The 3 seconds rule

How investors actually view your pitch deck

I know in the first 30 seconds if I'm interested. Your investor pitch deck just got opened. The next 3 seconds will determine everything.

Here's the truth: You don't have 10 minutes.

You have: 1 seconds for the cover 3 seconds for first 3 slides 30 seconds if you're lucky 3 minutes if you're exceptional

It's your pitch before the pitch.

The 3-Second Reality Check:

1. Cover slide
2. Problem
3. Solution That's it. Make it count.

Here's what makes investors instantly close your deck: ❌ Unclear problem statement ❌ Paragraphs of text ❌ Too many bullet points ❌ Marketing language to investors ❌ Hyperbolic statements ("We're disrupting everything!")

1. What actually works:

• Cover Slide Magic
• Clear one-line pitch
• No fluff or buzz words
• Professional layout
• Sets the tone for everything

2. Problem Slide Power

• Be concise but compelling
• Show size (e.g., "40M teenagers face this")
• Make it impossible to ignore
• No generic statements ("Banking is broken")

3. Solution Slide Success

• Match exactly to the problem
• Show why you're different
• Be specific, not fluffy
• Demonstrate deep understanding

The Hidden Truth: You're not pitching for investment in the first deck. You're pitching for the "maybe pile."

That's it. There is no "yes pile" at this stage.

Remember:

• Simple > complex
• Clarity > creativity
• Evidence > promises
• Numbers > adjectives

Want to know if your deck works? Show it to someone for 30 seconds. If they can't repeat your pitch back to you... Start over.

Author

AiUTOMATING PEOPLE, ABN ASIA was founded by people with deep roots in academia, with work experience in the US, Holland, Hungary, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam. ABN Asia is where academia and technology meet opportunity. With our cutting-edge solutions and competent software development services, we're helping businesses level up and take on the global scene. Our commitment: Faster. Better. More reliable. In most cases: Cheaper as well.

Feel free to reach out to us whenever you require IT services, digital consulting, off-the-shelf software solutions, or if you'd like to send us requests for proposals (RFPs). You can contact us at [email protected]. We're ready to assist you with all your technology needs.

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