This pitch template (for 10 slides) completion guide is to help you prepare a simple pitch deck for your business to attract investors. A pitch template consists of a series of questions to guide an entrepreneur writing a pitch deck.
The aim of this article is to provide a guide to help you complete those questions easily and to write a winning pitch and attract the right investors to your business.
Pitch template completion guide – question 1
What problem are you solving?
In order to explain the problem you are solving in a pitch template you need to:
* Briefly introduce what business your company is in.
* Explain succinctly what your company does.
* In another short sentence, describe who your customers or potential customers are.
* Then, clearly state the problem, that is, the customers pain point or need.
* Go into details about how and why that problem is painful.
* Finally conclude by stating how your business is solving this important pain or need for them.
The problem you are solving might be new or a new response to an age-old problem. Whatever the problem is, make sure you communicate this effectively in your pitch deck.
Pitch template completion guide – question 2
Why is the problem you’re solving a big problem?
Investors are interested in knowing why a problem is big because a big problem means a big market. They typically look for entrepreneurs who are trying to solve potentially huge problems in a meaningful way. Therefore, you need to demonstrate that your business is solving a big problem that is relevant to the market by: * Giving figures in terms of the size of the market. * Providing verifiable evidence about why the problem exist and the market. * Demonstrating in a few sentence, that you understand the problem first-hand, and how this insight has helped in creating a solution.
Pitch template completion guide – question 3
What is your solution?
You have clearly stated the problem, now what is your solution? The answer to the question is the details of how your product or service addresses the problem or eases the customers pain. Describe how:
* Interesting is your solution.
* Innovative is the solution.
* Profound is the solution.
* Replicable your solution is across the market.
Pitch template completion guide – question 4
Why is your solution unique?
This is the point where you connect your customers’ problems and your solution. Reveal how your solution to the customer’s problem is superior to your competition. Give a clear message about how yours is a better solution. If the market is big and there are lots of other people doing the same thing, how have you differentiated your solution?
Demonstrate the uniqueness or differentiation of your solution through your value proposition by clearly revealing:
* What makes your solution (product or service) unique.
* Why customers will want your solution – to buy your product or service.
* The things you do to make your buyers happy and want to come back.
Pitch template completion guide – question 5
What is your background?
Investors want to know your background, they want to decide if they can trust you. Briefly describe who you are. Present information that can help investors know you better and make their considerations. Typically investors considerations would be influenced by factors such as:
* Your knowledge of the market.
* Your skills – those relevant skills you lack should be supplemented by your team.
* Your financial, career, and physical backgrounds.
Pitch template completion guide – question 6
Who are your team members?
Show off and brag about your awesome team that has built the delightful solution. There is rarely a solution that is spot-on out of the gate. It requires a great team that can refine the business and adapt to the market learnings. Investors are interested in your management team, so highlight the key decision makers in the company. In addition highlight their experience in the market, knowledge and skills. These are important to investors because, there will be tweaks and changes along the way; and only a strong team can live up to such expectations.
Pitch template completion guide – question 7
What is your traction to date?
Traction is the rate at which a business model captures monetizable value from its users. It is a metric of your business progress. By asking for your traction to date, investors want you to show them that your solution is more than an assumption. Therefore, demonstrate traction and convince the investor that your idea is going to be a success by:
* Showing clear evidence that you are making significant progress through a growing number of users.
* Showing evidence of customers’ response to your offer (e.g. unique value proposition, demo or pricing). As evidenced by the response to your call to action, landing pages etc. *
Showing the rate at which you’re making sales.
Although all the other information you have provided up till now are important, traction is what gets an investor excited. Therefore, this is your chance to present evidence that shows that the business can be successful. Traction is a proof that your business model is working.
Pitch template completion guide – question 8
What is your go-to-market strategy?
No matter how great your solution is, without great execution, you may not achieve the level of expected success. Your go-to-market strategy is one of the key components of execution. Succinctly describe the following:
* Which customers you plan to target first.
* How you plan to target them.
* Why is this strategy the right first move to make.
Pitch template completion guide – question 9
What’s your ask (funding)?
The ask is the reason for the pitch in the first place. Therefore, this is the time to give the investor the opportunity to invest in your business. Tell the investor how much money you want to raise. In addition to asking for the amount you need, also, clearly state:
* How much of your own money you have invested.
* How much your team has invested.
* Commitment from other sources.
* How long the funds will last. You need to be completely straightforward and honest in your ask because any investor that detects a hint of dishonesty will walk away.
Pitch template completion guide – question 10
What’s in it for the investors?
The question is about your business valuation. The general advice is that an entrepreneur should only raise what they need at a valuation that they can live with forever. Make sure that this part is clearly written and definitive. Be clear about:
* How much you are raising and the valuation of the company.
* The terms of the deal you are offering. * Whether you are looking for an equity round, or a convertible debt.
* Clearly state the percentage of the startup’s equity you’re willing to give in return for the ask.