How’s Your Pitch Deck?
Is your pitch deck ‘everything, everywhere all at once’?
I see dozens of decks every month and most follow a well-known and much-discussed model. I’m not going to discuss that here today. Instead, I’ve set out what I think is most frequently missing that means it may miss the mark with investors.
So… from my perspective, beyond simply too many slides, here are some of the most common mistakes that founders make with their pitch decks for scale-up businesses.
No clear financial projections and financial model: Often, founders forget or even avoid including projected growth in their investor pitch deck. These are needed for a clear understanding of your business and its potential for growth.
Unclear or confusing language: The best pitch decks tell a clear story, meaning little or no jargon or acronyms. If your investors are experts in your field, some jargon or acronyms may help illustrate your knowledge, but, use these terms sparingly and only when necessary.
No clear problem statement: This is the single most important slide in the entire Pitch Deck. This slide should clearly articulate the problem that your business is solving and why it’s important.
No clear market: You have to convince investors that there is a real and significant market of which the company can capture a meaningful stake. Make sure to show that the addressable market is really there and that your business has a clear strategy for capturing a meaningful share of that market.
No clear value proposition: This should be done in a way that is easy to understand and compelling to investors. This means explaining what your business does, how it’s different from competitors and why it’s valuable.
No clear differentiation: You should clearly and compellingly articulate how the company is different from its competitors. This should be based on real, tangible factors that set your business apart from others.
No clear team: This should be done in a way that is easy to understand and compelling to investors. Your team should demonstrate the right skills, past experience and motivation to succeed.
No clear ask: You must clearly articulate what you’re asking for from investors. Your ask should be based on a clear understanding of your business needs and the potential for growth. This best matched with what the investor will get in return!
I know it seems odd, but please take it on trust, one or more of these components is missing or incomplete in every second deck I receive and these points make a huge difference in developing the story you want investors to buy into!
Need some counsel here? My contact details are in the about me section on my profile.