How To Memorize Your Pitch Deck

How to memorize your pitch deck? Presenting your pitch deck in front of investors can be intimidating.

Every little detail has to be strategically done – from how you present yourself and the presentation style to perfecting your script.

To deliver a stellar pitch deck, it needs to be tailored to the audience. If each pitch is customized, memorizing them can pose a challenge.

If you sit down and try to memorize the script, parrot style, you might not only forget parts mid-pitch. But you will find yourself losing personality and likeability.

Memorizing a pitch deck is not just about saying a script word for word at every meeting. It is about knowing what message you want to get across, how it should get done, and how the audience receives it.

You are the voice of the product or service, and how you deliver your pitch deck will be the deciding factor on whether you land that much-needed investment.

Why You Should Memorize Your Pitch Deck

Memorizing a speech or pitch is not as straightforward as you might think. We are not machines, and it is easy to make a mistake that can derail the entire speech.

Memorizing the script is the first step in delivering the perfect pitch. There are advantages to memorizing a pitch:

• Allows you to hold eye contact with the audience.
• The audience will know you are prepared.
• You can move freely around the stage and use hand gestures because you are confident in your speech and don’t need to use notes.
• Memorizing will help you see faults in your pitch and areas to improve.

Memorizing your pitch deck is essential but know that it is not without faults. If you forget a key point because you are too focused on the minor details, the pitch results will fail.

Memorizing your pitch can also come off as automated or robotic, and you could fail to connect with your audience.

How to Memorize Your Pitch Deck

Changing the way you learn is the first step in turning it into information you will never forget. Here’s how to memorize your pitch deck:

Write the speech

The first step is to write out the script exactly how you want to say it. If you are not comfortable writing, you can always find a freelance writer on platforms like LinkedIn, Fiverr, and Upwork.

If you want to do this on your own, try speech to text. This way, you can have a rough idea of the direction you are going in and how you want it to sound. It will be more of an outline than the whole script but a good starting point.

Keep in mind that in fundraising storytelling is everything. In this regard for a winning pitch deck to help you here, take a look at the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel (see it here) that I recently covered. Thiel was the first angel investor in Facebook with a $500K check that turned into more than $1 billion in cash.

Remember to unlock the pitch deck template that is being used by founders around the world to raise millions below.

Rehearse the script

Say your speech out loud. It is okay to read it multiple times so you can find the areas that need work. This is the start of the memorizing process.

Throughout the sculpting of your script, you will delete, edit, and reorder small and large paragraphs to sound better. If you wrote the script from start to finish, you would probably edit it several times until it sounds natural.

Memorize the script from big to small

The ideal way to memorize a script is to do so hierarchically. Start with the big paragraphs first, then specific phrases, and lastly, specific intonation words. Memorize it in order this way because few speakers will remember the small details.

Memorize the big chunks

The big chunks are the broad strokes of the message you want to get across. This is your product, how it works, financial projections, and how the audience will benefit from investing in your product.

When memorizing your pitch, you want to highlight the main points and cover them on a page. Try to recall them in the order in which you wrote them and deliver the speech without worrying if you got it right.

When you get done, think about the points you missed and ask yourself why those are the ones you forgot and try again.

Memorize the small points

Once you have memorized the big chunks, move on to the smaller parts. These are the phrases that represent the meaning of everything you want to say.

To help you memorize these points, quiz yourself. Describe the problem and recall the small points from memory. Check the list and see if you got them right. To memorize the pitch, combine quizzing and rehearsing.

Memorize the delivery

By now, you should have memorized the big chunks and the main points of the pitch. By doing it in this order, the main structure of the speech should be in your memory.

Next, memorize how you will deliver the pitch. How will you stand? What tone of voice do you want to use? Make these microscopic changes, including the timing.
Before we talk about how to memorize a pitch deck, let’s discuss how to share information with investors. Check out this video I have created. You’re sure to find helpful tips you can use.

The delivery

If you are more introverted, performing the speech might give you some anxiety. Focus on the high-level chunks – not reciting the words verbatim. The important thing is to remember what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Don’t get stuck trying to memorize the speech verbatim, or you will lose the pitch structure. You must be focused on recalling the points.

If you have to pause to think about them, you don’t know them well enough to give the speech. Continue to rehearse the pitch, and soon you will have it memorized.

Memorizing the big chunks and the points provides you with a lot of flexibility.

If you are to get interrupted because someone stopped the presentation to ask a question or you have forgotten a word, you have remembered the meaning of the pitch – not just the word order.

That way, when the interruption is over, you can get back into the speech seamlessly instead of saying irrelevant sentences. There are no do-overs when delivering a pitch to investors. Ideally, you want to deliver your script without sounding robotic.

