Pitch Perfect: How a Pitch Deck Audit and Checklist Can Help Your Startup Secure Funding

A pitch deck is an essential tool for an early-stage startup because it is frequently used to secure investor funding. A pitch deck is a visual presentation that provides an overview of a company’s operations, including its problem, solution, market and industry, business model, traction, team, financial projections, and investment request.

However, not all startups require a funding as there are many founders out there that choose to bootstrap, self-fund their startups. There are even some startups that generate revenue from day one

While that might be the case, a pitch deck can still be a useful tool for the startup in various scenarios. A pitch deck, for instance, can be used to present the business plan of a company to potential partners, clients, or staff members.

Additionally, it can serve as a resource for future fundraising efforts, strategic planning, and team communication. Crafting a winning pitch deck requires a lot of legwork and effort on the part of the founder. Before diving into how you can create a successful pitch deck, let’s go over some general information about the pitch deck.

What is a Pitch Deck

A pitch deck is a crucial tool for an early-stage startup because it is often used to secure funding from investors. A pitch deck is a visual presentation that provides an overview of the company’s business, including its problem, solution, market and industry, business model, traction, team, financial projections, and investment ask.

The goal of a pitch deck is to convey the company’s value proposition and to demonstrate how investment funding or partnerships will be used to achieve the company’s goals and drive growth.

Why Would a Startup Need a Pitch Deck Audit?

A pitch deck audit may be required by a startup in order to increase their chances of obtaining funding from investors. A pitch deck audit can assist a startup in identifying areas of their pitch that are weak or unclear, as well as providing recommendations for improvement.

Because a pitch deck is frequently the first point of contact between a startup and potential investors, it must make a strong and compelling case for the company’s business and investment opportunity. A well-designed and executed pitch deck can assist a startup in effectively communicating its value proposition and distinguishing itself from competitors.

The alignment of a startup’s pitch with its objectives, financial projections, and explanation of how the investment will be used to achieve those objectives can also be improved with the aid of a pitch deck audit. This can assist the startup in presenting a more credible and appealing case to potential investors.

Additionally, a pitch deck audit can assist the startup in finding any inconsistencies or errors in their pitch that might damage their credibility and gain the ire of potential investors. A pitch deck audit can help a startup identify and address these issues, increasing its chances of securing investor funding.

A pitch deck audit can be a useful tool for a startup in its early stages because it enables the business to pinpoint areas for improvement, craft a more persuasive pitch, and raise its chances of success in obtaining funding.

Doing a Pitch Deck Audit

A pitch deck audit is a review and analysis of a company’s pitch deck, which is a presentation that is typically used to secure funding from investors. A pitch deck audit would include an examination of the following components:

Problem and Solution: An analysis of the problem the company is solving and how its solution addresses that problem.

Market and Industry: An analysis of the market and industry, including size and growth potential.

Business Model: An analysis of the company’s business model and revenue streams.

Traction: An analysis of the company’s progress, including any existing customers, partnerships, or revenue.

Team: An analysis of the company’s team, including their qualifications and experience.

Financial Projections: An analysis of the company’s financial projections, including revenue, expenses, and cash flow.

Investment Ask: An analysis of the company’s investment ask and how it aligns with the company’s goals and projections.

Design and presentation: An analysis of the design and presentation of the pitch deck, including its overall aesthetics, organization, and effectiveness in communicating the company’s message.

Recommended actions: A set of recommendations for improving the pitch deck, including specific steps that can be taken to address identified weaknesses and capitalize on strengths.

A pitch deck audit can be a valuable tool for an early-stage startup because it helps the company to identify areas where they can improve their pitch and increase its chances of success in securing funding. The audit also helps the company to better articulate their value proposition and make a more compelling case to investors.

Recommended Actions

Recommended actions that could be included in a pitch deck audit may include:

Clarifying the problem and solution: Ensuring that the problem being addressed and the solution being proposed are clearly defined and easy to understand.

Highlighting Unique Value Proposition: Making sure that the company’s unique value proposition is prominently featured and effectively communicated throughout the deck.

Market and Industry Research: Conducting additional market and industry research to provide more detailed and up-to-date information on the size, growth potential, and competition in the market.

Business Model and Revenue Streams: Clearly defining and outlining the company’s business model and revenue streams, including any partnerships or collaborations.

Traction and Progress: Highlighting any existing customers, partnerships, or revenue to demonstrate the company’s progress and potential for success.

Team Qualifications: Highlighting the qualifications and experience of the company’s team members and emphasizing their relevant expertise.

Financial Projections: Providing more detailed and realistic financial projections, including revenue, expenses, and cash flow.

Investment Ask: Aligning the company’s investment ask with its goals and projections, and clearly articulating how the investment will be used to achieve those goals.

Design and Presentation: Improving the design and presentation of the deck, including its overall aesthetics, organization, and effectiveness in communicating the company’s message. This can be done thoroughly with the use of a pitch deck design checklist.

Practice and Rehearsal: Rehearsing the pitch and get feedback from experts or experienced entrepreneurs to improve the pitch flow and delivery.

Ultimately, the goal of the audit is to help the company to create a more effective and compelling pitch deck that can increase the chances of securing funding from investors.

Using a Pitch Deck Design Checklist

By following these checklists, a company can create a design that is effective, professional and easy to understand, that also aligns with the company’s branding, and help to communicate the company’s value proposition to the target audience. A design checklist for a pitch deck could include the following items:

Consistency in design: Ensuring that the design elements, such as color palette, typography, and imagery, are consistent throughout the deck.

Simple and Clear: Making sure that the design is simple and easy to understand, avoiding any unnecessary clutter or complexity.

Branding: Incorporating the company’s branding, including its logo, color palette, and typography, into the design of the deck.

High-Quality Images: Using high-quality images, graphics, and charts to enhance the visual appeal of the deck and make it more engaging.

Layout and organization: Organizing the deck in a clear and logical way, using appropriate headings, bullet points, and white space to make it easy to read.

Contrast: Using high contrast between text and background for better readability.

Typography: Choosing appropriate and readable typography for different types of content and using appropriate font sizes.

Color: Using appropriate and effective color to highlight important information and create visual interest.

Adaptability: Designing the deck to be easily adaptable for different formats and platforms, such as print and digital presentations.

Brand storytelling: Incorporating the company’s brand story, mission, vision and values into the design.

By following this checklist, the company can create a pitch deck that effectively communicates its message and makes a strong visual impact on investors. It also helps to create a more professional and credible image of the company, which can be important in securing funding.

In Conclusion

Reviewing a pitch deck with a checklist and conducting an audit on it can be an important step for an early-stage startup to increase its chances of success in securing funding from investors. By identifying and addressing weaknesses in the pitch and making improvements, a startup can create a more compelling and effective pitch deck that clearly communicates its value proposition and investment opportunity.

By following a checklist and conducting an audit, a startup can create a pitch deck that is effective, professional, and can help to increase the chances of success in securing funding from investors. As we know, design can be challenging for some people.

While for others, it could be the art of articulating what needs to be said in a simple and concise way. If you’re having trouble in either area, you’ll need the support of a design partner with experience like Mad Creative Beanstalk. Having helped 100s of early-stage startups secure millions in funding, we can help you get the pitch deck you deserve too.


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