How to Build a Startup Deck

Introduction

When you're ready to pitch your idea for a startup, you'll need an effective presentation. The first step is to create a great deck. Here are some tips on how to do that:

Know your audience.

It's worth noting that, for most of us, our target audience and the person we are pitching to are not the same people. In many cases, they are different people in different departments or roles in an organization.

For example, if you're targeting recruiters at a company as potential users of your product and you're pitching investors on why they should invest in you (in which case your audience is likely to be VCs), you may find that recruiters are interested in knowing something else entirely: whether or not your product will help them fill open positions faster.

So when preparing your deck, it's important to know who needs convincing and what they want to hear from you—and then deliver on both counts while also keeping their needs front of mind throughout the pitch process itself.

Tell a story.

A great way to help your audience understand your business is through storytelling. You can use the story of how you came up with the idea for the product, or why you started the company, and what drives you in this process.

The story doesn't have to be long; a few sentences will do if it helps explain an important point about your product or market.

Build a narrative arc.

When you're building a business, it's important to remember that your company is a story. You want to tell a compelling narrative that will resonate with investors and customers. To do this, you need to build a narrative arc.

A clear structure:

To start with, use a clear structure in your deck—not just at the beginning but throughout. For example, if you have three points that build on each other in sequence (e.g., customer retention), don't organize them as independent slides; instead, put them together into one slide so they flow naturally from one point to another.

Use an arc:

Next, craft your story around an arc of some kind—a conflict or challenge faced by the hero(ine). This can be something simple such as “this startup is trying to make money” or more complex like “this startup has been struggling for years because its product hasn't been good enough yet." A strong narrative will connect with investors because people love stories about heroes overcoming challenges!

Don't overstuff your slides.

You'll want to present the most important information first and then follow up with supporting data. You don't want your audience to be lost in a sea of slides, so use a template that keeps your deck organized and helps you stay on track.

Speak in bullet points.

If you're not a natural at speaking, it's tempting to use long sentences to cover up for your lack of eloquence. But this is a mistake. When preparing your deck, keep in mind that your audience will be reading every word—not listening to you speak from memory.

So what should you do? Use short sentences instead of run-on ones and don't get too complex with your writing. Keep it simple! Also, remember that it's better to write using active voice rather than passive voice (e.g., "We built the app" vs "The app was built by us"). And if there’s any jargon or technical terms in your pitch deck that might be unfamiliar to potential investors (e.g., "machine learning"), make sure they're explained clearly so everyone can understand them

Details matter.

Details matter. It’s important to note that a deck is not just a list of bullet points: it’s an opportunity for you to tell your story and explain your vision for the future of your company. If you take the time to go into detail about what you do, why it matters, and how it makes people’s lives better (or easier), then investors will be more likely to want in on that future with you.

Details are also what make a good presentation great—so don't be afraid of them! A good rule of thumb is that if something doesn't add value or help your audience understand what's going on, leave it out. However, don't underestimate how much detail can elevate even the most basic information by making it engaging and interesting as opposed to simply boring or dull

Finish strong.

Finish strong. Your deck is coming to an end, but there are still a few things you can do to make sure your message sticks.

• Conclude with a call to action. Whether it's "Download our app!" or "Ask me about our services," be sure that you include a clear directive at the end of your presentation.
• Summarize the key points of your presentation in one sentence or two, so that attendees can easily recall them when they need it later on in their day-to-day lives (or work).
• Include an email address at which you're willing to be contacted by potential customers/partners/investors—this gives people something concrete and tangible from which they can remember who you are and contact you again down the line! Also make sure never forget where these resources were mentioned earlier in this post: https://blog.rebootcamp4unicorns/

Use these tips to help you create the presentation for your startup

• Use these tips to help you create the presentation for your startup

• Don't be afraid to ask for feedback
• Don't be afraid to make mistakes
• Don't be afraid to fail
• Don't be afraid to try new things

Conclusion

We hope these tips helped you create a better deck. If you're still stuck, try using our sample PowerPoint templates to get started!