How to Send a Pitch Deck to Investors
Sending a pitch deck to an investor may seem like a simple matter of attaching a file to an email and clicking Send. In practice, a little preparation can make the presentation easier to access, easier to understand, and easier for the investor to revisit later.
The goal is not to make the process complicated. It is to remove unnecessary friction between the investor and the information you want that person to see.
The exact approach will depend on whether you already know the investor, whether someone introduced you, whether the investor requested the deck, and whether you are sending an attachment or providing access to an online presentation.
1. Make Sure You Are Sending the Right Version
Before sending anything, confirm that you have the current version of the pitch deck.
Pitch decks often change as customer numbers, revenue, product features, team information, fundraising goals, and other details evolve. It is surprisingly easy to send an older copy simply because several similar files are sitting on the same computer.
A consistent file-naming system can help. You may also want to review the final deck immediately before sending it to make sure the numbers, links, names, and contact information are still correct.
2. Keep the Accompanying Message Concise
The email or message accompanying your pitch deck does not need to repeat everything contained in the presentation.
In many cases, a short message is more useful. Introduce yourself, explain what the company does in a sentence or two, mention why you are contacting that particular investor, and make the next step clear.
If someone made an introduction, mention that context. If the investor previously asked to see the deck, remind the person briefly of the conversation.
3. Explain Why the Opportunity May Be Relevant
Investors differ in the industries, company stages, geographic regions, business models, and investment sizes they prefer.
If you have a genuine reason to believe your company matches an investor's interests, briefly explain that connection.
A message that demonstrates some understanding of the investor may be more meaningful than a generic note that appears to have been sent to hundreds of people without distinction.
4. Decide Whether to Send an Attachment or a Hosted Presentation
One of the main practical decisions is how the investor will receive the pitch deck.
You can attach a PDF or PowerPoint file directly to the message, or you can provide a link or access method for a pitch deck hosted online.
Attachments are familiar and easy to save, but once the file is sent, copies can be downloaded, stored, or forwarded. A hosted presentation keeps the deck available online and may provide additional access or viewing information depending on the platform.
Neither method is automatically better in every situation. Choose the one that best fits your priorities.
5. Make Access Instructions Obvious
If you send a hosted pitch deck rather than an attachment, do not make the investor search for instructions.
Place the link, access code, or viewing instructions where they are easy to see. If more than one step is required, explain those steps briefly and clearly.
The investor should be able to move from your message to the presentation with as little effort as possible.
6. Avoid Unnecessarily Large Attachments
Large presentation files can create practical problems.
Email systems may limit attachment sizes, and large files can be slower or less convenient to open on mobile devices. High-resolution images, embedded media, and other content can increase the file size quickly.
If the presentation file is unusually large, consider reducing unnecessary file size or using a hosted version instead.
7. Think About What the Investor Will See First
The investor may open your deck immediately, several days later, or on a mobile device while between meetings.
Your first few slides should therefore establish the business and opportunity clearly. Do not assume the investor will remember every detail from the email that accompanied the deck.
The pitch deck should be understandable enough to stand on its own when the investor reviews it later.
8. Consider Whether Sensitive Information Belongs in the Initial Deck
A pitch deck may eventually be seen by more people than the original recipient.
Investors may discuss an opportunity with partners, associates, advisors, or other colleagues. Files can also be forwarded or saved.
Consider whether highly sensitive technical, legal, customer, or proprietary information needs to be included in the initial presentation. Some information may be more appropriate for later stages of due diligence.
9. Make the Next Step Clear
Do not leave the investor wondering why you sent the presentation.
If you are seeking a meeting, say so. If you would like feedback, make that clear. If you are actively raising a particular round of financing, briefly explain the purpose of the outreach.
A clear request gives the recipient an obvious way to respond.
10. Send It to the Right Person
A strong pitch deck sent to an investor who does not invest in your type of company may accomplish very little.
Before reaching out, research the investor's areas of interest, investment stage, portfolio, typical investment size, and other relevant criteria when that information is available.
Better targeting can improve the quality of your outreach and reduce the temptation to send the same generic message indiscriminately.
11. Personalize the Message Without Writing an Essay
Personalization does not require a long message.
A sentence explaining why you believe the opportunity is relevant to that investor can show that the outreach was intentional.
Avoid artificial personalization or compliments that have little to do with the business. Relevant context is generally more useful than flattery.
12. Test Everything Before Sending
Before sending an important investor message, test the presentation the way the recipient will experience it.
Open the attachment or presentation link yourself. Verify that access works, that the slides display correctly, and that any instructions are accurate.
A broken link or incorrect access code creates an avoidable obstacle at the exact moment you are trying to make a professional impression.
13. Follow Up Thoughtfully
Investors may not respond immediately. A lack of response does not necessarily tell you whether the deck was ignored, reviewed, discussed, or simply delayed among other priorities.
A concise follow-up can be appropriate after a reasonable period, particularly if the investor previously expressed interest or requested the presentation.
Make it easy to access the deck again in the follow-up message rather than forcing the investor to search through an older email.
A Simple Investor Pitch Deck Email Structure
There is no universal email formula, but a concise investor message can often follow a simple structure:
- Briefly introduce yourself and the company.
- Explain in one or two sentences what the company does.
- Mention why you believe the opportunity may be relevant to the investor.
- Provide the pitch deck attachment, link, or access instructions.
- State the next step you are requesting.
- Include clear contact information.
The objective is not to sell the entire company inside the email. The message should create enough context for the investor to understand why the pitch deck may be worth reviewing.
Sending the File Is Not the Same as Knowing It Was Viewed
One limitation of sending a traditional attachment is that sending the file does not necessarily tell you what happened afterward.
You may know that the email was delivered, but that alone does not tell you whether the investor opened the presentation or spent time reviewing it.
A hosted presentation platform may provide additional information about viewer activity, depending on the features of the service being used.
Send Investors Access to Your Pitch Deck With PitchDeckHost.com
PitchDeckHost.com provides an alternative to repeatedly attaching the original presentation file to investor emails.
You can upload a supported PDF, PowerPoint, or other supported presentation file and provide investors with online access to the hosted pitch deck.
PitchDeckHost.com can also provide information about how the presentation is viewed, giving you additional context after the pitch deck has been shared.
Learn About Pitch Deck Hosting
Related Pitch Deck Resources
You may also find these PitchDeckHost.com resources useful:
How to Share a Pitch Deck With Investors
How to Design a Pitch Deck for Investors
What Should Be Included in a Pitch Deck?
Visit the complete Pitch Deck Resources section for additional articles about creating, designing, presenting, sharing, and tracking pitch decks and business presentations.