Many founders use their deck as a full business plan. Dense paragraphs, several charts and long technical explanations make the slides look thorough. They also leave the investor trying to read and listen at the same time, and nobody can do both.
I’ve screened more than 30 pitches for Keiretsu Forum London, and one thing separates the excellent decks from the poor ones: less is more. The less there is on a slide, the more attention the investor pays. The more there is, the less they take in. Do not clutter your slides if you want the investment.
Give each slide one job
Before you finish a slide, ask what you want the investor to take from it. The headline should make the point, not just name the topic.
So instead of the headline “Traction”, write “Four paying customers in six months”. The evidence on the slide should back up that point, not bury it.
Decide what stays in reserve
Choose the strongest evidence for the live presentation. Put the rest in backup slides or a separate document, ready for questions. You are not hiding anything. You are deciding what the investor hears first.
Plan for the time you have
If you have eight minutes, you cannot tell the whole history of your company. Make room for the problem, your progress, how the business makes money, what you are asking for and what is in it for the investor. Then practise how you move from one slide to the next, not just the slides themselves.
Make two versions
A deck sent to be read on its own needs more words than one you present live. Make one for each. Do not send the live version as a stand-alone document.
Check your deck
- Does each slide make one point?
- Does the headline state it?
- Could the investor follow the slide while listening to you?
- Is the detail you cut ready for questions?
- Can you cover everything in the time you have?
Is your deck helping or getting in the way?
Send me your pitch deck along with a short summary. I’ll tell you what to keep, what to cut and what to say instead.