Pitch Deck Frequently Asked Questions -

What is a Pitch Deck?

A Pitch Deck is a short presentation file that provides an overview of your business ideas and solutions. It is a visual, condensed, and action-oriented version of a business or project plan designed to drive action. That action can be anything:

Book client or investor meetings
Raise funds from investors
Get a business loan or government grant
Get budget approval
Get more clients
Sell more products
Attract business partners
Get new affiliates and sponsors
Attract better employees
Or even land yourself a fancy new executive job

The word “Pitch” refers to a sales-oriented communication style. And the term “Deck” means presentation slides usually created by tools like PowerPoint, Keynote, or similar software.

The visual presentation slide format is more versatile than long-winded documents. You can convey your message using short statements and data visualization. Plus, presentation slides are easier to repurpose for multiple applications, including investor presentations, sales presentations, business proposals, and business style guides.

What is the purpose of a Pitch Deck?

A Pitch Deck is a short and action-oriented version of your business or project plan designed to attract and onboard three primary audiences:

Investor Communication: Investors include people or organizations that can financially support your business, ideas, or solutions through loans, grants, or investments. Investors need to know if your solution is viable and can generate a return on investment in a reasonable time.
Market Communication: Your market includes clients, customers, strategic partners, affiliates, sponsors, vendors, and suppliers. Your market needs to know that you have quality and reliable products and services worth producing, purchasing, or promoting.
Internal Communication: Your teams need to know your goals, updates, and guidelines so they can help you bring your vision to reality.

Many get stuck in the investor conversation. But the reality is that investors will not be interested in your solutions unless they know you are filling a market need and have a team to help you bring your solution to market.

Start by clarifying your market needs first. If you know your market and ideal customer well and are focused on creating viable and profitable solutions, you’ll find it much easier to get the finance and support audiences on your side.

What is a Pitch Deck for business?

A Pitch Deck for business is a short presentation file that conveys the purpose of your business and the benefits of your solutions from your target buyer’s perspective.

That’s why many salespeople also use the term “Pitch Deck” to refer to any sales presentation.

What is a Pitch Deck for investors?

An investor Pitch Deck is a short presentation file that answers the top questions most investors have about your business, ideas, or solutions. Your presentation needs to prove the following three points:

Desirability: Is your solution filling a market need, and do customers want it?
Feasibility: What key resources, activities, and partners do you need to deliver your solutions? How much will they cost you?
Viability: Can you make sustained, predictable, and scalable profits that can cover all your expenses and deliver a return on investment?

Some investors are interested in huge returns and look for companies with unique solutions, massive growth potential, and a clear exit strategy.

Other investors are interested in stable businesses with a predictable business model and can generate consistent cash flow over time.

Government and non-profit organizations are interested in sustainable solutions and job creation.

Get clear on your business model, industry, and income potential before you create your Pitch Deck or approach any investors.

How long should a Pitch Deck be?

Pitch Decks are usually between 10 – 20 slides but can sometimes be shorter or longer.

You’ll need to create different versions of your Pitch Deck to fit your audience and their temperature.

Use a short, high-level Pitch Deck when talking to a cold audience that does not know you well. As you build that relationship from a warm to a hot audience, you can include additional details to help close the sale.

Either way, be prepared and create your Master Pitch Deck first. Your Master Pitch Deck will include all the details about your project, business, or solutions.

Your Master Pitch Deck is a living document. It will never be perfect, and it will never be final. That is the file you keep updated with the latest details and data on your business, ideas, and solutions.

You can then export variations of your Pitch Deck to fit different audiences, industries, and use cases.

What should a good Pitch Deck include?

A good Pitch Deck would answer all the questions your potential audience could have, including objections.

What is the purpose of your idea, business, or proposed solutions?
What problem are you solving?
Who needs to solve this problem?
Why do they need to solve this problem now?
What is your proposed solution?
What are the benefits of your solutions?
Do you have any proprietary or unique technology?
How does your business make money? Or how will your proposed ideas and solutions make or save money for your target audience?
What is your market size?
Do you have proof that you can get the job done?
What makes your solutions different or better from similar providers?
How do you plan to get the first few buyers?
How do you plan to get ongoing and repeat sales?
What is your Customer Acquisition Cost and Lifetime Value of a Customer?
Who else is on your team that can help you deliver your solutions?
What are your business or financial goals?
What do you want your audience to do next?

See the image below for a typical Pitch Deck presentation outline.

Your master Pitch Deck will need to include all the details. However, you can export shorter variations to send as teaser content.

Teaser content might include your problem/solution narrative only. If your audience is interested in solving the problem you described and the proposed solution, they will ask for the supporting details.

What is the Pitch Deck Structure

There are many Pitch Deck templates and outlines that you can model. Generally, they follow a similar presentation outline but differ slightly based on your industry and business objectives.

Some industries might focus on proprietary solutions, growth potential, and exit strategy, while others might focus on sustainable growth and reliable cash flow.

We did all the legwork, reviewed them, and grouped them into an outline that tells your business story.

Based on your audience and business needs, you decide what elements you share and how you order your slides.

Part One: Explains how your ideas or solutions satisfy a market need. And it helps you communicate that need.
Part Two: Explains how your business can make money, stay competitive and grow. If you are promoting an idea or project, you’ll need to demonstrate how implementing your proposed solutions can help your audience make money, stay relevant and grow.
Part Three: Shows your business goals and projections and helps your audience understand if what you have is worth their time and money.

How much does a Pitch Deck cost?

Pitch Deck costs can vary based on the type of presentation and the amount of work needed. See our blog about Pitch Deck pricing for more details.

Pitch Deck Recommendations

Start by creating your Master Pitch Deck. A Master Pitch Deck will include all the slide variations for different audiences, industries, and use cases. Your Pitch Deck is a living document, so you’ll need to keep all the messaging and data up to date.

Anytime you have a meeting or need a business proposal or sales presentation, you can export any relevant slides to a new file you present to your select audience.

Pitch Deck Frequently Asked Questions