So you need to create a business plan presentation for investors.
This is also known as a pitch deck or a slideshow, but in the end, it’s simply a PowerPoint presentation that provides an overview of your startup to potential investors.
What’s the catch?
A PowerPoint presentation sounds simple enough, but as a Professional Business Plan Consultant, I often see entrepreneurs get hung up on this.
It surprises many of my clients to find out that not everyone needs a presentation. I often steer entrepreneurs away from building one unless it is truly needed.
You need a business plan presentation when you are:
- Pitching for more than $500,000.
- Pitching investors in a group.
- Pitching to a single investor you don’t know personally.
Otherwise, unless your investor specifically asks for a business plan presentation, you probably only need to have your business plan handy.
Now, if you are in the camp that does need a presentation, you definitely want to make sure it’s done right! An investor can reject a great business plan because of a bad presentation.
Before going into the details on how to craft a solid PowerPoint presentation, I’m going to talk about what a pitch deck is not.
Your Pitch Deck Is NOT…
Your pitch deck is not your business plan crammed into a PowerPoint presentation. If your slides are too wordy, you need to start over. When in doubt, go for short and sweet.
Your pitch deck is also not a standalone document. It is merely an aide to your in-person presentation — not the star of the show. You shouldn’t be reading from your slides like a teleprompter, but rather glancing at the screen occasionally to reference your next point.
Another mistake I often see entrepreneurs make with their business plan presentation is stuffing countless slides into their presentation. Take care to limit the number of slides you use. You should have 15-20 slides — tops. If you’re higher than that, start condensing. If you feel compelled to include additional information you think is vital, incorporate it in an appendix.
A word of caution: Avoid the urge to cover everything in the pitch deck. You don’t want to blast investors with information. This is your opportunity to punctuate important elements during your in-person presentation. For now, focus on captivating them with your idea, not with exposing them to every micro-element of your business concept.
Overall, you want to communicate one idea per slide. Slides should contain clear and concise bullet points. Go for simplicity — you don’t want to force your investors to tune you out as they wade through wordy details on the screen.
What to Include in Your PowerPoint
You do need to talk strategy and numbers in your business plan presentation. Spend enough time outlining how you’re going to market your idea and how it’ll generate revenue.
Have one slide dedicated to each of the following:
- Your team
- The market & what is the market need
- What your market entry strategy is to meet that need
- What your business has already accomplished
When it comes to the financials, don’t go over them in excess, though. For instance, a bird’s eye revenues, costs, and margin should be snapshots on one slide. Another slide should explain your asking amount for funding, and how you will use that funding. With these two things, most entrepreneurs can rest assured that they covered what they needed in terms of financial overview in the slides.
Strategy for When You’re Having Trouble with Your Business Plan Presentation
It’s important to be able to identify early on if public speaking is not your strong suit. That’s okay. Just be sure you’re aware of it so you can take measures to deliver a powerful presentation.
Many of my clients use my pitch consult services to get them ready for pitching to investors in a powerful way. Sometimes, I even accompany clients on pitch meetings as a partner – just to make sure the presentation goes smoothly with the investor.
It’s important that you convey confidence in your idea — not trepidation and hesitation. Address your nervousness head-on now before you’re in the spotlight. You have several options, ranging from hiring a professional to go along with you, to practicing with a professional pitch consultant, to having someone else on your internal team do the talking.
Do not, however, miss out on an opportunity to deliver a business plan presentation because of fear. You have many alternatives at your disposal — practice using them, and schedule a meeting with me if you need support on your business plan and pitch.
