It’s been a while since we discussed pitch decks, and it seems that it may be time for a refresher course/reminder.

We all know that there are a few points to cover. Again, in no particular order:

1. Vision and Value
2. Problem
3. Market/Opportunity
4. Solution
5. Business/Revenue Model
6. Competiton
7. Traction/Road Map to Traction (aka Go To Market Strategy)
8. Marketing and Sales Strategy
9. Team
10. Financial
11. Ask/Use of Funds

If this is the latest project from a team of very successful serial entrepreneurs, you’re going to move that ‘team’ slide up. Investors want to know that if this startup’s founders are, say, Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

Game changer.

Any traction you’ve gotten, especially if you’ve managed to get a marquee customer/beta tester, is important.  Don’t bury it at the end. You might not have the investor’s attention that long.  Again, it’s potentially a game changer.

Product screenshots are always good to include. Include at least one, if you’ve got it. If not, mock one up. Investors love visuals.

So, do bring in a designer to to make the deck – and you – look good. But make sure to bring in ‘fresh eyes’ first – someone outside of your company – to make sure that deck reads well and that all of your points are explained clearly. We know that you’ve heard that your deck should be so simple that a seven year old should be able to understand it: that doesn’t mean that it should be written by a seven year old, and trust us, sometimes we do wonder… You might also want to consider consulting a writer. Like designers, writers must also be paid. Fairly. Similar sort of skill, different palette. Keep in mind that investors are also reading your deck.

Almost most importantly, once investors have invited you to meet (your deck having already passed the sniff test), keep in mind that you own the room: they want to meet with you. You have something they potentially want. This is not the time to clam up or get nervous. This is the time to literally show them what you’ve got. How you present yourself is as important as the presentation itself. They know what’s in the deck. They want to know who you and to see how you present yourself. You know how investors say that they heavily bank on the team? They want a team who inspires confidence. Remember, they’re vetting decks and teams every day. You’ve got a lot of competition. If you can’t answer a question, don’t fake it: tell them that you’ll get back to them. Be honest. Keep your wits about you. This is not the time to lose it – and at this point, it’s yours to lose.

Two things you should never say to an investor:

“We have no competition.”

“Our go to market strategy is that we’re going to release it and it’s going to go viral.”

We know that we often tell you that your deck is your story. Tell a story.  Not a story that is ready to be submitted to Techcrunch (we’ve seen that) or one that’s basically your marketing plan (seen that, too). It’s the story of your business, and how you’re going to build it and that you have all of the elements that investors or corporates/strategics are looking for – the product, the talent, the ability and the plan – that’ll be a win all around.

When he spoke at our Investor Breakfast, Howard Morgan of First Round Capital and B Capital gave his list of the six Ps that investors look for: people, product, plans, profits, passion, and persistence. (Product also includes knowing the market you are going after, and planning mostly means financial planning.)  But it was Trace Cohen of New York Venture Partners who spoke at one of our investor breakfasts recently and bottom-lined it:

“Investors are not in business of investing,” he said, “they are in the business of exiting.”

And that’s what you really need to keep in mind if your plan is to truly take your business…onward and forward.