why is a presentation deck important

Beginner’s Guide To Creating Slide Decks [+10 Excellent Examples]

Table of Contents

Slide decks have become a crucial part of business presentations, whether you’re trying to impress investors, explain your ideas to your team, or give an important speech. Creating an effective slide deck is a great way to gain the attention of your audience, build an emotional connection with them, and get them on your side. Importantly, it helps you communicate your message or business concept quickly and clearly.

In this blog post, we will cover the basics of slide decks, explain why they matter, and provide you with a complete guide on how to make engaging and impactful slide decks that will leave a lasting impression on the audience.

What is a Slide Deck?

A slide deck is a visual presentation made up of a series of slides. Each slide typically contains text, images, or graphics and is used to convey information or ideas in a clear and organized way. Slide decks are commonly used in business presentations, lectures, and speeches to help the audience follow along with the content being discussed.

They are a powerful tool for summarizing and illustrating key points, making presentations more engaging and easier to understand. Creating an effective slide or presentation deck involves designing and arranging these slides in a way that effectively communicates your message or information.

Slide Deck vs. Business Plan: What’s The Difference?

When it comes to business strategies and presentations, slide decks and business plans are two distinct but complementary tools. A slide deck is a visual presentation that uses a series of slides to deliver concise information quickly, while a business plan is a comprehensive written document that outlines a company’s objectives, strategies, and financial projections.

Slide decks are ideal for concise and engaging presentations. They are visual aids that condense key points into a format that’s easy to follow during a presentation. These presentations typically use bullet points, images, and graphics to convey information. Slide decks are great for pitching ideas, showcasing project progress, or summarizing key points visually and engagingly.

On the other hand, a business plan is a comprehensive written document that provides an in-depth overview of a business. It includes detailed information about the company’s mission, market analysis, financial projections, and long-term strategies. Business plans are typically used for more formal and in-depth purposes, such as seeking investors or securing loans. They serve as a roadmap for the business, guiding its growth and operations.

In summary, the primary difference between a slide deck and a business plan lies in its format, purpose, and level of detail. Slide decks are concise visual tools for presentations, while business plans are comprehensive written documents for strategic planning and long-term business management. Depending on your objectives, you may use one or both to effectively communicate your business strategies and ideas.

Why Are Slide Decks Important?

Slide decks play a crucial role in modern business presentations for several compelling reasons. They are an essential tool for conveying information, engaging the audience, and making a memorable impact. Here’s why slide decks are important:

1. Visual Appeal

Slide decks combine text, images, and graphics to create visually appealing content. This visual aspect captures the audience’s attention and helps them absorb information more effectively than plain text or spoken words alone.

2. Simplicity

They simplify complex ideas and information. By breaking down content into smaller, manageable sections, slide decks make it easier for the audience to understand and follow the presentation.

3. Engagement

Visual elements, such as images and charts, engage the audience’s emotions and imagination. They help to create a connection between the audience and the content, making the presentation more memorable.

Slide decks promote clarity by organizing innovative ideas or information in a structured manner. Diving your content into logical sections or slides, ensures that the key points are highlighted and flow from one slide to another. Importantly, this ensures that the audience doesn’t get lost in a sea of details.

5. Efficiency

They save time by condensing the information into a format that can be presented in a shorter amount of time compared to reading a lengthy document or listening to an extended speech.

6. Audience Focus

Pitch decks help presenters stay on track and deliver a focused message. The visual cues provided by the slides serve as reminders of the key points, ensuring that the presentation stays on topic.

7. Accessibility

Digital slide decks can be easily shared with the audience, both during and after the presentation. This accessibility allows for continued engagement and reference.

8. Memorability

A well-designed pitch deck presentation makes the content more memorable. The combination of visuals, concise text, and clear structure helps make an interactive presentation that leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

9. Versatility

Slide decks are versatile and can be adapted for various communication purposes. Whether it’s a business pitch, educational lecture, or marketing presentation, slide decks can be customized for different contexts.

10. Professionalism

Using a well-designed slide deck demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail, which can enhance the credibility of the presenter and the content being shared.

In summary, slide decks are essential for modern communication and presentations. They enhance the effectiveness of a presentation by making information more engaging, accessible, and memorable. Whether in the boardroom, classroom, or conference hall, slide decks are a valuable tool for conveying ideas and information with impact.

What Makes a Good Pitch Deck?

Creating a compelling pitch deck is crucial for winning over investors, clients, or partners. Here are eight key elements that you should include in your next presentation to keep your audience hooked from start to finish:

Clarity is paramount. Your pitch deck should leave no room for confusion. It should clearly and succinctly convey what your business does. This means defining your product or service, your target audience, and the problem your business aims to solve to gain a competitive advantage over your competitors.

2. Engaging Story

A good pitch deck tells a compelling story. It captures the audience’s attention from the start and maintains their interest throughout the presentation. Stories are memorable and relatable, making your message stick.

3. Visual Appeal

Visual elements are crucial. Use high-quality data visualization features to enhance the appeal of your pitch deck. This includes images, graphs, charts, and graphics. Visuals can simplify complex information and make it more digestible.

4. Simplicity

Simplicity doesn’t mean lack of substance. It means being concise and keeping your key information to the point. Avoid cluttered slides with excessive text. Use bullet points, images, and visuals to convey your message clearly and succinctly.

5. Problem-Solution

Define the problem you’re addressing in your business proposal. Explain it in a way that’s easy to understand. Then, present your solution and demonstrate how it effectively addresses the problem. This shows the practicality of your business idea.

6. Market Research

Your pitch deck should reflect a deep understanding of your market. Include relevant data and research to illustrate that you know your target market’s needs, demands, and current trends. This strengthens your credibility.

7. Competitive Analysis

Acknowledge your competition and offer a clear differentiation. Highlight what sets your business apart and why you’re better positioned to succeed. This demonstrates your awareness of market dynamics.

8. Team Introduction

Trust is a critical element in pitching a business model and value proposition. Introduce your team members, emphasizing their experience and expertise. This shows that you have the right people to execute your vision.

These eight elements, when well-crafted and combined, create a persuasive pitch deck that can captivate investors, partners, or any audience you’re targeting. Each element plays a vital role in helping your pitch deck achieve its goals. Alternatively, you can use a PowerPoint template to simplify the process and create effective slide decks.

Where Are Slide Decks Mostly Used?

Slide decks are versatile tools widely used across various professional domains. Here’s where they are predominantly employed:

1. Business Presentations

In the business world, slide decks are pivotal in conveying critical information. They help structure and organize content and key messages for various purposes, such as staff meetings, stakeholder updates, and board presentations. A well-constructed slide deck keeps the audience engaged and informed.

2. Investor Pitches

For startups and entrepreneurs seeking investment, an effective pitch deck is the key to attracting potential investors to their business venture. It’s more than just financials; it’s about storytelling and showcasing the company’s vision, traction, and market opportunity in a compelling way.

3. Educational Settings

In educational institutions, slide decks have revolutionized the way educators teach and students learn. They aid in breaking down complex topics into digestible segments, enhancing the learning experience. From K-12 classrooms to university lecture halls, slide decks are ubiquitous.

4. Conferences and Seminars

Presenters at conferences and seminars rely on slide decks to support their narratives. Visuals are particularly effective for reinforcing key points and ensuring that the audience grasps the information.

5. Marketing and Sales

Slide decks are powerful assets in the world of marketing and sales. Marketers use them to create impactful product presentations and sales professionals to close deals. They help convey information concisely and persuasively.

6. Training and Workshops

In the corporate world, slide decks facilitate employee training sessions and workshops. They offer structure and guidance, enabling trainers to deliver consistent content and make training more engaging.

7. Nonprofits and NGOs

Organizations dedicated to social causes depend on slide decks for their fundraising efforts. By combining compelling stories and persuasive visuals, they can effectively communicate their mission and impact to potential donors and supporters.

8. Job Interviews

Job applicants use slide decks as a supplementary tool during interviews. These personal pitch decks allow candidates to showcase their skills, achievements, and past work in a visually appealing format. They make candidates more memorable to potential employers.

9. Product Launches

When introducing a new product or service, companies often turn to slide decks to guide their launch strategy. The deck outlines the product’s unique selling points, benefits, and market potential, which is crucial for both internal teams and external audiences.

10. Reports and Proposals

Beyond presentations, slide decks are used to enhance written reports and proposals. They summarize and emphasize key findings, making complex information more accessible. Businesses often use them for annual reports, project proposals, and strategic plans.

These diverse applications demonstrate the versatility and effectiveness of slide decks across a wide range of professional settings. They serve as a bridge between information and its audience, helping to streamline communication and convey messages more efficiently.

Step-by-Step Guide On How To Create Visually Appealing Slide Decks

Creating visually appealing slide decks is a skill that can elevate your presentations to a whole new level. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you craft engaging and compelling slide decks:

Step 1: Set Your Objective

Before diving into your slide deck, define your presentation’s primary goal. Are you aiming to inform, persuade, entertain, or do something else? Identifying your objective is crucial as it shapes the entire presentation.

It clarifies what content to include, how to structure your slides, and the tone to adopt. Your objective acts as a compass, guiding you throughout the creation process to ensure your slide deck aligns with your intended outcome.

Step 2: Know Your Audience

Understanding your audience is pivotal in crafting a compelling slide deck. Consider their knowledge level, interests, and expectations. Are they experts in the subject, or do they need basic explanations? Tailor your content, tone, and examples accordingly.

For instance, a technical audience may appreciate in-depth data, while a non-specialist group might prefer simplified visuals and relatable stories. The more you align with your audience, the more engaging and effective your slide deck will be.

Step 3: Content Structuring

Organize your content logically. Begin with a clear introduction, stating your topic and goals. Follow this with a structured main body, using headings and subheadings to segment your information. Ensure a smooth flow from one point to the next.

Conclude with a strong summary that reinforces your key messages. Effective structuring keeps your audience engaged and helps them follow your narrative effortlessly.

Step 4: Consistent Design

Maintain a uniform design throughout your slide deck. Use a consistent color scheme, typography, and style. This creates a professional and cohesive look that enhances comprehension and visual appeal. Align elements, like headings, bullet points, and imagery, to maintain a clean and balanced layout.

Consistency ensures your audience can focus on the content without distractions, making your slide deck more engaging and persuasive.

Step 5: High-Quality Images

Incorporate crisp, high-resolution images to elevate the visual impact of your slide deck. Clear visuals captivate your audience and convey your message effectively. Whether it’s photographs, graphics, or icons, ensure they are sharp and relevant.

Avoid pixelated or stretched images, as they can detract from your professionalism. High-quality visuals enhance the overall aesthetics and understanding of your content, making your slide deck more visually engaging and memorable.

Step 6: Concise Text

Less is often more when it comes to text in your slide deck. Use concise, well-structured sentences, bullet points, and minimal jargon to convey your message. Avoid overwhelming your audience with paragraphs of text. Instead, aim for clarity and brevity.

Keep your points focused, ensuring that your text complements your visuals and does not compete with them. This approach allows your audience to absorb information more easily and stay engaged with your presentation.

Step 7: Visual Variety

To keep your audience engaged, incorporate a variety of visuals in your slide deck. This can include images, charts, graphs, icons, and multimedia elements. Visual variety adds depth and richness to your presentation, making it more interesting and impactful.

However, ensure that your visuals are relevant to your content and support your key points. Don’t overdo it – strike a balance between text and visuals to maintain clarity and coherence in your slide deck.

Step 8: Effective Storytelling

Craft a compelling narrative throughout your slide deck. Begin with a captivating introduction that sets the stage for your content. Then, organize your slides to flow logically, building upon one another. Use storytelling techniques to create a connection with your audience. Share anecdotes, real-world examples, and relatable stories in your own words to reinforce your message.

Ensure your slides and narrative align, providing a seamless and engaging experience. Your goal is to leave a lasting impression and memorably convey your message, and effective storytelling is a powerful tool to achieve this.

Step 9: Practice and Refine

Prepare for your presentation by rehearsing your slide deck. Practice your delivery, pacing, and transitions. Consider presenting to a small, trusted audience to gather feedback and make necessary adjustments. Refine your content, ensuring it is clear and concise.

Pay attention to timing and use notes sparingly. Repeated practice will boost your confidence, making you well-prepared for any questions or unexpected moments during your presentation. Remember, the more you practice, the smoother your delivery will become, and your audience will appreciate your professionalism.

Step 10: Audience Interaction

Engage with your audience during the presentation. Encourage questions, discussions, or feedback. Address any inquiries or concerns promptly and respectfully. Interaction keeps your audience involved and enhances their understanding.

You can also use audience responses to tailor your presentation in real time. Employ techniques such as polls, open discussions, or interactive activities to maintain interest and participation. Remember, an engaged audience is more likely to remember your message, making your slide deck even more effective. Be approachable, open to feedback, and foster a dynamic and collaborative atmosphere.

By following these steps, you can create slide decks that not only look visually appealing but also effectively convey your message. Alternatively, if you do not want to create the slide deck from scratch, consider using a pre-made slide deck template to help you pass your message across. Remember, a well-designed presentation enhances audience engagement and helps you achieve your presentation goals.

10 Best Examples of Pitch Deck Presentations

Here are 10 noteworthy examples of pitch deck presentations that have proven to be effective:

1. Airbnb Pitch Deck Template

Airbnb’s pitch deck template is a prime example of a successful startup presentation. It effectively conveys its unique business concept, showcasing a clear problem-solving approach, emphasizing market opportunity, and telling its story with engaging visuals. It sets a standard for persuasive pitches.

2. Uber Pitch Deck Template

Uber’s pitch deck template is a brilliant model of a compelling business pitch. It illustrates their problem-solving approach to the transportation industry, demonstrating market potential, and presenting their captivating narrative with visual aids. This presentation has been influential in securing funding and has become a reference point for startup pitches.

3. YouTube Pitch Deck Template

YouTube’s pitch deck template is a testament to their journey from startup to video-sharing giant. It highlights their focus on user-generated content and their innovative monetization strategies. The presentation successfully conveys their vision and features a clean design that mirrors their brand. It’s an excellent example of how a pitch deck can capture the essence of a tech giant’s success.

4. Facebook Pitch Deck Template

The Facebook pitch deck template is a snapshot of how a tech giant started its journey. Mark Zuckerberg’s presentation focuses on connecting people and creating a social network. It’s a powerful example of how a simple, compelling idea can lead to a global phenomenon. The presentation’s straightforward approach and emphasis on community engagement are key takeaways for startups looking to build user-centric platforms.

5. SlideBean Pitch Deck Template

The SlideBean pitch deck template is a versatile and visually appealing option. It offers a professional look while being easy to customize for your specific needs. This template’s user-friendly nature is excellent for those who want to create a stunning pitch deck without spending excessive time on design. With a wide variety of slide options and a modern design, it’s a go-to choice for businesses aiming for a polished and sleek presentation.

6. Buffer Pitch Deck Template

Buffer’s pitch deck template is a great option for startups and businesses looking for a clean and straightforward design. It maintains a professional appearance with a focus on clarity and simplicity.

With well-organized slides and a consistent design, it’s perfect for conveying your business idea effectively. The Buffer template is user-friendly, allowing you to customize it according to your needs without much hassle. It’s an ideal choice for those who prefer a more minimalist and data-driven approach to their presentations.

7. LinkedIn Slide Deck Template

LinkedIn’s slide deck template is designed to provide a sleek and professional look to your presentations. It offers a modern, business-oriented style that suits various topics. The template is well-structured, ensuring your content is easy to follow and understand. With its blue background and white color scheme, it exudes a sense of reliability and trust, aligning with LinkedIn’s brand.

