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How to Effectively Pitch a Business Idea

• 27 Aug 2020

You’ve identified an underserved need and validated your startup idea . Now it’s time to talk about your business to potential investors. Yet, how do you effectively communicate your idea’s promise and possible impact on the market?

Pitching a business idea is one of the most nerve-wracking parts of any entrepreneur’s journey. It’s what stands in the way between your vision and the financing needed to turn it into a reality. Although daunting, there are steps you can take to ensure a greater chance of success.

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What Makes a Great Pitch?

To make a successful pitch, entrepreneurs must exhibit several characteristics to convince investors to fund their innovative ideas .

Every entrepreneur needs an intricate understanding of their idea, target market, growth strategy, product-market fit , and overall business model . This differentiates your business concept and solidifies the steps needed to make it a reality. The perfect pitch shows investors your proof of concept and instills confidence that they can expect a return on investment .

Another crucial component of a successful pitch is understanding the venture capital (VC) ecosystem.

“It’s critical for entrepreneurs to understand the background and motivations of venture capitalists so when entrepreneurs seek them out to help fund their venture, they know what to prioritize in a firm and how to build a strong, trusting relationship,” says Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer Jeffrey Bussgang in the online course Launching Tech Ventures .

To secure funding and support, here are essential steps to ensure your pitch is effective.

How to Pitch a Business Idea

1. know who you’re pitching.

Some entrepreneurs try to get in front of every investor, despite their industry expertise or firm’s investment stage. Consider that, when you accept an investment, it’s about more than money; you enter a partnership. You must perform your due diligence and research potential investors before making your pitch.

When researching, ask yourself:

What industries do they invest in?

A VC firm’s industry focus depends on what the partners’ niche is and where their passions lie. Some firms specialize in a particular sector, such as financial technology (fintech) or education technology (edtech).

For example, Rethink Education is a venture capital fund that invests in early- and growth-stage edtech startups, while Blockchain Capital is dedicated to financing companies innovating in the crypto market. Others are generalists and span several industries.

Knowing the types of companies the firm invests in can help you tailor your pitch and zero in on their presumed priorities.

What stage do they invest in?

If you’re in the earliest stages of business development, you won’t receive growth equity, which is reserved for mature companies that need capital to expand operations, enter a new market, or acquire another business. Before making your pitch, have a rough estimate of the money and resources you need to launch, and then align yourself with investors who can help at that particular stage.

What’s the investor’s track record?

Dig deeper into the investor’s experience and investment history to determine the types of companies they typically finance, the background knowledge they might already have, and whether your personalities will mesh. This information will enable you to modify your pitch and determine if this is the right person or fund to partner with.

“The best venture capitalists become trusted partners and advisors to the founders and team,” says HBS Professor William Sahlman in the online course Entrepreneurship Essentials . “They help recruit key employees. They introduce the company to potential customers. They help raise subsequent rounds of capital. In some cases, they signal that the firm they've backed is a winner, which helps make that assertion true.”

Given the benefits and high stakes, the more you know going into a pitch, the better.

2. Consider How You Present Yourself, Not Simply Your Idea

Although your ideas and skills matter , your personality is equally as important. According to research published in the Harvard Business Review , venture capitalists’ interest in a startup “was driven less by judgments that the founder was competent than by perceptions about character and trustworthiness.”

Investors also want to know they’re entering a partnership with the right people. Jennifer Fonstad, co-founder of Aspect Ventures , acknowledges in Entrepreneurship Essentials that her investment firm “thinks about team and team dynamics as being very critical.”

Investors want to know whether the founders have worked together before, if your startup’s early hires have complementary skill sets, and whether you’ll be flexible, open-minded, and willing to embrace different perspectives.

Think about this as you prepare your pitch. If investors poke holes in your idea, will you get defensive? When they ask for financial projections, will you exaggerate the numbers? Hopefully, your answers are “no”—firms want to partner with founders they can trust who are open to guidance and mentorship—but if you’re second-guessing your reactions, consider what you might be asked and practice your responses.

As Sahlman reinforces in Entrepreneurship Essentials : “Most experienced investors look at the people first and the opportunity second. Even when a team is young and inexperienced, an investor depends on them to make the right decisions.”

3. Tell a Story

When describing your business idea, zero in on the problem you address for your target audience and how you solve it better than the competition. You could do this by presenting a real-life scenario in which you describe the pain point a current or prospective customer faced and how your product or service fixed the issue. This can help engage investors on a personal level and inspire them to see your idea’s potential.

By complementing your spreadsheets and charts with a compelling story, you can paint a fuller picture of your startup’s future and more effectively highlight its business opportunity.

4. Cover the Details

While it’s important to set the stage, you also need to cover the specifics. In your pitch deck, concisely define your value proposition and share a memorable tagline for investors to leave the meeting with.

According to Bussgang in Launching Tech Ventures , every pitch to an investor should contain the following:

• Intro: Focus on answering important questions like who you are, why you’re asking for funding, and what your founder-market fit is.
• Problem: Talk about your ideal customer’s pain point and how you plan to solve it.
• Solution: Explain how your idea is a compelling solution and why it’s better than existing solutions.
• Opportunity and Market Size: Provide your total addressable market (TAM), serviceable addressable market (SAM), and serviceable obtainable market (SOM) through research.
• Competitive Analysis: Understand your unique differences in the market that can help you sustain a competitive advantage.
• Go-to-Market Plan: Clarify how you’re going to reach your customers.
• Business Model: Describe how you’re going to make money.
• Financials: Define what your financial projections are and how you’re going to provide returns for investors.
• The Ask: Detail how much funding you need, how long it will last, and what milestones you hope to achieve.

“VCs will expect entrepreneurs to clearly define the milestones they need to achieve with each round of funding,” Bussgang continues. “Entrepreneurs should know what experiments they will run to reach these milestones and what they expect the results will be.”

5. Show the Roadmap

Although you’re in your business’s early stages, investors want to know how they’ll cash out in the end.

“To truly understand the motivations behind VC firms, remember that they are professional investors,” Bussgang explains in Launching Tech Ventures . “Their objective is to generate the maximum return for their limited partners with a dual fiduciary duty to their investors and the company.”

To clinch your pitch, highlight your exit strategy and the options available.

The most common exit strategies include:

• Acquisition: When one company buys most or all of another company’s shares to gain control of it
• Merger: When two existing companies unite into one new company
• Initial Public Offering (IPO): When a private company issues its first sale of stocks to the public and can start raising capital from public investors

Related: What Are Mergers & Acquisitions? 4 Key Risks

3 Kinds of Pitches for Entrepreneurs

While all effective pitches share foundational elements, you should use different types depending on the scenario. To increase your chances of success, tailor your pitch to your audience and the available time frame.

1. The Elevator Pitch

This is one of the most popular pitches. Use this when you need to communicate their startup’s value in 60 seconds or less.

An effective elevator pitch should be concise, convincing, and convey your startup’s value proposition and differentiators. For tech business ideas, mention the innovative technology that sets your concept apart. At the end, include a call to action, such as the amount of capital required to launch.

2. The Short-Form Pitch

You should portray your business idea’s value to prospective clients and investors as efficiently as possible. This means summarizing the most important elements of your idea in a way that makes them want to hear more. Highlight the market size, how you’ll create barriers for competition, your plan to monetize the business, and how much financing you need.

Short-form pitches can run from three to 10 minutes; if you’re pitching in a competitive setting, note any length requirements. These shorter pitches can pique investors’ interest and earn you the chance to present a long-form pitch.

3. The Long-Form Pitch

Sometimes, you’re fortunate enough to have more than a few minutes to pitch your idea. If this opportunity presents itself, it’s crucial to make the most of your time and address every aspect of your business plan.

“You’re not just trying to start any business,” Bussgang says in Launching Tech Ventures . “You’re trying to create a business that’s profitable, sustainable, and valuable.

Zero in on your story and share a real-life scenario. Detail the market size to illustrate demand and clear examples of how you’ll attract and retain customers, particularly in light of competitors. This will show you’re planning for—and ahead of—future challenges.

You should also have a blueprint for testing product-market fit and early results, along with a detailed monetization plan. Lastly, share your exit strategy and the amount of capital needed to, one day, achieve it. Your long-form pitch should communicate your business concept clearly and concisely, open the possibility for follow-up questions, and capture the investors’ interest.

Consider preparing all three pitch lengths to be ready for any opportunity. It’s important to stay agile so you can modify your pitch to fit specific length requirements.

Landing the Pitch

Every investor prioritizes different data and information. Yet, if you start by choosing the right investor and then align their needs with your proposed market opportunity, value proposition, and exit strategy, you have a chance at landing the pitch.

“In some ways, startup success depends just as much on whether your hypothesis about the future is right, as it does on whether your idea is a good one,” Bussgang explains in Launching Tech Ventures .

As a result, it’s important for you to do your due diligence before pitching your business idea to investors.

If you’re interested in learning more about what investors look for and how you can create value, explore Entrepreneurship Essentials and Launching Tech Ventures , two of our entrepreneurship and innovation courses . Not sure which is the right fit? Download our free course flowchart to determine which best aligns with your goals.

This post was updated on July 28, 2023. It was originally published on August 27, 2020.

About the Author

What is Business Pitching? A Comprehensive Guide

What is a business pitch, 5 types of pitches in business, 1. investor pitch, 2. sales pitch, 3. product pitch, 4. job pitch, 5. workplace and networking pitches, why you should create business pitch, attracting investment and funding, gaining new customers, establishing your brand, networking and partnerships, strategic planning and clarity, 6 key skill you need for effective business pitching, 1. communication and public speaking, 2. research and data analysis, 3. strategic thinking and planning, 4. problem solving and creativity, 5. leadership and team collaboration, 6. emotional intelligence and empathy, 15 tips for creating successful business pitch, 1. start with a clear understanding of your audience, 2. develop a concise and compelling elevator pitch, 3. emphasize the problem and your unique solution, 4. showcase your business model and financial projections, 5. include a strong go-to-market strategy, 6. present a compelling story with real customer experiences, 7. introduce your team and their expertise, 8. address the competition with a competitive analysis, 9. practice and perfect your delivery, 10. use visuals to enhance your pitch, 11. be ready for questions and feedback, 12. leverage social proof and testimonials, 13. highlight scalability and long-term vision, 14. demonstrate market knowledge and trends, 15. discuss risk management and contingency plans, the bottom line, your idea can change the world, let's make it a reality, ignite your vision, gain momentum, sustain and innovate, comparisons.

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How to Make a Successful Business Pitch: 9 Tips From Experts

You’ve just had your lunch, and you’re about to get back to work. 

While making your post-lunch tea (or coffee), you can’t stop thinking about being your own boss. 

You wonder if it’s about time for you to turn your side hustle into a full-time business and become an entrepreneur. 

Or perhaps you want to propose the idea of a four-day workweek to your CEO. 

If you want to introduce investors and prospects to your business idea and convince them to take the plunge with you,  you need a strong and persuasive business pitch. 

How to create a persuasive business pitch according to experts 

The good news — it’s possible to craft a convincing and successful business pitch. 

Even better news: This Piktochart business pitch guide shows you how. 

Grab your drink of choice and take notes as we explore the different ways to pitch business ideas (from a sales-style elevator pitch to an innovative workplace pitch), as well as understand what makes a great business pitch. You’ll also get a glimpse into our business pitch templates, and learn expert advice from those who have pitched their way to success (and failure too). 

You can also watch the video below if you don’t have time to go over this guide. It’s also easier to follow along if you sign up for a free Piktochart account and edit the templates yourself (learning by doing).

What is a business pitch? 

A business pitch is a presentation of a business idea to a group of people who can help turn your idea into a reality.

You can pitch to: 

• Investors who can help fund your idea
• Potential customers who will pay for your product or service
• Advocates who will support your idea

In some cases, a business pitch doesn’t have to be all about presenting a new idea. You could be asking for more funding or continued support for an already established business venture. 

Whether through an investment, purchase, or advocacy, a business pitch becomes successful if you can convince people to believe in your idea or pique their interest and get them to learn more. 

Now that you understand what a business pitch is, let’s take a closer look at the different types of business pitches. 

Types of pitches in business

Your business pitch can be narrowed down to the following five types of presentations: 

1. Investor pitch

In this type of business pitch, you present a  persuasive presentation or pitch deck to a group of potential business partners and/or investors. 

Sign up for a free Piktochart account to get started on creating professional-looking pitch deck templates that you can edit in minutes.

An investor business pitch should typically last for 45 minutes . The best practice for this type of pitch is 20-30 minutes of presentation followed by discussion or a Q&A afterward.

Alternatively, business pitch competitions follow a different best practice. These presentations should last around five to 10 minutes and focus on pitching to investors.

Lastly, the most stringent type of business pitch is most commonly referred to as an ‘elevator pitch’, and should only last around 30-60 seconds.

Let’s dive in so you can learn how to make the perfect business pitch!

2. Sales pitch 

The goal of a sales pitch is to answer the question “What’s in it for me?” from the lens of the potential customer. 

The best and most effective salespeople can make a sales pitch in as short as one minute. Also known as the ‘ elevator pitch ‘, this type of business pitch should be able to be delivered in a single elevator ride (30-60 seconds on average). In this format, a short sales pitch should include four key components:

• Your unique product name and category
• The specific problem you are trying to solve
• The innovative solution you offer
• the unique selling point of benefit to your solution

3. Product pitch 

A product pitch is similar to a sales pitch, however, the spotlight should be on the product and/or solution itself. 

For example, a sales pitch for an email automation software will highlight one or two of its benefits. Meanwhile, a product pitch of the same automation software will focus more on its features, how it works, and how you can integrate the software into your existing setup. 

In a product pitch, you should aim to:

• Explain your product or offering clearly and concisely
• Identify and address the target audience and/or industry your product supports
• Specify the problem the aforementioned faces and how your solution can solve it
• Provide a realistic example of your solution in action
• Make sure to use accurate facts backed up by relevant and recent data

4. Job pitch 

If you’re applying for a job or internship and you’re wondering how you can stand out from the crowd (consisting of your peers and other qualified applicants), consider pitching yourself to a prospective employer. 

Applying the same logic used for a sales or product pitch deck; sell yourself!

A job pitch or personal summary pitch should be concise, personalized, and consistent. In a job pitch you should include:

• A brief introduction to you
• An explanation as to why you’re a great fit for the company and role
• Relevant experience and achievements
• Your goals and career aspirations

“It’s not about bragging or showing off — it’s about giving the other person evidence that you can actually do what you say you can do,” assures Starla Sampaco , TV news anchor at KCTS 9 and founder of Career Survival Guide .

5. Workplace pitching 

Do you have an idea or initiative that will help your colleagues and help boost the company’s profitability?  Pitch it internally within your workplace, to your team or boss! 

For example, you can pitch a  remote-first culture  or the four-day workweek to your HR, and/or the rest of the leadership team.

Another workplace pitch example? Maybe you might want to propose the creation of a new role in your team which can help advance your career and address a challenge in the organization at the same time. 

To do this, simply create a pitch deck including your main points, the benefits, and proposed next steps to turn your idea into a reality. Piktochart’s workplace pitch decks can help you get your point across through our workplace templates.

The structure of a successful business pitch 

If creating a business pitch sounds intimidating, the team at Piktochart has your back. 

You can address this worry by making sure that you have a business pitch structure that is sure to succeed, using our tips & templates. 

When you have a formulated pitch deck structure, template, and agenda, you’ll know exactly what you’re going to say next, taking the bulk of the stress out of presenting. Additionally, these best practice presentation structures make your business pitch more memorable to your audience and leave a lasting impression. Statistically, it turns out that people retain structured information up to  40 percent more accurately  than information presented in freeform. 

The WHAC Method

Whether you’re pitching to a group of potential investors or you’re selling real estate, use the WHAC method when structuring your perfect business pitch. 

The WHAC method is introduced in  The 3 Minute Rule   by Brandt Pividic, an award-winning film director and television producer. He wrote the book to detail his experience and tips as he made hundreds of pitches in Hollywood. 

This well-known WHAC method stands for: 

What is it and what do you offer? 

You start your business pitch by answering the questions: what is it, and what do you offer? 

At this point, you share your business plan and quickly outline the problem and solution you offer. For example, let’s say that you want to pitch the idea of having a UX researcher on your product team. 

You list down existing problems and challenges that your team and/or organization are currently experiencing without a dedicated UX researcher. Afterward, you propose your solution — hiring someone who can step in and do user research. 

How does it work? 

Next, explain your proposal. Provide a quick summary of the benefits of your solution. In our example, share how the UX researcher will help the product team accomplish its objectives.

It can be tricky explaining how your business idea works. Figuring out how to deliver this information in an entertaining and simple manner can turn potential investors into partners, as we’ve seen from some of the best startup pitch decks .

Since you don’t have much time and attention spans are short, the key is to boil down how your idea works into a few key points. Explain how it works from a high-level overview and weave this in as part of your compelling story.

Are you sure? 

Once you have provided the solution, the people listening to your elevator pitch are likely saying to themselves, “will it really work?”

This is the point where you have to provide solid proof in your pitch. You can use testimonials, a short case study, or statistics.

You should also mention financial projections in order to leave a positive impression. If your manager or potential investors will provide funding for your idea, they’ll want to know what the ROI is.

Can you do it? 

The final part of your pitch should answer this question.

