Great ideas for changing our planet won’t be implemented overnight, especially if it’s a technology solution like solar energy air con or the fabulously Sci-Fi vortex machine that could suck up greenhouse gas (if investors would only build a pilot plant!).

Green Prophet sees great clean technology ideas every day. People email us trying to convince us why this so-and-so technology surpasses any other solution out there. To take your idea to the next level folks, you won’t have to convince us, but investors. 

Guy Kawasaki, an American marketing guru has recently penned a short list of tips would-be entrepeneurs take into consideration before meeting a venture capital firm. He lists 10 things “not to say” and one tip for what you should say. Over the fold for the list.

10 Things Not to Say to Potential (Clean Tech) Investors:

1. You say: “I’m bright and ambitious.” Investor thinks: “That’s a relief because I usually invest in stupid and lazy people.”
2. You say: “I’m a blue sky thinker.” Investor thinks: “You have no business model, and you don’t know how to ship.”
3. You say: “I don’t know much about your firm, but I thought I’d contact you anyway.” Investor thinks: “You’re a lazy idiot–why are you wasting my time?”
4. You say: “I love to think of new ways to solve problems.” Investor thinks: “Is this a high-school science fair?”
5. You say: “I have lots of great ideas, but I have trouble figuring out which one to try. Let me tell you about a couple.” Investor thinks: “I want to know which idea you’re going to kill yourself trying to make successful, not which ideas have crossed your idle mind.”
6. You say: “I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur.” Investor thinks: “I’ve always wanted to be a professional golfer. So what if you always wanted to be an entrepreneur?”
7. You say: “I’m sure you are aware of the growing need for security. Web 2.0, Open Source, whatever.” Investor thinks: “If you’re sure I’m aware, why are you telling me you’re sure I’m aware.”
8. You say: “If you sign an NDA, I’ll tell you my idea.” Investor thinks: “You are clueless. How can you not know that venture capitalists don’t sign NDAs?”
9. You say: “The last time I contacted you, I…” Investor thinks: “I’m going to fire my secretary for putting this clown on my calendar again.”
10. You say: “My goal is to build a world-class company.” Investor thinks: “How about you ship and sell the first copy before we talk about world-class anything?”

What you should say:

  1. “This is what my company does…”

It’s that simple says Kawasaki. Check out another post of his on how to sell your clean tech idea using visual cues. The more pages an investor has to read, the less chance your idea will be sold. Mind expanding, and very applicable to the green world that needs new technology solutions, like yesterday!

::Sun Microsystems 

• The California-Israel Chamber of Commerce to Bring Top Israeli Cleantech Companies to the US
• As Global Clean Tech Investing Reaches Record Levels, Another Fund Focuses on Israel.
• New “Cleantech Israel” Group Meets in Herzliya
• Five Times Cleaner at the December Cleantech Startup Showcase in Israel
• What is the CleanIsrael Network?