In short
The target customer slide names the specific segments you sell to, gives the size of each, says who decides to buy and who uses the product, and explains how you will reach them first. Start with one beachhead segment rather than claiming everyone is a customer.
Investors want to know exactly who you are selling to and how you will reach them. A narrow first segment you can dominate is more convincing than a long list.
What to include
- Two or three customer segments, with the first one marked as your focus.
- The number of potential customers in each.
- The buyer (who pays) and the user (who uses it), if different.
- The main channel to reach each segment: direct sales, partners, marketplaces, content or referrals.
Common mistakes
- ‘Our customers are everyone aged 18 to 65.’
- No explanation of how customers will find you.
- Segments that need completely different products.
Frequently asked questions
Is the target customer slide the same as go-to-market?
They overlap. Many decks combine who the customer is with how you will reach them on one slide; larger decks split them.
Written by Gachi Foundation, a non-profit in Jharkhand, India. All pitch deck resources.