Researching, preparing, and sharing a pitch deck with investors can sometimes seem like an overwhelming task. With many things to consider along the way, you can often end up putting effort into less meaningful areas of your presentation.
While you want everything to be perfect in order to secure an investment, sometimes it’s good to have a list of priorities to ensure your time is well spent. This article is loaded with information, tips, and steps to answer the question: How do I show an investor my pitch deck properly?
The Process
Below is an overview of the process you can use to get your pitch deck from creation to presentation. This guide is only relevant to those that have completed their pitch deck and are happy with its design.
- Find The Right Investors – This step is key. You can end up wasting precious time, as well as effort if you pitch to investors that aren’t suited to your business. Look for investors that have worked alongside projects within a similar niche in the past or those that seem to display genuine interest in your business model.
- Tailor Your Pitch – Your pitch deck doesn’t have to be a carbon copy from one presentation to the other. If a particular investor you plan on presenting to has a different set of requirements, or expertise, you could adjust your slides accordingly.
- Set Up Your Meetings – Now it’s time to find a time and place that suits you and potential investors. Keep in mind that you can either do one on one meetings or present to a crowd of investors. This will often depend on your confidence in pitching. Individual meetings can have a more personal touch but obviously consume more time as a result.
- Send The Pitch In Advance – Emailing the pitch deck to investors in advance of the presentation is a great way to bring them up to speed. This will allow them to craft any questions they have in advance, while also gaining a general understanding of your business model.
- Use Feedback From Previous Pitches – In almost every instance of a pitch, you will be given feedback from the receivers of your presentation. Maybe something wasn’t clear enough, a set of data was incorrect, or a particular slide had too many words.
Tips For A Smooth Pitch Deck Presentation
Now that you know the general process for getting to presenting your pitch deck to investors, let’s take a look at some tips to ensure everything is done properly.
Establish The Needs Of An Investor
This is the perfect opportunity for you to impress a potential investor. If you can gain an understanding of their needs and address them within your pitch deck, it can greatly enhance the levels of confidence they have towards your proposal. Sure, most investors are looking for profit or ROI as their biggest incentive, but there are a few other things that may cross their minds, which can include:
- How involved they will need to be within the company
- The risks associated with their investment
- What sets apart your team from others
- Experience or knowledge that can be carried forward
Researching your audience can go a long way in finding out their investing requirements. Many have websites, are active on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, and have a visible portfolio.
Encourage Questions From Investors
A Q&A is an essential part of any professional presentation. While you could address every possible concern within your pitch deck, this would likely make it too lengthy and tough to digest. Instead, answer the pressing questions that appeal to your audience, while also planning some answers in advance.
Clarity Is Key
Information that is showcased to investors should be clear. Leaving out all the unneeded features can be a great way of adding clarity to the information that matters. Things that should be presented clearly include the investment you’re seeking, the problems your business will solve, how you will effectively compete, and anything else that will have an impact on investors.
Keep It Visual
Using visual elements within your pitch deck can divulge the required information to investors without them having to read through lines of text. You could include video to your pitch deck if relevant, or include photographs that serve the purpose of that slide.
In addition to this, you could also bring in physical items to accompany your presentation. Whether this is a mock-up of a product, a finalized version, or the items required to perform a service. This serves not only as an easier way to share information but also as a way to be interactive and make the pitch more enjoyable.
Do A Few Test Runs
Got a friend or family member that will lend you their attention for 15 minutes? Go through your pitch deck with them, acting as if they plan to invest in the company. If they can come up with questions for you to answer at the end, even better. One test run might be enough, but practice makes perfect.
Keep in mind that when you’re pitching to a friend or family member, you will likely feel much more comfortable. This is why a test run is important. So that you know exactly what to do and when the nerves hit before a meeting.
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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