Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Pitch Deck
Picture this: You’ve got the next big idea. You’re ready to revolutionize your industry or at least what your business has to offer. Now, all you need is to convince investors or stakeholders that you’re the real deal. That’s where the pitch deck comes in, serving as the golden ticket to securing funding, partnerships, or even sparking interest that could land your idea in the right hands. But here’s the kicker: A pitch deck can either make or break your chances.
A killer pitch deck should tell your story, highlight value and prompt action. However, many fail to craft such a pitch deck, meaning it often falls flat, which can all be traced to some avoidable mistakes. If you’ve ever experienced this or are crafting a pitch deck and want to leave no room for doubts, you’re in the right place. Read on for the top five mistakes to avoid and get your pitch deck the ultimate weapon into investors’ pockets.
1. Too many slides and words
Less is more: that’s what minimalism is all about, which has proven vital in practically every aspect of modern settings. One of the biggest pitfalls in creating a pitch deck is overloading it with slides and text. Sure, you have much to say about your business, but bombarding your audience with too much information will only overwhelm them. A pitch deck is not your life story; it’s the highlight reel.
A great way to avoid this pitfall is to use the popular 10/20/30 rule coined by Guy Kawasaki. This basically means:
- Use 10 slides
- Presentation spanning 20 minutes or less
- A font size of at least 30 points
This guideline helps ensure that you aren’t using too many slides, and with the font size, avoid overwhelming the slides with words that could make the presentation lengthy and potentially boring. With this strategy, you’ll easily focus more on the essential information like your problem, solution, market opportunity, business model, and financials and save the rest for the Q&A session or a detailed follow-up document.
2. Cluttered deck pitch with poor design and layout
Your pitch deck might have all the right information, but it is game over if it looks like a chaotic mess. Visual appeal matters a lot, and this should also stick to the minimalism strategy. A cluttered design makes too much distracting noise. Avoid concerns like:
- Many plus mismatched fonts
- Inconsistent colors and
- Random images
Such a combination may seem like a creative way to make the design pop with color. However, it will likely look cluttered and distract the audience from your message. This is not to mention that such a strategy can easily make your pitch deck seem unprofessional, meaning the audience won’t take you seriously.
A simple way to avoid clutter and poor design is to opt for a clean, consistent layout. You can achieve this by choosing a color palette aligning with your brand and avoiding the temptation to overload the slides with animations or transition effects. Designing may not be your strong suit, and an easier way to get a great pitch deck is to work with professionals. This will ensure that you use a well-polished and organized deck that shows that you’re serious and detail-oriented, traits that investors value.
3. All data without creative and compelling storytelling
Facts and figures are crucial, but they won’t win hearts or wallets on their own. A pitch deck is about presenting numbers and weaving them into a narrative that captivates your audience. Data tells the “what,” but your story tells the “why.”
To infuse a compelling data-driven narrative, start by identifying the core story you want to tell, that is, the answer to questions including:
- What problem are you solving?
- Why does it matter?
- How does your solution change the game?
From here, you can create a story and use your data to support and enhance that narrative. For example, don’t simply show a bar graph with market growth statistics, but instead, creatively explain how those trends reflects a growing demand for your product or service.
Remember to touch the audience’s emotions since people connect with passion and purpose, not numbers. Sharing your motivation or a success story that highlights your impact is an effective strategy that can invoke an emotional response. Once you balance hard data with human connection through creative storytelling, you create a credible and memorable pitch deck that’ll win your audience.
4. Excessive industry jargon and acronyms
You’re an expert in your field, but chances are your audience is not. Therefore, the last thing you want is to alienate the audience by using too many technical terms as you try to showcase your field expertise. Clarity is everything, which is why you must know your audience when crafting any presentation.
Researching the audience ensures that you use a language they’ll easily understand. Overall, you should strive to use plain, straightforward language that will keep your audience engaged and ensure they understand your message. This way, it won’t seem like you’re trying too much to show how much industry expertise and experience you have but communicate the message clearly to win the audience’s hearts.
The bottom line is to remember that your goal is to make your pitch accessible to everyone in the room, not just those who speak your professional lingo.
5. Lack of a clear call to action
You’ve impressed your audience with your pitch, but what happens next? If your deck doesn’t include a clear call to action (CTA), you’re leaving potential results on the table. The CTA is your chance to guide your audience toward the outcome you want. This may mean asking the audience to schedule a follow-up meeting, commit to an investment, or sign up for a demo.
Without a specific and actionable CTA, you can’t expect the audience to know the next step. A smart way to ensure the CTA is effective is by dedicating a slide to it. Use this slide to outline the next steps, ensuring the audience has all the information needed, such as contact information and essential dates. This way, you’ll leave no room for confusion that could see you lose valuable investors who didn’t know what to do or reach out. Even better, a strong CTA leaves a lasting impression, significantly increasing the chances of the pitch deck delivering better outcomes.
Considering its potential impact on your business, creating a pitch deck can be quite overwhelming. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll have an easier time since you already have set yourself up for success. The bottom line is that the pitch deck should be concise, visually appealing, grounded in a compelling story delivered in your audience’s language, and always end with a clear call to action. This way, you’ll ensure that the pitch deck effectively represents your vision and potential enough to prompt the audience to take the desired action.
