Pitch Deck ABC

Launches are scary, even more so if you don’t have an investment-winning launch pad. Here are some ABC’s to remember.

Let’s start with what you need to think about when defining and defining your pitch.

HAS

• The purpose of the presentation is to open discussions about investments, mentoring and start-up assistance.

• All investors receive thousands of applications a year, so being in front of an investor is a great start.

• Always know your audience. Does your potential investor invest in your particular market and products? Do they invest at the level of investment you are looking for? What are your investment priorities? For example, do they invest in renewable products, pets, real estate, etc.?

• Always remember your manners. Don’t dive right into your presentation without some basic etiquette, like waiting to be introduced, being asked about coffee, etc. Don’t take your jacket off unless others do, and obviously dress to impress.

• Accentuate the benefits of your business. You are there to sell your business and equipment, not sell your products.

Here we talk about what to remember when setting up your pitch.

B.

Be:

• Brief so that the potential investor does not get bored. Most successful pitch decks are between 10 and 12 slides long and the accompanying narration should be just as brief and at most 20 minutes before the investor feels sleepy and has probably heard long before. Key facts and information are what the potential investor is looking for and you don’t want to have to take it out of his story about how Aunt Mary suggested he solve his bunion problem. The AirBnB pitch deck was very short with 12 slides, but they raised millions of dollars.

• Get to the point and don’t deviate from the content of your pitch deck. Look at some examples of pitch decks from some now-massive companies and see how they didn’t miss the point.

• A storyteller. Tell an interesting story as you move through the slides and it will hold the attention of the potential investor.

• Accurate in everything you say. No company can solve every business problem, so try not to exaggerate the size of the market or the effectiveness of your products. Be accurate on your finances and how established your business is currently. Make sure someone you trust reviews your pitch deck and get their input.

• Be honest, as falsehoods will be found during the discovery process and you will be banned. Investors are a tight-knit group and word will spread. Investors are also very skilled business people.

• Clear in your presentation. This means there are no distractions from busy or complicated slides and try to keep bullets and multiple graphics on one screen to a minimum.

• Original: Investors must see so many potential pitches that say “Uber for X” or a “Google competitor” that they must be very bored. Remember that big companies got big very quickly because they found a niche and a window of opportunity, because they copied another innovative business model. All investors are looking for the next Unicorn, which is very rare, which is why these types of investments are called Unicorns. Be the unicorn, not the zebra.

• Appropriate. Remember what you are there for. Keep your pitch deck pointed in the right direction and make sure it only tells the story you want to tell.

• Be precise about what you will do with the investment. If you need to look for better manufacturers to lower the price, say so. Better not to be looking for investment so that the directors continue charging. The initial investment is to grow the company, not to maintain the status quo, and founding investors are meant to reap their benefits from the rising value of their shares.

• Fair about what investment is available elsewhere: If you’re looking for investors elsewhere to supplement the initial investment, please say so. No Angel Investor wants to see the value of their shares diluted immediately. Similarly, if you already have investors on board, please indicate so.

• Clear about the responsibilities of the investor. What stocks are you offering for investment? Do you expect them to also mentor the directors? Open your black book, etc.?

• Be sure to include an exit strategy. Thus, the investor knows when and how he will recover his investment, as well as what his remuneration and benefit will be in response to his investment in his company.

•Readable. A slide is not the place for 10 or 12 points, 16 points and preferably 20 points should be used in a clear and professional font on your slides. Similarly, have a light background and not too many graphics on one slide. The text must be at least.

• Be sure to use your headlines. Instead of standard titles like “business model,” use interesting and memorable titles like “the magic that we are.” Try to tell a story with just your headlines before adding all the other text.

• Memorable. In what you say and what you present. Stand out from the crowds. Try not to use recognizable stock images. Not all of us are great photographers or design gurus, so when doing your search in the image directory, scroll down several pages instead of taking from the main images.

Now let’s take a look at the important part: creating your launch pad.

 

against

The content of a great pitch deck should include these slides and preferably no other slides.

1. Cover Slide – Displays the company name, logo, website address, and an appropriate graphic. You can put a short slogan to arouse interest in the upcoming presentation. Uber is a famous launch pad and their tagline was “Next Generation Car Service”. AirBnB’s was “Book rooms with locals instead of hotels.” Both were interesting, succinct and informative.

2. Vision and value proposition: why does your company exist and what does it plan to do, what value does it provide

3. The Problem: what business problem you are seeking to solve or have identified.

4. The Solution: how are you going to solve it with the products you have at hand.

5. Target market and opportunity: where you are going to solve the problem and who is likely to buy the solution. It must include the size, shape and expected changes in the market.

6. Competition: who else is in this market and can slow down its growth and expansion. Show how you are better than them and include your USP.

7. Business model: how you will operate within this market to generate income. Here a Business Model Canvas is ideal.

8. Traction: How your revenue is doing so far, how many current customers you have, your customer acquisition rate, and your company’s roadmap to the future.

9. Marketing and Sales: How will you drive this traction and attract customers to your company’s offerings?

10. Team: who will assume the direction of the business. Include any key advisors and key qualified personnel.

11. Finance: sales forecast, revenue to date, etc. Include some main KPIs

12. Investment: how much you want, when and how it will be used. The investors proposed the ROI and the shares being offered and then their exit strategy.

13. Thank you – Thank them for the opportunity, show them the way forward, and most importantly, your contact details. This is the slide that will stay on the screen while you discuss the issues, so make it memorable.

Now that you’ve done the hard part, you should briefly summarize your presentation in a few words, emphasizing how you will solve this business problem, grow your business, and get the most out of your investment.

Now take a breath and let the potential investor ask a few questions and make a short statement. Listen carefully and be confident in your answers. Don’t get defensive if you don’t fully understand what they’ve said. Get ready to learn from them. Now shake hands with everyone and ask for a future meeting to discuss the future. This is your call to action, so don’t walk out of the room and wonder what just happened. You may have gotten your investment after all.