{"id":3179,"date":"2021-02-19T08:22:05","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T08:22:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/?p=1339718"},"modified":"2021-02-19T08:22:05","modified_gmt":"2021-02-19T08:22:05","slug":"3-things-i-look-for-in-a-pitch-deck-as-an-investor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=3179","title":{"rendered":"3 things I look for in a pitch deck as an investor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Some capture attention and excite interest. Others fade from memory quicker than you can say \u2018pre-seed.\u2019 I\u2019m talking about pitch decks. Every day, startups blow their shot at investor meetings and ideas go ignored because founders fail to nail their deck.<\/span><\/p>\n

As an investor backing early-stage startups, I\u2019ve seen the highs and lows of startup pitching. If you\u2019re trying to secure angel, pre-seed, or seed funding, here are the three things you need to remember when creating your deck.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Looks do <\/em>matter<\/b><\/h2>\n

You can\u2019t separate business from brand and looks do matter for your pitch deck.<\/span><\/p>\n

Investors want to see polished slides that establish your professionalism and demonstrate your care. I always advise startups to think about their deck design in the way they would think about their outfit for an interview or business meeting. They should recognize the role it plays in shaping someone\u2019s impression of you and give it both proper time and thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, that\u2019s not to say you should rush out to hire an external design agency or download a flashy template online. It\u2019s important that the look of your deck authentically represents your startup and your own tone of voice and style. <\/span><\/p>\n

A strong deck design will also match the overall feel of the sector you work within \u2014 you wouldn\u2019t design a deck for a children\u2019s clothing company in the same way you would for a deep-tech startup. Make sure it represents the brand and culture you\u2019re telling us you can build.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Tell me a story<\/b><\/h2>\n

One of the most powerful ways of capturing an investor\u2019s attention is by telling us a story. Emotion sells and a compelling story will stick in the mind longer than reams of dry text. <\/span><\/p>\n

What was the eureka moment that caused you to start your own business? Will your product solve a problem that\u2019s recently been highlighted in the news? Is there something in your personal history that led you to work in this area? <\/span><\/p>\n

Investors are analytical but we need to emotionally connect in some way with your pitch.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important that your deck is also short and to the point. Overloading a deck is one of the quickest ways to make an investor switch off and implies a lack of confidence in the arguments you\u2019re making. <\/span><\/p>\n

Keep your copy clear and sharp and remember that the goal is for an investor to remember at least one thing from each of your slides. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t know whether you\u2019ve achieved that, share your deck with friends and ask them to tell you what they remember after reading it. If it isn\u2019t much, or they focus on the wrong things, you still have work to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Customization is key<\/b><\/h2>\n

Customization is crucial when it comes to writing and sending out pitch decks. It\u2019s tailoring the content to each potential investor that will make your deck stand out from the crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, customization is more than just changing a few names on your intro slide. Not only should your deck address your investor directly, but it should also acknowledge and engage with their interests and ethos. <\/span><\/p>\n

Are you an environmental startup and does the investor have a history of tech for good investments? Include that in your deck. Does a VC firm have a mission statement that reflects your own? Comment on that. Are you addressing the fitness sector and your investor is a keen marathon runner? You\u2019d be foolish not to mention it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pitching is like dating \u2014 it\u2019s about trying to establish a relationship. And, just like dating, trying to use the same opening line with different people won\u2019t get you very far. Investors want to see that you\u2019re specifically interested in their fund and that, together, you can create a winning partnership.<\/span><\/p>\n

Customizing each pitch deck takes time but its impact cannot be underestimated. It\u2019s the connections and parallels you draw that will stick in an investor\u2019s mind and show that you\u2019re sharp, dedicated, and willing to go the extra mile \u2014 all qualities investors look for when it comes to writing a cheque.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pitch deck red flags<\/b><\/h2>\n

As well as tailoring your deck, making it look good and telling a story, there are a few glaring errors you must avoid at all costs. It seems incredibly obvious but the number of decks I\u2019ve seen with percentages that don\u2019t add up, calculations that are wrong, and where typos abound is beyond belief. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s an instant, permanent turn-off: if a startup can\u2019t handle the basics, no investor will trust them to handle their money.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also seen many companies try and mislead investors and this duplicity leaves a sour taste. We do check pitch decks and if you include customers that don\u2019t exist or team members that have already left, then we will find out. <\/span><\/p>\n

The same goes for investors who haven\u2019t agreed to back you or apparent \u2018advisors\u2019 who don\u2019t know anything about your business. Investors will sniff this stuff out. <\/span><\/p>\n

A no can lead to a yes<\/b><\/h2>\n

Securing investment is difficult but it is possible, and a strong pitch deck is central to achieving it. Investors aren\u2019t your enemy \u2014 we\u2019re looking to support fantastic, new companies and brave, innovative founders. <\/span><\/p>\n

A great pitch deck is in both of our interests, so make sure you pay attention to what works and show us what we want to see. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, even if your pitch isn\u2019t right for that particular investor, if it\u2019s good quality and avoids red flags, they are much more likely to pass it on to their network. <\/span><\/p>\n

VCs swim in a small pool and regularly swap tips and forward contacts; make a good impression and it could lead to a game-changing introduction. <\/span><\/p>\n

Published February 19, 2021 \u2014 08:22 UTC <\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some capture attention and excite interest. Others fade from memory quicker than you can say \u2018pre-seed.\u2019 I\u2019m talking about pitch decks. Every day, startups blow their shot at investor meetings and ideas…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3180,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3179"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3179\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}