Now that your audience has heard you talk about the problem, solution, and proof that it works, you need to show them how you’re going to implement the solution. Think of this point as the “actionable” part of your pitch. You can even provide steps to break down how this can be achieved in a certain timeframe.

“Show how you have thought about how to turn your idea into a commercial outcome or true partnership. This is really an opportunity to start or continue building trust and showing that you care about creating real value for the people in the room is the best way to put you on the right foot,” shares Michael Rosenbaum , CEO of Spacer ,  one of the biggest parking marketplaces in the U.S. 

Like any good sales pitch, you need to show how achievable the results are. At this particular stage, you need to tie in any additional information to show what resources or specific and unique skills are required to make it happen.

Being transparent about what’s required can build trust with potential investors.

How to persuade your audience with your business pitch 

Now that you know the best practice structure of a successful business pitch, take note of the following tips to help make your business pitch more interesting, relatable, and most of all, convince your audience to say “yes”. 

1. Understand what your audience wants from you 

It’s standard advice across all facets of industry to “know your audience”.  

However, if you’d like to become better at your business pitches, go the extra mile by understanding what your audience wants from you. 

There’s a  difference between understanding and knowing  your audience. Instead of just  knowing  where your client comes from, try to  understand  their pain points, goals, and motivation. 

How do you do this? 

Talk to them in advance, read about the things they publish online (tweets, blog posts), and understand what excites them. By doing so, you’ll be able to tailor your business pitch to their needs, wants, and preferences. 

For example, if you’re pitching to potential clients and investors who are eco-conscious at the same time, it makes sense to highlight how your idea can positively impact the environment. 

Stephen Keighery , CEO of Home Buyer Louisiana and Founder of Bald Eagle Investments USA, shares this tip when it comes to customizing your pitch to your audience: 

“Learn ahead and research about the company or the client you’ll be pitching to, just be sure that every information you obtain is for public knowledge. You can also observe their behavior and their words during the transaction; and perhaps while pitching, use the jargon they use to establish connection and a favorable impression to them.”

2. Have your elevator pitch ready 

Imagine this. You just bumped into Mark Cuban of Shark Tank at the airport lounge, and you can’t believe that you’re sitting next to him! He looks at you and asks you about yourself and what you do. 

This is when you need your elevator pitch handy! 

The Asana team recommends the following  elements of a good elevator pitch : 

• Introduction
• Value proposition
• CTA (call to action)

You don’t have to follow the exact formula. You can mix it up based on the situation, your personality, and the audience you’re pitching to. 

It’s also worth noting that you might not immediately notice the benefit of your elevator pitch.  Think of it as an opportunity for you to make a great first impression. 

3. Use visual aids

If you have the chance to present beyond the elevator pitch, you should never pitch with a presentation that’s filled with texts, numbers, or endless rows of data. 

As humans, our  brains are hardwired to love visuals   — from photographs to infographics to icons. 

When pitching an idea, product, or service, get your audience’s attention (and support!) by telling a story visually and adding a bit of creativity to your PowerPoint slides. 

Images trigger empathy  which in turn can make your audience understand your pitch better. 

The more they understand your idea, the greater the likelihood of angel investors, venture capitalists, and potential customers supporting or advocating for you. 

Another added benefit is that  visuals can elicit emotions  and emotions play an important role in decision-making. 

Watch these 10 legendary pitch decks for visual inspiration.

4. Explain your business model clearly

When pitching to investors, imagine them asking, “what’s in it for me?”. 

After learning about how your idea can help solve a problem, they’re interested in how you’re going to advertise to your target market and generate revenue consistently. 

Johannes Larsson , CEO of  Financer.com  explains that being able to articulate their business model was what made them successful in getting business partners on board. 

“We were relatively unknown in the industry, so it took us quite a few tries before we signed our first deal. After that, however, things became much easier — not just because we were building up a name for ourselves but also because we improved our approach. We learned that being able to clearly explain our business model was the key to earning potential partners’ trust. Once we mastered that, we focused on providing proof of fruitful partnerships. It was obvious that this information was what our affiliates cared about, so we made sure to gather evidence of our success and present it in every pitch.”

5. Weave your passion or story with your pitch

Your business pitch doesn’t have to sound like you’re reading it straight from a script that someone else wrote for you. 

When appropriate, add a bit of your personal touch.  In short, humanize your pitch and slide deck. 

It will not only improve your relatability factor but also make you feel less nervous. After all, you’re talking about something that you’re passionate about. 

Take it from Debbie Chew, an SEO Specialist at  Dialpad .

“As part of my hiring process, I had to pitch a marketing campaign idea. I started brainstorming a list of potential ideas and their projected impact to decide which one to go with. While doing this, one idea kept coming back to me, and I realized I was most passionate about pitching a campaign related to video meetings. People now spend so much of their time in video meetings, but how much time? And how can we have better meetings? So I built my pitch around this concept and really enjoyed pitching my idea (which also helped me feel less nervous),” shares Chew.  If you can share a personal story or something you’re passionate about in your pitch — while also tying it back to your audience — they won’t forget it. And yes, I got the job!” 

6. Put the spotlight on benefits

Once you have your audience’s attention, circle back to how your product or service will address customer needs and benefit business partners. 

For  Carsten Schaefer  of  Trust.io , it boils down to being able to share the benefits of your product or service from the get-go. 

“When I first had to get funding for my product, I had to deliver a sales pitch in front of a board of investors. It didn’t succeed, and I learned a lot from it. “Investors want cold, hard facts and the benefits to the end-user. In the end, they want to see if it makes money for them or not. I’m glad I failed because I learned that for an effective sales pitch, you really need to put yourself in the shoes of someone thinking about profit and pure common sense from a business perspective.

7. Highlight why you’re different from the competition

Your business pitch is also an opportunity for you to explain what sets you apart from other businesses or organizations, and essentially explain your unique selling point. What makes your idea different? Why is your business model unique? 

It also helps to address relevant competition head-on in your pitch. For  Brogan Renshaw  of Firewire Digital, this tactic shows clients and investors that you’re an expert on what you are talking about, giving them confidence in your offering.

“I notice that this is a part of my business pitches that completely wins the client over because it answers their questions and concerns on the market position of competitors,” says Renshaw. 

8. Share the story behind your team

Investors and business partners are also curious about the people, employees, as well as the team behind your idea. When creating this presentation slide in your pitch deck, don’t forget to include information highlighting your team and each team member’s relevant skills. 

“Investors want to know whether the founders have worked together before, if your startup’s early hires have complementary skill sets, and whether you’ll be flexible, open-minded, and willing to embrace different perspectives, “  writes  Lauren Landry ,  associate director of marketing and communications for Harvard Business School Online.

9. Have an impressive one-pager

As its name implies, a one-pager is a one-page document outlining your business plan and mission. Think of it as a business brochure . With Piktochart’s online brochure maker , you can easily create one within minutes.

Imagine that an investor or client is too busy to listen to your pitch, you can simply email or hand out your one-pager; your entire business pitch in an easy-to-digest format.  

According to Greg Cullen , Sr. Account Executive at Dialpad, your one-pager should have these three components: 

• What is the business pain?
• How the solution you’re positioning can solve said business pain
• The value of the solution accompanied by the resulting positive impact by moving forward with the platform

“This one-pager condenses everything that is important succinctly into an easy-to-digest easy to digest format for everyone to read – and it ensures that all parties are on the same page. And most importantly, this can be used by the champion you’re working with to sell this internally, whether it’s to the CEO, procurement, etc. The better you make this one-pager, the better the result you’ll have,” recommends Cullen. 

Get funding, win clients, and gain support with Piktochart’s pitch deck creator 

While it may be nerve-wracking, particularly if it’s the first time that you’re creating a business pitch, use the expert tips above as your guideposts for a successful pitch. 

You’ll eventually find your very own unique style and approach to business pitching as you do it more frequently.

If you need help creating any type of business or personal pitch deck, create your pitch deck quickly with Piktochart’s pitch deck creator. The first step is to get your free Piktochart account .

Want additional insight on how to better prepare and deliver a business pitch that you’ll be presenting online? Go to our guide to stress-free, engaging Zoom presentations .

We’re rooting for you and your business!

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What Makes a Great Pitch

• Michael Quinn

It’s all about reading the room.

A good pitch is a balancing act that can be adjusted to the currents in the room. A recent survey of HBR readers found — at least in this community — how important it is to understand not just what you are pitching, but who you are pitching to. The reason? The more senior your audience, the less you should rely on your deck and the more you should expect your pitch to be a conversation, showing your team’s authentic passion for the challenge or problem and their resilience for solving it creatively, together.

Pitching for new business is a make-or-break moment for many teams. You want to win the pitch, and so you develop a detailed slide deck, tout your credentials, capabilities and successes (case studies), and select your strongest presenter – possibly the leader of your team or company — to do all the talking. Right? Wrong.

• MQ Michael Quinn is the founder of Minor Nobles, the NYC-based consultancy offering workshops, webinars, rehearsals and 1:1 training to help teams and leaders update their behavior to win more pitches for new business and investment. He is also a faculty instructor for the Association of National Advertisers and host of the podcast, “Own The Room,” where top executives discuss their own experiences pitching and what they wish people would do more often, or avoid altogether, in pitches to them.

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What is a Business Pitch and How to Create a Persuasive One?

Learn the art of crafting a flawless business pitch in our latest blog post. Master the key elements for success with PitchBob!

Welcome to  PitchBob’s comprehensive guide on crafting the perfect business pitch . This article explains the intricacies of creating a compelling business pitch that captivates your audience and drives success. Whether you’re an entrepreneur seeking investors, a salesperson aiming to win over clients, a job seeker looking to ace interviews, or anyone pitching ideas in the workplace, this guide is your ultimate resource to know what is a business pitch .

What is a Business Pitch?

A business pitch is a structured and concise presentation that communicates your ideas, products, or services to a specific audience to achieve a desired outcome. It’s your golden opportunity to showcase the unique value you bring to the table and persuade your audience to take action. Business pitches come in various forms, each tailored to different scenarios and audiences. Let’s explore the five primary types of business pitches:

1. Investor Pitch:

• Objective: Attract funding or investment to fuel your business’s growth.
• Audience: Potential investors or venture capitalists.
• Duration: Typically spans 10-20 minutes.

In an investor pitch, you’ll need to convey not only the potential returns on investment but also the vision and feasibility of your business. Investors want to know that their capital is in safe hands.

2. Sales Pitch:

• Objective: Convince potential customers to purchase your product or service.
• Audience: Prospective clients interested in your offering.
• Duration: The length can vary, ranging from a few minutes to an hour, depending on the complexity of the sale.

A sales pitch highlights how your product or service solves your customers’ problems or fulfills their needs. It’s essential to demonstrate how choosing your offering is their best decision.

3. Job Pitch:

• Objective: Secure a job or position in a company.
• Audience: Hiring managers or recruiters.
• Duration: Typically, you’ll have only 1-2 minutes to make a lasting impression.

Job pitches are a chance to showcase your qualifications, experience, and suitability for a specific role. They should emphasize how you align with the company’s goals and values.

4. Product Pitch:

• Objective: Introduce and market a new product or service.
• Audience: Target customers or potential partners.
• Duration: Usually takes around 10-20 minutes.

Product pitches should focus on how your product addresses a specific problem or fulfills a need in the market. Highlight its unique features and benefits to captivate your audience.

5. Pitching in the Workplace:

• Objective: Convince colleagues or superiors of your ideas and initiatives.
• Audience: Team members, supervisors, or peers.
• Duration: This can range from a quick elevator pitch to a more extended presentation, depending on the context.

Workplace pitches aim to gain buy-in from your colleagues or superiors for your proposals, projects, or ideas. Clear and concise communication is key to winning support.

What is The WHAC Method?

The WHAC Method is a strategic approach to crafting a persuasive business pitch that leaves a lasting impact on your audience. Originating from business and communication, this method is a robust framework designed to help you structure your pitch effectively. It encourages you to address four critical questions for engaging and convincing your audience. Let’s delve into each of these questions in detail:

What is it, and what do you offer?

This question prompts you to provide a clear and concise overview of your product, service, or idea. It’s the moment when you introduce your offering to your audience. This part of your pitch should be a concise elevator pitch that captures the essence of your proposal.

Beyond describing your offering, this aspect highlights the unique value proposition that sets your product or idea apart from the competition. It’s crucial to articulate how your offering can solve a specific problem or fulfill your audience’s needs.

How does it work?

Now that your audience knows what your offering is, it’s time to delve into the mechanics of how it functions. This section should provide a clear and understandable explanation of how your product or solution operates. You should aim to simplify complex processes and concepts to make them accessible to your audience.

In addition to explaining the functionality, it’s essential to highlight why your product or idea works effectively. This can involve discussing its design, technology, or unique features contributing to its effectiveness. You want your audience to believe in the feasibility and practicality of your offering.

Are you sure?

This question emphasizes the importance of providing evidence to support your claims. More is needed to assert that your offering is compelling; you must back up your statements with tangible proof. This can include data, statistics, customer testimonials, case studies, or other relevant information validating your assertions.

In this part of your pitch, you should also explain why your audience should be confident in your offering. This could involve discussing your company’s track record, industry expertise, certifications, or awards reinforcing your credibility.

Can you do it?

This question focuses on your team’s capability to execute the plan effectively. You should highlight the qualifications, expertise, and experience of your team members who are instrumental in bringing your idea or product to fruition.

Explain why your team is the right fit for the job. Discuss their past successes, relevant projects, or any partnerships that strengthen your team’s ability to deliver on your promises.

Tips for Creating a Successful Business Pitch

Before we embark on a step-by-step guide, let’s briefly overview the key elements for creating a winning business pitch:

Step 1: Research and Understand Your Audience

Understanding your audience, especially the decision-makers, is paramount. Tailor your pitch to address their needs, concerns, and expectations.

Before crafting your pitch, delve into researching your audience thoroughly. Understand their pain points, priorities, and expectations. The more you align your pitch with their interests, the more compelling it becomes.

Step 2: Use Visual Aids

Visuals are more compelling than plain words and numbers.

The human brain processes visual information faster and more effectively than text. Incorporate charts, graphs, images, and videos to enhance your message. Visual aids help simplify complex ideas and make your pitch more engaging.

Step 3: Get to the Point

Your audience’s time is precious. Be concise and deliver impactful information swiftly.

In today’s fast-paced world, brevity is essential. Get to the core of your message quickly, focusing on what matters most. Avoid unnecessary jargon and keep your audience’s attention by making every word count.

Step 4: Do a Proper Practice

Practice makes perfect. Rehearse your pitch thoroughly to boost your confidence and delivery.

Practice is the key to delivering a polished pitch. Rehearse in front of trusted colleagues, friends, or mentors. Fine-tune your delivery, pacing, and transitions. The more comfortable you are with your material, the more confident you’ll appear to your audience.

Step 5: Use Real Customer Experiences

Sharing real stories and experiences can resonate with your audience and illustrate the problem you’re solving.

Humanize your pitch by weaving in real customer stories and experiences. Narratives create an emotional connection and vividly demonstrate the value of your offering. Stories make your pitch relatable and memorable.

Step 6: The Art of Presenting

Public speaking and presenting can be daunting. Master the art with tips on body language, tone, and engagement.

Effective presentation goes beyond the words you speak. Your body language, tone of voice, and engagement with the audience are equally critical. Confidence and authenticity are essential. Maintain eye contact, use gestures purposefully, and modulate your voice to convey enthusiasm and conviction.

Step 7: Outline Your Business Model

Clearly define your revenue model, pricing strategy, and financial projections.

Your audience needs to understand how your business generates revenue and sustains itself. Outline your business model, pricing strategy, and financial projections to showcase your venture’s viability and growth potential.

Step 8: Call to Action

Provide a compelling call to action that encourages your audience to take the desired steps.

A well-crafted call to action (CTA) is essential to guide your audience’s next steps. Make your CTA clear, specific, and persuasive. Whether requesting an investment, signing a contract, or endorsing your idea, your CTA should leave no room for ambiguity.

Step 9: Introduce Your Team

Highlight your team’s key members, roles, qualifications, and contributions. Also, introduce yourself and your role in the project.

Introducing your team adds a human touch to your pitch. Highlight the qualifications and expertise of each team member, emphasizing how their skills contribute to the project’s success. Also, briefly introduce yourself and your role in driving the initiative forward.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Creating an effective business pitch is a fine art, and while there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for success, there are common pitfalls you must steer clear of to ensure your Business Pitches hit the mark. Here, we’ll explore these mistakes in greater detail:

1. Overloading with Information

One of the most prevalent mistakes in pitching is the temptation to include every conceivable detail. While it’s natural to want to showcase the depth of your knowledge or the intricacies of your product or idea, overwhelming your audience with excessive information can lead to confusion and disengagement.

2. Lack of Audience-Centric Approach

A pitch is not about you; it’s about your audience. Refraining from tailoring your message to their needs, interests, and concerns is a surefire way to lose their attention. A self-centered pitch that needs to address what matters to your audience is unlikely to resonate.

3. Neglecting Visuals and Storytelling

While data and facts are essential, presenting them in a dry, text-heavy format can disengage your audience. Neglecting the power of visual aids and storytelling robs your pitch of its potential impact.

4. Failing to Practice Adequately

The importance of practice cannot be overstated. Failing to rehearse your pitch thoroughly can result in a lackluster delivery, stumbling over words, or losing thought. These slip-ups can erode your credibility and confidence.

