7 slides you must include in your investor pitch deck

The key to a successful pitch is to be clear and concise with what your company is and what it does. It's a lot easier to keep things short and sweet when you start with a clear mission statement. From there, you can highlight the problem your company solves or the opportunity it's capitalizing on. And from there, you can move onto how you do what you do, highlighting the key differentiators that separate your company from its competitors. Finally, you can share how your business is performing and where you're headed next.

Concise mission statement

A pitch deck for a fundraising campaign should include a clear, concise mission statement for the company. This helps potential donors and investors understand the organization's goals, and how their contributions will be used. It also gives employees, volunteers and board members a clear idea of what the organization hopes to accomplish.

Your vision is what you see as the future state of your organization after the fundraising event has been completed. It is a snapshot of what you aspire to achieve and what you hope will transpire. It is a very important factor in a fundraising pitch deck as it is the guiding force that drives your organization, and it also gives your investors something to look forward to.

The quality of your team

We always include a slide that highlights our team's diverse experience and skills. Investors like to see a diverse team because it shows that the business is ready for scale and is a good representation of the target market. It's also a good way to highlight team members' different perspectives and how those perspectives can contribute to the business.

Most early stage investors weigh their impression of the founding team very highly in their investment decision "' it makes sense, as they are taking a big risk after all. So showing them that you have a well-rounded team is a great way to impress and give them confidence that you can execute.

Your achievements to date

It's always a good idea to include a slide that covers the impact your organization has made so far. This can be in the form of testimonials from beneficiaries, photos from the field, or even financial information showing the value of the work you do. This helps to give a sense of the scale of your organization and the impact your work is having. This can also be an opportunity to ask for funds to continue this work.

Many fundraisers make the mistake of focusing too much on themselves and their organization. But potential donors want to know how their money will be used to help others. Highlighting compelling stories of individuals who were helped by your work is a sure-fire way to get your audience on board.

Highlight your competitive advantages

What sets you apart from the competition? Investors want to know what makes your product or service different from the competition. Highlight your unique selling proposition (USP) and the benefits it offers customers. If your USP is innovative or cutting-edge, emphasize that aspect. If your USP is cost-efficient, highlight the monetary savings it affords customers. Investors want to invest in a company that stands out from the crowd and offers something unique.

How you will spend the capital you raise

The main goal of a fundraising pitch deck is to convince investors to invest in your company. As such, the most important slide is the one that details how you will spend the money you raise. Investors want to know that the money they are investing will be used effectively and will help the company succeed.

Every fundraising pitch deck should include a slide that details exactly how you intend to use the funds you are raising. This slide should include a breakdown of how much money will be spent on each area of expenditure. For example, you might explain that you will spend 20% of the funds on marketing, 15% on research and development, and so on. This way, investors know that their money will be spent effectively and will help the company to grow.

How the money will make a difference in your market and community

Showing how the funds will be used is vital to a successful fundraising pitch, but you also need to show how those funds will make a difference. This could be through the number of people the project has helped, the number of lives it will change, or the impact it has on the community. This could be through statistics, photos, or testimonials. Explaining the impact of the project, and how the funds will help make that impact even greater, will encourage potential donors to invest in the project.

Financial Projections

One slide that is critical to include in an investor pitch deck is a financial projection. Investors will want to see a clear picture of where the company will be in the future, and a financial projection is the best way to showcase this. Make sure to include both a conservative and a more ambitious projection, as this will show that the company aims to be ambitious without being unrealistic. Additionally, make sure that the financial projections are thoughtfully constructed and well-researched.

Final thoughts

The most important thing to remember is to keep it simple. Investors are looking to invest in a business idea that is feasible and scalable. They don't want to invest in something that is overly complicated or overly specific. Be sure to keep your pitch simple and relatable.

If you feel you are ready to create a more in depth pitck deck, you could include a challenge solution slide and a business model slide.

Also, be sure to address any red flags that you may have in your business. If you have something that is a concern that may turn off investors, be sure to address it and explain how you are working to resolve it. If you want more feedback on your deck, be sure to check out our pitch deck review tool.

Good luck pitching!