How To Create the Perfect Startup Pitch Deck

Key Takeaways

• A pitch deck is a visual presentation of your idea that summarizes your business plan, market opportunity, and brand mission.
• There are 13 components to a pitch deck, and you can create a template for each to speed up creation.
• Learn our five-step guide to creating your own pitch deck to boost startup sales.

Ever feel like you’re shouting into a void when trying to explain your small or medium-sized business (SMB) idea? You’ve poured your heart and soul into your startup, but when it comes to pitching your idea, you’re met with blank stares or polite nods that don’t lead anywhere. Many business owners struggle to translate their passion into a compelling pitch that resonates with investors.

In the high-stakes world of startups, landing sales and securing funding often hinges on one thing: a pitch deck. It’s a way to communicate your business’s value proposition, market opportunity, and your key to closing deals and boosting revenue. Whether you’re pitching to investors, partners, or potential clients, a well-crafted pitch deck can be your pot of gold.

We cover the key components of a pitch deck, the benefits of each one, and practical tips for crafting a presentation that resonates with the right people. Let’s dive in.

What we’ll cover:

• What is a pitch deck?
• What’s inside a pitch deck?
• How to create your own pitch deck
• Best practices for the perfect pitch deck
• Tools to build your pitch deck
• Ready to build your pitch deck?

What is a pitch deck?

A pitch deck is a visual presentation of your idea, typically around 10-15 slides, that summarizes your business plan, market opportunity, and expertise. It’s like a story reel about your business and its potential.

They say, first impressions are everything. Your pitch deck is often the first thing potential investors, partners, or even key hires will see. It’s your chance to make a strong case for why they should believe in your vision.

Here are some benefits of having a pitch deck:

• Clarity: Pitch decks share your business idea in words and visuals for others to understand. 
• Engagement: Visuals and storytelling make your pitch more memorable and persuasive.
• Efficiency: Allows you to quickly communicate key information in a limited time frame.
• Confidence: A well-prepared pitch deck boosts your confidence and credibility.
• Focus: It helps founders like you critically explore key factors like market dynamics and revenue strategies, clarifying the direction of their business.
• Control: It allows you to control how they tell their story and cover everything you want in the way you want to say it.
• Opportunity: It can spark interest, begin a conversation, and secure funding for your company.

What’s inside a pitch deck?

Less is more. Keep the pitch deck under 20 slides. Each slide in your pitch deck builds upon the last to create a narrative. Here are the twelve key elements you’ll want to include:

How to create your own pitch deck

Before diving right into creating pitch deck, take a look at a few winning pitch deck examples to get inspired. Creating your own pitch deck might seem like a heavy task. But once you get into it, you’ll realize it’s just you talking about what you’ve done, and what you’re planning to do with your SMB.

Create your outline walkthrough

Start by outlining the key sections of your pitch deck. Have a logical flow of information. For each section or slide, gather the necessary data, visuals, and key talking points. Then, choose a clean and professional design template that aligns with your brand. Review and refine your content, visuals, and design until you’re confident in your pitch. Keep it short and concise. And always rehearse your pitch until you can deliver it smoothly and confidently.

Steps to create your pitch deck slides

Here’s a step-by-step guide to the slides you should include in your pitch deck:

Step 1: Add a cover slide, including:

• Title: Name of your company
• Subtitle: Tagline or brief description
• Contact information: Your name, email, phone number, and company logo
• Problem description: Clearly define the problem you are solving.
• Impact: Explain the significance and the pain points of the problem.
• Solution: Describe your product or service and how it solves the problem.

Step 2: Add overview and business model including: 

• Unique value proposition (USP): Highlight your USP, what makes your solution unique and better than existing alternatives.
• Market opportunity size: Provide data on the total addressable market (TAM), serviceable available market (SAM), and serviceable obtainable market (SOM).
• Growth: Show market trends and growth projections.

