Writing Great Pitch Decks

Elevate a pitch deck to greatness by using the powerful storytelling techniques we lay out here.

Writing a pitch deck is a great way to get your company’s message out there, and storytelling is an effective technique to capture your audience’s attention.

By now, you’ve probably heard the saying that facts tell, but stories sell. Storytelling is a powerful marketing technique that can be very helpful when it comes to writing a pitch deck. According to research, 92% of consumers want brands to make ads that feel like a story. Furthermore, messages delivered as stories are up to 22 times more memorable than just facts.

Your pitch deck needs to be well written. When you incorporate storytelling into your pitch deck, you’ll be able to connect with your audience and create interest in your company or startup. It will help you establish an emotional connection, which increases the likelihood of getting a positive response to your pitch.

In this post, we’ll explain why you should use storytelling to write your pitch deck, how to use storytelling in your pitch deck, and share pitch deck templates that’ll help you learn more about writing an awesome pitch deck.

Why You Should Use Storytelling to Write Your Pitch Deck

Storytelling matters. It can significantly enhance your content marketing and help create a compelling narrative around your brand, making your pitch deck more persuasive. Here are a few reasons to use storytelling in your pitch deck:

• Stories have been utilized since the dawn of time to explain the world around us.
• They engage your audience and foster an emotional connection.
• Stories take investors on a journey, making them feel linked to your character, which can lead to a higher investment likelihood.
• More people remember stories than cold, hard facts.

Many famous brands have successfully adopted storytelling in their pitch decks to win necessary investments. For example, an Atlanta startup, Kabbage, used storytelling in their pitch deck to secure over $1.3 billion dollars.

Another notable example is Airbnb, whose first pitch deck helped them secure well over 100 million dollars.

Facebook’s pitch deck also successfully attracted major brands like The North Face, MasterCard, Paramount, and Apple onto their advertising platform.

These successful pitch decks share common elements:

• They highlight the problem that their target audience faces, using compelling language and statistics.
• They explain why the problem matters, painting a clear picture of the consequences of inaction, which effectively leads into their solutions.
• They present their product or service as the perfect solution, backing their narrative with data and facts, establishing their expertise and authority.

How to Use Storytelling to Write Your Pitch Deck

With examples of effective storytelling in pitch decks in mind, let’s explore how you can create a winning pitch deck for your company.

1. Create a Relatable Character

Start by creating a relatable character that potential investors can emotionally invest in. Investors are more likely to connect with a character like Jack, a self-employed illustrator in need of the perfect accounting software, rather than a faceless business owner.

The character can be real or hypothetical, but it needs to be relatable and likable. Take the time to flesh out the character’s name and background.

2. Take Your Investors on a Journey

A compelling storytelling pitch deck presents a problem, builds tension, and then reveals the solution. Structure your pitch deck with a clear beginning, middle, and end:

• Start by describing how you discovered the problem. Introduce your character and outline their daily struggles.
• Paint a vivid picture of their life without action, using sensory words to emphasize the urgency of solving the problem. Transition into the solution by sharing how the character’s life improves once the problem is resolved.
• Present your solution and explain its effectiveness, incorporating statistics and real-life testimonials from existing users and customers.
• Finally, introduce your company or team members, highlighting their qualifications and experience.

3. Get Inside Investors’ Minds

Think like an investor to effectively address their concerns and counter potential objections. Consider these questions:

• What problem are you solving, and who benefits from it?
• What is your growth rate, and can your product or service scale to meet demand?
• What is your business model, and do you have expansion plans?
• How will you acquire customers, and what is your marketing strategy?
• How much funding are you seeking, and how will you allocate the investment?

4. Create an Outline and Structure

Once you’re clear on your character and story, create an outline for your pitch deck. Most pitch decks consist of 10-15 slides, so be mindful of how you present your information. Include these key slides:

• Cover slide
• Problem
• Tension
• Solution
• Business model
• Competition
• Competitive advantage
• Market size and scalability
• Marketing and expansion plans
• Team
• Investment
• Summary

5. Write and Format The Deck

With your outline established, it’s time to write and format your pitch deck. Avoid long paragraphs and walls of text that may bore investors. Keep your copy concise and engaging by following these guidelines:

• Use short sentences and lists to highlight key concepts.
• Opt for a larger font size for easy readability.
• Stick to one or two legible fonts.
• Present one idea per slide to prevent overwhelming your audience.

6. Use Visual Elements to Enhance Your Story and Facts

Incorporate the right visual elements to complement your storytelling and effectively present your facts. Use charts and graphs to showcase statistics, and incorporate images that foster an emotional connection with your character, team members, or customer testimonials.

Pair Storytelling With Great Design

While storytelling significantly improves your pitch deck, it’s equally important to focus on design. A well-designed pitch deck enhances your story and reinforces your message, establishing brand consistency and making your pitch more memorable.

1. Use a Template to Save Time

Crafting a pitch deck from scratch can be time-consuming. A suitable PowerPoint template can save you time and provide a professionally designed deck with necessary slides ready for customization.

2. Incorporate Your Brand Fonts and Colors

After selecting a template, integrate your brand fonts and colors to build brand awareness and maintain consistency.

Use colors sparingly to avoid overwhelming your audience. Consider using them in headings or calls to action for effective highlights.

3. Use Plenty of White Space

White space, or negative space around objects, helps your message stand out and allows your audience to focus on each slide’s content. Ensure your text, images, and elements have adequate breathing room, even on solid color backgrounds.

4. Ensure Images Match Your Industry

Images should complement your storytelling. Ensure they align with your industry to avoid an amateurish appearance. For instance, if your product focuses on ecology or nature, your images should reflect that theme.