How to Make Your UK Mid-Market PE Presentation Stand Out
December 02, 2025
If you’re preparing to pitch to a private equity firm, your mid-market PE presentation has to work harder than ever. Competition for middle market investments is fierce, and fund managers have more options, more data and less patience for vague stories.
Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball
Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London. Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page.
Why Mid-Market Firms Need to Stand Out
Whether you’re leading a mid-market company, a smaller firm with big ambitions or a management team within a portfolio company, your investor presentation needs to do one thing above all: stand out for the right reasons.
For the last 15 years, the team at Benjamin Ball Associates have helped polish investor presentations for hundreds of mid-market firms.
We are regularly brought in by PE firms like Westbridge, ECI or Northedge or corporate advisors like Alvarez and Marsal to help mid-market management teams polish their investor pitches. Recent deals we have worked on include APEM, Gii, Techex, Avantia and 4Ways.
Based on our team’s experience, here’s how to make your private equity pitch cut through so that you win the confidence of investors.
8 Ways to Make Your Mid-Market PE Presentation a Winner
1. Start with a clear, confident story
Every strong presentation is based on a clear story. A powerful investor narrative is essential.
Private equity professionals want to understand three things quickly:
- What your business does
- What makes your business special
- How you will grow your business
This is where many middle-market firms go wrong. They jump straight into financials or operational improvements without setting up the “why”.
Instead, shape your story around your market position and how your business is winning. For example, you might be the only business services provider in your space offering real-time data analytics or faster integration into clients’ business operations.
BEFORE: “We operate 12 distribution sites across the UK,”
AFTER: “We’ve built the UK’s most reliable last-mile delivery network for time-critical products. Demand has doubled in the past 18 months.”
That story instantly sets up your value proposition, your organic growth opportunity, and your credibility.
How do you identify this compelling story? We regularly run Messaging Cracker Sessions with our clients to help them clarify and strengthen their investor narrative.
Read more about how to create a killer pitch deck.
2. Make your numbers easy to digest
Private equity firms and institutional investors love numbers, but only when they support your investment case.
Present your key metrics so they’re simple, relevant and clearly show what drives value. Use visuals to show how you’ve grown annual revenues, improved margins or delivered returns with less leverage than your peers.
You can strengthen your story by linking financials to your investment strategy:
- Highlight past performance that demonstrates resilience in shifting market conditions
- Explain how your enterprise value has evolved over time
- Use case studies of successful projects to illustrate what worked and why
If you can make investors see the connection between the market, your performance and the opportunity, your pitch will land far more effectively.
3. Bring the management team to life
In mid-market private equity, investors back people before they back business models.
Whether you’re pitching to general partners at a mid-market fund or a global name like Warburg Pincus, you need to convince them you have the team for the next stage of growth.
Keep your introductions short but meaningful so it’s easy to understand what each leader brings to the table. Who’s responsible for sales? Who’s looking after the operations? Who understands how to break into new markets?
Smaller companies often have an advantage here: they can show a hands-on approach and direct involvement in day-to-day business operations. That’s often the sweet spot for many mid-market investors.
4. Show your ambition – and your plan
In your mid-market PE presentation, investors want to see your ambition backed by detail. What’s your path to growth? How do you intend to win market share?
Be specific about:
- Which new markets you’re targeting
- What new products or service expansion are you considering
- The size of the prize and a clear entry strategy
For instance:
BEFORE: “We plan to grow to £20m EBITDA”
AFTER: “We’ve identified three near-term expansion markets — the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain — with a combined addressable market of £200m. We’re already in advanced discussions with two potential local partners.”
Link your plan to broader market conditions too. In a world of higher interest rates and economic uncertainty, investors want to see businesses with sustainable organic growth and strong cash generation. And if you have an M&A story, they will also go down well.
5. Make your deck support your message
Your slides should support your story, not compete with it.
In a mid-market PE presentation keep your deck clean, visual and very clear. Headings should deliver insight, not act as labels.
Example:
WEAK HEADING: Market Overview
STRONG HEADING: Our market is growing 12% a year and remains highly fragmented
Highlight the operational improvements, growth potential and investment decisions that underpin your plan. If you reference your recent successes, or private equity deals you’ve been involved in, make sure they clearly support your investment case.
Remember, your deck will have a life before and after your meeting, so make sure it sells as powerfully as you do and will satisfy even the most sceptical analyst.
6. Rehearse like it’s live
Even the best mid-market firms lose momentum when delivery feels unpolished. Rehearse your investor meetings until the flow feels natural and confident. No investor these days wants to sit through a presentation. They want to have a dialogue.
Run through the full presentation several times. Record it. Watch it back. Get feedback from someone who isn’t close to the business, ideally someone who understands private equity funds or public markets. And work with a coach to help you stress-test your team with tough Q&A.
Rehearsing helps you:
- Tighten your delivery
- Build confidence
- Handle due diligence questions smoothly
It also shows investors you’ve taken preparation seriously — something every PE manager appreciates.
Ask Louise Angus, our client services director, about our investor pitch rehearsals and how these can help you.
7. Finish strong
Never end with a weak “any questions?” Finish with your story’s strongest summary and agreed next steps.
BEFORE: That’s all. Any questions?
AFTER: “We’ve built a high-growth, cash-generative business with a proven model. With the right partner, we’re ready to scale across Europe and deliver significant returns.”
This ending reinforces your ambition and positions you as the kind of lower middle market or mid-market company investors want in their portfolio.
8. Find the Right Partner
A standout presentation won’t just help you win investment. It’ll help you attract the right investment. Not every private equity firm will suit your business.
The most successful mid-market firms treat this process as a two-way conversation. You’re not only being assessed on your track record and growth potential; you should be assessing how that investor adds value beyond capital.
