Elements of an Excellent Pitch Deck

You believe that you have a very sound and promising business plan. The only problem is, you do not have the necessary financial capital to take it off the ground; therefore, you need to find investors and capitalists who will be willing to back you out. Most investors are presented with multitudes of business ideas on a daily basis. Getting an appointment with one of them could be an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so treat it with utmost formality. To encourage investors to trust your business plan, you need to prepare a pitch presentation, also known as a pitch deck. It is a slide show that will provide them with all the information they need and answer all their questions regarding your business. To help you out, here are the key elements that should be included in your startup pitch presentation.

1. Cover Page

This contains your name/company name. It should also contain your contact information since you are in a way introducing yourself to the investors. Another important inclusion on this slide is your business tag line of sorts, which will give investors an idea of what your company is up to.

2. Summary

Since your goal is to catch the investors’ attention quickly, use this slide as your chance to achieve that objective. On here, include all the facts that will make them interested in your business, like your objectives, missions, and values. You do not need to read simply what is written on the slide, as the investors can do so themselves. Instead, talk enthusiastically about your company, its potential, and the size of the market that you intend to target.

3. Team

Now that you have laid out your plan and goals, it is time to introduce the people who will be working towards those goals. Include in this slide everyone that will participate on the project, their credentials, and their work history. If you have been working with this team for quite a while, it will be worth mentioning the same, since it shows that there will not be any transition or adjustment period among the team members.

4. Problem

A product or service is initially conceptualized by filling a gap in the market, so explain to your investors what specific problems or gaps your products intend to fill. Without a problem, it is hardly probable that your product will take off in the market. You need to convince your investors that this need or problem is critical, so that they can see their value in helping you out in your venture.

5. Solution

With the problem clearly outlined, it is time to show how significant your products or services are in solving the problem. For instance, if you are going to offer a product, show related information that proves how effective your product is in providing a solution to the problem, like studies or reviews that will support your claim. This is the best time to exalt your product’s capabilities and whatever secret ingredient it has that will make it better than other solutions available on the market.

6. Business Model

Present a business model that will elaborate how you will earn money in your business. This will include your distribution and sales channels. It is better to show a business model that has already shown effectiveness in other organizations than try an untested one that could make your investors wary of the same.

7. Marketing

Your investor needs to be impressed with your marketing strategies as well, since having a good product is barely enough for the success of a business. Present your target market on this slide and the methods that you will employ to acquire them. If you have started your operations prior to the presentation, impress them with the upward trend in sales that you are experiencing using your current marketing methods.

8. Competition

There will always be competition, and your investors need to know how your products are better than your competitors. It is also a chance to present plans to develop other products to differentiate yourself in the future.

9. Projections

Do not just fabricate numbers in presenting your five-year forecast. Give your investors a sound basis of any sales, number of target customers, and conversion rates projections that you present to them.

10. Financing

Whether you have raised your initial capital from other investors or on your own, show them where you have used those funds and where your current financials are at now. Your investors have to be assured that any investment they place on your business will be spent in the right manner.

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