11 Dos and Don’ts of a Winning Pitch Deck
Last Updated on December 18, 2022 by Selina Parker
Pitching a business idea is an art form, and you can create the best pitch decks with careful consideration. To fund your business, you need to build a winning pitch deck that best represents your business idea and, most importantly, is designed to win over investors to raise money.
What to Avoid When Creating Your Own Pitch Deck
1. Avoid vague and unconfirmed claims conditions
A good pitch deck avoids claims about a business that is not accurate. If you have yet to launch, do not state how many users you already have or how much revenue the company generates. Once a third-party source has confirmed these numbers, you can use them in your pitch deck.
Do not include information about your business that you have not yet confirmed to avoid looking dishonest or unprofessional.
2. Avoid text-heavy slides
A strong pitch deck example sticks to a few key points supporting your idea and uses graphs and images to help explain your concept. Using too much text will make your startup pitch deck challenging to read and understand.
The text is an essential element of your deck, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you include. Too much text is dull, overwhelming, and will drive your audience to read your slides instead of listening to your presentation.
Include images, charts, and graphs in your copy when you need to provide additional information. Use infographic components such as GIFs or video graphics to make information more appealing.
3. Avoid overusing stock photos
Using stock images does not make a great pitch deck. Using high-quality, original graphics is the key to successful pitch decks.
Do not waste time looking through the thousands of available stock photo options when there are always new content creators releasing fresh designs every day. Instead, turn to a designer on a site like Fiverr to create custom graphics for your pitch deck.
Alternatively, you may look through the startup pitch deck examples from successful startups like Airbnb’s pitch deck, Intercom pitch deck, Facebook pitch deck, and Uber pitch deck for reference.
4. Avoid a cluttered presentation
Many presentations can be overwhelming, but it is best to stick with short slides.
For your pitch deck to convey the best possible message about your business idea, each slide should have one function or thought that would help you make an important point. Ideally, it should have 11 slides that incorporate all the necessary information to convey to the investors.
Put: less is more. Use only as much text, data, and images as you need to make your point. Too much information will only confuse and overwhelm the viewer.
Following a proven successful pitch deck template will increase your chances of raising capital.
5. Adjust your pitch deck to appeal to your audience
Do not use a generic pitch deck that does not consider your specific audience and target market.
When pitching to investors, it is essential to tailor your presentation to their interests and concerns. Find out what the investor’s portfolio looks like and adjust your pitch deck accordingly.
It will show that you have done your research and invested in making a successful pitch. However, if you cannot find out what the investor likes best before your presentation, stick to professional and classic design elements that appeal to everyone.
Remember, those venture capitalists, angel investors, and the likes are looking for an opportunity with a high return on their investment (ROI). They invest in projects they believe have the potential to succeed over time by growing revenue and gaining loyal customers.
6. Don’t use jargon or acronyms in your slides
Using jargon in startup pitch decks will make it difficult for your audience to understand what you’re saying.
Avoid jargon in all types of presentations, but it’s essential to avoid using it in a pitch deck since the goal is to make your idea clear and concise.
Please do not leave the investors confused or feel they do not understand what you are trying to convey. It will only hurt your pitch and may demonstrate that you cannot communicate important ideas about your business idea, which is one of the best things a pitch deck should accomplish.
What You Should Do in Your Pitch Deck
Now that you know what not to do, it’s time for the dos:
1. Make an engaging cover slide
Surprisingly, cover slides are often neglected and left with little thought. It is your first impression, and it’s essential to make a good one, and it is the first thing investors will see.
For effective pitch decks, include an image that best represents your business and uses a headline that will catch the viewer’s attention in your cover slide. Make sure all of the text on the slide is easy to read at a glance.
2. Use bullet points in your slide
Remember that this is a short presentation with a lot of material to cover. Explain things in as much depth as possible, but don’t overstuff your slides. Bullet points will help you keep your ideas clear and concise.
When creating bullet points, use strong verbs to indicate the action taken and list the benefits of each issue. Keep it short but sweet.
3. Craft a compelling story
When presenting, you want to be sure to capture your audience’s attention and keep them engaged. One way to do this is by telling a story about your business.
Start with an interesting fact or statistic, then build the story around it. It will help you connect with the investors and make them more interested in what you say.
Make sure your story is straightforward to follow, and you include all the essential points. When it comes time to practice your pitch, be sure to rehearse telling your story. It will help you stay on track and make a strong impression.
4. Organize your content in an easy-to-follow manner
Remember that your best pitch deck should be clear and organized. After choosing the best design for your presentation, divide it into sections based on what you want to say or show investors. It will help them follow along easily and ensure you do not miss the essential details.
The best pitch decks should be concise, clear, and organized to convey your business idea. Avoiding these mistakes when creating slides can avoid alienating potential investors. However, if you don’t get this part right, they’ll lose interest before hearing how great your product is.
For your investor pitch deck reference, you may check out the Wework pitch deck and the Mattermark pitch deck.
5. Include your contact information
Include your contact information at the bottom of your best pitch deck. It will allow investors to contact you with any questions and demonstrate your willingness to work closely with them.
Don’t forget this important part! Remember that all potential investors are looking for different things when it comes time to choose who is worth investing in, so make sure to tailor your best pitch deck to their criteria.
Conclusion
In the business world, a business pitch is essential to get funding. Make sure you follow these steps and best practices to create an engaging presentation that will best present your business idea and capture the attention of investors.
Need more strategies to raise capital for your business? The Fully Funded Method helps entrepreneurs and startups secure funding for their companies without diluting equity.
Check out The Fully Funded Method now
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