Situation Slide
Here you'll paint the picture of the problem or opportunity you're solving for — often called the Problem/Opportunity Slide — or introduce it with a story.Go For Impactful
This is where you emotionally tee up your audience. The goal is to captivate — not over-inform. Typically, this illustrates (A) the problem you’re addressing, (B) the opportunity you plan to capitalize on, or (C) a captivating backstory. There’s no set standard structure for pitching your business, choose a setup that feels the most impactful.
The Problem
Option A — This seems to be the most common. Pick one stat or statement that is at the real crux of the issue. While it is tempting to list or display multiple statistics and market data points, what you’re going for here is enticement. You want to make them say, “Wow, I didn’t realize that was such a problem.”
The Opportunity
Option B — Similarly to the Problem, you’re painting the landscape with generalizations made about a group of people you plan to help. This option frames the situation as untapped potential. This may be the option to go if you’re pioneering a new space or super niche market.
The Story
Option C — Another route to go is with a personal story. This can be an effective tool to get people emotionally on board, while framing the problem(s) in a real world example. The story is about you, the ground zero use case for why you came up with the solution you did, or got into the business you’re in.
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Use your best judgment on which option to use for your business and pitch goals. Again, listen to your natural pitch. Watch your audience receive the message. It is important to remember that the average person is probably neither your intended audience or your market, and consider this when creating the story and when gathering feedback. Investors are not only super smart, they see a ton of pitch decks and meet founders continuously. It’s good to keep this in mind, as you want to speak to them on their level.
As the intro to your pitch, your first content slide should give the reader what they need to understand what you’re providing, minus any known/rhetorical information, and with a dash of pizzaz to make ‘em pay attention. Ultimately, this slide should increase heart rate. Make them feel the situation.
Start thinking about how you would best visualize this to entice your audience. And once you have a concept, then work on imagery. Some of the biggest startup decks use little to no imagery. Your call!
Sample Slides
