How to do a Pitch Deck Presentation (plus free templates!)
If you are in any kind of business or enterprise, you’re probably looking for every chance to make your company grow. Sadly, such opportunities don’t usually just fall from the sky. You need to convince your potential investors, clients, or partners to get the resources you need. And how do you convince them? With a Pitch Deck Presentation .
Here you can find a step by step guide on what your Pitch Deck should include. But since it is not always easy to do everything from scratch, here you can also find amazing templates, completely free. Their amazing visuals and diagrams will assure that you don’t only get your point across, but that you also stay on the mind of your audience after the presentation has already ended.
What is a Pitch Deck Presentation?
To get the funding you need for your company, you should look for investors. Now, there are thousands and thousands of businesses looking for wealthy investors. The way to stand out among all those other competitors is making them aware of your business potential. And how do you do this? Through a Pitch Deck.
A Pitch Deck is a brief presentation that you give to potential investors to convince them to bet their money in your company. It can be used face-to-face, or online. You can make a Pitch Deck presentation for a customer, or a client, or even a partner. The objective is to showcase your business plan, your product, and your over-all growth projections. In other words, you have to sell to your audience not only what your product is, but also what it could be .
You should plan carefully your Pitch Deck presentation. For a truly great presentation you’ll need a good understanding of both your own business and your potential investors. Consider the things that could be interesting for them. Maybe it is something that shows your business’ stability. Maybe it is the business model you’re going to implement. Or the expected ROI. But also consider the things about your company that are astounding and that differentiate it from the competition.
What to include in a Pitch Deck Presentation
There is some debate on how long a Pitch Deck presentation should be. Some say 10 slides should be more than enough to give a brief look over your business. Some say it should be 12. Others say 20 slides should be the absolute limit. So, which one is it?
One thing is for certain, it should not feel long. After all, you can have 40 slides and go through them faster than a 7-slide presentation filled with text. But, most likely, if anyone sees a 40-slide presentation their reaction will be of complete dread. Boring your public even before you start is the worst idea, so try to keep it short and sweet as much as possible.
I suggest a 12-sections for an ideal Pitch Deck. This will allow you to give a complete overview of your business without being overwhelming. Ideally, each of these sections should have each one slide. However, this is not a rule written in stone. Maybe it is worth to expand a little more on a specific topic. The golden rule is to keep one idea per slide , even if that means making more slides. This way it will clearer for your audience, and it will be easier to keep their attention right where you want it.
On the opposite side, you don’t need to make a slide for every single one of these sections. Maybe some of these won’t apply to your business. Consider these sections more as a guideline of what you can use to show your company’s potential. Take, for example, the famous early Facebook Pitch Deck .
Early Facebook Pitch Deck from Ilya Friedman, CFA
As you can see, this Pitch Deck has no “Problem” or “Solution” sections. This is because Facebook wasn’t tackling any existing problems, but creating a new necessity. Focusing on a non-existing problem would have been useless to justify its importance. Instead, what they do is focus on what it does have: market validation. They expend several slides going through media data that shows how incredibly popular they are and their users’ demographics.
1- Introduction
Your introduction should be able to catch your audience’s attention from the get-go. Look at the Facebook Pitch Deck. Their introduction is just a quote. But it is a quote that presents them as a revolutionary idea that is changing the way people interact. This is what you should look for an introduction. A short way to present your business in a forward way, while also leaving your public wanting more. Storytelling can be a great tool for this.
Not every Pitch Deck includes a Team slide, but it can be extremely useful. Presenting the people making the decisions and showcasing their previous achievements can make investors more at ease. If you have members in your team that add a plus on how execution will be managed in your business, it can certainly be a good idea to dedicate a slide to it. Of course, it is up to you to decide if it’s useful or not. You can even change where exactly the slide should go, depending on which topic you feel it connects better.
This is a vital slide in (almost) any Pitch Deck Presentation. As Forbes mentions, it is more likely for an investor to bet on you if he can relate to the problem you are putting on the table. Or, in any case, if you can explain it well enough so he can understand its importance. The more inescapable a problem is, the more likely a solution for it will have a big demand.
4- Solution
This slide needs to be as concise and clear as possible. It should answer directly to the problem. Try to avoid offering different solutions. Even if you have a multi-faceted project, simplifying the solution you’re offering will make you look more focused and more trustworthy. Afterward, in the product description or the business model, you can elaborate on what else makes your product or services so special, but here, try to keep it as straightforward as possible.
There is also the possibility to join the problem and the solution in just one slide. You can see that in some of the templates below. This can be useful to show the direct relationship between the two of them. You can always do that, just remember that the priority is to be as clear as possible.
5- Product/Service
Here you can show your product in action. Show how it implements your solution and its effectiveness. The Facebook Pitch Deck is a great example of that. Even if there is no solution in this presentation, it makes an awesome job of portraying its product uniqueness. From its users’ profile to the networking value it offers, it gives the public a short but complete overview of what the product is about.
6- Traction and Market
This slide should also be straight to the point and data-based. There is nothing speaks better of growth and traction than a data-based graph. Slides such as this one are great to show everything you need with very few words. This is the moment to show your business is already successful, and that, with enough resources, it can become even bigger.
You should have done a good in-depth research on your target market before your Pitch Deck presentation. Your market can determine your potential exit with investors. The market’s size, its willingness to expend their money can be a key factor when deciding where to invest. Showing statistics and customer feedback can be very useful to show how successful your product already is. Just check out the Facebook Pitch Deck. Many of its slides are focused on showing their popularity and reach. This is, after all, what attracts investors.
7- Business Model
This slide is not a requirement, but if done well, it can be a huge plus in your presentation. Show your audience how you are planning to make money. Proving that you have a concrete idea of how your whole business will operate will give you a great image in front of investors and clients. For this, slides with graphs such as funnels can be a great option to display how you plan your business to work.
8- Financial Forecasting
This section is where you show your projections to where you see your business going in the future. For example, you can present the expected growth in 3 or 5 years. Sometimes this section can be directly related to the investment section and how would you invest the money to make your company grow. As always, this depends on your own presentation and the order you want to give it. Just remember that having a realistic, transparent approach to what to expect in the future can really make a difference for your audience.
9- Competition
Even if your idea is great, it is highly unlikely that you are the very first person who came up with something like that. In most cases, you’ll have to deal with some competitors offering similar products or services to the same target market. It is important that you have a deep understanding of your business and its differential value. Only then you can really show investors what makes your business unique and why they should be on you instead of any of the others. Yo need to know where you are standing on compared to your competitors and diagrams are a great way to showcase that. SWOT analyses are also a great way to convey both yours and your competition’s strengths and weaknesses.
10- Desired Investment
Even if everything else is great, your Pitch Deck won’t be really successful until you actually get the fundraising you need. And to get it, you have to eventually ask for it. Presenting a plan of what you expect to do with it and how it will be used to grow the business will show your audience how grounded the management is.
11- Closure/Contact
Finally, you should invest some time in making a good closure for your presentation. In Facebook’s Pitch Deck, is another great quote, that makes the presentation end at a high note. You should certainly aim for that. But even if it’s not possible, you should at least have a slide dedicated to contact information. After hearing your presentation, your audience should be completely clear on how to invest and what would be the next steps. At the bare minimum, they should know how to contact you again. After all, the whole purpose of the Pitch Deck is to build relationships with potential investors.
The 4 Best Pitch Deck Templates Online
Here you can download for free some of our best Pitch Deck Templates. Some are long, up to 24 slides. Others are sample slides that you can add in even if you are already halfway through your presentation. As always, all of these are easy to edit, so you can pick which fits better with what you’re trying to convey. These templates will give you that little extra that will take your presentation to the next step.
If you need any help editing these templates, you can always check our Ultimate PowerPoint Template Guide .
