7 Steps To Make A Great Pitch Deck
As a startup founder building a company from the ground up, you’re going to need help along the way. Early on, you’ll need advice from experts in your field who can guide you as you transition from an idea to a thriving business. Once your venture begins to gain traction, there’s another team of experts who will step in and fill an entirely different role: investment professionals skilled at helping companies grow their potential until they have what it takes to stand on their own legs.
You know that expert advice is important – after all, no one knows more about what they do than someone with years of experience – but what about those investors? They’re just people like us! And how do we attract them without sacrificing our vision for a shiny new one that fits what they want to hear?
Remember: Investors are partners, not bosses. They will help you build the business of your dreams if you give them a reason to believe they’ll all get rich when it succeeds. But in order for this relationship to work, you have to be able to offer them something more than just an idea they can sink their teeth into; You need a proper pitch deck. A great pitch deck, at that.
Step 1: Be clear and confident
As a founder, you know your vision like the back of your hand. You also understand the risks involved with getting this venture up and running – but you can’t let that discourage you. When it comes to pitching, what potential investors want to see is confidence; If they feel like your goal isn’t obtainable or that there’s too much uncertainty surrounding it, then they won’t invest. Remember: great presentations require great preparation. Take time to prepare yourself mentally before creating a pitch deck by talking out loud about how realistic your goals are . And remember: even if an investor doesn’t believe in every aspect of the business model, they might believe in others and be willing to help build them over time if they see potential in you as a leader.
Step 2: Be different
As an entrepreneur, you’re no stranger to the challenges that come with standing out from the competition. With so many businesses looking for funding on platforms like Kickstarter, you need to find a way to prove that your idea is worth betting on. When creating your pitch deck design, avoid using information and strategies that are too common or generic; Your potential investors want to know what sets you apart from everyone else who has approached them before. Remember: If all of the other startups pitching this investor failed, why will yours be any different?
Step 3: Think outside the box
Once upon a time, there was only one way to present business ideas – with text-heavy slides filled with bullet points and charts. But those days are long gone; It’s easy to look at those presentations and wonder how anyone was able to stay focused given how much time it took to read them! Today, investors want presentations that tell a story as they step through the potential business model, the market opportunity it offers, and what you’ll do with their money if they invest. Remember: your pitch deck is not meant to go into depth about every aspect of your company – it’s simply designed to provide an overview of why an investor should choose you over everyone else who has approached them before.
Step 4: Create a call-to-action
Okay, so you’ve got a compelling title and a great presentation deck that’s going to knock investors’ socks off. Great! But don’t stop there: have something for them to do next. Include buttons on your pitch presentation that allow investors to download or share it with their colleagues or friends who might be able to add value to the conversation. Remember: If an investor wants more information from you, they’ll ask. Don’t wait for them to tell you what they want; take the initiative by listing all of your contact information at the end of your presentation so that if they’re interested in hearing more, they can find out how.
Step 5: Know when it’s time for action
The worst thing you can do is bombard potential investors with constant phone calls, emails and messages to the point where they’re almost reaching out for their phone as soon as you say your name. Remember: great relationships take time to build, so it’s best not to address the investor until at least a week or two has passed since they last saw your presentation.
Step 6: Track your performance
Last but not least, track your presentations online. This will give entrepreneurs an idea of who has been looking at their decks and whether those viewers were reached through personal connections or by other means. It also gives them a chance to follow up with any investors they might have interacted with before – something that makes conversations much easier when both parties are familiar with one another. Remember: When pitching ideas, keep the investor in mind. Are you giving them the information they need? Is it easy for them to get in touch with you? Do they know what’s coming next after viewing your business deck?
Step 7: Use Venngage
Venngage is an online graphic editing platform that provides various templates you can use for many different purposes. From brochure designs to pitch deck layouts — Venngage has it all. All you need to do is create your free account, choose the template you think is best for you, customize, and download. To give you a better idea, here are some pitch deck examples from Venngage.
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Bottomline
As an entrepreneur, you likely have so many other things on your plate that creating a presentation may seem like just one more thing to take care of. But if you don’t plan ahead and create something impactful, investors will see right through you. Venngage makes it easy for entrepreneurs to present their ideas with professionally designed templates. No matter how much or how little time is available before the presentation, Venngage can turn any text into a stylish hero image that saves both time and money. What are you waiting for? Create your pitch deck and get that potential client today!