Picking the right software to use when creating your investor pitch deck is just one part of the process. Startup companies still have to know how to put together a compelling pitch deck. You’ll struggle to form that valuable connection with your potential investors if the well-made pitch deck is missing.
The biggest hurdle many startups face is securing funding. You can face that challenge with greater confidence if you’ve put together a good investor deck. Visit TheMainStage.com to create the VC pitch deck that will resonate best with your prospective investors. Find out how to construct your own VC pitch deck by following the tips in this article.
Tell a Story Using Your Investor Deck
The way you approach the task of creating the pitch deck will affect how it is perceived. Treat it like document narration and your target investors will lose interest quickly. Your goal should be to share a compelling narrative.
Tell the investor why and how you came up with the idea. Give them a concise overview of its origin story. Discuss how you’ve tweaked that idea over time and how you’ve gotten to this point.
Omit that narrative from your presentation and you make it difficult for the investor to relate to it.
Detail Your Product or Service
Ultimately, your goal with creating the investor deck is to secure funding. To pull that off, you need the investor to buy into the product or service you’re offering.
Take this opportunity to detail your product or service offerings as well as you can. Discuss the problem or the gap in the market that your new offerings will address. Elaborate on how they will solve the issues you brought up.
You should also highlight the technology and techniques that went into the development of your products and/or services. Describe how the technology and techniques you’re using are separating your offerings from the pack.
This is also the time when you should identify any copyrights or patents in your possession. Investors will become more interested in what you’re pitching if you have those copyrights and patents.
Demonstrate the Product or Service
There’s a big difference between telling someone how something works and simply showing them the product in action.
You can try to visualize the product in use, but that’s not always easy. The mechanics of the product may not flesh out fully in your head. Inevitably, you’ll be left with questions and there’s no guarantee that those questions can be answered completely.
When you can witness the product in action, things clear up faster. You can see the progression and the idea behind the design. Everything makes more sense and you can grasp the fundamental concepts of the product better.
Demonstrating your product or service to your investors is practically a must. They are more likely to take a keen interest in what you’re pitching when they already have a basic understanding of how it works.
Use a pitch deck service with a data vault so your investors can access those product demonstrations on-demand.
Give an Honest Overview of Your Product or Service’s Market
Thus far, our focus with the investor deck has mainly been on the product or service. That’s a good place to start but you have to branch out further with your presentation. To be more specific, you have to talk about the market that exists for your product or service.
Be honest when you provide that assessment of the market. Use the standard data that everyone else in the industry uses to create their projections and models.
You must also avoid over-hyping your market and the number of people you will be able to draw in. Investors can sniff that kind of thing out. They will know if you are making claims you cannot back up.
Don’t pass on the opportunity to acknowledge the competitors in your market. Investors will want to know about what you could be up against if they decide to offer their support. They may even adjust their funding if they believe enough in your product and recognize the competitors you’re dealing with.
Talk about Your Team
Investors don’t need to hear about your life story in your pitch. However, they will want to learn more about your team through your investor deck.
Introduce the members of your team and also share the respective roles they have inside your company. While you’re at it, share more about their background. You can highlight their previous working experiences and how they will be helpful to the growth of your company.
The people you need to impress pay close attention to the people you hire. Give them a detailed rundown of your team so they have more information to work with.
Share the Progress Your Company Has Made So Far
An element you’ll often find in an investor deck is something known as the traction slide.
The traction slide gives an overview of the company’s development. It details partnerships that have been made, growth metrics, sales numbers, and numerous other important data points. You can even include the awards and accolades that your company has received thus far. Think of it as a summary of your company that you’re submitting to the investor.
Beyond detailing the progress of your company, the traction slide should also include a plan. It should mention how the company can progress further with the help of the investor.
Elaborate on Your Business Model and Marketing Plans
Your VC pitch deck may contain impressive details about your products and your team, but it may still be lacking other fundamental elements. We’re talking about your business model and marketing plans here.
At this point, you should already have a good idea of how the company can be profitable long-term. Share that with the investor along with your plans to generate more interest in your company. Show them that you have a good understanding of every facet of business already so they are more inclined to invest.
Present Your Investor Deck Properly
Last but not least, you need to present the pitch deck properly. You can do that by using images and graphics along with the text. You should also avoid using too many slides. Avoid using more than 20 slides in your pitch deck.
It’s also important to use an easily readable font. Double-check the font type, size, and color you’re using before finalizing your presentation. Include everything inside a PDF so the investor can open the file with no issue.
Parting Words
Creating a good investor deck puts your startup company one step closer to securing funding. Feel free to use the tips here to create the pitch deck that will bolster your business. Also, make sure to go above and beyond with your investor deck since competitors will also push the envelope of what their company can be.