Start-up Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template
As its title says, this template is ideal for start-ups. You will find anything you’ll ever need for your Pitch presentation in this 19-slide pack. It has slides for showcasing your product, from the ideation process, to the prototype, all the way to the finance planning stages. This template has all kinds of diagrams that will help you make a consistent case to get your investors’ attention. It starts with an overview slide that will allow your audience to know exactly where they are standing on each part of the presentation. Or, you can also use the overview slide as a closing summary. As always, your imagination is the limit of what you can do with these templates.
This pack includes Venn diagrams to show innovation and start-up ecosystems, maps in case you’re aiming for a worldwide plan, pyramid visuals, and much more. It also includes a target audience slide that you can use to showcase your market analysis and several charts.
You can also find this template’s version for Google Slides here.
Copywriter Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template
This template is ideal for those looking to get their services as a copywriter in the spotlight. It will help you showcase your strengths and abilities as a professional, while also exposing the different types of services you offer. While this is a pack focused on copywriting it can also be edited and used for any kind of service you offer. Slides for topics such as your portfolio and your working process will be useful even if copywriting isn’t exactly what you do.
For those that do copywrite, the slide of the content writing cycle is amazing. It will allow you to show your audience in a really thorough way what is exactly what you do and how you do it. This will help your potential clients to understand your work better. But it is also a great way to showcase where you think your value is and what differentiates you from other professionals.
This template also includes slides ideal to show the Competition section of your Pitch Deck presentation. It has charts and graphs to showcase the differences between you and others. It also helps you connect pricing to the value of the services you offer.
For this one there is also a Google Slides version you can download here.
Playful Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template
This 10 slide Pitch Deck template will give you the tools to make a straight-to-the-point presentation, but without losing your playful side. It has great tools that will make you able to show every part of your business and get your point across. This presentation template is data-based, so you’ll find graphs and diagrams that could be useful to convince potential investors.
This slide, for example, is great for showing your business growth. Investors are more likely to bet on a business with good and stable growth. This slide could help you not only show off your financial milestones, but also your growth expectations and financial forecasting.
The playful visuals of this pack will certainly stay in your audience’s minds for a while. Take this puzzle slide, for example. It is great to connect the problems you have identified with the solution your business brings forward. It will make a memorable way to represent your solution and make sure it stands out from others.
We also have a Google Slides Template for this design.
Ultimate Product Hunt Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template
This megapack of 24 slides has a little bit of everything. Circle graphs? You got it. Process diagram? You got it. Bar graphs? That too. You can pick from the amazing assortment of types of slides on this pack, and use those that will showcase your business better. With this template, it is up to you to show the best and to cause a great impression on your audience.
With slides such as this, you will be able to convey what you think will give a better idea of what your business really is about. For example, this great SWOT analysis template. By showing you know you are aware of both your strengths and weaknesses, you’ll show potential investors or clients that aware of your surroundings and your own shortcomings.
This Pitch Deck pack comes with over a dozen slides of different graphs, diagrams, and visual aids. It has maps if you want to show your worldwide reach, it has different types of pyramid graphs, process diagrams, and more. It really has everything you could need for an outstanding Pitch Deck presentation.
Independent slides
These templates, while they are not enough on their own to make a complete presentation, they can be a great complement for others. All of these bring different things to the table you can take advantage of and make a better-rounded Pitch Deck.
Pitch Deck Presentation Templates
This template pack has 3 incredible slides that would fit perfectly into any Pitch Deck. First, its vision and mission slide will allow you to give your audience a more in-depth look at what your business is really about. It also has a great geometrical process diagram. And finally, it has a roadmap slide, that will allow you to showcase the steps to be taken to achieve a specific goal. All these slides have beautiful bright colors that will assure that your audience’s attention remains exactly where you want it: In your presentation.
Investor Relations Presentation Template
Even if this pack is not directly a Pitch Deck template, its slides can be extremely useful as part of one. Its slides are great to convey what kind of investment would you be interested in, and what they would get from the partnership. It has an Investing Strategy Slide that is useful for the “Desired Investment” section of your Pitch Deck. If your audiences are aware of what their resources could be used for and the impact they could have, they will be more likely to consider making an investment.
This template also includes a Company Strategy slide, which is great to show the overall workings inside your enterprise. This template is great for showing your business model and introducing your audience to your goals and objectives.
Pitch Deck 3
This is another 3-slide pack with great visual aids that would fit amazingly into any Pitch Deck. It has an introduction slide that could be used to present your company or your product. But it also has a really eye-catching business model slide. This one is a vital part of your Pitch Deck since it will allow your audience to understand how your business works and make them feel more confident in investing. It also includes a Problem-Solution slide. This will allow you to present the relationship between the two points, rather than presenting each by their own side.
Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template
Here you can find some more amazing independent slides, ready to be used in a Pitch Deck. You can use the Start-up Project Timeline to show the steps required to complete a specific task or goal. The introduction slide is great to give a general overview of your business or your product. It includes several icons, so you can showcase different aspects of your company. Finally, this template pack also has a Market Slide. A slide like this one is vital in any Pitch Deck, since being able to prove your knowledge of your market is a big step for being trusted by investors.
Creative Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template
Finally, you can use this creative Pitch Deck Slides pack to complement any presentation you want, whether it’s one of the above or one completely of your own. It has a market segmentation slide, great to introduce your segment to your traction/market section. There are many different aspects that can be part of your differential value. One thing that can distinguish yourself from other competitors can be the way you present yourself to your potential customers. That is why a slide for your Marketing Strategy can be so important.
Making Your Own Pitch Deck
So, which one should you use? Sadly, there is no easy answer to this question. How long your presentation should be, and what slides you should use for your Pitch Deck depends entirely on you. It depends on what you believe are your strengths, what do you think your differential value is, and so on. It depends on what numbers you have that could be eye-catching for potential investors.
Good thing is, there is no wrong answer either. Think carefully about what you want your audience to get out of it, and what specific information will convey this idea the best. Do you think one of the best things your business has is its stability? Then showing a graph of steady growth might be a good idea. Or maybe the best aspect is that there is a huge market to tap on. Then making an extra effort in the market slide is a must. Really, really knowing your business is the only way to make a truly great Pitch Deck presentation.
And, as always, remember that the slides are just a tool. There is a limit on how much a good presentation design can do when the speaker is not at their best. The delivery is a vital part of every presentation, and even more in this kind of presentations. A Pitch Deck should be highly persuasive. Whether it is to an investor, a client, or a partner, the challenge is to convince them of the potential of your business. To make them see not only what the company is but what it can become (with their help). This is why the speaker should be someone who believes in the product and is passionate about it.
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How to create a successful pitch presentation
Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.
Anete Ezera December 18, 2023
When it comes to startups and entrepreneurs, getting that first big deal can be tricky. It can be hard to put your business idea forward in a way that’s going to convince potential investors or partners. This is where pitch deck presentations come in handy as they are often short and precise. The goal is to explain your idea in a way that gets straight to the point and is easy to understand. These quick, punchy presentations are critical for those looking to make a strong first impression and secure funding for their business venture. Let’s talk about what a pitch presentation is and how you can create one with the help of Prezi.
What is a pitch presentation?
To get a better understanding of what a pitch presentation really is, let’s look at some of the important elements that make one:
Conciseness: It’s typically short, usually 10-20 slides. This fast pace enables the presenter to captivate the audience and maintain attention.
Clarity: The aim is to keep the content clear and straightforward, avoiding complicated jargon so that the message is understood.
Powerful storytelling: It will often tell an interesting story about the problem being solved, the solution offered, and the potential market opportunity.
Key information: Because of its fast-paced nature, it will often be packed with vital information like the business model, financial projections, and the unique value proposition of the product or service being pitched.
