You just finished pitching that big VC. Did you bomb? Did you nail it? Here’s how to tell…

The Weird Way to Gauge Investor Interest

There’s a way to tell, but it’s counterintuitive…

The more questions they ask, the more interested they are. Mr. Moneybags interrogating you like a murder suspect isn’t a sign of skepticism. It’s a sign of being engaged.

Is Moneybags giving you rapid fire questions, one after another? Is he staring at you as he does it?

Then you’ve struck a chord. And now, he’s considering an investment, but he needs to check a lot of boxes first.

No two human beings are exactly alike. But all else being equal, more questions means more interest.

First, let’s go through what to do if Moneybags gives you tons of questions. Next, we’ll cover what to do if he’s silent…

How to Handle Investors That Interrogate You

Use this moment to maximum advantage. Answer each question clearly and concisely.

Here’s a simple rule: your answer should take the same amount of time as it took him to ask the question. Let’s go through an example…

Good answer:

“Moneybags: What was your MRR last month?”

“You: $12,000.”

Bad answer:

“Moneybags: What was your MRR last month?”

“You: Last month was crazy! We almost got there with Megacorp but our champion got reassigned and the deal got pushed to Q3. We’re almost at the line. And we have a huge pipeline that we’re working through. I want to hire another couple sales guys that are real killers to…”

You see what you did? Instead of a number, you gave him “blah blah blah.” Not good.

Give a clear answer. That takes Moneybags’ interest and keeps it high.

How to Handle Investors That Are Silent

Now, what if Moneybags doesn’t ask many questions? What if he doesn’t ask any at all?

First, you want to prevent this situation.

Start the meeting with a brief pitch. It should last around 5 minutes in a 30 minute meeting, and no more than 10.

Some investors, like me, want to skip straight to Q&A. Be prepared for that as well.

After you’re done pitching, never say “Any questions?” Say “What questions do you have?”

This assumes Moneybags has questions. Even if he doesn’t, it will push him to come up with some and ask them.

That gets him more engaged. When he’s asking you questions, he’s not answering emails, playing Candy Crush or staring out the window.

If he still can’t come up with any questions for you, pose some common questions you’ve gotten during your fundraise. Then answer them.

This could help overcome objections he has that he may not feel comfortable telling you.

If you keep getting a question from multiple investors, address it proactively in your pitch. This makes you more persuasive right off the bat.

Wrap-Up

Never fear an interrogation. Every question is a gift.

It means the investor is interested. And it’s an opportunity to persuade.

For each question you answer clearly and concisely, you’re that much closer to getting a check.

Now go out and meet some VC’s! 💪

More on tech:

How to Run a Pitch Meeting

The Question No Founder Asks

Take This Out of Your Pitch Now

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