5. Disregarding Data and Evidence

Making bold claims requires substantiating them with credible data, evidence, or testimonials to maintain your pitch’s credibility. Skeptical audiences are unlikely to invest or take action based solely on assertions.

6. Ignoring Objections

Anticipating objections and concerns your audience might raise is critical to a successful pitch. Ignoring these potential objections can leave your audience feeling unheard and unconvinced.

7. Skipping the Call to Action

Your pitch should not end with a mere conclusion. Failing to provide a clear and compelling call to action (CTA) leaves your audience hanging, unsure of the next steps. A vague or absent CTA can lead to missed opportunities.

How PitchBob Can Help to Create a Winning Pitch Deck for Investors?

PitchBob is your trusted partner in crafting compelling pitches. Our platform offers customizable templates, expert guidance, and a wealth of resources to help you create a winning pitch deck that impresses investors and stakeholders. Whether you’re a startup founder seeking funding or a seasoned professional looking to enhance your pitch, PitchBob has you covered. Visit PitchBob to explore how we can elevate your pitch game.

Crafting a perfect business pitch is an art that can be mastered with the proper techniques and strategies. Whether you aim to secure investments, win clients, or ace job interviews, following the WHAC Method and our step-by-step guide will significantly enhance your pitch’s effectiveness. Remember, a well-structured, audience-focused pitch is your key to success in the competitive business world. So, go ahead, refine your pitch, and make a lasting impression. Good luck!

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Business Pitch: What is it & How To Create it? (Steps Included)

Whether it’s a trailer for a movie, a work presentation, or even a chance encounter with potential clients, no one has the time, patience, or attention span to listen to long dragged-out pitches anymore.

So when it comes to getting business clients, you need to have an exciting summation of ideas that will entice them into accepting your deal. For this, you need to have an impressive business pitch ready. It can make or break a deal.

However, finding the perfect balance of a business pitch that is concise and impactful can be difficult. And the process of fine-tuning what exactly needs to be included can be a taxing job.

You’re constantly going to be torn between whether to add a specific point, or whether the tone seems right or not (God forbid you to sound unprofessional).

But we’re here to tell you that the perfect business pitch does exist! All you need is a little guidance to help you craft a memorable one best suited to your vision. And we’ll help you with that!

By the end of this blog, you would have learned the meaning, importance, and steps involved in writing a killer business pitch for your clients.

Ready to get started? Let’s go!

What is a Business Pitch?

In its simplest sense, a business pitch is a presentation of business ideas . It is a depiction of business plans to potential clients to persuade them that your company is the right choice. It may be written, a multimedia presentation or a personal pitch delivered face-to-face.

Whether it is pitched to a single individual or a large gathering of people, a well-thought-out pitch with great delivery can persuade decisions and secure the business deal .

Although business pitches may differ slightly from one another, one thing stands true, it seeks to sway the minds of whoever is listening and convinces them to buy from you or invest in your business.

Now that you know what a business pitch is, you might be thinking – “Is a Business Pitch really that necessary?” . The answer is YES , it is. Let’s find out why!

Why You Should Create Business Pitch?

1. it captures attention.

A business pitch is a condensed, quick, and apt way of presenting a set of ideas in a manner that engages its listeners. Just like a well-directed trailer results in prompting the audience to want to watch a movie, a stellar business pitch can have far-reaching impacts. Not only does it propose a neat plan in a short period, but it also manages to spark interest and sustain it as well. All of this is crucial for any investment to go through.

2. It Highlights Originality

A business pitch is a summation of the general ideas of your business proposal and is colored by your specific thoughts. This makes it unique because nothing stands out in a sea of mundanity more than an idea that is creative and original. This is why business pitches carry so much weight in the decision-making process . They impress potential clients and reassure them of your creativity and authenticity. In the long run of things, this is what can dictate whether they decide to take you up on your business offer.

3. It Showcases Precision

When clients conduct an overview of potential businesses they wish to invest in financially, not only are they looking for new creative ideas, but they’re also looking for visions that can be brought to actual realization. A business pitch that is well executed shows potential investors that you are capable of streamlining ideas and that you can work not only effectively, but with precision and level-headedness. A trait such as this can never be overlooked, especially in the competitive world of business.

Now that you understand why it’s necessary to create a business pitch, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of actually writing one!

How to Create a Business Pitch? (Process)

1. do proper research.

You can’t convince your audience of anything unless you have your facts straight . Any information you possess must be updated and relevant for your business pitch to gain credibility. For this, adequate research is a must.

Your words must be backed up by facts and figures. Once you establish yourself as a reliable source, your vision will carry more weight and in turn easily convince your audience to choose you.

And on this note, thorough research from all angles must be conducted, and topics within your business pitch must be cross-checked and properly examined before you pitch your business ideas to any individual or group.

Proper research will aid you in the entire process and serve as the foundation on which your business pitch stands.

2. Understand Target Audience

No matter how perfectly you craft your business pitch, or how well you deliver it, if it is not what your audience wants or has in mind, it’s all just a pointless endeavor and wasted effort.

So, knowing your target audience will open a lot of doors for you. Doing a little background check on potential clients and some research on who you’re presenting your business pitch to can make a world of difference.

Once you’ve done the research, you’ll have a better understanding of your target audience and will be armed with the necessary knowledge to present your pitch accordingly. You will be able to mold your business pitch to cater to their likes and dislikes, which in turn will generate even better chances of them investing in your proposals.

3. Build Your Pitch

Now that you have the research and facts to support your claims and the understanding of what your audience wants, you can start creating your pitch.

Depending on the situation, determine what kind of business pitch you need to create. If you are pitching to potential investors about your business plan, then you need to create a pitch deck that will offer a comprehensive view of your ideas and concepts. But on the other hand, if you’re at a networking event looking to make connections, then a better choice would be to develop an elevator pitch.

Read More:  What is it Elevator Pitch and How to Write One?

4. Highlight Your Successes

When you’re creating a business pitch one of the most crucial things for you to do is to highlight your successes. Share evidence and demonstrate the value of your business and ideas.

Use numerical and quantitative data to support your claims. Instead of saying something about boosting sales, mention the numbers and percentage of the sales boost. This adds specificity and credibility, which in turn makes your business pitch appear more compelling.

By highlighting all your positive results, you show your potential investors and clients the value that you can bring to them.

5. Distinguish from the Competition

Your investors and clients are likely to go through dozens of business pitches before and after you present your pitch to them. So you need to make sure that you stand out from the crowd.

Differentiate yourself from the rest of the competition and explain to them why they must choose you over anyone else. Give them data and information that illustrates why your pitch is the best and how it can present more value to them. Focus and emphasize specific and unique skills that you offer and how they can contribute to their success.

6. Know Company Ethos

Every company, be it a small business started from home, or a large conglomerate, all have something in common, and that is a defining mission or a company ethos upon which the essence of the company is built.

This ethos dictates what the company stands for and to a large degree, the direction it takes. It gives identity to the company and also gives it depth and soul.

Knowing the ethos of your brand is therefore fundamental if you want to branch out and advertise yourself to potential investors . It is the first impression your business pitch makes and the basis on which their opinions will be further built up. Be sure of your company’s mission and then the rest of your business pitch will follow suit.

7. Be Precise and Clear Cut

You have to face the reality that your potential clients are also offered a plethora of other business pitches by other people. This is not to dampen your spirits, but to inform you of the reality that clients have a range of options. What is needed is to make your business pitch memorable.

A successful business pitch more often than not is not elaborate, but simple, precise, and impactful. When investors listen to one business pitch after another, it can be mundane and monotonous. It’s better not to exacerbate that with a long-winded montage of ideas after ideas. It’s better to keep it precise and make your intentions clear so that the desired impact of your business pitch can be achieved quickly.

8. Practice! Practice! Practice!

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the delivery and the conviction and certainty with which you deliver it. There is no harm in practicing your business pitch many times till you can deliver it with utmost confidence. After all, practice makes one perfect . And it may sound corny but it’s true – if you truly believe in your vision, the people you’re pitching it to will be convinced of it as well.

Wait! Before you leave, we want to introduce you to a special tool that can help you create stellar business pitches in no time! No, we’re not kidding! Scroll down and find it for yourself!

Bit.ai: Tool for Creating All Types of Pitches

Bit.ai is a modern-day cloud-based documentation and collaboration platform that will help you create, edit, organize, manage, and share documents all under one roof, and that too in a matter of a few minutes!

It is exclusively designed for your documentation needs and can help you whip up a business pitch in a jiffy! Through its robust, intuitive, and integrated tools, Bit has made the complicated and lengthy process of creating a business pitch a walk in the park.

Bit can make your business pitch a hundred times more awesome than it already is. How? Check out all these mind-blowing features of Bit!

Interactive Documents: 

Your business pitch may need to contain several rich media such as images, videos, social proof, pricing tables, GIFs, and more. Adding this to your document becomes a breeze with Bit’s 100+ integrations that lets you add any rich media to your business pitch. All you need to do is copy the shareable link and paste it into your Bit doc. It’s that easy!

Real-Time Collaboration :

The thing about writing business pitches is that it is a team effort. You need to work together and take input and ideas from others for the pitch to be a true success. With Bit’s real-time collaboration feature, you can easily collaborate with your team in real time and work together to create the perfect business pitch ever.

Guest Access:

With Bit, you can grant “ guest access ” to your investors or clients, or customer. It offers two types of access to the documents: comment-only and read-only. With comment-only access, they can @mention team members and give their suggestions or feedback, while read-only access only allows them to read the content you have shared with them.

Get Real-Time Insights:

Bit offers a document tracking feature that helps you get real-time document insights on your shared documents. This means you can see how much time your prospect has spent reading your business pitch, how often they come back to read it, how far they’ve scrolled, and a lot more.

When it comes to creating, sharing, and managing business pitches or any other document, there’s nothing like Bit.ai out there. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to step up your game and start using Bit.ai!

Whether it is a single individual or a group of potential investors, the right business pitch can woo anyone. And in this blog, we have helped you learn how to do that! With Bit on your side, there’s no stopping you from creating a killer business pitch.

Remember, you are not always going to be successful in your dealings, no matter how perfect your business pitch is. But you have to remind yourself that the door to opportunities will only open up to those who knock. Good luck!

Further Reads: 

Sales Pitch: What is it & How to Create a Killer One?

Elevator Pitch: What is it & How to Write One!

Business Competition: 11 Ways to Stay Ahead in 2022!

Partnership Proposal: Definition, Importance & Steps!

Contract Proposal: What is it & How to Create it?

7 Successful Elevator Pitch Examples You Must Read!

Business Objectives: How To Set & Achieve Them?

Periodic Report: What is it and How to Create It?

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About Bit.ai

Bit.ai is the essential next-gen workplace and document collaboration platform. that helps teams share knowledge by connecting any type of digital content. With this intuitive, cloud-based solution, anyone can work visually and collaborate in real-time while creating internal notes, team projects, knowledge bases, client-facing content, and more.

The smartest online Google Docs and Word alternative, Bit.ai is used in over 100 countries by professionals everywhere, from IT teams creating internal documentation and knowledge bases, to sales and marketing teams sharing client materials and client portals.

👉👉Click Here to Check out Bit.ai.

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How to write a business pitch: 10 best ways.

A business pitch is a version of your business plan that’s meant for potential investors. Depending on the format, it may be written, a multimedia presentation, or a personal pitch delivered face to face.

On the one hand, writing a business pitch is a lot like writing a proposal for clients . You’re trying to convince someone to put their hard-earned money into your company.

On the other hand, pitching to investors is different. With a client, you’re pitching your work or your product. With an investor, you’re pitching not just the product but your entire business model. Put another way, most clients don’t care whether or not your company is profitable; investors do.

Here’s how to craft a successful business pitch that will have investors lining up to put money into your company.

Here’s What We’ll Cover:

10 Steps to Creating Your Pitch

Key takeaways, 1. start with the elevator pitch.

An elevator pitch is the shortest, most basic type of pitch. It gets its name because it should be succinct enough to get across during an elevator ride. Imagine you hop in an elevator, and you find yourself standing next to Jeff Bezos. In one minute or less, how do you convince him to invest in your company?

The elevator pitch is important because it’s the distillation of your business plan. If you can sum up your vision in such a short period, you’re not going to lose someone’s interest. And if your elevator pitch is well-crafted, you can use it as the opening for a longer pitch.

2. Focus On the Business Opportunity

Entrepreneurs and investors think in terms of providing a solution to an existing need. Before they know anything else about your business, they want to know two things. First, what need have you identified that isn’t being met? Second, how are you going to take advantage of that business opportunity?

3. Research the Competition

If you have a serious business plan, you’ve most likely already done extensive competition research. Don’t wait for potential investors to ask you about this research. Include it in your pitch, and use it to your advantage. Show investors that you’ve built a better mousetrap by comparing it to the current model.

4. Know Your Target Audience

Another thing investors want to know is who your target audience is. This is another basic question any entrepreneur should be able to answer before you go to market. After all, this is your dream! If you don’t know who your potential customers are, there might not be any.

5. Know Your Marketing Strategy

It’s important to have marketing plans before you launch your brand. Once again, this is something investors are going to want to hear about. How do you plan to get the word out about your product or service? If the marketing plan involves expenses like TV advertising, you’d better be able to show investors that the juice is worth the squeeze.

6. Demonstrate Financial Savvy

Investors are trusting you with their money. Just as pricing is important for clients , investors want to know that their money is being wisely allocated. They’re going to want to see your profit and loss statement, and they’ll expect you to know it inside and out. Show them you know where every penny is going, and they’ll give you more dollars.

7. Sweat the Small Stuff

Go over your pitch to make sure all the details are right. This is especially true for written pitches. When you’re working on a third draft at 2 in the morning, it’s easy to mix up words like estimate, quote, bid, and proposal . Make sure you’ve dotted your I’s and crossed your T’s before handing over anything in writing.

8. Set Realistic Expectations

Would-be investors are used to entrepreneurs selling them on wild financial fantasies. Take a long, hard look at your business, and where you realistically expect to be in five to ten years. Base your projections on your past experience and your knowledge of the field. Investors will appreciate your candor.

9. Make It a Team Effort

Unless your business is a one-person operation, you have either a partnership or a leadership team. If you’re pitching in person, bring them along, and have them participate in the presentation. This will demonstrate to investors that the entire team is committed to the company’s ongoing success.

10. Consider Making a Multi-Level Pitch

A multi-level pitch involves creating two versions of the pitch: one longer and one shorter. The shorter version provides a birds-eye view of the business and a compelling case for its offerings. The longer version goes into more depth, and shows investors the nitty-gritty details of the business.

Crafting a compelling pitch won’t guarantee you a flock of investors. But combined with a good business plan and market opportunity, it’s an essential element of success. So roll up your sleeves and get started on that first draft. Everything else will follow.

Find more guides for your small business on our resource hub .

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Creating the perfect pitch deck and business plan: Examples and best practices [2022]

• January 7, 2022

I know you’ve probably been told that a good pitch deck and business plan are essential in the world of startups. It’s true — they are — but there is a LOT of conflicting advice out there on how to create them. (Hint: There isn’t just one right way.) I want to share some ideas based on solid research and real-world experience so you can create something that works for you.

What is a pitch deck?

What is its purpose, do you need a pitch deck and a business plan, who should create the pitch deck, how do you create a pitch deck, what is a financial model, what is a financial forecast, how accurate does a startup financial model need to be, what to include in an early-stage pitch deck, what should i avoid putting into my pitch deck, slide #0 – title, slide #1 – executive summary, slide #2 – trends, slide #3 – problem, slide #4 – solution, slide #5 – business model, slide #6 – market, slide #7 – competition, slide #8 – go to market, slide #9 – traction, slide #10 – team, slide #11 – investment proposal (the ask), keep it simple, stick to a consistent layout, make it easy to read, use a pitch deck template, beautiful.ai, key takeaways.

In this article, I’ll discuss what a pitch deck is, explain its purpose and its importance in the outreach process, give you tips and practices to create your perfect pitch deck, and what to include in it. We’ll also look at an example of a pitch deck template, using slides from startups that have raised hundreds of millions from VCs. We’ll also explore why you must build a financial model alongside your pitch deck.

Before we get started, remember that pitching on stage and building your pitch deck are two very different things. Pitching is a form of art. Anyone can present a business plan or startup idea to another person, but only a few pitches are memorable and truly capture the interest of investors.

Practice makes perfect, and the better you get at pitching, the more likely you are to succeed. So sign up to pitch competitions, put yourself out there, and get feedback. The more you pitch, the better you will become at it. It’s better to make mistakes when it doesn’t matter than pitch unprepared to critical investors and risk disaster.

Now let’s dive into what it takes to build a great pitch deck!

Pitch decks are an essential document for every founder to master, but there is a lot of conflicting information out there, and no one-size-fits-all template.

To help you get started, we’ve pulled together pitch deck examples and best practices for new founders and early-stage startups.

Using this information to guide you, you’ll be able to create a pitch that will wow investors and get you the funding that your business needs.

A pitch deck is a condensed business plan that communicates your business idea to investors or partners. It should be clear, concise, and well-organised so that it promotes a conversation, not just information that needs to be digested. The pitch deck is used as an elevator pitch during your outreach process and should highlight the key aspects of your startup in a way that gets investors excited about working with you.

