6 tips for creating the perfect pitch deck for your startup business

Let’s get this straight.

If you want your startup to stand out, you will definitely need a pitch deck.

When you are looking for more investment from a venture capital firm, you will have to pitch your company’s vision and mission to them.

Creating a pitch deck allows you to provide your intended audience with a concise outline of your business plan.

Even if all you want to do is obtain publicity for your business, putting up a pitch deck can be a useful tool for presenting your firm to the world.

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6 Tips for creating the perfect pitch deck for your startup

If your pitch deck can persuade potential investors and partners to back your project, it's a solid sign that your business will be successful once it's launched.

Before you begin developing a pitch deck for your startup, there are a few things you should know about creating them.

This guide will help you avoid making time-consuming mistakes while striving to create the perfect pitch deck.

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1. Design matters

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Pitch decks are typically rich in content. It generally features a lot of numbers and data regarding a company's strategy or vision.

As it stands, you should focus on making them easier to read and comprehend. The goal of a pitch deck is to attract investors' attention and persuade them to invest in your company.

Most intelligent investors won't make a funding choice merely on the basis of a pitch deck, but rather on their impression of the individual requesting investment.

In this regard, you must provide them with adequate data and information, and show them that you have done your homework.

Make sure the pitch deck template you choose is a professional one. You wouldn't want investors to be too concerned with the appearance of your presentation. You want people to concentrate on the information you provide and pay attention to how you provide it!

The optimal layout is one with a minimalist aesthetic and few distracting photos or text. You may want to use these readymade report designs and templates for your upcoming pitch deck development process.

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2. Data clarity is crucial

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When it comes to explaining how you will spend millions of dollars for building your company, you cannot persuade investors by stating vague strategies.

When you are asking an investor to put their money into your business, make sure that you use appropriate numbers and data.

That’s when a company information database comes into play, giving startup businesses a crucial tool for success.  
Firstly, a company information database allows startups to conduct thorough market research, identify opportunities, understand potential challenges, and refine their business strategies. 
Whether it’s finding suppliers, distributors, or potential clients, a well-curated database provides valuable insights into the business landscape, helping startups connect with the right stakeholders.

A detailed financial model for at least the next two years will show not only your operational expenses but also your expected revenue growth, margins, and potential profit over that period.

More importantly, identify where you will invest the funds based on your organisational departments. If you already have a marketing team and strategy with a predictable Return on Investment (ROI), explain that as well.

Having a precise financial forecast will assist to mitigate some of the risks that potential investors see in your business.

Particularly if you are a first-time entrepreneur who is yet to generate revenue, having an accurate financial forecast will assist alleviate some of the risk potential investors see in your business.

Remember that the less risk you take, the higher your prospects of closing the business are.

You must have a thorough understanding of your present and prospective measurements, as well as the ability to discuss how you will enhance the metrics that aren't up to par. In this case, you can use Attest to come up with the data you need to reduce risk, boost decision-making confidence, and expand without relying on guessing.

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3. Consider yourself an investor

When trying to understand how investors think, shifting your perspective can prove to be beneficial.

While the majority of entrepreneurs are excellent at both executing and thinking about their business, investors generally consider how the world is changing on a macro level and how this shift can lead to new opportunities.
Understanding why investors are willing to invest in your company is crucial.

Think like an investor and ask yourself the following questions:

• What would you anticipate from a pitch if you were in their shoes?
• What is the primary motivation for investing or not investing?
• What are the dangers?
• Why are you confident in your team's ability to succeed?

Thinking like an investor might help you identify important details to add to your pitch deck. This will also allow you to avoid the common pitfalls that cause new businesses to fail.

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4. Focus on the issue you're trying to solve

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The goal of this section is to explain the market opportunity there is for your firm or product. On this slide, you should attempt to address what is "wrong" or "not working" within your industry. Your focus should also be to hypothetically measure the market opportunity's size.

These slides should make it transparent for the investors to see that the market participants are actually paying money to buy or use subpar products that don't fully meet their needs.

Investors prefer huge markets because they expect a newcomer to build a significant organisation by addressing the industry pain points that aren't sufficiently addressed by incumbent competitors.