Appealing visuals: Like other styles of presentation, having visuals that can draw in the audience is a must. Pitch deck presentations will often use graphics and minimal text to convey information better.
To get a visual understanding of what a pitch presentation is, explore the following pitch presentation:
The evolution of pitch presentations: a look back and ahead
Ever wondered how pitch presentations became such a big deal? They started as simple PowerPoint slides but have evolved into something much more dynamic. This journey reflects changes in business, technology, and what investors look for. In the early days, pitch decks were pretty straightforward – just a few slides outlining a business idea. But as technology advanced, so did the expectations. Now, we see pitch presentations with interactive elements, attractive visuals, and even storytelling elements. This evolution shows how we’ve learned to communicate complex ideas more effectively. Understanding this history helps us understand how pitch decks have evolved into what they are today.
Is a pitch deck the right presentation style for me?
A pitch deck is perfect if you’re looking to present a business idea, especially if you’re aiming to attract investors or partners. It’s designed to be concise yet impactful, focusing on the key aspects of your business or project. Think of it as showcasing your business- you’ve got a limited amount of time to make a strong impression. So, if you’re in the early stages of a startup, seeking funding, or trying to win over some stakeholders with a clear, compelling story about your business or idea, a pitch presentation could be just what you need.
People who might also benefit from pitch presentations
Pitch presentations are a versatile tool that can greatly benefit a wide range of individuals and organizations. We’ve discussed the role of pitch decks for startups and entrepreneurs, so let’s look at some other instances where these presentations might be particularly useful:
- Business executives: Established business owners can use pitch decks to propose new projects or strategies to stakeholders, boards, and investors.
- Sales and marketing professionals: To pitch products or services to potential clients or partners, highlighting their unique selling points.
- Non-profit organizations: For presenting their mission, impact, and funding needs to donors, sponsors, or grant agencies.
- Researchers and academics: To secure funding or collaboration for research projects, especially when presenting to funding bodies or at academic conferences.
- Inventors and innovators: To attract investors, partners, or attention to their new inventions or innovations.
- Freelancers and consultants: To pitch their services and unique value proposition to potential clients or agencies.
What makes a good pitch deck presentation?
When we talk about pitch presentations, it’s important to compare the differences between a great pitch deck and the ones that just don’t hit the mark.
What a pitch deck should look like
A successful pitch deck should have a clean, uncluttered design . This way your audience can take in the information without being distracted by over complicated slides. Any images used should be of high quality, and be relevant to the text. A pitch presentation should flow logically , so the information provided tells a story about what you’re aiming to achieve.
The colors used should match that of your brand, often logos and fonts will correspond with the theme of the brand, organization, or company. This is a great way to reinforce who you are and what you stand for. A good pitch presentation will captivate the audience by using each slide to convey a single key point, this way, the message is concise and easily absorbed.
Pitfalls to avoid
Now, let’s talk about what a pitch presentation shouldn’t look like. If you want to entice your audience, don’t cram too much information onto your slides . This is going to overwhelm your audience and make their attention span drop. Don’t stray away from key points by including irrelevant information. You want your pitch deck to persuade people to take action and have faith in you and your product, so don’t go off on a tandem.
Use a language tone that’s relatable to everyone – don’t use overly technical terms or industry-specific jargon. This can be off-putting for potential investors who don’t work in your field. One of the biggest mistakes you could make is to be inconsistent with your theme, color, and fonts. Remember, the idea is to appear professional, and inconsistency screams amateur.
Things to consider when preparing to create your pitch presentation
Although it might be appealing to dive straight into making your presentation, there are certain points you should consider to get the best out of your pitch. Here are some things to think about when planning:
Know your audience
Consider who you’re presenting to and include criteria that are going to be appealing to them. For instance, what resonates with venture capitalists may be different from what appeals to potential partners or customers.
Engaging storyline
You want to hold your audience’s attention throughout the whole presentation, so tell your story in a way that builds anticipation and makes them want more.
Keep each slide simple. Your audience will respond better to clear, concise content that’s not too busy and complicated. Keep text easily readable and appropriate for all levels of knowledge.
Key messages
Plan out the purpose of each slide beforehand, that way you can be sure the key messages come across well.
You can include things like graphs or charts to simplify complex data, but do this in a way that doesn’t overcrowd the slides. Remember to stay consistent with colors and fonts to reinforce clarity.
Data and validation
Do your research when preparing to make your pitch presentation. It’s crucial to back up your claims, such as market research, growth projections, or case studies. Using real-world examples is a good way to back up your credibility.
Business model
Think about how you’re going to explain your business model in a way that comes across clearly. Always be honest about your revenue streams, pricing strategies, and your position in the market.
Investors often invest in people as much as they do ideas, so think about how you can highlight the strengths of yourself and your team.
You need to clearly state what you’re asking for. Whether it’s funding, support, or a partnership, make sure your audience knows what you need from them.
Practice your pitch so that it flows well and fits with the time constraints. Rehearsals are great for realizing flaws, which means you can rectify where needed to ensure the best possible pitch on the day. Be prepared to answer questions and address potential concerns- you can do this by listing some possible queries and preparing an adequate answer.
Beginning and ending
How can you draw the audience in from the minute you start speaking? A successful pitch presentation often starts with a bang, such as a powerful punch line, a vibrant image, or a brain teaser. When it comes to ending your pitch, summarize the main points and offer a chance for discussion.
Discover other crucial and noteworthy tips on creating and delivering pitch presentations by watching the following video:
Presenting your pitch deck presentation
Your presenting skills must be just as effective as the pitch presentation you’ve created. Imagine spending all that time and effort on making each slide perfect, to go and blow your opportunity by poorly presenting it. Here are some tips to help you own the stage for your pitch:
Body language
- Posture: Stand tall and proud. A good posture reflects confidence and keeps you physically engaged.
- Gestures: Gestures should be natural and purposeful. For example, you might use hand gestures to emphasize important points. Avoid being overly dramatic with gestures as this can be distracting.
- Movement: Moving can add energy to your presentation, but be careful not to pace around the stage, as this can make you appear nervous. A simple step forward when you’re reaching the punchline of your story can elevate impact. Similarly, turning your body to face different sections of the audience can make everyone feel included.
Facial expressions
- Eye contact: Make eye contact with your audience, and maintain it. Don’t just focus on one area, move your gaze around the room to add a personal element to your presentation. This is going to help you build a connection and keep them engaged.
- Smiling: Smile where appropriate. This is going to make you seem approachable and passionate about your subject. However, you don’t want to unnerve your audience by wearing a forced smile throughout the whole presentation.
- Expressiveness: Your facial expressions should match the tone of what you’re saying. They can be a powerful way of transporting emotions from the screen onto the audience.
Voice control
- Volume: You want everyone in the room to hear you, so speak loudly, but avoid shouting.
- Pace: Remember that your audience needs to clearly hear every word for maximum impact, you can do this by keeping a moderate pace throughout. Speaking too fast can be hard to keep up with, and talking too slowly can become boring.
- Tone: Use a varied tone to maintain interest, as monotone speech can be disengaging. For instance, you could change the pitch and intensity of your tone when discussing something positive or exciting.
- Duration: Stick to the allotted time for your pitch presentation. Running too long can lose your audience’s interest, while cutting it too short may not deliver enough information.
- Pauses: Pauses are handy for creating suspense, or allowing key points to sink in. They can also be helpful for a smooth transformation from one topic to another.
Dealing with nerves
- Practice: The more familiar you are with your content, the less nervous you’re going to be. Practice your body language cues, speaking clearly, and using the right facial expressions.
- Visualization: Envision a successful pitch presentation. It’s when we worry about the things that could go wrong that causes anxiety to kick in.
