6 Tips for Successful Pitches and Pitch Decks
Landing investor funding requires more than just a great idea—it demands a pitch deck that captures attention, communicates clearly, and builds confidence. Too many entrepreneurs sabotage their fundraising efforts with decks that confuse, overwhelm, or underwhelm potential investors. Here are six essential tips to ensure your pitch deck stands out for all the right reasons.
1. Keep The Description Simple—Ditch The Slogans and Jargon
Your startup description should be crystal clear, not clever. Avoid the temptation to use buzzwords, industry jargon, or catchy slogans that sound impressive but say nothing concrete. If a non-technical outsider couldn't understand what your company does and repeat it back accurately, you've failed the clarity test.
Remember: investors see dozens of pitches. They don't have time to decode vague descriptions like "leveraging AI-powered synergies to disrupt the paradigm." Instead, try something direct: "We're a software platform that helps small restaurants manage their inventory and reduce food waste." Clear, specific, and memorable.
Test your description on friends or family members outside your industry. If they get it immediately, you're on the right track.
2. Pitch the Investor, Not the Customer (or Yourself)
One of the most common mistakes founders make is crafting their pitch deck as if they're selling directly to customers—or worse, as a personal biography. Your deck should focus on why this is a smart investment opportunity, not why customers will love your product or how impressive your credentials are.
Watch your language carefully. Are you using "you" and "your" when describing benefits? That's customer language. Investors don't want to imagine themselves as your users; they want to understand that you deeply know your market and customer base.
Think of it this way: investors view startups the same way you view stocks. They're looking for clear paths to returns, compelling missions, market traction, and evidence that their capital will fuel measurable growth. Frame every slide through this lens—what does this tell the investor about the opportunity and your ability to execute?
3. Every Slide Should Be Summarized In One Sentence
If you can't distill a slide's core message into a single sentence, you don't understand it well enough—and neither will your investor. This discipline forces clarity and ensures you're solving real problems, not searching for problems that fit your solution.
Each slide should have one clear purpose. Your market slide might be: "We're targeting a $2.3 billion market growing at 15% annually." Your traction slide: "We've grown from 50 to 500 customers in six months with 90% retention." Your team slide: "Our founders have 30 combined years in this industry and previously built a company to $10M in revenue."
This approach prevents the dreaded "solution looking for a problem" scenario and keeps your narrative tight and compelling.
4. Test Hyperbolic Statements—Or They'll Backfire
Claims like "We're the first company to..." or "We're going to revolutionize the industry" are dangerous without proof. Investors are sophisticated and skeptical. Unsubstantiated hyperbole doesn't make you look ambitious—it makes you look naive or dishonest.
Before including any bold claim, ask yourself: How do I know this is true? What evidence supports it? If you claim to be "the only solution" for a problem, have you truly researched every competitor and alternative? If you're going to "disrupt" an industry, what concrete advantages do you have that incumbents can't easily replicate?
Replace grandiose statements with verifiable facts. Instead of "We're revolutionizing healthcare," try "Our platform reduces patient wait times by 40% based on pilots with three hospital systems." The second statement is far more credible and impressive.
5. Be Specific—Generic Statements Are As Bad As Hyperbolic Ones
Vague, generic statements add no value and waste precious slide space. Phrases like "We offer great customer service" or "Our technology is cutting-edge" tell investors nothing meaningful. Every startup claims these things.
Focus on differentiation. What specifically makes you different, better, or uniquely positioned? Instead of "superior technology," explain "our proprietary algorithm processes transactions 10x faster than competitors while using 50% less computing power." Rather than "strong team," highlight "our CTO built the payment infrastructure at Stripe and our CEO scaled two previous startups to acquisition."
Specificity builds credibility. It shows you've done your homework, understand your competitive landscape, and can articulate your unique value proposition. Generic statements suggest you haven't thought deeply enough about what truly sets you apart.
6. Use The 30-60-90 Rule On Every Slide
Your slides should follow a strict time rule: 30 seconds for an investor to grasp the basic concept, 60 seconds to absorb the details, and 90 seconds to consider the implications and insights. Anything beyond that—especially walls of text—will cause your audience to tune out.
This means ruthless editing. Use visuals, charts, and minimal text. Each slide should support your narrative, not replace it. You're the storyteller; the slides are visual aids, not teleprompters.
Remember: investors review countless opportunities. Dense, complicated slides signal that you either can't communicate effectively or don't respect their time. Neither impression helps your fundraising odds. Keep slides clean, punchy, and focused on one key message each.
Key Takeaways:
Never forget the fundamental dynamic of fundraising: you need the investor more than they need you. For every promising startup seeking funding, investors have dozens of other opportunities competing for their attention and capital.
Your job is to make their decision easy. Keep them engaged with clarity, specificity, and respect for their time. Show them you understand both your business and their perspective as investors. Do this well, and you'll flip the script—they'll want you more than you need them.
A great pitch deck isn't about showing everything you know or could do. It's about showing exactly what matters in the clearest, most compelling way possible. Master these six principles, and you'll dramatically increase your odds of securing the funding your startup deserves.
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*Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for educational purposes and is not intended as legal advice resulting from legal representation, broker-dealer advice, tax professional advice, or other professional advice resulting in an implied or actual agreement with a professional acting in a representative capacity. This article does not directly or indirectly establish a relationship of representative capacity. All copyright and rights belong to Fox & Chester and are reserved. Consult with a professional where applicable.