Any new enterprise hoping to attract funding from investors needs to clearly understand how to write a pitch deck. This single piece of communication can be the most critical part of any young companies funding efforts and will enable them to convince any potential investors that their ideas have merit.
Every company that needs to present their project to potential investors for funding will have to decide on how to write a pitch deck that is unique and clearly describes their idea and it’s potential. This short collection of slides should be creative enough to express who the company is while still maintaining a sharp focus on the merits of the project. The delicate balancing act between presenting the product as well as the company is important. Most investors provide funding to companies with great ideas that also have passionate and inspired people driving them. In many cases, this presentation will be your only interaction with these investors and it needs to convey the merits of your ideas and clearly explain why you deserve their funding.
Make the Format Your Own
The pitch deck format can vary considerably, but there are certain elements that need to be included in all of them. Most of these presentations are between 10-15 slides that cover all the details you need to present. The flow of the presentation should reflect a logical progression that includes specific details about the company, the market, the competition, the potential of the idea, the expected need for funding and the possible return on that investment. The way that each of these is woven into the pitch deck format is a very individual decision but all of them should be addressed as clearly as possible.
While one of the primary pitch deck uses is for a live presentation to possible investors, these decks also need to be clear enough to make logical sense on their own. Expect that your presentation will be shared with others in the company who won’t have the benefit of your explanation of the slides. For this reason, complicated concepts should be avoided if possible and the slides need to be self-explanatory so that others can understand them. Avoid using too many acronyms or industry terms as many of the potential investors may not be familiar with them and won’t completely understand elements of the project if they are reviewing the pitch deck on their own. If your project has graphics that illustrate how it works or looks, include these in the presentation to provide a glimpse of the final product.
Always Stress the Positive
The key thing to remember when creating a great pitch deck is that you are trying to convince a group of investors that your idea has enough merit to warrant their interest and funding. The tone of the presentation should always reflect the positive potential of the project to allow these investors to understand the benefits and long-term viability of your ideas. Most investment firms represent a diverse group of clients and need to justify any investment they make for these clients as having a sound return. Just because a particular idea is interesting isn’t usually enough to warrant an investment from most firms. They also have to know its commercial potential before making a decision to back the project. Your pitch deck needs to make the case that the project will fill a need in the marketplace and generate a profit once fully realized to attract the interest of these investors.
