Your Ultimate Guide to Writing Great Pitch Decks

Writing a strong pitch deck helps you win investor meetings, explain your business clearly and build confidence in your potential.

Whether you are preparing your first series A pitch deck or refining an investor pitch deck for a major raise, the way you shape your story will influence how investors judge you.

A clear, well-structured and well-written deck does far more than summarise your idea. It shows investors you understand your market and can communicate in a way that encourages people to back you.

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. 

The Ultimate Guide to Writing Pitch Decks

This guide brings together everything you need to write a pitch deck that stands out. It’s based on the 15+ of years experience at Benjamin Ball Associates, creating and editing pitch decks for firms and funds large and small.

You’ll learn how to plan your message, structure your slides, share evidence that investors trust and avoid the mistakes that weaken most decks. You’ll also find helpful links to deeper guidance, pitch deck examples and tools you can use as you refine your story.

Why Pitch Decks Matter More Than Ever

Investors see hundreds of pitch decks. Most are skimmed in minutes. Your pitch deck is the way you open the door to a conversation; and clear communication is often the difference between securing a meeting and being passed over.

A strong pitch deck makes it easy for an investor to understand your problem, your solution, your market and your strengths. It helps them see how your idea fits today’s landscape and why this is the right moment to act.

If you want an early overview of what works well, start with this guide: How to Write a Killer Pitch Deck.

1. What Investors Really Want

If you want your deck to resonate, you need to understand what investors look for in a pitch deck. They value clarity, proof and a story that is easy to retell. A deck that jumps around or hides key details will lose attention fast.

Investors look for:

• A clear problem
• A simple solution
• A credible product
• A defined market with room to grow
• Traction that proves demand
• A team they can back
• A specific investment ask

When you write a pitch deck that aligns with these priorities, you make their job easier and your life simpler.

You can read more about investor expectations here:
What Investors Look For in a Pitch Deck.

A short video version is here:
How to Create a Killer Investor Pitch Deck.

2. Plan Your Message Before You Build Slides

Many teams jump straight into creating slides. That almost always leads to confusion and sloppy decks. It also wastes time. We have discovered, over 15 years of creating winning pitch decks, that good pitch deck writing starts with planning your pitch messages.

Write down simple answers to these questions:

• What problem are you solving and why does it matter?
• Who feels this problem most sharply?
• How does your solution work?
• How do you earn money?
• What proves customers want this?
• Why are you better that the competition?
• How big is the market?
• Why are you the right team?

This stage helps you start thinking hard about what an investor needs to hear. It will make it easier to build a clean pitch deck narrative. When you start with a clear story, the rest of your deck becomes easier.

If you want more support shaping your early message, read:
How to Write a Killer Pitch Deck.

How to Create a Takeaway Message and use the Takeaway Test

If you already have a draft, an Investor Pitch Deck Audit can help you understand where it needs improvement.

If you need help with your pitch messaging that read about a Messaging Cracker Process

3. Use a Proven Pitch Deck Structure

A readable investor pitch deck follows a simple, logical order. Investors expect this because it mirrors the way they think about investment opportunities.

A strong pitch deck structure, particularly for an early stage business, includes:

1. Problem
2. Solution
3. Product
4. Market
5. Business model
6. Traction
7. Go-to-market
8. Competition
9. Team
10. Financials
11. The ask

This structure keeps your story tight and helps investors follow your logic. For a full breakdown, see:
Perfect Pitch Deck Structure.

Obviously, for more established businesses, the structure will vary. Every pitch will be different. In our experience we find some of the hardest decisions to make are to work out what information should lead the pitch – is is the market, the team, the track record or the opportunity.

If you want structures tailored to different audiences, these guides may help:

• VC pitch deck:
  How to Write a Successful VC Pitch Deck
• General investor deck:
  How to Write an Investor Pitch Deck
• Investment banking pitch decks:
  Investment Banking Pitch Deck

4. How to Write Each Slide

Below is your detailed walk through of every key slide, with ideas you can adapt for your own deck.

Problem Slide

Investors want to see that you understand a real, valuable problem. So, use a specific example or statistic that brings the issue to life. Avoid vague claims.

Example:
“Independent clinics lose thousands of pounds each year because appointment systems cannot sync with insurers.”

This keeps the story concrete and readable.

Solution Slide

Explain how you solve that problem in a single sentence. Keep it crisp.

Example:
“We give clinics a simple platform that connects appointments, insurance partners and patient billing in one place.”

Your reader should immediately understand what you do.

Product Slide

Use visuals. Screenshots, mock-ups or a short sequence of steps help investors imagine how customers are using the product.

Avoid heavy detail. Investors don’t need a full technical explanation on the first pass.

Market Slide

Show how the size of your market and how it is growing. Investors want to know how many people experience the problem, how the market is changing and what segment you can realistically reach first.

Use supported numbers and cite your sources. Inflated forecasts create distrust.

