A pitch deck appendix full of optional slides weakens the first impression with investors, and 90% of the time VCs won’t read it. The deck should contain only the most compelling parts of your story and end on a strong note, like a movie trailer. Be brave: remove optional slides and show the rest once you are invited to a call.
Pitch decks are the first impression of your startup, and they have to be excellent if you want the investor to dive deeper into your startup and realize the company's potential.
But the first impression is often negatively affected by leaving appendixes full of “optional” slides.
The deck should only have the most compelling pieces of your story and nothing else. It should end on a strong note and not with optional slides that investors “might” or “might not” want to see.
Think of it like a movie trailer – if it’s not engaging, if it reveals too much, or doesn’t build any curiosity, there’s a high likelihood that you will not be interested in watching the full movie. And it’s exactly the same with your pitch deck.
I know, removing slides that cost you a lot of effort to create hurts (you can easily avoid this if you follow the first tip in this Newsletter: Create your story before your slides).
Are you unsure if you should leave a slide in the deck? Moving them into Appendix sections seems to be the best compromise. But it’s not!
90% of the time, VCs won’t read them. Be brave. Decide what’s important and what's not, remove the “optional” slides, and you can show the whole movie once you get to the next stage (mostly: when invited to a call). And, if you are not sure if you should remove a slide or not… then in most cases, you already have the answer ;)
By the way: This doesn’t just apply to fundraising decks, but also to company presentations and many other types of presentations.
Frequently asked questions
Should a pitch deck have an appendix?
Iskender advises against an appendix full of optional slides. It weakens the first impression, and 90% of the time VCs won’t read it.
How should a pitch deck end?
On a strong note, with only the most compelling pieces of your story, not with optional slides investors might or might not want to see.
When should I show more detail to investors?
At the next stage, mostly when you are invited to a call. That is when you can show “the whole movie”.
How do I avoid creating slides I later have to cut?
Create your story before your slides. Then it hurts less to decide what is important and what is not.
