Each investor pitch project is different, each requiring upgrades in specific areas. Here is a list of what I typically encounter. Usually a client did a few right, but needs help in a few others.
- Too PowerPoint: all the standard colours, fonts, etc.
- 1990: clip arty or 2005: cheesy stock images
- Too TED: so minimalist that it is impossible to understand what the company is actually doing
- Missing business case (revenue model, etc)
- Grand opening full of obvious facts that takes forever before turning attention to the company itself
- The company does not explain why what they do is so hard, clever, original
- Bullet point overload (but I see less and less of this)
- Not addressing the elephant in the room, the obvious big question that is screaming out to be answered
- Not enough “meat” to show that there is real science, technology, substance here
- Visual analogies are too complicated to understand
- Excel data dumps straight into PowerPoint
- Too many benefits, as a result the audience perceives: “no benefit”
- Unfocused feature expansion list: “and we will this, and we will do this, and we will do this”
- Too much design: icons, cute fonts, Adobe Illustrator shapes mixed with PowerPoint