If you’ve been pulling out all stops with your pitch deck but still not getting a thumbs
up from investors, your presentation may need some edits or additions. Maybe you’re raising
some red flags without even knowing it.
To fine-tune your pitch deck, adopt these 10 tips to keep investors engaged and onside.
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Before we get started, let me introduce myself, I’m Antonia from aok.com.au, and
if there is one thing I am passionate about, it’s growing businesses. I’ve been helping
my clients for 23 years as a business strategist and angel investor and have successfully helped
my clients raise millions in equity.
The following tips are going to be super helpful however if you haven’t already, download
my pitch deck content guide to make sure you have the key points investors are looking
for. I’ve used it for my clients and know it works.
If you can do the following ten simple things, you will have
a greater chance of getting a yes out of investors.
Angel investors and venture capitalists have
sat through endless pitch decks, so some of them have a very short attention span. If they
tune out, your presentation essentially stops at that moment. This could happen in as little
as a few seconds or minutes.
Before you’ve managed to tell your full start-up story. So present your most important
information upfront, especially your business idea, the problem it solves, and why you’re unique.
Impressive and memorable pitch decks avoid
information overload. Remember, less is more. Ten well-chosen images or infographics are
better than 20 slides or a 20-page commentary. And don't make your presentation too long.
Thirty minutes should be the absolute maximum. Better still, get your pitch deck down to
a nice, lean fifteen or twenty minutes.
Steer clear of questionable claims that you
have no competitors or that your start-up market will rapidly rise into the billions.
Hype will only lose your credibility. Same goes if you overdo the buzzwords.
Too many bells and whistles in a presentation can make a start-up business plan seem naively
optimistic or just too good to be true. So it could turn some investors off.
This should set out:
The consumer problem that your start-up solves; the size of your current market;
Your points of difference that give you an advantage over competitors;
and should go into some expected revenues and expected costs, backed up with detailed projections.
You should never start a business without a business plan.
Business plan templates are free, so jump on to Google, download one and get started straight away.
Have you written a business plan for your business? Let me know in the comments below.
Many investors are as interested in your team
as they are in your business idea. So spotlight your star players and make their added value
clear by linking their knowledge and expertise to the consumer problem you’re solving.
You might have noble intentions that your
business will make the world a better place. By all means, mention this in your pitch deck,
but remember that profit is the prime motivator of most investors.
They want to know how your business will make them money in the short and long term.
So address this in your presentation. When you outline your profit projections don’t inflate
them, but also don’t aim too low.
If you are having trouble with your financials, check out my video
Pitch Deck Financials (NAILING THE NUMBERS). A link is in the description.
Make sure you can answer questions about how
an investor’s capital will be grown and monetised further in the short and long term.
Think beyond your current plan of simply becoming CEO of a flourishing company.
Consider licensing agreements with bigger companies or a future sale to a larger company.
These options may never be utilised but they will still prove that your start-up has numerous
potential income streams that could lead to a big payoff down the track for your investor.
Snark never plays well in business. So instead
of denigrating your competition, focus on your positives when making comparisons. You
may think “Our main competitor is way over-priced and offers a dodgy product” but this comment
to investors will not play well. Saying, something like
“Our price is more accessible for customers and we offer a superior quality
product” gives the same information but positions you as a consummate professional
your investor can trust to represent the brand well in any situation.
Put together a tight and well-constructed
elevator pitch that includes information from your pitch deck and business plan. Rehearse
it and time it – and make sure it is no longer than 20 seconds.
If you have to rush to deliver it, edit out some words or merge some points. This will
ensure that you come across as cool and confident.
Your investor is likely to have far greater
experience in business and in start-ups, so listen to what they have to say and learn
from their suggestions. If they ask questions that challenge your business model or technology
platform, avoid a defensive response. Instead, treat all investors as potential mentors.
Consider their point of view and whether in fact, a different approach might improve your
business. Simply being open to this discussion may give your investors confidence that
they can work with you because you’re happy to negotiate aspects of the business and show
flexible thinking.
There is no doubt developing a strong pitch deck presentation is not easy. And sometimes
you just need someone to cast an eye over it. If you are feeling a bit stuck, send me
what you’ve got so far and I’ll review it for you.
Do me a favour and hit the like button and while you’re there, subscribe to my channel.
The road to growing your business isn’t easy and is full of challenges; but don’t
forget, you are following your dreams so keep on pitching with passion.