1. Investor pitches
THAT WIN

2. Avoiding death by powerpoint

3. Jump right into a
conversation about
your awesome product
Get lost in the demo
Show only top-down
market data
Show a business with
users but no revenue
Be just like others in the category
How to FAIL an investor pitch
Claim you have no
competitors
Have an inconceivable,
expensive or unreasonable
marketing plan
Need cash YESTERDAY
Stretch the truth
Show up unprepared
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4. Characteristics of
pitches that WIN
…all in the first 30–60 seconds.
A story everyone
can relate to
Clear evidence
that there is a
HUGE problem
A vision for what the
world would look
like if you eliminated
that problem

5. …and in the next
10 MINUTES…
Proof that your company can credibly
provide the solution, conveyed with
language that appeals to the masses
and words and images that jump off
the page*.
*In about 10 slides.
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Market validation
and proof Positioning validation
(consumer +
business audience)
Messaging
strategy
The right level
of detail
Visual and verbal
storytelling
So, how
do we get
THERE?

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And what
does it look
like when
WE DO?
A pitch that takes 60
seconds rather than
60 minutes
A 10 slide deck that
serves as an artifact
of the conversation
Requests for additional
information/follow-up
60
10
?

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STRUCTURE of a pitch deck
1
COMPANY
PURPOSE
30 – 60 seconds.
“We are the X for Y.”
2
PROBLEM/ PAIN
Obvious and huge.
How many people
have it?
3
SOLUTION
What the world
looks like when
you’ve solved it.
DEMO
Hit the high
notes. Don’t
get lost in
features.
CONTACT SLIDE
Make sure they know how to get in touch.
4
MARKET SIZE
Top down – provided
by someone else.
Bottoms up – calculate
users x usage =
revenue.
5
BUSINESS
MODELS
How are you going
to make money?
Simple revenue
models win.
6
UNFAIR
ADVANTAGE
Investors get
REALLY excited
by an unfair
advantage.
7
COMPETITION
Don’t say you don’t
have any. Who they
are, why they suck
and how you’re
better.
9
TEAM
It can’t just be you.
Show us just how
awesome they are.
TRACTION AND MILESTONES
What have you done to date? What’s coming?
8
MARKETING
PLAN
Customer
acquisition plan.
Volume, cost
and conversion.
10

9. BEST practices
Reel them in
with a good
hook
Know your
audience
Combine
storytelling,
selling and
conversation
Honor the connection
among heart, mind
and wallet
Avoid excruciating product detail
Don’t expect to be the smartest
person in the room
Consider it a learning experience
Have a memorable closing
ONE THOUGHT PER SLIDE

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BEFORE
presentation day:
ON
presentation day:
Practice. Practice. Practice.
Test your story with your
grandmother, your barista or
your third-grade teacher
Anticipate questions/objections
and prepare responses
Be prepared for ANYTHING
Be prepared to be interrupted
Answer EVERY question
Wear deodorant
Don’t pick a fight
Don’t bluff

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Other
TIPS
Provide access to backup information:
- Research data
- Detailed financials
- Detailed business models and projections
- In-depth team bios
- Variety of use-cases (if appropriate)
The deck is important but the conversation,
even more so.
File size should be appropriate for email.
No matter if using PowerPoint or another
presentation tool, keep it simple.

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Let’s start
SOMETHING
512.445.4807
info@solmarketing.com
904 West Ave.
Suite 102
Austin, Texas 78701