Founder

How to Write a Cue Card That Investors Will Read

Crafting the Perfect Cue Card for Investor Engagement
Published by
Nadeem Ahmed Najeeb
on
July 10, 2024

Creating an effective cue card for Done Deal is crucial to attracting potential investors and piquing their interest. At Done Deal, we’ve analyzed over 1100 companies to pinpoint the key elements that make them stand out. This definitive guide highlights the strategies successful companies use to attract investors, including focusing on key metrics, maintaining confidentiality, and presenting compelling financial and customer data. Here’s how to craft a cue card that captures attention and drives investment interest:

Start with a Strong Company Overview

Description

Provide a brief but powerful snapshot of your company’s core activities and business model. Highlight key aspects such as industry focus, unique selling propositions (USPs), and market positioning. Ensure this section is concise and engaging, giving investors a clear understanding of what your company does.

Good Example: “We are a Mumbai-based fintech startup revolutionizing digital payments with our secure and user-friendly platform, targeting underserved markets.”
Bad Example: “We do financial stuff.”

Why Invest in Us?

Articulate your main selling points here. Emphasize competitive advantages, market opportunities, and strategic initiatives that set your company apart from the competition. This section should convince investors of your company’s potential and why it is a worthwhile investment.

Good Example: “Our patented technology reduces transaction costs by 30%, and our customer base has grown by 200% in the last year, positioning us as a market leader.”
Bad Example: “We think we are a good investment.”

Reason for Acquisition/Raise Capital

Clearly state the purpose behind the capital raise or acquisition. Whether it’s for scaling operations, entering new markets, developing new products, or improving infrastructure, make sure your reasons align with current market trends and growth potential.

Good Example: “Seeking ₹100 crore to expand into Southeast Asian markets and enhance our AI capabilities.”
Bad Example: “We need money to grow.”

Provide Detailed Financial Data

Financial data is crucial for investors to assess the health and viability of your business. Depending on the sector you operate in, we ask you for specific data that investors in your segment are looking for.  In our opinion, these are metrics that every founder needs to internalise, track and grow.

Be accurate. Accurate financial data allows investors to evaluate growth potential and financial stability.

Include Relevant Customer Data

Customer data provides insights into market penetration and customer satisfaction. Metrics like total paying customers and repeat customer rates help investors understand your customer base's loyalty and growth potential. This information is vital for assessing the market demand and future scalability of your business.

Connect your Done Deal account to Google Analytics

Google Analytics data offers investors a real-time view of your website's performance. Metrics such as users, bounce rate, and session duration demonstrate genuine interest in your product or service. Providing this immutable data helps investors gauge online engagement and demand.

Showcase Team Data

Team Size

Include the size of your team to indicate the scale of operations and available resources.

Founder Pedigree

Highlight the qualifications and experience of your founding team to enhance investor confidence in your leadership.

Good Example: “Our founders have extensive experience in fintech and have led previous successful startups.”
Bad Example: “Our founders are smart.”

Review and Optimize

Regularly review your public profile, which is the cue card shown to buyers. Ensure all information is up-to-date and accurately reflects your company’s strengths and potential.

Conclusion

Craft a compelling cue card by highlighting your company’s potential while ensuring confidentiality. Done Deal keeps your identity anonymous until you choose to reveal it, focusing on key metrics and data points that attract investors without disclosing sensitive information. For more details on maintaining anonymity, refer to How Does Done Deal Keep Your Company's Identity a Secret 

Ready to attract the right investors? Start crafting your cue card today and join Done Deal to connect with potential buyers. Visit Done Deal for more details.