If you are an entrepreneur looking to attract investors for your business, one essential item you must have in your marketing arsenal is an impressive pitch deck.
A pitch deck is a presentation slide deck created on software like PowerPoint, Prezi or Keynote and is used to brief others about your startup. It is a great tool for engaging potential investors, customers, or partners, convincing them that your business is poised for success.
And while it should generate excitement with each of those groups, your main target with your pitch deck are those investors. You want to be able to send it far and wide to venture capital firms and be confident that it can sell on its own.
What constitutes a sell? A meeting.
That’s it. That’s your goal. It’s a common misconception that your pitch deck will land investors. It might happen that way, but more often, it will simply get your foot in the door.
You can always reuse that same pitch deck in the meeting it just won you, but you want your pitch deck, more than anything else, to get you in the room. So, keep that in mind.
Now that we know what we want our pitch deck to do, let’s take a look at the ideal flow your deck should have.
1. Introduce your Idea
Start with your vision. A vision is a one-liner about your company and what it aspires to be. Keep it short, concise, and compelling.
2. Introduce your Team
Let your potential investors know the people bringing your business to life. A brief description of their professional expertise and what role they play is a great way to put a humanize your endeavor.
3. Describe the Problem
Briefly explain the problem your business is there to solve. Focus on the pain points currently felt in your target market, and be specific.
4. Solution
Tell how you plan on addressing the problem. Describe your solution and what makes it unique. Again, be specific, but brief.
5. Market
Identify your market and your potential customer base. Put a number on your estimated market share, and dazzle them with dollar signs.
6. Identify your Competitors
Who are you going up against? Who do you want to topple? Show investors that you know who you are challenging and how you are going to beat them.
7. Business Model
This is where you get down to brass tacks. How will your business be structured? How will it make money? Flesh out those details here.
8. Budget
Tell investors clearly what kind of money are you looking for. Be precise about your funding needs, and show them how their investment will be used.
9. Contact Details
Always leave your contact details at the end of your presentation so that your potential investors know how they should reach you if they are interested in your proposal.