A capital raise deck is one of the most influential pieces of marketing collateral a startup can have. If done right, it identifies your company’s opportunity to potential investors and lands you a seat at the table. Thus, I have discovered the 10 elements investors look for in a capital raise presentation.
You may be looking for funding for your new startup, a real estate deal or to take your company to the next level. Regardless of your project, investors looking at your pitch deck want key information. This information helps them determine if they will move to the next stage.
Every million-dollar deck outline Brand Iron creates starts with these 10 key elements investors look for in a capital raise deck.
Include your offer/model in your capital raise deck explaining what it is you do.
Investors look for a clear and concise statement about what you do. Make sure to communicate something regarding your business model and how it works. For example, we are a SaaS, an App, a professional IT services firm, a pop-up retail concept, etc.
Explain why your company is better.
In addition to telling what you do in your capital raise deck, effectively communicate how your company is better than anything else in the current marketplace.
Express your need.
When building your investor pitch deck, communicate the need for your service or product in the marketplace. Ensure you provide data on the significance of the market need and potential. The bigger the need you are solving or filling, the bigger the opportunity.
Elaborate on how your corporation will solve the problem in your capital raise deck.
For example, you are creating a new application that hasn’t been offered before, a new product formulation, developing a unique offering, etc. I think this step is essential to include in your capital raise deck. Thus, you have created a niche or market for your company by solving this problem.
Identify your target market.
Once you know the need, investors look for the market size and opportunity. Investors also want to know who would potentially buy your product or service.
Next, research and refine your ideal target audience, companies that fit, and who to reach with marketing and sales.
Discuss how you will reach your target.
After identifying the target in your capital raise deck, communicate the marketing and sales tactics to reach your audience effectively.
Then, put together a high-level approach in the deck on how you will be able to get your marks.
How you will drive revenue and growth.
Developing a repeatable and scalable plan to drive and grow revenue is critical to your investors. Therefore, you must add this step to your investor pitch deck. It can be via a direct sales channel, through a distribution model, or direct to the consumer. Whatever works for you to generate revenue and consistently drive growth is vital.
Developing a proforma of your finances over the next several years is critical when making a capital raise deck.
In your capital raise deck, tell your financial story.
Investors look at how you communicate your financial plan. This plan should include the growth in revenue, profitability/EBITDA, enterprise value created, and other critical financial data points.
If you don’t have these, you may want to develop a proforma for your finances over the next several years.
Make sure to include the following key elements:
- Revenue growth
- EBITDA
- Enterprise value (Value of the company)
- Subscriber growth
- Recurring revenue generated (if applicable)
Share the team that will make it happen.
When building a capital raise deck for investors, share a profile of the executive team. It’s vital to show who is driving the company forward and executing your plans. This step gives investors confidence that their investment is in good hands.
Include your ask in your capital raise deck.
Communicate the capital you need to raise in your investor deck. Is it equity or debt? Also, express your plan with that money, how it will help you grow, and pay back your investors.
To summarize: What do investors look for in a presentation?
To create a pitch deck that lands with investors, you must include what your business does and explain how you do it better than competitors.
In addition, express your need and elaborate on how you will solve the proposed problem. Furthermore, include your target audience, your plan to reach them, and how you will drive revenue and growth. This step is part of your financial story. Finally, don’t forget to introduce the team to execute the plan and share your ask.
Effectively communicating these 10 essential elements investors look for in a capital raise deck gives you a better chance of raising your desired investment.
Brand Iron is an independent, multi-faceted branding and marketing agency passionate about shaping businesses and transforming brands. We are a collective of independent thinkers, artists, and doers committed to forging unrivaled outcomes for our clients.
CEO | Brand Champion
Michael Doyle has been changing the face of Brand Marketing for over two decades. He built a tech-based advertising agency, DNA Advertising, into a multi-million dollar company. Michael sold the company as part of a national IPO in 2000. Michael founded Brand Iron in 2002 and has since lent his expertise to hundreds of other businesses in dozens of industries around the world.
