Getting on Shark Tank and pitching your next billion-dollar business sounds thrilling. However, with a TV show with a large following, it is almost impossible to be chosen. Don’t worry! Here are five tips to make it to the tank.
According to Inc, 45,000 people apply for a 10-minute slot on Shark Tank. Less than one percent of those make it to the actual pitch stage, and much less make it to TV. With that said, you really need to set your business apart from others. This is the only way you could make it on the show.
Obsess even over the small details
According to Elena Petzold, CEO of Mama’s Milkbox (a maternity apparel subscription service), the producers of Shark Tank look at your website. If they see that your website is professionally made, then you have a great chance to be invited. She adds:
“It’s the first presentation for your business and shows visitors what kind of quality is behind your business. When the visitors are ‘Shark Tank’ producers, they can see that quality and your professionalism as well.”
Don’t settle for a “No”
Tomer Alpert wholeheartedly agrees on this. We could remember him from his mobile app, Felt. He admits being rejected by Shark Tank twice, for two consecutive years. His third time was the lucky charm. He was able to make an appearance in the hit TV show and finally pitch his product.
Be a person
By this statement, we mean that you should highlight your personality. We’re pretty sure being formal pays off but, loosening up allows you to sound more natural and genuine. Skyler Scarlett, CEO and co-founder of Glace Cryotherapy even recommends drinking wine before making your submission video!
″My co-founder and sister was incredibly nervous and she came across as so stiff. A couple glasses of vino later, she was able to loosen up and show her personality. They are booking the people as much as the product, so have fun and keep it creative!”
Trust Your Gut
Trust your gut. Sometimes, producers can get in the way of what you really want to tell about your business. This is the case for Kiersten Parsons, CEO of Mod Mom Furniture. Her husband lost his job before they went to the show, and they were nearing bankruptcy. She knew she had to make it work. She retells her story:
“When they paired me with a producer to craft my pitch, I felt it lacked authenticity of what I created. I bombed in the practice session because it didn’t sound like me and had been twisted by producers. So I rewrote it before the official taping, despite everyone telling me that was a mistake. The reason I got on the show and got a deal is because I said exactly what I wanted to, not what they told me to say.”
It was a risky move for her, but see where it took her. She got into the show and got a deal.
Be Bold
Remember these two words all the time. If you believe that you are already fun in person, dial it up when you reach the stage. No one wants a boring personality on TV. As these contestants suggest, you have to flirt between the line that separates ridiculous and normal.
Fascinated by their advice? You might want to read some insider tips from the sharks here.
Opinions expressed by AsianBlurb contributors are their own.
Faiz Imran is a teenage (May 17, 2002) entrepreneur and self-made millionaire behind various successful companies such as Fismma.com