You should be considering:
- Fit with your strategy: Does their investment strategy match your stage, sector and ambitions? A firm that specialises in operational improvements and organic growth may offer more than one chasing fast exits.
- Cultural chemistry: Will you enjoy working together? You’ll be partners for years, ideally through both strong and challenging market conditions.
- Hands-on approach: Some investors, particularly in the lower middle market, bring extensive operational expertise and get involved in business operations. Others take a lighter-touch approach. Know what you need.
- Value beyond money: Can they open doors to new markets, talent or technology? Have they helped other portfolio companies like yours grow market share or expand internationally?
Look at how they’ve behaved with other investments. Review case studies, speak to CEOs in their portfolio companies and ask about their due diligence process and post-deal support.
Remember, you’re choosing a long-term partner. That means understanding how they respond when plans change – because they always do.
If you find a private equity fund that shares your ambitions and values, your collaboration will go far beyond financial returns. It becomes a partnership that builds confidence, momentum and long-term value for both sides.
Case Study: Polishing an Investor Presentation for a mid-market TV company
Client: betty, the UK’s leading producer of high-quality modern factual TV (shows include Country House Rescue, Freaky Eaters and The Joy of Teen Sex)
Their challenge: creating a compelling management presentation
Liz Warner, CEO of betty TV, came to us for advice. While their advisor’s deck told the story beautifully, Liz didn’t want to “turn the pages” in front of potential buyers. She wanted a confident, engaging mid-market management presentation that brought the investment story to life.
The BBA solution: fast, practical coaching and clear storytelling
Building on the team’s strength in pitching creative ideas, we transformed their equity story into a lively, investor-ready narrative. We also persuaded these seasoned TV professionals to get in front of the camera themselves, so they could see their own performances.
Their two-hour presentation evolved into an energetic, conversational meeting — complete with videos, smart visual aids and mood boards that showed the essence of the betty brand.
The result: a choice of great offers
Within five months of their first buyer meeting, Liz and her team had four strong offers to choose from. They sold to Discovery Communications — the first independent producer Discovery had ever acquired.
“Ben and his colleagues gave us the confidence to sell ourselves and our business. Their advice completely changed our pitch. The team moved our presentation into a different league and undoubtedly improved the outcome and offer we secured.”
— Liz Warner, CEO, betty
In summary
A standout UK mid-market private equity presentation isn’t about how many slides you have or how fancy they look. It’s about telling your story clearly and convincingly.
When you tell a simple, confident story backed by credible data and clear delivery, you’ll already stand out from most mid-market companies.
Ready to make your management presentation stand out?
At Benjamin Ball Associates, we support management teams across the UK and Europe deliver presentations that win investor confidence.
We’ll help you refine your story, polish your delivery and connect with investors, whether you’re speaking to general partners, fund managers or trade buyers.
Call Louise Angus, our client services director today to discuss how we can support you.
Speak to an expert. Get a free consultation
Why Choose Us:
Transform your pitches and presentations with tailored coaching
We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too.
“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”
Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky
For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.
Some recent clients
Unlock your full potential and take your presentations to the next level.
Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.
Speak to an expert. Get a free consultation
Frequently Asked Questions – Better Mid-Market PE Presentations
What makes a mid-market private equity presentation stand out?
A standout presentation tells a clear, confident story that connects the numbers, the people and the opportunity. Investors want to see a credible plan for growth, supported by evidence and delivered by a confident management team. Simplicity, clarity and authenticity go a long way.
How long should a management presentation be?
Most mid-market private equity management presentations last between 60 and 90 minutes, including questions. The key is pacing. Don’t rush through your story, but don’t drown investors in slides either. A shorter, engaging meeting is far more effective than a long, mechanical one.
What do private equity firms want to hear from management?
They want to understand your business operations, the drivers of growth potential and how you’ll deliver returns. Be ready to discuss operational improvements, market conditions and how you plan to use investment to build value. They’ll also look for a capable team and a track record of solid decision-making.
Should smaller companies prepare differently for investors?
Yes — but the difference is more in emphasis than in content. Smaller firms and lower middle market companies often win investor confidence through agility and a hands-on approach. Show how your team delivers results with limited resources and where additional capital can accelerate growth.
How much detail should I include about financials?
Enough to make your case, but not so much that you lose your audience. Highlight key metrics — annual revenues, margins, and enterprise value drivers — and link them directly to your investment strategy. Save the detailed numbers for the data room or follow-up meetings.
How can I handle tough questions from investors?
Preparation is everything. Anticipate likely questions on past performance, entry valuation and due diligence findings. Rehearse your answers until they sound natural and confident. If you don’t know an answer, it’s fine to say so and follow up later — honesty builds credibility.
What’s the best way to practise a private equity presentation?
Rehearse as if it were live. Record yourself, review it and refine your delivery. Get feedback from someone experienced in private equity deals or fund managers who understands what investors look for. An outside perspective is invaluable.
How do I choose the right private equity partner?
Look for a firm whose investment strategy, culture and hands-on approach align with your goals. Review case studies and talk to leaders of their portfolio companies. The best partnerships are built on shared values, trust and a genuine interest in helping your business grow.
Can Benjamin Ball Associates help with my investor presentation?
Yes. We’ve coached management teams across the UK and Europe to deliver confident, persuasive presentations for mid-market private equity investors. From storytelling and structure to delivery and Q&A coaching, we’ll help you communicate your business in a way that resonates with the people who matter most.
Call Louise Angus, our client services director today to discuss how we can support you to create a compelling investor presentation.
Contact us now for free consultation
Start improving your pitches and presentations now
Contact us now and speak to an expert about getting award-winning coaching, training and advice