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SMS SUMMARY: A one-pager investment teaser can help secure capital for significant expansions and exciting opportunities. But you can’t capture the best attention with flat words. You must learn to write the perfect one-page presentation to make money moves.
One-pager investment teaser – what is it, and how do you write one? Many documents and presentations are often required to get investors interested in your startup. But you have to include facts about your company such as projected growth, financial information, and data on your target audience. The perfect one-pager lists your company’s when tackling challenges.
For startups, a one-pager investment teaser is essential. The document should be short and on point. But what should it say? The idea is to compel investors to give you money. So, here is what you need to know to create the perfect pitch.
Table of Contents
What Is A One-Pager Investment Teaser?
#1. It Is the Initial Introduction to Your Company
#2. These Pages Set the Tone for VC Conferences
The Importance of the One Pager Investment Teaser
How to Write the Perfect One-Pager Investment Teaser in Five Simple Steps
#1. Company Overview or Executive Summary
#3. Intellectual Property Review
What Should You NOT Include On Your One-Pager Document?
How Should You Distribute Your One-Pager Investment Teaser?
Do Angel Investors Pay Attention To Your One-Pager Investment Teaser?
What Is A One-Pager Investment Teaser?
A one-pager investment teaser is a document that gives a detailed summary of the investment opportunity you are presenting. This document is sometimes prepared as a resume for a company. But investment banks and other related companies can organize the work on behalf of their client.
DID YOU KNOW: Imminent investors have to negotiate with the bank and can’t go to the enterprise directly if there is no company name on the document.
A concise one-pager investment teaser is vital for two critical reasons:
#1. It Is the Initial Introduction to Your Company
The teaser teases. That means it helps whet the appetites of potential investors. Interested parties read the data to decide whether they want to get involved. And they consider more than just your business. Most venture capitalists are also interested in your industry and brand trajectory. Plus, first impressions last forever. And a well-designed, cohesive one-pager investment teaser will give VCs assurance in your company and future opportunities.
#2. These Pages Set the Tone for VC Conferences
After reading your single-page pitch, the investors will know most of the relevant facts about your business. So, most of the impending conversations will center on your listed content. And rather than relying on other people to remember crucial points, investors can review data without verbal pitches, lengthy presentations, or time-consuming conferences. As the writer of a one-pager investment teaser, you must anticipate their questions, comments, and concerns within the document.
The Importance of the One Pager Investment Teaser
It might be tempting to present your pitch without a one-pager investment teaser. And you can assume you’ll offer a free-flowing presentation during your limited discussions. But that’s usually not the case. Executives and angel investors are typically swamped with work and overloaded with lucrative offers. Thus, your invitation must be solid, attention-getting, and backed by research.
TIP: Pretend you are having a conversation with an investor while writing the teaser. Then try to distill the best facts down to a single page.
These documents aren’t always easy to create. But they’re an essential part of your company’s growth. Plus, writing one shows your potential investment teams that you’re serious about getting the money and using it wisely. When angel investors and venture capitalists receive piles of proposals each day, yours must stand out from the crowd.
If first impressions go as far as we think, we should understand the importance of a one-pager investment teaser. After all, having a clean yet comprehensive pitch piques a VC’s curiosity about what your venture offers. So, place the most compelling facts at the top instead of trying to cram countless facts on the page.
Savvy angel investors and venture capitalists will review the top points, write down a few notes, and contact you if they’re interested. That means you have to intrigue them with quick, hard-hitting benefits. Your job is to help them understand your business and demographic as quickly and effortlessly as possible. Meanwhile, never underestimate the power of convenience, technology, and automation.
How to Write the Perfect One-Pager Investment Teaser in Five Simple Steps
If you’re serious about getting the capital you need to succeed, then writing the perfect one-pager investment teaser should be at the top of your to-do list. The next question is what you expect from the pitch. How do you want this document to serve your goals?
Determine your objectives and then break down the teaser into these five sections:
#1. Company Overview or Executive Summary
Give a detailed description of your staff qualifications, impacts, and abilities. List the key players and demonstrate how they’re different from the competition. Then, briefly illustrate what your company does, what it plans to do, and how it will develop over time. And don’t forget to mention your target audience, marketing strategies, product inventory, and facts about the competition.
TIP: Don’t forget to share financial facts about the investment opportunities.
#2. Team Introduction
Investors can weigh their options more efficiently by also considering your team. If your crew demonstrates weakness, most VCs will say no thanks. But a well-oiled machine looks good on paper and can compel pockets to open. That’s because great teams solve challenges while a questionable staff causes them. It’s only logic. So, brag about management and entry-level employees by citing specific examples of industry or equity advancements.
#3. Intellectual Property Review
The intellectual property belonging to your business is crucial. And it speaks volumes about your position in the industry. So, always include it with your one-pager investment teaser to ensure your company has the best chance of survival. The reason is simple. Investors are more likely to choose your venture if it demonstrates an established market presence. Plus, VCs are extra interested in opportunities with unique characteristics and branding.
