Pre-Seed Marketing Assets: Raise Ready in 2026

Last updated 2026

TL;DR

Where to get it: Follow Jonathan Marciano's pre-seed framework for asset prioritization and scope.

What it is: Pre-seed marketing assets are the minimum viable collateral—deck, one-pager, demo video—that proves founder credibility before product-market fit.

When to use it: First investor conversations, accelerator applications, or when traction is thin but vision is strong.

How to apply: Problem clarity → Team proof → Demo hook → Distribution ready in 48 hours.

Cost/time: $0–$2k; 2–7 days to ship.

CTA: Grab [Flowjam template link] and build your asset pack this weekend.

Why this matters now

Pre-seed marketing assets (Jonathan Marciano's guide) are your credibility substitute when revenue is zero and product is MVP. Unlike seed-stage founders who lead with traction metrics, pre-seed founders must lead with problem clarity, team credibility, and demonstration velocity. Use these assets when your first investor conversations require proof of thoughtfulness beyond a cold email. Apply them by building only what moves the needle—no brand guidelines, no polished website, just problem clarity and demo access that gets you to the next meeting.

What is pre-seed marketing assets?

Pre-seed marketing assets are a curated, minimal set of fundraising and positioning materials—typically including a concise pitch deck, one-page summary, and product demonstration—designed to communicate founder credibility, problem clarity, and early product progress to potential investors before formal traction metrics exist.

According to Jonathan Marciano's framework, these assets function as "credibility proxies" that substitute for revenue and user growth by demonstrating strategic thinking, execution speed, and market understanding during earliest-stage fundraising conversations.

Pre-seed marketing assets — Download & Quick Start

Where to get it:

Framework: Jonathan Marciano's pre-seed asset guide for scope and prioritization.

[Flowjam template link]

"Do this now" checklist:

Pitch deck (12 slides max): Problem, solution, market size, business model, team, ask. No product screenshots after slide 8.

One-pager (1 page): Problem headline, 3-solution bullets, team credentials, traction to date, contact info.

Demo video (60 seconds): Founder voiceover, product in motion, no polish required.

Email template (3 versions): Cold intro, warm forward, accelerator application.

Calendly link: Professional scheduling without back-and-forth.

Quick implementation sequence:

Day 1: Deck structure and copy.

Day 2: One-pager design and demo video recording.

Day 3: Review with advisor, iterate, publish.

How to use it (step-by-step) — practical, not theoretical

1. Preparation (Owner: Founder; Time: 4 hours; Success: 3 customer conversations confirming problem)

Before building assets, validate problem with 3 potential customers. Jonathan Marciano's guidance emphasizes that pre-seed investors bet on problem clarity when traction is absent. Document quotes for deck use.

2. Asset creation (Owner: Founder; Time: 2 days; Success: 12-slide deck, 1-page summary, 60-second video)

Deck: Google Slides or Keynote. Clean template, no animation. 12 slides: Title, Problem, Solution, Market Size, Business Model, Go-to-Market, Competition, Team, Traction/Roadmap, Ask, Appendix.

One-pager: Canva or Google Docs. Single page, scannable in 30 seconds. Lead with problem magnitude.

Demo video: Loom or Screen Studio. 60 seconds, founder voice, product working. No music, no transitions.

3. Packaging (Owner: Founder; Time: 4 hours; Success: Consistent URLs and tracking)

Hosting: Google Drive for deck (view-only), Loom for video, Notion or Carrd for one-pager.

Tracking: Bitly or UTM parameters on every link. Know which investors engage.

Email signatures: Consistent contact info across all assets.

4. Distribution (Owner: Founder; Time: Ongoing; Success: 10 investor conversations per week)

Cold outreach: One-pager link in email body, deck attached or linked, video in PS.

Warm intros: Forward-optimized email with one-pager summary, deck for attachment.

Accelerators: Custom deck version addressing specific program questions.

Founders often miss this — pre-seed marketing assets should improve with every conversation, not launch perfect. Your third investor meeting should reference a deck version 1.2 that incorporates objections from versions 1.0 and 1.1. Version control (v1.0, v1.1, v1.2) signals iteration speed that static "perfect" decks cannot.

