The Demo Coach » General

How to be more memorable?

Nathan Gold — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:47:41 +0000

An elevator pitch can make or break your company, and often does. If you cannot articulate the value of your company, product, service, or cause within 60 seconds, you may not get the chance to be heard. An elevator pitch (or 60 second pitch) should be on the tip of your tongue so that at anytime you can sound credible, convincing, and leave your listener with a memorable moment about you and your company.

Below is one of the most creative examples of an elevator pitch I have seen in a long time. In just 53 seconds, they will capture your attention and you won’t look away until the end. Here it is:

Back from Ireland and England

Nathan Gold — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:41:16 +0000

I have returned from an amazing trip abroad. I met many wonderful people and had the opportunity to present The Top 10 Mistakes People Make In Presentations And How To Avoid Them several times to a very diverse audience of people from many parts of the world. The most fun part was #8, which is Cultural Unawareness. It’s a hoot and a laugh when people explain how a gesture, a word, a picture, and a reference to food mean one thing in one culture and something completely different in another.

I also just received this note from one of the people who joined me for the presentation I recently gave in Liverpool, England. I thought it would be fun to share it with you…

Dear Nathan,

What a pleasure it was to attend your presentation in Liverpool. We met prior to your presentation, during your presentation, and after. You were kind enough to present me with your book on demo presentations. It was so good I read it in one sitting!! I subsequently read it at a slower pace and what was remarkable was how the contents of your presentation reflected the book contents. I assure you it was a memorable presentation. I was the guy who in our pre-meeting chat explained to you my invention and the difficulty I had in getting people to understand what I was talking about. You came up, within a minute, that wonderful description of a car and space ship analogy. I know this was totally effective because of the audience reaction during the networking after your presentation. Thank you.

We in the UK desparately need your skills. In fact I think the whole of Europe does. I recently sat through a European wide series of business presentations that was abysmal without exception. Nathan, it was a joy attending your presentation, I learned a lot and look forward to developing our relationship.

Very best wishes,
Rodney Jackson
Managing Director
Cojac Limited

My host was Steve Smith from Liverpool Vision. Thank you Steve for assembling a great group of people who participated on every level. I had a really enjoyable time with everyone.

Ireland is a wonderful place

Nathan Gold — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:22:43 +0000

I am just finishing up a gig in Dublin, Ireland working with Enterprise Ireland for the second time. I want to publicly acknowledge my hosts Des, Cathie, and Cian for all of their support and help during these past two days. You are truly wonderful people. The start-up companies you support in your program are lucky to have you. I look forward to the next time we get to work together.

I also want to thank Jonathan Baer, from Threshold Ventures. He came with me to Ireland and delivered a compelling presentation on how to raise money. Being an accomplished Silicon Valley venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur, Jon added real solid value for the attendees by helping them really understand how an investor thinks and how to approach them. Thank you Jon!

DEMOspring 2010 was a wonderful experience

Nathan Gold — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:03:40 +0000

With DEMOspring 2010 behind us, everyone is now looking forward to seeing how the experience will continue to pay off. Whether you went to the conference to find investors, get media coverage, attract customers, or just network with really amazing people, it was a huge success. Everyone I spoke with expressed how the quality and caliber of companies assembled by Matt Marshall and the DEMO team were the highest ever and exceeded the expectations of many.

eXaudios was the winner of the $1 Million Media Prize. We worked together remotely from San Francisco to Ramat Gan in Israel for the better part of 6 weeks leading up to the conference. At times, each of the eXaudios team were in different countries when we had practice scheduled. Without fail, Skype kept us together and allowed all of us to connect easily. Each and everyone of the eXaudios team were delightful to work with and I truly hope they see amazing results from all of their effort.

Here’s is their demo reel from the show:

See you next time in the San Francisco Bay Area in September for DEMOfall 2010!