It’s a good choice for businesses and professionals who want to create presentations that reflect a sense of expertise and credibility, making it a suitable option for corporate meetings, business proposals, and networking events.

8. Tinder Slide Deck Template

The Tinder slide deck template is a fun and visually engaging choice for presentations. It utilizes a vibrant pink and white color scheme, reflecting the dating app’s branding. This template is perfect for more relaxed and creative presentations, perhaps ideal for startups or businesses with a younger target audience. It allows you to infuse some personality into your pitch or topic.

The design is simple and intuitive, making it easy to add your content while maintaining an attractive and contemporary look. Whether you’re in the dating industry or simply want to add a touch of playfulness to your presentation, the Tinder template is a suitable choice.

9. BuzzFeed Slide Deck Template

The BuzzFeed slide deck template offers a dynamic and lively design that aligns with the well-known entertainment and news company’s branding. It features the distinctive BuzzFeed red color combined with white and a splash of red. This template is great for presentations that aim to be engaging, entertaining, and informative, similar to BuzzFeed’s content.

It’s designed to keep your audience’s attention with a visually appealing layout and plenty of opportunities to incorporate images and multimedia. Whether you’re in the media, entertainment, or content creation industry, this template can add a dash of BuzzFeed’s energetic style to your presentation.

10. Moz Slide Deck Template

The Moz slide deck template is a professional and clean design tailored to those in the digital marketing and SEO industry. It features a simple color scheme with a white background and shades of blue, which reflects the company’s branding. This template is well-organized and easy to navigate, making it suitable for presentations that require data-driven insights and analytics.

It provides ample space for text, charts, and graphs, allowing you to convey complex information in a straightforward manner. If you’re in the field of digital marketing and SEO, this template offers a sophisticated and efficient way to present your findings and strategies to clients or stakeholders.

5 Free Presentation Slide Tools With Templates

Creating engaging and visually appealing presentation slides doesn’t have to be a daunting task, especially when you have the right tools at your disposal. Here are five free presentation slide tools, each with a variety of slide templates, to help you craft compelling presentations:

1. Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is a popular presentation software with a user-friendly interface, rich template library, customization options, slide transitions, and collaboration features. It seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft Office apps, offers various export formats, and provides online and mobile versions. PowerPoint templates are a top choice for creating professional presentations.

2. Google Slides

Google Slides is a cloud-based application that’s part of Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). It offers a selection of templates and provides seamless collaboration features. You can work on your presentations from any device with internet access.

Visme is another web-based tool that provides templates for presentations, infographics, and more. With a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, it’s easy to create and customize slides. Visme offers a library of templates to suit different presentation needs.

Prezi takes a unique approach to presentations by offering dynamic, non-linear slides. It provides templates to help you create visually engaging and interactive presentations. Prezi is particularly suitable for storytelling and zooming in on details.

Canva is a versatile online graphic design platform that offers a wide range of templates, including presentation slides. It’s user-friendly, making it accessible for beginners. Canva’s templates cover various themes and industries, allowing you to customize your slides with ease.

These tools, with their templates and intuitive interfaces, can save you time and help you design captivating presentation slides for a variety of purposes, from business meetings to educational lectures and creative pitches.

Bottom Line

In conclusion, mastering the art of creating captivating slide decks is a valuable skill for anyone in the business world. Whether you’re pitching ideas, seeking investment, or delivering informative presentations, your ability to engage and persuade your audience can make all the difference. By following the steps, utilizing templates, and exploring various presentation tools, you can enhance your storytelling and make your message more compelling.

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and a well-designed slide deck can be worth even more in today’s visually oriented-business landscape. So, start crafting your impactful presentations and get ready to leave a lasting impression.

Related articles

Ready to create more designs for lesser costs? ‍

Case Studies

Resource Hub

Featured post

What is a Pitch Deck: The Definitive Guide for Entrepreneurs

Explore our latest posts

Decoding the Lean Startup Methodology: A Practical Guide for Entrepreneurs

Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Startup Leadership: Enhancing Team Dynamics and Decision-Making

Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities in Green Tech Startups

Learn how to create a winning pitch deck for investors, customers, and partners. Discover the key elements and common mistakes to avoid in a concise and engaging guide.

December 14, 2023

A pitch deck is a concise presentation that outlines the problem, the solution, and the company's path to success. This presentation can serve different purposes, and in this article, we will provide an overview of all of them.

To create an effective pitch deck, it is important to include key elements such as a brief introduction, a problem statement, a solution statement, a market analysis, a business model, a marketing plan, and financial projections. Each of these elements should be presented clearly and concisely, using persuasive language and compelling visuals to convey the company's unique value proposition.

By understanding what a pitch deck is and what it includes, entrepreneurs can create a pitch deck that captures the attention of relevant stakeholders and provides them with important information about the company's goals and potential for success.

The Importance of a Pitch Deck for Your Startup

Pitch decks are an essential tool for entrepreneurs looking to raise capital, attract partnerships, or communicate their business idea or plan to potential investors or customers. Simply put, a pitch deck is a visual presentation that summarizes the key aspects of a business idea or plan. But what is a pitch deck and why is it so important?

A pitch deck is a document that provides a clear and concise overview of a business idea or plan. It typically includes slides that cover key topics such as the problem/opportunity, solution, market, business model, team, and financial projections. The purpose of a pitch deck is to provide potential investors or partners with a quick and engaging way to understand a business and its potential.

But a pitch deck is more than just a summary of a business plan. It's an opportunity for entrepreneurs to tell a compelling story about their business and differentiate themselves from competitors. A well-crafted pitch deck can help entrepreneurs stand out in a crowded market, attract investment or partnerships, and refine their strategy and communication skills.

So why is a pitch deck important? Firstly, a pitch deck helps entrepreneurs communicate their business idea or plan quickly and effectively. In today's fast-paced business environment, it's important to be able to communicate your vision and value proposition in a clear and concise way. A pitch deck provides a structured and engaging way to do this.

Secondly, a pitch deck can help entrepreneurs attract investment or partnerships. Pitch decks are often used by entrepreneurs to pitch their business to potential investors or partners, with the aim of securing funding or forming strategic alliances. A well-crafted pitch deck can help entrepreneurs make a strong case for their business and build credibility with potential investors or partners.

Finally, a pitch deck can help entrepreneurs refine their business model and strategy. Creating a pitch deck requires entrepreneurs to focus on the most important aspects of their business and articulate them in a clear and concise way. This can help entrepreneurs identify gaps or weaknesses in their business, refine their strategy, and develop a compelling story that resonates with their audience.

In summary, a pitch deck is a visual presentation that summarizes the key aspects of a business idea or plan. It's an essential tool for entrepreneurs looking to communicate their vision, attract investment or partnerships, refine their strategy and communication skills, and seek guidance from business consultants .

Purpose of a Pitch Deck

A pitch deck is an essential tool for startups. Its purpose is to present the company's strengths and goals in a concise and easy-to-understand manner. A pitch deck can serve several purposes:

Raise Capital

A pitch deck is primarily used to persuade investors to invest in a startup's product or service. It presents the company's strengths, goals, business model, and value proposition in a concise and easy-to-understand manner. The deck should be visually appealing and compelling while highlighting the potential of the startup and how it can benefit from the investment. If you’d like to learn more about how to get your pitch deck in the hands of investors, take a look at How to send Pitch Decks to investors?

Attract New Customers, Partners, or Employees

A well-crafted pitch deck can also help a startup attract new customers, partners, or employees. By presenting the company's unique value proposition, it can gain the attention of potential customers or partners who may be interested in working with the startup. Additionally, the pitch deck can highlight the company's growth potential, which can attract talented employees who see the potential for career growth within the company.

Gain Media Attention

A pitch deck can be used to gain media attention and increase the startup's visibility. By presenting a comprehensive and well-crafted pitch deck, the startup can demonstrate its potential to the media, which can lead to press coverage, interviews, and other media opportunities. This can help the startup reach a wider audience and attract potential investors.

Validate Business Model and Value Proposition

A pitch deck can be used as validation for startups and for a value proposition. By presenting the deck to customers and partners, the startup can gather feedback and make adjustments to its strategy. This can help the startup refine its product or service and ensure that it meets the needs of its target market.

Internal Communication

Finally, a pitch deck can be a useful tool for internal communication. By creating a pitch deck, a startup can clarify its goals and priorities and ensure that everyone is aligned with the company's vision. The deck can be used to communicate the company's strategy, growth potential, and other important information to employees, which can help them stay motivated and work towards the company's goals.

Ultimately, a pitch deck is a versatile and essential tool for any startup. By creating a well-crafted pitch deck that effectively communicates the company's value proposition and potential, startups can achieve their business goals, gain new customers and partners, and attract investment.

Pitch Deck Outline

A pitch deck typically includes a combination of a presentation, slide show, and brochure that covers all aspects of the company. The components of a pitch deck that are necessary to convey the company's value proposition are as follows:

• Introduction : A brief introduction that provides an overview of the company, its history, and its mission.
• Problem statement : A clear and concise statement of the problem that the company is trying to solve.
• Solution statement: A description of the company's solution to the problem, highlighting the unique value proposition of the product.
• Market analysis : An analysis of the market opportunity for the company's solution, including size, growth potential, and competition.
• Business model : A description of the company's business model, including how it generates revenue, the cost structure, and the pricing strategy.
• Traction slide: A plan for how the company will reach its target audience, including the channels it will use, the cost per acquisition, and the ROI.
• Financial projections : Financial projections that demonstrate the potential for growth, including revenue, expenses, and profitability.
• Competition slide : A slide that analyzes the competition, highlighting the company's unique selling proposition and how it compares to other solutions in the market.
• Team slide : A slide that introduces the team, highlighting their experience, skills, and qualifications.
• Investment slide : The investment slide is used to outline the amount of capital needed, explain how it will be used, and highlight existing investors and their trust in the company.

A successful pitch deck should be visually appealing, using persuasive language and compelling visuals to convey the company's value proposition. It should be concise and engaging, allowing potential investors to understand how the product or service will benefit them or their company. By presenting a comprehensive and well-thought-out pitch deck, startups can demonstrate the potential of their company and how it can benefit from investment.

Ultimately, creating an effective pitch deck requires understanding the key elements that are necessary to convey the company's value proposition. By following the guidelines and including all the necessary components, startups can create a pitch deck that captures the attention of potential investors, engages them with the company's unique value proposition, and persuades them to invest in the company.

The aim of pitch deck creation is to convince investors to invest in the company by creating an emotional connection with the potential client through clear and concise content. By utilizing pitch training services , entrepreneurs can refine their pitch deck and improve their chances of success in securing investments.

The pitch deck needs to be able to answer the following questions:

When creating a pitch deck, it is important to not only answer the five key questions listed in the selection, but also to address any potential concerns or objections that investors may have. Here are some additional questions to consider:

• What is the total addressable market for your product/service?
• Who is your target customer?
• What are your key metrics for success?
• What are the risks associated with your business and how do you plan to mitigate them?
• What is your timeline for achieving key milestones?
• Who is on your team and what are their qualifications?
• What previous successes have you had in the industry?
• What is your exit strategy for investors?

Remember, the purpose of a pitch deck is to tell a compelling story about your business and differentiate yourself from competitors. Use persuasive language and compelling visuals to convey the unique value proposition of your company and address any potential concerns or objections that investors may have. Be concise, but also thorough in your presentation of the key aspects of your business. Following a pitch deck outline and structure guide can also help ensure that you cover all of the important topics in a clear and concise manner.

How to Tailor Your Pitch Deck for Different Audiences

Tailoring your pitch deck for different audiences can help you make a greater impact and increase your chances of success. Here are some tips for tailoring your pitch deck for different audiences:

Potential Investors

When pitching to potential investors, it's important to focus on the financials and the potential for return on investment. Make sure your pitch deck includes financial projections, market analysis, and a clear explanation of how the investment will be used to achieve your goals. Tailor your presentation to the specific interests and risk tolerance of the investors you are pitching to.

When pitching to potential customers, it's important to focus on the benefits and unique value proposition of your product or service, based on startup market research . Make sure your pitch deck includes a clear explanation of how your product or service solves a problem or meets a need that your customers have. Use visuals and real-world examples to demonstrate the benefits of your product or service.

When pitching to potential partners, it's important to focus on the potential for mutual benefit and how your partnership can help both parties achieve their goals. Make sure your pitch deck includes a clear explanation of how your partnership can help your partner reach their goals and how their partnership can help you reach yours. Use visuals and case studies to demonstrate the benefits of partnering with your company.

When pitching to potential employees, it's important to focus on the growth potential and unique culture of your company. Make sure your pitch deck includes a clear explanation of how your company is different from other companies in the industry and how you provide opportunities for career growth and development. Use visuals and testimonials from current employees to demonstrate the benefits of working for your company.

By tailoring your pitch deck to different audiences, you can increase your chances of success and make a greater impact with your presentation. Remember to focus on the specific interests and needs of each audience and use persuasive language and compelling visuals to convey your message.

Essential Elements of a Winning Pitch Deck

While the needs of every business are unique and specific to their goals, certain elements can help you achieve success. Our winning pitch deck elements will give you a clear idea of what your pitch deck should include. You can add more features, but including these elements will help you stand out.

1. Have a Catchy Business Vision

Your vision is the soul of your idea. Therefore, you need to make this statement as expressive as possible. Keep it short and simple; make it a one-line sentence to summarize your brand. For example:

• L'Oréal Paris: "Because You're Worth It."
• MasterCard: "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard."

Think of it as a short tweet to express your sudden thought. But you need to be creative and open-minded to design a catchy tagline that will reflect your vision in the best way. Just keep in mind that people should be able to remember this part even if they miss out on the presentation. 2. Highlight the Problem and its Intensity

The success of your idea or brand depends on the scale of the problem it promises to solve. Perhaps your product solves a pressing issue in society, or maybe you have a better solution than the already available products in the market. Therefore, you need to highlight the problem that consumers are facing, its intensity, and the dire need for its solution. This is where investors can see their money making more money.

Be specific about the problem and add recent statistics to paint a better picture for the investors.

3. Equip Your Solution with Graphical Presentation

Now is the time to introduce the star solution of the evening: your product. Talk about the benefits your idea or product can bring to consumers' lives. Develop your storyline by highlighting the major problem faced by a large population, and then explain how your product is the only solution for people.

It is advisable to add pictures and appealing graphics to attract the audience's attention because people tend to remember images more than long speeches.

4. Present Your Company's Business Model with Planned Strategies

This business model slide from deck will explain the capacity of your business to generate profit and benefit investors, owners, and consumers together. Here, you can highlight the advanced strategies that your business will employ to bring better and bigger profits. You can also explain the monthly growth since you first opened your doors to consumers.

The main goal is to show investors the huge opportunity that should not be ignored at any cost, along with the least possible risk scenario.

5. Highlight the Expertise of Your Team Members

Your team members are the driving force of your mission and vision. They are the key ingredient in your recipe, so don't just mention your team members; highlight why they are the right people for the job. You can briefly talk about their past experiences and their capabilities to achieve the set targets in this slide from deck .

6. Explain Planned Marketing Strategies

Customers are the lifeblood of any business, so it's important to explain how you plan to attract them. Describe your marketing and sales plan, highlighting key tactics that you have in store. You can also emphasize how your strategy will have a greater impact than your competitors. Explain your sales channels and methods to ensure that your brand gets the attention it deserves.

7. Strategy to Tackle Competition

Underestimating your competitors is the biggest mistake that many startups make. You don't have to directly target your competitors, but you should show how your product is different from existing solutions and how it changes the present scenario despite the intense competition. Explain your uniqueness and why customers would prefer your brand over others.

8. Talk about Investment Including Usage Schemes

The whole purpose of a pitch deck is to secure the investment you need to bring your vision to life. Explain how much capital you need and why, and describe how you plan to utilize the funded amount. You can also mention your existing investors and why they trust you, which can motivate others to trust you as well.

