1. Presentation suggestions:
Not all slides may be applicable to your business model.
Keep in mind the time allotments for each section, don’t over/under emphasize key points of the business. Many entrepreneurs spend too much time explaining their technology, science or product and not enough time explaining how they will make money.
Keep slides simple and uncluttered, use as few words as possible—just bullet point the general idea you are addressing, leaving the in-depth explanation to the presenter.
The main goal of the presentation is to communicate your vision and strategy enough to capture the investors’ attention and interest. There will be a number of follow-up meetings and information requests, but only if the investors are first excited and motivated by you, the business and strategy.

2. Short Positioning Statement
Company Name/Logo
Short Positioning Statement
Your Name
Title
Give the audience a short explanation of the company’s main objective and who you are. Only include a “positioning statement” if it is very short, 3-5 words.
<15 seconds>

3. Business Overview and Strategy
What do you do - what is your product/service/technology/science?
What makes it different?
What problem(s) are you solving?
Give a road map of the business: we’re here now and are going in this direction.
By end of slide your audience should know what you are selling and why people will buy it. Do not go into a lot of detail—this is a “bite-sized” overview.
Keep in mind that you are setting the stage for the rest of the presentation.
<30 seconds>

4. The Market – Our Solution
Description of Current Market, Customer Needs
Problem to Be Solved, what is creating the demand for your solution
Key Feature – Solution to Problem
How will the customer use your solution
What is the economic benefit your offering delivers?
Describe the customers’ needs for your product/service. What is the “problem” with the market as it is and how are you fixing that problem.
Be clear and concise, this is a critical part of your business proposition and must grab an investor’s attention.
Give just enough of an overview to build up to the next slide, which describes the Product/Service. This will give the investor-audience a general understanding of the market and why the product was created.
<90 seconds>

5. Product/Service Product/Service Description 1
What is the product/service
Key Feature – Value Proposition
Science and technology behind the product/service
Defensibility: IP protection/Patents, Barriers to entry
Product/Service Description 2 (if needed) …
Describe your product/service; what is your customer buying?
Focus on what attributes make your product/service better and different than alternatives, even if there is not a direct comparable product/service.
Defensibility may require its own slide.
Many entrepreneurs focus too long on the product, especially if it is a technology or based on scientific data. Keep the science and technology light and easy—most investors are not PhD’s and will lose interest if the presentation gets too technical.
<2 minutes>
Too much early detail that isn’t more than an idea can get you into a corner. The investor wants to know what you’re thinking and why your product/service is exciting—stay away from making it seem you are further along that you really are, for example making a prototype appear to be a final product.

6. Market Opportunity Target customer profile Market size
Describe the targeted customers
Market size
Quantify the target market through sizing the servable market by applying the above profile to the relevant market/segments
If the market will be growing/expanding, explain
Explain the size of the market that you are targeting.
Remember to build your credibility – how do you know the market?
Take care not to erode your credibility by overstating the market.
Use good sources of information and statistics, such as trade organizations and marketing studies.
Describe how your product/service fits into the market and what share of the market you will capture from launch through the first several years of business.
If necessary, segment the market. Segmenting the market means you identify the specific portion of the market that contains those buyers that meet your targeted customer profile.
If you have multiple market segments or targeted customers, repeat this slide as necessary.
<90 seconds>
Who is the new venture’s customer? Define this tightly. (As an example: University biology labs in predominantly undergrad only schools that do not have the broad and deep lab capabilities of large research institutions.)

7. Sales Model Distribution Channels Sales cycle Channel 1 to market
Channel 2 to market (if needed) …
Sales cycle
What are the general steps in the sales process
How long does it take
Describe how these channels successfully get your product into the hands of your customers—if necessary, describe for each segment.
If possible/helpful, include an illustration
How long is the sales cycle for your product(s)—being able to describe the sales cycle emphasizes your understanding of making the sale.
<45 seconds>
How does the customer make decisions about buying this product or service? This is a tough, tricky question. If it is “a new idea” product then the real answer is “I don’t know.” And the correct follow-on is “here’s how we will find out,” which is going to involve a lot of testing and hypothesizing. The cost and timing of this is a must for factoring into the Business Plan.
To what degree is the product or service a compelling purchase for the customer? Simpler, easier, cheaper, not now available, etc.
How will you price this and why? What’s the value logic?
How will the venture reach all of the identified customers? Where is the list? Is this a large consumer market or a market that can be easily identified (all NFL head coaches; undergrad biology dept’s in the US, etc.) How will we experiment with contact methods to determine what works?
Who is the head of sales? A hint here - if it isn’t the CEO that’s a bad sign. Often entrepreneurs want money to hire sales people and do not understand the iterative process that proceeds from sales info, and miss huge opportunities because they don’t get to know their target market.
How much is it going to cost to acquire a customer?
What will cause customer attrition?

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