- Relaxation techniques: Before taking the stage, simple techniques can help with nerves, such as mindfulness practices and progressive muscle relaxation.
- Deep breathing: Practice deep breathing to control nerves and keep a steady voice. This helps in delivering a calm and confident pitch.
If you’re struggling with nerves, watch the following video on how to not be nervous for a presentation:
Audience interaction
- Question prompts: To make your pitch presentation more interactive, encourage audience participation and questions.
- Read the room: Always be aware of the audience’s reactions and adjust accordingly. If they seem disinterested, you might need to change your approach or pace.
As a pitch deck presenter, your role is to deliver your content in a way that makes an impact. Mastery of body language, voice, and timing all play a crucial role in yielding the results you want.
Prezi: Your tool for creating pitch presentation
If you’re aiming to create a pitch presentation that sets you apart from competitors, Prezi is the tool for you. Here’s why:
Unique presentation style
Unlike traditional slide-by-slide presentations, Prezi allows you to create a more fluid and dynamic pitch deck. You can move freely around the canvas, zooming in on details and out to the bigger picture. This helps in structuring your pitch presentation in a way that best suits your story, making it more engaging for your audience.
Zooming user interface
This is one of Prezi’s signature features. You can zoom in to focus on specific details and zoom out to show the overall context of your idea. Since pitch presentations are all about emphasizing key points, this feature is essential.
Visual storytelling
The best way to tell a story through your pitch presentation is to turn complicated information into digestible parts. With Prezi, you can use appealing visuals to simplify ideas and make data easier to interpret. Prezi supports images, visuals, graphics, and animations, so you can create a pitch that captivates your audience.
Experience visual storytelling in action in a Prezi presentation:
Templates and customization
Prezi offers a variety of templates , which can be a great starting point for your pitch presentation. These templates are fully customizable, meaning you can align the design with your brand’s look and feel.
As an example, take a look at this product launch template by Prezi. This would be a solid choice for a pitch deck presentation, particularly if you’re about to launch a new product or service. It provides a structured layout that guides you through the essential elements of a pitch. If you’re hoping to make a good impression, the design of this template looks clean and professional while focusing on key points. It allows you to highlight what sets your product apart in a compelling way.
Like most Prezi templates, it offers customization options. You can tweak colors, add your images, and moderate the content to align with your brand and product. These are all essential elements for creating a personalized and relevant pitch.
Collaboration tools
Prezi’s collaboration features come in handy when you’re working with a team. Multiple people can work on the pitch presentation at the same time, offering valuable inputs and different ideas. This way, your pitch deck presentation can reach its full potential. If you like to delegate tasks and give each team member a role in the creation, this feature is great for coordinating efforts.
Prezi Video
For remote pitching, Prezi Video is the perfect solution as it allows you to add a video of yourself presenting alongside your content. This enables you to make your pitch just as personal as it would be in person.
To explore how Prezi Video works, watch the following video:
Path tool for story flow
To help create a natural flow for your story, Prezi lets you set paths to move between topics. This easily guides your audience through your presentation in a logical way, which is crucial when it comes to pitch decks.
Prezi is keeping up with the AI revolution by bringing you a set of AI presentation tools: AI text editing and layout features. These features give you text and layout suggestions, so you don’t need to stress about finding the right words or structure. It can adjust to your writing style, keeping your pitch personal to you but with added clarity and relevance. Discover more about Prezi AI features here .
Successful business pitch presentation examples
Many well-known companies famously used pitch decks in their early stages to secure funding and partnerships. Here’s some you may know:
Back in 2008, Airbnb was just starting out and needed funding, so they created a pitch deck. This wasn’t just any pitch deck—it was really clear and straightforward, showing off their business model and what they hoped to achieve. They ended up raising $600k from an angel investment round. Their pitch presentation was so successful that people still talk about it today. It’s a classic example of how a good pitch can really set a company on the path to success.
Did you know about Uber’s beginnings? On their ninth anniversary, Garrett Camp, one of the co-founders, shared their first pitch deck. It was a 25-slide presentation that they used way back when they were just starting out. This pitch presentation was a major part of their strategy and really helped in the company’s early growth and evolution. It’s pretty impressive to think how those early slides contributed to making Uber the giant it is today.
We all know how significant Facebook is when it comes to social media platforms, but it’s all down to their original pitch presentation back in 2004 that propelled them into such success. The pitch deck contained mix-and-match slides for summarizing Facebook’s value proposition, key metrics, and audience demographics. Shortly after the launch of facebook.com, Eduardo Saverin, who was 21 at the time, took their presentation to New York. He was there to pitch Facebook’s Ad platform to potential clients. Now, fast forward to today, Facebook for Business has grown massively. It’s the second biggest digital advertising platform, just behind Google, and holds more than 25% of the market share.
These examples are not only inspirational but show just how important pitch presentations are. A strong pitch is critical for making a good first impression, forming business relations, and opening up opportunities for scaling your business.
Final thoughts on pitch deck presentations
To wrap up, pitch decks are more than just presentations; they’re your chance to make an impact. They’re vital for anyone looking to get their idea off the ground, especially in the startup world. So when you’re putting one together, keep it straightforward, focus on your key points, and make sure it reflects what you and your business are all about. A well-crafted pitch presentation can open doors, attract investment, and set the stage for your future success. Remember, simplicity and clarity are your best tools. Good luck, and here’s to making your ideas shine!
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A Complete Pitch Presentation Guide (with Examples)
A pitch presentation is essential for any startup seeking funding. Typically composed of 10-20 slides, a pitch deck is a succinct business presentation highlighting your company's most important aspects, such as the business model, traction, and roadmap. Whether used for meetings with potential investors or demo day presentations, a well-constructed pitch deck often determines the success of your funding efforts.
Essential Pitch Presentation Structure
The point of a pitch presentation is for it to be more streamlined an easier to consume than other, more formal documents, such as a business plan or a marketing plan. Although the number of slides and the amount of information can vary depending on the situation, the fundamental structure of a pitch deck remains constant. It includes six main sections: the introduction, the status quo, the product, the market, the why us, and the ask.
A pitch deck should accomplish three main goals:
- Narrate your company’s story.
- Persuade potential investors of its profitability.
- Achieve this within 4 minutes.
This mirrors the three-act structure of storytelling: capturing the audience’s attention, building excitement about the business opportunity, and concluding with a compelling argument for investment. The typical pitch deck format recommended by Slidebean includes the Status Quo, Solution, Market, and Why Us sections. This format turns your pitch into an engaging narrative, emphasizing your product and company, and concluding with a powerful appeal to potential investors.
Our team has guided numerous startups in creating and designing their pitch presentations using this approach.
Determining Content Based on Company Stage
Choosing the right slides depends on your company's development stage, the amount you intend to raise, and your target investors. Key slides include:
Introduction Section
- Cover: Provide a brief, clear description of your company in 5-7 words. It should be straightforward and self-explanatory.
- Traction Teaser: Highlight significant achievements early to captivate your audience.
Status Quo Section
- Problem/Business Opportunity: Present the global problem your company addresses. If your description makes investors have an "aha" moment, you've succeeded.
- Solution: Introduce your the innovative solution that your business idea represents without getting into technical details or features.
Product Section
- How It Works: Display the uniqueness of your product through a short demo video, diagrams, or screenshots.
- Features: Emphasize the benefits to the user rather than listing features.
- Product Details: Include technical infrastructure if it is a key differentiator. Demonstrate the product in person if possible.
- Market Validation: Provide evidence to support the product and business idea's potential adoption.
- Target Audience: Show that you understand your target market and how your product meets their needs.
- Business Model: Clearly explain your business model and revenue generation method.
- Roadmap: Outline major milestones in product development and future plans to seize your market opportunity.