Now you know what a pitch deck is, its definition, and what elements should be included in it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in a Pitch Deck

Creating a pitch deck can be a daunting task, especially if you are new to the process. However, it's important to avoid common mistakes that can detract from your message and undermine the effectiveness of your presentation. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when creating a pitch deck:

1. Lack of Clarity

One of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when creating a pitch deck is failing to communicate their message clearly. A pitch deck should be concise and easy to understand, with each slide highlighting a key point or idea. Avoid using jargon or technical language that may confuse or alienate your audience. Instead, use simple, easy-to-understand language and visuals to convey your message.

2. Failing to Address the Problem

The problem your startup solves is the foundation of your pitch deck. Failing to address the problem clearly and effectively can make it difficult for investors to understand the value of your product or service. Make sure that your pitch deck clearly defines the problem and highlights its impact on consumers or the market.

3. Ignoring the Competition

Ignoring the competition is a common mistake that can undermine the effectiveness of your pitch deck. Investors want to know that you have a clear understanding of the competitive landscape and have a plan to differentiate your product or service from others in the market. Make sure that your pitch deck includes a competitive analysis that highlights your unique value proposition and how it compares to other solutions in the market.

4. Overcomplicating Financial Projections

Financial projections are an important part of any pitch deck, but overcomplicating them can be a mistake. Avoid presenting financial projections that are too complex or difficult to understand. Instead, focus on presenting financial projections that are realistic and based on sound assumptions. Make sure to clearly explain your revenue model and how you plan to generate revenue.

5. Failing to Highlight the Team

Your team is a key part of your startup's success, and failing to highlight their expertise and experience can be a mistake. Make sure that your pitch deck includes a slide that introduces your team and highlights their qualifications and experience. This can help build credibility and establish trust with potential investors.

6. Neglecting to Tell a Compelling Story

A pitch deck is more than just a collection of slides; it's an opportunity to tell a compelling story about your startup and its potential for success. Failing to tell a compelling story can make it difficult for investors to connect with your message and see the value of your product or service. Make sure that your pitch deck tells a story that is engaging, persuasive, and memorable.

7. Using Poor Quality Visuals

Visuals are an important part of any pitch deck, but using poor quality visuals can detract from your message and undermine the effectiveness of your presentation. Make sure that your pitch deck includes high-quality visuals that are clear, easy to understand, and visually appealing. Use charts, graphs, and images to support your message and make it easier for investors to understand your key points.

8. Failing to Practice

Finally, failing to practice your pitch can be a mistake. Practice is essential for delivering a pitch that is confident, persuasive, and effective. Make sure to practice your pitch in front of colleagues, friends, or family members to get feedback and improve your delivery. This can help you refine your message and deliver a pitch that resonates with potential investors.

In summary, creating a pitch deck requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a clear understanding of your audience and message. Avoiding these common mistakes can help you create a pitch deck that is engaging, persuasive, and effective in securing the investment you need to grow your startup.

The Importance of Storytelling in a Pitch Deck

When it comes to pitching your business idea or plan, storytelling can be a powerful tool to capture the attention and imagination of potential investors or partners. Storytelling can help you connect with your audience on an emotional level and make your presentation more engaging and memorable.

Here are some reasons why storytelling is important in a pitch deck:

1. It Helps You Stand Out

There are likely many other startups or businesses vying for the attention of potential investors or partners. By telling a compelling story about your business, you can differentiate yourself from competitors and make a lasting impression on your audience.

2. It Makes Your Presentation More Memorable

Research has shown that people are more likely to remember stories than facts or statistics alone. By incorporating storytelling into your pitch deck, you can make your presentation more memorable and increase the likelihood that your audience will remember key aspects of your business.

3. It Can Help You Connect With Your Audience

Storytelling can be a powerful way to connect with your audience on an emotional level. By sharing personal anecdotes or stories that illustrate the impact of your business, you can help your audience see the human side of your company and build a connection with them.

4. It Helps You Communicate Your Unique Value Proposition

Storytelling can also help you communicate your unique value proposition in a clear and compelling way. By using storytelling techniques to illustrate the problem your business solves and the benefits it provides, you can help your audience understand why your business is different from others in the market.

When incorporating storytelling into your pitch deck, it's important to keep a few key tips in mind:

• Keep it simple: Your story should be easy to understand and follow.
• Be authentic: Share stories that are true and genuine.
• Keep it concise: Your story should be short and to the point, focusing on the key aspects of your business that you want to communicate.

By using storytelling techniques in your pitch deck, you can make your presentation more engaging, memorable, and effective at communicating your unique value proposition.

If anyone asks "what is a pitch deck" or about the definition of a pitch deck, you can easily answer. A pitch deck is an investor's first impression of your startup. It needs to be compelling enough to convince them that it is worth investing in your company.

This is why it's essential for founders to ensure that the deck they are presenting is impeccable and leaves no room for questions. The best way to do this is by making sure that the deck reflects the investor's interests and risk tolerance. This way, investors will know that their money will be safe with you and you will be able to successfully scale your startup.

Investors are a crucial part of the success of any startup. They not only provide monetary support, but they also have a wealth of knowledge and connections that can help build up your business. In return, investors want to see a return on their investment, which could come in the form of equity in your company or by taking interest from dividends from your company's profits.

Startups often find it challenging to scale. They want to reach more customers, but they struggle to convert enough leads into sales. This is where a pitch deck comes in. The pitch deck is your road map for how to achieve success and your key promotional and marketing tool.

To ensure you get the most out of your pitch deck, make sure it has impactful visuals and compelling copy to capture the attention of investors or potential customers at first glance.

Key Takeaways

A pitch deck is a versatile tool that can be used to communicate a startup's value proposition, potential, and goals to stakeholders such as investors, customers, and employees.

A well-crafted pitch deck should include key components such as an introduction, problem statement, solution statement, market analysis, business model, traction plan, financial projections, competition analysis, team introduction, and investment plan.

Tailoring a pitch deck to different audiences can increase its effectiveness. When pitching to investors, focus on financials and potential ROI. When pitching to customers, focus on the benefits and unique value proposition of the product. When pitching to partners, focus on mutual benefit. When pitching to employees, focus on the growth potential and unique culture of the company.

Common mistakes to avoid in a pitch deck include lack of clarity, ignoring the competition, overcomplicating financial projections, neglecting to tell a compelling story, and using poor quality visuals.

Storytelling can be a powerful tool in a pitch deck. It can help the audience connect with the startup on an emotional level, make the presentation more memorable, and communicate the unique value proposition in a clear and compelling way.

Table Of Content

Explore Our Services

Explore our top-notch pitch deck service

We help discerning startups and growing businesses create powerful pitch decks that attract investors and secure big deals.

Subscribe to our newsletter and keep in touch with us

An error has occurred somewhere and it is not possible to submit the form. Please try again later.

Only available to newsletter subscribers!

Answers, To The Most Asked Questions

How long should a pitch deck be, what should be included in the introduction of a pitch deck, how can a startup tailor a pitch deck to potential customers, what is the purpose of a traction slide in a pitch deck, how important is storytelling in a pitch deck, you may like.

10 Best Cyber Security Startup Ideas

Discover the most promising cybersecurity startup ideas for 2023. Drive innovation, meet market demands, and elevate digital safety. Start your journey now!

Read Article

10 Best Software Startup Ideas

Discover the hottest software startup ideas for 2023. Dive into trends, market potentials, and launch strategies to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey!

10 Pros and Cons of Venture Capital You Should Know

Explore the dynamics of venture capital. Dive into its benefits, potential pitfalls, and learn how it can shape startup trajectories. Make informed decisions with our guide.

10 Unique Clothing Business Ideas

Discover groundbreaking fashion business concepts for 2023! From sustainability to tech trends, master the art of differentiating your brand. Dive in now!

discover the menu

Get Ready For Funding

Pitch Deck Service

Pitch Training

Financial Modeling

Investor Outreach

Fundraising Consultant

We normally respond within 24 hours

View all our blog articles

• Browse Mentors
• URL copied!

How to Craft a Perfect Pitch Deck: 10 Expert Tips

Creating a perfect pitch is essential for startups seeking investment. Discover how to construct a compelling narrative that engages and convinces investors.

• Co-Founder @ Pitch Deck Creators
• 17 Nov 2023

A pitch deck is more than just a presentation; it’s the key to acquiring funding opportunities and the ultimate success of the startup. When starting a business, securing capital is crucial, and to do that, you need to persuade potential investors.

But how? It’s not just about building relationships or having great communication skills. It’s about presenting your investment opportunity in a way that gets them excited about partnering with you.

The secret? A captivating pitch deck. With the right ingredients, your pitch deck can transform your startup’s vision into a story that not only informs but also entices.

Before discussing the essential components and must-have ingredients of a pitch deck, let’s first understand the basic fundamentals of a startup pitch deck: What it is and why startups need one. What’s the primary purpose of crafting such a deck?

What is a Pitch Deck and Why is it Important for Startups?

A pitch deck is a series of slides crafted to describe a startup’s vision, aiming to persuade investors to buy into its future.

Originating from old-school presentations where “slides” on overhead projectors depicted ideas, today’s pitch decks are digital, using platforms like PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Figma if you want a sexy design! They combine compelling narratives with visuals to convey information about a company or product.

Whether sent to potential investors or used during in-person or virtual pitches, a pitch deck is invaluable. It not only showcases a startup’s promise but also serves as its first impression to investors.

In the competitive startup fundraising world, a compelling pitch deck can be the difference between securing investment or not.

So, what should be the essential elements of a standout pitch deck? Let’s explore the 10 must-have ingredients every successful pitch deck should possess.

10 Must-Have Pitch Deck Ingredients

Creating a standout pitch deck for your startup? Here are 10 essential ingredients to ensure it captivates your potential investors and sets your startup on the path to success:

1. Dynamic Storytelling: Your Startup’s Story

Telling a compelling story is essential for a pitch deck. It means sharing your startup’s journey in a way that’s clear and relatable. Instead of diving deep into every detail, your aim is to pique interest.

Talk about the hurdles you’ve crossed and how your product or service makes a difference in customers’ lives. Good stories resonate with people. They can stir emotions and sway them toward your vision.

Starting your pitch with a story about your startup’s roots or a testimonial about how your product positively impacted a user can be powerful.

Moreover, a unique company story makes your startup memorable. Highlighting what’s distinct about your team not only garners attention but also fosters trust. It becomes a testament to why potential investors or partners should join your journey.

2. A Perfect Structure

A pitch deck’s structure can make or break your presentation. An effective sequence can create a compelling narrative for your business idea. While it’s tempting to provide exhaustive details, excessive slides can overwhelm and disengage listeners.

Conversely, too few might undersell your vision. Striking a balance with 10-15 slides, each honing in on a single crucial point is key.

Notably, the design and visual appeal of the deck can enhance comprehension, making it as important as the content. In essence, structure and design combined determine the success of your pitch.

Must-Have Slides for a Pitch Deck:

Here are the most important slides that a perfect deck structure must have:

• Introduction Slide: Your business snapshot. Engage with a concise overview and value proposition.
• Problem Slide: Highlight a specific market problem. Make it relatable and urgent.
• Why Now: Explain why the problem is critical now. Use timely statistics or trends. Show the urgency of the problem and then your solution.
• Solution: Detail your unique solution. Link it clearly to the problem.
• Product: Showcase the key features and benefits of your product.
• Market: Define your market’s size and your potential share. Use both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
• Competition: Identify the main competitors and your unique edge.
• Go-to-Market Strategy: Outline your GTM plan to capture the market. Include target audience and distribution methods.
• Traction: Demonstrate business progress with metrics like revenue, KPIs, or media coverage.
• Team: Highlight key team members’ roles and their expertise, demonstrating why your team is best.
• Fundraising: Detail funds raised and future needs. Project growth over the next few years.

3. Design and Visual Consistency

A pitch deck is your business’s visual ambassador. Consistent, engaging design not only captivates the audience but also reinforces your brand’s identity.

An inconsistent deck can confuse or even alienate potential investors. Conversely, a well-designed, visually harmonious presentation can communicate professionalism, dedication, and a keen eye for detail—qualities investors value.

Best Design and Visual Tips for Pitch Decks:

• Uniform Color Palette: Stick to a select set of colors that reflect your brand, ensuring easy recognition and a cohesive look.
• High-Quality Images: Use relevant, professional photos that amplify your message without overwhelming the slide’s content. Don’t just use images to fill empty spaces; they must help the investor understand
• Minimize Text: Less is more. Highlight key points, and avoid clutter. Let your words during the pitch fill in the details.
• Maintain Font Consistency: Choose legible fonts and keep their size and style consistent throughout to ensure readability and professionalism.
• Single Message Per Slide: Each slide should convey one central idea, making it easier for the audience to follow and absorb the content.

4. Speak With Numbers

A successful pitch deck speaks more with numbers than words. Numbers show evidence of your startup’s progress and potential.

Always use the latest stats and market research to earn investor trust. Traction, or your company’s growth, is proof you’re on the right track.

Before each pitch, update your deck with new achievements or metrics. Cluttered slides confuse investors, so keep it neat. Aim for 6-8 lines or around 30 words on each slide.

Avoid using too much text. Instead, let clear, strong numbers make your point. Keep it straightforward: use numbers to tell your story and grab the attention of your audience.

5. An Attractive Market Opportunity

Another important ingredient for a successful pitch deck and to win investors, a pitch deck must highlight a tempting market opportunity and a perfect marketing strategy . Investors seek profits, so founders must show there’s demand for their offer and that they have tapped that demand.

Researching the market thoroughly is key. Your deck should then paint this opportunity vividly, hinting at big profits. Though a market size slide typically handles this, your entire deck should echo this potential, including through traction.

Highlight the target market size, its growth, and who exactly you’re aiming for. What’s the scope of the problem you’re tackling? Remember, it’s not just about market numbers but making investors see and feel the vast potential ahead.

6. A Realistic Business Plan and Financial Projections

Your pitch deck must show a clear, believable business plan and financial outlook. Use easy charts for clear data presentation. Highlight how you’ll earn, detailing pricing, marketing plan , customer data, and growth projections.

Stay grounded – investors often halve sky-high predictions. Ground your growth in real data or relatable industry examples. For early-stage startups, lean on convincing projections and competitor models to show potential growth.

Always remember, to impress, you need more than just big market numbers; showcase why the market’s ripe for your solution. Research thoroughly to understand both market size and your ideal customer traits.

7. Clear Call to Action (CTA)

End your pitch deck with a clear call to action (CTA). A strong CTA adds urgency and can secure the investment you’re seeking. It’s not just about presenting facts but guiding investors on what to do next.

Whether you’re seeking funding, partners, or deeper talks, make your Ask evident. But be smart. Match your funding request to the investor’s capacity. If you’re pitching to a big fund, don’t undersell with a small ask.

It’s vital that investors see the path forward and feel a push to act. Make their next steps simple and obvious.

8. Empathy and Audience Understanding

For a pitch deck to truly resonate, it needs empathy. This means understanding and connecting emotionally with investors. Why? Because genuine empathy builds trust.

When startups weave in relatable narratives, they not only convey their business ideas but also evoke feelings. This emotional bond can be a game-changer. It’s more than just facts and figures; it’s about sharing a story that investors can feel and relate to.

Keep it simple, direct, and heartfelt. After all, pitch decks are more than tools; they’re a window into your passion and vision. Make sure investors see, feel, and understand that.

9. Impactful Headlines

Last but not least, startups’ pitch deck isn’t just about sleek designs or fancy graphics; it’s anchored in the headlines. These headlines aren’t mere placeholders. They narrate the essence of your startup, telling a captivating story in brief, meaningful chunks.