#4. Financial Profile
Investors are looking at your company as a way to make money. So, the strengths of your financials are what they want to see. You should provide some critical data without getting too detailed. And remember that most people recommend 2-3 years of historical revenue. If your startup is new, you might not have that. But you can include what you can or develop financial projections to illustrate the company’s possible trajectory.
Give the investor a rough idea of your company’s abilities. Tease them with juicy details that demonstrate your business assets. And if they want more information, they’ll either reach out for a conference or initiate a deal for negotiation.
#5. Deal Facts and Figures
Remember to include some basic information about the deal you want. And always stick the offer in the company outline section. That way, the investors can see your request immediately and decide whether to review the rest of the document. So, list specifics, and don’t forget to describe your justification for wanting more capital.
The purpose of this section is to let VCs access financial information and business facts in one place. You can think of it as a summary of the whole document. Investors will review the facts and consider your ask before entering the negotiation phase. Then, they’ll have all the most pertinent data about your company on a single page, which can help some stages move more rapidly.
What Should You NOT Include On Your One-Pager Document?
Although sensible, some elements don’t belong on a one-pager investment teaser. For example, skip the non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Few venture capitalists will sign a contract just to read a pitch. So, try not to include any confidential information. Offer an exclusive meeting to discuss private company details instead.
Meanwhile, keep your content as factual and fluid as possible. That’s because the average angel investor spends less than five minutes reviewing an investment teaser. Most experts know what they’re looking for and can find it quickly. However, they can’t read quality through a disorganized or non-disclosed document. But don’t use exaggerated terminology and clever marketing schemes to capture their attention. Many can see through the smokescreen.
Exaggerations can make your document seem less credible, which will do no favors for your pitch. Your offer seems less realistic and reasonable when you say things like, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” So, keep it simple and stick to the facts.
Wanting to spruce up your presentation? That’s understandable, considering what’s at stake. However, avoid unprofessional fonts, poorly made graphics, and unnecessary markings. Instead, use Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial fonts to communicate information. Those features help keep your document readable while offering the most space on the page.
TIP: Review a few one-pager investment teaser samples to understand how your document should look.
How Should You Distribute Your One-Pager Investment Teaser?
You should distribute your teaser document as soon as possible to give interested parties as much time as possible to review the information. So, attach it to a confidential or encrypted email and send it to the investment team as soon as it’s ready. And as always, ensure it arrives on the VC’s desk before first contact.
Remember that your email could appear after the first meeting. Plus, you could get a chance to pitch your idea at a different time. So, print out a copy of the page and keep it with you at all times. That way, you can distribute the facts as needed and never miss an opportunity.
TIP: Hard copies also help streamline meetings if there’s a technical issue.
As far as the distribution format, PDFs provide more consistency across strategies and are more comfortable to unfold. You can ascertain pixel-perfect accuracy across all mobile devices and computing platforms with PDFs. However, always ask the VC what format they prefer. Then modify your document to align with their requests.
Do Angel Investors Pay Attention To Your One-Pager Investment Teaser?
Angel investors pay close attention to one-pager investment teasers. That’s because creating one speaks volumes about your commitment to success. And distributing distilled pitches shows respect for their time. So, many fractional VCs only accept pitches that include a one-pager.
The reason is that writing down your company’s essential details requires more cohesive thought than creating a single deck. Plus, it’s much easier to fudge a slide deck and insert superfluous language. And many experts realize that. However, you still have to be concise, precise, and transparent about word meanings and definitions because angel investors don’t play guessing games.
The founder and CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, is notorious for banning PowerPoint presentations of his meetings. That means he uses the same logic as most angel investment firms. He believes a one-pager lets companies present their pitch while keeping the facts intact. And documents inspire more profound thought than visual presentations with catchy features and distractions.
A Quick Legal Note
There are legal restrictions on non-licensed brokers selling securities, and it is worth noting. Most startups look to Rule 506 as a safe harbor when giving out funds. The rule states that they only appeal to accredited investors. Therefore, these one-pager investment teasers should be primarily marketing documents and not sales documents. Running the teaser through a lawyer could help ensure no securities violations.
You may not suffer immediate consequences because of a securities violation. But if your startup becomes successful through significant investments, your approach during these early phases will matter. Venture capitalists are generally slower to consider companies that skirted the law.
Conclusion
A one-pager investment teaser could help secure the capital you need for expansion. And writing a perfect document can be simple with the right approach. So, think about what your company brings to the table. Then demonstrate its potential in compelling yet straightforward terms. And if all else fails, hire a writer to create an outline or edit the pitch before distribution.
About the Author
Jonathan Hung is one of the most active angel investors in Southern California, his mission is to drive value creation within each portfolio company. In support of this mission, he serves as Co-Managing Partner at – Unicorn Venture Partners.
He and his team target investments in US companies that have global market potential with a focus on long-term growth expansion to East Asian markets.
Jonathan developed his investing prowess as a Managing Member for his family office fund, J Heart Ventures, which made investments in start-up companies such as Gyft, ChowNow, Miso Robotics, Clover Health, Bitmain, to name a few startups he funded.
Jonathan has various degrees from the University of Southern California, London School of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jonathan, one thing investment-gurus always forget is exactly what you told us here: what NOT to include in the teaser. Very clever, very well written, and over all, it is realistic.