If you’re a founder, you already know the drill: investors want updates, and you want them to actually read them. But making a slide deck every month? It’s a pain—unless you’re smart about it. This guide is for founders, operators, or anyone on update duty who wants to build investor update slides in Slidebeam that do the job without wasting everyone’s time.
No fluff, no templates that look like “Dear Diary.” Just a step-by-step process for building updates that get replies, help when you need it, and keep you top of mind (for the right reasons).
Step 1: Know Your Audience (And What They Care About)
Before you even open Slidebeam, get clear on what investors actually want from your updates:
- Are you on track? Are you growing? Hitting milestones?
- Are you honest? Are you sharing the bad news, not just the good?
- Do you need something? Warm intros, hiring help, feedback, etc.
Most investors skim, not study. If you bury the signal, you’ll get ignored—or worse, annoy them. Keep it focused.
What to skip: Don’t write a company novel. Nobody cares about your team offsite or what you had for lunch. Stick to the essentials.
Step 2: Decide What to Include (The Core Sections)
Skip the “pretty” stuff for now. Here’s what most good investor updates include, in this order:
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Headline & Date
Literally, “June 2024 Investor Update.” No need for clever titles. -
Quick Metrics (The Dashboard Slide)
- Revenue (MRR/ARR)
- User or customer growth
- Runway/cash balance
- Churn or retention rates
Use a simple table or big numbers, not a chart salad.
- What’s New (Highlights & Lowlights)
- 2–3 big wins (“Shipped v2, landed Acme Corp”)
- 1–2 honest misses or challenges (“Churn spiked, lost key engineer”)
Pro tip: If it all sounds rosy, you’re probably not being honest enough.
- Goals & Progress
- Last month’s goals: Did you hit them?
- This month’s goals: What’s next?
Bullet points, not essays.
- Asks (How They Can Help)
-
Specific, actionable requests: “Intro to B2B SaaS VPs,” “Looking for a contract CFO,” etc.
-
Appendix (Optional)
If you want to share a new pitch deck, demo video, or other docs, drop a link here. Don’t cram it into the main deck.
What to ignore: Vanity slides (customer quote walls, “Our Culture,” etc.) unless you know it’s relevant.
Step 3: Set Up Your Slidebeam Project
Now, open Slidebeam and start a new project. Don’t overthink the template—choose something clean and simple. Investors care about the info, not the slide transitions.
Tips: - Use a single brand color and your logo. That’s enough polish. - Stick to one font. You’re not designing a billboard. - Make slides easy to skim—big text, clear headers, no wall-of-texts.
What works:
Slidebeam’s drag-and-drop is decent for simple decks. You can update numbers fast, and the export links are handy.
What doesn’t:
Don’t spend an hour fiddling with layouts. If you catch yourself moving boxes around for “balance,” stop. No investor cares.
Step 4: Build the Deck (Slide by Slide)
Here’s the most no-nonsense way to lay it out:
Slide 1: Title & Date
Keep it boring: “Acme.io — June 2024 Investor Update”
Slide 2: Metrics Dashboard
- Use a simple grid or table.
- Show only 3–5 key numbers.
- If something’s way up or down, flag it in red or green.
Slide 3: Highlights & Lowlights
- Use two columns or a split slide.
- Bullets only. No paragraphs.
Slide 4: Goals & Progress
- List last month’s goals with a check or X.
- Underneath, list this month’s goals.
Slide 5: Asks
- Make each ask a bold bullet.
- If there’s nothing you need, say so. (But there usually is.)
Slide 6+: Appendix (Optional)
- Links to a deck, demo, or press you want to share.
- Keep it short. Don’t hide important stuff here.
Pro tip:
Export as a PDF or use Slidebeam’s share link. Don’t send a PowerPoint unless someone asks.
Step 5: Write Like a Human, Not a Robot
Investors are busy, but they’re still people. Skip jargon and don’t try to spin everything as “exciting.” If you missed a target, say so. If you need help, ask directly.
A few do’s and don’ts:
- Do: Use plain English. “Revenue dropped 5% after a big customer churned.”
- Don’t: Write like a press release: “We continue to see dynamic market headwinds impacting short-term revenue trajectories.”
- Do: Add a quick personal note if you want—“We’re tired but fired up for launch.”
- Don’t: Apologize for things you can’t control, or overshare.
What works:
Honesty and clarity. Investors see hundreds of decks. The ones that stand out are real.
Step 6: Send It Out (And Track Engagement)
Once your deck’s ready:
- Export as a PDF or use the Slidebeam share link.
- Email it directly to investors. Don’t just drop it in a Slack channel or a Notion board (unless that’s the norm for your group).
- Include a short note in your email:
“Hi all—here’s our June update. Highlights, challenges, and ways you can help are inside. Let me know if you have questions.”
Slidebeam bonus:
If you use the share link, you can sometimes see who’s viewed the deck. Don’t obsess over it, but it’s nice to know if anyone’s actually looking.
Step 7: Respond to Feedback (Yes, Even the Dumb Questions)
If investors reply, answer honestly—even if it’s a “thanks” or a nitpicky question. The goal is to keep the relationship warm, not to run a PR campaign.
- If someone offers help, follow up fast.
- If you get crickets for months, don’t take it personally. Most investors are just busy.
What to ignore:
Don’t waste time tracking who opened your deck 17 times. Focus on building, not playing email detective.
Step 8: Rinse and Repeat (But Keep It Simple)
Don’t reinvent your deck every time. Save your Slidebeam project and update the same slides each month. Consistency > creativity here.
- Reuse the same sections and structure.
- Archive old decks in a folder for reference.
- Don’t be afraid to trim sections if nobody cares—or add a new one if everyone keeps asking the same question.
Pro tip:
If you consistently get the same question (“How’s hiring going?”), add a slide for it next time.
Real Talk: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Works: - Short, honest updates with clear numbers. - Specific asks (“Need intro to biotech CFOs” is better than “Let us know if you can help”). - Consistency—monthly is great, quarterly if you have to.
Doesn’t: - Fancy design tricks. - Overly positive (or negative) tone. - Sharing everything (“We’re thinking about a podcast!”).
Ignore: - Hype metrics (pageviews, likes) unless they matter to your growth. - Vanity slides (“Top 5 in App Store!”) unless it’s a real milestone.
Wrap Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink
Investor updates aren’t about perfection—they’re about trust, clarity, and staying on the radar. The best decks are clear, honest, and repeatable. Use Slidebeam to keep it tidy, but don’t let the tool distract from what matters: sharing the real story, asking for help, and moving forward.
You’ll get better every time you do it. Stick to the basics, iterate as you go, and remember—nobody ever complained about an update that was too clear or too short.