The pitch deck itself isn’t going to fund or run your startup — it’s just one piece of the puzzle — but it’s an important one. As Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist at Canva, former Chief Evangelist at Apple, and author of The Art of the Start puts it .

The purpose of a pitch is to stimulate interest, not to close a deal.

While the pitch deck is an information-packed overview of your startup, it should be more than just numbers and figures. A winning pitch deck also captures the imagination by telling a story and getting the audience emotionally involved. People don’t buy products, they buy stories — pitch decks help people to see your startup as a compelling narrative instead of just an idea on paper.

A pitch deck helps you generate interest from investors so that they will fund or work with your company in some way. It is a way to quickly pitch your business idea and get feedback, without having to go through the entire business plan. The pitch deck should be used as a tool to start a conversation with potential investors so that you can get their feedback and determine if they are interested in what you’re doing.

For an early-stage startup, the pitch deck and financial model are the business plan. There are too many uncertainties to waste time writing a 100-page business plan. Founders should use tools like the Lean Canvas to help them think through the different aspects of their business, but a pitch deck and financial model are essential when trying to raise money and get investment.

The pitch deck should be created by the founder or co-founder of the company. They are the ones who know the most about their business and can best pitch it to investors. Remember, the pitch deck isn’t what wins you the investment, but it will start the conversation and get people interested in what you’re doing.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer for this question, as the pitch deck needs to be tailored to your specific startup and its investors. However, there are some best practices that you can use to make sure your pitch deck is as compelling as possible.

Financial Model

The pitch deck should always include a financial model, typically as a supporting document, that shows financial projections for the next three to five years. This will help investors understand how you will manage the financial risks associated with your startup.

A financial model is a document that shows how your business will make money and what kind of return investors can expect on their investment. It includes projected revenue, expenses, and profits over a specific period of time.

Investors will expect to see a three to five-year financial forecast, broken down by year and month.

The financial model should also include a section on the startup’s burn rate – how much money the company is spending each month and how long it can continue to do so before running out of funds.

A financial forecast is a projection of future income, expenses, and profits. It typically covers a period of three to five years and breaks down revenue, expenses, and net cash flow by month.

The financial model doesn’t need to be complex, but it should show a realistic understanding of the numbers behind your startup.

It is important to remember that venture capitalists and angel investors do not expect your financial forecasts to be 100% accurate – they simply want to see that you have put thought into your business, that your operational plans are accounted for, and that you understand the basics of financial forecasting.

Pitch Deck Structure

As a founder, you’ll quickly learn that you’ll need more than one pitch deck. Different pitch decks are used for different purposes, and you may end up using a pitch deck that is specific to your target investor, the stage of investment, or the format in which you’ll be pitching.

This means that there is no magic formula for your pitch deck structure. However, there are a few essential slides that should be in every business pitch deck.

• Title or cover slide
• Market size and opportunity

These slides will give the pitch deck a good structure and focus on the key elements that you want to talk about. There may be more slides depending on your company, but those are the main ones that should always appear somewhere in every pitch deck.

Early-stage startup pitch decks are used to spark interest in your idea and the founding team. Venture capital firms and angel investors will be comfortable with greater uncertainty and higher risk in this pitch deck, so there is more leeway to experiment with different ideas and concepts. This doesn’t mean that you should just throw in everything without a thought though!

At this early stage, there will be multiple unknowns that you are setting out to solve, including exactly how you’ll build your solution to the problem, how you’ll find your scaleable route to market, and maybe even how you’ll convert users to paying customers.

It’s normal to not have all the answers to these questions, and that’s OK! It doesn’t mean that you should pitch an idea if you don’t know how it will work yet. All of this is just a reality check for potential investors — they need to see that you have a realistic idea of what you need to do and a plan for how you might do it.

It’s a common mistake for first-time founders to try to put too much information into their pitch decks. This can include everything from detailed financial models to a full history of the company’s founding story. While it’s important to have all this information ready, it’s best to save it for when you’re actually speaking with investors.

Your pitch deck should be focused on your idea and the current state of your company. It should be set up in a way that clearly lays out who you are, what problem you’re solving, and how you plan to solve it. You want investors to see the actual value in investing in your startup so avoid including anything that’s not absolutely necessary for them to understand this concept.

– Do not include unnecessary information or graphics

– Keep your pitch deck to a maximum of 20 slides

– Stick to clear and concise language

– Make sure all the data is accurate and up to date

Be cautious about adding in anything that doesn’t support your pitch deck theme or the key points you want to make. If it isn’t relevant, remove it! You don’t have time for extra fluff when pitching investors; be direct and focus on what matters most.

Early-Stage Pitch Deck Example

The following pitch deck template is a good example of how you can tell a story that builds investor confidence in your startup idea. Using this format will set a great first impression and can help you with raising capital.

This is the most important slide in the whole deck, you need to grab the attention of the investor with a title slide that convinces them to keep reading. Your title slide must:

• Showcase your logo and brand name.
• In one phrase, state your value proposition.
• Engage the reader by promising them an interesting pitch.

It’s important to make your startup feel credible and trustworthy. Just as people will judge a book by the cover, investors will judge your pitch deck in less than five seconds, so make sure you have a strong first impression!

A common mistake that founders make with the title slide is not making the most of the opportunity. Taking inspiration from other industries, a prize-winning sticker on a book cover or a wine bottle has a tremendous impact on sales. What can you do to make your pitch deck stand out?

After catching your audience’s attention, you should include a company summary on slide one. Investors are unlikely to know anything about you or your company, so this is where you need to tell them what you do, where you’re going, and why they should care.

In just a few sentences, you should be able to concisely state the following:

• What your company does
• The stage you’re at
• The traction you’ve made so far
• Where you’re heading

If the title slide is about grabbing attention, the executive summary is about keeping it.

You need to get investors hooked and hungry for more information.

With the investor’s attention now captured, it’s time to give them some context. What industry are you in? What trends are happening in that industry?

Trends are the market conditions that you have zero influence over. But, by showing how you understand them and how they impact your startup, you can demonstrate that not only is your startup inevitable, but that the risk of failure is also reduced.

Your goal with the trends slide is to show that your startup idea isn’t some crazy gamble, it’s obvious and inevitable, and that the market is about to change in a big way.

In the context of startup ideas, the important things to consider about trends are whether they are weak or strong, societal and cultural, or technological.

Weak Trends: These are usually easy to spot and include things like the aging population, increasing internet penetration rates, or a growing demand for a new product or service.

Strong Trends: These are hard to argue against. They will be big and happening quickly. They could be something like the rise of mobile payments, a technology reaching critical mass, or a new way of thinking about an old problem.

Technological Trends: These trends focus on the development of new technologies. For instance, the rise of drones, Web3, and artificial intelligence technologies are all technological trends that would be relevant to an investor pitch deck when combined with a startup idea.

Societal and Cultural Trends: These trends are about the way people are living their lives, and integrating new technologies into them. A good example of this is the trend towards health and wellness. This could be anything from the increasing popularity of mindfulness to people taking more interest in their food.

It’s important to consider societal trends alongside advances in technology, just because a technology is possible, doesn’t mean that people will want to use it (remember Google Glass?).

Building into emerging trends can lead to you raising millions without even having a pitch deck , like Hopin, or still whilst the world is in lockdown and your app is still in beta – like Clubhouse.

Now that you’ve got the pitch deck rolling, it’s time to talk about your startup idea. What problem are you solving? What is happening right now? What are people not happy with?

When it comes to the problem slide, be specific. Don’t just say that there is a problem. Tell them what it is and make your audience feel the pain; they should be able to recall having had it themselves or easily empathise with those that do.

As a founder, you need to prove that you have a deep awareness and understanding of the problem you’re solving. You need to demonstrate that you can stand in the shoes of your customers and see the problem as they do.

Ideally, you should be able to summarise all of this into a problem statement. This is a simple one or two-sentence explanation that describes the problem, identifies the pain points, and explains why it needs solving.

Providing data to back up your problem statement is also important, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You’re not trying to show the size of the market, just the severity of the problem.

Having built up an understanding of the problem, you now need to explain how you plan on solving it. What is your solution? How will your startup solve this problem? What makes your product or service different?

Your solution slide should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. You should have a brief paragraph explaining what your startup does, followed by supporting information in the form of screenshots, images, or diagrams.

Remember, during live pitching or conversations, you may be able to talk about your solution in more detail – maybe even showcase a live demo – but in your pitch deck, you need to keep it simple.

If you’re having trouble boiling down your complex solution then consider how you would sell it to a potential customer. If you can pitch it to them in a way that they understand and see the value, then your pitch deck will be able to do the same.

With the problem and solution explained, it’s time to move on to your business model. This is a critical slide for any pitch deck as it demonstrates how you plan to make money from your startup idea. It’s showing your investors that you understand the business side of things and that you have a plan for growth.

This slide can be a little tricky to get right, as you don’t want to overload your audience with too much information (especially at idea stage, when you don’t have a fully formed business model). However, you need to convey that the unit economics make sense and that there is a path to profitability.

There are lots of different ways to structure this slide, but the most common model breaks it down into a one-paragraph pitch of your business model, followed by one or two diagrams showing the relationships between your costs and revenue. By using simple visuals, you can convey complex ideas far more effectively than words alone.

Unfortunately, pitch decks don’t have the space to explore every aspect of your business model. It’s a good idea to create a separate document for this, which you can then share with interested investors or partners.

Now it’s time to move on to the all-important question of market size. Market sizing for early-stage startups can be a contentious issue.

Many entrepreneurs think that they need to show huge total addressable markets (TAM), and pitch themselves as the next billion-dollar startup. However, most sophisticated investors how that for most early-stage startups this is not appropriate.

Pitching a large TAM isn’t going to impress investors, they’ve seen it all before, but pitching yourself as the best company in your segment will demonstrate that you have a great understanding of your industry and the opportunity at hand.

It’s most important to be able to show that there is a market for your product or service, that it’s growing, and that there is room for you to compete. You don’t need to pitch yourself as a billion-dollar company, just pitch that you have a good understanding of the market segment, that people are spending money solving this type of problem, and that you’re going to be one of the best companies in your space.

For example, if your idea is to launch the next big analytics platform, don’t pitch a market size that includes every business in the world. Instead, focus on a specific industry or sector and show how behaviours in that industry are changing, paving the way for your product or service.

Again, you don’t need to go into too much detail in your pitch deck. A one-paragraph pitch of your market size is usually enough, followed by a simple diagram showing the trends that are opening up opportunities for your startup.

This is another key slide for any pitch deck, as it demonstrates that you have done your research and that you understand the competitive landscape.

Start by defining the market segment you are targeting, and then show the key points of differentiation when compared to your primary competitors.

Describe how they fit into the customer’s perspective of the market, show where their strengths and weaknesses lie, and how you plan to compete with them.

This isn’t the place for a full analysis of your competitors, but you should be able to pitch yourself as the best company in your space, with a clear understanding of how you’re going to win.

There are two common ways to visualise your competitor analysis, the magic quadrant (or 2×2 matrix) and a comparison table.

The magic quadrant is a way of plotting your competitors on two axes, based on two factors that you’ll pluck from thin air. These visualisations are rarely credible unless you have a lot of experience in the market you are analysing, or they’ve been produced by large consultancies like Deloitte or Gartner.

On the other hand, comparison tables can be very effective as they’re easy to digest, position you alongside recognisable brands, and allow you to highlight the key differences between your company and your competitors. By comparing factors that are demonstrably important to customers, you’ll come across as more credible and able to back up your pitch with cold, hard facts.

Now it’s time to talk about marketing and sales strategy, or how you’re going to get your product or service in front of customers. This is where you’ll pitch your go-to-market strategy. Your go-to-market slide should include the following elements:

• The channels you will use to reach your target audience
• The actions you will take to put your product in front of potential customers
• The milestones you will hit as you progress through your go-to-market plan
• The resources you will require to reach your target successfully

Start by describing your target market and how you plan to reach them. This might include explaining your distribution channels, sales strategy, or marketing approach. You can also use this slide to talk about any partnerships you have in place, or how you plan to leverage them.

Next, explain the actions you will take to reach your target audience, and how you plan to measure success. These actions should fit within each of the channels that you’ve already identified. For example, if you’re using digital marketing, your actions might be things like website development, SEO, or social media campaigns.

Lastly, list the key milestones you will hit as you progress through your go-to-market plan, and identify the resources you will require to achieve them. You can include your team, budget for marketing activities, or specific assets like signage.

As a startup, traction is key. Investors want to see that you’re making progress and that your product is resonating with customers. This slide is often one of the trickiest for startups at idea-stage, as it can be difficult to show commercial progress and it will be too early for product-market fit.

There are a few different ways to pitch traction, and you need to choose the one that works best with your company and the stage you’re at. Some options include user base, revenue growth, or market validation.

If you’re focusing on your user base, you’ll want to pitch a clear and compelling story about your customer base. If you have a small data set, it’s worth showcasing your first 100 customers as this makes the numbers seem more real.

If you have a large customer base, pitch your exponential growth in terms of percentage or absolute figures. For example, pitch how many customers you signed in the past quarter or year.

Revenue Growth

If you’re focusing on revenue growth, pitch your current (or projected) sales figures. You can also pitch the average ticket size or value of your deals. Alternatively, pitch your revenue growth (in terms of percentage or absolute figures) over the past year.

Market Validation

If your product is still at idea-stage and still has a long way to go before it’s ready for market, pitch your progress in terms of real-world validation. For example, pitch the number of people who have registered to use your product or service, or pitch the number of companies that have expressed interest during interviews.

Most importantly, be honest about your progress. If they are interested, investors will dig into your traction claims and you’ll need to back them up with data – if it turns out that you’ve lied or embellished the facts, you’ll not only lose trust and credibility, you’ll probably lose the investment too.

Having set the scene in which your startup operates, it’s time to introduce the management team behind your startup. Investors will be keen to learn about who is leading your company and how they will transform your idea into a profitable business.

The focus here must be you and your co-founders. People invest in people, so you’ll need to show how you have the vision, experience, and motivation required to deliver on your pitch.

Keep your team slide short and sweet. You’ll want to include the founding team, highlighting their relevant experience in the industry or field that you’re operating within.

Pictures help to make your presentation more personal, so make sure you have a good quality headshot of each team member, consistently formatted so that everyone appears the same size and in focus.

The team slide should only include the founding team, though it is acceptable to include key team members, as well as notable advisors or investors if beneficial. If you do this, ensure that there is a clear visual separation between the two groups.

This is the big one. The pitch deck wouldn’t be complete without a clear proposal of what you’re asking for from your investors. This slide should clearly state the amount of money you’re seeking, as well as what you plan to do with it.

It’s important to remember that investors are looking for a return on their investment (ROI), so your proposal must be realistic and demonstrate how you will use the funds raised to reach key growth milestones.

To convince investors, your “Ask slide” will need to answer these three questions:

• How much are you seeking to raise?
• What will you do with the money?
• What do you intend to accomplish with the funds?

Always remember to pitch the ask in terms of how it benefits the investor – not just you. For example, if you’re seeking a £100,000 investment, explain how that money will help you reach a specific milestone that will create value for your investors.

Be specific about how much you need to raise, and where you plan to deploy the money. This will show that you’ve done your homework and understand how you will grow your business.

A simple pie chart with the breakdown of how you plan to use funds can go a long way towards demonstrating to investors that you’re serious about using their money wisely. For example, if 25 percent goes towards marketing spend, 30 percent for technology development, and 45 percent for new hires, that’s a good indication you have your priorities straight.

It’s unlikely that you will be profitable before the next round of funding, but it is usually worth highlighting the key numbers from your financial projections to give investors an idea of the scale and trajectory of your business.

Perhaps the most important factor in your investment ask is demonstrating that you understand how much capital you require to hit key growth milestones without requiring further funding rounds for at least 12-18 months. This is something that almost every investor will expect you to have a solid plan for.

Pitch Deck Design

Whether you’re sharing your deck by email or presenting on stage, the design of your pitch deck matters. However, you can’t afford to hire a professional pitch deck designer to help. So, what do you do?

KEEP. IT. SIMPLE.

Your pitch deck is not the place to show off your design skills – or highlight any lack of expertise in this department! The only goal of your pitch deck is to communicate information clearly and concisely so that investors understand what you’re pitching and can get excited about it.

Keep your presentation simple, use bold typography, highlight key information, and stick to a maximum of two or three colors. Resist the urge to use lots of graphics and animations, as these can be distracting and take up valuable space on your slides.

How to design a better pitch deck

There are a lot of things to consider when designing your pitch deck presentation. Below are some tips on how to make your pitch more effective:

The average investor has a short attention span, so keep your deck concise and easy to follow. Use clear language, avoid complex graphs and charts, and stick to a maximum of 15 slides.

Use the same fonts, colors, and layouts throughout your pitch deck to create a cohesive look.

Slides that are crowded with text and images will be difficult for your audience to read and comprehend.

A pitch deck template is a great way to ensure that your pitch deck looks professional and follows the proper design guidelines.

Pitch deck design tools

Today, there is a huge selection of online design tools and no-code builders to help you build your perfect deck. Below are just a few of the design platforms that can help you craft your pitch.

An easy-to-use platform that allows startups to build a beautiful slide deck without any special design skills. Start from scratch or create your slides using predefined pitch deck templates.

https://slidebean.com/

Offers a wide range of design tools and templates for creating professional pitch decks. The free version includes limited features, while the paid plans start at $12/month.