The end is here and the beginning is tomorrow

Nathan Gold — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:43:13 +0000

I have reached the end of two full days of dress rehearsals with all of the companies presenting their 6 minutes on stage at DEMOspring 2010 beginning tomorrow. There are a lot of really amazing companies in the line up, so stay tuned for the postings as the conference proceeds. To see a list of the companies presenting, go here: http://demo.com/event/demospring2010/agenda.html#

I have one more coaching session tonight….

Off to DEMOspring 2010 in the morning!

Nathan Gold — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:37:56 +0000

Well, it’s been an amazing few weeks leading up to the DEMOspring 2010 conference in Desert Springs next week. I am really looking forward to seeing how the people perform on stage, especially the ones I coached. I leave in the morning to drive from San Francisco to Palm Springs. It’s a road trip I have been looking forward to since I love to drive. I’ll be sure and let you know how the conference unfolds.

DEMOspring 2010 workshops and webinars – taking registrations now

Nathan Gold — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:05:37 +0000

This year’s DEMOspring 2010 conference is approaching quickly. It will be here sooner than you think. Once you have been accepted and make the decision to announce at DEMO, it is only the beginning of a journey to one of the most important presentations and demos in your life. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you and your company. Get ready for an amazing experience.

As the official DEMO demo coach, I am excited to offer a complete set of programs that will help you get prepared for your time on stage or in front of the mic for an Alpha pitch. Check out the calendar below for scheduled workshops and for a complete description of all programs, go here.

DEMO Spring 2010 is in the final stages of picking companies

Nathan Gold — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:36:35 +0000

The DEMO Spring 2010 conference is approaching quickly. If you haven’t heard of this conference, it is an amazing stage to announce your product, service, and company to the world. All eyes are on Matt Marshall, DEMO’s new Executive Producer, to see that he and his team put up a dais of companies that match or exceed the quality of the past. I look forward to being in the audience in March along side Chris Shipley.

Here’s a recent note from the DEMO team:

Important Upcoming Deadlines for Demonstrating or Attending at DEMO Spring 2010

March 21-23, JW Marriott Resort, Palm Desert, CA

Demonstrator/AlphaPitch Application Deadline- January 18, 2010

Jan. 18 is the deadline to apply to launch or pitch at DEMO Spring 2010. If you have a product in any stage of development (or represent a company who does), in any of the following vertical segments, we want to hear from you! DEMO Spring 2010 gives you or your clients a first-of-its-kind opportunity to present in one of seven industry-specific launch categories:

• Social and Media
• Health and Life Science
• Clean and Sustaining Technologies
• Cloud
• Enterprise
• Mobile
• Consumer

DEMO is interested in market-ready products, alpha-stage products as well as business plan only initiatives. Please contact Matt Marshall, DEMO Executive Producer at mmarshall@venturebeat.com or go to www.demo.com for complete information and application forms. Take advantage of our quality programming, quality attendance and quality marketing support that yields the most credible launch opportunities.

Early Preferred Attendee Pricing Deadline Extended until January 8, 2010

We’re happy to offer an additional week on our early preferred DEMO attendee registration rates.

Register now to be one of the first to see DEMO Spring 2010 industry-specific launches. Each segment will feature product launches, product pitches by early stage entrepreneurs and dedicated, focused discussions on the funding challenges and opportunities within each DEMO tech segment. You won’t find a better opportunity to explore products from every stage of development—and get in on the ground floor of some of the most innovative new technology we’ve seen in years.

NEW! Save Money with VIP Pricing on DEMO Spring and Fall 2010 Events

Register by Jan. 8, 2010 to attend DEMO Spring and DEMO Fall 2010 and as DEMO VIP member, pay only $1,945 for both shows. That’s a $2,550 savings over paying for each event separately. Here’s your chance to secure the biggest savings on this premier launch event while enjoying a full year of DEMO VIP Membership Benefits.

Or, if DEMO Spring 2010 fits your schedule now, sign-up by January 8 for $1495, a 50% savings off the standard single-show DEMO conference rate.

We look forward to seeing you at DEMO Spring in March either on stage or in the audience!

