What is the anatomy of a great analyst briefing deck?

In general, a good flow for an introductory briefing deck is:  Introductions, and why you're here: I always like to start the conversation with a little context on why you've requested a briefing with the analyst. So I'll have a slide or just a few talking points on their specific research that sparked my request for a briefing.  Company overview: Before you jump into what you do, it helps to give analysts a bit of context and be very direct. This isn't a sales pitch. Analysts want to know a few ...Read More

I think the mistake here is making it too long. I’d suggest an inverse triangle approach, and keep it short depending on the length and purpose of your briefing, probably no more than 5-10 slides. My typical lay out is: Company slide (founded in, team, key logos, etc) Market context (TAM/SAM/SOM as needed) Problem statement: Key persona & pain points Unique perspective: What’s your thesis/why you Product overview: Perhaps a traditional marchitecture slide to start and then some screenshots o ...Read More

There are three types of analyst briefing decks you need to be able to prepare. The first is a quarterly update, the second is the product update, and the third is the evaluation briefing. I outlined my approach to each of these in a previous answer so here I wanted to highlight the key ingredient in a successful analyst briefing deck. The absolute key thing to include in any analyst briefing deck is customer proof. Whether it's new competitive wins you highlight in a quarterly briefing, beta cu ...Read More

An option here also is to really start with a point of agreement around how the market is changing and as a point of discussion. If it intersects with their research then all the better. Then use that as a setup to flow into why you exist are different/better. Finish with all the customer and company metrics to end on a strong note: 1. What has changed in the market.  2. Why current-state solutions are no longer a fit given this. 3. Founding vision and why your solution is different/better than ...Read More

A great briefing deck is a mix of big-picture positioning brought to life with customer stories and value drivers demonstration. And while it’s perfectly fine to have a go-to baseline deck, you want to tailor it to your audience, meaning the specific analyst’s interest and POV. Here’s the structure that’s been working for me: Start at the 10,000ft view - what are we trying to solve - the pain and our vision; continue with high level GTM strategy (main use cases, who are our buyers, growth motion ...Read More