For better or worse, you need a presentation deck to attract investors. Here are seven dos and three don’ts when pitching investors if you want to have any chance of gaining their interest.

1. Do think like an investor // All investors—angels, banks, even your grandma—want to make a positive return on their investment. Your pitch, above all else, must show investors how they will make
money if they invest in your company.

2. Don’t bury the lead // Act like a journalist. Right at the start, explain who, what, when, how, why, where and how much. Don’t be like a mystery writer: You can’t just resolve everything in the last chapter. Your investors will not stay with you if they have no clue what you do, why you’re doing it or how you will get it done.

3. Do describe your product or service clearly and concisely // Keep it simple at first: “This is what we do. This is how it works. These are the benefits.” Your 15-minute presentation should consist of three slides max on the product. Put the rest of the product information in backup slides for Q&A.

4. Do present in a logical order // For example: “Here’s what we do. We solve these problems for these customers better than other solutions in the market today. We are the team to beat to meet these market demands, and we need this money so we can do these things to reach these milestones in this timeframe to achieve these returns for ourselves and our investors.”

Experiment with your slide order until it literally flows together seamlessly. You know you have a good flow when your slide transitions are natural and smooth.

5. Do get friendly feedback from trusted sources before you face skeptical investors // Practice your presentation on yourself first. Are you convinced? Find some friendly listeners and ask for their feedback. What needs to be made clearer? What is missing? How could I use my time better? And so on. This accomplishes three things: You will improve your presentation; you will improve your delivery; and you will anticipate the questions investors will ask.

6. Don’t read your slides to your investors // Use graphics, charts, tables, diagrams and pictures more than a lot of words. Each slide should serve a purpose. They are all building blocks in the story of your company. Don’t make each slide do too much.

7. Do explain clearly how the company will make money // If you are developing software, will you sell it as a subscription? How long a term: month to month, one year, three years? What will it cost? Will you bundle everything or sell as a menu? How will you charge for updates? And so forth. Think it through and be very clear with investors so they understand your business model.

8. Do make an ask // You should determine the terms of an agreement you want, but be open to negotiation. What is your company worth today? What percentage of the company are you willing to give up for the money you need? How will you use the investment? How will investors make their money back plus a healthy return? Are you offering common or preferred units?

You must answer all these questions before you meet with investors. Get with someone who can walk you through the terms of a standard deal. Know what you are willing to give up and what is not
negotiable. Understand the impact of doing it one way or the other. Don’t go in blind or ill-prepared.

9. Don’t ask for a confidentiality agreement // Sophisticated investors will not give you one before you present. You will show your naïveté and appear unreasonable. Your idea is not unique. There are 10 others in Silicon Valley working on it right now.

Investors don’t back ideas, anyway. They back people who can build companies around an idea.

10. Do be patient // Investing takes time, so raising money takes time. Don’t act desperate. You must tease, flirt and date several times before an investor will marry you. Work the process. Persist if there is hope. Move on if there is not.

This article originally appeared in The 2013 Thinking Bigger Guide for KC Entrepreneurs.