This pitch deck design app is great for startups and entrepreneurs who need to create a pitch deck quickly. The basic plan starts at $12/month (billed annually) but there is a 14-day free trial.

https://www.beautiful.ai/

The tools provided by Pitch allow you to quickly produce a high-quality pitch. Even if you’re not a designer, you can create a strong pitch deck that looks great. The basic plan is free, but you’ll need to upgrade to the paid plans for more features.

https://pitch.com/

While these design tools can be extremely powerful, it still pays to follow the same basic guidelines to ensure that your pitch deck is easy for investors to understand; Keep it simple, avoid animation, stick to a consistent layout, and make sure your text and images are easy to read.

When you’re trying to capture investors’ attention and raise equity funding, you need to show them that you have a good plan. But startups aren’t traditional businesses and they don’t use traditional business plans.

like the Holy Grail, the business plan remains largely unattainable and mythological. Most experts wouldn’t agree, but a business plan is of limited usefulness for a startup because entrepreneurs base so much of their plans on assumptions, “visions,” and unknowns. Guy Kawasaki

This is why pitch decks are the perfect approach to sharing a startup business plan.

Fundamentally, your pitch deck is used to share your vision, attract investors, and start conversations. As a founder, you should be prepared for investors who may not “get” your pitch deck right away — this doesn’t mean that they aren’t interested in what you’re doing.

Be prepared to answer questions and have an engaging conversation about your startup. Investors want to see that you have a clear understanding of your business, the problem you’re solving, and how you plan on making money. They also want to know that you’re capable of executing your vision.

Remember, pitch decks are just one part of the overall investment process. If you’re able to create a pitch deck that effectively communicates your idea and leaves investors wanting more, then you’re on the right track!

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

9 The Business Plan Pitch

Learning Objectives

After completing this chapter, you will be able to

• Deliver an effective business plan pitch

Writing a good business plan will only get an entrepreneur so far. To achieve their goals, they must be prepared to pitch their plan effectively to targeted investors and other potential stakeholders. These are sometimes called elevator pitches  because an entrepreneur should be prepared to effectively deliver one in the length of time it takes to ride up a few floors in an elevator with a potential investor. The goal of a pitch is not to fully describe a business idea, but to be able to convince a potential investor in five minutes or less that they should meet with the entrepreneur further to learn more about the idea because they might want to invest in it.

Your business plan pitch must be focused on what your targeted audience and business plan readers need to know. Usually your pitch will be designed to capture a potential investor’s interest so that they will want to talk to you about investing in your venture. In that case, your pitch should follow a process similar to the one described next.

Avoid the trap of telling the potential investors too much about how your business works. Instead, spend your time telling them what they need to know to become interested enough to possibly invest in your venture. That means allocating your time almost equally on each of the following elements of your pitch script.

• The problem you solve should be for an identifiable group of people or organizations who recognize that they have a problem and are willing to spend their money for a solution to the problem.
• Your solution should be better than the alternative solutions offered by your competitors or by those who suffer from the problem. It should also be a solution that cannot or will not be readily copied by existing or new competitors.
• Your chances of being considered capable of delivering what you promise are enhanced if you have a strong team, relevant experience, or access to scarce or unique resources or networks.
• Your opportunities to get the financing you need improve when you can show that the money will increase your capacity to achieve what you promise.
• Potential investors want to know how and when they will get their investment back and how much of a return they will earn on their money. You should be able provide them with an estimate of how much your venture is worth and will be worth in the future while telling them what that means for them.

Chapter Summary

A simple five step business plan pitch format has five steps. When entrepreneurs have a chance to engage with targeted investors, they usually have a limited amount of time to convince those investors to consider their investment opportunity. The purpose of the business plan pitch is to capture the attention and interest of targeted investors within a very short time. A successful pitch should result in an invitation by the investor for the entrepreneur to provide more information about the business because they might want to invest in it.

Business Plan Development Guide Copyright © 2023 by Lee A. Swanson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Home / Blog / Pitch Deck vs. Business Plan: What is the Difference?

Pitch Deck vs. Business Plan: What is the Difference?

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Deciding between a pitch deck and a business plan for your next fundraiser? In reality, both documents play an important part in your fight for the next round. 

• Research shows that a clear, concise pitch deck can increase the chances of securing an initial meeting with investors by up to 72% .
• A business plan reduces internal confusion by 25% by clearly outlining the goals, strategies, and financial projections, leading to a 30% increase in team collaboration .

Both documents require heavy research and are designed to convince investors to back your venture. However, they accomplish it in different ways.

Having raised over $505M in 2023 for startups with our pitch decks and business plans , we’ll walk you through a detailed Pitch deck vs. Business plan comparison and their role in the fundraising game.

What is the pitch deck?

A pitch deck is a 10-20-slide presentation showcasing the potential of your business idea and startup to investors. Briefly and compellingly, it introduces your company, product, market, business model and overall strategy. 

An effective must showcase your market research, traction to date, and a roadmap to where you want to get. No one-sized pitch deck exists, so you can even pitch someone in the elevator .

Think of it as an introductory sales document designed to pique investor interest and encourage further dialogue.

Components of a pitch deck:

• Introduction: Brief overview of your company and its purpose.
• Problem Statement: Clearly define the problem your product or service solves.
• Solution: Describe your product or service and how it addresses the problem.
• Market Opportunity: Showcase the potential market size and target audience.
• Business Model: Explain how your company plans to generate revenue.
• Traction: Highlight any milestones, achievements, or user statistics.
• Market Strategies: Outline your marketing and sales approaches.
• Competitive Analysis: Identify and analyze your competitors.
• Team: Introduce key team members and their roles.
• Financial Projections: Present forecasts for revenue, expenses, and profitability.
• Ask/Investment: Clearly state what you’re seeking from potential investors.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a 30-100-page document showcasing an in-depth analysis of your business idea to potential investors to convince them to invest. It elaborates on things like:

• Your sales, marketing, and operational plans for growth
• Where your company will be in the next 1,3 or 5 years
• A step-by-step plan of how you’ll get there.

The business plan is the first part of the investor’s due diligence process before finalizing the deal. It lays out more detailed research on your industry and competitors, contains many charts, graphs, and pictures, and is very text-heavy. 

Think of it as a comprehensive blueprint of your venture designed to persuade interested investors to pull the trigger and invest.

Components of a business plan:

• Executive Summary: A brief business overview, goals, and plans.
• Company Description: Details about your business, mission, vision, and structure.
• Market Analysis: Research your industry, market, and competitors.
• Organization and Management: Information about your team, structure, and key personnel.
• Product or Service Line: Description of your offer and its benefits.
• Marketing and Sales: Your strategies for promoting and selling your product or service.
• Funding Request: If you seek funding, outline your financial needs.
• Financial Projections: Projected financial statements, like income statements and balance sheets.
• Appendix: Additional supporting documents, charts, graphs, etc.

What are the differences between a pitch deck and a business plan?

While the business plan and pitch deck give a view of your venture, they serve different goals, reach different audiences, and build the story differently. These distinctions manifest in the length, format, target audiences, and funding stages. 

Length and Format

• Pitch Deck:

Brief and eye-catching 10-20 slides with engaging visuals, like images, charts, and minimal text. Generally highlights critical points, like product or service, target market, business model, and future potential.

• Business Plan:  

Detailed 30-100 page text-heavy document armed with visuals like charts and graphs. It typically emphasizes projected revenue, expenses, and profitability through financial statements and forecasts. The document details strategies for sales, marketing, operations, and human resources, along with a description of team members’ expertise, experience, contributions to the company’s success, etc.

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Targeted Audience

• Pitch Deck: Investors (initial stages)
• Business Plan: Investors (due diligence), internal team

Stages and Objectives

• Pitch Deck: 1. Shines in early stages: Pre-seed, seed, Series A. 2. Captivates investors: Concisely delivers the problem, solution, market, and team.
• Business Plan: 1. Dominates later stages: Series B and beyond. 2. Secures substantial funding: Demonstrates viability and potential return on investment (ROI).

Frequency of use

• Pitch Deck: 1. High Frequency: Used frequently and repeatedly throughout the fundraising process. You might prepare several variations tailored to different investors or stages of funding. Examples: Initial investor meetings, pitch competitions, and conferences seeking investment opportunities.
• Business Plan: 1. Lower Frequency: Typically used once during the later fundraising stages, specifically during due diligence. 2. Focus: Providing detailed information for investors to thoroughly assess your business’s viability.

Pros and cons: Pitch Deck vs. Business Plan

Advantages:

• Comprehensive: This thoroughness is crucial for investors, lenders, and internal stakeholders.
• Strategically complete: Aids decision-making, resource allocation, and risk management.
• Supportive fundraising: Studies suggest that companies with a well-crafted business plan are 18% more likely to secure funding than those without one.

Disadvantages:

• Time-consuming: Requires potential expertise in areas like financial modelling and market research.
• Outdated quickly: Market dynamics and business strategies can evolve rapidly, necessitating regular updates to the plan to maintain its accuracy and relevance.
• It may not be read: Lack of time and poorly structured info can push away the potential investor.
• Concise and engaging: Studies reveal that audiences lose focus after 10-20 minutes of presentations. Pitch delivers a clear and quick message.
• Easy to adapt and share: Adapting the pitch deck for various audiences and situations is simpler due to its brevity.
• This can lead to meetings: Engaging presentations foster positive connections with potential partners and lay the groundwork for long-lasting collaborations.
• Sometimes limited information: By definition, it does not provide the in-depth financial analysis, operational details, and market research needed for comprehensive due diligence.
• Less suitable for later stages: As funding requirements and investor expectations increase, a pitch deck alone may not be sufficient for securing more significant investments.

Which is more important, the pitch deck or the business plan?

There is no one-size answer; in most cases, you need both. The importance of each depends on your industry and fundraising stage. The pitch deck is crucial early on , but investors scrutinise the business plan for details as you progress . 

The pitch deck is vital for visibility. Without it, you may miss opportunities with investors and hinder connections with mentors and partners essential for your startup’s success.

On the other hand, the business plan is crucial to validate everything you’ve outlined in your pitch deck. Investors can quickly spot unprepared founders or unrealistic propositions. While a compelling pitch may secure a meeting, a thorough plan will convince investors to back your venture.

Important: A well-crafted pitch deck often stems from a strong business plan.

When to use a business plan and not a pitch deck

• If you seek debt financing: Banks rely on business plans, emphasizing their importance for loan applications.
• If you fundraise above $500k: Careful planning is crucial for substantial fundraising. Investors will scrutinize your venture, so be thoroughly prepared.
• If you have cooperative ownership planning: A written plan is essential for co-owners to navigate challenges together, staying true to the initial vision while embracing necessary changes.

When to use a pitch deck and not a business plan

• When attracting equity investment: A concise pitch deck is essential to secure funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, or knowledgeable friends and family.
• When looking for networking with potential investors: Crafting a positive initial impression is paramount.
• For pitching opportunities for founders: Explore pitch competitions in the startup community, seizing opportunities for exposure and honing your pitching abilities with a solid pitch deck.
• When seeking co-founders: If you’re looking for cofounders, there is no better way to convey your concept and the value you can bring to the table than through a pitch deck.
• When applying to accelerator programs: A well-crafted pitch deck is typically required. It is a critical asset in the assessment process for entry into the accelerator’s next cohort.

You need both 

Need to grab attention and lock connections? Use a pitch deck. Need to showcase in-depth details and long-term potential? Use a business plan. Both tools are paramount in navigating your fundraising journey effectively.

Want to know how to craft pitch decks that secure investor interest? Check our pitch deck hub to learn all about it straight from the trenches.

CONTENT WRITER

Hey there! I'm Anastasiia, a Content Writer at Waveup. With my marketing expertise and storytelling magic, I turn complex data and industry insights into your startup playbook, making the business world a breeze for you! At Waveup, I work with brilliant folks who make insights a never-ending flow. So, join, read, and enjoy!

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The Secret to Pitching Your Business Plan in Just 10 Minutes This outline breaks down a business plan pitch minute by minute so you can stay on topic and build the necessary interest and excitement.

By Mike Moyer • Apr 1, 2022

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Delivering a good pitch is as much about conveying emotion as conveying information. If you get the opportunity to pitch in front of a live audience , both of those objectives should be top of mind. The phrase, "They don't care what you know until they know that you care," is sage advice and is the basis for starting a 10-minute pitch.

Startups are hard work. If you do not particularly care about the market or the problem you are solving, you may bail out when the going gets tough. Investors need to know this is more than just a business.

Related: 4 Powerful Communication Strategies to Win Any Sales Pitch

Minute 1: Personal Introduction

Let the audience know that you, personally, care about the people and the problem you are trying to solve. Use the word "I" instead of "we." I know you are representing your team and your company, but for now concentrate on establishing your passion and commitment. Tell a quick, personal story about how you stumbled upon the business you are pursuing and what made you realize it was where you wanted to focus most of your waking hours.

Your slide(s) should be simple. They are just there as a backdrop to your opening monologue and should make you look good. I, personally, like to show photos of me and/or customers experiencing the problem first-hand. The focus should be on you and your message.

Step forward to the audience, make gentle eye contact and engage them on a personal level as much as you can. The goal is for them to trust you, have confidence in you and to like you.

Transition out of the personal introduction into the overview of the problem you are trying to solve. Your job is to describe the problem as one that goes well beyond just you and your experience. A nice phrase is, "When I started looking around, I realized that I'm not the only one with X problem. Lots and lots of other people have it too!"

Minute 2: The Problem

Remember to keep an emotional appeal included in your description of the problem. People with this problem are: struggling, irritated, angry, disenfranchised? Keep human emotions real. Break down the problem into its component parts accompanied by a diagram.

Your slides during this minute are simply visual aids that help explain the problem. Like in the introduction, photos can express the human factor, but diagrams can help explain how the problem is experienced by people.

Keep close to the audience and help them empathize with those who experience the problem. As you move into the solution, physically back away from the audience, smile and spread out your arms to make bigger gestures. Your job is to bring up the excitement level in the room.

Related: 4 Ways Emotional Intelligence Can Improve Your Sales

Minute 3: The Solution

At this point, you are going to maximize the crescendo. Show excitement and passion for your businesses solution. Transition to "we" instead of just "I." Walk the audience not only through how the solution works, but also through the great benefits of the solution.

You need to position your body in front of the room and make it as big and bright as you can with big arm movements, a bright smile, confident voice and lots of eye contact. The audience should begin to share your excitement for your business.

Your slides are visual aids and diagrams. They should contain little to no text. Keep them simple as possible as complexity will only suck the energy out of the room. You don't have to explain everything your company does, just the main points. Remember, you only have 10 minutes.

It's good to show images or screenshots of existing products or beta releases and other hard evidence of your execution, but overexplaining the solution will make the presentation less compelling, and it will take too long. You want to leave the audience wanting more.

Once you have your audience feeling great about the solution, it is time to talk money.

Minute 4: Business Model

There are several money-related topics you'll need to touch on during your pitch, including how you'll make money, how much money you will make and how much money you will need. Keep these parts separate so they are easier to digest.

Now is the time to tell the audience how you will make money. There are literally dozens of possible business models, including selling the product, selling a subscription, taking a processing fee, licensing and so on. Explain how you are going to charge people for the solution you are offering.

On your slide is an outline of the customer unit economics for your chosen business model — the price they will pay and basic terms of a typical contract. Explain how you will "do the deal" with customers. Whenever you show numbers, stand close to your presentation screen and point to the numbers you are talking about. Numbers are hard to follow. Pointing as you talk will help people stay engaged.

If the business model is attractive, as it should be, you will have to explain who else is going after the customer's money.

Related: Tips to Follow When Re-Fitting Your Business Model to the New Normal

Minute 5: The Competition

There's no such thing as a business without competition, and implying that you have none is a major red flag for investors and even potential partners or customers. Whatever problem you are going after is being addressed somehow, maybe not very well, but people experiencing the problem are trying to solve it, and the resources they access to cobble together a solution is where you will define your competition.

The key here is not to avoid the notion that competition exists, but how your company is different . The existence of competition validates the market. Do not talk about how you are "better," focus on "different." Your attitude towards the competition gives the audience a peek into your business soul. Are you dutifully respectful of their presences and power or are you arrogant and naïve enough to think your little startup will have no problem beating them? Err on the side of humility.

Your slides should depict your differences from the main competitors. Feature comparisons or positioning charts , for instance, can be effective tools. Many of the questions you will get from the audience will stem from what you say during this minute of your pitch.

Be clear and respectful before you transition to your sales and marketing plan.

Minute 6: Sales and Marketing

During you description of the competition, you struck a respectful tone. It's now time to amp up the room again as you talk about how many potential customers are out there and how you're going to get them. Show excitement and confidence as you walk the audience through the market data, your chosen point of entry and your communication strategy.

Slides will depict data, charts, and graphs which you will want to point to as you explain. Images of web sites, brochures, trade show booths in action, etc. are fair game here, too, and will help build excitement in room.

It is important to tie your sales and marketing plans together so it doesn't look like you are shooting a scatter gun of one-off tactics. Show the logic and flow of lead generation to final sale and how your team plans to take the prospects through the buying process and into the customer experience.

End this minute by translating the marketing sizzle into numbers. It is time to talk about money again!

