A pitch deck is not a new topic; even Mark Zuckerberg made a pitch before starting Facebook. So, it was necessary two decades ago, and it is necessary now.
But the point here is how to make a pitch deck that spurs up the interest of investors, right?
A pitch deck should be brief, engaging, to the point, visually appealing, well-organized, and a lot more at the same time. Besides all that, it should have all the necessary slides that set the stage for investors for further steps.
Too much to keep in mind, right?
Worry not, here we have included all the necessary slides to not forget in your pitch deck and all the tips that will help in your pitch-deck-creating process. But first, let us understand the concept of the pitch deck.
What is a Pitch Deck?
A pitch deck is a concise presentation that explains your business to potential investors and clients, including what you offer, what you aim to achieve, and how you plan to do it.
Think of a pitch deck as a trailer for your business movie. It works as a trailer because it would attract the audience to the other meeting just like a trailer does to watch a movie.
What Investors Look for in a Pitch Deck
A pitch deck is the first step in asking for investment. So, investors look for a visually appealing and clean pitch deck that has all the necessary information about your business.
Investors want to know if the market for your business is big and can grow. Showing that your business has a potential customer segment is very important. They also want proof that people are interested in your product or service.
Overall, potential investors are looking for a compelling and well-thought-out pitch that shows a clear path to success and a strong potential for return on investment.
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Slides You Need to Have in Your Pitch Deck
It is very important to include all the slides that validate your business idea in a pitch deck. Generally, the slides to be included in a pitch deck are:
1. The Cover Slide
The purpose of this first slide is to introduce your business quickly to the readers and potential investors. You don’t have to be jazzy with this slide, just include your logo, business name, and the tagline of your business.
The one-liner you will use here should be very attractive and unique. Also, keep the design of this cover minimal yet lovely.
Think of it as a tweet of 140 characters where you have to tell the gist of your business in short.
It is clever to include your USP (unique selling proposition) as your tagline. Even big brands are doing that, for example:
- FedEx: When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight
- Domino’s Pizza: You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less—or it’s free
- M&M: The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand
Thus, be unique, creative, and appealing at the same time.
2. The Problem & Solution
A great pitch deck addresses the existing problem that your business will solve. Use this slide to portray the problem of the world with current solutions in the market, but don’t share too much about your competition in this slide.
Tell a relatable and compelling story when you are defining the problem and the solution statement. Some of the problem & solution statement examples are:
Airbnb
Problem: The travel industry is dominated by expensive hotels and impersonal accommodations, leaving travelers craving a more authentic and affordable experience.
Solution: Airbnb offers a platform where travelers can book unique accommodations from local hosts, providing a more personalized and affordable lodging experience.
Netflix
Problem: Traditional TV and movie rental services are inconvenient and expensive, with limited selection and late fees.
Solution: Netflix revolutionized the entertainment industry by offering a subscription-based streaming service with a vast library of TV shows and movies, eliminating late fees and providing on-demand viewing.
You also have to use a minimal word count to express the problem that you are going to solve.
3. Target Market & Opportunity
Mention who your ideal target audience is and what your market segmentation is. What will be the market size, and what is your positioning?
If you have any data to provide, then mention things like how much your business spends in marketing to know the realistic market size. Make sure that you do not overestimate the market size.
Moreover, this way you and your readers both will get a clear idea of the opportunities that lie ahead for your business.
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4. Your Product/Service
Finally! It is the time to showcase your product/service and its features. Also, it is one of the main slides investors will be most interested in, so keep it simple.
Start by introducing your product or service and what problem it solves. Then, talk about its key features or benefits that make it better than others.
Show a demo or pictures if you can, to help your audience understand it better. Explain how your product or service fits into the market and why people will want to use it.
Make sure not to overwhelm readers with all the features. Include the top 4–5 features to keep it concise and engaging.
“The Market Is Big—No huge surprise here, but I need to believe your company has the potential to be a $1 billion business one day.”
~ Alexis Ohanian – Angel investor who has invested in 60+ companies.
5. Go-to-Market Strategy
This slide is all about how will you attract customers and retain them. What will your sales funnel and process look like? You will need to mention your sales and marketing strategies under this slide.
