If you feel the need for speed, we suggest grouping the slides into a series of phases or deck sprints. They are as follows:
Phase 1: Are you heading in the right direction?
Before you start it helps to know where you are trying to end up. We strongly recommend you start with these playbooks, so you understand the big ideas and can develop a winning strategy and story:
• Pitch deck 101
• Pitch deck strategy
• Pitch deck story and design
Phase 2: What business are you really in?
This seems an odd question to ask, but often it is only when you start putting your deck together that the answer becomes clear. You need to have a clear and coherent answers to the biggest questions: why are you in business? What problem are you solving? What market are you targeting, how is it changing and where are you positioned? Tackle these playbooks next:
• Purpose
• Problem
• Competitive landscape
Phase 3: How appealing is the investment opportunity?
It makes sense to quantify the investment opportunity as soon as possible and find out how much you are likely to need from investors. This will drive many of the answers on your other slides. So complete these playbooks next:
• Financials
• The Ask
Phase 4: How distinctive is your offer?
The next part of the deck relates to what you are offering customers, how well it solves their problem and how much more value it creates for them than other alternatives. Tackle these together:
• Solution
• Value proposition
• Product
Phase 5: Are you making sufficient progress?
Investors want to know that you are on track, have plans to carry on your momentum and are building to something big. These playbooks address these questions:
• Traction & Go to Market
• Growth
• Business model
You only have to include a growth slide if you are in market, but your future marketing plans will also help you to validate your finances and business model
Phase 6: How big can this become?
There are two sides to this question. One is how large (i.e. how big and exciting) can your business become? The other is how large can it become (given market conditions and dynamics)? As such, tackling these together will help you:
• Market
• Why now
Phase 7: Who matters?
Delivery is everything, and investors want to know who they are dealing with. Finish with these two playbooks, covering who is on your team and who is managing investor engagement:
• Team
• Contact
In seven steps you will reach your destination. How long this takes depends on your existing knowledge, the need to use tools to solve any problems, and the state of your financial modelling. Aim to spend at least an hour on each guide and slide if you can.