Minute 7: Money

Earlier, you explained how the business is going to make money. Now, it's time to tell the audience how much money you are going to make. This is the good part. Your description of the deal shows the unit economics of a single customer (price), and your market description shows how many potential deals are out there (quantity). Armed with this information, you can describe how revenue builds over time.

Break it down for the audience. Show income and expenses in graphical format. Nothing beats a good bar chart, and pretty much anything beats a screenshot of a spreadsheet. Back up to your presentation slide and point to information like the weatherperson points to a weather map on TV.

Keep the tone upbeat and engaging. You'll want to exude as much confidence as you can. To this end, avoid showing different scenarios in your forecast. Pick the scenario that you think is most likely to happen, and be prepared to defend your assumptions.

To make the business believable, the audience will now need to meet your team.

Minute 8: The Team

It may seem a little strange to wait until towards the end of your pitch to introduce your team, but waiting has benefits. It's important to introduce your team in the context of the business so the audience understands why it is what it is. If you introduce the team upfront, you will have to circle back to describe their roles later, which wastes time and can get redundant. A 10-minute pitch must eliminate redundancy.

As you introduce the key players on the team, you can highlight what function they will perform and brag (yes, brag) about how great they are at their function and how lucky you are to be working with them. Talk about yourself with humility, and talk about your team like they are the best team in the world.

Rather than showing headshots and bullet points, show images of the team in action or in a group. You want to make sure the audience sees a team , not a collection of individuals.

Next, you will explain the great work this great team has accomplished!

Minute 9: Proof of Concept/Traction

A team without results isn't much more than a cocktail party. To get investors or customers, you need to show results. What has the team accomplished? Have they launched an MVP? Does the company have revenue? Are the customers happy?

The more traction you can show, the better. This, more than just about any other minute of your pitch, will demonstrate your team's ability to pull off this business in the real world. Display customer testimonials and read them out loud. Show pictures of your solutions in action. Maximize the excitement in your voice and facial expression. You're almost at the end of your pitch, so be sure leave it on a high note!

You have one minute left. It's time to ask for the money.

Minute 10: Ask

Assuming you are pitching your business for the purpose of raising money, you will spend the last minute asking for it. By now, your audience has everything they need to know if they are interested, or not, in working with you. You must paint a clear picture of what you need from the audience and what investing with you will look like.

Investors want their money to be used for growth, not exploration. Show them that everything is in place to grow, you just need to fan the flames.

Many founders aren't sure how much money they will need and to what terms they will be willing to accept. They are keen to keep things open-ended. In my experience, however, investors want a starting point. Give it to them.

You already showed them how much you are expecting to make. This financial objective is based on many assumptions, not the least of which is how much outside funding will be required to execute the plan. Break it down for the investor. Do you want one main investor or a number of smaller investors?

If, for instance, you are raising $1 million, you could break it into 10 chunks of $100,000 each and say, "We are raising $1 million from up to ten investors in $100,000 units in exchange for a convertible note. How many units do you want?" Your slides can show the breakdown and the high-level terms of the note. This makes the deal easy to understand. An interested investor will not walk away from the deal based on your initial offer, they will counteroffer, and you'll be off to the negotiating table — mission accomplished!

Express enthusiasm for their participation in your business. Keep the energy levels high.

The trick to delivering a compelling 10-minute pitch is to let the story flow logically and to avoid repeating yourself. It's not logical, for instance, to introduce the team before anyone knows what kind of team is needed. Likewise, it's not logical to talk about progress and traction before talking about how the business works.

Each topic in the above outline neatly flows into the next, allowing you to build your story and maintain the energy level in the room. A good pitch lets the story unfold naturally and doesn't force things together. In this pitch, you may notice that there is no "money" or "financial" section. Making money is simply part of the flow of the story, so it is touched on multiple times during the pitch.

Perfecting the pitch means practicing the pitch. It's much more than what you say. It's also about when you say it and how you say it.

Related: Why You Need a Million-Dollar Pitch Before Your Start a Business

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Blog Business 10 Business Pitch Examples for Your Next Client Meeting

10 Business Pitch Examples for Your Next Client Meeting

Written by: Letícia Fonseca Oct 30, 2023

We tell presenters that it’s okay to feel scared during your upcoming sales pitch because investors will always be a pressing and intimidating bunch.

Great elevator pitches are similar to memorable stories. They intertwine visuals and narrative to keep the audience engaged. And it needs to be completed in the duration of an elevator ride.

In this guide, we share 10 business pitch examples you’ll want to use in your next investor or client meeting.

You don’t need design experience to create a business or sales pitch. Create an engaging presentation in just minutes with Venngage’s professionally designed pitch deck templates !

What is a business pitch?

A business pitch is a concise and compelling presentation that is delivered to potential investors, clients or partners to communicate the value proposition of a business idea , product or service.

The main goal of a business pitch is to persuade the audience to take a particular action, such as investing in the business, partnering with the company or purchasing the product or service.

When creating a business pitch, always remember that a well-crafted business pitch should be clear, concise and tailored to the specific needs and interests of the target audience. It should effectively communicate the value proposition and potential of the business idea, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

To help smoothen the process for you, I’ve curated 10 business pitch deck examples you can use for your next client meeting. Keep scrolling to find out!

10 business pitch examples you can use:

Choose a simple and short elevator pitch template, guy kawasaki elevator pitch examples for business, modern pitch deck example, effective startup elevator pitch examples.

• Business idea pitch deck

Dark marketing pitch deck

Classic airbnb pitch deck.

• Statement yellow elevator pitch example
• Short franchise elevator pitch example

Nonprofit pitch deck

Your elevator pitch needs to address the biggest business concern: the sales funnel .

This simple pitch deck example gets to the heart of the business problem within just 12 slides. It’s short, sharp and to the point, enough to keep prospective clients interested.

This is a great sales pitch deck template to accompany a brief presentation. You can easily share your business model with investors or clients.

Customize this template by adding your branding and business information. Include data about your target audience and team members. This is information that potential investors need to know.

With a Venngage business account, you can access the My Brand Kit feature, including the Autobrand tool.

Add your website when prompted and the editor will import your logos, fonts and brand colors . You’ll be able to add your branding to all your designs with a single click.

Related:  How to Create an Effective Pitch Deck Design [+Examples]

The Guy Kawasaki method for elevator pitch templates has been successful for numerous businesses. The minimal text keeps investors focused during the entire pitch.

Presenters can fully concentrate on sharing the key metrics and pain points of their target market. The pitch deck includes overviews that guide investors’ thoughts.

Venngage has two versions of the conventional Guy Kawasaki elevator pitch format. This gradient version is a bit more modern. It certainly draws the eye without overwhelming the design.

The template’s simple and minimalist-inspired design makes it easy to customize for any brand completely. You can swap out the gradient panels and add brand-relevant product images instead.

You can also use this non-gradient pitch deck template. This is an ideal way to highlight your brand colors.

Make the easily customizable pitch deck examples shared above your own by adding your text, data and graphs.

Creating a pitch deck  just got easier. Venngage’s real-time collaboration  allows multiple members to work on a design at once. Share instant feedback and design a winning sales pitch.

This unconventional pitch deck uses icons to tell a compelling narrative. Visuals can spice up presentation decks and give make them aesthetically pleasing.

This template works well for startups and small businesses demonstrating to investors their brand’s potential.

If the deck is too dark, you can switch out the panel colors and icons. Add your own research to make your sales pitch convincing.

Related:  Everything You Need to Know About Picking and Using Brand Colors

Elevator pitch decks focus on quick, one-minute proposals to convince potential investors that you have something valuable.

This investor pitch deck example is excellent for a startup elevator pitch. With just five slides, this deck makes it easy to breeze through your business model.

The added charts make the proposal and presentation much more convincing. You can share the necessary details that investors will want to know about.

Import your data from Google sheets into the Venngage editor and easily create charts for your presentation.

Related:  Everything You Need to Know About Pie Charts

Business idea pitch deck

How do you highlight your business model to a potential customer? You start with your value proposition.

The below pitch deck example opens with the business’ value proposition in the first slide. It also includes many elegant ways to showcase the brand. Plus, it provides essential business data to investors simultaneously.

You can use the business idea pitch deck template above as a guideline for a good sales pitch of your own or modify and adjust it to your branding needs.

The marketing pitch deck example below has a dark but unique personality. It works well in a product launch setting or as an elevator pitch deck for marketers.

The color combination is unusual but striking. Not to mention, on-trend. Bold colors are one of the resurgent graphic design trends  of the past few years.

You can use the above marketing pitch deck example as inspiration for numerous business presentations.

Art and multimedia businesses can also use it as a template for client presentations.

Related:  20+ Business Pitch Deck Templates to Win New Clients and Investors

We all know what Airbnb is and how much the business has grown over the past few years.

One of the best pitch deck examples you’ll see is Venngage’s version of the Airbnb pitch deck.

It uses sample data, addresses the core customer problem and outlines the business plan to capture the audience’s attention.

The pitch deck example above is one of the standard elevator pitch decks but manages to be sophisticated. There’s a finesse to this pitch deck design . That’s why it was so successful.

Statement yellow elevator pitch example

The yellow motif of this artistic pitch deck will immediately hold the audience’s attention.

The color is bright and bold but isn’t overpowering. Instead, only two slides use the background color across the whole slide.

The majority of the slides only include hints of yellow or use it as a highlight.

This template works for companies that use one prominent color across their branding. It’s also a professional pitch deck for small businesses, startups, or software companies.

Short franchise elevator pitch example

Pitch decks don’t depend on length to make a point. Instead, it uses fewer headers as overviews and depends on presenters to share pitch details with investors.

This is one of the best pitch deck examples for a short and classy presentation. It uses a small number of icons and bullet points to draw the eye and keep the presentation flowing.

As an elevator pitch, this is an effective method for maintaining the audience’s focus.

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This elevator pitch example for nonprofits uses minimalism and icons to keep potential investors engaged throughout the presentation.

The subtle use of color and icons asserts the brand’s personality. This template can work for businesses in the graphic design sector.

Alternatively, the nonprofit pitch deck example above can also work for digital marketing agencies that want a cutting-edge appeal to make themselves attractive to clients.

Famous sales pitch decks to inspire your pitch

Minimalist airbnb pitch deck.

This minimalist design of the Airbnb elevator pitch example shared above is perfect for startups.

You can easily add product or location photos and adjust the colors to suit your branding, alongside your logo and fonts.

Buffer pitch deck

The real Buffer pitch deck was confusing for investors. You can read more about it in our round-up of the best pitch decks .

Venngage designed a cleaner version using icons and charts. This makes the information easier to understand. You aren’t bombarding your audience with too many details.

Facebook pitch deck

The winning Facebook pitch deck was text-heavy. But what made it stand out was how many popular schools had already signed up with it.

Plus, the deck was nothing short of ambitious, with a clear expansion plan. It is no surprise that Facebook is the behemoth it is today.

How to write a business pitch deck

Creating a compelling business pitch deck is essential for effectively conveying your business idea to potential investors or partners. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you write a business pitch deck:

• Cover slide: Include the name of your company and a visually appealing image that represents your business.
• Problem statement: Clearly define the problem your product or service solves. Use statistics or real-life examples to emphasize the significance of the problem.
• Solution: Describe your product or service and how it addresses the identified problem. Use visuals, such as product images or diagrams, to help illustrate your solution.
• Market opportunity: Present market research data to showcase the size, growth potential and trends of the target market. Use graphs, charts, or infographics to make the information more engaging.
• Business model: Explain how your business will generate revenue. Describe your pricing strategy, sales and distribution channels and any key partnerships or collaborations that will contribute to your business model’s success.
• Traction and milestones: Highlight any significant achievements, milestones, or partnerships that demonstrate the progress and potential of your business. This can include user metrics, revenue growth, or notable endorsements.
• Competitive analysis: Analyze your competitors and illustrate how your product or service stands out in the market. Highlight your unique selling points and any barriers to entry that provide your business with a competitive advantage.
• Go-to-market strategy : Outline your marketing and sales plan. Describe how you will reach and acquire customers, including your marketing channels, customer acquisition strategy and sales approach.
• Financial projections: Present your financial forecasts, including revenue projections, cost structures and expected profitability. Use charts or graphs to display key financial data and assumptions.
• Team: Introduce your team members and highlight their relevant expertise and experience. Emphasize how the team’s skills and strengths contribute to the success of the business.
• Use of funds: Explain how you plan to use the funds you are seeking. Provide a breakdown of how the investment will be allocated across different aspects of the business.
• Conclusion and call-to-action: Summarize the key points of your pitch and clearly state what action you want the investors to take. Encourage questions and provide your contact information for further discussions.

Remember to keep your pitch deck concise, visually appealing and easy to understand. Use high-quality visuals and compelling storytelling to make your business pitch deck engaging and memorable for your audience.

Four tips for creating a great elevator pitch

Here are four easy ways to recreate the pitch deck examples above or build your own pitch from a template.

Create a visual style for your sales pitches

A visual style or theme creates flow and sophistication in any presentation. These involve using recurring elements in a subtle and obvious manner.

For example, this Venngage template uses our color gradient along with elegant and bright icons.

Choose visual elements whose characteristics become the pitch deck’s focal point. Great pitch decks use the brand’s colors and visual motifs to keep the brand top of mind.

Give an overview of your business model

Pitch decks act as content anchors that guide your client toward your topic’s main points.

All the other information in your pitch deck or the explanations in your presentation will be aimed at supplementing that data.

Like this Uber elevator pitch template that emphasizes customer pain points and how the business will solve them.

Examples of added data include situational examples, charts and graphs and case studies .

Focus on your unique proposition

Your pitch deck has a central idea that is its unique selling proposition. Pitch deck creators build their pitch ideas around this aspect.

As a result, they’ll have a solid, communicative and persuading pitch deck that convinces investors.

Simplify hard concepts in your sales pitch

Scientific knowledge is enriching to those who understand its meaning.

Hard concepts, long-running and poorly constructed sentences and jargon make reading challenging for investors who have a very short time to spare.

This deck ensures that information isn’t overwhelming, either in the overview or the traction slide.

Make sure to simplify hard concepts and use simple words. That’s what the best pitch decks do.

Use templates to create successful pitch decks and win over investors

Delivering a good elevator pitch can be overwhelming. The pressure to get the tone right and impress investors is huge.

We’ve shared 10 elevator pitch examples that you can use as inspiration.

And with Venngage’s pitch deck templates, you get a competitive advantage. With no design experience, you can create elevator pitches that win over investors.

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Pitch Deck VS. Business Plan: What is the Difference

• May 8, 2024

Pitch deck or a business plan—confused about which of these business documents you should create for your business?

Well, the short answer is both.

But, in a thriving startup world, where time’s a chase, knowing what will help you to make the most significant impact will make the choice easier.

Through this blog post, let’s help you understand the key differences between these two documents, i.e. pitch deck vs business plan , and instances when you will need them.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive right in.

What is a pitch deck?

A pitch deck is a concise visual presentation, often used by startups and emerging entrepreneurs, to introduce their business potential in front of investors and potential stakeholders.

These presentations explain the key details of your plan such as the problem, solution, revenue model, traction, financials, and organizational team through engaging visuals and simple text blocks.

Pitch decks hook the audience to your excellent business idea and persuade them to engage further or take action.

Pitch decks are important for a quick business introduction. But let’s now gather a basic overview of what a business plan is.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a professional document outlining the goals, strategies, and operational aspects of your business. It serves as a guide for decision-making and offers a roadmap to achieve your business objectives.

Business plans, in general, include key components like executive summary, company overview, market analysis, products and services, marketing and sales strategy, operation plan, management team, and financial plan.

It’s one detailed document that will help you to secure funds from potential investors.

Now, that you have gathered a fair understanding of pitch decks and business plans, let’s understand what makes them different.

Difference between a pitch deck and a business plan

Pitch decks are crisp offering a macro overview of your business idea through sharp and remarkable visuals. Business plans, on the other hand, are immaculately detailed, offering a micro overview of what your business does and where it aims to reach.

Well, the differences between a business plan and a pitch deck are fundamental and we will now explore those differences in detail.

Pitch decks serve the purpose of familiarizing the audience with your business idea in a short time. They capture the audience’s attention, spark excitement about a business idea, and help you secure further discussions and meetings with potential investors.

Business plans, on the other hand, offer an in-depth detailing of your business framework, financial projections, and strategic objectives. They are required by banks to grant loans, investors to evaluate the business’s viability, and internally to guide the management and operations.

2. Length and Format

A slide deck is precise and concise. It summarizes your entire business idea within 10-15 slides, and sometimes even less.

These business documents are heavier on visual components. Instead of paragraphs, the important information is usually conveyed through crisp statements and bullet points.

Business plans, however, are extremely detailed and lengthy. While the length of a typical traditional plan varies between 20-100 pages, a startup business plan in a lean format can be as small as 1-2 pages.

These professional documents are heavier on text and include tables and charts to support the textual content. The design is kept minimal and professional and the information is organized neatly into digestible sections.

A pitch deck includes high-value information summarizing only the key aspects of your business plan. They focus more on the problem and the solution, revenue model, traction, competitive advantage, and key financial metrics of your business.

Such presentations also include your funding demand and are pretty straightforward in terms of content.

Business plans, however, provide extensive information detailing your business idea, strategies, resources, financials, and even the assumptions and justifications.

Generally, a comprehensive business plan includes an executive summary followed by a detailed description of the business, market analysis, products and services, marketing and sales strategies, operations, management, and financials.

