Pitching a room full of investors can be one of the most important things you do to get your company off the ground. Learn how to tell your story and keep your audience engaged with these 5 tips from pitch strategist, Tyler Crowley.

1. Hook the audience

On average, you only have around 15 seconds to capture your audience (less if you present right before lunch), and you’re competing with email/Facebook for their attention. People’s brains are wired to remember stories and not PowerPoints, so cut out the stuff that doesn’t matter and start with a story. Create a persona and introduce them to the audience. What problems do they have? How does your product/service solve them?

2. Add a twist

When you’re telling your story, keep it interesting. Pe...