Securing funding for your startup is an exciting and challenging journey. One crucial step in this process is crafting a compelling pitch deck that effectively communicates your business idea and its potential. However, the true test lies in receiving investor feedback on your pitch deck. Constructive feedback can provide invaluable insights, helping you refine your presentation and increase your chances of securing funding. In this blog post, we will explore some strategies to help you receive and interpret investor feedback effectively.

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Prepare a Clear and Engaging Pitch Deck:

Before seeking investor feedback, ensure that your pitch deck is well-crafted, visually appealing, and succinctly captures the essence of your business. Include key elements such as the problem you're solving, your unique value proposition, market analysis, revenue model, and team details. A well-prepared pitch deck sets the foundation for meaningful feedback.

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Example Feedback: "Would you ever think about joining a startup accelerator?"

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Interpretation: The investor believes your business is currently not investable and may politely be suggesting you may require some external support. They perceive a need for your business to gain additional guidance, mentorship, and resources before it becomes attractive for investment.

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Actionable Takeaway: Consider joining an accelerator programme or seeking mentorship to enhance your business's investability. Engage with communities for founders and explore online startup resources to identify areas where you can improve and fill any gaps in your plans and pitch. You can check out our fundraising accelerator here. 

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Target the Right Investors:

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Focus on finding investors who have an interest in your industry or have previously invested in similar ventures. Receiving feedback from knowledgeable investors who understand your market can be more valuable and relevant.

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Example Feedback: “What you’re doing sounds interesting but it doesn’t fit with our investment thesis,"

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Interpretation: Firstly, it could indicate that you have approached the wrong investor without thoroughly researching their investment preferences. For instance, pitching a fintech SaaS to an investor specialising in food and drink startups or seeking funding from a venture capital fund focused on larger Series A rounds when, instead you're in the early seed stage. In both cases, it highlights the importance of doing your homework and targeting investors whose investment thesis aligns with your business.

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Actionable Takeaway: Understand the investors you are approaching and their thesis. Remember, if an investor's feedback indicates a mismatch between their investment thesis and your business, it doesn't necessarily mean your idea lacks merit. It may be an indication to focus more on finding investors who align with your industry and stage. Spending more time researching what investors investment criteria is may feel like additional work, but it will be far more efficient in locating the right fit investor in the long run 

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Seek Direct and Specific Feedback:

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When presenting your pitch deck, encourage investors to provide feedback on specific aspects of your business plan, market opportunity, or financial projections.

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Example Feedback: "I’ve seen your type of business before and seen it do really well"

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Interpretation: The investor has a deep understanding of your business, and has the knowledge to tell you what works and what doesn’t work for your sector. It might even be a way for them to say, they’ve invested in a similar business before, or that they want to know how you differentiate. 

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Actionable Takeaway: If you've found investors who really know your sector, you can ask them what they think about your business model, what have they seen that hasn't worked or have they seen other interesting aspects that you could consider, or do they know anybody who could be interested in investing in your domain?

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Listen Actively and Take Notes:

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During pitch meetings or presentations, active listening is crucial. Take notes on the feedback provided by investors to ensure you capture their main points accurately.

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Example Feedback: "Your market size seems too small to justify significant investment."

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Interpretation: The investor is concerned that your target market may not be large enough to generate substantial returns on investment. They question the scalability and growth potential of your business.

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Actionable Takeaway: Reevaluate your market analysis and provide compelling data and insights to support the potential growth and scalability of your business. Address any misconceptions about market size and present a convincing case for market expansion.

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Stay Open-Minded and Objective:

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Receiving feedback can sometimes be challenging, especially when it highlights flaws or shortcomings in your business planning. However, it's essential to remain open-minded and objective. Remember, feedback is an opportunity for growth and improvement.

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Example Feedback: "Your financial projections seem overly optimistic."

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Interpretation: The investor questions the realism and achievability of your financial projections. They may believe that your revenue forecasts are too ambitious or that you haven't adequately considered potential risks and challenges.

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Actionable Takeaway: Review and adjust your financial projections, ensuring they are grounded in realistic assumptions and supported by thorough research and analysis. Be transparent about potential risks and challenges and demonstrate your ability to adapt and mitigate them.

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Analyse and Interpret the Feedback:

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Once you've collected feedback from multiple investors, it's time to analyse and interpret the information. Look for common patterns or themes that emerge across different feedback sources.

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Iterate and Refine:

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Armed with valuable insights from investor feedback, it's time to refine your pitch deck. Implement the necessary changes based on the feedback you received, ensuring that you address the concerns raised while maintaining the unique qualities of your business idea.

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Use the FundingHero Pitch Deck Canvas to get started on perfecting your pitch deck

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Receiving investor feedback on your pitch deck is a crucial step in securing funding for your startup. It provides valuable insights and helps you refine your presentation to make it more compelling and persuasive. To get started on perfecting your pitch deck, consider using the FundingHero Pitch Deck Canvas. This powerful tool offers a structured framework to organise your ideas, refine your messaging, and ensure you cover all the essential elements investors look for. The FundingHero Pitch Deck Canvas in Pillar 3 can guide you in creating a clear, concise, and engaging pitch deck that effectively communicates your business idea and its potential. 

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FundingHero helps founders with investment-readiness and fundraising strategies, using their 6-pillar framework. You can access the first pillar for free after you sign up, where you will be able to start planning your successful fundraise.