An Honest Comparison
Different Tools in the Same Process
Whether you're raising money or selling a business, the pitch deck or information package carries the details. A video gives people a look at the business that they can't get from a set of slides.
An investor or potential buyer may be looking at the business from another city and may not visit before an initial conversation. A short video can show the operation, introduce the people and help explain what makes the business tick. The numbers still need to make sense on their own.
Side by Side
Pitch Deck vs. Investor or Sale Video
| Area | Pitch Deck | Investor or Sale Video |
|---|
| What it carries | Numbers, financials, market, terms and the ask. | People, the operation, the product or process, and the owner's voice. |
| What it proves | That the opportunity makes sense on paper. | That the business is real, working and run by credible people. |
| Who uses it | Investors, buyers, advisors and lenders evaluating the details. | The same people, plus anyone they forward it to before a meeting. |
| Format | Slides or a document, read and reviewed closely. | Usually 3 to 5 minutes, watched and shared easily. |
| Confidentiality | Shared under whatever terms you and your advisors set. | Planned confidentially, with NDA arrangements and private review available. |
| Replaces due diligence? | No. | No. |
| Required? | Yes, in almost every case. | Optional, but useful when the operation and people are part of the value. |
When to Choose Each
When Each Matters Most
When the Deck Alone May Be Enough
A video isn't necessary for every deal. If the opportunity is mainly financial, or the people involved already know the business, a good deck and direct conversations may be enough.
- Investors or buyers already familiar with the business
- Opportunities that are mainly financial or asset-based
- Early conversations before you're ready to share more
- Very small raises or private sales between people who know each other
- Situations where what you can show is limited
When a Video Adds Real Value
A video is more useful when the people, operation or technology are an important part of the value you're trying to explain.
- Investors or buyers who can't easily visit in person
- Technical products or processes that are easier to show than describe
- Owner-led businesses where the founder's credibility matters
- Business sales where buyers need to see the operation working
- Opportunities that get forwarded to partners or committees
Raising Money vs. Selling a Business
The focus changes depending on whether you're raising money or selling the business.
- Raising money: the focus is usually the team, the product or technology, and where the company is going. Investors want to understand why this team can do what the deck says.
- Selling a business: a business-sale film helps a buyer see the operation, the facilities, the people and how the work actually gets done. It gives a qualified buyer a clear first look before a site visit.
In both cases, I plan the content confidentially and can work under NDA arrangements, with private review of the edit before anything is shared. What you can say and disclose is a question to check with your legal and financial advisors.
How I Work
How I Approach Investor and Sale Video
First, I want to know who will watch the video and what they need to understand that the deck can't show. Then we work out what to film: the owner or leadership, the operation, and the product or process if that's important to the story.
I handle the project directly, from planning through filming and editing. I usually work solo and bring in extra crew only if the job needs it. I don't give financial or legal advice, and the content stays within what you and your advisors approve.
01
Talk
Who will watch it, what they need to see, and what must stay confidential.
02
Plan
The story, the people on camera and the parts of the operation to show.
03
Film
Owner and leadership interviews, the operation and the product or process.
04
Edit
A 3 to 5 minute video, reviewed privately, with two rounds of revisions.
Real Work
Making Complex Technology Understandable
Dark Matter Materials
Dark Matter Materials is a hydrogen company. For its company profile, we needed to make the technology understandable. The owner demonstrates the reaction in a plant room, the chief scientist explains the science in the lab, and the owner then explains what it means in practical terms.
That was a company profile rather than an investor video, but the challenge is similar: helping someone outside the business understand what's happening and why it matters. See more corporate video work
Past work across different scales has included CBC, Molson, TELUS, Alberta Health Services, Ledcor and Travel Alberta, along with small and mid-sized businesses across Alberta.
What Does an Investor or Business-Sale Video Cost?
My Investor & Business-Sale Video starts at $5,000, in Canadian dollars plus GST, and is custom scoped to the project. The finished video is usually 3 to 5 minutes. Confidential planning is part of the process, and NDA arrangements and private review are available.
The package includes licensed music, colour grading, branded titles, captions and two rounds of revisions, along with my standard production kit and local travel in my service area. Full details are on my video production pricing page.
Common Questions
Investor Video vs. Pitch Deck FAQ
Does an investor video replace a pitch deck?
No. The deck still carries the numbers, financials and terms investors need. A video adds the people, the operation and the credibility of seeing the business working, and it is easy to forward. It supports the deck and does not replace due diligence.
Can a video help sell a business?
It can help a qualified buyer get a clear first look at the operation, the facilities and the people before a site visit. It works alongside the information package and the sale process, not instead of them.
Can you keep the project confidential?
Yes. Planning is handled confidentially, and NDA arrangements and private review of the edit are available before anything is shared.
How long should an investor or business-sale video be?
Usually 3 to 5 minutes. That is long enough to show the people and the operation without trying to repeat the deck.
Should the video include financial figures?
That is a question for your legal and financial advisors. I don't give financial or legal advice. The video can include whatever you and your advisors approve, and many work best focusing on people and operations while the deck carries the numbers.
How much does an investor or business-sale video cost?
The Investor & Business-Sale Video starts at $5,000 CAD plus GST and is custom scoped. It includes licensed music, colour grading, branded titles, captions and two rounds of revisions.
Preparing to Raise Money or Sell?
Tell me whether you're raising money or preparing to sell, and who needs to see the video. I'll give you an honest opinion on whether video would help and what the project would involve. We can keep the conversation confidential.
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