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- ♞ Common Problems: Perspective Framer
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What is the most common problem with the perspective framer?
As a quick reminder, the perspective framer is the second slide (right after the cover slide) in your deck. It is intended to be a quick overview and help investors gain the requisite information so that they can read the rest of the deck through the lens that presents your company in the best light. A few things that you NEED to do with your perspective framer:
Have an engaging hook - The opening of your perspective frame is the first real narrative piece of the deck. Like any other story, if you don’t start with a strong hook then you risk losing the reader’s attention.
Truth - On this slide, you should make sure that everything you say is (i) a verifiable fact, (ii) a logical deduction or (iii) emotive. You shouldn’t be making any statements that an investor can question, you are still building trust and need to stay away from any figurative or metaphorical language.
Show economic upside - From the start, you need to be hinting at the size of the problem you are solving and the potential scale of your business. Investors love companies that can grow in huge markets with billion-dollar potential. Hint at that potential early on to engage them and get them wanting to learn more about how you can make that a reality.
Now that you know what you need to do, what are the most common mistakes I see?
Forgetting the perspective framer - Many founders forget this slide and jump into their pitch. The risk here is that you are getting into the heart of your pitch, the problem/solution, without getting to create a lens through which the investor can view it. This means you are allowing them to interpret the problem/solution through their own lens with their own biases and predispositions; this can cost you greatly if the investor can’t come around. In many cases, this type of pitch limits you to raising only from investors who can personally see themselves, their friends or family using the product you are building.
Making unverifiable statements - At the complete opposite end of the spectrum, many founders use this slide as a chance to show how incredible the company will be by making huge statements about themselves, their products and their markets. Unfortunately, if these aren’t verifiable, all they do is create distrust in you and make investors question the rest of your deck. While failing to provide any perspective hurts your chances of raising, making an unverifiable statement can completely kill your chances.
Lack of emotion - The perspective framer is the start of your narration. You need to have an emotional element to it. Something that helps investors connect with what you are doing. If you fail to get that emotional connection here, then it is hard to establish it later in the pitch.
When building your deck, make sure to avoid these common problems!
Does your deck feature any of these common problems? |
Are you looking to grow your business? Here is how I can help:
📱 Book a Strategy Call to get 1:1 feedback on your pitch, pitch deck and/or fundraising strategy. (If you need general startup advice, then reply to this email, and I’ll let you know if/how I can help.)
Onwards and Upwards,