The DEMO Team

Five new reasons to attend DEMOfall 09

Nathan Gold — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:24:24 +0000

Chris Shipley and her team at DEMO are locked and loaded for DEMOfall 09 in exactly two weeks. They have assembled an amazing group of companies, judges, and panelists that will make every minute of the conference worth their weight in gold. Here is an email I received today about the conference:

Five new reasons to attend DEMOfall 09

DEMOfall 09 is only a few week away and here are five new reasons not to miss all the action taking place on Sept. 21-23 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina!

DEMOfall 09 Class Finalized | DEMO Judges Announced | New Panel on Successful Fundraising in a Downturn

1. DEMOfall 09 class finalized

Attend DEMO to get an up-close/hands-on view of today’s most-promising technology innovations. This fall, sixty companies from five continents will launch new products at DEMOfall. You’ll have an opportunity for the first time to see an array of early stage companies as well as a number of large and returning companies that prove that growing a big business isn’t incompatible with fresh innovation.

2. Judges selected to evaluate DEMOfall 09 product launches as part of $1M IDG Media Award

“These judges, representing the perspective of both investors and veteran entrepreneurs, bring an important new dynamic to the DEMO stage: real-time engagement with the demonstrating companies as they bring their new products to market,” said Chris Shipley, Executive Producer of DEMO. Gain their insight on the companies launching at DEMOfall.

Current judges include:
-Larry M. Augustin, CEO, SugarCRM, Inc.
-Satish Dharmaraj, Partner, Redpoint Ventures
-Russell Fradin, President, Adify
-John Gilmore, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Sling Media
-Omar Hamoui, Founder & CEO, AdMob
-Scott L. Kauffman, President & CEO, SourceForge, Inc.
-Mark Pincus, Founder & CEO, Zynga
-Shervin Pishevar, Co-founder & CEO, SGN
-Phil Sanderson, Managing Director, IDG Ventures
-Anu Shukla, Founder & CEO, Offerpal Media
-Nirav Tolia, Co-founder & CEO, Fanbase
-Jennifer Zeszut, CEO, Scout Labs

3. Entrepreneurs Succeed in Raising Capital in a Downturn

On Monday, Sept. 21, we’ve organized a special networking dinner for investors, corporate buyers and CEO’s from the demonstrating companies. DEMO Co-Executive Producer, Matt Marshall and Mark Heesen, President of the NVCA will lead a panel, “The good, bad and ugly of raising venture capital in the downturn.” Shanna Tellerman, Chief Executive of Sim Ops Studios (DEMO class of 2008) and Mike Olson, a veteran entrepreneur and CEO of Cloudera share their recent successes in raising capital.

4. DEMO Jam Session is Back!

The ever-popular DEMO Jam Session returns to DEMOfall! Bring your instrument,vocal talent or even just your dancing shoes. Barry Rosenbaum from Bluenote Capital and his band will take the stage and all are welcome to join in! The Jam Session is sponsored by DEMO alum, Cc: Betty, Inc (DEMOSpring class of 2009) and CEO Michael Cerda who will play bass.

5. This is the last DEMO event for Chris Shipley, our esteemed executive producer for the past 13 years… join us while we toast her years of success and honor the achievements of some of the top companies she has chosen to launch on the DEMO stage.

Beyond the incredible group of innovators you will meet throughout the 2 1/2 days at DEMOfall, this event offers you tremendous networking opportunities with corporate buyers, investors and the press. Extend your network, source new deals and meet new partners when you attend DEMOfall 09.

Be part of the exclusive unveiling of the most promising new products and prototypes of 2009. DEMOfall 09 provides a window into technology’s future and introduces you to the people and companies who are paving the way.

The DEMO Team

Connect with DEMO
Stay connected and invite your friends and colleagues to join the DEMO community:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DEMOconference

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/demotweets
Include DEMO in your posts:#DEMO09

Amazon.com has our book listed!!!

Nathan Gold — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:00:14 +0000

Claudio and I are even more excited about our new book now because it is available on Amazon.com.

However, in addition to listing it on Amazon.com, we are trying something new and fun to get the word out. When you tell 5 people about our book using RumbaFish, you get a free copy as a thank you. Just click on the widget below.