But here’s the challenge: while narratives are easy to grasp, how do you simplify without diluting the essence? The magic lies in specificity.

Ditch generic titles. Instead of just ‘Team’, go with ’15y track record both building in selling in XZY industry’. Such headlines paint a vivid picture, emphasizing the unique value and story of your startup.

Remember, your headline should be self-sufficient. Read it, and you instantly get the slide’s core message. That’s the power of a headline done right.

Mistakes to Avoid for Early Founders

“Even the best ideas can be undermined by a poor pitch,” notes business expert Jane Smith. Early founders, while enthusiastic, often trip on pitfalls during presentations. So, what are the must-known red flags for founders when crafting a startup pitch deck?

10 Red Flags in a Startup Pitch Deck:

• Overloaded Slides: Avoid cramming too much into slides; it confuses and overwhelms investors.
• Dissing Competitors: Be cautious, and always show respect; you never know who’s listening.
• Jargon Overload: Avoid technical lingo. Aim for simplicity and clarity.
• Poor Graphics: Low-quality visuals detract. Invest in good graphics to enhance your message.
• Excessive Financials: Give a snapshot. Detailed finances can come later.
• Missing Storytelling: Narratives connect. Weave a compelling story for memorability.
• No Market Validation: Showcase real numbers and market traction. Avoid ambiguity.
• Vague Financial Projections: Be clear and realistic with your financial roadmap.
• Unclear Differentiation: Highlight what sets you apart from peers clearly and confidently.

Remember, capturing investor attention requires clarity, authenticity, and passion. Avoid these pitfalls to make a lasting impact.

Crafting the perfect pitch deck is both an art and a science. It’s not just about presenting facts; it’s about telling a story and resonating with your audience. Every slide, every word, should be intentional and serve a purpose.

Avoid common pitfalls, stay authentic, and always aim for clarity. Remember, at the heart of every successful pitch is a genuine connection with your audience.

So, focus on that connection, be transparent, and let your passion shine through. With the right approach, your pitch deck can open doors and set you on the path to success.

Latest blog posts

Read this if you are tired of searching the internet for ‘Social Media Advice’

If you haven’t posted on social media in a while, chances are that no one will see whatever you write anyhow because of the way the algorithms work. On top of that, understanding WHY you should post on social media and how it all functions is crucial. Let’s get started!

How to validate a startup idea using a pre-launch landing page and less than $500 in PPC spend

This is a real-life case study showing exactly what Foti did to validate his idea for GrowthMentor before launching it.

Leadership in Startups

Ammarah Ahmed spends her days solving problems as a VP for business growth and performance. In this article, she shares what it means to be an effective startup leader and the skills great leaders need.

Get personalized advice you'd never get from reading blogs

• All mentors are vetted for hard skills, but also soft skills like empathy.
• Use dynamic filters to find the perfect mentor for you.
• Find support in a community of like-minded peers.

What Is a Slide Deck & How It's Done (Tips & Templates)

Learn what a slide deck is. Get tips and templates for making a professional slide deck presentation for business that goes beyond PowerPoint.

Dominika Krukowska

6 minute read

Short answer

What is a slide deck?

A slide deck is a sequence of slides, or pages, used as visual aids in a presentation or a speech. It’s used in business and education to communicate complex information. The slides in the deck are set in a logical order that completes a coherent narrative.

The term “slide deck” comes from the original mechanical slide projector which used a kind of magazine shaped as a carousel to move through a series of transparent slides which were projected on a screen. The term now refers to individual pages within digital presentations.

Dull presentations achieve only boredom - is your slide deck dull?

Capturing and maintaining an audience's attention is no easy feat. If your presentations are dull, you risk boring your audience, failing to convey your message effectively, or even becoming a go-to example for a bad presentation.

But what if there’s a way to minimize the risk?

In this post, we'll cover what a slide deck is and what it isn't.

You’ll learn how to avoid the common mistakes that demolish engagement and how to create an effective slide deck to transform your presentations from boring to buzzworthy.

Let’s dive in!

Slide deck vs. slideshow

A slide deck is a series of slides crafted for a presentation, whereas a slideshow is typically a looping set of images or videos, often with little to no interactive elements. While slide decks are used for communicating information, slideshows are generally used for entertainment.

Slide deck vs. presentation

The difference between a slide deck and a presentation is that a slide deck is a collection of slides that contains information, while a presentation is the act of delivering the information to an audience. The slide deck is the visual aid used during a presentation to support the speaker's message.

Static vs. interactive slide deck

A static slide deck presentation includes only static content such as text and images, whereas an interactive slide deck presentation includes clickable elements, animations, or embedded media that provide a dynamic, immersive experience users can interact with.

Interactive slide decks have been shown to be much more engaging than static ones since they facilitate the reader’s active participation.

This allows readers to hide or expose content on demand, control the pace at which content is served, and see information tailored to them.

You can see the difference below:

What is a slide deck presentation in PowerPoint?

A slide deck presentation in PowerPoint is a series of static slides arranged in a fixed order.

Created in Microsoft's PowerPoint software, it allows for structured information delivery, but lacks interactive elements, limiting audience engagement during the presentation.

Here's an example of a slide deck presentation in PowerPoint:

What is a slide deck presentation in Google Slides?

In Google Slides, a slide deck presentation is a sequence of slides designed within this cloud-based platform.

It offers the convenience of online collaboration and accessibility, but like traditional tools, it primarily features static slides, limiting the potential for interactive audience engagement.

Here's an example of a slide deck presentation in Google Slides:

What is a slide deck presentation in Storydoc?

A slide deck presentation in Storydoc is more than just a series of slides. It's an interactive journey crafted within the platform using narrated design.

Unlike traditional tools, it allows for dynamic elements and user interaction, significantly enhancing audience engagement and the overall presentation experience.

Here's an example of a slide deck presentation in Storydoc:

What makes a good slide deck?

A good slide deck grabs attention through a clear narrative, compelling visuals, and concise text. It's not just about information, but also interaction.

Engaging slide decks often incorporate dynamic elements, encourage audience participation, and are crafted with an understanding of the audience's needs and interests.

What are slide decks used for in business?

Slide decks are the backbone of effective business communication. They help audiences understand complex concepts, make informed decisions, and take action.

How slide decks are used:

• To present complex data in an understandable way
• To share company updates or strategies during meetings
• To pitch ideas or products to clients or investors
• To support webinars or training sessions
• To tell compelling stories to engage and persuade audiences

What should a slide deck presentation include?

A slide deck presentation should include a clear narrative structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. It should feature compelling visuals that support your message, concise and easy-to-read text, and interactive elements to engage your audience.

Remember to include a call-to-action, guiding your audience towards the desired outcome.

Check out our dedicated guides for specific types of slide decks:

What to Include in a Pitch Deck (Slides 99% of Investors Want)

7 elements of a great sales deck structure

What should a one-pager include?

What does a marketing deck include?

What are the main types of business slide decks?

The main types of business slide decks are:

• Pitch deck presentations
• Sales deck presentations
• Product marketing presentations
• White papers
• Case studies
• Report presentations
• Education and academic presentations
• Business proposal presentations
• Sports sponsorship proposals
• Business plan presentations

Jump ahead to each type:

1. Pitch deck presentations

These slide decks are the golden ticket for startups seeking investment. They succinctly present the business idea, market potential, and growth strategy to convince investors to come on board.

Here’s an example of a pitch deck presentation:

If you want to find out more about pitch deck presentations, read these articles:

What Is a Pitch Deck? A Beginner's Guide to Greatness

Create a Winning Pitch Deck Investors Love (Examples & Tips)

2. Sales deck presentations

These slide decks showcase the unique benefits of your product or service and demonstrate why it's the ideal solution for the customer's needs.

Their main goal is to convince prospects to become paying customers of your solution.

Here’s an example of a sales deck presentation:

To learn more, check out our article on how to make a sales pitch deck that turns ‘Maybe’ to ‘Yes!’ .

3. Product marketing presentations

These slide decks introduce new products or features, highlighting their benefits and how they solve the target audience's problems, sparking interest and driving sales.

Here’s an example of a product marketing presentation:

4. White papers

These slide decks are comprehensive reports that provide an in-depth analysis of a problem and its solution, showcasing your business expertise.

Here’s an example of a white paper:

5. Case studies

These slide decks share customer success stories. They show how your product or service has helped a customer, building credibility with potential clients.

Here’s an example of a case study:

For more information, check out our blog posts:

What Is a Case Study & Customer Success Story?

5 Steps for Writing a Case Study for Business (+Templates)

12 Steps to Create a Business Case Study That Converts

Case Study Format Types: Match Format with Business Goals

These decks present complex data in an engaging way. They transform raw data into understandable insights, making information accessible to all.

Here’s an example of a report presentation:

7. One-pagers

These slide decks provide a quick overview of your product or service on the first touchpoint with a potential customer. They highlight key features and benefits in a concise, easy-to-digest format.

Here’s an example of a one-pager presentation:

To learn more about this slide deck type, read our guides:

What Is a One-Pager: Types, Benefits & Main Use Cases

Make One-Pagers That Grab Attention, Engage & Convert

Create a Sales One-Pager (Examples, Writing Tips, Templates)

Create a Business Plan One-Pager (+ Proven Templates)

How to Create a Startup One-Pager That Wows Investors

How to Create a Product One-Pager (That Gets People Excited)

8. Education and academic presentations

These slide decks simplify complex concepts and present research findings in an engaging way, fostering understanding and learning.

Here’s an example of an academic presentation:

Research proposal

This school research presentation template is perfect for students who need to present their findings from a research project. The template includes space for a title, introduction, main body, conclusion, and bibliography.

For more guidance, we have an article on how to write a research proposal that includes tips and templates.

9. Business proposal presentations

These slide decks summarize your offering and demonstrate its value, helping to secure business agreements and close deals.

Here’s an example of a business proposal presentation:

If you want to create your own, make sure to check out these posts:

How to Write a Business Proposal (Examples & Templates)

Make a Winning Business Proposal Presentation in 12 Steps

10. Sports sponsorship proposals

These slide decks highlight the benefits sponsors will receive in return for their investment, helping to secure funding for sports teams.

Here’s an example of a sports sponsorship proposal presentation:

Football sponsorship proposal

This bright and energetic template reflects the dynamic nature of sports. With a combination of text-based and interactive slides, you'll easily convey the history of your organization, as well as the team's main drivers and objectives, to make sponsors instantly realize the value for their money.

11. Business plan presentations

These slide decks serve as roadmaps for businesses. They detail the company's strategy and objectives, aligning team members and attracting potential investors.

Here’s an example of a business plan presentation:

General Business Plan

This template has everything you need to create a visual summary of your business idea. Thanks to a range of interactive slides, you'll be able to convey your vision in a way that impresses investors and gets you the necessary buy-in.

Best slide deck templates to get you started

Embarking on your slide deck journey doesn't have to start from scratch. With tried and tested templates, you're already a step ahead. They’re designed to be responsive, ensuring your content shines on every device.

If you're ready to take your presentations to the next level, explore our interactive slide deck templates below, guided by AI and reader feedback. They’ll help you create professional slide decks that captivate, engage, and inspire.

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

Found this post useful?

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Get notified as more awesome content goes live.

(No spam, no ads, opt-out whenever)

You've just joined an elite group of people that make the top performing 1% of sales and marketing collateral.

Create your best slide deck to date

Try Storydoc interactive presentation maker for 14 days free (keep any presentation you make forever!)

A guide to creating great decks and presentations

At some point in your creative career, chances are, you’ll have to make some kind of deck. Used as a key communication tool in many creative roles, decks convey ideas through a carefully selected sequence of words and images. A great deck can help you explain a brilliant idea, tell a powerful story, or sell your skills and experience in one neat little package. While it can seem like a lot to balance, the process of putting one together needn’t be tricky. We take you through all the steps to create a fail-proof one.

What’s the difference between a deck and presentation?

A deck is simply a set of digital slides containing images and words, used to get across an idea. You’ll often need to make a deck when you want to persuade someone to think about something in a certain way.

A presentation is a form of communication that tells a story or expresses an idea. A presentation can include a deck, but it can also be delivered as a video, audio file, or as a speech.

You can give a presentation without a deck (for example, a Ted Talk with no visuals) and you can send a deck without having to present it (for example, sending a PDF update of a project with written notes).

Typically, a deck is:

The visual component of a presentation, without any spoken dialogue

A digital file made using the software of your choice

Presented in landscape format

Decks can be designed for the following purposes:

To be presented in person, as part of a meeting – via a laptop or TV screen

To be presented virtually, for example via Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams

To be viewed in the form of a PDF sent over email, as a live link or a downloaded file

When will you need to make one?

Depending on where you’re at in your career, you might need to make decks for different purposes. These could include:

Creating a presentation as part of a job interview task

Pitching and presenting ideas in response to a brief

Creating briefs, treatments or presenting research

Informal purposes, such as to introduce yourself at a new job

What does a deck look like?

The work of deck-making is often done behind the scenes in a studio, and for copyright or competition-related reasons, creative development decks are often kept under lock and key. 🚨 This means that great examples of decks are not easy to find online!

That being said, as soon as you start working alongside other creative people on projects, you’ll likely have a chance to check out their approach. If you’re part of a studio, you can usually check out their previous decks. And if you’re a freelancer, you could ask more established freelancers to talk you through some of their decks – it never hurts to ask!

Ultimately, the look and feel of a deck will differ depending on what it’ll be used for. You can see great examples of presentations and decks during online or in-person talks; some good examples are Nicer Tuesdays or the First Round conference, in which creative leaders talk through their work-in-progress visual identity decks.

What goes into a deck?

The slides needed for a deck will differ depending on what it’ll be used for; you might need less for a short introductory talk about yourself, and more for an in-depth pitch to a client.

Generally speaking, most decks will include a combination of some (or all) of the following slides:

Contents page

Title pages to signpost different sections

Project slides to support different combinations of images, text or moving image

Conclusion page to detail any next steps

Final page with contact details

What makes a great deck?

In a nutshell, a great deck should be:

Clear, concise and cohesive

Specific to and engaging for your audience or reader

Supporting the story you want to tell

Carefully checked for accuracy, spelling and image quality

A lot of the things that make a deck successful also apply to making great portfolios. You can find all sorts of transferable learnings and relevant advice in our guide to creating your PDF portfolio .

Before you begin: Planning your presentation

Before you start choosing colour palettes and flicking through font choices, there are some essential considerations to keep in mind:

🤔 Who is your audience? What do they need to know?

Are you pitching new ideas to a client, or updating your co-workers on a project’s process? Knowing the purpose of your deck will inform your structure, design and layout. For example, a client pitch will require you to strike a different visual tone to a catch-up with your team.

Think about the size and location of your audience. How might your approach differ for a big or small group, or whether you’ll be presenting it online or IRL?

⏰ How long will you have to present?

Knowing your exact timeframe will help you gauge the scale of your deck, how many slides you might need and how in-depth you can go with the details. While informal presentations to your co-workers may be more relaxed, running over with clients is not always an option, so be strict.

If you have a short amount of time, prioritise need-to-know info and get quickly into what you want feedback or input on. If you have more time, you can build your story gradually.

🤝 Are you working collaboratively or alone?

If you’re working on a deck as part of a team, you may want to delegate tasks. For example, one person could prepare the images while another writes the text. But remember: the text will always need to relate to the images (and vice versa) so make sure both collaborators cross-reference regularly.

If you’re presenting as a team, are you taking turns to speak? You’ll need to agree on who will be presenting each section. You can find more tips and tricks on preparing for presentations in our guide to public speaking .

