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If you plan to pitch your idea to investors, there are two ways you can approach the situation - either present the idea in person or send the pitch deck by email. The first option is more effective but requires that you make an acquaintance before presenting the idea to a room full of seasoned investors. Or, create a well-put-together stellar presentation - a pitch deck to hook investors' attention.
Irrespective of which option you choose, the investor evaluates the pitch deck before making the big decision. It is a short presentation that showcases your company's value proposition, go-to-market strategy, and financials.
If reaching out to investors for funding is next on your checklist, you could greatly benefit from this blog. The first step in preparing the pitch deck is to understand which information piece will support your cause and which won't.
To ensure that you ace it on your first attempt, we have carried out research that brings us to these 13 Slides Every Pitch Deck Must Have. (Not necessarily in this order)
The 'Vision & Value Proposition' Slide
Start with a small overview of your business and explain the value that you offer. Since it is the hook to reel investors' attention, keep it short and to the point. Investors view this first slide to build an understanding of the startup, and it helps them get the gist of the business idea.
The 'Problem' Slide
This slide talks about the legitimate problem you're solving and who would benefit from the solution. Showcase the what, why, and why now (urgency) and explain the pain you're alleviating to your investors.
The 'Solution' Slide
It's not the problem, it's the solutions that investors invest in. Explain in detail the solutions your startup is providing to the problems mentioned above.
The 'How it Works' Slide
Explain the roadmap of how your product works! With the help of infographics and use cases, elaborate on the solution you've mentioned in the previous slide.
The 'Target Customers' Slide
Who is going to benefit from your product? In this slide, describe your customer segment and the user persona of your customers. For example, the user persona for an ed-tech platform looking to provide preparation courses for competitive exams will be the students in the age group 18-27 preparing for IIT, NEET, Civil Services, etc.
The 'Market Size and Opportunity' Slide
Use this slide to expand on the total market for your product. Incorporate this must-have metric to excite investors with the size of the market and the potential size of the opportunity.
"A large market size is very important to invigorate the interest of investors. On the other hand, having a very unique idea with a strong and experienced team wouldn't mean a thing if the market size is very small."
Pro Tip: Add credible sources for this data-backed slide.
The 'Competitors and Competitive Advantage' Slide
Every business has competition in one form or another. Even if you are opening up to an entirely new market, chances are, your potential customers are already using solutions that solve their problems, but not entirely.
Use this slide to establish yourself as the dominant force in the competitive landscape and emphasize what makes you better than competitors and alternatives available in the market.
Showcase the key advantages you have over your competition with a competitor's analysis table. Put all the information in one place, making it convenient for the investors to review and compare.
The 'Business Model' Slide
No matter how bright the idea is, it doesn't go very far if it doesn't make money. Use this slide to showcase how you will make money out of your revolutionary idea. Investors would want to know how you will acquire customers and generate revenue through different distribution channels.
Even if your startup runs on a unique untested business model, draw a similarity with familiar/established revenue models while explaining it to the investors. Use this opportunity to include names of organizations that align well with your business model.
The 'Traction and Validation' Slide
Getting traction at the early stage or BETA phase is a bonus that you should include in your pitch deck. Investors want to see that you have proven some aspect of your business model. Any proof that showcases your business idea works in real time is a plus. Also, incorporate the testing you have done, and the feedback you have received from user engagement.
The 'Financial Projections' Slide
Before signing the cheque, investors expect to see the financials - sales forecast, income statement and loss, and the cash flow forecast. In addition, investors want to know how the business plans to grow in the future; therefore, a three-to-five-year financial forecast with key metrics, such as the number of customers and conversion rate, helps investors make a consciously driven decision.
The 'Highlights' Slide
Use this slide to brag about your startup! Highlight all the milestones, rewards, awards, recognitions, and grants that the startup has earned, any competition the startup has won, and other events, and press releases in which the startup has been featured and recognized.
The 'Use of Funds' Slide
"How are you going to utilize the capital?" Presenting a clear idea of the distribution of funds toward achieving the business goals in your pitch deck enables investors to measure your projection.
"Investors love to see how their money is going to be used to achieve the projected revenue and till how long the startups can sustain using these funds."
The 'Team' Slide
Anyone can have an idea and a plan, but investors will look for the people backing this idea and the team working to make this idea into reality. So your team slide should include important details like -
Don't hesitate to showcase any good thing that your core team members have been recognized for.
