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Key Takeaways Investor engagement depends as much on how a pitch is delivered as on the idea itself.
You leave the pitch thinking you nailed it. You hit your key points, delivered the vision, backed it with data and held the room’s attention. Then, nothing. No follow-up. Just silence.
It’s tempting to blame the product, the timing or the market. But more often, the problem isn’t the idea — it’s the delivery. Most pitches fall short not because they lack innovation but because they lack connection.
The good news? You don’t need to rebuild your deck. You need to rethink your approach.
Related: Is Your Pitch Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It, According to Experts.
Pitching isn’t performing — it’s improv
Founders often treat pitching like delivering lines in a play: rehearsed, rigid, one-directional. But it’s more like improv. You’re not just there to talk; you’re there to engage.
Improv actors succeed by staying present. They listen, adjust and respond to what’s happening around them. Founders need to do the same. If you’re just waiting for your turn to speak, you’re not really in the room — and if you’re not in the room, you can’t connect with the people in it.
Debra Schifrin, a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, explains that when leaders model the spirit of “yes, and,” it creates psychological safety and boosts engagement. That tone invites investors to lean into the conversation instead of becoming defensive or skeptical.
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