Problem: I have no idea how long my pitch deck should be. HALP!
In the world of fundraising, most founders have a standard 5-10 slide pitch deck for investor meetings. But there’s something else that often goes totally unmentioned: the comprehensive closing deck. This longer, more detailed view is your opportunity to give the right people a helicopter view of the world your business is trying to create and how you’ll get there.
When I first started working on Mane Hook-Up, I worked on a deck and started speaking to investors to see when they thought of the concept. But, for the longest time, I just had one — very simple — deck.
It wasn’t until I started working with my mentor, Jeremy, and eventually gained some insight from other advisors that I realised, you might just be better off with two…
You need 2x versions of your pitch deck.
The short version (for introductions — cold or warm)
The long version (for closing conversations)
When I was on my accelerator in San Francisco, I learned this the hard way. I assumed my initial pitch deck was enough to get an investor from intro call to term sheet. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. It wasn’t until I got a tonne of feedback and revamped my deck— pulling out the details and pre-emptively answering investor questions—that I made it to the final conversation with someone.
The difference between a short and long deck
The short deck is designed to grab attention and get meetings booked. It’s concise, well-designed, and focused on the big picture: the problem, solution, market opportunity, business model, traction, and team. Think of it as your trailer— something to make an investor interested enough to book a call.
The long deck, on the other hand, is built for due diligence. Once an investor is interested, they’ll want to dig deeper. This deck anticipates their questions and provides the detail they need to gain conviction. If your short deck gets you in the door, your long deck gets the deal done.
And it’s OK for your long deck to be… well, long.
One start-up advisor I spoke to mentioned that one of their portfolio founders received great feedback on a 30+ slide deck. They had broken key information down into smaller, digestible chunks, making it easier for investors to run through. Investors completed over 60% of the deck—proof that design and layout matter.
The slides for a long deck
So, the real question is, what goes into a long deck? Here’s a breakdown of the key slides:
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