Read Time: 3m 30s

Summary

Frame your investor pitch deck around a story that’s heavy on imagery, minimal in text, and has consistent design in color scheme and fonts.
You can leave out certain aspects from your deck as long as you address them during your in-person presentation. Don’t forget to rehearse.

Creating an investor pitch deck is a difficult and time-consuming task.

Sure, you can pull a template from the interest and plug-in your information, but chances are you will miss small nuances that investors will notice in your pitch. The deck is an essential when you start to seek fundraising for your startup, making it crucial that you do it the right way.

If you want to create the best investor pitch deck for your company, check out these “Do’s” and “Definitely Don’ts” that will help maximize your pitch for engagement and valuation.

The Do’s

Tell A Story

Develop your pitch deck around the story that made your company a reality. This will emotionally engage investors and make your pitch that much more memorable later on.

Use Captivating Graphics

Support each slide with visual representations that are meaningful and liven up your pitch. This includes screenshots, illustrations, and stock photos.

Prepare For In-Person Demo

If you are selling a product, be prepared to demo it as apart of your presentation – even if it’s a beta version. You can also provide a short video in your deck if you prefer.

Send Pitch Deck in PDF Format

E-mail your deck to investors in a PDF or include a hyperlink so they don’t have to download anything. Make it a one-tap process for them to view.

Include The Following On Your Title Page

“Confidential and Proprietary. Copyright (c) by [Name of Company]. All Rights

Reserved.”Place on the bottom left of the page.

Use Consistent Design

Sticking to one, on-brand design scheme will keep your deck looking clean and professional. Have consistent font sizes, colors, and headers throughout the deck.

Remember “One Idea. One Slide”

Keep your presentation flow in order by sticking to one idea per slide. This will allow for polished design, less confusion for investors, and concise delivery.

Get to Know Your Content

Rehearse. Then rehearse again. Continue this until you don’t have to memorize notes or read from the slide. The deck is there to assist you, not tell the story for you.

Show Traction

Present more than just an idea, present results. VC’s want to see product development, customer acquisition, and other investors on board.

Keep Casual Tone

This isn’t a board meeting. Your investor pitch is where you can be yourself and show passion. Limit the jargon and keep the tone casual so they will relate and open up to your pitch.

Related: The Ultimate Pitch Deck Guide To Raise Capital For Your Business

The Definitely Do Not’s

Go Text Heavy

We like simplicity. It’s easy to understand and serves as building blocks for new ideas. Limit text to one keyword per message with an image to support.

Add Too Many Slides

Investors don’t have an unlimited attention span. Keep the amount of slides to a minimum between 10-20.

Have An Outdated Deck

Do yourself the favor and don’t include a date on the cover. Credibility goes out the window if you send a deck that was proposed months ago. Make sure your info and stats are current.

Pass Up Rehearsals

You’ll regret it when you constantly have to look over at your slides to recall important information.

What Key Slides Should Be in Your Deck?

Here are Pitchsonify’s must-have slides in any investor deck.

Company Title
Problem
Solution
Traction/Current Status
Product
Market Opportunity
Competition
Business Model
Go-To-Market Plan
Team
Financials
The Ask

Parting Words…

A compelling pitch deck will improve that chances of securing funds for your startup. By structuring your deck around a story, using stunning images and consistent design, you can create the best pitch deck that will make a lasting impression on your investors.