“When we are selling our ideas, the audience must first buy us.” ― Peter Coughter
What is the key to turning your innovative idea into a successful business?
A successful pitch gets investors interested in your business. This could lead to a sizable investment down the road.
How do I overcome the hurdle of having my idea heard?
With your presentation, of course!
If you’re looking for a workable formula for your pitches, make sure you have these 9 slides.
1. Vision and value proposition
Capture their attention with your vision and value proposition. Describe your business in simple terms. Reiterate the value you provide to customers.
2. Pain point or problem
You may not be saving the world, but every business is trying to solve a problem. Utilise relatable stories or real-life examples to convey what the problem is and who it affects.
Provide details on how you fit in this competitive market. Focus on the USP that sets you apart.
3. Target market and competition
Move on to profiling your customer base. This is where you mention the two things of interest to investors – market share and scope. Be specific about accessible market. Play conservative with customer figures to keep your pitch realistic.
4. Solution
Time to unleash your product or service. Show your audience how your company solves this problem, addressing customers’ needs and potential hurdles.
Share solutions from the perspective of current and future customers. Use visuals, data and stories to describe positive outcomes.
5. Revenue
Bring on the money talk:
- What are your rates?
- Who are your billable customers?
- How does your pricing fit within the target market?
- How will you position yourself amongst your competitors?
6. Validation
If you have an established business, this is where you reveal your success stories. Validate your idea with the success of your past business model and future milestones.
Start-ups should focus on immediate goals and press their case with survey studies and market research.
7. Marketing strategy
Ignore this slide to your own peril:
- How is your start-up going to attract new customers?
- How are you going to expand your profitable business?
- What is your sales plan?
- What is your marketing strategy?
Show your firm grasp of customer behaviour. Reveal those tactics that provide an edge over opponents. Highlight your team – current or future. Mention their strengths, expertise and experience.
8. Financials
Investors tend to put money in game changing, socially empowering or profitable ventures. Let your key financials show them what they can achieve with you.
Make your data easy to understand. Use charts and other visual data for projected income, customer share, possible expenses and expected profits.
9. Fund use
You’ve finally reached the goal behind this entire pitch deck. Asking for money? Not exactly. You’re asking for a chance to get funding.
Explain why you need money and how you’ll utilise it. If you have other investors, speak about them and why they chose your business.
Have you created presentations pitches for investors? What other slides do you think would make useful additions?
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