How to Outline your Pitch Deck [Plan & Organize]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- May 22
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 2
Our client, David, asked us a sharp question while we were working on his pitch deck:
"What exactly do investors expect to see in a pitch deck — like, is there a proven structure?"
Our Creative Director answered,
“Yes. They expect a story that shows you’re solving something real, and that you’re the team to pull it off.”
We work on dozens of pitch decks throughout the year (across industries, stages, and investor types) and we’ve noticed one challenge that almost every founder runs into: They overthink what to include, and under-deliver on what actually matters.
So, in this blog, we’re breaking down the essential pitch deck outline every investor wants to see, no guesswork, no second-guessing.
In case you didn't know, we specialize in only one thing: making presentations. We can help you by designing your slides and writing your content too.
Why You Need a Solid Pitch Deck Outline
Let’s get something out of the way — your pitch deck is not your business plan. It’s not supposed to explain every nook and cranny of your operations. It’s a high-level narrative designed to do one thing: make investors want to talk to you.
The mistake most founders make is assuming that more slides equals more credibility. So they stuff their decks with product screenshots, internal org charts, 18-month marketing plans, and a five-year financial forecast built on wishful thinking.
We’ve seen this up close, too many times. Founders walk into pitch meetings with bloated decks that answer every question except the most important one:Why should anyone care?
The best pitch decks don’t chase complexity. They chase clarity.
And clarity comes from structure. A clean, intentional pitch deck outline keeps your story tight, your message sharp, and your ask compelling. Without it, your presentation becomes a messy brainstorm on slides. With it, you create momentum. Investors get what you’re building, why it matters, and what they stand to gain — fast.
So, before you think about design, fonts, animations, or transitions, start here. Nail the outline. Then build on it. Because when the structure is solid, everything else flows.
The Essential Pitch Deck Outline Every Investor Wants
We’re not here to give you a magic formula. There isn’t one. But there is a clear structure investors have come to expect — not because they’re rigid, but because it works.
This isn’t guesswork. This is based on decks we’ve built for clients that closed funding rounds, got term sheets, and walked into rooms with confidence.
So let’s get into the pitch deck outline — slide by slide. No fluff, no filler, just the essentials.
1. Cover Slide
Yes, it's just a cover. But it’s still the first impression.
Your brand name, logo, and one-liner that tells people exactly what you do. If your company name doesn’t explain the business, your tagline should.
Example: “FlowPay — Instant payments for remote teams”
Keep it clean, on-brand, and easy to read. No crowded visuals, no unnecessary slogans. Think of this slide like a book cover — people do judge it.
2. The Problem
Every investor presentation needs to start with pain. Real, relatable pain.
Don’t start by talking about your solution. That’s jumping the gun. Set the context first. Describe the problem you're solving in a way that makes investors nod and say, "Yep, that's a real issue."
Here’s what this slide should do:
Make the problem feel urgent
Ground it in the real world (stats help, but don’t overdo it)
Keep it focused — don’t list five problems. Stick to one core pain point.
Bad example: "Companies struggle with collaboration, productivity, time management, and alignment. "That’s too broad. Nobody feels that.
Better: "Fast-growing startups lose nearly 10 hours per week per team member due to disjointed project tracking."
Make it punch.
3. The Solution
Now that you've built the tension, here's your moment to release it.
What have you built to solve the problem?
But — and this is where most founders go wrong — don’t oversell features. Sell clarity.
This slide is not about cramming in 10 screenshots or writing a paragraph about AI and blockchain. It’s about showing that you understand the user’s pain and that your solution actually solves it — simply and effectively.
If you’ve got a product demo or a simple mockup, great. But even a clean, visual explanation of your solution workflow is enough.
The investor takeaway from this slide should be: "This is a smart, well-targeted solution to a real problem."
4. Market Opportunity
If you’re solving a niche problem that affects ten people, no matter how well, investors won’t care.
This slide is about showing that your problem isn’t just real — it’s big. And growing.
But here’s the nuance: don’t pull up the classic “$500B global market” pie chart. That’s lazy. Be specific.
Break it down:
What is your actual addressable market (TAM, SAM, SOM)?
Who are your target customers today, not 5 years from now?
How do you plan to expand?
Investors want to see that your market is not only large, but that you know how to win in a meaningful slice of it first.
5. Product
Now’s your time to show the product in action. If you’re pre-product, show the prototype, concept, or experience map.
If your product exists, include:
Screenshots or flows (keep it clean — one slide max)
A few bullets on key features that matter most
What makes your product stand out
Important: don’t just show what the product does. Explain why that matters.
Features are everywhere. Investors want to know: Why this product? Why now?
6. Business Model
Here’s where you answer the money question.
How do you make money? What does your pricing model look like? Is it subscription, transactional, freemium with upsell, enterprise contracts?
Be specific.
And if your model has already been validated with actual revenue, say it loud. Early traction always makes a pitch stronger.
This slide doesn’t need a 5-year financial projection. It just needs to show:
How value flows in your business
That you’ve thought this through
That you’re building something scalable
7. Traction
We always tell founders: if you’ve got traction, don’t bury it in the middle of your pitch. Put it early. Investors pay attention to numbers.
Traction can mean:
Revenue growth
Active users
Partnerships
Retention
Customer testimonials
Press coverage
But here’s the key — don’t dump vanity metrics. Focus on indicators of real momentum.
“5,000 users” means nothing unless you can show usage, retention, or revenue.
“Grew MRR by 35% in the last quarter” is better.
8. Go-to-Market Strategy
How will people find you? And how will you scale that?
This slide often gets hand-waved, and investors notice. They don’t want a generic plan with “content marketing + paid ads + partnerships.” Everyone says that.
What they’re really asking is:
Do you know who your customers are?
Do you know how to reach them efficiently?
Have you tested channels?
Do you understand your CAC and sales cycle?
You don’t need to have all the answers. But you do need to show you’ve done the thinking.
9. Competition
Don’t say you have no competition. That’s a red flag. It signals you either don’t understand the market or you’re being dishonest.
This slide is not about proving you’re the only one. It’s about showing how you’re different.
We like using a simple comparison matrix or quadrant chart. Plot yourself against direct and indirect competitors. Show where you win. Be honest about what others do better.
Investors know you’re not perfect. They just want to know you’re aware and strategic.
10. Team
Ideas are everywhere. Execution is everything.
Investors back people. This slide is where you prove you’re the right team for this problem.
What’s your edge? Industry experience? Prior exits? Technical depth? Lived experience of the problem?
Keep bios tight and relevant. This isn’t LinkedIn. And if your team is small, that’s fine — just highlight the strengths.
Also, show if you’ve got great advisors, backers, or board members. Credibility matters.
11. Financials (Optional but Encouraged)
You don’t need to show five years of projections — nobody believes them anyway. But a one-year view of key financials (revenue, costs, burn, runway) shows you’re grounded.
Pre-revenue? No problem. Still show your runway and burn, so investors know how far their money goes.
Also: if you're raising, be transparent about how much you’ve raised so far and from whom.
12. The Ask
This is the part many founders awkwardly rush. Don’t.
Be clear:
How much are you raising?
What will the funds be used for?
What’s your runway with this round?
Are there existing commitments?
Confidence here matters. If you waffle, investors feel it.
Pro tip: tie the raise to your next big milestone. “We’re raising $1.5M to reach $100K MRR and expand into Europe.” That’s a plan, not a wish.
13. Closing Slide
No fireworks needed. Just one final slide that brings your brand back front and center.
Include your contact info, maybe a punchy one-liner that sticks, and an invitation to talk further.
End with clarity, not clutter.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.