Comparison section (vs alternatives)

Option: Pre-seed marketing assets

Use when: First investor conversations, accelerator applications, team recruiting, problem validation fundraising

Strengths: Speed to ship, focuses on problem clarity over traction, demonstrates founder resourcefulness, iterative by design

Risks: Over-investment in polish signals misallocation, stale assets if not updated, scope creep to seed-stage complexity

Best for: Pre-seed rounds ($100k–$2M), first-time founders, pre-product-market fit narratives

Option: Traction narratives (revenue/user focus)

Use when: Seed and Series A conversations, growth equity, revenue-based financing

Strengths: Objective proof, reduces investor risk, faster decision cycles

Risks: Not available at pre-seed, can obscure problem-market fit if growth is vanity-driven

Best for: Post-revenue founders, repeat founders with track record, hot markets where speed matters

Option: Product demos (technical deep-dives)

Use when: Technical due diligence, engineering-heavy investors, API-first products

Strengths: Proves capability, surfaces technical moats, engages technical partners

Risks: Features without market context, can alienate non-technical investors, time-intensive preparation

Best for: Deep tech, infrastructure, developer tools with technical differentiation

Option: Data rooms (comprehensive documentation)

Use when: Series A due diligence, institutional rounds, complex cap table or IP situations

Strengths: Comprehensive, reduces follow-up friction, signals operational maturity

Risks: Overkill for pre-seed, signals enterprise process in startup context, delays fundraising launch

Best for: Series A+, regulated industries, acquisitions, secondary transactions

Practical Tips & Cautions

Problem clarity over product polish: Investors bet on problem magnitude and founder insight when traction is absent. Spend 40% of deck time on problem, 20% on solution.

Team slide authenticity: Real photos, real LinkedIn links, real relevant experience. No advisory boards of famous names who don't respond to emails.

Demo video brevity: 60 seconds maximum. Show the product working, not the architecture diagram. Jonathan Marciano's framework emphasizes demonstration over explanation.

Ask specificity: Exact amount, exact use of funds, exact runway extension. "Raising $500k for 18 months of product development and 3 pilot customers" beats "raising $250k–$750k for growth."

No forward projections: Historical data and immediate milestones only. Pre-seed investors discount projections entirely; including them signals naivety.

Version control discipline: v1.0, v1.1, v1.2 with dated filenames. Iterate based on investor feedback within 48 hours of each meeting.

Accessibility minimums: Alt text on images, PDF not image-only deck, readable font sizes (14pt minimum). Some investors review on phones.

Distribution tracking: UTM every link. Know which investors opened deck, watched video, or bounced. Follow up accordingly.

Refresh before each push: Stale "Q3 2024" decks signal inattention. Update monthly or per fundraising push.

FAQs

What should I include in pre-seed marketing assets?

Minimum: 12-slide pitch deck, 1-page written summary, 60-second demo video, professional email template, scheduling link. Optional: Explainer blog post, team bios page, early customer quotes. Skip: Financial projections, 5-year plans, detailed competitive matrices.

How many slides or pages is right for pre-seed?

Deck: 12 slides maximum. One-pager: 1 page, no exceptions. Demo video: 60 seconds. Investors spend 2–3 minutes on pre-seed materials; every slide beyond 12 reduces completion rate.

What are common mistakes with pre-seed marketing assets?

Over-design (signals misallocated resources), forward projections (discredited), missing problem clarity (jumps to solution), anonymous team photos (hides credibility), no clear ask (wastes meeting), failure to iterate (static assets signal slow learning).

How do pre-seed assets differ from seed materials?

Pre-seed: Problem-first, team credibility, demo proof, no revenue required. Seed: Traction-first, growth metrics, customer proof, revenue or user growth required. Pre-seed assets are lighter, faster, more iterative by design.

Do investors expect a data room at pre-seed?

No. Data rooms signal institutional process inappropriate for pre-seed. Provide deck, one-pager, and demo access only. Full documentation (financials, legal, IP) comes during formal due diligence post-term sheet, not pre-seed outreach.

Should I hire a designer for pre-seed assets?

No. Clean templates (Google Slides, Canva) outperform agency polish at pre-seed. Professional design signals misallocated capital when product is MVP. Clarity and speed beat aesthetics.

How often should I update my pre-seed assets?

Every 10 investor conversations or monthly, whichever comes first. Version control (v1.0, v1.1, v1.2) with dated filenames. Iterate based on objections and questions.

Can I use the same assets for accelerators and angels?

Yes, with minor customization. Accelerators often require specific questions answered (YC's "make something people want" emphasis). Angels often want faster problem-solution narrative. Core assets remain consistent; emphasis shifts.

Conclusion

Pre-seed marketing assets are your substitute for traction when revenue is zero and belief is everything. Unlike seed founders who lead with metrics, pre-seed founders must lead with problem clarity, team credibility, and demonstration velocity that signals execution capability. Follow Jonathan Marciano's framework for scope and prioritization, grab [Flowjam template link] to build your asset pack this weekend, and start investor conversations with confidence. Your first check comes from clarity, not polish.

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