Essential Slides for a Successful Pitch Deck Presentation

While you don’t need a whole slide for this part, you need to tell investors how much money you need and what you plan to do with it before you get them excited about what is a safe note. Some pitch decks will have a slide dedicated to the product, packaging, and shipping methods. 

The “Why now” slide

Investors are looking for a product or service that will help society at the very moment. It will coincide with what’s happening in your industry and society at large, so timing is everything. The “Why now” slide will give you the opportunity to tell investors why your startup is needed in society today, and the effects you could have in the industry. 

The following points should also be mentioned at this point in your pitch:

• Briefly bring up your competition again
• Explain why your competition, or anybody else, isn’t providing your product or service
• Outline the reasons why the people who are doing what you’re doing, aren’t doing a good job of it
• Confidently tell the investors why your startup is unique and can fill the gap in the market

This is the time for you to go big, and not hold back to why you are the best in the industry. 

So, what is the optimum number of slides in a pitch deck? 

The most effective number of slides is between 10 and 20. Anything beyond that will cause investors to lose interest in your pitch, thereby losing interest in your business.

How long should a pitch deck be?

A pitch deck is essentially a longer version of an elevator pitch. It can be between 4 and 20 minutes, depending on the length of your pitch. Even if you have an hour’s talk time, you need to factor the time to set up, wait for people if there are late arrivals and leave time for a Q&A after your presentation.

Who are you, and what do you do?

This is one of those questions that you get the most as an entrepreneur. Investors don’t want you rambling on about why you are the best – even if you are. They want a 30-second pitch that is polished and prepared. Your opening statements could be one of the most important few sentences you will make on your fundraising journey.

Each slide must be meticulous and calculated. Suppose you don’t spend the time crunching the numbers, consulting with experts, and providing accurate market analysis, projections, valuation, income, and expenses. In that case, investors will see right through you and disengage.  

A pitch deck should be short, sweet, and concise. It is not just a sales presentation. The length of the slide show will vary depending on your product’s market, target audience, potential investors you are pitching to, and stage of business – startup versus. established company. 

How to present a pitch deck

Be confident when presenting your pitch deck. Start by introducing yourself and your business idea to the audience, along with a slide that shows an overview of what you will be talking about during the pitch so that they don’t have any questions later on. Remember to practice before pitching in front of an investor, it should come naturally after doing this several times, so there’s no need to memorize slides word-for-word.

What you wear in a pitch deck presentation will depend on your environment and the audience. Some entrepreneurs may go for their typical business casual look, which is usually fine during investment pitches. In contrast, others play it safe with formal suits to show investors how professional they are.

At the end of your pitch deck presentation, have a Q&A session with your potential investors. This gives you an opportunity to see what the interest is like, and will give your audience a chance to get additional information or clarity from you. While answering their questions, keep the following in mind:

• Acknowledge questions: By acknowledging a question presented to you, you are helping the questioner positively respond to your answer. It only takes a few seconds to acknowledge a question, so don’t avoid this important step in your pitch deck presentation. Acknowledgment also lets the questioner know that you’re willing to listen to what they have to say and are open to all of their concerns. 

It’s also very common for people to get defensive when they are asked a challenging question. This can come across as you not valuing the question or the person asking it. By acknowledging a question appropriately, you are eliminating emotions and creating a space for open dialogue.

• Answer questions: How you answer a question can make or break the outcome of your presentation. It’s essential you keep your responses brief and to the point, providing evidence and facts when necessary. 

If you don’t know the answer to a question, be honest about it. Lying will only make you come across as less trustworthy and you will lose credibility. Instead, acknowledge you don’t know the answer and that you will get back with the answer later.

If you don’t understand the question that’s being asked, request clarification from the questioner. Ensure you listen intently to the question and acknowledge what you heard to ensure you understand what was asked.

• Add value to your answers: When answering a question, connect the benefits to your answers to give value to your audience.

Practicing for a pitch deck’s Q&A allows you to be comfortable when you’re standing in front of your potential investors. Consider what questions they might ask, and think about the key points that will add value to your answers should the need arise.

A Q&A session provides audience engagement, while boosting your reputation and credibility when you answer each question with confidence and clarity.

Final Thoughts

The slides in your pitch deck are important. Each slide will guide you, from covering the problem, providing your solution, presenting your team and discussing your startup’s finances. Every single slide in your pitch deck will bring you to the most important part of your presentation: How your potential investors can make a return on their investment.

This is the only thing investors care about. So, no matter how many slides you have chosen to use, be it 10 or 19, ensure that every one of them adds value to your presentation, and shows the investors how they will benefit in the long term.

Author Bio

Alejandro Cremades is a serial entrepreneur and the author of The Art of Startup Fundraising. With a foreword by ‘Shark Tank‘ star Barbara Corcoran, and published by John Wiley & Sons, the book was named one of the best books for entrepreneurs. The book offers a step-by-step guide to today‘s way of raising money for entrepreneurs. 

Most recently, Alejandro built and exited CoFoundersLab which is one of the largest communities of founders online. 

Prior to CoFoundersLab, Alejandro worked as a lawyer at King & Spalding where he was involved in one of the biggest investment arbitration cases in history ($113 billion at stake). 

Alejandro is an active speaker and has given guest lectures at the Wharton School of Business, Columbia Business School, and NYU Stern School of Business. 

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