Thanks for taking the time to peruse our deck. Right now, we're in phase 3 of 5 of our investment and we're starting to line up conversations with potential partners/investors for the next 3 weeks.
If you are interested in booking a meeting to discuss further, please let me know as soon as possible, I will not be extending my calendar for additional meetings, we're knee-deep in development on this project and we have an important milestone coming up.
Should you feel this opportunity isn't for you, I would appreciate a response in the negative.
Your time and consideration are most appreciated, thank you.
Dave"
I've worked with investors and staff at incubators; if you have additional questions or would like some advice over Zoom or what-not, I'd be happy to assist - just PM me. :)
Looks like a boilerplate response. If things look positive, you will hear back. Otherwise, a nudge in a couple of weeks should be sufficient.