How to create a structure that tells a story

Your deck needs to tell a story – whether that‘s guiding someone through different creative ideas, or taking a viewer on a journey from one point to another.

It’s vital to work out how you will explain and unpack your idea or project through your deck, as the right structure will ultimately determine how successfully your story comes across.

🕸️ Join the dots between your points

To start, write down everything you need to cover during the presentation. Create a list of talking points before beginning to build the slides or delving into image research.

Once you’ve worked out the key content to include, think about the best order in which to communicate this. Think of it as a linear process: you need to get from A to B in the clearest, most logical way.

🏁 Start and end well

The first slide of your deck should be as strong as the last. If you’re sending the deck by itself, ensure you summarise the contents at the start, and if you’re presenting, remind everyone of the purpose of the meeting so that your audience understands what you’re going to cover and what is being asked of them.

You might want to end the main section of your presentation with a memorable image, some well-chosen closing words, or a call to action inviting your audience to do something like approve a project budget, or select a creative idea for further development.

The final slides in your deck should include a short summary of what’s been covered and an outline of next steps. Don’t forget to include contact details in case the deck gets passed around.

Presenting a solution to a creative brief? This is one way of laying it out:

Title slide

Contents page: be sure to match your section titles to this

The brief or challenge: what is the specific request you’ve been asked to respond to, or what you were hoping to solve?

Starting points or initial inspiration

Your final idea(s), solutions or offerings: this can also include any alternatives

Timelines or additional information: this could include information regarding other collaborators or budgets

Conclusion or summary: a chance to reiterate the main points covered

Next steps or milestones in the process

If you’re attending a job interview or have been asked to prepare an introduction to your work – your deck structure might look like this:

• Title slide: this can include your name and role, along with a personalised greeting or message for your audience, like “Hi [name of studio], nice to meet you!”
• Contents page: you may want to skip this if you only have a few sections.
• Your background in a nutshell: this can be a short, personal statement that highlights your specific skills and interests. Don’t forget to inject some personality — this deck is meant to be about you, after all!
• Your work: only include projects that feel relevant to your audience. You might want to divide this section into several mini-sections if you have different types of work to showcase.
• Final page with contact details: let people know where they can reach you, whether that’s via email or on a social media platform.

How should you design a deck?

The way in which you combine visuals and text on slides can play a major role in how successfully you communicate your story. Remember, every image and word needs to earn the right to be included.

It can be useful to start by sketching out your rough layouts for your slides to visualise the main elements you need to cover.

🏡 Try out templates, or create your own

If you’re working in-house, there’ll likely already be set templates to follow or use as a starting point. Ask your colleagues to share different types of presentations, and familiarise yourself with the house style. If you’re a freelancer, it may be worth setting up a template using the same typefaces, layouts and colour palettes so that you can create some consistency across your decks. It will save you time in the future and bring a level of professionalism to your presentations.

Remember that a template should help you, not constrain you. Use one as an overall guide, but adjust according to the specific content you want to include — and give yourself room to play.

🔁 Consistency is key

Whether you’re following a preexisting template or setting up your own, consistency is key to putting together a cohesive deck. This is an opportunity to create system of rules that will provide you with a reliable and flexible structure, regardless of the kind of deck you need to put together.

Establishing a consistent visual language allows you to focus on telling the story at hand, rather than having to re-design your slides every time – and also helps an audience or viewer to follow your thought process. All your slides should feel like they belong to the same visual world. Here are a few key elements to consider:

• Grid, layout and treatment of images
• Colour palette
• Typefaces and treatment of text (choose one size for section headers, one for headlines, one for body copy or bullet points

💥 Create impact with your images

How might you create visual impact with your images? For example if there is a particularly strong visual that helps support the narrative of your presentation, why not make it full bleed to grab your viewer’s attention?

Or if you have a selection of images to share, think about what layout will help convey a variety of options without looking too cluttered. Remember that images should be captioned where necessary – describing to viewers what they’re seeing – without over-explaining.

Ensure your images have a high enough resolution that they look sharp, but not so large that they take ages to load! Exporting images as PNG files can be more reliable than JPEGs in terms of consistent quality.

👾 Know where it’s relevant to use GIFs

Videos or GIFs can be a great addition to a deck. If you have a shorter amount of time to present, a piece of moving image can quickly set the tone – whether poignant or humorous. They usually require less explanation than a still image, and the audience can watch clips and GIFs while the presenter is speaking.

In a longer presentation, you may be able to include a full-length video that will form a distinct chapter in the deck.

🔠 Be selective about how much text you include

The amount of text you use will depend on whether you’ll be talking through the deck, or sending it as a link or attachment for your audience to read in their own time. Think: how are you presenting?

As part of a meeting You may want to use less text in your slides (no one can read and listen at the same time). The fewer words on screen, the stronger the visual effect and overall impact.

Remember that if you’re presenting your deck to an audience, depending on the platform you use, you could always use speaker notes (additional details that no one else will see on screen) with additional information to elaborate on certain points or offer additional detail. This can also be a great tool to help you remember your cues.

Sending via email You might want to include more text on your slides so that the reader has all the information they need to understand the story without you there.

With all that said, be wary of where you place your text – avoid adding your copy over busy images or backgrounds to ensure everything is easily legible and to create maximum impact.

🌍 Opt for accessible typefaces

Choose a typeface that’s easy to read, and easily accessible – regardless of whether you’re presenting it from your laptop or sending it over email. You don’t want to spend hours designing your slides only for your text to appear in a default typeface later on. Have a look at our article to find a range of free fonts and typefaces for inspiration.

Once you’ve made your selection(s), ensure your text is large enough for people to read on a screen – whether in person or online.

🔺 Consider information hierarchy

A list may be easier to digest than a paragraph. Using a combination of the below can help make your content more digestible:

• Subheadings
• Bullet points
• Image captions

🚪 Use page furniture

This is information that consistently sits at the top or bottom of a slide. It can be a useful way of presenting information such as the date, project title, slide number and section title.

What can you use to actually build a deck?

How you make your deck depends on how your audience is going to receive it. Will you be presenting in person or online? Or do you need to send it via email?

There are a wide variety of deck-building platforms to choose from. Below are some of the main players. You can find more in our article on platforms and programs to make decks on .

Google Slides

Adobe InDesign (then export as a PDF)

Presented (service)

You could also use a mixture of these. If you’re creating your deck as a team effort, Google Slides or Pitch allows for seamless collaborative working and is easy to share as a link to a live file. Or you could use InDesign and then export the slides as a PDF, or individual jpegs to be dropped into another program.

You now have everything you need to go out and make amazing decks. Creating these takes practice, so don’t worry if you don’t nail it the first time. As you develop your deck-making skills, you’ll find a style you gravitate towards. Now go out there and dazzle the room with your sparkling slides!

With special thanks to Philippa Leguen de Lacroix, Director, Presented

Written by Creative Lives in Progress

Related Content

A guide to creating your portfolio website, a guide to networking and making connections.

The best creative advice from our 2023 Creative Lives

We use cookies on Creative Lives in Progress to analyse and measure activity across the website.

What is a Slide Deck? Everything You Need to Know!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

In my personal experience alone, I’ve seen people use very many different words including the word “Slide Deck” for a presentation. I always wondered what is the meaning of Slide Deck, and how is it different from other words commonly used to describe a presentation. So, I did a little research, and here’s what I found out!

A Slide Deck is a term assigned to a group of slides that together form a complete presentation. A slide deck is usually created using a presentation design application. A slide deck is often used as an aid for storytelling or presenting information about a topic or an organization.

But, how is a slide deck different from a slide show or a PowerPoint? In this article, we will understand the nuances of the various presentation terminologies used. Plus, I will also help you understand why is a slide deck really called a slide deck!

So, let’s get started.

A Quick Note Before We Begin – if you want to make jaw-dropping presentations, I would recommend using one of these Presentation Designs . The best part is – it is only $16.5 a month, but you get to download and use as many presentation designs as you like! I personally use it from time-to-time, and it makes my task of making beautiful presentations really quick and easy!

What is a Slide Deck?

When it comes to describing a presentation, there are several words that are used. One word that is often used is a “Slide Deck”.

As mentioned above, a slide deck really is a collection of slides put together to form a presentation. A slide deck is used in many organizations to give an overview about their organization, to share strategies or plans, or showcase performance updates, or even just sharing a piece of interesting information about a topic. There are several use cases for a slide deck!

You may wonder, “Is slide deck not just the same as a presentation?”. If so, then why not just call it a presentation instead of a slide deck? Why use the term slide deck at all?

Pro Tip: All slide decks are presentations, but not all presentations can be classified as a slide deck!

A presentation is usually a much broader term. For instance, when you are displaying a physical product and verbally sharing nuggets of information about that product, it is still referred to as a presentation. More specifically, it is called a product presentation.

The key difference between a slide deck and presentation is that a presentation is an act of delivering information such as a speech or a talk. Whereas, a slide deck is the visual aid used while giving a presentation!

Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, a slide deck and a presentation are actually two different terms!

Why is a Slide Deck called a Slide Deck? A Brief History!

The term slide deck evolved from an old technology that was used for projecting the slides on the wall. A physical 35 mm slide was inserted into a carousel slide projector . All the slides that were used during a presentation were collectively known as a slide deck (as in a deck of cards).

The term “slide deck” stuck around and became synonymous with a presentation even after the technology evolved . Thus, even today, many people refer to a presentation as a slide deck.

If you are wondering how this projector really worked, then you would be amazed to know that each model came with slots for 40 or 80 slides that could be inserted at a time.

Each slide would be placed upside down and backward in terms of the chronological order so that the image projected is in the correct orientation and order. The slide themselves were usually photographs and not much could be done on the slide.

Difference Between Slide Deck and Slide Show?

Another term that people often use interchangeably is a slide deck and a slide show.

A slide deck is the group of slides used to create a presentation. However, when these slides are displayed or shown to an audience while giving a presentation, the process is known as a slide show.

In other words, a slide deck is usually a presentation file whereas a slide show is a process of showing the contents of that file to an audience.

Slide Deck vs PowerPoint: What’s the Difference?

I’ve also seen people get confused between a slide deck and PowerPoint. Again, these are also another set of terms that are used interchangeably. But, there is a difference.

As mentioned before, a slide deck is usually a group of slides collectively put together to give a presentation. The term slide deck has existed even years before PowerPoint was introduced. As we learned above, a slide deck was initially used to describe the batch of physical slides used in a projector.

PowerPoint, on the other hand, is a presentation design software. Unlike a slide or a presentation, PowerPoint is actually a program that is used for designing a slide or creating a presentation.

As the technology evolved and a computer started to have more computing power, complex applications were designed to enable the ease of leveraging technology.

Contrary to the common opinion, PowerPoint was not created by Microsoft. It was first released by Forethought Inc in 1987 initially only for Mac OS. However, Microsoft acquired PowerPoint 3 months after its initial release and rebranded it as Microsoft PowerPoint.

What is the Difference Between Slide Deck and a Pitch Deck?

Another term that you may hear often, especially in the more recent times, is a pitch deck. It is important to note that using the two interchangeably might not be the correct thing to do. Here’s why –

A slide deck is basically all the final slides put together to create a presentation. However, a pitch deck is a type of a slide deck created with a very specific purpose of pitching an idea or a business model to an investor with the intention of raising funds for implementing the idea.

In this era of start-ups and entrepreneurs, a pitch deck is quite common. In fact, every time an organization is looking to raise funds for the project or business, a pitch deck is required.

Simply put, a pitch deck can also be called a slide deck, but not all slide decks can be referred to as a pitch deck!

What is a PowerPoint Slide Deck?

There are multiple ways of creating a slide deck. As we learned earlier, traditionally a slide deck was created using actual physical slides.

As the technology evolved, sophisticated computer applications were used to create a slide deck. One such application is Microsoft PowerPoint.

A PowerPoint slide deck is a term used to describe a slide deck or a presentation that is created using Microsoft PowerPoint as the presentation design application. A PowerPoint slide deck usually consists of multiple slides put together to create a presentation.

That said, a PowerPoint slide deck is more commonly referred to as a “slide deck” or just “Presentation” as PowerPoint is not the only presentation design application available to a user.

What is a Slide Deck in Google Slides?

Although PowerPoint has been one of the most well-known and commonly used presentation design programs, another application that has been gaining in popularity amongst the users is Google Slides!

The idea of a slide deck in Google Slides is pretty much the same. When you put together all the final slides that are going to be used in a presentation using Google Slides, it is known as a slide deck in Google Slides.

If you are not sure what exactly is Google Slides and would like to understand this a bit more in detail, I’ve written a detailed post on this topic. Make sure you check it out! Click on the below link.

What is Google Slides? The ULTIMATE Guide!

How to Make a Slide Deck in PowerPoint?

If you are using PowerPoint, one of the things that you may often be asked to do at work is to make a slide deck in PowerPoint. But, how exactly do you do that? Let me try to answer this question.

Here’s how to make a slide deck in PowerPoint –

• Open a PowerPoint Presentation
• Create a structure for your content
• Create a Title Slide
• Design the Other Remaining Slides
• Use Images relevant to the content
• Add Animations and Transitions
• Create a Thank You Slide
• Save Your Slide Deck
• Share the File with your team

Honestly, this topic deserves a separate article in itself. Perhaps even a single article may not be complete enough to cover this topic.

How to Make a Good Slide Deck?

Let’s face it – most of us don’t want to come across as incompetent. Thus, making a good slide deck is almost always important. But, how exactly does one do that?

There are actually several things that you can do to make an attractive presentation. I actually wrote a detailed article on how to easily create a good slide deck. The tips that I share in that article are also relevant for beginners. So, make sure you check out that article as well! The link is mentioned below.

7 EASY tips that ALWAYS make your PPT presentation attractive (even for beginners)

More Helpful Resources –

• Should You Add Table of Contents in your Presentation?
• How to Give a Presentation When You Are Not Prepared?
• A Quick Guide to Using Animations and Transitions in PowerPoint

Image Credit for the Featured Image

• Tips and Guides
• Industry Information

What is a Pitch Deck? How Important is it for a Start-up?

Ramachandiran.

• November 10, 2023

Table of Contents

A pitch deck is a visual presentation of your business destiny to stakeholders, investors, or followers. This concept aims to support or secure investment in your business.

Explore this writing work to find a clear vision on investor decks. Spend your precious time grabbing our edifying content about pitch decks and pitch deck designing agency . Let’s drive

What is a pitch deck?

A pitch deck is a presentation that helps you convince your business idea to investors or other interested parties. The slideshow includes your company’s value propositions, market opportunity, revenue model, team, and financial productivity.

Pitch decks are vital tools, especially for start-ups. Often, start-ups use pitch decks to raise funding, but established businesses can also use them to promote new products or services or partner with new businesses.

Why is it called a pitch deck?

The word “pitch” in this context means convincing someone to invest in or support your idea. Pitch decks are often created in PowerPoint Google Slide or Keynote presentations, which is why they are called “decks.”

A pitch deck helps you visually communicate the key parts of your business to investors or potential partners. This makes it easier to explain your idea and why it is valuable.

What is the purpose of a pitch deck?

A pitch deck gives a brief, persuasive snapshot of a business to investors, partners, or stakeholders. It’s a visual guide that covers the business model , market potential, unique offerings, finances, and team strengths, aiming to persuade and spark interest for support, funding, or partnerships.

A pitch deck is an important tool for entrepreneurs because it can help them raise capital, secure partnerships, and generate interest from customers. Let’s preview the overall process of pitch deck importance:

Raise capital: Investors are often bombarded with pitches, so a well-crafted pitch deck can help to grab their attention and make an excellent first impression. A pitch deck can also help to answer any questions that investors may have about the business.

