Maybe you’re a newbie in the startup world, trying to create your first presentation about your business concept? Or you’ve actually been on the market for a while and you’re wondering how to improve your pitch deck? This blog post is an ultimate step-by-step guide to create a perfect teaser about your innovative idea that will help you cover all the necessary areas - let’s get down to business!
It takes a quick glance, maybe a couple of seconds, to evaluate a person when meeting for the first time. First impressions are most often impossible to reverse and they, later on, set the tone of how someone perceives you or your project. When it comes to indirect ways in how you communicate your startup idea to potential investors or business partners, most often it is your pitch deck that speaks on behalf of your revolutionary solution.
Likewise establishing a face-to-face relationship, you need to make sure your teaser is prepared the very same way you would like to be perceived as a person - consistent, organized, looking appropriate and solution-driven. Make it a sneak-peak of the best part of your company that will make the reader contact you to get more details. Does it sound like a tough challenge? Read the guide below and learn how to create a good startup pitch deck that will garner the interest of your target audience.
We are not going to lie to you - the visual part of your presentation is the first one assessed regardless of what kind of brilliant idea you're describing. Use a consistent theme, layout and font - preferably related to your brand key visuals. When presenting the data, remember about using charts, diagrams and infographics that will help the reader understand the highlights of your business.
Use the most up to date information, especially if you compare your company’s statistics to some market data. Let your team double-check any typos or minor spelling mistakes that could sneak in - your pitch deck is like your CV - it must be flawless. If possible, try to make the teaser outstanding from others by adding some eye-appealing and easy to remember the presentation of your core values. That will make you unforgettable to investors.
On the basis of merit, the part with your product description and the problem it’s solving is the most important. They should be explained in a detailed but concise and straight-forward way. Focus on the most important aspects of your product or service, use bullet points to emphasize key points and underline the value proposition differentiating you from others.
Showcasing your closest competitors will make the reader understand your idea faster. It is your chance to position yourself among them and emphasize your competitive advantage. It is also a way of showing the investors that you've done your homework, you got to know the market and existing solutions and yet you still want to offer a better way of solving the end users' problem. Make sure it’s clearly stated what gap do you fill and why it's unique. Don’t be afraid to be taken for another Uber or Airbnb - at this stage of reviewing your pitch deck an investor will value the tools you use to make him/her understand your business better and faster.
It’s really important to investors to learn more about your current stage of development. Don’t try to hide anything in here or distort the reality. Investors partner with startups at various stages, you just need to find the right partner to cooperate with. Mention any patents, certifications, intellectual property you have secured for the purpose of developing your business. Add your current pipeline and short/long-term plans. In addition, describe your concept of how to scale up the business.
Let’s talk about money. You can’t get away from it after all. Describe your current revenue streams and model, costs and financial projections for the upcoming year. Depending on whether the pitch deck is for the purpose of a contest, general use of being sent to investors during negotiations phase, you might want to include more or less specific and detailed data, to ensure the right level of confidentiality according to the circumstances. Regardless of the situation, by showing any kind of numbers you make yourself look credible and grab attention.
While the numbers and analysis are a crucial part of the startup pitch deck, don’t forget about the human aspect of your company. After all, it’s all thanks to you, your team and the great synergy of your skills and competences that makes things work.
"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." - Michael Jordan
Describe briefly the most important team members, their roles and previous experience. That will make you more trustworthy.
The investment criteria should be as specific as possible. Describe how much you are raising, what the funds will be used for. Show the percentage of the equity that you are offering in this round. The current valuation of your startup is well seen but optional. Portray benefits, add possible ROI. Point-out what kind of investor you’re looking for and what else except money are you seeking.
Most entrepreneurs believe in the success of their startup. Although there’s generally nothing wrong with that, investors tend to be more critical when analysing a potential partnership with you and focusing on the return on investment. That’s why it’s good to include an exit strategy in your pitch deck which still remains an often overlooked part of the startup presentation. It will improve your attractiveness when it comes to securing funding. Think about selling your company to a bigger player with multiplied value in a few years. You can show some examples from competition.
Once released to the public, your pitch deck most probably will be shared between many different parties. If someone finds it attractive enough, it’s good to have up-to-date contact information at the end of your presentation.
And there you have it - nine pieces of advice on how to approach your perfect pitch deck preparation. After implementing all the guidelines we covered in this blog post, the biggest test awaiting you is the market. It may not be the end of your preparation process, especially during the demanding times like we have now. You might need to pivot a lot and find your way but one thing is sure, that as long as you will keep quality high in everything you do - including your pitch deck - you will stand out from the crowd. We keep our fingers crossed for you!
When you’re done with preparing your presentation, we encourage you to upload your pitch deck so that we can share it with our community. We will include your presentation in our bi-monthly newsletter. Our data base consists of investors and executives interested in partnering with top tech startups.
By this occasion, you will be also able to receive free of charge feedback from the Wolves Summit Team about what kind of improvements you can make to present yourself even better in front of investors. Hurry up - learn more here about the initiative.
100 Wolves by Wolves Summit is a monthly online pitching contest for startups from around the world. It gives innovation leaders a podium to present their ideas, solutions, and businesses in front of investors, corporations, and other attendees. It’s a fantastic channel to boost brand exposure, attract new business partners, and compete for attractive prizes awarded by the Contest sponsors. Find out more about what is waiting for you here.
Upload your pitchdeck and we will share it with our community
We will include your presentation in our newsletter. Our data base consists of investors and executives interested in partnering with top tech startups.