The RAW Courting App goals to shake up the courting scheme by shedding the faux, TikTok-ified, closely filtered photographs and changing them with a extra real, unvarnished expertise. The app targets younger professionals and college students, significantly girls aged 21 to 27, who search real interactions.
The corporate’s group claims it raised a $3 million family and friends spherical. I haven’t been in a position to independently confirm that; a lot of the firm’s media protection seems to be written by the founder herself, in shops like Forbes and Entrepreneur or as press releases that bought syndicated throughout the net. Nonetheless, the deck was attention-grabbing sufficient that I needed to take a more in-depth look.
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Slides on this deck
Pitch decks are loads like courting: You’ve bought to strut your stuff to persuade buyers that you just’re the right match, worthy of tens of millions to develop and flourish. They should know that regardless of any bumps within the street, you’re the dream group with whom they will navigate by something.
The pitch deck ought to promote your group and your resolution, not simply the product. That is the place RAW’s pitch deck swipes left fairly laborious. As an alternative of showcasing the good group poised to dominate a booming market and create a great deal of glad matches, the pitch deck looks like it’s attempting to get buyers to obtain the app, not make investments cash within the firm.
Due to this misguided focus, the deck is a sizzling mess. The answer reveals up earlier than the issue, and the issue isn’t even clearly acknowledged till slide 11 (there are solely 18 slides complete). The corporate tells me it submitted the deck precisely as pitched. Right here’s what is roofed:
- Cowl slide
- Product
- Worth proposition
- Characteristic
- Characteristic 2
- Characteristic 3
- Goal market
- Worth proposition 2
- Worth proposition 3
- Answer
- Drawback
- Drawback 2
- Drawback 3
- Competitors
- Ask and use of funds
- Slide 16
- Crew
- Closing slide
Three issues to like about RAW’s pitch deck
I’ve already griped in regards to the deck’s weird order: The issue and resolution slides ought to be main the cost, not trailing close to the tip. However, hey, credit score the place it’s due: Whenever you lastly do bump into them, there are some brilliant spots.
A transparent resolution slide
RAW’s resolution slide is refreshingly clear, providing a concise assertion that hints on the progressive options that set the app aside. The teasers embedded inside the slide successfully outline the answer, giving a snapshot of how RAW addresses the important thing ache factors of on-line courting. It’s a pleasant change of tempo, offering simply sufficient info to pique curiosity with out being too overwhelming.
It’s good that this slide doesn’t overlap with the product particulars. After wading by numerous slides that learn like a consumer handbook, it’s a reduction to see a centered resolution assertion. The relentless product pitch is paused right here, permitting the answer to shine by itself deserves.
Nonetheless, I gained’t get too carried away with the reward right here. Whereas the answer is well-articulated, it falls quick. Claiming to resolve “most” courting app issues seems like a cop-out. Buyers wish to see confidence and ambition; inform them RAW solves all courting app issues. This isn’t the place to hedge your bets or fear about overselling; it’s about convincing buyers that your resolution is complete and unbeatable. Promote them the dream, not only a Band-Support.
Yep, that’s an issue all proper
Whereas it’s completely ludicrous that we needed to wade by 10 slides to lastly hit an issue assertion, I’ll begrudgingly admit it’s not a horrible downside slide. Positive, there’s all the time room to enhance, however I’ll take hard-hitting numbers over wishy-washy “we’re making the world a greater place” junk any day of the week. The statistics do a good job of highlighting a obtrusive problem within the courting app world, I’ll give RAW that. Nonetheless, a sprinkle of credibility wouldn’t damage. Citing sources for these stats may have remodeled skepticism into belief.
Focusing on the goal
A audience is meant to be an important a part of the pitch deck, and though this reads somewhat awkwardly, it does present that the group behind RAW has a good grasp of their goal demographics. Nonetheless, “Girls age 21-27” appears somewhat arbitrary and needlessly slim — why not simply “folks of their 20s”? Nevertheless it’s refreshing to have this stage of readability.
We get a way of who RAW is aiming for and a imprecise concept of their socioeconomic standing. Nonetheless, saying “giant U.S. cities” is like throwing a dart at a map. It’s higher to be particular. Identify the cities. Present you’ve carried out your homework and know precisely the place your prime customers dwell.
And people cutesy advertising and marketing phrases like “rawmantics”? They could fly in a user-facing marketing campaign, however right here it is advisable to persuade hardened buyers. Ditch the fluff and show you understand who you’re concentrating on with concrete, data-backed personas. Buyers wish to see you’ve a transparent, strategic method, not only a intelligent play on phrases.
Three issues that RAW may have improved
I’ll be trustworthy, there’s loads lacking from this deck that basically shouldn’t have been ignored. From the figures I can see on the included slides, there’s no manner I could make an inexpensive judgment as as to whether RAW is venture-scale, other than a intestine intuition that courting apps are sizzling property. RAW hasn’t introduced any market measurement knowledge, there’s no go-to-market technique, and there’s a obtrusive gap across the enterprise mannequin and pricing. How precisely does this founding group envision making a living?
- Market measurement knowledge is essential. Buyers have to know the potential for development and the way large the chance actually is. With out this, it’s unattainable to gauge whether or not RAW can seize a good portion of the market. Present detailed analysis, statistics and projections to again up your claims to point out that there’s a considerable market ripe for disruption.
- The go-to-market technique is lacking. How do you propose to draw customers? What’s your advertising and marketing plan? Are there partnerships within the pipeline? Buyers have to see a transparent path to consumer acquisition and development. Lay out your methods, goal channels, and anticipated milestones. That is important for demonstrating that you’ve a sensible and efficient plan to scale.