At the end of this slide, the investors must see that there is a significant market opportunity waiting for your product.

You should also focus on proving that current market products are insufficient and hopefully inferior to what you are offering. You might want to use usability testing to find the customer pain points and figure out how to solve them.

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5. Focus on your people

If you are a serial entrepreneur, you probably know how important a role an organisation’s talent pool plays to help it grow. At least one slide in your deck should be devoted to describing your team and what makes them special.

Do you have an amazing engineering team?

Describe their skills and how they help you create your product.

Do you have a strong executive team with experience from Fortune 500 companies?

Include a brief biography of each executive, mentioning the companies they have worked for and their major achievements

Has your head of sales, for example, previously built huge, high-performing sales teams? If that's the case, point it out

Did your CTO build highly scalable systems during his/her tenure at a previous organisation that handled tens of millions of users? Mention these achievements with a sense of pride

Investors are aware that you have competitors, and the strongest team will often develop the greatest product and brand, and thus win the market. Make it known that you have a strong team

If your team is made up entirely of first-timers, discuss your goals for the group. What kind of people would you hire with the money, and how will you find them

Have the desire to hire and grow the greatest team possible, and express that desire in your pitch deck

Be open and honest about your team's flaws while emphasising your strengths.

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6. Your company's strategy: Milestones and roadmap

Now that your potential investor understands your product or service, you must explain how this product will generate income for the company.

If you are starting an entertainment site and hope to generate the majority of your money from ads, you should explain why the brands will work with you, how you will acquire these partnerships, and so on.

This is the slide where you describe your startup's accomplishments thus far and where it plans to go in the future. If you have made your product available to early adopters, make a note of it on this slide. Simply put, this slide should be used to confirm your product and growth strategy.

 

A company information database is instrumental in shaping a company's strategy and milestones by providing essential insights across various business stages. It facilitates market analysis, aligning strategic milestones with emerging trends. 

Through competitor analysis, realistic goals are set, positioning the company effectively. The database aids in identifying potential partners and collaborators for strategic alliances—financial planning benefits from understanding industry players' financial performance.

 Consumer insights guide customer-centric milestones, refining offerings. Industry regulations and potential challenges inform regulatory compliance and risk management milestones. Talent acquisition strategies are supported by identifying key professionals.

For global expansion, the database provides international market insights. Additionally, it supports technology adoption strategies by providing information on emerging technologies. Regularly leveraging the database ensures an adaptable roadmap in a dynamic business environment.

Reliable company information databases can be sourced from various reputable outlets. Government and regulatory agencies offer official registers and financial filings. Industry associations often maintain sector-specific databases, providing tailored insights. Furthermore, online business directories offer basic details, especially for smaller businesses.

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Bonus tip: Add a Q&A section at the end of your pitch deck

Make sure you have a Q&A session at the end of your initial pitch.

Questionnaires assist potential investors in gaining information on everything about your business; from your financials to your competitive advantage. Take notes on their questions and feedback so you can improve your deck before your next pitch.

Repeat this for each pitch you make, and you should notice a significant improvement as far as your pitch deck-building efforts are concerned.

With the right practice and commitment, you should receive a lot of good feedback on your presentation.

Additionally, you should hone your speaking skills as it will make a difference during your presentation in front of seasoned investors.

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Conclusion

One of the biggest benefits of creating a pitch deck for your business is that as you work through the intricacies of your pitch, you will become more confident about your product.

You are likely to develop a deeper grasp of your business and industry as you refine your pitch deck over time.

Investors aren't looking for reasons to dismiss your proposal.

Rather, they are on a constant lookout for a compelling reason to invest. Make sure to get feedback from every investor who sees your pitch deck and iterate based on their suggestions.

At the end of your fundraising efforts, you might end up developing a completely different and vastly improved pitch deck.

At the end of the day, fundraising is all about selling yourself and your business concept.

Being genuine and well-prepared is the greatest way to do this. Hopefully, this guide will boost your confidence.

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Article by Ivana Zec: DCP London Web Designers