Market Section
- Go-to-Market Strategy: Focus on 2-3 specific channels in your marketing plan that you are currently using and will continue to use to grow your customer base.
- Market Size/TAM: Calculate your Total Addressable Market (TAM) by estimating the potential revenue from all target customers.
Why Us Section
- Competitors: Identify key competitors and explain why your solution is superior.
- Team: Highlight the skills and experience of your core team members.
- Secret Sauce: Discuss unique elements that give your company a competitive edge.
The Ask Section
- Financial Projections: Provide 3-5 years of financial projections and key financial data.
- The Ask: Clearly state the amount of funding you seek and the next fundable milestone.
Pitching Tips
Creating an investor pitch deck can be daunting. From estimating market size to defining go-to-market strategies and financials, it’s a complex process. However, developing a pitch deck helps you address many strategic business decisions. Think of your pitch deck as a narrative with a clear structure: introduction, development, and climax.
Our team of seasoned consultants specializes in crafting compelling stories and narratives. We collaborate with you to understand your business and create a pitch that showcases your unique value proposition. Whether you're seeking funds for a new startup or looking to expand an existing business, our pitch deck presentation consulting services can help you secure the necessary funding. Or, if you're looking for a more self-service approach, check out our library of hundreds of tried-and-true pitch deck templates based on actual successful pitch decks from the startup ecosystem.
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How to Make a Successful Business Pitch: 9 Tips From Experts
You’ve just had your lunch, and you’re about to get back to work.
While making your post-lunch tea (or coffee), you can’t stop thinking about being your own boss.
You wonder if it’s about time for you to turn your side hustle into a full-time business and become an entrepreneur.
Or perhaps you want to propose the idea of a four-day workweek to your CEO.
If you want to introduce investors and prospects to your business idea and convince them to take the plunge with you, you need a strong and persuasive business pitch.
How to create a persuasive business pitch according to experts
The good news — it’s possible to craft a convincing and successful business pitch.
Even better news: This Piktochart business pitch guide shows you how.
Grab your drink of choice and take notes as we explore the different ways to pitch business ideas (from a sales-style elevator pitch to an innovative workplace pitch), as well as understand what makes a great business pitch. You’ll also get a glimpse into our business pitch templates, and learn expert advice from those who have pitched their way to success (and failure too).
You can also watch the video below if you don’t have time to go over this guide. It’s also easier to follow along if you sign up for a free Piktochart account and edit the templates yourself (learning by doing).
What is a business pitch?
A business pitch is a presentation of a business idea to a group of people who can help turn your idea into a reality.
You can pitch to:
- Investors who can help fund your idea
- Potential customers who will pay for your product or service
- Advocates who will support your idea
In some cases, a business pitch doesn’t have to be all about presenting a new idea. You could be asking for more funding or continued support for an already established business venture.
Whether through an investment, purchase, or advocacy, a business pitch becomes successful if you can convince people to believe in your idea or pique their interest and get them to learn more.
Now that you understand what a business pitch is, let’s take a closer look at the different types of business pitches.
Types of pitches in business
Your business pitch can be narrowed down to the following five types of presentations:
1. Investor pitch
In this type of business pitch, you present a persuasive presentation or pitch deck to a group of potential business partners and/or investors.
Sign up for a free Piktochart account to get started on creating professional-looking pitch deck templates that you can edit in minutes.
An investor business pitch should typically last for 45 minutes . The best practice for this type of pitch is 20-30 minutes of presentation followed by discussion or a Q&A afterward.
Alternatively, business pitch competitions follow a different best practice. These presentations should last around five to 10 minutes and focus on pitching to investors.
Lastly, the most stringent type of business pitch is most commonly referred to as an ‘elevator pitch’, and should only last around 30-60 seconds.
Let’s dive in so you can learn how to make the perfect business pitch!
2. Sales pitch
The goal of a sales pitch is to answer the question “What’s in it for me?” from the lens of the potential customer.
The best and most effective salespeople can make a sales pitch in as short as one minute. Also known as the ‘ elevator pitch ‘, this type of business pitch should be able to be delivered in a single elevator ride (30-60 seconds on average). In this format, a short sales pitch should include four key components:
- Your unique product name and category
- The specific problem you are trying to solve
- The innovative solution you offer
- the unique selling point of benefit to your solution
3. Product pitch
A product pitch is similar to a sales pitch, however, the spotlight should be on the product and/or solution itself.
For example, a sales pitch for an email automation software will highlight one or two of its benefits. Meanwhile, a product pitch of the same automation software will focus more on its features, how it works, and how you can integrate the software into your existing setup.
In a product pitch, you should aim to:
- Explain your product or offering clearly and concisely
- Identify and address the target audience and/or industry your product supports
- Specify the problem the aforementioned faces and how your solution can solve it
- Provide a realistic example of your solution in action
- Make sure to use accurate facts backed up by relevant and recent data
4. Job pitch
If you’re applying for a job or internship and you’re wondering how you can stand out from the crowd (consisting of your peers and other qualified applicants), consider pitching yourself to a prospective employer.
Applying the same logic used for a sales or product pitch deck; sell yourself!
A job pitch or personal summary pitch should be concise, personalized, and consistent. In a job pitch you should include:
- A brief introduction to you
- An explanation as to why you’re a great fit for the company and role
- Relevant experience and achievements
- Your goals and career aspirations
“It’s not about bragging or showing off — it’s about giving the other person evidence that you can actually do what you say you can do,” assures Starla Sampaco , TV news anchor at KCTS 9 and founder of Career Survival Guide .
5. Workplace pitching
Do you have an idea or initiative that will help your colleagues and help boost the company’s profitability? Pitch it internally within your workplace, to your team or boss!
For example, you can pitch a remote-first culture or the four-day workweek to your HR, and/or the rest of the leadership team.
Another workplace pitch example? Maybe you might want to propose the creation of a new role in your team which can help advance your career and address a challenge in the organization at the same time.
To do this, simply create a pitch deck including your main points, the benefits, and proposed next steps to turn your idea into a reality. Piktochart’s workplace pitch decks can help you get your point across through our workplace templates.
The structure of a successful business pitch
If creating a business pitch sounds intimidating, the team at Piktochart has your back.
You can address this worry by making sure that you have a business pitch structure that is sure to succeed, using our tips & templates.
When you have a formulated pitch deck structure, template, and agenda, you’ll know exactly what you’re going to say next, taking the bulk of the stress out of presenting. Additionally, these best practice presentation structures make your business pitch more memorable to your audience and leave a lasting impression. Statistically, it turns out that people retain structured information up to 40 percent more accurately than information presented in freeform.
The WHAC Method
Whether you’re pitching to a group of potential investors or you’re selling real estate, use the WHAC method when structuring your perfect business pitch.
The WHAC method is introduced in The 3 Minute Rule by Brandt Pividic, an award-winning film director and television producer. He wrote the book to detail his experience and tips as he made hundreds of pitches in Hollywood.
This well-known WHAC method stands for:
What is it and what do you offer?
You start your business pitch by answering the questions: what is it, and what do you offer? This information is often found in the executive summary of business plan templates .
At this point, you share your business plan and quickly outline the problem and solution you offer. For example, let’s say that you want to pitch the idea of having a UX researcher on your product team.
You list down existing problems and challenges that your team and/or organization are currently experiencing without a dedicated UX researcher. Afterward, you propose your solution — hiring someone who can step in and do user research.
How does it work?
Next, explain your proposal. Provide a quick summary of the benefits of your solution. In our example, share how the UX researcher will help the product team accomplish its objectives.
It can be tricky explaining how your business idea works. Figuring out how to deliver this information in an entertaining and simple manner can turn potential investors into partners, as we’ve seen from some of the best startup pitch decks .
