Every year, thousands of startups struggle to raise funding, not because their ideas are bad, but because their pitch decks fail to land.
The difference often lies in the details. From unclear storytelling to crowded slides, there are common pitch deck mistakes to avoid if you want your pitch to stick.
In this guide, we will walk through the top mistakes founders make in their pitch decks and show you how to avoid them.
See also: How to start a successful business.
Key Takeaways
- A successful pitch deck tells a clear story that highlights the problem, solution, market, business model, and traction.
- Avoiding common pitch deck mistakes builds credibility and increases your chances of securing investor interest.
- Focus on simplicity, strong visuals, and metrics that prove your startup is solving a real problem and gaining momentum.
- Every slide should serve a purpose, and your ask must be specific, realistic, and backed by a plan.
What Investors Expect in a Modern Pitch Deck
Investors do not fund ideas. They fund clarity, traction, and vision packaged in a way that makes sense quickly.
A well-prepared deck is not about selling hype. It is about helping investors make fast, confident decisions.
Understanding what investors look for will help you avoid the most common pitch deck mistakes and position your startup as a serious opportunity.
Below are the core elements every strong deck must cover and why they matter.
Clear Problem and Solution
Start with a real problem and show how your product solves it. Skip vague statements. Investors want to see that you understand the pain point and have validated it with real users or data.
Defined Market Opportunity
Be specific about your target market. Broad estimates or inflated numbers are a red flag.
Use a TAM-SAM-SOM framework to break down your market. This shows you know who you are serving and where growth will come from.
| Market Layer | Meaning | Example (Ride-Sharing App) |
|---|---|---|
| TAM (Total Addressable Market) | Entire market demand | Global ride-sharing market: $150B |
| SAM (Serviceable Available Market) | Portion you can serve now | Urban ride-sharing in Africa: $10B |
| SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market) | Target within first 1–2 years | Lagos market: $200M |
Go-To-Market Strategy
Even a great product needs a clear launch path. Investors expect to see how you will reach and acquire customers. Be specific about channels, partnerships, pricing, and what your first 1,000 users will cost and look like.
Strong Business Model
Explain how you make money. Whether it is subscription, licensing, transaction fees or a hybrid, clarity here matters. Keep it simple. If your revenue model takes three slides to explain, it needs work.
Traction and Validation
Numbers speak louder than projections. Highlight metrics that show momentum: user growth, revenue, engagement, retention, waitlists, or early partnerships. If you are pre-revenue, show evidence of demand or interest.
The Right Team
Investors back people as much as ideas. Showcase the team’s relevant experience, execution ability, and clarity of roles. A good deck will show why this team is the right one to win this market.
Financials and the Ask
Outline your projections for the next 2–3 years and include your funding ask. What are you raising, how will you use it, and what does it unlock? Break this down clearly. Avoid vague answers like “scaling the business.”
| Use of Funds | Allocation |
|---|---|
| Product Development | 40% |
| Marketing and Sales | 30% |
| Operations and Hiring | 20% |
| Legal and Admin | 10% |
Getting these elements right will help you build credibility before you even speak. It also helps investors see that you respect their time and understand what matters most in a funding conversation.
Top 20 Pitch Deck Mistakes To Avoid When Presenting to Investors
Pitch deck mistakes are often the silent deal-breakers that cost startups the funding they need. Most of them are not dramatic errors but subtle issues that erode confidence.
In this section, we examine the most common pitch deck mistakes founders make, what they signal to investors, and how to fix them with clarity and precision.
1. Starting Without a Clear Problem
A deck that jumps straight into the product without first setting up the problem will always miss the mark. If investors do not know what pain point you are solving, they cannot understand the value of your solution.
Why it matters: Investors need to know the problem exists, is worth solving, and is painful enough for customers to pay for a solution.
Solution: Start your pitch with a relatable, well-defined problem. Use a short real-world example, a clear customer pain point, or industry data that highlights the need. Avoid generalisations.
2. Overcomplicating the Solution
When founders get too deep into features, technology, or complex diagrams, the core value of the product gets lost. Most investors are not technical experts.
Why it matters: If investors cannot quickly grasp what your product does and how it helps, they will not move forward.
Solution: Use one clear sentence to explain your solution. Think of it like a tagline. Follow with a short demonstration or example that shows how it works. Save deeper details for follow-up conversations.
3. Weak Market Sizing or Inflated Numbers
Claiming your market is worth billions without breaking it down properly signals a lack of research. Investors want to see where you fit and how realistic your opportunity is.
Why it matters: A bloated or vague market slide creates doubt and makes you look unprepared.
