How to create a killer pitch deck

A pitch deck is a brand presentation that gives potential investors, or clients, an overview of your business, what it does and how you expect it to develop. If you’re currently, or on the verge of, looking for an investor for your food business, a pitch deck is one of the first things you’ll need to create.

What is a pitch deck for?

The purpose of a pitch deck is to raise interest in your business to a point where a potential investor is happy to meet you and find out more. A pitch deck is a sales document, not a business plan. This is all about showing off your business to its maximum potential – the finer details can come later, once you’ve secured your investment.

A pitch deck is your opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism, credibility, experience and knowledge. An excellent pitch deck is a balance between detail – use it as a space to show off all your hard work and research – and simplicity – the information should be laid out clearly and in an attractive way. Our creative top tips for building a pitch deck are:

• Less is always more – think about using imagery or icons to get your point across, rather than too much text

• Wherever you do have text, think about highlighting key words or phrases in bold or a different colour

• Make sure it’s consistent – try to stick to the same layout, fonts, sizing and colours on each page, so you don’t distract or confuse the viewer

• Test it out – share your deck with friends or family to get their honest reactions and feedback. They don’t have to be experts in your sector to be able to advise on the visual aspects of your pitch deck

The content of a pitch deck should be informative and inspiring. Make sure your deck contains:

• An overview of your concept and what makes it unique or different

• Evidence that a market for your concept, and a large opportunity, exists

• Evidence of testing, validation and traction for your concept

• High-level financials, so a prospective investor can come away with a basic understanding of your business goals

A structural breakdown of the ultimate pitch deck

A good pitch deck will sit at around 15 to 20 pages long. It should be designed to look clean and professional and, as we may have said once or twice, not too wordy.

• Cover page (one page): Include the name of your business, your logo and a strap line, or one-line summary of what your business does

• Overview (one page): A brief description of your concept, an outline of its purpose and what you hope to achieve with it

• Team (one to two pages): Introduce your team, aiming to show that you have a strong support team covering a range of skills

• Problem/solution (one page): Outline a problem you’ve identified in the current market and the solution that your business offers

• Your offering (one to two pages): Expand on what you wrote in your overview, detailing specific dishes or drinks on offer, your service style, and what guests can expect from an experience with your brand

• Creative (one to two pages): Outline the creative side of your concept in more detail, including brand design, and expectations for a physical location and interior design, if applicable

• Industry knowledge (two to three pages): Demonstrate your knowledge about the current market, including sector trends, the size of the category you’re launching into, competitor analysis and target market analysis

• PR and marketing (one to two pages): Outline a PR and marketing plan, including opening promotions and potential collaborations or commercial partnerships

• Traction (one page): Showcase any data you have from successful pop ups or trials, as well as public support and media mentions

• Financials (two to three pages): Outline what you’re looking for in terms of investment and how you plan to spend it, whether your business is eligible for any grants, such as SEIS/EIS, and a basic P&L statement and growth forecasts

• Closing page (one page): Include a back page with your contact details

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