Are you the owner or working at a startup? The pitch deck is an important thing to prepare when meeting with potential investors. Because one of the most important things that becomes the life of a startup is the capital obtained from investors.

Pitch decks are also very useful for introducing your startup in front of potential customers. So, you have to understand what a pitch deck is and start preparing it.

What are pitch decks?

Pitch deck is a short presentation that provides an overview of your business plan. With this help, you can explain what your product looks like to potential investors and get them interested in providing funding for your business. Pitch decks are usually created using a variety of tools such as PowerPoint, KeyNote, Prezi or Canva. 

After knowing what the function and understanding pitch deckare, the next is how to make it. pitch deck that you make must be short, clear, and interesting, because it will determine the progress forward. Here’s how to make pitch deck for your presentation.

How to make a pitch deck?

1. Prepare 10-12 slide presentations

mentioned in the explanation above that the pitch deck is a short and clear presentation. Therefore, you don’t need to make a lot of slides which will reduce the effectiveness of the presentation. The most ideal number of slides is 10 to 12. 

2. Include the name of the founder and team.

Mention and explain about the people involved in the formation of the startup. Also explain why these people were finally chosen. This section is also used to introduce your team to build closeness with potential investors, so that they are more confident in your solid team.

3. Provide an overview of the product

This section you can fill in with product photos in detail. If your product is a software or application, attach screenshots of all the important pages in it. Briefly describe your product.

4. Explain market potential information. 

This point contains an explanation of the problems that became your background in setting up a startup. Also explain how many people have experienced this problem, how you handled it, and the potential for turning it into a business. This is the most core part that you must convey to potential investors. The investor’s decision to finance your startup is very dependent on your explanation of the market potential.

5. Describe your business competitors

In this section, you must be able to explain who your competitors are and what advantages your business has over them. If necessary, you can also explain possible strategies to take market from these competitors. 

6. Mention business risks and anticipate

them. Building a business is certainly full of risks. Explain to investors what risks can happen to your business and include solutions if those risks occur. This is important to convince investors that they will not be in vain in investing in the business that you will create.

7. Determine the amount of funding you want to achieve 

In this case, investors also want to know how much money they have to spend to help your business grow. For example, when you want to get funds of Rp. 1 billion. So, you should not directly target that number, you should also mention the lowest range between IDR 500 million to IDR 1 billion. This is so that your efforts to receive more funding will be bigger and investors will also have more choices. It is also important to convey why you need these funds and how you manage them.

Pitch deck order

There are two types of slides, namely the main (required) and additional (optional).

Main slide

1. Summary
2. Problem
3. Solutions
4. Product marketing
5. Traction
6. Future plans

Additional slides

1. Team
2. Competitors
3. Money management
4. Marketing
5. Product development
6. User testimonials
7. Financial data

Pitch decks

Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin originally created Facebook as a social network for universities. When trying to pitch the idea to potential investors for the first time, they don’t yet have a clear business plan. Therefore, their presentation is not based on revenue indicators but rather uses facts and figures they already have, such as their customer base, user engagement and growth metrics.

Buffer

Buffer is one of the most popular social media management platforms used by marketers. This app allows you to schedule content on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The thing that causes their pitch decks to be sought after by many people is the presentation of solid facts and figures. This includes achievements including the number of users they have, annual revenue, and integration between apps.

Now you understand what things must be included in a pitch deck and how to make it. Making a pitch deck does have to be thought out carefully and carefully. But if your potential investors like the business plan that you create, then be prepared for your startup to get the funding you expect.

Also read other articles about Startups, business, innovation, and technology on Instagram @in.Ideanation or the website www.ideanation.id.