Solution: Use a TAM, SAM, SOM breakdown to show the size of your opportunity.
Example:
TAM (Total Market): Global pet care industry – 246 billion USD
SAM (Serviceable Market): Online pet wellness products – 38 billion USD
SOM (Target Market in Year One): Urban pet owners in Nigeria – 1.2 billion USD
4. No Defined Go-To-Market Strategy
Many decks fail to explain how the product will reach the market. Without a customer acquisition strategy, investors see a product without a plan.
Why it matters: A go-to-market strategy shows how you will generate traction, revenue, and growth.
Solution: Clearly outline how you will reach customers. Mention specific channels (social media, partnerships, B2B outreach), timelines, and budget expectations. Include early traction or test results if available.
5. No Business Model or Vague Revenue Plan
A deck without a clear monetisation strategy leaves investors guessing how the business will make money. This weakens your credibility.
Why it matters: Revenue is one of the most critical parts of a pitch. Investors want to know how returns will be generated.
Solution: Include a business model slide that shows how you earn. Be concise. Examples include subscription, one-time purchase, freemium, or licensing.
6. Claiming You Have No Competition
No competition usually means you have not looked hard enough. Every problem has multiple existing solutions, even if they are not obvious.
Why it matters: It suggests poor market understanding and exposes a lack of competitive analysis.
Solution: Present direct and indirect competitors. Show why your solution is better or more relevant. A visual competitor matrix works well here.
7. Slides Are Too Text-Heavy
Slides that look like Word documents are overwhelming. Investors are skimming. If they cannot scan your slide in seconds, they will check out.
Why it matters: A cluttered slide makes it hard to follow your pitch and breaks the visual flow.
Solution: Use one idea per slide. Use visuals, icons, and simple headlines. Avoid dense paragraphs. If you must explain in detail, speak it, do not write it all on the slide.
8. Poor Visual Design and Branding
Low-quality design, inconsistent fonts, and mismatched colours can damage credibility. Your pitch deck represents your brand.
Why it matters: A poorly designed deck reflects poor attention to detail and can distract from your message.
Solution: Use consistent fonts, colours, and clean layouts. If design is not your strength, use templates or hire a designer.
9. Ignoring Traction
Founders often assume a good idea is enough. But traction—proof that your solution is working carries weight.
Why it matters: Traction de-risks the investment and shows real-world validation.
Solution: Highlight growth metrics, user feedback, early revenue, partnerships, or waitlists. Even pre-revenue traction, like a pilot programme or customer testimonials, adds value.
10. Weak or Missing Team Slide
A team slide with just names and photos adds no depth. Investors want to know if the team has what it takes to execute.
Why it matters: People are often more important than the product, especially in early-stage startups.
Solution: Show the team’s relevant experience. Include a line or two on what each member brings. Highlight complementary skills, past successes, and startup experience where applicable.
11. No Financial Forecast or Unrealistic Projections
Leaving out projections or presenting overly optimistic numbers with no basis will cause investors to doubt your business sense.
Why it matters: Investors want to see your thinking behind the numbers and whether your assumptions are grounded.
Solution: Share realistic projections over the next two to three years. Include assumptions about costs, customer growth, and margins.
If you need help creating a business plan with financials, use our comprehensive business plan template available in the Entrepreneurs.ng shop.
12. Unclear Ask or Use of Funds
If your pitch does not say how much money you are raising, or what you will do with it, investors are left in the dark.
Why it matters: The ask is your chance to show strategic thinking. A vague ask suggests you are not ready.
Solution: State how much you are raising and break down how the funds will be used. Example: 40 percent product, 30 percent marketing, 20 percent hiring, 10 percent admin.
13. Including Vanity Metrics
Metrics like social media followers or email open rates may sound good, but they do not always reflect business growth.
Why it matters: Vanity metrics can distract from more meaningful data and make investors question your focus.
Solution: Prioritise metrics that show real traction: revenue, user retention, CAC to LTV ratio, and monthly active users. Choose numbers that reflect progress, not just activity.
14. Overloading With Slides
Long decks that go on and on without structure can cause fatigue. Investors often stop reading halfway through.
Why it matters: A long, unfocused deck shows poor storytelling and makes your pitch hard to digest.
Solution: Aim for 10 to 15 concise, focused slides. Cut anything that does not help tell your story. Use slide titles that guide the narrative.
15. Lack of Product Visual or Demo
Talking about the product is not enough. Investors need to see it. A lack of visuals or demo leaves too much to the imagination.
Why it matters: Seeing is believing. A visual helps investors picture the user experience.
