5 winning tips for launching at DEMO

1 - Start with a winning attitude.

Like everything else you do in your life, a winning attitude, passion & belief makes all the difference.

Your tone, energy and momentum will rub off on your team, your partners, consultants and launch customers.

This is possibly the first time the world (potential customers, partners, investors and future employees) will see and hear from you. Hit them with a dose of attitude as well as a great product.

2 - Set relevant goals. It's not just about your pitch.

While it definitely should be one of your goals to give a stunning 6 minute pitch. It should not be your only goal.

Think about your company's stage and your next 'value creating' milestones. You might be trying to sign up beta users, you may be ready for prime time customers, you might be seeking funding, partners or employees. Have clarity on what your goals are and think about what you can do before, during and after the DEMO event to maxmize the DEMO platform so you can hit your goals.

3 - Start now.

Preparing for a good launch takes a lot of time. Preparing for a great launch takes even longer.

As entrepreneurs we are always multitasking and often leaving things to the last minute. I've done this. I do this. But you won't want to leave this one to the last minute.

Certainly without practice, you won't nail your pitch and if you don't get moving you won't capitalize on making the most of your launch.  As an entrepreneur you know some things just take time and have dependencies.

Here are some things to consider:

Team logistics. Who will attend from your team? Who will hold the fort while you are away? If you need to book flights and accommodation get in early as you will get best availability and best price for getting in early.

Media outreach. Do you have a media outreach plan? What are the key takeaway messages you want them to report on? What materials will you send them? Do you have logos and screen shots ready? what about a short 2 minute product/company video? do you need to hire a PR person?

Event networking opportunities. Have you identified who you'd like to meet? Are you aware of who is attending? Is it worth booking a table at a restaurant near by to have a private dinner with some people you want to connect with? Do you and your team have business cards printed?

Elevator pitch. In addition to your 6 minute pitch you need to have a crisp explanation of your product, value proposition, target market and what you are looking for. You will meet a bunch of local, national and international VC's and corporate officers - be ready to engage the right ones.

Website. What is you goal for web visitors? Have you got your measurement tools in place? Are you ready to capture leads?

Social media plan. Think about creating a Facebook page  and LinkedIn group. Twitter is an awesome tool to get the word out. Make sure you are ready with followers, content, hash tags and instructions to your team and followers pre, during and post show.

Event presence. The DEMO team do an awesome job of helping you have a great event. Will your team all be wearing company t-shirts? What will you need in your booth setup, will you have booth giveaways, who will be manning your booth?

Press release announcing your launch (optimized for search engines)

Product code lock down. It's so easy to talk yourself into (or be talking into) releasing just one more feature. Have clarity and discipline on what you will be releasing and don't fall into the trap of 'just one extra feature'. You risk launching with a buggy service, new features require more updates to your documentation, website, screenshots and demo videos.

4 - Make it your pitch

You no doubt, already know that as a minimum you need a script and you need to practice, practice, practice your pitch.

There are some good resources on the DEMO website for preparing for your pitch, I won't cover them here again.

What I will emphasize strongly is to make sure you make it your pitch. Not someone else's.

Invite input from others, but ultimately, word your own script. Doing so will ensure your pitch will be authentic and will show the true you. Other benefits of writing (and rewriting) your own script will make it easier to memorize and ultimately your presentation, expressions, emotions and emphasis will come across as all natural.

Other things to consider include:

Look online at previous year's winners. Use this as a guide and a source of inspiration, but make sure you bring your own style to the show.

Pitch to as many people as possible between now and the main show. Get as much feedback as possible but don't incorporate anything you don't believe in.

Get yourself a coach. Even the worlds best athletes have coaches. I highly recommend The DEMO Coach - Nathan Gold . He coached me when I launched and won DEMO and since then he has coached a number of my clients.

5 - Celebrate and have fun.

Launching is a key milestone in your startup's journey. Take this opportunity to enjoy it, strengthen your bond with your team, make new friends, learn from other entrepreneurs and smile - it's going to be great.

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Article by Sidney Minassian - Founder & CEO of GrowthQ.  June 13 2011.