Good advice generally, but generalisations have their gaps. I always ignore #2 here, about not having a 'Corporate Overview' early on. BUT: - Make sure you've

Good advice generally, but generalisations have their gaps. I always ignore #2 here, about not having a 'Corporate Overview' early on. BUT: - Make sure you've already avoided #3 (Linear Demo) by agreeing with the pitchee what the agenda will cover - Make sure your overview is very, very brief - it's really a positioning statement ("we sell software to telecommunications companies with over 500 employees") not a history lesson, and - Make the overview interactive. "What have you heard about my firm?" or "Bob introduced us - can I ask what he told you about what we do?" This last one shows how this step can be a great way to correct misinterpretations that can otherwise ruin a great demo. In situations where the overview can't be interactive (say, Demo Day to a room of VCs who have never heard of you) you want this step to be two sentences ... or less.