Establish how much time is allocated to your meeting and manage your presentation accordingly

Ask this up front, and recognize that you will have to budget for questions along the way and at the end of the presentation. Moving your presentation along and managing your time will demonstrate that you are in control of the meeting. It is usually a good sign when a Venture Capitalist asks you and your team to stay longer.

I recommend: Microsoft for advice on creating better presentations.

Your presentation should be unique to your business, while following a logical sequence

I have found that the following presentation order works well: (1) • Summary Slide (2) • Management Team Background (3) • Market Opportunity (4) • Product / Service Offering (5) • Financials and Deal Mechanics. You can increase or decrease the number of slides in your presentation depending on which parts of the presentation you would like to emphasize.

I recommend: organizing your slides to reflect an Executive Summary of your business plan. To learn more about business plans, go to Business Plan Pro from Palo Alto Software or BusinessPlans.com.  The  Start up Venture Toolbox also has some helpful information.

Approach the meeting as a formal conversation

The Venture Firm you are meeting with is exploring whether or not the business is compelling but also whether or not you and your team would be good people to work with. The most efficient way to do this, in a limited time, is for the Venture Capitalist to ask you open and direct questions. Do not get defensive. These questions are an attempt to understand how you think through problems and recognize opportunity. Engage your audience, be forthright and establish a foundation for trust between you and your potential investor.

I recommend: Browsing some common questions with investors.

Ask about the plan for follow-up

Don’t leave the meeting without knowing what comes next. Ask the VCs about their process, if they require additional materials from you, and when you should expect to hear from them. Then hold them to it. A highly interested investor will keep the interaction going, requesting materials, speaking with customers and scheduling follow-up meetings. Radio silence is as good as a ‘no’.

I recommend: Entrepreneur for learning more about the process.