Business Model Slide

Explain how you make money. You can use bullet points or a simple diagram. For example:

• Monthly subscription for clinics
• Commission on each processed payment
• Set-up fee for enterprise clinics

Simple beats clever.

Traction Slide

Traction is one of the most persuasive parts of your deck. Evidence builds trust. You can highlight:

• Revenue
• Conversion rates
• User growth
• Retention
• Signed partnerships
• Testimonials
• Pilot results

You don’t need perfect numbers. You do need something that proves real demand.

Go-to-Market Slide

Show how you plan to win your first customers. Explain who you will target, why they are your top priority and which channels you will use.

Investors want to see a credible first step, not a two-year marketing plan.

Competition Slide

Every business has competitors. Mapping the landscape shows you understand your sector. Use a simple table that compares the main players and highlights your advantage.

Avoid overly flattering comparisons. Investors will spot them.

Team Slide

Investors often back teams before they back products. Share experience that proves you can deliver. Pick achievements that support your story.

Advisors can make a difference too, especially if they bring sector knowledge or credibility.

Financials Slide

Present projections that match your story. Include revenue forecasts, core assumptions and costs. Use clear charts rather than dense spreadsheets.

A good rule: honest, sensible numbers beat ambitious claims.

The Ask Slide

State what you are raising, how you will use the investment and what the funding will unlock. Investors want clarity at this stage.

Example:
“We are raising £1.5 million to grow our sales team, expand into two new markets and strengthen our enterprise features.”

This gives them a clear next step.

If you want more inspiration, explore: Best Pitch Decks for Investors.

5. Avoid the Traps That Sink Most Pitch Decks

Many decks fail for predictable reasons. Here are the traps to avoid:

Too much information
Slides overloaded with text are unreadable. Keep each idea sharp.

Overly technical explanations
Investors want clarity. If they need more depth, they will ask.

Unclear story flow
A confusing slide order weakens your message. Stick to a proven structure.

Weak or missing evidence
Claims without proof raise red flags.

Inflated market numbers
Overly optimistic figures undermine trust.

No investment ask
If you don’t ask, investors don’t know what step to take.

You can explore these further in: Investor Presentation Pitch Deck Mistakes.

6. Should You Bring in Specialist Support?

Some teams write their decks themselves. Others prefer outside help to sharpen their story, get feedback or accelerate progress. Here are your main options.

Pitch Deck Writers

A pitch writer helps you express your idea clearly, simplify complex messages and prepare a deck investors can read quickly.

Learn more: Pitch Deck Writer.

Pitch Deck Consultants

A pitch consultant goes deeper. They help you test your assumptions, prepare for investor meetings and strengthen your full proposition.

Find out more: Pitch Deck Consultant.

Pitch Deck Audits

If you want targeted feedback on your current slides, an audit helps you understand what needs work.

Valuable resource: Investor Pitch Deck Audit.

Pitch Deck Training

Useful for teams that want to learn how to create a deck from scratch and present it confidently.

Learn more: Create a Pitch Deck – Investor Pitch Training.

Sector-Specific Decks

Some industries require tailored approaches. For example, you can see how decks work in real estate here: Real Estate Pitch Deck Case Studies.

Business Pitch Decks

Not all pitch decks are for investors. If you need a business deck for customers or partners, read:
Create Business Pitch Decks.

Finding the Right Expert

If you are comparing different services, this guide helps you understand what to look for:
Find Pitch Deck Experts.

7. Real-World Examples and Lessons

Examples help you see how other teams have framed their story. You can adapt ideas that work and avoid approaches that weaken your message.

Useful resources include:

• How to Create a Killer Investor Pitch Deck
• Best Pitch Decks for Investors

Reviewing real cases helps you build a better deck faster.

8. Bringing Your Pitch Deck Together

Once your full draft is ready, refine it. This is where a good deck becomes a compelling one.

Test with someone new

Choose someone who isn’t close to your business. Ask them to explain your idea back to you. If they struggle, simplify the message.

Cut anything that adds noise

If a slide, sentence or number doesn’t strengthen your story, remove it.

Improve the design

Clear visuals support your message. Keep layouts consistent and avoid clutter.

Prepare the spoken version

Investors judge your delivery as much as your slides. Practise a simple verbal pitch that supports your deck rather than repeating it.

If you want help improving your final version, you can speak to a specialist:
Pitch Deck Writer or
Pitch Deck Consultant.

9. Final Takeaways

If you take only one thing from this guide, let it be this: investors want a simple, credible story. A clear pitch deck makes it easier for them to back you.

Remember to:

• Keep your message simple
• Build a logical story
• Support claims with evidence
• Make every slide readable
• End with a clear ask

A well-written pitch deck gives you the best chance of securing the meeting you want and moving your raise forward. If you work with professionals, you’ll find the whole process much easier.

10. How to Create A Compelling Pitch Deck

We work with clients every day to create winning pitch decks and winning teams. 

Speak to Louise Angus, our client services director, today to learn more about how we can help you and whether we are the right partner for you.

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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.

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See also our Ultimate Guide to Investor Presentations