Comment adaptez-vous votre pitch deck à différents types d’investisseurs ?

The easiest way to do this is imagine the reader on the other side. Friend/ Family? They need little to no context about you, but need a lot of support on the business model. Aim to make an exciting document showing growth. Angel investor? They look for a little less on the business model, and more about you. Why are you the person to lead this ? And finally VC. They need comfort on the ambitions of the business. Can you match their fund return. Focus on the future. The big picture.

As a founder knowing your audience is fundamental, whether it's pitching to investors, giving a talk, or sharing your journey. Connecting, engaging, and leaving investors wanting more hinges on understanding your audience. However avoid distorting your value proposition solely for attention, as it leads to dead ends and failed conversations and the ultimate 'no'. My advice to you as a founder is Invest time in a comprehensive value proposition exercise first. This is fundamental to your success, It serves multiple purposes and lays the foundation for a successful raise. Your are then able to adapt and tailor your tone and emphasize specific elements based on the preferences of your audience, significantly improving your success of a raise.

Angel Investors: Emphasize personal connection, your story, potential for high return, and the impact. Venture Capitalists (VCs): Focus on scalable business models, market size, and your team’s ability to execute. Strategic Investors: Show synergies with their existing businesses and potential for long-term partnerships. Banks: Demonstrate profitability, cash flow stability, and risk mitigation.

Study the company to understand the challenges they face. Be a prospect or a buyer to see how the process flows. Note any inefficiencies but also note the things going great. To confirm, ask them to describe a current challenge. Restate the flow and highlight the challenge area. Answer what’s in it for them. What do you supply that eliminates the challenge. What case studies can you share?

In my experience, an extensive value proposition exercise is the secret to fundraising success. It guides you through critical questions about your product, market, team, investors, key drivers, roadmap, potential challenges, and more. By going through this exercise correctly, you create a blueprint that not only shapes your business but also prepares you for a successful fundraising journey. It provides you with the necessary questions and answers to confidently approach investors. With a well-crafted value proposition, you're equipped for any investor pitch. The result of this exercise is game-changing. You become well-prepared and confident, knowing that you have addressed potential pitfalls and challenges.

Many find pitching uncomfortable, which negatively impacts their performance. However, by executing a thorough value proposition exercise, you gain confidence and become well-prepared for investor presentations. We are naturally more comfortable having conversations, especially about our business or product. So why do we switch into 'presenter mode' and lose the energy, confidence, and engagement that come with a casual conversation? For most people, pitching feels unnatural. Instead, ensure you know your business and market inside out through the value proposition exercise, and 'prepare to present'. When presenting, Rehearse multiple times and treat it like a conversation—talk and engage with your investors as you would with anyone else.

Your reader/investor needs context. Without an ask there is no context to your pitch deck. Clearly articulating how much money you need, how long this money lasts and how you are going to spend it, paints one part of a very important picture. Doing this well will help you alot.

Feedback is a gift. Encourage questions and embrace feedback in your pitch. Preparedness is key. Welcome input from investors and leverage their insights to improve. Ask for valued feedback on what would make your proposition investable. Fine-tune your pitch with each interaction. Follow up, share milestones, and demonstrate progress. Engage investors for successful fundraising.

An important concept in tailoring the pitch deck is also based on the stage in which you're presenting. E.g. Have a 10-12 slide teaser deck for presentation with a focus to complete the deck within 5-10 mins and allocate the remaining time to conversations and Q&A. This needs to be followed up with a complete 15-20 slide deck that is more detailed and a reinforcement of the story and conversation.