Solution: Include screenshots, mockups, or a one-minute product demo video. If you do not have a live product yet, use a prototype or a visual roadmap.
16. No Timeline or Roadmap
Without a clear timeline, investors have no idea what to expect post-investment. It creates uncertainty about your execution plan.
Why it matters: A roadmap shows strategic planning and long-term thinking.
Solution: Create a timeline of key milestones for the next 12 to 24 months. Highlight product development, hiring, launches, and revenue targets.
17. Too Much Focus on Features
Pitch decks that list every feature miss the bigger picture. Features do not sell; outcomes do.
Why it matters: Investors care about the impact of your product, not the technology behind it.
Solution: Focus on benefits and transformation. How does the product improve users’ lives or solve their pain? Explain that, not every button or screen.
18. No Exit Strategy or Long-Term Vision
Some founders avoid talking about exits. But investors want to know how and when they might see a return.
Why it matters: It helps investors understand how your startup fits into the broader market and future opportunities.
Solution: Outline your vision. Will you expand regionally, get acquired, or go public? You do not need a rigid plan, but showing awareness of future outcomes builds confidence.
19. Lack of Storytelling
Even if the facts are solid, a dry pitch will not resonate. A story connects emotionally and makes the pitch memorable.
Why it matters: Investors are pitched all day. A compelling narrative stands out.
Solution: Structure your pitch like a story. Introduce a character (your user), their challenge, your solution, and the journey ahead. Make the deck feel like a conversation, not a lecture.
20. Sending It in the Wrong Format
Sending a .ppt file that breaks when opened on another device, or a link that requires a login, creates friction and risks being ignored.
Why it matters: A broken file or inaccessible deck is a missed opportunity.
Solution: Always send your deck as a well-designed PDF or hosted link with no login required. Test it before sending. Tools like Canva, Pitch.com, or Google Slides work well.
Real Pitch Advice From Investors and Pitch Coaches
Every founder wants to know how to pitch to investors in a way that stands out. While templates and formats are useful, advice from people who review decks daily is often the most valuable.
We have gathered insights from experienced investors and top pitch coaches to help you improve your deck and avoid common pitch deck mistakes.
What Investors Actually Look For
Investors review hundreds of decks monthly. Most are ignored within minutes. According to a DocSend study of 200+ pitch decks, investors spend just under 4 minutes per deck and focus on a few core slides more than others.
Investor Attention by Slide (in seconds):
| Slide Type | Average Time Spent |
|---|---|
| Financials | 23 seconds |
| Business Model | 18 seconds |
| Team | 16 seconds |
| Problem/Solution | 14 seconds |
| Traction | 13 seconds |
| Market Size | 11 seconds |
| Product | 10 seconds |
| Competition | 7 seconds |
Source: DocSend Research on Investor Decks
This tells us something clear: spend more time refining your financials, business model, and traction slide. These are not just formalities. They are proof that your business is real.
Advice From Pitch Coaches
Top pitch coaches focus on simplicity, structure, and story. Here are insights from coaches who train founders globally.
Benjamin Ball (Pitch Coach to CEOs and Fund Managers)
Benjamin Ball advises that many founders forget that their pitch is about persuasion, not information. He encourages a clear narrative and slides that support rather than overwhelm.
Key Tips:
- Lead with clarity: Use the first two slides to make investors care.
- Say less, explain more: Let visuals and your voice do the talking.
- Avoid filler: Every slide must earn its place.
Haje Jan Kamps (TechCrunch Pitch Expert)
As someone who has reviewed thousands of decks for TechCrunch and VC panels, Haje suggests founders treat the deck like a user journey.
Key Tips:
- One story per slide: Do not multitask in a single visual.
- Cut ego slides: The deck is not a CV. Show impact, not titles.
- Get feedback: Founders should test the deck with outsiders before sending it to investors.
What This Means for Your Pitch Deck
Based on this advice, here is a quick checklist you can use to improve your next pitch:
| Investor & Coach Tip | What You Should Do |
|---|---|
| Focus on traction | Add real numbers: users, revenue, growth rate |
| Simplify the narrative | Use a 3-part story: Problem, Solution, Why Now |
| Design with clarity | Use consistent fonts, spacing, and clear visuals |
| Open strong | Make your opening slide memorable and impactful |
| Trim the fat | Remove filler slides that do not move the story |
Practice and Feedback Are Non-Negotiable
Even a good pitch deck falls flat without practice. One of the biggest pitch deck mistakes to avoid is sending a deck you have never tested in front of a live audience.
Practise your pitch with mentors, team members, or through feedback sessions with experts.