Secure partnerships: Pitch decks can also be used to pitch to potential partners, such as suppliers, distributors, or marketing agencies. A pitch deck explains the benefits of partnering with the business and demonstrates its value proposition.

Generate interest from customers: Pitch decks can also be used to generate interest from potential customers. For example, a startup might use a pitch deck to pitch its product or service to potential beta testers.

A pitch deck should be concise and to the point. It should be visually appealing and easy to read. It should also be tailored to your specific audience, whether you are pitching to angel investors, venture capitalists, or corporate investors.

Why is a pitch deck important?

You know, a pitch deck is like a secret weapon for business folks. It’s a set of slides that tell the story of your business or project. And why is it so crucial? Well, think about it: when you need money, partners, or support for your cool business idea, this is your go-to tool.

You can share this pitch deck with potential investors or partners. They’re like your friends, but they might be willing to give you money or join your adventure. The pitch deck helps them see why your idea is fantastic, what it’s all about, and why they should jump on board.

In simple terms, a pitch deck is your tool to make your idea shine, grab attention, and get others to say, “I’m in!” It’s the roadmap to your business or project’s success.

Famous pitch decks example

Several famous pitch deck examples from successful startups and companies have become well-known in the business world. If you are an entrepreneur, we encourage you to study these pitch decks and learn from them. They can be a valuable resource as you develop your pitch deck.

Walt Disney

Source:Slideegg.com

Walt Disney’s original pitch deck , created in the early 1920s, stands as a landmark presentation. This groundbreaking document showcased Disney’s unique blend of storytelling and entertainment, providing a glimpse into his target audience, revenue strategy, and the immense possibilities within the realm of animation and family-oriented content.

Amazon’s early pitch deck , created in the mid-1990s, is widely regarded as a pivotal presentation. This landmark document unveiled Amazon’s groundbreaking vision for online shopping and its novel business approach. It highlighted the e-commerce giant’s vast market potential, its revenue strategy, and its ambition to transform consumer behavior.

McDonald’s initial pitch deck , created in the 1950s, is a . This old document showed how McDonald’s was different in delivering food quickly, the same way every time, and at a low price. It gave information about what was on the McDonald’s menu, how the company planned to grow, and the new franchise model that helped McDonald’s become a global fast-food chain.

Get investor pitch deck presentations online , and studying them can provide insights into how successful companies present their ideas and business plans to investors. Keep in mind that pitch deck content and design can evolve, and what worked for these companies at their early stages may not be directly applicable to every business or project. However, they are valuable references for entrepreneurs and startups looking to create effective pitch decks.

How to design a pitch deck for your investors

Hey there! We heard you’re gearing up to create a pitch deck for investors. That’s exciting! Do you know where to start? Think of this as your backstage pass to securing funding and support for your business or project.

As we dive into this journey together, we want you to picture a pitch deck not just as a collection of slides but as the masterful brushstrokes that paint a vivid canvas of your entrepreneurial vision. Every slide is a word, a sentence, a chapter in the story you’re telling. The ultimate goal? To captivate, convince, and leave investors eager to join you on your mission.

Begin your journey with a grand opening – the company introduction. It’s your opportunity to set the stage, like the opening act of a theater performance, making that unforgettable first impression.

Next, we navigate to the heart of your pitch deck: the problem. We’ll delve into making it gripping, relatable, and utterly convincing. After all, you want investors to feel the significance of the issue you’re tackling.

The solution follows – a beacon of hope in the narrative you’re crafting. We’ll talk about how to showcase your product or service brilliantly, using visuals and plain language to make it crystal clear.

Market size is a vital chapter. Investors need to see the potential. We’ll explore how to present market data and projections that say, “This is where the opportunity lies.”

Competition, you ask? That’s your chance to reveal your uniqueness. We’ll learn how to identify rivals and convincingly explain why you’re the cream of the crop.

In the business model segment, we’ll unlock the treasure chest. This is where you share how your business makes money, unraveling revenue streams, pricing strategies, and sales channels.

But it’s not all about the money; it’s about building lasting connections. The slide dedicated to engaging investors and stakeholders emphasizes commitment to relationships and collaboration.

Your financial forecast is where we delve into the numbers, the brass tacks. It’s your chance to shine, and we’ll talk about how to make those projections realistic and transparent.

Traction? That’s the part where we unveil your journey’s success. You’ll learn to display key milestones and achievements that speak volumes about your progress.

Remember, a pitch deck isn’t just slides; it’s a narrative, a compelling story. With these elements in place, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a pitch deck that speaks volumes and captures the hearts of investors.

So, are you ready to embark on this adventure to master the art of the perfect pitch deck?

Email Your Pitch Deck to Investors

Emailing your pitch deck to potential investors, partners, or stakeholders is a practical and efficient way to share your business or project presentation with a wide range of people.

First impressions are important, so it’s important to carefully craft your email and design your pitch deck to look professional and polished. This will help to build trust and confidence with the recipients.

It’s also important to be adaptable and responsive to feedback. Be prepared to adjust your pitch deck and strategy based on the responses you receive from recipients. This will help you to build productive relationships with potential investors and partners.

Are You Seeking a Pitch Deck Designing Agency?

A strong pitch deck can make it easier to get the money you need to turn your business idea into a reality. This article will help you feel more sure about creating and showing an impressive pitch deck to potential investors.

If you want a user-friendly and professional presentation designer to assist in creating a strong pitch deck, Deckez is the right place to assist you.

Book a call to create a unique pitch deck for your investors.

Related Blogs

What is a Business Model? How to Create a Business Model for Your Investors?

About the author.

Subscribe Newsletter

By clicking “Subscribe” you agree to Deckez and consent to Deckez using your contact data for newsletter purposes

More Articles

• PowerPoint Design Company

Join our PPT experts community

Meet and learn the tips and tricks from creators & companies who share how they use PowerPoint to create better presentations in minutes.

• Customer Testimonials
• PowerPoint Design Services
• Investor Pitch Decks
• Dedicated Designers
• Master Templates Design
• Enterprise Presentations
• Other Design Services
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Refund/Cancellation Policy
• Disclaimer Notice

Security Policies

• DMCA Policy
• GDPR Policy
• CCPA Policy
• Cookies Policy

Copyright © 2024 Deckez. All rights reserved.

Template egg.

13 Essential Slide Deck Tips, Tricks, and Features for Maximum Impact (With Examples)

Table of Contents

What is a slide deck.

• Why are Slide Decks Important?
• 13 Essential Slide Deck Presentation Tips, Tricks, and Features 

Sales Deck Examples

Key takeaways.

After you have connected with a potential client and their response indicates that they are ready to make a decision, it is time to get them to close the deal with a remarkable sales presentation that has the potential to convert. To convince them to buy your solution, you need to present your sales narrative in an appealing manner. One of the most crucial tools for this is a PowerPoint presentation. With the constant advancement in the digital realm, you need to up your sales game with new and improved slide deck tips and tricks. 

If you have been wondering why your clients have been showing a marked disinterest, especially at the stage of the sales presentation, then they are probably bored out of their wits by the bullet points lining your presentation slides, followed by a plain explanation of precisely the same written content. Today, no one appreciates a boring slide with the presenter reading out the text. The world has moved way past that style, whether it is in the field of education, business or sales. 

A slide deck is a collection of slides used as a storytelling tool or a visual aid while explaining or elaborating a concept. The terms “slide deck” and “presentation” are often used interchangeably. A slide deck can be compared to a deck of cards that make up a pack. Therefore, each slide in a slide deck has an important and unique role in the presentation. When making a sales pitch using a slide deck, it is important to remember that the presentation is meant to be read and understood by the receiver and not explained or presented by the sender. 

Slidedecks contain more text than images, as compared to a regular PowerPoint presentation. But lesser text than a traditional written report. Therefore slide decks are more inviting to read. Due to their effective visual communication ability, slidedecks are increasingly used by businesses worldwide to organize, summarize, and present information. 

Why Are Slide Decks Important?

While there are several slide deck presentation tips and tricks and presentation guidelines that need to be kept in mind, it is crucial to understand why they are required in the first place. 

• Slide decks are a quick and easy way to present information in a format that is short, accessible, and easy to read. They can be used as a pre-meeting document that imparts information to the attendees in advance. 
• Slidedecks are primarily used for independent reading. When a presentation is going on, it often becomes difficult for the viewers/listeners to follow through with each piece of information being shared. Hence, the receivers can view and understand the information at their own pace with a slide deck.
• With the help of the visual elements of a slide deck, it is much easier to communicate complex information to the audience. The very goal of a slide deck is to aid audience understanding. 

Therefore including slide decks in your sales pitch can help you truly engage your audience and communicate more in less time.

13 Essential Slide Deck Tips, Tricks, and Features

A sales pitch requires you to send your clients a presentation in the form of a stand-alone file that they can read at leisure. This presentation needs to be visually striking, not dull, and convey the strengths of what you are selling. Let’s look at the best slide deck tips, tricks, and features.

1. Use icons for bullet points

This is one of the timeless slide deck tips . By iconizing the bullet points using small vectors or images, the style quotient of the slide deck improves, but it increases the viewers’ visual interest in the presentation. One can also customize the shape of the icons. 

2. Add SmartArt

Powerpoint’s built-in SmartArt feature can convert text into appealing graphics. Instead of explaining processes using bullet points, SmartArt presents it as professional graphics that combine lines, shapes, illustrations, and much more. It is easier to show interdependencies and flow of information using SmartArt.

3. Use circular templates

Circular templates look elegant and are not overused like square and rectangular templates. With the help of the SmartArt graphics feature, one can convert the template of the slides into a circular one, giving it a more eye-catching edge. These templates are entirely editable. You have to paste the text into the placeholders and change the colors as per your choice. In a circular template, the distribution of content is perfect, and with the “Appear” animation tool, each aspect of the circle can be emphasized one after the other.

4. Split the bullet points

There is a fresh and interesting way if you want to use bullets to list down the points. One of the best slide deck presentation tips and tricks is to split the bullets into left and right. This can be done in two separate columns on each side of the slide. A more elegant way of using bullets is to create a timeline/roadmap or a signboard-like structure. A straight line in the center could branch out into bullet points on the left and right. Easy to create, this gives your slide deck an extremely professional look.

5. Create grids

Another one on the list of important slide deck presentation tips and tricks is arranging the text using grids. Grids provide a neat look and make text-heavy slide decks easy to navigate through. Grids can be created using the “line” shape from the “shapes” menu. Make sure that each section of the grid is visible. Alternate the colors of the sections within it. This increases visibility and impact. 

6. At least one visual element in each slide

Adding a visual element in each slide helps summarize the main idea of the slide. The visual component or icon also increases the recall value of each slide in the slide deck. If you do not want to add an image, use an icon or illustration that sums up the text or is relevant to the text in a particular slide. 

7. Add professionally designed diagrams.

For a slide deck that really stands out, ready-to-use templates are the best choice. There are several readymade templates available for purchase that have placeholders to simply add text. Professional diagrams are unique, and there are fewer chances of repetition . Several applications and design software can help you create professional and edgy diagrams all by yourself in a few easy steps. One of the deck tips that will help you close a deal successfully is making efficient use of professional diagrams that convey information effortlessly in an engaging manner. 

8. Modify graph formats

Charts and graphs are effective visual elements in a presentation. But while designing graphs, it is crucial to keep in mind that the viewers will not sit and try to understand all the data points in a graph. Optimize and modify the format of graphs. Remove unnecessary grid lines, use different colors for different lines, and add data labels in clear, bold text, wherever needed—highlight segments or lines in the graph that need to stand out. Avoid using 3D graphs; they tend to be misleading.

9. Make the proper use of white space.

While creating a slide deck, white space, also called negative space, is generally avoided. But it can be used to increase the readability of the text on the slides. Use this space wisely in the slide margins. Add a little space between the various elements in a slide, making each element visible and more noticeable.

10. Pay attention to the slide ratio.

An effective slide deck is designed keeping in mind the context of the slide. The context of your slide is what determines the slide ratio. A 4:3 ratio is helpful for presentations that have to be viewed on devices like cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc., while a 16:9 ratio is ideal for a conference room. 

11. Use altered images

Another essential slide deck presentation tip is to alter images as needed. Change its opacity if an image is not what you want the audience to pay attention to. If the image is crucial in converting a message, make it more pronounced. Highlight, use arrows, pan images as and when needed in the slide deck.

12. Add video and audio clips.

The ultimate tool to engage the client is to add a video clip or an audio clip to the slide deck. Audio and video elements introduce a change of pace and enhance the viewer’s understanding of the message. Make sure the audio and video bytes are relevant, short, and fit well into the presentation structure.

13. Consistent slides

The most important lesson for creating a slide deck with maximum impact is ensuring that all the slides in the deck are consistent. A consistent design, color scheme, and font style help the viewer navigate smoothly across the slide deck. Inconsistency in colors, font, slide design can lead to frustration and disengagement from the message.

While it is important to keep these slide deck presentation tips and tricks in mind, learning from existing sales deck examples is equally crucial. Some of the brilliant examples of winning sales decks are as follows. 

Reddit ad sales deck

Reddit’s ad sales contain hilarious memes and customized images and prove the brand’s worth as a worthy contender in advertising alongside successes like Google and Facebook. 

Grindr sales deck

Another great sales deck example is Grindr’s sharp and unique modern-themed deck. It combines the power of short and precise text with smart infographics, making it neat and extremely easy to read.

Office 365 sales deck

If we are discussing the best sales deck examples, Microsoft Office 365 undoubtedly tops the list. With a vivid color scheme and well-distributed graphics, Office 365 sums up productivity in pictures and icons. The pictogram used in this deck makes the data easily interpretable by the audience and conveys the message. Slidedecks contain more text than images, as compared to a regular PowerPoint presentation.

• A slide deck is a collection of slides used as a storytelling tool or a visual aid while explaining or elaborating a concept. 
• As they are more inviting to read and easier to understand, slide decks are increasingly used by businesses worldwide to organize, summarize, and present information.
• Iconizing the bullet points increases the viewers’ interest in the presentation.
• With the help of SmartArt and editable templates, it is easier to show interdependencies and flow of information.
• Grids provide a neat look and make text-heavy slide decks easy to navigate through. They also increase the visibility and impact of the message.
• A 4:3 ratio is useful for presentations that have to be viewed on devices like cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc., while a 16:9 ratio is ideal for conference room presentations. 
• Short and relevant audio and video elements introduce a change of pace and enhance the viewer’s understanding of the message. 

A winning sales deck should be designed keeping in mind that the meeting is for the prospect and not you. With the help of images, vectors, infographics, graphs, and charts, the deck should help the client clearly understand the message. Tailor the presentation as per the client’s interests and keep it brief and relevant. Add social proof that validates your solution or what your company is selling. With the right amount of all these elements, your slide deck is guaranteed to have a maximum impact. 

A slide deck is a group of slides collectively put together to create a presentation, while Powerpoint is a presentation design software. It is a program that can be used to design slides and make presentations.

The 10-20-30 slideshow rule is a principle the venture capital community follows in designing and creating presentations. As per this rule, a presentation should have ten slides, a duration not more than 20 minutes, and the font size should be no smaller than 30 pt.

A pitch deck can be broken down and understood in 10 stages. The sequence of slides in a pitch deck is problem, solution, market, product, traction, team, financials, investment, amount, and appendix.

White or beige on a dark background or black on a very light background are the ideal combinations for creating a presentation that has a more professional appearance. Gradients in the text should be avoided.

Some widely used applications for creating slides are Google Slides, Slidebean, Visme, Prezi, Canva, Renderforest, FlowVella, etc.

Latest Blogs

In this blog, explore the golden rules of using AI marketing tools so you can leverage the benefits to their maximum potential.