Step 3: Add revenue and financials, including: 

• Financial model: Explain how you’ll make money (subscription, one-time purchase, freemium).
• Cost structure: Outline your main costs and how you’ll manage them.
• Product or service features: List the key features of your product or service.
• User experience: Include screenshots, demos, or videos to show how it works.
• Traction metrics: Share key performance indicators (KPIs) such as user growth, revenue, customer retention, and other relevant metrics.

Step 4: Add research case studies, including:

• Examples: Provide case studies, examples of successful implementations or customer testimonials.
• Competitor analysis: Identify your main competitors and how you differentiate from them.
• Advantages: Add your unique strengths and competitive advantages.
• Marketing and sales strategy: Describe the marketing and sales channels you’ll use (social media, email, partnerships).
• Plan: Outline your go-to-market strategy and customer acquisition plan.
• Team profiles: Introduce your key team members, their roles, and relevant experience.

Step 5: Add final slides, including:

• Final statement: A statement of what you’re asking for, whether it’s funding or support.
• Thank you: And a final slide for thanking them and your key points. 

Tips for a winning pitch

Save ‌time by using artificial intelligence (AI) powered tools for market research, competitor analysis, content creation, or even to generate visuals. Create two versions – one detailed version for sending via email and a shorter, and one visual version for in person presentations. Get feedback from your mentors, advisors, target audience or even potential investors.

Start your pitch with an interesting hook, ask questions, and make eye contact. Use hypothetical customer scenarios to illustrate the impact of your solution. For example, “Imagine Sarah, a small business owner who was struggling to manage her inventory…” Anticipate common investor questions and have well-thought-out answers ready. Example questions, “Is the market growing, and what are the trends?” or “What are your pricing strategies, margins, and revenue projections?”

Best practices for the perfect pitch deck

Now that you’ve got the pitch strategy down, let’s talk about how you can level it up from good to unforgettable. Here are some tried-and-tested practices to keep in mind when creating your deck.

Be sure not to use a lot of jargon or acronyms. Always aim to simplify. Use high-quality images, charts, animations, and graphs to illustrate your points. Think “show, don’t tell.”

Bullet points are your friend, but keep them short and sweet. Your visuals and your delivery should do the talking.

Don’t try to cover everything in the pitch deck. The pitch deck should be what gets you into the room to do the explaining. 

Rehearse your pitch until you can deliver it confidently and smoothly, without relying on reading directly from the slides. Hire a graphic designer to polish off your deck can be the difference between landing and missing the deal.

Tools to build your pitch deck

You can’t build a house without the right tools, right? The same goes for your pitch deck. Here’s a list of tools and resources to help you create your pitch deck:

Presentation software

Unless you’re planning to present with a pen and paper, try out a few presentation tools and see what suits you the best:

• Google Slides: A free, web-based option that’s easy to collaborate on.
• Canva: Customer-friendly design platform with tons of templates and design assets.
• Pitch: Presentation software for fast-moving teams.
• Beautiful.ai: AI-powered tool, which markets itself as a pitch deck creator that saves teams time.

Customer relationship management (CRM) tools

Your CRM is a hub of data. It contains customer information, including preferences, pain points, and purchase history. For example, you can use actual pain points to create your pitch deck. You can see what marketing campaigns have worked for you and involve them in your deck. You can use sales trends to showcase your performance on reports and wow your team. There are endless opportunities waiting for you.

Ready to build your pitch deck?

Pitch decks are a great way to showcase your business. With these tips and tools, you can build one and get your pitches seen. And, you need help to do it all. From acquiring to closing the deal, we’re here throughout your journey. 

Here are some more resources for SMB owners like you that can help with sales: 

• 5 Sales Pitches That Hook Prospects Every Time (With Examples)
• 5 Sales Pitch Examples (and How to Craft Your Own) | Salesforce
• Generate a Sales Pitch | Salesforce US
• Relationship-Oriented Selling Techniques

Start your journey with a Starter Suite today. Looking for more customization? Explore Pro Suite. Already a Salesforce customer? Activate Foundations to try out Agentforce 360 today.

AI supported the writers and editors who created this article.