To download these slides, or to see an annotated version of these slides, visit bit.ly/jcstartupslides
You may opt to put some of these in a different order. You may also want to include screenshots/images of your product/service to further clarify what it does or how it works, or to illustrate your value proposition. The information you convey on each slide should be visually simple so that those listening to you can focus on what you are saying, rather than on reading small bullet points on a screen. When there’s more detailed info to share, provide that in a short handout that supplements your presentation.
1) OPENING SLIDE FOR A PITCH
Start with your name and the name of your project. In some cases, a presentation will start with an attention-grabbing opening, an anecdote, a dramatic stat or fact, or a question for the audience. These devices help to engage the audience, grab everyone’s attention, and establish your confidence as you get going.
2) DEFINE THE PROPOSITION
Explain what the project/product/service actually is. What does it do? How does it work in very simple terms. This could be a short “elevator pitch” summary of your project so that people know exactly what project you’re pitching.
3) DEFINE THE OPPORTUNITY/PROBLEM
Explain why this product/service is needed and provide some context for your project. Why is the problem worth solving?
4) DEFINE THE AUDIENCE/COMMUNITY
Make clear who this project/service/product is aimed at. Is it for a particular geographic audience, or a particular demographic group? Or is it for people with a particular interest (i.e. a psychographic?) Or maybe it’s for people who have a particular problem or a certain need. Make clear who you are building this product/service/project for so that it’s clear who will benefit from it.
5) HOW YOU’LL GET THE WORD OUT
How will people find out about this product/service/Web site/project? Mentioning vaguely that you’ll use social media to get the word out is generally not sufficient. It’s important to explain how you’ll raise awareness for this in a marketplace that is increasingly cluttered with all sorts of new apps/sites/products/services launching every day. What techniques/tactics/tools will you use, or how will you go about taking advantage of existing or new platforms to reach your intended audience? How will you measure progress in reaching your audience? What will success look like in reaching your audience? What are key metrics/performance indicators that you’ll be assessing as your project moves forward?
6) WHAT DO THE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE?
How will you make ends meet? What do you expect your primary three, five or 10 costs will be? What do you expect your primary revenue streams to look like, and how long do you expect it might take for you to get to that point? Why will people pay for your service/product and how will the value proposition differ from other products/services people are paying for?
7) WHAT DOES YOUR TEAM LOOK LIKE, AND WHY ARE YOU THE ONE TO DO THIS?
What have you done in the past that has prepared you to take on this new challenge? Why are you well-suited to succeed in this venture? How will others help you, and what relevant skills/experience will they bring to the project? How will you go about building your team from here and adding necessary expertise?
8) COVERING YOUR BASES
Fill in additional information here that will answer questions lingering in the audience. What does the competitive landscape look like? What are some obstacles you anticipate you’ll have to overcome? How will your design approach distinguish your project? What unique approach/vision/ideals do you have that inform the project in progress?
9) WHAT’S NEXT?
What are the next steps you need to take? What are the key things you need to do to advance the project in the coming weeks and months? What is your timeline for moving forward? What does the roadmap for your project look like? What are your goals for the upcoming period?
10) WHAT OUTSIDE HELP DO YOU NEED TO MOVE FORWARD?
What amount of money, or what other kind of help would be helpful to you in advancing your project? How can people contact you afterwards to offer help?
P.S. The slides in this template were made on an iPad using Haiku Deck, which is a terrific free app that makes it easy to quickly build a visually-engaging slide deck using your own simple text and Creative Commons images.
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