It needs to be memorized but conversational. Developing this skill will be useful to you throughout adulthood, and it’s never too late to start.

Record Yourself Presenting the Pitch

The best way to find out what you are doing wrong in your presentation is to record it. There are numerous reasons why you should record yourself presenting the pitch.

• Say it out loud: People who are experts in memorizing say that the brain can retain information better when the script gets read out loud repeatedly. You can not only say it but hear it being played back to you. So, learn how to memorize a pitch.
• Find areas to improve: Replaying the recording will help you see if you are making mistakes and whether the content flows well. Is there a working order of the pitch? How is it structured? What is the best way to improve the content?
• Improve body language: By recording yourself performing the pitch, you can see your body language. Are you using your arms too much? Do you fidget with your pant pocket or nervously use your hands too much as you speak? Seeing yourself perform the pitch will help you see the changes that need to be made regarding body language.

The key to success is data! To know how your pitch will perform, you need to practice in front of industry peers, colleagues, or someone you feel is trustworthy and give you constructive criticism.

Get them into playing the role of the key audience (investors). Practice your pitch deck in front of them and have them ask spontaneous questions, and critique your content, delivery, and body language.

Remember never to get offended! They are there to help you. They’ll help you understand how to memorize a pitch.

Practice your pitch from memory!

Present your pitch deck without looking at cue cards or your computer. You have your content memorized, and you should be able to deliver it flawlessly without referencing the material.

You have invested significant time in perfecting your script and delivery. If you are still struggling to memorize it, start at the beginning and repeat the memorization steps.

Tips When Memorizing Your Pitch Deck

Many people believe that if you memorize your pitch that it would seem less authentic. It is partially true. If it is not adequately memorized or rehearsed enough, you might sound like a robot.

But if you get prepared, focused, and enjoy the moment, your pitch will sound conversational and authentic. When you are practicing your pitch deck, speak naturally and remember the core elements of your content.

When you practice in a conversational tone, it will take the pressure off you to not worry about remembering every word.

Here are some tips when creating and memorizing your pitch deck:

You are a storyteller

Telling a story is a proven method to capture the audience’s attention. Don’t just present the numbers to investors, or you will have them yawning from the beginning.

Telling a story will make your pitch unforgettable. You can tell them the startup history and how you got there – even data-driven investors will appreciate a good story. Storytelling is also an excellent method for memorizing your pitch.

Enthusiasm

When presenting your pitch, do so with enthusiasm. Don’t hold back on the excitement of your product or service.

When someone displays a passion for the business, it is something that you can’t fake. Being enthusiastic won’t diminish your overall intent of getting investors – it will enhance their experience.

Body language

While it is easy to get stressed when delivering your pitch, your body language will give away how you feel to the audience, which can be a distraction.

Recording yourself performing the pitch will help you see the small body language movements and not draw attention away from what you are saying.

Dress to impress

You have your pitch deck ready. All the equipment has been tested, and you have memorized your script. Everything is ready to go except your attire!

Don’t skimp out on wearing a professional outfit and dress to impress. Just as you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of a good script and slide presentation, don’t underestimate the importance of a good suit.

Focus and Memory

Focus is when you are concentrating on the script, and a diffused mode of thinking is when your mind wanders and reaches its own insights.

When you try to memorize your pitch deck, you need to blend both focus and diffused thinking because retention occurs. Alternate between the two by focusing and taking breaks so you don’t wear yourself out.

Begin by working in focus mode until you have reached your limit. If you feel you can’t retain any new information, it is time to take a break.

You might think that taking this many breaks is counterintuitive. It does the opposite. It refreshes your mind and allows you to start over where you left off more focused than when you stopped.

Experts also conclude that you should read the information you want to retain before bed so your subconscious will begin to memorize the information while you are sleeping.

Learning how to memorize a pitch is an essential skill we all should adopt.

It is an investment in your future because if you can memorize pitches and important information, you can recite your knowledge at the drop of a hat whenever asked.

Memorizing your script takes time, and you should work on it the moment you know you will meet with investors or from the first day you get the idea.

Study the big chunks first and move on to the key points. Remember to rehearse and record you delivering your pitch so you can edit as needed and find areas that require improvement.

Having all the key points of your pitch on hand in memory will give you the confidence to deliver a perfect pitch every time.

You might just run into an investor on an elevator, and you have the information ready! So, knowing how to memorize a pitch is critical for an entrepreneur.

Be charismatic and dress to impress. You believe in your startup, and you should make investors believe in it too. When memorizing your pitch, think about what you want to happen – the end result, and then work backward.

You may find interesting as well our free library of business templates. There you will find every single template you will need when building and scaling your business completely for free. See it here.