5 Pitch Deck Mistakes That Can Keep You From Getting Funded

5 Pitch Deck
Mistakes
That Can Keep You From
Getting Funded

Pitch decks are important to securing funding for your startup.

But how do you avoid the common mistakes that can keep you from getting funded?

Here are 5 pitch deck mistakes to avoid when raising funds.

Telling a good story is a vital skill for every entrepreneur.

Good stories are persuasive and convey your vision with passion and enthusiasm.
Some examples

Compelling stories connect emotionally, capturing attention,
and open investors up to wanting to learn more.

Use cases, are stories which help investors visualize
how your customer benefits from your solution.

“The classic partner in a VC firm is exposed to 5,000 pitches, in a single year.”
!
- Reid Hoffman, Greylock Partners

A ton of information is time consuming to read.

MESSAGE
INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO
INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO MESSAGE INFO INFO
1 minute read 1 second read

INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO INFO MESSAGE INFO INFO
MESSAGE
I’m confused? Got it!

“Less is more in fundraising slides.
You can explain your business in mind numbing detail,
or you can inspire an investor.”
!
- Fred Wilson, Union Square Ventures

Listing features, not benefits
3

Investors want to know what value you create for your customer.

Most customers only care
about what’s in it for them.

So, show what’s in it for them.

Benefits:
Features:
Example: Macbook Air
54-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
PCIe-based flash storage
802.11ac Wi-Fi
All day battery
Starts up instantly
Blazing fast downloads
So what? Shutup and take my money!

If you can't tie features to benefits for your customer,
perhaps you have a solution in search of a problem.
!
Which leads to my next point…

Clearly articulate the problem you are solving,
it’s key to setting up the rest of the pitch.

“A problem well stated, is a problem half solved.”
!
- Charles Kettering, American Inventor

A painful problem which investors can relate to,
leaves them wanting to know your solution.

“Pitch the problem first, connect with your audience emotionally around the problem,
and then, and ONLY then, offer your solution as the remedy to that problem.”
!
- Dave McClure, 500 Startups

It’s tempting to list multiple problems, to prove you’ll be big.

Instead, start with a specific problem, and present your vision for tackling others later.

A “cool” solution in search of a problem is a red flag for investors.

Claiming there’s no competitors
5

“There is nothing new under the sun.”
!
- Ecclesiastes 1:9

Generally, there will already be a competing solution to the problem,
either directly or indirectly.

Claiming there’s zero competition shows a lack of research
and depth of knowledge regarding your specific market.

If there’s no competitors pursuing a similar opportunity,
perhaps they’re not impressed, and don’t feel it’s a valuable one.

Summary
1 Tell a good story
2 Don’t add too much info
3 Convey benefits, not features
4 Focus on one problem
5 Research your competitors
Found this useful?
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Do you know any other mistakes entrepreneurs make,
that keep them from getting funded?
!
!
Leave a comment below.

Need a hand with your pitch?
www.deckworks.co

Designed by:
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!
!
!
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Mike Viney
deck works.co
mike@deckworks.co
! @deckworksco
Read the extended blog post on Orrick Total Access
‘5 Pitch Deck Mistakes
That Can Keep You From
Getting Funded’
Image Credits: Yuri Beletsky, Thephotographymuse, Jill Greenberg, TechCrunch, Joi Ito, Sam Hawley

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5 Pitch Deck Mistakes That Can Keep You From Getting Funded

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