In this blog, you’ll learn how to avoid the pitfalls of SEO over-optimization while enhancing your site’s performance.

In this article, we’ll take a look at what AMP is, its advantages and disadvantages, and how it affects SEO.

Get your hands on the latest news!

Similar posts.

9 mins read

Content Marketing vs Advertising – Which One is More Effective?

11 mins read

Interactive Content vs. Static Content: Which is More Effective?

6 mins read

Unlocking Success: 4 Case Studies of Successful Content Marketing Campaigns Using a Platform

What Is a Marketing Deck? Tips, Examples, and Templates

December 2, 2021

by Kai Tomboc

In this post

What is a marketing deck, what are marketing decks for , why is a marketing deck important for your business, the essential components of a marketing deck.

• How to build a marketing deck
• Examples and templates of marketing decks

One of the frustrating things about marketing a brand or business is capturing your target audience’s attention. 

Potential partners and customers are busy folks, and it can be a challenge to share your brand story and business model in a short amount of time. This is where a marketing deck enters the picture. 

Whether your business is new to the scene or around for decades, a solid marketing deck plays a crucial role in getting your company off the ground. It can mean the difference between booming sales figures and a lagging product launch. 

What is a marketing deck exactly? What does a great marketing deck look like? Most of all, why should brands care about creating a well-designed deck for marketing? 

Get answers to these questions and discover marketing deck examples and templates that you can use every time you’re about to design a pitch deck for your marketing efforts. 

Let’s get started!

A marketing deck, also known as a pitch deck, is a visual marketing presentation of your product or service. It aims to educate potential investors, co-founders, partners, and customers about your product or service. 

Marketing decks can have different purposes both internal and external. For example, marketers and advertising teams use certain decks for internal presentations. These are often referred to as snapshot decks and can include metrics and data for a specific period. Website traffic and foot traffic to a retail store are good examples of snapshot decks. 

Meanwhile, the terms marketing deck and sales deck can be used interchangeably because, in some cases, the purpose of a marketing deck is to close a sale when you’re making a sales pitch . 

An effective marketing pitch deck should be easy to understand, convey trustworthiness, and be persuasive enough to elicit FOMO from your audience. 

The primary purpose of a marketing deck is to persuade your target audience about the value of your product, service, or business idea. Ideally, your audience should be able to recognize the need to support, purchase, or advocate for your brand after viewing it. 

It’s also worth noting that marketing decks don’t have to be associated with startups alone. Businesses of all shapes and sizes can use them as a powerful, persuasive tool, whether online or in face-to-face presentations. 

You’re not aiming for a fancy talk or a highly detailed presentation when presenting this type of deck. The best decks present lean yet relevant information to their target audience concisely and straightforwardly. 

When you present your marketing deck, your audience expects the following information: 

• Overview of your product or service
• Your target market
• The problem you’re solving 
• How your product or service can specifically address the problem
• Your pricing
• Current traction (in stats) 
• Business goals and how your team intends to accomplish these goals 
• What makes you different from the competition

Finally, marketing decks are usually created using PowerPoint, Google Slides, and other presentation software tools . 

Regardless of your niche, size, and industry, a marketing deck offers the following benefits: 

• The information you provide helps potential investors and partners decide if they want to take the next step (usually a meeting) in investing in your business.
• It also helps explain what your business does to prospective employees, customers, and clients.
• It's a living document that you can change and modify as your business needs and goals evolve.

To sum up, a well-thought-out marketing deck is a solid business asset for organizations looking to grow, whether through securing more funding or acquiring more customers and partners. 

Getting your marketing deck right can make or break your business. For this reason, you need to understand the essential components of an effective one .

Below is each component in detail with sample slides from popular marketing deck designs to inspire you the next time you're about to pitch your business . 

1. Overview of your company 

The first component in your marketing deck presentation should introduce your company, product, or service in one sentence. It's also important to state your unique value proposition (UVP) in this slide. Think of it as your power statement, and it should answer, "Who are you, and why should we listen to you?"

For this slide, don't forget to include your logo, phone number, and email address. The presentation below from Manpacks is a good example of an overview deck. Manpacks bagged a good round of funding using this presentation.

2. Information about your target market 

This component should include your audience's demographics, market size, and market opportunity to succeed in the space. You can also highlight market validation or the process of figuring out if there's truly a need for your product or service. 

Take a look at Airbnb's marketing size and market validation slides when they were just starting.

3. The problem 

The third component highlights the actual problem that your product or service will address. In the sample slide below, Castle, a real-estate startup, raised $270,000 using this marketing deck.

This slide should answer the following questions: 

• What are you trying to address? 
• Who are the people experiencing the problem? 
• What is the problem’s impact on the people experiencing it? 
• How does the person address the problem right now, and are these solutions helping them? 

If you can’t show you’re solving a real problem or pain point, your audience might lose interest in your presentation. A good practice when presenting a problem is to share a story.

You can further capture your audience’s attention by using visuals to explain complex issues. Finally, it also helps if you can illustrate how serious the problem is through data. 

4. The solution (your product or service) 

After sharing the problem you’re solving and the corresponding market opportunity, your next step is to spotlight your solution! Paint a picture of your unique value proposition and support it with relatable anecdotes and visuals like video clips, photographs, or even a physical demo of your product. 

At this point, don’t get too caught up in describing your solution in detail. Instead, provide a higher-level overview of your solution. Here’s how LinkedIn did it back in 2004.

5. Traction 

This component will help validate whether or not your business model works. Focus on numbers that have contributed to your growth, like month-to-month sales figures, the number of app downloads, or your profit margins. The goal is to reduce any fear of risk in potential investors.

Take it from Single Music, a platform that allows artists to monetize their Spotify profiles.

6. Information about your competitors 

For this slide, list your competitors and how your product or service compares to them. 

Pro tip: Always highlight your company’s unique competitive advantages over your competition. However, avoid belittling your competitors. 

Look how Snapchat compares itself to other platforms in terms of advertising in this slide.

7. Your marketing strategy 

After convincing your audience about the problem, the solution, and how your product or service is different from the competition, your next slide should answer the question – how will you market your solution, and how long will it take?

This section of your marketing deck should answer: 

• How will you market to prospective customers? 
• What kind of marketing assets are you going to create? 
• What methods and means will you use to reach your customers? Why do you think they will work? Provide any proof you have that this can be achieved. 
• What’s your pricing like?
• What are your target conversion rates?

You should be able to answer questions about your marketing funnel when presenting this slide. 

8. Financial information

A slide highlighting your financial forecast is one of the most crucial components of your marketing deck. 

Show your audience that you and your team can make money from your product or service. After all, investors and partners want to know if you can grow the funds they’ll invest in you. 

Meanwhile, if your marketing deck is specifically for clients and customers, focus on how your product or service can help them save money in the long run. 

9. Information about your team 

For this section, highlight your core team members' domain expertise, skills, and success. Business partners and investors aren't just investing in your business; they’re also putting their trust in you and your team. You need to show them that the people behind the product or service are capable, sensible, and trustworthy. 

10. Social proof

One better way to inspire investors or customers' confidence is to let them know that other people like them trust you. 

For this slide, show off the positive reviews and feedback you've received in media publications, social media, and review sites like G2 . Bonus points if you can include feedback from recognizable brands and influencers in your niche. 

11. Your contact information 

Finally, add your contact details (again!) to the final slide in your marketing deck. You can show this slide while answering your audience's questions about your presentation.

How to build a marketing deck that works

Now that you already know the essential components to include, here are some helpful best practices for creating and designing powerful marketing decks. 

1. Know your audience or investors

The better you know your audience, the more likely you’ll tell a story or share information that truly resonates with them. For example, find out what kind of businesses they support and learn about their best practices. Learning more about your target audience is the first big step toward a great pitch deck.

2. Use easy-to-read fonts 

Your deck should be easy to read and understand. Always use simple and legible fonts. The best fonts for presentations are bold and big enough to make them stand out from the rest of your text. However, don't overuse strong fonts. Glaring fronts hurt readability and aren't a good sight for sore eyes.

3. Ensure that every slide in your deck has a purpose 

When creating a deck, you should know where you're heading. Each slide should answer: 

• What is the biggest takeaway? 
• Does this content convey what we want to say?

An aimless presentation serves no good cause and is confusing for both your team and audience. When you know what you intend to convey with your slides, your audience also understands what to take home from it. You need to bring out the unique value with a defined purpose.

4. Consider brand consistency

Your marketing deck presentation is like your brand ambassador . Your audience might take photos or screenshots of your slides to share or save for reference.

Make sure the font, color schemes, and format of each slide in your presentation are consistent so that it's used as an example, not discarded as another convoluted graphic. Pitch decks with multiple fonts, color schemes, and backgrounds can often look amateurish and make you appear less trustworthy. 

5. Aim for simplicity 

As with fonts, aim for simplicity throughout the deck. Avoid walls of texts or even bullet points (a common practice) in your slides when possible. Use images or keywords the audience can connect to while listening along.

Simplicity adds to the visual appeal, enhancing the overall customer experience. If your presentation is simple and naturally flowing, it gains more real estate and attracts a larger audience.

6. Tell a story 

You have probably read about this best practice many times. It's thrown around a lot because it rarely fails. Sharing a story keeps people interested in what you have to say and can also help make your presentation more compelling.

Regardless of the purpose, your decks should aim to create a brand story. It should answer the what, why, and how of your brand's values ​​and how they relate to your customers.

7. Use visuals

Our brains favor visuals over plain text. This isn't just an observation, but a proven fact. Therefore, make an effort to use images, infographics, icons, graphs, and similar visual elements in your presentations. 

Also, remember not to overdo the graphics. Only use relevant visuals, and don't clutter your deck just because you think your audience will find them appealing. Too many visual or graphic elements can, in turn, impair readability and put the viewer off.

8. Always cite your facts

It's always good to reference every claim or statistic in your deck to build credibility. All your sources should also be recent and up-to-date.

A best practice is to quote only relevant facts and figures essential to support your argument or solution. Find a way to link them to the proprietary or original source.

9. Break the rules 

Lastly, don't be afraid to break the rules! 

For example, your research tells you because your audience loves to talk about growth strategies, you need to talk a lot more about traction than how your product works! With this information, feel free to spend more time highlighting growth tactics in your decks. 

What's more important is that your deck presentation flows smoothly. 

Examples and templates of effective marketing decks

Here are a few examples of effective marketing decks and templates that you can use. 

1. Zuora 

Andy Raskin, a strategic narrative consultant, shares several reasons why this presentation from Zuora is the "greatest sales deck" he has seen. 

Source: SlideShare

These reasons are:

• It talks about a significant, transformative change 
• The winners and the losers of the change
• How Zuora can help its audience be part of the change 

Leo Widrich, the co-founder of Buffer, writes how this marketing deck helped them raise half a million dollars . He spoke about how traction is one of the most important elements of a pitch, particularly if you're new to presenting your decks. 

Source: Buffer

3. Velocity Partners 

This deck by Velocity Partners , a B2B marketing agency, is a perfect example of a brand that isn’t afraid to break the rules. 

With 50 slides (the standard recommendation is to have 20 slides or less), this deck talks about the content marketing deluge and how brands can rise above the noise. 

Marketing deck templates you can use

• Sales demo deck template
• Marketing strategy deck template
• Product marketing deck template
• Marketing pitch deck templates

Know your audience first and make better marketing decks 

Regardless of your niche or industry, creating better marketing decks boils down to getting to know your prospective audience as much as possible. The more you know and understand their needs, the more persuasive and engaging your deck will be. 

You got this!

Struggling to create a presentation that'll stand out? Explore presentation software to create interactive slide decks and get your message across.

Your best presentation yet

Create hands-on presentations and improve your virtual pitch with presentation software.

Kai Tomboc is an experienced content designer and writer on all things healthcare, design, and SaaS. She used to be a nurse and a telemarketer in her past lives. She lives for mountain trips, lap swimming, books, and conversations over beer.

Recommended Articles

Contributor Network

The 4 Ps of Marketing: How to Apply Them to Your Business

Marketing a business goes beyond advertising.

by AbdulGaniy Shehu

What Is Promotional Marketing? (+6 Ways to Use It)

You've come up with a fresh business idea, created a new product, or rebranded an old one.

by Anna Konovalova

How to Create an Effective Marketing Presentation (+5 Expert Tips)

Traditional marketing professionals were expected to be a natural at creating and delivering...

by Tim Ferguson

Never miss a post.

Subscribe to keep your fingers on the tech pulse.

By submitting this form, you are agreeing to receive marketing communications from G2.

Want more articles like this?

Subscribe to G2 Tea and get the latest marketing news and trends delivered straight to your inbox.

Presentation Deck Meaning: What is a PPT deck?

The easiest way to understand the presentation deck meaning is that it is a set of slides put together in the form of a presentation, usually for business purposes but also often used in other areas like academic environments or public speaking events. The term “deck” derives from the old analog technology by which a physical set of semitransparent slides (the deck) was placed inside a projector that shone light throw them. That is the root of the slide deck meaning.

These old projectors were later replaced by presentation software and digital projectors, but the term stuck. Microsoft PowerPoint has been one of the most widely known presentation deck tools since its release in 1987. Since then, a deck presentation has almost been a synonym for a PowerPoint deck.

A PPT deck quickly became the industry standard to present information due to Microsoft’s mainstream commercial success in the following decades. Apple products were still considered to target a niche in the market then, and their slide deck software, Keynote, would never harness the massive popularity of PowerPoint decks.

A Power Point deck is one of the most effective ways to navigate different topics, from all-hands meetings to investor presentations. The human brain struggles to remember a lengthy or complicated topic when you are presenting. In equal measure, your audience needs smaller bites of information they can process more easily and effectively.

A slide deck is also one of the most popular ways to introduce a business in a fundraising process in what’s commonly known as a pitch deck, or investor deck. These 15-20 slide decks help tell the story of startups and small businesses, what their value proposition is, and what their companies expect to achieve by raising money.

You can check out our pitch deck templates gallery here.

Regardless of the topic for which it is used, a deck presentation should follow storytelling best practices:

• It should tell a story in a way that makes it easy for the audience to understand and follow
• A good presentation deck typically builds momentum toward the last third of the slides, usually called the climax of your presentation
• Slides on your deck should not tell everything you wish to communicate. The focus should always be on you and the valuable information outside the presentation you possess
• The best decks are the ones that help guide the speaker but don’t get in the way of their message. One could argue that the slides are mainly for the sake of the presenter
• When it comes to slide deck presentations, less is definitely more. The more visual and concise the slides are, the better

Hopefully, this short guide will help you understand the deck presentation meaning and will work as a starting point to build your next presentation.

Upgrade your presentation with expertly designed slides. Our consulting and design services offer visually stunning and functional solutions that can take your deck to the next level.

Presentation Design Services

Popular articles.

The Best 35 Pitch Decks for 2023: Templates for for Startups

What is Financial Modeling? Examples & Templates

The Startup Financial Model Template by Slidebean

What is a Slide Deck and how to create one

Let’s move your company to the next stage 🚀

Ai pitch deck software, pitch deck services.

Financial Model Consulting for Startups 🚀

Raise money with our pitch deck writing and design service 🚀

The all-in-one pitch deck software 🚀

A pitch deck is the standard document used by startups to present their case to investors; it’s a brief deck of about 10 to 20 slides. See examples here.

Learn how to create a compelling slide deck for your startup. Explore how to use slide decks as aids for your presentation, and the most common uses for them.

This is a functional model you can use to create your own formulas and project your potential business growth. Instructions on how to use it are on the front page.

Book a call with our sales team

In a hurry? Give us a call at 

The Difference Between Presentation Slides and a Deck

Just because we may use the same tools to accomplish the creation of both presentation slides and a deck does not mean that they are the same. 