If you want expert feedback on your deck before you pitch, consider using our Ask an Expert service at Entrepreneurs.ng. You can send your deck in and get actionable feedback within 48 hours from a seasoned business expert.
Free Pitch Deck Mistakes Checklist
When preparing your startup funding presentation, it is easy to overlook small errors that weaken your pitch.
This checklist is designed to help you catch those issues early. Use it before sending your deck to investors or presenting in meetings.
Quick Pitch Deck Review Checklist
Use this table as your final filter before you hit send.
| Area of Deck | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Problem Slide | Is the problem clear, specific, and supported by evidence or insight? |
| Solution Slide | Can the solution be explained in one sentence? |
| Product Demo | Have you included visuals or a product screenshot? |
| Market Sizing | Is the TAM, SAM, SOM breakdown included and based on realistic data? |
| Business Model | Is your revenue model clear and simple to understand? |
| Go-To-Market Strategy | Have you shown how you will acquire your first 1,000 customers? |
| Traction Slide | Are there actual numbers or qualitative proof of early adoption? |
| Team Slide | Do you explain why your team can execute on this opportunity? |
| Financial Projections | Are your forecasts grounded in logic, not just optimism? |
| The Ask | Have you stated how much you are raising and how it will be used? |
| Competition Slide | Is there a clear comparison with direct and indirect competitors? |
| Design and Visuals | Are the slides clean, consistent, and free of clutter or dense text? |
| Slide Count | Is your pitch between 10 and 15 slides max? |
| Format | Have you tested the PDF or shared link for accessibility and layout issues? |
Tips to Strengthen Your Pitch Before Sending
- Practise your delivery at least five times before the real pitch.
- Test your deck on someone who has never seen it before. Ask if it makes sense without explanation.
- Use tools like Pitch, Canva, or Google Slides to format your final version as a clean PDF.
- Avoid attaching the deck in email without context. Personalise your investor message.
Conclusion
A strong pitch deck is not about how many slides you have or how flashy the design is. It is about clarity, focus, and telling a story investors can believe in. Avoiding the common pitch deck mistakes we have covered can help you build that trust faster.
Remember, investors are not just betting on your idea. They are betting on your ability to execute. A clear pitch shows that you understand your market, your numbers, and the road ahead.
If you need help getting your pitch ready, explore the Entrepreneurs.ng shop for templates, or book a session through our Ask an Expert service for personalised feedback. You only get one shot to make a first impression, make it count.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the most common pitch deck mistakes to avoid?
The most common pitch deck mistakes to avoid include vague problem statements, unclear revenue models, poor design, lack of traction data, and failing to define the target market.
Other frequent pitch deck errors are including too many slides, skipping the ask, and not tailoring the deck to the investor audience. Focus on clarity, evidence, and structure to build a deck that works.
How many slides should a startup pitch deck have?
A startup funding presentation should be between 10 and 15 slides. This range allows enough room to cover your problem, solution, product, market size, business model, traction, team, financials, and funding ask without overwhelming the investor. Keep each slide focused on one idea to maintain clarity.
What do investors look for in a pitch deck?
Investors look for a clear problem, a strong and simple solution, realistic market sizing, a viable business model, early traction, a capable team, and a defined funding ask. They want to see potential for growth and a plan to execute. Avoid pitch deck mistakes by focusing on these core components first.
How do I structure a pitch deck for investors?
The ideal pitch deck structure includes:
- Cover slide
- Problem
- Solution
- Product
- Market opportunity
- Business model
- Go-to-market strategy
- Traction
- Team
- Financials
- Ask and use of funds
- Closing or vision slide
This format helps avoid common pitch deck errors by giving a logical flow to your story.
Should I include financial projections in my pitch deck?
Yes. Financial projections show how you think about your business and what you expect to achieve. Avoiding this slide is one of the pitch deck mistakes that signal you are not prepared.
Share a 2 to 3-year projection with assumptions around revenue, costs, and growth drivers. Keep it realistic and well-explained.
Is it okay to send my pitch deck as a PowerPoint file?
It is better to send your pitch deck as a PDF or a secure view-only link. PowerPoint files often break formatting across devices and may be flagged as unsafe by email filters.
Avoid sending large files or anything that requires downloading extra software. Test your deck before sending to make sure it is accessible and looks polished.
Do I need a pitch deck if I already have a business plan?
Yes. A pitch deck and a business plan serve different purposes. The pitch deck is your visual story for investor meetings, while the business plan is a more detailed internal document.
In fact, many investors will look at your deck before deciding to request your business plan. You can find a professional business plan template in the Entrepreneurs.ng shop to complement your pitch deck.
