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 workforce claims it raised a $3 million family and friends spherical. I haven’t been capable of independently confirm that; many 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 obtained syndicated throughout the online. Nonetheless, the deck was attention-grabbing sufficient that I needed to take a better look.
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Slides on this deck
Pitch decks are loads like courting: You’ve obtained to strut your stuff to persuade traders that you just’re the proper match, worthy of hundreds of thousands to develop and flourish. They should know that regardless of any bumps within the highway, you’re the dream workforce with whom they’ll navigate by something.
The pitch deck ought to promote your workforce and your answer, not simply the product. That is the place RAW’s pitch deck swipes left fairly onerous. As a substitute of showcasing the sensible workforce poised to dominate a booming market and create a great deal of comfortable matches, the pitch deck looks as if it’s making an attempt to get traders 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
- Function
- Function 2
- Function 3
- Goal market
- Worth proposition 2
- Worth proposition 3
- Resolution
- Downside
- Downside 2
- Downside 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 concerning the deck’s weird order: The issue and answer slides ought to be main the cost, not trailing close to the tip. However, hey, credit score the place it’s due: If you lastly do come upon them, there are some shiny spots.
A transparent answer slide
RAW’s answer slide is refreshingly clear, providing a concise assertion that hints on the modern options that set the app aside. The teasers embedded throughout 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 aid to see a targeted answer assertion. The relentless product pitch is paused right here, permitting the answer to shine by itself deserves.
Nevertheless, I received’t get too carried away with the reward right here. Whereas the answer is well-articulated, it falls brief. Claiming to unravel “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 traders that your answer is complete and unbeatable. Promote them the dream, not only a Band-Help.
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 drawback slide. Positive, there’s all the time room to enhance, however I’ll take hard-hitting numbers over wishy-washy “we are making the world a better place” junk any day of the week. The statistics do an honest job of highlighting a evident situation within the courting app world, I’ll give RAW that. Nevertheless, a sprinkle of credibility wouldn’t damage. Citing sources for these stats might have reworked skepticism into belief.
Concentrating on the goal
A target market is meant to be an important a part of the pitch deck, and though this reads a bit awkwardly, it does present that the workforce behind RAW has an honest grasp of their goal demographics. Nevertheless, “Women age 21-27” appears a bit arbitrary and needlessly slim — why not simply “people in their 20s”? However it’s refreshing to have this stage of readability.
We get a way of who RAW is aiming for and a imprecise thought of their socioeconomic standing. Nevertheless, saying “large U.S. cities” is like throwing a dart at a map. It’s higher to be particular. Identify the cities. Present you’ve completed your homework and know precisely the place your prime customers stay.
And people cutesy advertising phrases like “rawmantics”? They could fly in a user-facing marketing campaign, however right here you’ll want to persuade hardened traders. Ditch the fluff and reveal you recognize who you’re focusing on with concrete, data-backed personas. Buyers wish to see you’ve gotten a transparent, strategic method, not only a intelligent play on phrases.
Three issues that RAW might have improved
I’ll be sincere, there’s loads lacking from this deck that actually shouldn’t have been missed. From the figures I can see on the included slides, there’s no approach I could make an affordable judgment as as to if RAW is venture-scale, other than a intestine intuition that courting apps are sizzling property. RAW hasn’t offered any market measurement knowledge, there’s no go-to-market technique, and there’s a evident gap across the enterprise mannequin and pricing. How precisely does this founding workforce envision earning profits?
- Market measurement knowledge is essential. Buyers have to know the potential for development and the way huge the chance actually is. With out this, it’s unimaginable 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 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 practical and efficient plan to scale.
- There’s no enterprise mannequin or pricing. How do you earn money? Subscription charges? In-app purchases? Advertisements? This can be 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 traders to grasp 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 might have turned this deck into one thing that actually dazzles.
That’s not competitors …
All proper, founders, let’s speak about your aggressive slide, or slightly, this unhealthy excuse for one. It’s so unhealthy, in actual fact, that if I have been contemplating to speculate 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 obtained 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 completed your homework and might outmaneuver them. Who’s the competitors? Coloured packing containers numbered 1 to three don’t reduce it. Anybody who has a pulse and has been single up to now decade can title wherever between one and 15 rivals off the highest of their heads.
That you must reveal rock-solid information of the sphere the place you use. Present traders 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 won’t provide what RAW does, do they supply any options RAW doesn’t? What’s the value comparability? Who do these completely different courting apps attraction to? And let’s not neglect: Courting apps depend on folks. It’s a numbers sport. For those who 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 matches on this crowded market.
Hey, 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 or not it’s a mixture of each, forming a now-and-next slide? Is it exhibiting traction from the previous or projections into the longer term? It’s all potential, 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 a substitute, we get a thriller field of knowledge with no context. It’s like making an attempt to learn a map with no legend. Assist me out right here.
There are not any labels on the graph’s axes apart from months. Which years are these months from? Is it exhibiting July 2023 to Could 2024? Or possibly even July 2024 to Could 2025? The corporate launched in 2023 (it says so on slide 2), so I’m guessing the previous, however I can’t make sure. Are these month-to-month energetic consumer numbers exhibiting precise development? Wherein 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 affect, not simply ambiguous traces on a graph. Truthfully, 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 obtained 99 issues, and the pitch is one
Three drawback slides on this deck is totally overkill — particularly as a result of the workforce is utilizing three slides to hammer dwelling the identical level in barely alternative ways. Only one concise slide will do: “Dating apps make it harder, not easier, to find true love.” Then run down the statistics that RAW has placed on the primary drawback slide (and double-check that $638.8 million determine — it appears like somebody obtained a bit too artistic with their decimal factors). And the second drawback slide is simply litter.
Are these statements on the second drawback slide actual findings from RAW’s analysis? Or are they made up? In the event that they’re fabricated, why trouble together with them? The primary slide’s chilly, onerous statistics cowl the identical floor. Buyers love statistics, particularly in the event that they’re primarily based on stable analysis. There’s no have to go over previous floor. Preserve it recent; maintain it energetic. Don’t waste precious deck actual property.
Now, about these issues. Sure, ghosting is an issue, however you’ll be able to’t make folks cease ghosting. Human conduct isn’t one thing you’ll be able to management with an app characteristic. And sure, scamming is an issue, however scams prey on weak folks on the lookout for 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 situation with maybe a barely obscure a part of the deck: The workforce says “real photos” and “no Photoshop,” however the majority of the photographs on this deck appear to be they’ve been plucked from a high-end studio, with a little bit of Photoshop magic. Actually, lots of them are inventory photographs. After you’ve clicked by the deck, you’ll acknowledge Man with Pink Tank Prime, Considerate Man with Guitar, Selfie of Couple in New York Park, and doubtless a couple of others, too.
I’m not saying you’ll be able to’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 a bit off-putting.
Total, I’m caught: I can’t get to the idea that this product is an actual answer 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, goals and good intentions — ideally with a stable enterprise mannequin beneath all of that.
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