Most founders send pitch decks ineffectively. PDF attachments get lost. Generic emails go unread. No visibility into investor engagement.
This guide covers a systematic approach to sharing your deck. Based on patterns from successful fundraises and feedback from VCs who review hundreds of decks monthly.
We'll walk through preparation, distribution, tracking, and follow-up. With specific examples and templates.
Track every investor interaction
Before diving into the process, understand this: you need visibility into how investors engage with your deck.
Which slides do they study? When do they return for second looks? Are they sharing internally?
Ellty provides this intelligence. Upload your deck, get a trackable link, see detailed analytics. Know when to follow up and what to discuss.
Free tier includes 50 documents monthly. Professional features from $29.
Before you send anything
Verify the investor fits
Research takes minutes but saves weeks. Check their portfolio companies. Recent investments. Typical check sizes. Sector focus.
A B2B SaaS deck sent to a consumer-focused fund wastes everyone's time. Match your company to their thesis.
Get the right email
Generic addresses rarely work. Find the specific partner covering your sector. LinkedIn, portfolio company announcements, and Twitter often reveal contact information.
Still searching? Tools like Hunter.io help. No direct email? Pursue warm introductions through mutual connections.
Perfect your materials
Your deck must communicate independently. Clear narrative. Obvious value proposition. Verified metrics. Keep it under 15 slides.
Test readability: Give someone unfamiliar with your business 5 minutes to review. Can they explain what you do? If not, clarify your messaging.
How to share pitch deck
Skip the attachments
PDFs disappear in crowded inboxes. You can't update them after sending. No visibility into engagement. Zero data for follow-up timing.
Large pitch decks compound these problems. Email providers block files over 10MB. Investors won't download hefty attachments. Your detailed financial model becomes a barrier.
Set up tracking with Ellty
Upload your deck to Ellty in seconds. Generate a secure link with full analytics.
You'll see who opened it. Time spent per slide. Download attempts. Return visits. Internal forwards.
Example: A founder notices an investor spent 8 minutes on market sizing but rushed through the team slide. This insight shapes the follow-up conversation.
Control access
Avoid unnecessary barriers like passwords unless dealing with sensitive data. Set reasonable expiration dates. Maintain ability to revoke access if needed.
Ellty allows deck updates without changing links. Fixed a typo? Updated your metrics? Same URL, current content.
Writing emails
Subject line format
"[Company] - [Stage] Round - [Concise description]"
Example: "TechCo - Seed Round - Payment infrastructure for B2B marketplaces"
Clear. Searchable. Immediately informative.
Email structure
Opening: Who you are. What you're building. One meaningful metric.
"Hi Sarah, I'm John, founder of TechCo. We're building payment infrastructure for B2B marketplaces. Currently processing $2M monthly across 50 platforms."
Context: Why this investor specifically.
"Your recent investment in MarketPay aligns with our approach to embedded payments."
Ask: Clear next step.
"We're raising $2M to expand our API offerings. Deck linked below. Available for a call this week if relevant."
Close: Link and logistics.
"[Deck link] - Calendar link here if helpful."
Real examples
Example 1: Subject: "DataFlow - Series A - Supply chain analytics platform"
"Hi Mark, I'm Tom from DataFlow. We help logistics companies reduce costs through predictive analytics. Current ARR $3M, growing 20% monthly.
Your investment in LogiTech suggests alignment with supply chain efficiency themes.
Raising $8M Series A. Deck here: [link]
Open to discuss Tuesday or Thursday if this fits your thesis."
Example 2: Subject: "EduLearn - Pre-seed - Adaptive K-12 learning"
"Hi Jennifer, I'm Alex, building EduLearn. Our platform improved test scores 25% across 1,000 students in controlled pilots.
Your writing on education technology transformation mirrors our approach.
Raising $500K pre-seed. Details here: [link]
Would value your perspective on our go-to-market strategy."
How to follow-up
Use tracking data
Ellty provides behavioral insights. Use them thoughtfully.
Opened but didn't read thoroughly? Wait 3 days before following up.
Spent significant time reviewing? Reach out same day while fresh.
