How To Embed A Video In A Pitch Deck

A pitch deck is one of the most important presentations that a new startup will make to investors. It is your time to present your business plan in hopes that you land that big investment. Preparing an excellent deck ahead of time is the key to success in a pitch presentation. 

If you decide to use a slideshow, there are many things you can do with it to make it a winning presentation. You can use tools to add audio, video, and animations to elevate your pitch. These opportunities will grab the audience’s attention and keep them focused on every word you say. Ultimately, your goal is to improve retention, state the facts, and ensure they remember you and your company.

Your video pitch must showcase the company’s talent, exceptional product or service, and financial projections showing how you intend on making the investors’ money. 

What is a Pitch Deck?

A pitch deck is a presentation that a startup and entrepreneurs will show investors for a round of financing. It should be roughly 10 slides and a complete presentation of your company’s product or service, competition information, marketing strategies, finances, and projections. Usually, a pitch deck will be accompanied by additional supporting materials that gets emailed to the audience, but the presentation itself should be short and to the point.

The presentation consists of visuals showing the data and how your product works. The aim of the presentation is not only to sell the product but to sell yourself. Why are you the best? Why should they give you their money? 

Pitch decks that get funding have the following:

• Simplicity and clarity
• Engaging 
• Easy to act on

In the video below I cover in detail how to create a pitch deck which you may find interesting.

Why Embed a Video in a Pitch Deck?

When presenting a live demo, adding videos is the best way to capture interest in your ideas. Videos also allow for sharing via email, so the potential investors get a glimpse of the product and get excited about the main pitch presentation. This is not only good for showing off your billion-dollar idea, but it shows the investors that you have been thorough and have put a lot of effort into making the presentation.

When making your video, ensure that it is short enough to maintain interest the whole way through, but long enough to display what you need it to thoroughly. Use this video to communicate processes and any end results. These are a great way to show any computer processes or production processes that you have. Or make your prototype product come to life, or demonstrate its benefits and uses. 

Some topics don’t get easily covered by photos or , and adding a video displays these well. It adds a different aspect to the presentation and helps to differentiate it from other presentations.

First, record the video you want to use and store it on a computer, in the cloud, to a flash drive, or all of these.

When you edit your video, ensure the following:

• Use colors that show well
• The audio is clear and easy to understand
• Add print wording where you feel it is necessary
• Label things to make it easier to follow
• Add graphics to increase interest
• Cut out all unnecessary sections
• Keep it easy to understand

Keep in mind that in fundraising storytelling is everything. In this regard for a winning pitch deck to help you here, take a look at the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel (see it here) that I recently covered. Thiel was the first angel investor in Facebook with a $500K check that turned into more than $1 billion in cash.

Remember to unlock the pitch deck template that is being used by founders around the world to raise millions below.

Keeping it Simple

Your pitch deck should have the following slides:

• Introduction: Who are you, what is your product, and why are you here?
• Team: Who are the professionals behind the company, and describe their role?
• Problem: What problem (market need) are you trying to solve?
• Advantages: What sets you apart from the competition?
• Solution: How will you solve the problem?
• Product: How does your product work?
• Market: What is the size of the market?
• Competition: Who are the competitors, and what sets you apart?
• Business model: How will you make money? What is the expected ROI?
• Investing: How much money do you seek?
• Contact: How can the audience contact you?

You can create a video that showcases these points in your presentation. Perhaps a video showing how your product or service works. Engage the audience emotionally and make a lasting impression on the investors.  

When using special effects in a video, keep them relevant and professional in appearance. There is no need for hearts or stars – simple graphics with smooth transitions are essential. Effects that cause blurring of the information or hide important details that the audience needs to see must be removed. 

If you are zooming in and wish to blur the background to increase the focus on one place, it can be an effective way to keep the attention where you need it to be. Check your video thoroughly before loading it into your presentation.

How to Add Video to Your Presentation

Videos can often be added directly on your computer through the slideshow software you are using. As technology is constantly evolving, adding a video to your presentation is getting easier and easier.

Each program has a different process of adding a video to your slideshow.

Slidebean

Slidebean is designed with startups in mind and offers a wide range of templates and font designs to assist in your pitch deck presentation. Steps for adding a video on Slidebean are simple if you follow them one step at a time. It’s a fast and simple process. 

• Click “add a content block” 
• Select “video,” 
• Paste the address
• Once the video gets added, the program will size it appropriately.

Powerpoint

PowerPoint is an easy-to-use tool that anyone with basic knowledge can use to design professional pitch decks and add videos. 