Also, use the TAM (Total addressable market), SAM (Serviceable addressable market), and SOM (Serviceable obtainable market) approach to communicate your market.
Outline your sales strategy, including all the channels that you will utilize for marketing. Additionally, giving a brief of your growth plan is a plus.
6. Business Model & Revenue Streams
Now that your readers have basic details about your product or service, it is time to show how you will earn money. Obviously, they will be interested in this slide the most!
Here are some questions that this slide should answer:
- What is your business model?
- How do you make money?
- What is your pricing strategy?
- What is your revenue and scalability?
- How do you plan to optimize revenue?
- What is your projected revenue and growth trajectory?
Here, you can also take a reference of the competitive landscape and showcase where your business fits in the market. Do you position your product as a premium at a high price point or as a budget-friendly option by offering lower prices than existing solutions on the market?
7. The Team
This is the slide where you have to tell why your team is the best fit for their particular roles. What is their experience and what are they experts at?
Highlight the key members of your company and their achievements. If you don’t have a team, then mention all the key positions that you need to fill.
Hire the right people in the right position, who can help you attract customers and build the exact product of your dreams.
8. Traction & Validation
The traction slide is all about the attention your business has gotten till now. Are there any customers? Is your product or service validated by your customers or not?
Additionally, include any customer reviews or feedback you have to provide.
Don’t worry if you have nothing to show yet due to the early stage, just focus on future growth as realistically as possible. Mention the projected revenue and how you will achieve it.
9. Financials and Funding
Your investors will want to see financial statements like income statements (profit and loss statements), balance sheets, and cash flow statements for 3-5 years.
Don’t bore your readers with detailed and lengthy spreadsheets, but limit yourself to charts showing total sales, total customers, total profits, etc.
Additionally, mention the amount that you need for your business. Along with the funding requirements, do not forget to mention the usage of funds—where exactly will the money go?
Therefore, be visually appealing, and don’t overstuff this slide with unnecessary information.
10. Call to Action
A solid pitch deck always ends with a call to action. Start the CTA by exactly mentioning what you want your audience to do next, such as scheduling a meeting, visiting your website, or something else.
Ensure to provide your correct contact information along with the website link, and email so that they can reach out to you easily.
Lastly, remind investors of the value your business offers and why they should take action now.
Tips to Keep in Mind While Creating Pitch Decks
Now that we know how to write a successful pitch deck, let us move forward to the points that you should keep in mind while making it.
Keep it concise
Your pitch is not your business essay, so keep it limited to 10-12 slides maximum. By keeping your pitch concise, you can effectively communicate your key points and make a strong impression without overwhelming your audience with information.
Focus on the most important aspects of your business, such as the problem you’re solving, your unique solution, the market opportunity, and your traction or milestones.
Tell a story
Create a pitch deck that has a compelling story about a problem, its solution, your product as that solution, and why your company will succeed.
Show how your product naturally addresses the identified problem. Instead of adding unnecessary details, focus on telling a clear and engaging story. Be enthusiastic and personalize your story.
The more relatable your stories are to investors, the more they can connect to your product or services.
Start with a strong hook
Starting with a strong hook is crucial to grab your audience’s attention right from the beginning of your pitch.
This hook should be a compelling statement, question, or statistic that immediately captures their interest and sets the tone for the rest of your presentation.
Another effective approach is to make a bold statement about your product or service that piques curiosity and makes your audience eager to learn more.
Use visuals wisely
Using visuals effectively in your startup pitch deck can significantly enhance your presentation. Visuals should be used, but strategically to emphasize key points and make complex information easier to understand for your audience.
Graphs and charts can be used to visually represent data and statistics, making them more digestible and impactful.
The key is to use visuals to complement your message and reinforce your key points, rather than overwhelming your audience with unnecessary visuals.
Your team slide should be extraordinary
More than the business idea itself, sometimes the confidence and experience of the people attract investors. Therefore, ensure that your team is the best for pursuing your business idea.
Conclusion
So, that’s it for today! We hope this blog helps you in creating your pitch deck.
If you are still confused, then you can try out our AI-powered pitch deck generator and make an attractive pitch. All the very best in creating your perfect pitch deck!