Since you don’t have much time and attention spans are short, the key is to boil down how your idea works into a few key points. Explain how it works from a high-level overview and weave this in as part of your compelling story.
Are you sure?
Once you have provided the solution, the people listening to your elevator pitch are likely saying to themselves, “will it really work?”
This is the point where you have to provide solid proof in your pitch. You can use testimonials, a short case study, or statistics.
You should also mention financial projections in order to leave a positive impression. If your manager or potential investors will provide funding for your idea, they’ll want to know what the ROI is.
Can you do it?
The final part of your pitch should answer this question.
Now that your audience has heard you talk about the problem, solution, and proof that it works, you need to show them how you’re going to implement the solution. Think of this point as the “actionable” part of your pitch. You can even provide steps to break down how this can be achieved in a certain timeframe.
“Show how you have thought about how to turn your idea into a commercial outcome or true partnership. This is really an opportunity to start or continue building trust and showing that you care about creating real value for the people in the room is the best way to put you on the right foot,” shares Michael Rosenbaum , CEO of Spacer , one of the biggest parking marketplaces in the U.S.
Like any good sales pitch, you need to show how achievable the results are. At this particular stage, you need to tie in any additional information to show what resources or specific and unique skills are required to make it happen.
Being transparent about what’s required can build trust with potential investors.
How to persuade your audience with your business pitch
Now that you know the best practice structure of a successful business pitch, take note of the following tips to help make your business pitch more interesting, relatable, and most of all, convince your audience to say “yes”.
1. Understand what your audience wants from you
It’s standard advice across all facets of industry to “know your audience”.
However, if you’d like to become better at your business pitches, go the extra mile by understanding what your audience wants from you.
There’s a difference between understanding and knowing your audience. Instead of just knowing where your client comes from, try to understand their pain points, goals, and motivation.
How do you do this?
Talk to them in advance, read about the things they publish online (tweets, blog posts), and understand what excites them. By doing so, you’ll be able to tailor your business pitch to their needs, wants, and preferences.
For example, if you’re pitching to potential clients and investors who are eco-conscious at the same time, it makes sense to highlight how your idea can positively impact the environment.
Stephen Keighery , CEO of Home Buyer Louisiana and Founder of Bald Eagle Investments USA, shares this tip when it comes to customizing your pitch to your audience:
“Learn ahead and research about the company or the client you’ll be pitching to, just be sure that every information you obtain is for public knowledge. You can also observe their behavior and their words during the transaction; and perhaps while pitching, use the jargon they use to establish connection and a favorable impression to them.”
2. Have your elevator pitch ready
Imagine this. You just bumped into Mark Cuban of Shark Tank at the airport lounge, and you can’t believe that you’re sitting next to him! He looks at you and asks you about yourself and what you do.
This is when you need your elevator pitch handy!
The Asana team recommends the following elements of a good elevator pitch :
- Introduction
- Value proposition
- CTA (call to action)
You don’t have to follow the exact formula. You can mix it up based on the situation, your personality, and the audience you’re pitching to.
It’s also worth noting that you might not immediately notice the benefit of your elevator pitch. Think of it as an opportunity for you to make a great first impression.
3. Use visual aids
If you have the chance to present beyond the elevator pitch, you should never pitch with a presentation that’s filled with texts, numbers, or endless rows of data.
As humans, our brains are hardwired to love visuals — from photographs to infographics to icons.
When pitching an idea, product, or service, get your audience’s attention (and support!) by telling a story visually and adding a bit of creativity to your PowerPoint slides.
Images trigger empathy which in turn can make your audience understand your pitch better.
The more they understand your idea, the greater the likelihood of angel investors, venture capitalists, and potential customers supporting or advocating for you.
Another added benefit is that visuals can elicit emotions and emotions play an important role in decision-making.
Consider incorporating business infographics to present complex data or processes in an easily digestible format.
Watch these 10 legendary pitch decks for visual inspiration.
4. Explain your business model clearly
When pitching to investors, imagine them asking, “what’s in it for me?”.
After learning about how your idea can help solve a problem, they’re interested in how you’re going to advertise to your target market and generate revenue consistently.
Johannes Larsson , CEO of Financer.com explains that being able to articulate their business model was what made them successful in getting business partners on board.
“We were relatively unknown in the industry, so it took us quite a few tries before we signed our first deal. After that, however, things became much easier — not just because we were building up a name for ourselves but also because we improved our approach. We learned that being able to clearly explain our business model was the key to earning potential partners’ trust. Once we mastered that, we focused on providing proof of fruitful partnerships. It was obvious that this information was what our affiliates cared about, so we made sure to gather evidence of our success and present it in every pitch.”
5. Weave your passion or story with your pitch
Your business pitch doesn’t have to sound like you’re reading it straight from a script that someone else wrote for you.
When appropriate, add a bit of your personal touch. In short, humanize your pitch and slide deck.
It will not only improve your relatability factor but also make you feel less nervous. After all, you’re talking about something that you’re passionate about.
Take it from Debbie Chew, an SEO Specialist at Dialpad .
“As part of my hiring process, I had to pitch a marketing campaign idea. I started brainstorming a list of potential ideas and their projected impact to decide which one to go with. While doing this, one idea kept coming back to me, and I realized I was most passionate about pitching a campaign related to video meetings. People now spend so much of their time in video meetings, but how much time? And how can we have better meetings? So I built my pitch around this concept and really enjoyed pitching my idea (which also helped me feel less nervous),” shares Chew. If you can share a personal story or something you’re passionate about in your pitch — while also tying it back to your audience — they won’t forget it. And yes, I got the job!”
6. Put the spotlight on benefits
Once you have your audience’s attention, circle back to how your product or service will address customer needs and benefit business partners.
For Carsten Schaefer of Trust.io , it boils down to being able to share the benefits of your product or service from the get-go.
“When I first had to get funding for my product, I had to deliver a sales pitch in front of a board of investors. It didn’t succeed, and I learned a lot from it. “Investors want cold, hard facts and the benefits to the end-user. In the end, they want to see if it makes money for them or not. I’m glad I failed because I learned that for an effective sales pitch, you really need to put yourself in the shoes of someone thinking about profit and pure common sense from a business perspective.
7. Highlight why you’re different from the competition
Your business pitch is also an opportunity for you to explain what sets you apart from other businesses or organizations, and essentially explain your unique selling point. What makes your idea different? Why is your business model unique?
It also helps to address relevant competition head-on in your pitch. For Brogan Renshaw of Firewire Digital, this tactic shows clients and investors that you’re an expert on what you are talking about, giving them confidence in your offering.
“I notice that this is a part of my business pitches that completely wins the client over because it answers their questions and concerns on the market position of competitors,” says Renshaw.
8. Share the story behind your team
Investors and business partners are also curious about the people, employees, as well as the team behind your idea. When creating this presentation slide in your pitch deck, don’t forget to include information highlighting your team and each team member’s relevant skills.
“Investors want to know whether the founders have worked together before, if your startup’s early hires have complementary skill sets, and whether you’ll be flexible, open-minded, and willing to embrace different perspectives, “ writes Lauren Landry , associate director of marketing and communications for Harvard Business School Online.
9. Have an impressive one-pager
As its name implies, a one-pager is a one-page document outlining your business plan and mission. Think of it as a business brochure . With Piktochart’s online brochure maker , you can easily create one within minutes.
Imagine that an investor or client is too busy to listen to your pitch, you can simply email or hand out your one-pager; your entire business pitch in an easy-to-digest format.
According to Greg Cullen , Sr. Account Executive at Dialpad, your one-pager should have these three components:
- What is the business pain?
