How to Make a Pitch Deck: Tips and Tricks for Crafting an Effective Presentation

Image from Pixabay - CC0 License

How to Make a Pitch Deck

Being able to pitch your business effectively is essential. Whether you're looking for funding in the early stages of your startup or trying to grow an established business, a persuasive pitch gets the attention of potential investors. Your pitch deck is your go-to presentation that you should have ready to go. A well-crafted pitch deck should demonstrate to investors why they should consider investing and how they'll benefit.

There are various ways to approach the creation of your presentation. In addition to putting together your slides, you'll also want to consider what you need to say to support your slides when giving your presentation in person.

Planning Your Pitch Deck

When you're considering how to make a pitch deck, you may want to plan two separate decks. One version can feature more detailed text so that it can be emailed to investors, while the other can lean more on visuals so that it can be used for an in-person presentation. Tailoring your pitch deck to your audience is a key part of planning it. You will also need to consider a few more specific details, such as how many slides to include and what information and facts should feature.

Captivating Visuals

Your pitch deck's visuals are essential for capturing the attention of investors. At the same time, they need to support what you're saying, rather than detract from it. When you create a pitch deck for investors, think about how your visuals are going to help important facts stand out and draw attention to what you want them to know. Your visuals are also a chance to use consistent branding and present information in a clear and simple way. Keep each slide interesting, changing up the layout slightly, to keep your audience's attention.

Crafting a Compelling Story

Good storytelling is at the core of how to make a good pitch deck. A compelling story draws in your audience and helps to get investors emotionally invested in your business. Although they want to make cold, hard business decisions, they will still be drawn to businesses they can connect with. Crafting a story of how your business idea came to be and what your goals and values are will help you make your pitch more than just facts and data. Show the humanity behind your business too.

Key Message Clarity

The one thing you need to ensure you get right in your pitch deck is the clarity of your key message. It's vital to get across the main point you want to make, including the USP of your product, your mission, and the future of your business. Define your key message so that throughout your pitch you can remain focused on it and keep reiterating it. Use clear and precise language to avoid losing focus and make your key points easy to understand.

Image from Pixabay - CC0 License

Engaging Your Audience

Keeping your audience engaged is obviously a must when creating a pitch deck for investors. You should use a combination of your slide visuals, your language, and your own presentation skills to achieve this. Start with a captivating hook that gets them to pay attention. This could be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a short and interesting story. Think about who your audience is and what they care about. If you want them to invest, you need not just a stand-out idea but also the evidence to show how investing will benefit them.

Perfecting Your Delivery

You might be able to create a beautiful set of slides, but can you deliver your presentation effectively? Not everyone feels completely comfortable with public speaking, but being able to present your pitch deck with confidence is vital to your success. Before you start presenting to investors, practicing your delivery will allow you to perfect the skills you need. You need to do more than simply read from your slides, speaking directly to your audience, and expanding on the key facts.

Pro Tips for Pitch Deck Success

Follow these tips for a professional pitch deck that increases your chances of success:

●      Tailor your pitch deck to your audience

●      Keep it clear and simple

●      Use compelling storytelling

●      Back up your claims with facts and data

●      Appeal to investors' emotions

●      Focus on your key messaging throughout

●      Make it visual

●      Include a call to action

In Summary

Your pitch deck needs to engage your target audience quickly and succinctly give them the facts and figures. At the same time, it should engage the emotions of potential investors to get them invested on more than just a financial level.