However, one can adjust the contents and details of a business plan depending on their objective to write a business plan .

4. Audience

Pitch decks are essentially prepared to pitch to investors and venture capital firms for equity funding. However, that’s not it.

The very purpose of a business pitch deck is to educate the people about your business idea and stir their interest. So anyone who wants to acquaint themselves with the core fundamentals of your business in a short time is an ideal audience for a pitch deck.

Similarly, a business plan is also intended for a vast audience, including but not limited to, loan officers, investors, stakeholders, and the company’s internal team.

In fact, anyone who wants to have a deep, thorough insight into your business’s strategies, policies, operations, and finances can benefit from reading your business plan.

And those are the most fundamental differences between a pitch deck presentation and a business plan. However, let’s now understand different instances when you will require these business documents.

When to use a Pitch Deck?

A pitch deck offers a snapshot of your business and is most suitable for situations, events, and audiences that prefer to gather a level of information within a short span.

Here are a few instances where you would definitely require a business pitch deck:

• When you want to introduce your startup idea at investor meet-ups, networking events, and accelerator programs.
• When you want to get initial equity funding from investors and VC firms.
• When you want to secure an in-person meeting with an investor.

However, for all this to happen, you need a pitch deck that brilliantly captures the key essence of your business.

Well, it’s not that easy. From design to content—it takes a lot to create a 10-page, compelling pitch deck.

You must have figured out that creating a pitch deck is challenging given the crispness, conciseness, and briefness it requires.

Not anymore. You can now use AI to create your strategic pitch decks from scratch, requiring zero designing.

 Ditch your old-school pitch deck creation methods

Make compelling pitch decks in minutes with AI

When to use a Business Plan?

A well-mapped business plan is an asset that will take your business to quite a few places helping you realize your business goals. If you are wondering where will you require a business plan, here you go:

• When you want significant funding from potential investors.
• When you want to validate your business idea.
• When you want to plan for subsequent business stages that require a strategic roadmap.
• When you want to explain your complex business model.

Now, a business plan can only help achieve all those things when it offers a true and realistic overview of your business and its strategies.

Absolutely, it’s a difficult task. But with the right tools and aid, you can create a realistic plan that offers a roadmap to success for your business.

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What to Write First—Business Plan or Pitch Deck

Ideally, a business plan should be drafted before creating a pitch deck.

The business plan demands thorough analysis and research. Writing it first will encourage you to explore the business nuances in detail.

You are more in sync with your business idea and its strategies by the time you are done writing your business plan. Such understanding is essential to creating a pitch deck that reflects your startup’s potential in a true light.

A Way Forward

It’s evident that you need both—a business plan and a pitch deck, to venture successfully into your market. Instead of contemplating, let’s make business planning easier for you.

Upmetrics offers a range of AI-powered solutions for all your business and strategic planning needs.

Whether you need an AI business plan generator to create a thorough business plan or AI pitch deck generator for a compelling pitch deck—Upmetrics has got you covered.

No need to spend any more time worrying about where and how to get started. Our perfectly designed solutions will guide you to create stellar business documents in no time.

Build your Business Plan Faster

with step-by-step Guidance & AI Assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a pitch similar to a business plan.

Not really. Business plans are textual offering a detailed overview of your business idea. Pitch decks, however, are concise and visual. It can be said that pitch decks are a byproduct of business plans. However, they are not the same.

When should you use a business plan?

Business plans should be used when you want to obtain financing from traditional banks. However, even angel investors would ask for a business plan when the funding demand is substantial. Apart from this, you use a business plan for strategic planning and internal guidance.

When should you use a pitch deck?

Pitch decks should be used to introduce your business idea to different audiences. It is extensively used to pitch potential investors and persuade them for financing.

Do I need a pitch deck or a business plan?

A business requires both a pitch deck and a business plan. It is preferable to write a business plan first before creating a pitch deck to capture the essence of your business effectively.

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Business Plan vs. Pitch Deck: Understanding the Differences (and When to Use Each)

• May 10, 2024

Alright, aspiring founder, let’s talk about your startup dreams. You’ve got an amazing idea, the drive to make it happen, but maybe a little uncertainty about the next steps. That’s understandable!

Let’s be real, the startup world throws around a lot of jargon. Business plans, pitch decks, investor meetings… it can feel overwhelming. But here’s the thing: You don’t need a fancy MBA or a pocketful of cash to get started. All you really need is a solid plan.

In this guide, we’re breaking down the two essentials of any successful startup: the business plan and the pitch deck. We’ll explain what they are, why they matter, and how they fit into your unique journey. No fluff, no complex language, just straightforward advice to help you build your business, your way.

Think of a business plan as your startup’s roadmap. It outlines your vision, strategies, and financial projections, giving you a clear direction to follow. And your pitch deck? That’s your chance to shine, your opportunity to showcase your idea and captivate potential investors.

Whether you’re bootstrapping your business or seeking funding, understanding these two documents is crucial.

Business Plan 101: The Roadmap for Your Dream

A business plan is the cornerstone of any successful startup. But what exactly is it? In simple terms, it’s a detailed roadmap that outlines your vision, strategies, and financial projections. Think of it as your GPS for navigating the exciting, sometimes bumpy, road of entrepreneurship. Studies have found that entrepreneurs who write formal plans are 16% more likely to achieve viability than otherwise identical non-planning entrepreneurs.

Why Do You Need a Business Plan?

• Clarity: A business plan forces you to clarify your ideas and goals. It helps you answer essential questions like: Who are your customers? What problem are you solving? How will you make money?
• Direction: It gives you a clear direction and helps you stay focused on your objectives.
• Decision-Making: A business plan is a valuable tool for making informed decisions about your business. It helps you identify potential risks and opportunities.
• Funding: If you’re seeking funding, like an SBA loan or a bank loan, a well-crafted business plan is typically a must. It shows lenders you’ve done your homework and have a solid plan for success.

Key Components of a Business Plan

• Executive Summary: A concise overview of your business, including your mission, vision, and key goals.
• Why Us: Clearly define the problem you’re solving, your unique solution, and why your business is the best one to tackle this issue. Highlight your unique value proposition – what sets you apart from competitors.
• Products or Services: Here, you can explicitly highlight the features and benefits of your offering.
• Business Model: A description of how your company creates, delivers, and captures value. This includes your revenue model (how you’ll make money), cost structure, key resources, and key activities.
• Go-to-Market Strategy: How you plan to reach and attract customers.
• Market Analysis: Research on your target market, including demographics, trends, market size, and potential growth,
• Competition Analysis: Identify your direct and indirect competitors and analyze what they do, their strengths and weaknesses, and identify key takeaways for your own business.
• SWOT Analysis: A framework for identifying and analyzing your business’s internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats.
• Organization and Management: Information about your team, their roles, and their expertise.
• Financial Projections: Your financial forecasts, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow projections.

Business Plan Tips for Early-Stage Founders

• Start Simple: You don’t need to create a 50-page document right away. A lean, 20-page or so business plan is often enough to get started.
• Focus on the Essentials: Identify the key elements of your business and focus on those.
• Be Realistic: Don’t overestimate your projections or underestimate your challenges.
• Get Feedback: Share your business plan with trusted advisors and mentors.
• Keep it Updated: Your business plan is a living document. Update it regularly as your business evolves.

Pitch Deck Essentials: Captivate Investors

If your business plan is the roadmap, your pitch deck is “the movie trailer”—a highlight reel designed to spark excitement and interest. It’s a visual presentation, usually in the form of slides, that tells the story of your startup.

Why Do You Need a Pitch Deck?

While a business plan is essential for you and potential lenders, a pitch deck is typically used to grab the attention of angel investors, venture capitalists, and other potential investors. It’s your chance to make a memorable first impression and leave them wanting more. A compelling pitch deck can open doors to funding opportunities and valuable connections.

Key Slides of a Pitch Deck

Key Elements of a Pitch Deck

• Title Slide: Grab attention with your company name, logo, and tagline.
• Problem: Clearly define the problem you’re solving. Make it relatable and impactful.
• Solution: Describe your product or service and how it solves the problem. Highlight what makes your solution unique and innovative.
• Why Now: Explain why the timing is right for your solution. Showcase market trends or technological advancements that make your solution relevant and urgent.
• Founder/Market Fit: Demonstrate why you (the founder or co-founders) are the right people to solve the problem. Highlight relevant experience, passion, or unique insights that connect you to the problem and the market.
• Traction: Highlight any early successes or milestones you’ve achieved. This could include user growth, revenue, partnerships, or awards.
• How it Works: Give a brief overview of how your product or service works. Use visuals to simplify complex concepts.
• Market Opportunity: Show the size and potential of your target market. Use data and visuals to demonstrate a clear opportunity.
• Competition and Competitive Advantage: Showcase your competitive landscape and emphasize what differentiates you from others.
• Go-to-Market Strategy: Outline your roadmap, as well as your marketing plan for reaching and acquiring customers.
• Team: Showcase your team’s experience and expertise. Investors invest in people as much as ideas.
• Ask and Financials: Clearly state how much funding you’re seeking and how you plan to use it. Briefly summarize your financial projections to demonstrate potential return on investment.
• Thank You: End with a call to action and your contact information.

Pitch Deck Tips for Early-Stage Founders

• Keep it Concise: Your pitch deck should ideally be around 10-15 slides. Remember, less is often more.
• Tell a Story: Craft a compelling narrative that captures your audience’s attention and keeps them engaged.
• Use Visuals: Incorporate high-quality images, charts, and graphs to make your pitch deck visually appealing and easy to understand.
• Practice, Practice, Practice: Rehearse your pitch delivery until you’re confident and comfortable.

Business Plan vs. Pitch Deck: Key Differences

Now that we’ve explored both business plans and pitch decks, let’s compare and contrast these two essential documents. Understanding their differences will help you determine when and how to use each one effectively.

• Business Plan: A comprehensive document used for internal planning, securing funding from traditional sources (e.g., banks, SBA loans), and guiding your business decisions.
• Pitch Deck: A visual presentation designed to capture the attention of investors, communicate your value proposition quickly, and spark interest in your startup.
• Business Plan: Primarily for yourself, your team, and potential lenders.
• Pitch Deck: Primarily for investors, potential partners, and advisors.
• Business Plan: Detailed and comprehensive, covering all aspects of your business, including market analysis, financial projections, and operational details.
• Pitch Deck: Concise and focused, highlighting the most compelling aspects of your business, such as the problem, solution, market opportunity, and team.
• Business Plan: Typically a written document, ranging from 15 to 25 pages, with detailed text and supporting data.
• Pitch Deck: A visual presentation with 10-15 slides, using clear and concise language, engaging visuals, and impactful data points.

Level of Detail

• Business Plan: Goes into depth on each aspect of your business, providing a thorough analysis and explanation.
• Pitch Deck: Offers a high-level overview, leaving room for further discussion and questions during a pitch meeting.

When to Use Each

• Business Plan: Use it to develop a clear roadmap for your business, secure traditional funding, and guide your decision-making process.
• Pitch Deck: Use it to pitch your business to investors, generate excitement, and attract potential partners.

In essence, your business plan is the foundation of your startup, while your pitch deck is the polished facade that attracts attention and investment. Both are essential tools for different stages of your entrepreneurial journey.

Remember, a business plan and a pitch deck should complement each other, not compete. A well-crafted business plan can serve as the basis for your pitch deck, providing the data and analysis to back up your claims. Conversely, a compelling pitch deck can generate interest that leads investors to request your full business plan for a more thorough review.

There you have it – the essentials of business plans and pitch decks. Think of your business plan as the foundation, and your pitch deck as the showcase. One is detailed and comprehensive, the other is visual and concise. Both are essential tools to guide your journey and share your story.

Remember, every great startup has a story to tell. It’s time to write yours. Start with a business plan to clarify your vision, and then craft a pitch deck that will captivate investors and set your startup on the path to success.

And if you’re looking for a helping hand to craft a compelling story, our team at Numberly is here to help! We specialize in helping startups articulate their vision, develop robust business plans, create pitch decks that wow investors, and even build accurate financial projections to showcase your potential. Your story is unique, and we’re here to help you tell it in the most impactful way possible. SCHEDULE A FREE CALL with our expert to get started today!

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Check out the pitch decks these advertising startups have used to raise millions and shake up the industry

• A new wave of startups are trying to change the digital advertising industry.
• They're pitching new tech for cookieless ads, streaming TV, and influencer marketing.
• Here are 24 pitch decks that startups have used to attract investors.

After years of challenges securing funding, a new wave of advertising startups is raising millions.

These companies aim to solve the industry's big challenges, such as the death of third-party cookies, the shift from linear to streaming TV budgets, and helping advertisers run influencer marketing campaigns.

Related stories

But unlike their predecessors, these new startups are significantly smaller and more focused than many of the early digital advertising companies that raised hundreds of millions of dollars, like MediaMath and Millennial Media.

Business Insider spoke with founders about how they convinced investors to buy into their companies.

For example, ID5 sells to brands and publishers an ID product that doesn't use third-party cookies. Companies like Vibe , Telly , and TVScientific aim to shake up how advertisers buy and measure TV ads. Other companies like FreshSound and Catch+Release are focused on helping marketers license media for use in their campaigns.

Here are 24 pitch decks that top execs and founders have used to sell investors on their companies.

• Aditude, advertising tech for publishers : $5 million
• Anzu, puts ads in video games : $48 million
• Adventr, an interactive video firm : $8 million
• Arcane, automates marketing for companies : $5 million
• Barometer, tracks brand safety for audio content : $2.5 million
• Big Happy, a mobile adtech company : $2.5 million
• Catch+Release, licenses creator content to brands : $8.8 million
• FreshSound, music licensing for commercials : $2.2 million
• Hashtag Pay Me, helps price creator content for brands : $200,000
• ID5, an adtech identity solution : $20 million
• Kevel, helps companies build advertising businesses : $23 million
• Lockr, sells identity management technology to marketers : $2.5 million
• Qortex, an AI targeting firm : $6 million
• Recess, an experiential marketing firm: $5 million
• Rembrand, places product placements in videos with AI : $8 million
• Simon Data, a data marketing tech firm : $54 million
• Sincera, an adtech firm that tracks metadata : $4.2 million
• Scope3, an adtech company focused on sustainability : $20 million
• SuperScale, helps video game developers monetize their content : $5.4 million
• Telly, an ad-supported smart TV : seed round
• TVScientific, helps measure performance marketing for TV ads : $9.4 million
• Vibe, an adtech firm for TV advertising : $22.5 million
• ViralMoment, makes AI video technology for brands : $2.5 million
• Zenapse, marketing tech firm : $8 million

Watch: Ad spend is growing, says General Mills' chief brand officer, Doug Martin, as more people eat at home to save money

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Stormy Daniels Takes the Stand

The porn star testified for eight hours at donald trump’s hush-money trial. this is how it went..

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Featuring Jonah E. Bromwich

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Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

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This episode contains descriptions of an alleged sexual liaison.

What happened when Stormy Daniels took the stand for eight hours in the first criminal trial of former President Donald J. Trump?

Jonah Bromwich, one of the lead reporters covering the trial for The Times, was in the room.

On today’s episode

Jonah E. Bromwich , who covers criminal justice in New York for The New York Times.

Background reading

In a second day of cross-examination, Stormy Daniels resisted the implication she had tried to shake down Donald J. Trump by selling her story of a sexual liaison.

Here are six takeaways from Ms. Daniels’s earlier testimony.

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An under-the-hood look at the Red Sox’s dramatic pitching turnaround

Four hours before an April home game, Kenley Jansen was pissed.

The veteran closer huddled at his corner locker in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse with bullpen catcher Charlie Madden and pitching coach Andrew Bailey. Something was off. Jansen had shaky command early in the season, then blew a save. He determined he was rotating outward and rocking back too much in his delivery, losing power as he came down the mound.

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Jansen was trying to find the right cue for how his lead hip lined up with home plate. So, they rehearsed it right there at his locker. As Jansen mimicked his windup, trying to lock in the feeling he wanted at the top of his delivery, Bailey put his hands on Jansen’s hips, bracing with all his might, and pushed against Jansen’s 6-foot-5, 265-pound frame to prevent over-rotation and lock in the balance point.

Jansen has allowed one hit, no walks and no runs since that day.

In a game dominated by numbers, in which an advanced degree in statistics seems like a prerequisite, simplified messages, cues and hands-on coaching are often overlooked. But computers and high-speed cameras can only do so much. For a while, the Red Sox swam in numbers. According to some in the organization, their pitching staff lost its collective identity. There were too many messages floating around.

“I do believe something we battled through the last few years is identity, who we are and who we want to be,” manager Alex Cora said.

That’s why when chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was hired in November, followed by Bailey, one of his closest friends in the game, director of pitching Justin Willard, with clubhouse analyst Devin Rose, moved into a more prominent role, they brought a clear, consistent message as they recalibrated a Red Sox pitching staff that finished 2023 22nd in ERA (4.68) and a rotation that ranked 27th in innings pitched (774 1/3).

So far, through the first six weeks of the regular season, they have overseen a dramatic turnaround for an unheralded pitching staff that began the season with low external expectations .

Through Tuesday, the Red Sox led the majors with a 2.65 ERA, the club’s lowest mark through 36 games since 1920, while the rotation ranked first with a 2.13 ERA. It is the lowest starter ERA through 36 games for any team since the 1981 Dodgers (2.06) and lowest for any American League team since Cleveland in 1968. The Red Sox have tossed six shutouts — again tops in the league — already one more than their 2023 total.

