Limit your pitch deck to 10 slides or less, tell a story and demo your product (see post here).

FORBES: Fundraising 101: Checklist for Entrepreneurs

For the rest of your portfolio, see the Janet Novack story on tax deferral strategies.

FORBES: Your Portfolio Versus the IRS

Then you can pull others into your story because they can see a role they want to play in it.

FORBES: How to Add to Your Life by Subtraction

If you're careful, you can get lots of mileage from your donations. (See related story, p. 165.) But if you aren't, you can either suffer unpleasant investment surprises or get a nasty bill for back taxes and interest.

FORBES: The new giving game

During a new business pitch you can share a story about how your product helped a client increase sales despite the economic downturn, helping your prospects see themselves succeeding as they use your product.

FORBES: The Art of Selling Your Company Story