Your team knows that you’ve come up with some epic ideas. 

Talking about getting investors on board with those ideas tends to suck the fun out of the room. 

We’re going to let you in on an ancient secret (we use the word ancient pretty loosely). You don’t have to create a starchy presentation to get investors interested in your epic ideas. As a matter of fact, this is your chance to get in the ring with them and show investors that your business has what it takes to defeat the competition. How should you create a pitch deck that wows, but doesn’t neglect to get all of the vital information in there for potential investors? Don’t worry, we know a thing or two about that.

Game plan

There are three snazzy steps in creating a wow-worthy pitch deck. Every pitch deck should be:

1. Clear, direct, and concise: all of those months of notes, epiphanies, and dreams. Yeah, you’re going to have to consolidate that way down. Your pitch deck needs to give the absolutely necessary information––keep it simple. Investors will want to know the overall concept, the steps on how you plan to get from A to Z, and how much it will cost them. Answer those questions in small jabs and investors will ask you to take a full swing if they need to know more. 
2. Engaging: Your team doesn’t have to create a pitch deck that is basic. As a matter of fact, letting your brand shine through is a great job. Now, don’t go overboard since some jokes fall flat. Feel free to add personality to an otherwise boring report. Bring investors on a journey with you through the presentation. 
3. Actionable: In business, we all know how important a Call to Action (CTA if we’re wanting to get fancy) is in a marketing strategy. Your pitch deck needs to include actionable steps that investors can take throughout or at the end of a presentation. They shouldn’t be asking themselves, “What do they want from us, again?”. 

Design for the win

Don’t freak out, but your pitch deck shouldn’t be any longer than 19 slides. So, how can you condense all of that information without using an 8-point font? Here are a few ideas to use for your template:

• Clean and concise: remember, 19 slides are the target. (This reduces the rambling).
• State the problem: Why are you even making a presentation?
• Tell investors what the solution could be: In order to fix A we need B (C and D for good measure). Facts and figures people, this is your chance to offer compelling evidence that your team needs actionable steps to be taken in order to thrive.
• Market: What does the wider market look like? How will your product perform in comparison? 
• Product info: what is the purpose of your product? How does it operate in the wider market?
• Traction: How do you plan to gain momentum in the hectic market?
• Team: How many employees does your business need to succeed? Which positions will be vital to seeing the project through?
• Competition: Tell investors about your direct competition. How do you plan to stand apart from the competition?
• Financials: How much capital do you need to get your product launched?
• Amount being raised: Has your team made headway with fundraising? Give investors an idea of your progress. What are future plans for fundraising if you haven’t started yet.

• Actionable steps: Tell the investors exactly what you want from them.

Easy does it

Not to run this into the ground, but when it comes to pitch decks, less is best. Investors want an overarching idea of your product, the market comparison, the issue at hand, a scope of your taking initiative, the cost of the bottom line, and what you want from them. Don’t be afraid to let your product personality come out in the pitch deck. For example, you may want to do a play on words with your product or create an analogy to weave throughout the presentation.

Here’s to creating a pitch deck that results in onboarding with investors that will help you see your business achieve its optimum potential.