The design matters, yet, design only opens the door long enough to deliver the real value and proposition. So, for design, we leave you with the masterclass by Neil Patel on how to 'Create an Irresistible Pitch Deck'.
Irrespective of which option you choose, the investor evaluates the pitch deck before making the big decision. It is a short presentation that showcases your company's value proposition, go-to-market strategy, and financials.
If reaching out to investors for funding is next on your checklist, you could greatly benefit from this blog. The first step in preparing the pitch deck is to understand which information piece will support your cause and which won't.
To ensure that you ace it on your first attempt, we have carried out research that brings us to these 13 Slides Every Pitch Deck Must Have. (Not necessarily in this order)
The 'Vision & Value Proposition' Slide
Start with a small overview of your business and explain the value that you offer. Since it is the hook to reel investors' attention, keep it short and to the point. Investors view this first slide to build an understanding of the startup, and it helps them get the gist of the business idea.
The 'Problem' Slide
This slide talks about the legitimate problem you're solving and who would benefit from the solution. Showcase the what, why, and why now (urgency) and explain the pain you're alleviating to your investors.
The 'Solution' Slide
It's not the problem, it's the solutions that investors invest in. Explain in detail the solutions your startup is providing to the problems mentioned above.
The 'How it Works' Slide
Explain the roadmap of how your product works! With the help of infographics and use cases, elaborate on the solution you've mentioned in the previous slide.
The 'Target Customers' Slide
Who is going to benefit from your product? In this slide, describe your customer segment and the user persona of your customers. For example, the user persona for an ed-tech platform looking to provide preparation courses for competitive exams will be the students in the age group 18-27 preparing for IIT, NEET, Civil Services, etc.
The 'Market Size and Opportunity' Slide
Use this slide to expand on the total market for your product. Incorporate this must-have metric to excite investors with the size of the market and the potential size of the opportunity.
"A large market size is very important to invigorate the interest of investors. On the other hand, having a very unique idea with a strong and experienced team wouldn't mean a thing if the market size is very small."
Pro Tip: Add credible sources for this data-backed slide.
The 'Competitors and Competitive Advantage' Slide
Every business has competition in one form or another. Even if you are opening up to an entirely new market, chances are, your potential customers are already using solutions that solve their problems, but not entirely.
Use this slide to establish yourself as the dominant force in the competitive landscape and emphasize what makes you better than competitors and alternatives available in the market.
Showcase the key advantages you have over your competition with a competitor's analysis table. Put all the information in one place, making it convenient for the investors to review and compare.
The 'Business Model' Slide
No matter how bright the idea is, it doesn't go very far if it doesn't make money. Use this slide to showcase how you will make money out of your revolutionary idea. Investors would want to know how you will acquire customers and generate revenue through different distribution channels.
Even if your startup runs on a unique untested business model, draw a similarity with familiar/established revenue models while explaining it to the investors. Use this opportunity to include names of organizations that align well with your business model.
The 'Traction and Validation' Slide
Getting traction at the early stage or BETA phase is a bonus that you should include in your pitch deck. Investors want to see that you have proven some aspect of your business model. Any proof that showcases your business idea works in real time is a plus. Also, incorporate the testing you have done, and the feedback you have received from user engagement.
The 'Financial Projections' Slide
Before signing the cheque, investors expect to see the financials - sales forecast, income statement and loss, and the cash flow forecast. In addition, investors want to know how the business plans to grow in the future; therefore, a three-to-five-year financial forecast with key metrics, such as the number of customers and conversion rate, helps investors make a consciously driven decision.
The 'Highlights' Slide
Use this slide to brag about your startup! Highlight all the milestones, rewards, awards, recognitions, and grants that the startup has earned, any competition the startup has won, and other events, and press releases in which the startup has been featured and recognized.
The 'Use of Funds' Slide
"How are you going to utilize the capital?" Presenting a clear idea of the distribution of funds toward achieving the business goals in your pitch deck enables investors to measure your projection.
"Investors love to see how their money is going to be used to achieve the projected revenue and till how long the startups can sustain using these funds."
The 'Team' Slide
Anyone can have an idea and a plan, but investors will look for the people backing this idea and the team working to make this idea into reality. So your team slide should include important details like -
- Core Team Members
- Years of work experience
- Area of expertise
Don't hesitate to showcase any good thing that your core team members have been recognized for.
The design matters, yet, design only opens the door long enough to deliver the real value and proposition. So, for design, we leave you with the masterclass by Neil Patel on how to 'Create an Irresistible Pitch Deck'.
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