Shared with partners? Positive signal. Reference this in your message.
Never opened? One follow-up after a week, then focus elsewhere.
Follow-up templates
After thorough review: "Hi [Name], noticed you reviewed our deck yesterday. Happy to discuss [specific section they focused on] in more detail."
After minimal engagement: "Hi [Name], wanted to ensure our deck reached you. Link here again: [link]. We've just achieved [recent milestone]."
Final follow-up: "Hi [Name], understand if not a fit. A quick no helps us plan accordingly."
Common pitfalls
Premature outreach: Investors fund traction, not concepts. Build meaningful metrics first.
Generic messaging: Personalization requires effort but generates responses.
No tracking: Operating without data means missing optimization opportunities.
Insufficient persistence: Most founders stop after one attempt. Professional follow-up often secures meetings.
Excessive length: Decks over 15 slides typically lose reader attention. Edit rigorously.
Advanced approaches
Design for forwarding
Structure emails so investors can easily share with partners. Clear subject lines. Concise summaries. Obvious links.
Build relationships over time
Not ready to invest? Add them to monthly updates. Share progress consistently. Develop familiarity before formal raises.
Leverage momentum
Recently closed a notable angel? Perfect timing to approach others. Success attracts success.
Strategic information staging
"Complete data room available following initial discussion" creates natural next steps.
Regional considerations
Silicon Valley: Brevity valued. Lead with traction. Assume background research.
New York: More formal tone. Emphasize unit economics. Revenue focus expected.
Europe: Detailed explanations acceptable. Market education often necessary.
Asia: Relationship building crucial. Warm introductions particularly valuable.
Measure and improve
You can't optimize what you don't measure. Each deck sent provides learning opportunities.
Which slides lose attention? What messaging resonates? Which investors engage meaningfully?
Ellty reveals these patterns. Free tier covers standard fundraising needs. Understand exactly how investors interact with your materials.
Data drives better outcomes.
[Start tracking investor engagement → Try Ellty free]
Pre-send checklist
Confirm before sending:
- Investor matches your stage and sector
- Deck communicates independently (under 15 slides)
- Using trackable link instead of attachment
- Subject line clear and descriptive
- Email personalized with specific context
- Follow-up timeline planned
- Analytics enabled for learning
Start tracking your pitch deck
You've learned the process. Now you need the right tools.
Ellty makes pitch deck sharing simple and intelligent. Upload once, share unlimited times. See exactly how investors engage with your story.
What you get:
- Page-by-page analytics showing investor focus areas
- Real-time notifications when VCs view your deck
- Ability to update content without changing links
- Secure sharing with optional access controls
Free tier includes 50 documents monthly. Perfect for active fundraising. Professional features from $29/month.
Join thousands of founders who've upgraded from blind PDF attachments to intelligent distribution.
FAQs
What's the ideal pitch deck size for investors?
10-15 slides for initial outreach. Include problem, solution, market, traction, team, and ask. Save detailed financials for follow-up meetings or data rooms.
Should I password protect my pitch deck?
Generally no. It creates friction. Only use passwords if your deck contains truly sensitive competitive information. Most investors won't bother with password-protected decks.
How long should I wait before following up?
If they opened and read: 2-3 days. If they haven't opened: 1 week. After second follow-up with no response: move on. Tracking data from Ellty helps you time this perfectly.
What if an investor forwards my deck without permission?
It happens. Usually positive - means they're sharing with partners. Trackable links let you see this happening. You can revoke access if needed, but forwarding often signals interest.
Should I send different versions to different investors?
No. Consistency matters. Investors talk to each other. Use the same deck but personalize your email message for each recipient.
What time is best to send pitch decks?
Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM in the investor's timezone. Avoid Mondays (too busy) and Fridays (winding down). Never send on weekends unless specifically requested.
Can I include video in my pitch deck?
Keep the main deck static. Include a link to a short demo video (2-3 minutes max) on the product slide. Embedded videos often cause technical issues.
How do I find investor email addresses?
Start with their firm website. Check portfolio company announcements. Use LinkedIn. Tools like Hunter.io or Ellty's built-in email finder help when direct research fails.