- There’s no enterprise mannequin or pricing. How do you generate income? Subscription charges? In-app purchases? Adverts? It is a basic query that wants a transparent reply. Define your income streams, pricing technique, and the way you propose to transform customers into paying clients. This readability is significant for buyers to know the monetary viability and long-term potential of RAW.
All that apart, there are some particular slides within the deck that might profit from revision and enchancment. Let’s give them a mild ribbing and see how we may have turned this deck into one thing that really dazzles.
That’s not competitors …
All proper, founders, let’s speak about your aggressive slide, or somewhat, this unhealthy excuse for one. It’s so unhealthy, the truth is, that if I have been contemplating to take a position on this startup, I’d ship them away and ask them to make an actual competitors slide.
In a hotly contested market like on-line courting, you want a stable aggressive slide to point out you’ve bought a deal with on who you’re up towards, and what your aggressive benefit and differentiation is. Right here’s why a aggressive slide is essential: Buyers wish to see that you just perceive the battlefield. They should know you’re not simply conscious of the competitors however that you just’ve carried out your homework and may outmaneuver them. Who’s the competitors? Coloured bins numbered 1 to three don’t reduce it. Anybody who has a pulse and has been single previously decade can identify wherever between one and 15 rivals off the highest of their heads.
You have to show rock-solid information of the sphere the place you use. Present buyers you grasp the panorama inside out and again to entrance and that nothing occurring on this area escapes your discover. This slide, sadly, doesn’t give me that confidence.
What number of rivals does RAW have? You want specifics. Whereas your rivals may not provide what RAW does, do they supply any options RAW doesn’t? What’s the worth comparability? Who do these completely different courting apps enchantment to? And let’s not neglect: Courting apps depend on folks. It’s a numbers recreation. In the event you solely have a handful of customers, making significant matches goes to be powerful. Buyers have to see you’re not simply one other face within the crowd; you’re the one who stands out and is aware of precisely why you’re higher. So, let’s see that aggressive evaluation beefed up with actual knowledge, insights, and a transparent image of the place RAW suits on this crowded market.
Hiya, thriller slide!
OK, let’s dive into the enigma that’s slide 16. You’ll discover I’ve simply referred to this one as “slide 16.” Is it a traction slide? Perhaps. Maybe it’s a projected development slide? I don’t know. Might it’s a mix of each, forming a now-and-next slide? Is it exhibiting traction from the previous or projections into the long run? It’s all attainable, however I simply don’t know.
First off, the slide itself doesn’t have a title. Whereas not all decks title their slides, they’re helpful. A title would give a touch about what we’re taking a look at right here. As an alternative, we get a thriller field of knowledge with no context. It’s like attempting to learn a map with no legend. Assist me out right here.
There are not any labels on the graph’s axes aside from months. Which years are these months from? Is it exhibiting July 2023 to Might 2024? Or possibly even July 2024 to Might 2025? The corporate launched in 2023 (it says so on slide 2), so I’m guessing the previous, however I can’t make certain. Are these month-to-month lively consumer numbers exhibiting precise development? During which case, they need to be charted correctly on the graph. Or are they development projections? And even when they’re projections, they need to be laid out with conviction. Give me clear, labeled axes and a timeline that is sensible.
If these are precise consumer numbers, they’re presumably bringing some income with them. And seeing as income is the very best type of traction, present me the cash! How a lot income are we speaking about right here? Buyers have to see the monetary impression, not simply ambiguous traces on a graph. Actually, so far as graphs go, this one is verging on ineffective. Make clear your knowledge, label your axes, and ensure this slide conveys a transparent, impactful message.
We bought 99 issues, and the pitch is one
Three downside slides on this deck is totally overkill — particularly as a result of the group is utilizing three slides to hammer residence the identical level in barely other ways. Only one concise slide will do: “Courting apps make it more durable, not simpler, to seek out real love.” Then run down the statistics that RAW has placed on the primary downside slide (and double-check that $638.8 million determine — it seems like somebody bought a bit too inventive with their decimal factors). And the second downside slide is simply muddle.
Are these statements on the second downside slide actual findings from RAW’s analysis? Or are they made up? In the event that they’re fabricated, why hassle together with them? The primary slide’s chilly, laborious statistics cowl the identical floor. Buyers love statistics, particularly in the event that they’re based mostly on stable analysis. There’s no have to go over previous floor. Preserve it contemporary; maintain it full of life. Don’t waste priceless deck actual property.
Now, about these issues. Sure, ghosting is an issue, however you may’t make folks cease ghosting. Human conduct isn’t one thing you may management with an app characteristic. And sure, scamming is an issue, however scams prey on weak folks in search of love. Actual photographs are simply a part of the answer. Have you ever seen the “Tinder Swindler”? It’s a jungle on the market.
Lastly, I’m taking problem with maybe a barely obscure a part of the deck: The group says “actual photographs” and “no Photoshop,” however the majority of the photographs on this deck seem like they’ve been plucked from a high-end studio, with a little bit of Photoshop magic. The truth is, lots of them are inventory photographs. After you’ve clicked by the deck, you’ll acknowledge Man with Pink Tank High, Considerate Man with Guitar, Selfie of Couple in New York Park, and possibly a number of others, too.
I’m not saying you may’t use inventory photographs in pitch decks, however on this case, the place the corporate is touting real interactions that begin with real photographs, it’s somewhat off-putting.
Total, I’m caught: I can’t get to the assumption that this product is an actual resolution to the issues the corporate outlines, and I discover myself with a want: Present me how RAW tangibly addresses these points with extra than simply hopes, desires and good intentions — ideally with a stable enterprise mannequin beneath all of that.
The total pitch deck
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