• Select “Insert” 
• Choose “Video.” 
• Add the embed code from a YouTube video
• Retrieve this code by choosing to “share” the video
• Copy the embed code, and paste it into the Powerpoint option 

If you are adding a video from your computer, select “video on my PC” and open the file folder for you to choose the video you wish to add. When using your video, you can add captions by selecting “video tools” then “playback,” followed by “insert caption.” Then choose the file that has the captions and select “insert.” 

It is also possible to record a process on your screen and add that into the video by selecting “insert” then “screen recording’. Choose the area of the screen that you want to record and select “record.”

Google Slides 

Embed videos, animation, and choose from hundreds of fonts with Google Slides.

• Select “insert” from the toolbar 
• Choose “video” from the menu 
• Locate the video and choose “select”

To add a video from your Google Drive, select “insert” then “video.” When the menu opens, choose the “Google Drive” tab and select the video from there.

Slideshow Maker

Launch the program and select “add files” to drag and drop the video into place. This method also works for other files you wish to add, including audio.

RenderForest

As an online video production platform, you can create music visualizations, logo reveals, and perfect pitch decks with Renderforest.

• Choose “upload” 
• select the video you want to add

If using a web video, select “video URL” and paste the link. For a video that you have uploaded before, select “media library” and choose the one you wish to add.

All the above software programs will allow you to embed videos into your pitch deck presentation effectively. 

What You Need to Know

While there are different methods to adding videos based upon the software getting used, there are many similarities. Each has an option to insert media, then selecting the video option will take you to choose your video – either online or from your computer. 

When selecting software or program to create your slide show, choose what is simple to use and intuitive. Choose the program partnered with your other programs, such as using Powerpoint when you are familiar with Microsoft Office or use Google Slides for Google Docs. You will find it easier to navigate, and it will feel natural to you when you are using it.

Practice Your Pitch

Practicing your pitch for investors is essential for success. You don’t want it to sound rehearsed or forget important information that could make or break your chances of getting funding.

• Rehearse: Find an empty conference room and practice in a similar setting to what you are doing your pitch in. Ask coworkers and loved ones to watch you perform and ask for constructive criticism. They want to see you succeed and will help you achieve your dreams.
• Use a mirror: Practicing in front of a mirror is an old technique but highly effective. You will notice your body language and help you maintain eye contact when performing the presentation.
• Record the speech: Record yourself giving the speech, and if you feel bored watching it, you most likely need to change things up. It’ll help you hear mistakes and any gaps in your content.
• Practice the speech with the video: Practice the speech from beginning to end and ensure the software and hardware is running perfectly. If there is even one glitch, fix it beforehand and have a backup plan if things do go wrong. Over-prepare!

The videos must get edited before adding to the presentation, except in Slideshow Maker, where the editing tools are included. By adding your completed video with the finished product, the process is simpler and faster. Always play the video before adding it to the presentation and add the correct copy of the video. Once it has been added, run the slideshow in its entirety and check for easy transitions between slides.

Don’t Come Unprepared

It is essential to anticipate all kinds of questions during or after a presentation. When practicing in front of loved ones and coworkers, have them come up with every question you can think of and determine if some additional answers need to be implemented in the presentation to limit the number of questions they ask.

Here are some common questions investors ask entrepreneurs:

• How fast can your business grow?
• How will you make money for the investors?
• How will you close sales?
• How will you spend the investor’s money?
• What milestones have you met to date?
• What traction have you already made?
• What makes your team suited to achieve company goals?
• Why are you different from similar products?
• What is your marketing strategy?
• How will you get the word out?

Your video presentation is limited in time and content. Ensure that all major questions get answered, so the investors have fewer questions to ask during your FAQ. Pair your video with well-constructed comments and tell a story of your company. You have the villain (the problem) and a hero (your product) that will save the day and meet the consumer’s needs.  

Conclusion

The world has moved its businesses online and even more so in terms of presenting pitches to investors. Visual media gets played on the screen and allows all the viewers to see the message you wish to convey. Developing the perfect pitch takes time and attention to detail. You will only have a couple of minutes to make an impression, and embedding a video in your pitch is a great way to do so. 

It is acceptable to record the entire presentation and play it all at once, complete with any videos you want to include in some areas, without interruptions. These can also get sent to other people who are unable to attend the meeting simultaneously. In an era of worldwide business, there will be an increase in online meetings, including people in several different time zones.

Make sure you practice your presentation in front of others in advance. Your video presentation must run seamlessly. Still, never enter a board room without a backup plan should there be a problem with the software.

You may find interesting as well our free library of business templates. There you will find every single template you will need when building and scaling your business completely for free. See it here.