There are lots of 'one size fits all' strategies for pitching VCs. I have heard of everything from using consulting frameworks (e.g., 4 Ps) to the Fabulous 14.

The problem is that I've been in few meetings where an entrepreneur has been able to run through their presentation from start to finish. Frankly, it's very rare for many slides to be viewed at all, and even more rare for them to be viewed in order.  There's a good reason for this; VCs are very time constrained so they need to efficiently get the answers that they need in a very short meeting.

All of this chaos is confounded by the fact that VCs often don't give structure to the beginning of the meeting, enabling entrepreneurs to put their best pitch forward. As a result, some entrepreneurs start with the impression that they will get to run through their whole pitch; however, it's not long before the VC pulls them in a new direction. If the entrepreneur was telling a multi-slide story, they may never reach the punch line.

While there is clearly not a single format that will work for everyone, there is one tactic that can help. I recommend that you start the pitch with an 'investment overview' slide - a single slide with short bullet points that address the key questions that a VC is bound to have about any investment. Include the following topics:

• Value proposition/pain point
• Addressable market size
• Barriers
• Competition
• Major achievements to date
• Management
• Overview of funding status

For each topic include a very concise (1-4 word) description of your venture.  For example, write "Addressable Market: $1B" or "Barriers: Patent, Network Economies".  These buzz words will create excitement and facilitate the conversation, ensuring that the VC will ask about all of the key elements of your business.

While there's nothing earth shattering about this idea, it's rarely done.

This slide has several benefits:

1. It enables you to informally provide an agenda for the meeting - since you will be asked to provide more detail about each category on the slide.
2. It allows you to get even the most rushed VCs interested early in the meeting before they take the conversation down one narrow tangent.
3. It shows the VCs that you understand their point of view - that you get it. This informally makes the case that you are a good management team.

Even with this 'investment overview' slide you should still have all of detailed slides that you might need at your disposal. You may only talk through the 'investment overview' slide and a demo or you may end up presenting every slide that you created. Either way, better safe than sorry.

I don't believe that one size fits all, but this one slide is likely to fit most.

Comments

[israluv]

I coach startup companies here in Israel on how to present in front of investors and I always suggest a concise 30 second (or less) "catch phrase" for their company at the beginning of the ppt.

The audience can read faster than you can present - so less is more on the ppt slide. If the audience cannot read the diagrams on the slide they are worthless.

Each slide needs a title (and your suggestion on how to title the slide is great! )