- How the solution you’re positioning can solve said business pain
- The value of the solution accompanied by the resulting positive impact by moving forward with the platform
“This one-pager condenses everything that is important succinctly into an easy-to-digest easy to digest format for everyone to read – and it ensures that all parties are on the same page. And most importantly, this can be used by the champion you’re working with to sell this internally, whether it’s to the CEO, procurement, etc. The better you make this one-pager, the better the result you’ll have,” recommends Cullen.
Get funding, win clients, and gain support with Piktochart’s pitch deck creator
While it may be nerve-wracking, particularly if it’s the first time that you’re creating a business pitch, use the expert tips above as your guideposts for a successful pitch.
You’ll eventually find your very own unique style and approach to business pitching as you do it more frequently.
If you need help creating any type of business or personal pitch deck, create your pitch deck quickly with Piktochart’s pitch deck creator. The first step is to get your free Piktochart account .
Want additional insight on how to better prepare and deliver a business pitch that you’ll be presenting online? Go to our guide to stress-free, engaging Zoom presentations .
We’re rooting for you and your business!
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Build a Winning Pitch Deck: A Slide-by-Slide Guide with Examples
Masterclass, episode 5: learn what to include in your slides, and what not to include, with (many) examples to copy from.
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This post is part 5/12 of our Masterclass series. Subscribe to get access to the slides and updates for new episodes:
Episode Highlights:
Love it or hate it, the pitch deck has become an inseparable part of the fundraising process. If you want investors to hear and understand your startup’s story, you’ll need to do it with some compelling slides. In this Masterclass we cover general best practices and specific, slide-by-slide examples showing you how to implement them. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to create a deck that hits hard.
What you’ll learn:
Using storytelling techniques in your pitch
The 4 questions your deck needs to answer
What to include in your slides, and what not to include
Examples to copy for each section of your presentation
Meet the expert:
Ori Luzia is a consultant and public speaking expert with vast experience working with accelerators, VC’s, and over 1000 startups in different verticals. Ori works with entrepreneurs in Israel and abroad on all things storytelling and messaging, and has helped build hundreds of pitch deck presentations.
Why Does the Deck Matter? Can You Do Without It?
It’s easy to forget that PowerPoints and slide decks are a relatively new phenomenon. Human beings have been telling stories long before these tools came into existence. As a founder, your ability to tell a compelling story shouldn't depend on the slides. You should be able to own the narrative and pitch your startup's story in any situation, with or without visual aides. You should literally be able to give your ‘elevator pitch’ in an elevator.
“The deck isn't the story; the deck helps you tell the story.” — Ori Luzia
That being said, pitch decks have become a staple that VCs expect to see. A good deck will rarely be the factor that makes or breaks the investment decision, but it can help you get your message across and stand out from hundreds of other entrepreneurs the same VC is meeting with.
Your Pitch Deck Needs to Answer Four Questions
As you build your pitch deck, you should keep these four key questions top of mind – your slides will need to address them:
What is the market need you identified?
Which product did you develop to address that need?
How fast are you growing, and do you expect to maintain that growth rate?
Why are you the best team for the job?
This doesn't mean you have to include a specific slide dedicated to each question. Think of these as the story threads that should be woven throughout your pitch. By the end, they should be answered in a clear and satisfying manner.
Three Versions, Three Purposes: Tailoring Your Slides for the Setting
Every entrepreneur should have three versions of their pitch deck, based on where it will be used. Managing three different versions of your deck is a hassle, but it’s worth it in order to ensure you make the right impression and set yourself up for success.
Demo-day or conference
While traditional demo days are less common nowadays, conferences are a great opportunity to showcase your startup. Here you’ll need to tell the entire story in 5-10 minutes. The deck needs to be concise, snappy, and get straight to the point. You're going to be on the stage talking — the slides should complement your talk, rather than distract from it. You might need to adjust design elements like color, contrast, visuals, and font sizes for presentation in front of a large audience.
Deck sent over email
This is typically the first interaction an investor has with your company. The deck needs to be digestible within 2-5 minutes. It should be able to stand on its own since you won’t be there to talk over it. However, it’s still just a teaser for the full presentation that will happen in the meeting, so you don’t want to give everything away.
Ori notes that it’s a good idea to pay attention to details here:
“The deck you send over email is both your business card and the first impression investors have of you. Things like typos or bad design are like walking into the first meeting with a mustard stain on your shirt.”
Deck for the pitch meeting
Similar to the demo day presentation, but less flashy and more to the point. Here you have slightly more room to talk about the specifics of your technology, your team, and all the rest. In this case you’ll be speaking over the slides again, so you’ll want to reduce distracting elements. The slides shouldn’t compete with you for the investor’s attention. This version can be more flexible, allowing for optional slides and appendices that you can skip or expand on based on the dynamic in the room.
Battle-Tested Principles for Creating Impactful Slides
Minimalism: You are the star of the show, not your slides. Keep details to the bare minimum needed to get your message across. Cluttered slides create visual noise which burns through your audience’s limited reserves of attention. If you see people squinting or leaning in, it's a sign your slide could beoverly complex.
Continuity and support for the narrative: Each slide, and the deck as a whole, should form a cohesive unit. "Frankenstein" slides — where disjointed image or text elements are grafted one on top of the other — stand out in a bad way. Your story should be consistent in both narrative and design.
Internal logic: Each element of your presentation should have a reason for being there and the entire thing should have a logical progression. Pay attention to the order your slides appear in. If things don’t make sense or are referenced before being explained, this could create confusion that interrupts your flow.
”Your slides should follow the principle of Checkov’s gun: every element you include should be necessary, and unnecessary elements should be removed.”
Simple = effective: Aim for slides that can be understood in 3-5 seconds. Avoid flashy transitions and special effects that distract from your message. Choose clear and concise over cool and sophisticated.
Getting Down to Business: What to Include in Your Pitch Deck, with Examples
Most pitch decks will follow a similar flow, which you should not deviate too far from. (Differentiation should come from the content, not the structure of your presentation.)
You should keep the presentation to 8-12 slides and include any other pertinent information in appendices.
Tip : Titles are important real-estate and get more attention than other elements. You can use them to say something more than just signposting where the reader is. E.g., instead of titling your slide The Market Opportunity , you could opt for The Opportunity: A Fast-Growing and Untapped Market .
The Intro Slide
The intro slide is often treated as an afterthought, but it’s actually very important because it frames the conversation.
What to include:
Your startup's logo
A one-liner describing what you do
For conferences: Details of the CEO or presenter
The goal is to create a connection with your brand (logos, colors) and your mission. The one-liner should be descriptive – this isn’t the place for a cryptic, three-word marketing slogan. This slide helps investors ‘place’ your startup in the right mental compartment and get a feel for whether your pitch is relevant to them.
The Problem and Business Opportunity
This chapter should take up 1-4 slides. It should describe the problem space you operate in and demonstrate that there is a broad and urgent need for a solution.
This is a slide that you must get right. If the investor isn’t convinced that there is a need - you have a problem. You don’t want to get into a debate about this.
Detail the need you've identified. Present evidence! Use research, customer feedback, and statistical data to show how big a problem this really is.
Describe the target audience for your solution.
Outline the gaps in existing solutions.
If it’s a niche that the investor may be less familiar with, you might want to also include more background information.
The Solution or Product
This should mirror everything you described in the problem slide(s) and offer a clear explanation of how your product or service addresses the identified need.
The bird’s-eye view of your solution.
Explain what your solution is, how it works, and the value it provides.
Include no more than 3-5 features and focus on the benefits and value of your product.
Use images to help convey your solution (including any hardware components). If you have a demo and are confident it will work, you can consider presenting it.
Don’t try to hide the reality of your product or confuse investors with aspirational features that you don’t really know how to develop. Your pitch should be transparent and accurate — both for investors to better understand your product, and to help you gain insights on ways to improve it.
