What is a Pitch Deck And What Should it Include?

A pitch deck is a concise, visually engaging presentation used by startups or entrepreneurs to explain their business plan, vision, and growth strategy to potential investors, partners, or customers.

Your pitch deck is beyond a collection of slides; it’s the narrative of your startup, your enterprise, a story that paints a vivid picture of your vision and potential. Whether you’re seeking investment, attracting a co-founder, capturing press attention, or simply communicating your vision, a compelling pitch deck is indispensable. While the details might shift depending on the audience, the core components generally are around the following:

Introduction: This allows you to introduce your company, share a grand vision, and your mission. Note that you are creating and appropriating value, hence it is important to highlight what sets you apart from the competition. Avoid excessive jargon and clearly state that you are building a business. Make sure you’re not unintentionally portraying your business as risky when making comparisons.

Problem Statement: Clearly articulate the problem your company is addressing, emphasising its significance and the necessity for a solution. Often, I find that the founders already have a solution, and they are looking to identify who may have the problem. Ensure the problem you’re solving exists and is significant before presenting your solution.

Market Opportunity: Provide a comprehensive overview of the market landscape, including market size, growth projections, trends, and key competitors. Demonstrate the potential for success in the given space. Look at the TAM, SAM, SOM and target market. Often your venture may have the potential to reshape the market or grow it in a way no one envisaged. Consider that potential when pitching. Make sure you have thought through the assumptions in case you are asked a question. There is nothing worse than pulling the numbers out of thin air. Make sure you are aware of your assumptions and can point to the data sources upon which your numbers are based.

Product or Service Offering: Delve into the specifics of your offerings, highlighting the features and benefits that cater to target customers’ needs. Always remember that the customer is after the benefits which may be brought features, not the feature itself. When you are pitching to an investor don’t go too deep in features. It should be the feedback from your customers, not just the features of your product, that makes its value evident.

Team: Introduce your management team and co-founders, showcasing their expertise, experience, and unique contributions to the organization. Put your best foot forward. You should exuberate calm confidence and feel free to show off your previous wins. I have often seen even seasoned investors getting biased being lured by past wins of the team and sometimes for the detriment of the business.

Business Model: Outline your company’s business model, detailing key revenue streams, cost structures, and partnerships that contribute to its success. Everyone loves scalability but don’t try to promote get-rich-quick schemes. I have seen several pitch decks where projections portray growth like a hockey stick soon after funding. Often the model may have multiple revenue sources, but you may not have thought them through. Get clarity.

Financial Projections: Present a clear picture of your company’s financial outlook, including projected revenues, expenses, and profits, to convey potential profitability and growth. You need to be aware of your path to profitability. You are creating a business that will make a profit. If your business can stand on its own two feet without external funding, it will be way easier to seek funding as the risk of collapse will be less.

Funding Request: Specify the amount of capital being sought, how the funds will be utilised, and the potential return on investment for prospective investors. Being realistic about funding requests is vital if you are having a very long runway then you are compromising on growth and a very short runway simply introduces business risk.

Conclude and allow questions: Summarise the presentation’s main points, emphasising your company’s strengths and opportunities. End with a strong call to action, encouraging potential investors to further engage with or invest in your company. The only key thing you have to remember is when you are pitching online or in person allow questions when the prospect asks you. Putting questions off till the end will only put the prospect off.

You can get a lot of advice from many sources but when pitching to investors it will get immense value that you also seek advice for those who personally invest. It will help craft a pitch deck that communicates these key elements so you, as an entrepreneur, can effectively convey the potential of your venture to investors, increasing the likelihood of securing the necessary support for growth and success.

Consider this outline as a general guide. Each pitch deck should be tailored to fit the unique nature of the business, the audience it targets, and the specific goals it seeks to achieve. For instance, if you’re targeting impact investors, you might want to include a slide that specifically discusses the social or environmental impact of your product or service. If you’re in a highly innovative or technical field, you might need to include more detail about your technology or intellectual property.

The unspoken factor: Make sure you are telling a compelling story and can demonstrate strong leadership. These are key ingredients for startups looking to attract funding or investment. A pitch deck is an important tool for presenting your story to potential investors, but it is not the only thing that matters. Investors are also looking for companies with a unique value proposition, a clear vision for the future, and a solid plan for achieving their goals. The confidence and expertise of the founders, the team’s synergy, and the company’s culture and potential for growth are all important non-tangible factors that can impact a startup’s ability to attract investment.

Your aim is not just to inform, but to engage and inspire your audience. The best pitch decks don’t just list facts — they tell a story. They convey the journey of your business, from the problem you’re solving, to the unique solution you’ve created, to the exciting potential for growth and impact in the future. Just remember to tailor it to your audience as well.

A note about ask: I often see pitch decks where founders ask for funding without suggesting in exact terms what they are willing to offer in return. This approach may diminish your negotiating position. Investors want to see that you have a clear understanding of the value of the company and are willing to offer a fair deal in exchange for the investment. By not suggesting in exact terms what the founders are willing to offer, the pitch deck may come across as unprofessional or unprepared, which can discourage investors from considering the company as a potential investment opportunity. You need to know you are worth it.

This could include offering equity in the company, revenue sharing, or other forms of compensation. By being transparent and upfront about what you are willing to offer, the pitch deck can demonstrate that you are serious and committed to creating a successful company that is worth investing in. Always remember that reputation is vital for founders and investors so aim to follow through.

If you would like to discuss your business in confidence please reach out for a complimentary clarity session at https://calendly.com/sbabbar/clarity

? Sameer Babbar

[email protected]

Disclaimer: This is for information only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. The author, his company his associates, his directors, his staff, his consultants, and his advisors do not accept liability for any loss or damage, including without limitation, any loss, which may arise directly or indirectly from the use of or reliance on the information provided.