The Internet is brimming with tools and how-to guides for creating outstanding pitch decks. But when it came time to create my start-up pitch, I learned a hard lesson. I had greatly miscalculated the amount of time, effort, and resources required to create something quite convincing for my investors.
How to Nail any Pitch?
After reviewing multiple pitch decks, I discovered that the most effective pitch decks employed excellent storytelling skills. Storytelling imparts meaning, informs individuals of the current quo, and then demonstrates a successful solution to the problem. As a result, these pitch decks set the scenario for demonstrating the conflict that needed to be resolved.
This understanding prompted me to conduct a study on how to perfect the art of storytelling in pitch decks, and here are the discoveries I’d like to share with you.
Save time by not creating the Pitch Deck from scratch. The free PowerPoint templates and Google Slides templates by SlideUpLift assists you in making an attractive presentation and sparks the attention of investors in your start-up.
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I found it very helpful to think of my presentation as a stage act while creating good pitch decks. Every good live performance consists of three parts:
- Story
- Props
- Act
1. Story
A story contains four specific elements:
- A protagonist
- Protagonist’s Objectives
- What’s on the line?
- The spark that leads to the objective
The best pitch deck storytellers maintain their product consumers as protagonists and communicate their deepest aspirations. They define the stakes and put out a clear, credible transformation route in the face of potential disputes.
Poor storytellers in investor presentations retain the story at a surface level and rapidly lose the audience.
2. Props
Props are all of the resources and tools you will utilize to convey your story.
One of the most important tools in your inventory is your PowerPoint presentation. It is one of the issues that investors must confront head-on; they may even request that you provide it ahead of time.
Once you’ve completed your story, you’ll need to begin working on the PowerPoint slides that will bring your stories to life. The PowerPoint slides must appear professional and be able to stand on their own.
The ultimate test for a successful PowerPoint slide is whether it needs a presenter to convey it or whether it can stand on its own. PowerPoint presentations that need a presenter to exhibit fall lacking in thought, messaging, and graphics and frequently confuse the audience.
3. Act
Here’s a collection of presentation hacks to assist anyone ace their Investor Pitch or Sales Pitch. I’ve organized these hacks into three categories for easier reference and comprehension:
Hook Your Audience
Since the typical human’s attention span is roughly 10-20 minutes, you must hook your audience within the first few minutes.
- Choose a power spot: On the stage where you are presenting, there is something called a power spot. This location attracts the greatest attention on the stage. Look it up and locate it ahead of time: it is normally towards the front and center of the stage on which you are presenting.
- Use personal anecdotes: People are fascinated by personal information, which is presumably fueled by human curiosity. This will assist you in connecting with the audience.
- Appeal to senses: People react far better to incredible detail that arouses their senses. You will get access to your audience’s souls if you use vivid descriptions that allow them to almost visualize, hear, or smell what you are portraying.
Eliminate Distractions
In a presentation, you might be your own worst enemy. Here are a few examples of typical pitfalls:
- Walking Nervously: When the presenter walks around nervously, it not only evokes nervousness in the audience but also causes a specific type of cringe that might be an antidote to your business proposal.
- A strolling cacophonic orchestra: Please follow my suggestion and take out all the loose coin in your pocket that is causing motion-generated jangle and distraction. Mute all noises save those produced by your vocal cords.
- Not making eye contact: Some presenters like to remain in plain sight in front of their presentations. The audience continues to ignore the presenter and stares at the screen with glazed eyes for an extended period of time.
When you’re discussing something that doesn’t require the screen, or when you’re about to make a major point, just turn it off by using the B button throughout the slideshow.
Give a Strong Ending
Well begun is half done, but keep in mind that everything is well that ends well. Frequently, the completion of an act characterizes the entire performance. Put your heart and soul into the presentation’s peak and ending to energize the audience. Always conclude on a good note with uplifting remarks that have an influence on the audience.
Your pitch deck’s purpose should be to pique your investor’s interest in your firm. Pitch decks are available in a variety of forms and configurations. It is critical to determine which one is most suited to your company.
Wrapping It Up
In a nutshell, tell a tale with care and precision, and communicate with passion and elegance. Make your start-up the ultimate hero – the knight in shining armor who saves the princess – that it is or deserves to be.