Market Sizing
This slide describes the size of the market you’re operating in (investors want this to be a big number), and establishes the opportunity size for your startup in terms of TAM, SAM, and SOM. This topic is covered in great depth in our previous Masterclass: [link to Rotem Shacham’s episode]
Momentum / Traction
This section highlights your startup's success so far and how your solution has been positively received by the market.
Show the progress you've made: This could be signed contracts, pilots, or letters of intent (LOIs) — the specifics depend on the stage your company is at.
Provide external validation: named partnerships, customers, or industry recognition.
Share examples: customer testimonials, case studies, growth metrics. Think about the story the data is telling, not just the numbers themselves. (E.g., investors love to see a ‘hockey stick’ trajectory.)
‘Big logo’ customers or partners add credibility, trust, and prestige.
The Business Model
The main purpose here is not necessarily to show a very specific roadmap, but to demonstrate that you've given serious thought to the business side (not just the tech) and have a plan for generating revenue.
Explain potential revenue sources and strategies, even if you haven't finalized the exact approach yet.
Outline how you plan to make money: Is it through a cut from each sale, a subscription model, or something else? Avoid listing too many theoretical monetization strategies - this could signal a lack of focus or maturity.
Investors know that your business model will likely evolve over time. It's okay to admit there are aspects still being worked on or that you're mainly focusing on user engagement at the moment.
The Competitive Landscape
This is another important slide that shows investors how your startup positions itself in the market and what sets it apart from competitors.
There are two standard ways to present the competitive landscape:
Feature comparison: A table showing competitors and which features they offer versus your own solution (indicated by 'X' marks or checkmarks).
Axis-based: Plotting competitors along two specific axes that capture the essence of your competitive advantage (e.g., pricing vs. ease of use).
Investors want to see that you know who your key competitors are, and that you've selected meaningful axes or criteria that align with your value proposition and the problem you set out to solve.
Include a reasonable number of competitors, typically between 3-10. Listing too few competitors might seem unrealistic, and listing too many could be overwhelming and distracting.
Investors choose to invest in a team as much as they do in the idea. Show them why your team is worth betting on.
Highlight what makes you the ideal team for this venture: relevant experience, past successes, or unique skills that add value to the company.
- Showcase entrepreneurial pedigree, previous collaboration successes, or a track record of executing in high-pressure situations.
- Use consistent, high-quality images to create a professional impression.
- Highlight only the most relevant skills or experience and avoid walls of text.
Fundraising
Tell investors how much funding you need and what you need it for.
How much money are you raising?
Why do you need this specific amount for?
What will you do with the funds?
Avoid using apologetic or belittling language ("we intend to..."). You want to create the sense that the train is leaving the station with or without these investors. Making confident statements (without coming across as arrogant), show investors you know where you’re going, and get them excited about joining your journey.
That a Wrap
That’s all for today! Remember to subscribe for access to the slides Ori presented in the video and high-res versions of the examples shown above. You can also listen catch the next episodes on Od Pocast .
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Pitch Deck Presentation Templates. This template pack has 3 incredible slides that would fit perfectly into any Pitch Deck. First, its vision and mission slide will allow you to give your audience a more in-depth look at what your business is really about. It also has a great geometrical process diagram.
Audience interaction. Question prompts: To make your pitch presentation more interactive, encourage audience participation and questions. Read the room: Always be aware of the audience's reactions and adjust accordingly. If they seem disinterested, you might need to change your approach or pace. As a pitch deck presenter, your role is to deliver your content in a way that makes an impact.
A pitch deck is a brief presentation that gives potential investors or clients an overview of your business plan, products, services and growth traction. As an entrepreneur, you probably know this: your company or idea needs financing. Oftentimes, this financing will come from external sources—i.e. people who aren't friends or family.
Comprising 10-20 slides, a pitch presentation highlights key aspects like the business model, traction, and roadmap. This guide outlines the essential structure of a pitch deck, including sections like introduction, status quo, product, market, why us, and the ask. It emphasizes the importance of narrating your company's story, persuading investors of its profitability, and achieving this ...
Identify and address the target audience and/or industry your product supports. Specify the problem the aforementioned faces and how your solution can solve it. Provide a realistic example of your solution in action. Make sure to use accurate facts backed up by relevant and recent data. 4. Job pitch.
Create a Structure. Combine your answers from step 1 and the supporting information from step 2 into a cohesive, coherent presentation. For example, you could structure your presentation like this: Identify a problem. Offer a potential solution. Position yourself as the best person/company to offer that solution.
In this Masterclass we cover general best practices and specific, slide-by-slide examples showing you how to implement them. By the end, you'll know exactly how to create a deck that hits hard. What you'll learn: Using storytelling techniques in your pitch. The 4 questions your deck needs to answer.
1. Complete Course: How to Make a Winning Pitch Deck With Microsoft PowerPoint. Recently, we launched a feature-length course that'll walk you through the process of building a winning pitch deck. This course has a complete case study that takes you through the process of creating a PowerPoint pitch deck.
The aim is simple: keep your copy simple, succinct and to the point. A presentation deck is no place to be wordy. Instead, limit to 6-8 lines per slide — roughly 30 words per slide. You can also try the 5 x 5 x 5 rule of writing presentation copy: 5 lines of text per slide with. 5 words per line and placing only.
A pitch deck presentation is a slideshow that introduces a business idea, product, or service to investors. Typically consisting of 10-20 slides, a pitch deck is used to persuade potential investors to provide funding for a business. ... Key takeaway: Give each metric its own slide. Generally, slide decks are full of important metrics that ...
If you need help creating attention-grabbing pitch decks, you can use the versions recreated in Visme as a starting point. Better yet, allow Visme's AI presentation maker to do the heavy lifting for you—it handles everything from design to content, speeding up your pitch deck design process.. With just a text prompt, this advanced tool helps you generate pitch deck presentations complete ...
Stressed about an upcoming presentation? These talks are full of helpful tips on how to get up in front of an audience and make a lasting impression. Watch now. Add to list. 18:00. Nancy Duarte. The secret structure of great talks. 18 minutes . 18:00. David McCandless. The beauty of data visualization.
What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation. Summary. Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or ...
Pitching for new business is a make-or-break moment for many teams. You want to win the pitch, and so you develop a detailed slide deck, tout your credentials, capabilities and successes (case ...
EDIT THIS PITCH DECK This is one of the best pitch deck examples for a short and classy presentation. It uses a small number of icons and bullet points to draw the eye and keep the presentation flowing. As an elevator pitch, this is an effective method for maintaining the audience's focus. Related: A Complete Guide to Line Charts. Nonprofit ...
13 Powerful Sales Pitch Presentation Templates to Land Your Next Client. Written by: Orana Velarde. Aug 28, 2024. An effective sales process has seven cyclical steps; prospecting, preparation, approach, presentation, overcoming kickbacks, closing the sale, and following up. Every step is as important as the next for landing a client or closing ...
8. Appeal to emotions. Understanding your customers is central to consistently nailing sales pitches, and when you do, it's good to convey that. One way to do so is to use empathy, revolve your pitch around their life experience, and find commonalities between you and them.
13 Ways to Effectively Deliver a Great Pitch Presentation. 1. Always Be Prepared. Before setting out to make a pitch presentation, preparation is always key! We couldn't stress that enough. Expend a great amount of time and energy to get your facts and figures before the presentation day.
1. Be Concise and to the Point. A good business pitch requires you to provide crucial points regarding your business. You can use statistics and visual presentation to explain your issues. Simplify the expression and ensure that the investors understand the facts right away.
The "splinker." Perhaps you've heard of it. It's the signature pitch for a guy whose fastball can touch 102 mph, to give you some context as to just how devastating his combination split-finger and sinker has become. But how did Pirates rookie phenom Paul Skenes learn the pitch, and when