Red Sox pitchers haven’t just been good, they’ve been historically good despite withstanding a brutal defensive stretch in which Boston led baseball in errors and unearned runs at one point, while having four of their preseason top six starters — Lucas Giolito , Nick Pivetta , Brayan Bello and Garrett Whitlock — injured at the same time.

How did this turnaround happen so quickly? How have they managed this kind of success amid so much adversity? And importantly, how can they sustain it?

At the heart of the coaching staff’s message was embracing pitchers’ strengths and leveraging them. It sounds simple, but the Red Sox had gotten away from that, trying to force pitchers without big fastballs — particularly starters — to throw them in key situations. But the Red Sox didn’t have pitchers with 100 mph four-seamers to overpower batters like other teams. They needed to focus on their own strengths.

“Everybody talks about throwing strikes,” Cora said this spring . “But we went from one philosophy to another in three years, and I think, with all due respect to the people that were running things (chief baseball officer) Chaim (Bloom) and the group, sometimes you got to be more consistent in that aspect. There were reasons for it and we tried our best, but it didn’t work out.”

From the get-go, pitcher plans were simplified. Get back to the basics. In a game where advanced metrics are king, it seemed counterintuitive at first, until it started to work.

“That message at the very beginning was keeping the main thing, the main thing,” said Kevin Walker, who joined the Red Sox as an assistant pitching coach in 2020 and transitioned to bullpen coach the following year. “For each pitcher you have certain attributes that you’re really good at and we want to make sure that you use your best attributes more often.”

For Tanner Houck , it was dumping the four-seamer and honing in on his sinker-slider mix.

For Bello, it was focusing on his sinker and elite changeup while also scrapping the four-seamer.

For Kutter Crawford , who did have a plus fastball, it was using his cutter and sweeper more effectively to make the four-seamer better when deployed.

First-pitch strikes, best pitches in two-strike counts, lowering walk percentage, increasing strike percentage, and limiting barrels became Boston’s North Star. In spring training, the metrics were tracked and prizes for top pitchers in each category were distributed. It’s continued in-season despite the marathon nature of a 162-game schedule. To maintain accountability, every two weeks players get updates on where they stand in each category. The internal competition has helped the group thrive and sustain success for nearly a quarter of the season.

“Guys are constantly checking in on what they need to improve on,” Pivetta said. “I think the way that the group attached themselves to that kind of philosophy and being confident with their stuff, I think is really overlayed into the (early success).”

Red Sox pitchers have become familiar with a slide in Bailey’s pitcher advance meetings. It shows the strikeout-to-walk percentages of every playoff team in baseball last season. Of the top-10 teams, eight made the postseason. The Red Sox currently sit seventh with a 16.2 percent strikeout-to-walk rate and boast the lowest walk rate in the league at 6.7 percent.

As pitchers have used more of their offspeed stuff, their fastball usage has plummeted . The Red Sox have thrown just over 12 percent four-seamers this season, by far the lowest in the league. The San Francisco Giants , Bailey’s previous club, rank second with 20 percent four-seam usage. And when it comes to two-strike counts, the Red Sox also lead the league with fewest four-seamers thrown at 4.7 percent.

The attacking mindset on the mound, has led to shorter at-bats, and in turn deeper starts for Red Sox pitchers.

Fewer fastballs, less predictability and leveraging pitcher’s strengths all stood out immediately to Breslow and Bailey as “low-hanging fruit” to quickly improve the Red Sox staff when they arrived.

Breslow had too much on his plate running an organization as a first-time chief baseball officer so once he, Bailey and Willard had agreed on the general pitching directives, Bailey and his Run Prevention Unit dug in .

Throughout December and January, the group spent what they estimated as hundreds of hours on Zoom meeting with 22 pitchers on the 40-man roster as well as about a dozen non-roster invitee pitchers to spring training. They built extensive player plans for each pitcher, including how to attack versus lefties and righties in specific counts and game situations and how to leverage and sequence certain pitches. They started to develop new pitches for a handful of guys while tweaking grips on others. They wanted to make sure Bello, Crawford, Whitlock, Houck, Pivetta and their whole group knew why they were suggesting these changes so the buy-in would be quicker. The thorough player plans took time, but they knew if one man went down, the next would seamlessly enter the fold. When a slew of injuries cropped up in April, that became reality quicker than they’d anticipated.

Aside from Giolito’s two-year, $38.5 million deal, Cooper Criswell was the only other free-agent pitcher added this winter by Breslow. Criswell signed for $1 million. He was in the rotation mix throughout the spring, but didn’t make the Opening Day roster with Whitlock, Houck and Crawford edging him out. He headed to the Triple-A Worcester, where he maintained his spring success. When Pivetta went down in early April with a flexor strain, Criswell was recalled. In five games (four starts), he’s posted a 1.74 ERA.

Cooper Criswell, YOU are a magician. Bases loaded and no outs after 3 straight singles. Castro strikeout. Santana strikeout. Miranda groundout. pic.twitter.com/4xedwZ0p9y — Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) May 5, 2024

Similarly, Josh Winckowski competed for a rotation spot in the spring but slid into a long relief role as the season began. When Whitlock went down, Winckowski took over to the tune of a 1.69 ERA in three starts.

“The fact that we’re getting meaningful contributions from Cooper and others is exactly why you invest as much time with Cooper Criswell and Zack Kelly and Cam Booser , as you do with Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta and Garrett Whitlock,” Breslow said.

The Red Sox’s pitching success has coincided with Bailey’s arrival, so it’s natural he’s gotten a significant amount of praise for the results. It’s all warranted, despite his discomfort with the idea he’s the sole reason for the turnaround.

“I kind of view myself as a guy on stage holding 12 sticks with plates spinning and you’re trying to keep them spinning as long as you can,” Bailey said.

That’s why he speaks so often about his coaching group that he dubbed the Run Prevention Unit. Their collective insight and input has kept the pitchers so consistent.

Walker, as bullpen coach, serves as Bailey’s counterweight across the field, working closest with relievers, but has input on the whole staff. Bullpen catchers Madden, who Bailey called a “Swiss army knife,” and Mani Martinez, who “does all the grunt work,” catch every pitcher’s bullpens and side sessions and see tweaks — good or bad — in real time. It goes without saying the experience and knowledge 15-year MLB veteran and three-time World Series winner Jason Varitek brings to his role as game-planning coordinator.

And there’s the analytics side. Willard, as director of pitching, and Dave Miller, as assistant director of major league strategic information, oversee everything from a 5,000-foot view. Devin Rose, the coaching assistant in pitching strategy, serves in a hybrid clubhouse and analytics role. Like many teams, the Red Sox have had analysts in the clubhouse for the last five years or so and Rose moved into that role late last season. Being in the clubhouse and around the pitchers helps normalize the “numbers guys” and offers Bailey and his pitchers real-time feedback in games.

“In the nicest way possible, definitely at one point he was just the iPad guy,” Winckowski said of Rose. “Then we kind of slowly had questions here and there — he’s extremely intelligent so getting answers back from him, it’s easy to see how smart he is.”

Rose spent time in Fort Myers, Fla., this winter at the JetBlue Park complex where Crawford, Whitlock and Winckowski worked out. Developing those relationships in a less intense game atmosphere helped.

“That goes a long way. Time away from the season can be nice. It’s a little bit more of an experimental, adventurous time than during the season, (when) obviously you’re always trying things making sure you stay sharp,” Winckowski said. “Having Devin there in person kind of helps build that relationship.”

Part of Bailey’s success as pitching coach has been his humility. He learned that the hard way as a player, battling through injuries and adversity, and has taken that same approach to coaching, surrounding himself with a well-rounded group of voices to help his pitchers excel. If it’s Rose or Walker or Madden or Varitek who gets through to a pitcher, all the better. Bailey is the face of the pitching group, but doesn’t have to be the only voice.

“I think you never have all the answers,” Bailey said. “I learned a lot in my time in San Francisco. I remember when they first hired me one of the questions was, ‘What are you going to suck at in your first year?’ And my answer was, ‘Everything. I’ve never been a pitching coach before,’ so learning how to lean on the people around you to amplify their voices to understand that there isn’t a right way or wrong way to do anything.”

While Bailey’s success in Boston may be in the early stages, he comes with a proven track record. From 2021-23, Bailey’s Giants staff posted MLB’s sixth-best ERA (3.71) and the second-lowest walk rate (6.9 percent).

Bailey cannot be everywhere at once but the trust he’s quickly gained from his pitchers and his staff have made for a cohesive group. It’s produced results and helped them keep pitchers on track, something they expect will continue throughout the season.

“I think it’s having really tight feedback loops and recognizing that there isn’t a reason that what worked in the first month of the season can’t work for another five months,” Breslow said. “Pitch shapes change, sometimes unbeknownst to the pitcher, and making sure that we’ve got a comprehensive system that’s going to provide us with as close to near real-time feedback as possible so when Tanner Houck’s slider shortens up or Bello’s change up loses depth, we’re not waiting weeks and weeks to intervene. We’re making the adjustment potentially in-game and if not in-game, immediately in the next side.”

That’s the plan. It’s worked for over a month and the Red Sox are confident that with Bailey at the helm, their unified pitching group behind him and a group of pitchers with a chip on their shoulders, they can prove April wasn’t an anomaly.

(Top photo of Bailey, left, and Rose, right, watching Bello throw: Maddie Malhotra / Boston Red Sox / Getty Images)

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Jen McCaffrey is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Boston Red Sox. Prior to joining The Athletic, the Syracuse graduate spent four years as a Red Sox reporter for MassLive.com and three years as a sports reporter for the Cape Cod Times. Follow Jen on Twitter @ jcmccaffrey

How to Successfully Pitch Your Business Idea to Investors

Caroline Cummings

8 min. read

Updated May 10, 2024

If you’re an entrepreneur, you need to know how to pitch your business. Even if you’re not planning to pursue funding, having a solid elevator pitch ensures that you know your business inside and out. Which comes in handy if or when you eventually decide to seek out investment.

• How to make a pitch for investors

Creating a successful pitch starts with a thorough business plan. From there it’s up to you to identify what makes your business valuable and worth investing in. You may have 5-pages of proven financial history and a deep analysis of how you stack up against the competition across multiple industries, but you simply can’t cover it all. 

Because, when your pitching to angel investors and venture capitalists for the first time, you’ll often only have around 10-minutes to make your case. Here’s how to make that quick pitch successful. 

1. Create a presentation 

First, take the time to put together your pitch deck . The goal is to create a deck that is easy for you to work off of and gets investors excited about your business. 

Keeping that in mind, you should have a short version that you can speak to within 10-minutes as well as an extended version that includes everything you’d like to give potential investors access to. 

You can use our free pitch deck template for Powerpoint to get started. If you need help putting your pitch together, check out this list of tools that can help you put together a professional-looking presentation.

2. Practice your pitch

You need to practice your pitch. Not being able to quickly speak to each element of your business makes every other tip on this list virtually useless.

Too many entrepreneurs think that just by knowing their business they can quickly and succinctly explain its’ value. And having a killer pitch deck with eye-popping visuals will be enough to fall back on. So they go into pitch meetings unprepared.

Instead of being able to say, “I only need 10 minutes of your time,” and actually only taking 10 minutes, you’ll soon find yourself rambling 20 minutes in having only made it through slide 5. Take the time to practice, simplify your messaging, and only keep elements that build up your business. Leave everything else on the cutting room floor.

3. Outline the problem with a story

Begin your pitch with a compelling story. It should address the problem you’re solving in the marketplace. This will engage your audience right out of the gate. And if you’ve done any testing try to include actual data here.

If you can relate your story to your audience, in this case, the investor, even better. What industries have they invested in previously? What pain points do their previous entrepreneurial endeavors have? Do some research about the investor, so you have a good sense of what they care about and can tailor your story to them.

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4. Your solution

Share what’s unique about your product and how it will solve the issue you shared in the previous slide.

Keep it short, concise, and easy for the investor to explain to others. Avoid using buzzwords unless your investors are very familiar with your industry. Again, if you’ve done any testing beforehand, plugin results here to give your solution more credibility.

5. Your target market

Don’t say that everyone in the world is potentially your target market , even if it could be true one day.

Be realistic about who you’re building your product for and break out your market into TAM, SAM, and SOM . This will not only impress your audience, but it will help you think more strategically about your roll-out plan.

If you can, try and develop a user persona or your ideal customer when speaking about your target market. This can help investors visualize the potential customer base and displays that you’ve thought intently about who your business will serve. It’s also much easier to speak to a named individual in a quick pitch, rather than a broad demographic.

6. Your revenue or business model

Investors tend to care about this slide the most. How will you make money ? Be very specific about your products and pricing and emphasize again how your market is anxiously awaiting your arrival.

7. Your successes: Early traction and milestones

Early in the presentation, you want to build some credibility. Take some time to share the relevant traction you’ve made.

This is your opportunity to blow your own horn. Impress the investors with what you and your team have accomplished to date (sales, contracts, key hires, product launches, and so on). You’ve likely mentioned bits and pieces of this early on, but this is the point where you create a full snapshot of your business.

But don’t just leave it at what you’ve done, be sure to speak to where you’re going. Show them a roadmap of next steps, additional milestones and even mention how funding will help achieve them.

8. Customer acquisition: Marketing and sales strategy

This is usually one of the most skipped sections of an investor pitch and a full business plan. How will you reach your customers? How much will it cost? How will you measure success? 

Your financials should easily allow you to calculate your customer acquisition costs. But you should also mention how you intend to reach customers, which channels you’ll be advertising on, and even present an example of messaging. You’ve done your research, you know your customer, why not show investors what that will look like in action. 

9. Your team

Investors invest in people first and ideas second, so be sure to share details about your rock star team and why they are the right people to lead this company.

Also, be sure to share what skill-sets you may be missing on your team. Most startup teams are missing some key talent—be it marketing, management expertise, programmers, sales, operations, financial management, and so on. Let them know that you know that you don’t know everything.

10. Your financial projections

Show what you’re projecting in revenue (per product) over the next three to five years. You must back up your numbers by sharing your assumptions. You’ll see investors taking out their smartphone calculators to make sure your numbers make sense, so give them the information they need to see that your calculations are accurate.

If your financial chart shows “hockey-stick growth,” be sure to explain what happens to cause those inflection points. Now it can be incredibly easy to spend a ton of your time explaining financials but keep in mind that you need to speak to them quickly. If investors want to hear or know more, add your full financials to the extended pitch deck or offer to answer questions after you’ve finished presenting.

11. Your competition

Again, this is a very important part of your pitch, and many people omit this section or don’t provide enough detail about why they’re so different from their competitors.

The best way to communicate your value proposition over your competitors’ is to show this slide in a competitive matrix format —where you list your competitors down the left side of the page, you have your features/benefits across the top, and place checkmarks in the boxes for which company offers that service. Ideally, you have checkmarks across the top for every category, and your competitors lack in key areas to show your competitive advantage.

12. Your funding needs

Clearly spell out how much money has already been invested in your company, by whom, ownership percentages, and how much more you need to go to the next level (and be clear about what level that is). Will you need to raise multiple rounds of financing? Is the investment you’re seeking a convertible note, an equity round, or something else?

Remind the audience why your management team is capable of managing their investment for growth. Tell investors how much you need, why you need the money, what it will be used for, and the intended outcome.

13. Your exit strategy

If you’re seeking large sums of investment capital (over $1M), most investors will want to know what your exit strategy is . Are you planning on getting acquired, going public (very few companies actually do), or something else? Show you’ve done some due diligence on this exit strategy, including the companies you’re targeting, and why it would make sense three, five, or ten years down the road.

14. Follow-up

Investors will want you to be able to back up your claims. Have a well-thought-out business plan on-hand to share, so investors can read more if they’d like to. The intention, after all, is that you deliver a powerful pitch, and by the end, their hands are out asking for either your executive summary or your complete business plan.

15. Take feedback and refine your pitch

No matter the outcome of your pitch, whether you receive funding, another meeting, or rejection, look for areas to improve. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback and take that into account for the next time you pitch. Now if the investor isn’t willing to provide any, don’t push the issue. It is their time you’ve just spent and are asking more of, so it’s a fine balance to achieve.

If you can, have another team member there to take notes and review with them after the fact. Look for weak-points, areas you stumbled over, and slides that led to negative reactions from the investor. Keep refining, practicing, and executing even if you think you’ve found the perfect pitch. 

You’ll really never know how good your pitch is until you actually do it. Don’t stress yourself out, and treat every investor pitch as a learning experience for you and your business. You’ll only continue to get better and better and can apply those learnings to every area of your business.

Create a business plan that maximizes your chances of securing funding

An entrepreneur. A disruptor. An advocate. Caroline has been the CEO and co-founder of two tech startups—one failed and one she sold. She is passionate about helping other entrepreneurs realize their full potential and learn how to step outside of their comfort zones to catalyze their growth. Caroline is currently executive director of Oregon RAIN . She provides strategic leadership for the organization’s personnel, development, stakeholder relations, and community partnerships. In her dual role as the venture catalyst manager, Cummings oversees the execution of RAIN’s Rural Venture Catalyst programs. She provides outreach and support to small and rural communities; she coaches and mentors regional entrepreneurs, builds strategic local partnerships, and leads educational workshops.

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