Module 03 · The fundraising deck~8s dwell · weight 12
Solution
Show the product, do not describe it abstractly. Completes the three-slide filter that decides whether the rest of the deck gets read.
Include
- The core insight, made obvious in one line
- A visual of the actual product (screenshot, mockup, or short GIF)
- A concrete use case that maps 1:1 to the problem slide
- One measurable outcome the user gets ('new contractor paid in 2 hours')
Cut
- Abstract descriptions with no product shown
- Feature lists longer than three items
- Technical architecture on the main slide
- Screens covered in marketing copy
Red flags a reader notices
- No screenshot, mockup, or demo
- Solution doesn't obviously match the stated problem
- The insight is 'we use AI' with no specificity
Pitfalls behind them
- The slide describes what the product 'enables' instead of what it does.
- There's no image, or the image is a logo instead of the product in use.
- Feature names appear before the outcome the user gets.
60-second self-test
- · Does the same user from the problem slide appear here, in the same units?
- · If you deleted the words and kept only the visual, would a reader still see the change?
Template
[Product] lets [user from problem slide] [do X] in [Y minutes/dollars], without [ugly workaround].
Weak
"An AI-powered platform that leverages machine learning to optimize back-office operations."
Strong
"Nimbus turns payroll into one button in Slack, a new contractor is paid in 2 hours instead of 11 days, and monthly ops time drops from 6 hours to 20 minutes."
Same user as the problem slide (Series B eng org), same units (hours, days), same workflow. Reader doesn't have to translate.
Quick quiz
1. Best way to show the solution on slide 3?
- ○ A paragraph explaining the architecture.
- ✓ A screenshot or short demo of the product in use.
- ○ A list of 8 features.
Show, don't tell. Product visuals are the fastest proof.
2. A strong solution line matches the problem slide on…
- ✓ The user, the workflow, and the units of measurement.
- ○ The tone of voice.
The reader shouldn't have to translate between slides.