Too many founders are raising funding for the wrong reasons. Not only that, some are blindly pitching venture capital firms, unprepared to explain why they need the funding and where it will take their company. Before seeking funding, you should ask yourself why you need VC funding. More importantly, you should be asking yourself if you even need VC funding.

VC fundraising is often not regarded as seriously as it should be. Bootstrap for as long as you can, but when you reach the point where you absolutely need VC funding, here are some tips from TechRepublic Premium to help you raise it. The guide includes advice from Dan Whaley, CEO and founder of Hypothesis, Dan Waldschmidt, CEO of Panzura, and Christian Struve, CEO and co-founder of Fracttal.

Featured text from the guide:

As entrepreneurs prepare to pitch a firm, the most important element of the business often gets lost in the mix.

Prototypes, props, a business plan and a stellar slide deck are all important elements of your pitch, but they are secondary to the aspect of your company that will set you apart: your story.

Do your best to tell your personal story and really connect. Frame it around the statement of, “Here’s why I’m dedicating my life to solving this problem.” A case study is fine to include, but don’t center your presentation on it.

Improve your VC funding ambitions with our seven-page PDF. This is available for download at just $9. Alternatively, enjoy complimentary access with a Premium annual subscription. Click here to find out more.

TIME SAVED: Crafting this content required 14 hours of dedicated writing, editing and research. Take advantage of our expertise and boost your understanding of VC funding.