skills/pitch-deck-builder/references/deck-archetypes.md

# Deck Archetypes

Use this reference to select scope, slide order, and output depth. Do not include every slide in every deck. Pick the pages that advance the client decision.

## Table Of Contents

- [1. Buyer pitch](#1-buyer-pitch)
- [2. Sell-side pitch](#2-sell-side-pitch)
- [3. Financing pitch](#3-financing-pitch)
- [4. Strategic alternatives deck](#4-strategic-alternatives-deck)
- [5. Company profile deck](#5-company-profile-deck)
- [6. Market map](#6-market-map)
- [7. Board / client meeting deck](#7-board--client-meeting-deck)

## 1. Buyer pitch

Purpose: persuade a strategic or sponsor buyer that an acquisition target is worth pursuing.

Core storyline:
1. Why this target matters now.
2. Why the buyer is a differentiated owner.
3. Where the value creation comes from.
4. What risks must be diligenced.
5. What next step the buyer should take.

Typical pages:
- Executive summary: why pursue now.
- Target at a glance.
- Strategic fit and buyer-specific rationale.
- Market / category tailwinds.
- Financial profile and KPI snapshot.
- Synergy / value-creation map.
- Valuation and preliminary return context.
- Key diligence questions and risks.
- Recommended process steps.
- Appendix: comps, precedent transactions, source detail.

Quality bar:
- Buyer rationale must be buyer-specific, not generic.
- Synergy claims need evidence or be clearly labeled as assumptions.
- Avoid over-selling. Show risks and diligence asks.

## 2. Sell-side pitch

Purpose: convince a company, sponsor, or board to hire the bank for a sale, recap, carve-out, or strategic process.

Core storyline:
1. The company has a strong story but must be positioned carefully.
2. Market timing and buyer appetite create an actionable window.
3. The bank understands the highest-value buyer universe and process strategy.
4. The bank can maximize value while controlling execution risk.

Typical pages:
- Opening thesis and recommendation.
- Situation overview.
- Company positioning and equity story.
- Market backdrop and timing.
- Buyer universe and likely strategic angles.
- Sponsor appetite and financing environment.
- Valuation framework.
- Process strategy and timeline.
- Key preparation items.
- Bank credentials and team.

Quality bar:
- Must show why this bank has proprietary judgment, not just a generic credentials dump.
- Must identify buyer groups and likely pushbacks.
- Valuation should be directional and caveated unless model output is validated.

## 3. Financing pitch

Purpose: recommend a financing, refinancing, recapitalization, IPO, follow-on, convertible, private placement, or debt structure.

Core storyline:
1. Current capital structure and market window create a decision point.
2. Financing alternatives differ on cost, flexibility, dilution, certainty, and execution risk.
3. Recommended structure best matches company objectives and constraints.

Typical pages:
- Executive recommendation.
- Current capital structure and liquidity.
- Market backdrop: rates, spreads, equity market, issuance windows.
- Financing alternatives summary.
- Debt capacity / leverage / coverage view.
- Equity or convertible dilution analysis.
- Use of proceeds and pro forma impact.
- Investor/lender targeting.
- Execution timeline and key risks.
- Appendix: comparable issuances, covenants, sensitivity tables.

Quality bar:
- Compare alternatives against client objectives, not only headline cost.
- Separate feasible market capacity from theoretical model capacity.
- Show execution risk, covenant constraints, dilution, and rating/credit implications.

## 4. Strategic alternatives deck

Purpose: help a board or management team evaluate strategic paths.

Core storyline:
1. The status quo is not the only answer.
2. Alternatives must be compared on value, control, risk, timing, and execution feasibility.
3. The recommended path is the best next step under uncertainty.

Typical pages:
- Situation and decision framing.
- Objectives and constraints.
- Strategic alternatives dashboard.
- Remain independent case.
- Sale or merger case.
- Acquisition case.
- Capital raise / recap / buyback / dividend case.
- Valuation and market context.
- Stakeholder and execution considerations.
- Recommended path and next steps.

Quality bar:
- Must be board-level and balanced.
- Do not pretend there is certainty. Show trade-offs.
- Include what would change the recommendation.

## 5. Company profile deck

Purpose: create a concise, banker-ready profile of a company, borrower, issuer, or target.

Typical pages:
- Company overview.
- Business model and segments.
- Financial and KPI snapshot.
- Market positioning.
- Ownership / capitalization.
- Recent developments.
- Risks and watch items.

Quality bar:
- Should be source-backed and concise.
- Use `company-tearsheet` upstream when possible.

## 6. Market map

Purpose: map a sector, category, buyer universe, or competitive landscape.

Typical pages:
- Category definition and segmentation.
- Market size / growth / key drivers.
- Competitive landscape map.
- Buyer or investor universe.
- Funding / M&A activity.
- Key themes and implications.
- Priority targets or opportunities.

Quality bar:
- Segmentation must be useful for action, not just a logo page.
- Prioritization criteria must be explicit.
- Include source caveats for private company data.

## 7. Board / client meeting deck

Purpose: facilitate a focused decision discussion.

Typical pages:
- Executive summary.
- Decision agenda.
- Situation update.
- Alternatives considered.
- Financial implications.
- Risks and mitigants.
- Recommendation.
- Next steps.

Quality bar:
- Each page should support discussion, not serve as a research archive.
- The recommendation and decision needed must be explicit.
- Once comparative rationale is established, do not repeat the same value, structure, or protection thesis on another summary-card page unless it advances a distinct board decision, oversight action, or recommendation sensitivity.