A pitch is the document/slide you make to guide you and the audience during your pitching session. Thus, a compelling pitch deck forms the foundation for a smooth presentation. I encourage you to Keep It Stupid Simple (KISS). Don’t waste your time on complex designs because it’s not the design that the audience is looking for. They’re looking for confidence, conciseness and a clear message.
Pitch decks can be made up of the following essential slides:
Note: The slides should only act as an assistant to give you pointers. That means, you shouldn’t stand on the stage and start reading for the audience. If you do that, it will indicate that you’re not prepared for the task at hand. To make it clear, you’re here to tell a story.
Title or Cover Slide
This slide includes the Project name, your name and logo or a tagline.
Its purpose is to set a professional tone and grab attention from the start. Ensure it’s not cluttered with a lot of irrelevant information. The goal is to attract attention, and to be remembered as a professional individual or team.
Problem Statement
Don’t let the word “Problem Statement” mislead you. Just put a readable compelling title that highlights the problem you’re addressing and a realistic photo. If you have some statistics backup your problem statement, include some numbers precisely. If there is more space you may add a sentence or two about the problem. But make sure, everything is clearly visible and readable. Avoid over coloring this slide, it can be a white background and black bold text in a visible font size and family.
Ensure the problem relates with a real life example.
The primary purpose of this slide is to establish the need for your project and connect with your audience.
Solution Overview
Similar to the problem statement, it’s important to keep it simple. Fewer words with a compelling visual. Then walk the talk. A good title for this slide is your project name or tagline of your project name and screenshot of the most valuable feature in your project.
As you present, focus on telling us how you’re solving a problem through this project. In simple terms the message you tell us shouldn’t be disconnected from the problem. They should be connected in terms of context.
The primary purpose is to emphasize how you’re uniquely approaching the challenge and how different your solution is.
Project Features
This slide is about the Key features of your project. They can be accompanied with screenshots, demo video, mockups and / or interactive prototypes.
The primary purpose of this is to provide a clear image of what your website offers.
You’re advised to screen-record and include a quick demo video tutorial walking through how the user navigates your web project to solve a problem. The video should be less than 2 minutes. Dont rely on plans for live demo only as anything can fail while you’re on stage – e.g slow internet or server failure – in which case the demo video can suffice.
Market Analysis
Each solution is meant to address a problem affecting a target group of people (market). The proposer should make research about the different market trends to emphasize the likelihood opportunity for their solution. This is where terms can include Total Available Market, and Serviceable Available Market and figures can be used. The more accurate and honest you’re the easier you’re making it for yourself in future conversations.
The primary purpose of this is to demonstrate the demand for your solution and how well you and your team understands the market.
Revenue Model
Are you planning to make income from your solution? If yes, then how are you most likely to charge? Is it subscription based, one-time purchase or other forms. Some solutions are non-profit solutions but they generate income in order for them to be sustainable.
It’s important to think through this and do the needful in order to be realistic and achieve success while solving the problem identified.
The primary purpose of this slide is to demonstrate your plan of generating revenue (if applicable) and to show the financial viability and sustainability of your project.
Competitor Analysis
Most young and new innovators find it comforting to claim that there is no competitor for their solution. Yes, this maybe the case but do your research and you might be surprised. Without researching to find competitors you might implement an unaffordable solution and it might slow down your success.
The primary purpose of this slide is to show an overview of competitors and your projects’ unique advantages. To showcase your competitive advantage and how different you’re. Avoid playing a political game while presenting this slide.
Project Team
Pitch judges and potential investors like innovators who demonstrate leadership and teamwork traits. They know you can’t achieve it alone. And if you achieve it alone then probably everyone else can do it, then is it worthy?
On this slide show photos, short bios of team members and their roles, highlight your team’s strengths and qualifications.
Project Roadmap
By the time you applied to be given a platform to compete at the Uganda Website Project Competition we believe you’ve already done amazing work or at least you will do after submitting your application. This is where this slide becomes important, it will show the development plan, the important milestones you’ve achieved or want to achieve in the future and the timelines. What an opportunity to demonstrate your organized nature.
The primary purpose is to show a clear path to success and the project planning for your solution.
Call to Action – CTA
If you don’t have an Ask, then why are you pitching in the first place? Though there is a prize, if your project will be worked on long-term, you need support of various forms. Take your time, identify what form of support you need and use this opportunity to ask. But of course, you can only ask for one thing. Avoid coming off as greedy and directionless. Examples of things you may ask for are expert feedback, user testing, funding, new team members, partnerships etc.
For inspiration I have compiled a list of compelling CTA phrases, for your guidance, below. Check them out.
- Request for Support or Funding – Phrase: We need your support to bring this project to life. Scan QR code to donate or become a sponsor.
- Request for Feedback or Validation – Phrase: Share your thoughts on our project. Fill out our survey at the provided link and help us improve.
- Invitation to Use or Demo the Website – Phrase: Try our website for yourself! Visit our website for a free demo.
- Request for Networking or Collaboration – Phrase: We’re looking to network with like-minded individuals. Connect with us on LinkedIn.
- Encourage Voting or Advocacy – Phrase: If you believe in our project’s potential, please vote for us in the competition.
- Offer to Provide More Information – Phrase: For more details, visit the website or contact us directly.
The primary purpose of this slide is to guide your audience on what to do next, therefore make it clear and actionable, and encourage audience engagement.
Contact Information
Imagine the event is done, and someone is interested in supporting you but they didn’t take your phone number, this slide is where you put your high priority contact details like social media handles, email and phone number. Again, I won’t over emphasize enough how clear and readable this slide should be.
Surprise! You don’t need to have all these slides for this year’s maiden Website Projects Competition pitch day.
We want to encourage proper time utilization and give each competitor a chance to present without panic and having a lot to remember. For that reason, it’s good news that we have limited the number of slides to a maximum of 5. Okay! 6 if we count the contact information slide. To be precise, let your pitch deck include the 1. Title or Cover, 2. Problem Statement, 3. Solution Overview, 4. Project Features & Demo Video, 5. Revenue Model / Sustainability, 6. Call to Action and Contact information slides.
Also checkout our recent article: Comprehensive Guide to Delivering an Outstanding Pitch Presentation
Good luck and see you on pitch day!