However, most people will say that presentation slides and a deck are basically the same thing. 

In many ways, of course, they are very similar. You do use a “slide deck” during your presentation and, in the most basic sense, presentation slides and a deck are nearly the same.

However, in our humble opinion, it is worth drawing a line of distinction between the two.

The Differences Between Presentation Slides and a Deck

First off, presentation slides and a deck have very different end goals. 

If you are creating presentation slides, then you are (quite obviously) preparing materials that you will use as a visual aid during a presentation. Presentation slides should be visually stunning and minimalistic in their content. After all, if you are the one giving the presentation, you want all eyes on you, not your slides! 

If you are creating a deck, you very well may be creating a series of visual slides that are meant for someone to read on their own. This means that deck slides can be more information and can generally contain a lot more content. Since a deck is meant as something that should be read, you can utilize the format to communicate a lot of information quickly. 

Second, presentation slides are relatively fast to make whereas a deck may be significantly time consuming.

Assuming that you have a general outline of your speech, putting together the supporting slides should be relatively easy. You already know the main points that you want to make and you just need some great looking and simple slides to support your talking points.

There are lots of design tools out there that can help you develop engaging and beautiful graphics. If you are creating presentation slides, the best bet is to find some great looking, royalty free images on a website like Unsplash .

Creating all the content for a deck that is meant to be read can take a lot longer. The reason being that you need to be able to convey all the important information to a reader without the benefit of being able to fill in gaps with a voiceover.

Typically, this means that you will have to spend a bit more time creating the content. You have to be sure to triple check your grammar, all data points, and references. 

Finally, presentation slides are truly a one way street: they are meant to be presented and consumed in a very particular order. As the presentation creator, you will have an agenda and a series of slides that follow the main topics of the presentation. It would be very unnatural for you to hop around randomly throughout the presentation because you would lose the attention of your audience.

A deck will enable a reader to hop to any section that they like, which means it is more important to appropriately label everything in your content. You want to construct your report in a way where your reader can easily navigate through different parts of your deck, in whatever way makes the most sense for them. 

While they are very similar, and in many cases, built with the same tools, presentation slides and a deck can indeed be very different. We recommend thinking clearly about your use case and then building the appropriate content from there.

If you want to include Airtable visualizations or charts on Google Sheets data in your next deck or presentation, be sure to try Superchart for free.

Want to give Superchart a try? Try it out for Free!

Level up your skills.

How to Make a Graph in Google Sheets - Beginner's Guide

Other blog posts you might like.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

Partner Center

Wondering why PowerPoint presentations are called decks? (Now you know)

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking

Why PowerPoint presentations are called decks , a question that lingered in my mind for a long time until I decided to jump on to finding out exactly why! And here I am to share all that I have learned about why PowerPoint presentations are called decks.

But before we dive deeper into understanding PowerPoint decks, it is very important to refresh our knowledge of some of the basics.

What are presentations?

Presentations are a way of conveying some information, idea, or opinion to your audience either with or without the use of visuals, in most cases PPTs .

While most of the time, we are bound to confuse presentations with PowerPoint presentations, they aren’t the same thing.

Presentations are a much wider spectrum that includes PowerPoint presentations as a part of it.

What are PowerPoint presentations?

PowerPoint presentations are slide decks created on the specific software called Microsoft PowerPoint that was released by Microsoft (duh!) in the year 1987 . PowerPoint helps create easy and effective digital slide decks; since it is so widely used, it has become synonymous with presentations at large.

It is similar to how we call photocopies Xerox!

(pst if you don’t understand the analogy, check out what we are trying to say here )

Why are PowerPoint presentations called decks?

Decks in presentations are a collection of slides (individual pages in PowerPoint) . And since PowerPoint presentations are nothing but a collection of well-laid-out slides, they are called decks.

Now to understand it better, let’s begin with the fundamental structure, shall we?

Assuming you go to PowerPoint right now, what is the first thing you’ll see?

A blank template that would prompt you to add text, right? That is a slide. As you keep adding slides to your PowerPoint, the collection of these slides, in the end, is what we call a deck.

But then again,

Why is it called a PowerPoint deck?

A PowerPoint deck is similar to a deck of cards. In a deck of cards, a deck is composed of 52 cards; Similarly, in PowerPoint, a deck or pile of slides is what is known as a PowerPoint deck.

So, does this mean that the presentation is important only in its entirety and not as individual slides?

Absolutely no!

Just like in a game of cards, the ace carries its importance and so does a card of jack; In PowerPoint decks too, each slide carries with it its unique importance . However, when separated the slides would lose their meaning.

Again, what would you do if you find a queen card lying on your room’s floor? slide it under the bed? I mean it would be ideal considering you don’t know where the rest of the cards are!

Similarly, individual slides gain their meaning when they are compiled with other slides.

This means each slide carries its own different set of information that helps in conveying an idea at the end .

When did PowerPoint presentations become decks?

PowerPoint presentations became decks on the day they came into being, that is in 1987.

Presentations had been made using stacks of papers or sheets filled with information even before digital presentations came into being.

As shocking as it may be, presentations already involved the use of decks in some form or the other from the very initial day of the specification building our communication skills.

While we started with rock paintings or carvings, we can include them as a form of presentation but not as decks.

Later came the use of sheets or paper to deliver information. This was done using flip paper cards .

There is evidence that presentations using flip charts became very common during the 1940s. These sheets or posters would be joined together with the help of metal fasteners. The speaker or presenter would then flip from one page to the other to share information.

Sounds very similar to our digital presentations, doesn’t it? Except we don’t have to tire our arms by flipping pages. We can simply click to move on to the next slide. How convenient!

Coming back to the last bit of our history of slide decks, somewhere in the 90s -2010’s PowerPoint as a software gained major attention from the public. The slide decks started to be created on PowerPoint exclusively and that is how we moved from saying slide decks to PowerPoint decks.

Going over it again

What is a slide deck in powerpoint.

A slide deck in PowerPoint is nothing but a collection of slides in Microsoft PowerPoint.

What is a PowerPoint slide deck?

It is just another way of saying Slide decks in PowerPoint!

Why are PowerPoint slides called decks??

Since PowerPoint gives you a collection of slides or a deck of slides, it is known as decks.

What is the purpose of a Slide deck in a presentation?

Slide decks help the presenter present his/her/their topic more effectively. It aids the presenter in giving the speech by providing prompts or hints to maintain a flow in their speech. On the other hand, it helps the audience visualize as they listen to the speaker.

Out of the many purposes that a slide deck can serve a presenter, here are a few that we would like to address in this article:

• To pitch new ideas or products
• To explain or introduce a concept
• To share one’s opinions or views

1. To pitch new ideas or products

Slide decks happen to be a very crucial part of making pitches to attract your clients, or to make them understand what your product/ services are all about and how they can be beneficial to them.

Some of the ways we can try to win over or convince the client/ customer to agree to your terms are by showing charts or graphs of your previous success rates or giving out statistics on the problem that your company or product provides a solution for.

2. To explain or introduce a concept

Slide decks being used to explain a concept is something that I believe we have all experienced in schools or colleges.

With smart classrooms, the blackboards have found their place in restaurants and cafes and presentations have made their way to now be a widely used way of delivering lectures.  

3. To share one’s opinions or views

Be it in conferences or competitions or even in your college when you are presenting on a topic, it is mostly with the purpose of sharing your opinions, views, or findings through slide decks.

How do you create a deck in PowerPoint?

When it comes to creating decks in PowerPoint, there are two things that we need to take a look into, the technical aspects and the aesthetic ones. 

When we talk about the technical aspect of creating a deck in PowerPoint, we mean ensuring that you have the software installed in your system, be it a laptop or even your phone.

Head to AppStore or play store and install it. 

Though we have been taught how to create PowerPoint presentations since very early days, we still suggest you take a minute and understand the various features offered by the software like the layouts, themes, and more. Having an understanding of some of the basic features can help you in creating a basic template easily!

If, however, you are looking for ways to create a slide deck other than on PowerPont, then head to some of the most resourceful sites that provide you with a number of templates!

A few such sites are Canva , Evanto , and more

Now when we talk about the Aesthetics of creating a PowerPoint, we first need to accept and appreciate the fact that the aesthetics or look of your presentation can add extra points to your entire presentation. 

We have a list of 5 tips for the same. And if you follow them, you will surely be able to find an answer to..

Why are PowerPoint presentations effective?

A few tips for creating presentations:

1. Less is more

We have all heard this one a gazillion times and more, especially when it comes to Powerpoint presentations, Less is more!

Provide very precise information in your PowerPoint. To make your points short. You can stick to using the 5 by 5 model . The model suggests that you must not add more than 5 points to a slide. And each point must contain no more than 5 words. 

If you still have no idea what you should add, try adding your headings and subheadings in your PowerPoint to make it more on point.

2. Quality over quantity 

Again, adding less content doesn’t mean that you compromise on the quality of information that you share through your presentation. Add short points that make sense and add value to your audience or help in putting your point across in the best way possible. 

3. Keep the curiosity alive

What does it mean when we say keep the curiosity alive? We mean, try not to share your entire slide to your audience in one go. Add effects or transitions to focus only on the point you are speaking on at that point. 

We can say the same in the case of adding too much information to your PowerPoint. Do not add big paragraphs as you shatter your viewer’s curiosity who thanks to you ar enow more engrossed in reading the slides than listening to your presentation. 

4. Neutralize your PowerPoint

By neutralizing we mean adding complementing slides to your PowerPoint decks. If you have selected a more dark theme, try neutralizing it with light-toned slides even if it is used as a transition slide. 

5. Add visuals as and when possible

Ask yourself, can the information that you have added in your PowerPoint presentation be presented in the form of a graph, a table, or a diagram? If yes, then always choose to do it. Switch to visuals as it not only makes your content crisper but also is more appealing to the viewers.

This brings us to our next point, 

Why PowerPoint presentations are not effective?

There are many reasons why PowerPoint can not be very effective. We have listed down about 3 reasons here. Go over them and try to not make the same blunders if you want to be an effective presenter!

1. Tons of Content

Adding more content to your slide may indeed help you remember the content better but it might bore the audience to death.

So just as we discussed, try to add content to your presentations in the form of short pointers. Or least try to make use of keywords and avoid writing entire paragraphs about your topic on the PowerPoint presentation.

An example of what simply copy-pasting a paragraph from your speech to PowerPoint could look like.

2. Poor color/ theme

The last thing we want is for the audience to struggle reading or seeing what we are trying to show them through the presentation. And this situation can possibly happen when there was little to no thought put into either selecting the right theme or use of overlapping colors.

Check out the example below if you want to take a look at what we are talking about!

3. Poor font choice

Another way of making it difficult for your audience to understand your presentation is by using fonts like the one shown in the picture below. Such fonts may surely be a little different, and to some extent aesthetic but it requires lots of effort from the viewers to actually understand what is written on the slide!

Final words

Let us try to summarize the entire blog for you in a couple of lines.

So essentially call it decks, slide decks, or presentation decks, they all mean the same. It is simply a collection of slides. And when such a collection is made on Microsoft’s PowerPoint, what do we call it?

Yes! you guessed it right (Hopefully?)

It is called PowerPoint decks or slide decks on PowerPoint.

There are tons of ways of making a PowerPoint deck. However, focusing on the template, and theme, and adding precise and quality content can help you go a long way.

That’s about it for now! Check out Frantically Speaking for more information on similar topics.

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

7 Keys to Emcee Like a Pro: Unlock Your Hosting Potential

8 Ways to Rise Above the Noise to Communicate Better

How to Negotiate: The Art of Getting What You Want

• [email protected]
• +91 98203 57888

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

Kindly drop your contact details so that we can arrange call back

Select Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria AmericanSamoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Rwanda Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe land Islands Antarctica Bolivia, Plurinational State of Brunei Darussalam Cocos (Keeling) Islands Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Guernsey Holy See (Vatican City State) Hong Kong Iran, Islamic Republic of Isle of Man Jersey Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Lao People's Democratic Republic Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Mozambique Palestinian Territory, Occupied Pitcairn Réunion Russia Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Somalia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tanzania, United Republic of Timor-Leste Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S.

• Utility Menu

de5f0c5840276572324fc6e2ece1a882

• How to Use This Site
• Core Competencies
• Fundamentals of Slide Design

Learn about slide design, its importance, and principles and strategies for designing strong slides.

What is Slide Design?

Through the use of different elements, including visuals, colors, typography, style, layout, and transitions, slide design provides a visual representation of the important points of your presentation. It not only complements your research, but can also enhance your presentation. Slide design can impact how much an audience understands and retains the content that you present.

Slide design strategies that thoughtfully consider and prioritize the experience of the audience can result in stronger presentations. Melissa Marshall —an expert in understanding how technical presentations can be transformed—advocates for an innovative approach to slide design. Her well-researched methods have been successful in the scientific community and we recommend her strategy.  In an article on how to transform your technical talks , Marshall discusses the science behind the impact of slide design and how the overuse of text on slides while engaging in verbal communication during presentations increases the chances of cognitive overload for audience members. Marshall advocates for an “audience-centered speaker” approach, a technique in which you shift your focus from the speaker to that of the audience.

-Melissa Marshall

Audience engagement is an important indicator about the level of success of a presentation. Marshall argues that “a critical insight is to realize that your success as a speaker depends entirely upon your ability to make your audience successful.” In order to prioritize the experience of your audience and how they receive your presentation, Marshall advocates for a design strategy called assertion-evidence design which uses a succinct headline in the slide with the key assertion in the form of a sentence that is accompanied by visual evidence, such as charts, graphs, and flowcharts. This method prioritizes the utilization of strong visuals and minimizes the amount of text on slides. As needed, presenters can provide the audience with a handout of their slides that contain more detailed notes from their presentation as a reference. If you have not used assertion-evidence slides before, it is a good technique to further explore and consider as its approach can enhance a presentation when carried out effectively. Examples of strong assertion-evidence slides and a self-assessment checklist for this design strategy can be found on Create and Assess Your Slides , and a template can be accessed below.

(Click to Enlarge)

An assertion-evidence slide template that includes tips and layout suggestions by melissa marshall. .

To learn more about creating strong visual representations of your data and the importance of forming a mutual exchange between you and your audience, visit our pages on Data Visualization , along with Consider Your Audience which is part of the section on how to Deliver Authentically . 

Watch these short videos by Marshall to further explore the impact of slide design, strategies for fostering audience engagement, and helpful ways to approach the scope and focus of your presentation.

Learn more about the impact of slide design.

Further explore how to analyze your audience.

Consider scope and focus of your slides and talks.

For additional resources to help you think about the organization and framing of your talk visit Deliver Authentically and Prepare for Any Talk .

What Does it Look Like to Design Effective Slides?

There are techniques and tools that can be utilized to strengthen the design of your slides in order to enhance the quality of your presentation. The following section presents one approach. Review this list and explore how each strategy can improve your slide design.

A more comprehensive slide design checklist and other resources can be found on Create and Assess Your Slides .  

Inclusive Slide Design

Creating slides that are inclusive and accessible for different learners is a critical part of the design process. Consider the implications of your design on the viewer’s interpretation, including visual representation, language and color choice. As you engage in this process, explore the role of slide design in creating an inclusive environment that considers multiple perspectives, values, beliefs, identities, disciplines, abilities, experiences, and backgrounds. To learn more about what it means and looks like to design visuals that are inclusive, visit Visual Storytelling as part of the section on Data Visualization and Preferred Terms for Select Population Groups & Communities from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Are You Ready to Create Your Own Slides?

To begin the process of designing your slides or to improve an existing deck, visit Create and Assess Your Slides . Use the provided resources to learn more about helpful design strategies, how to create effective slides and ways to assess them.

• Data Visualization
• Create and Assess Your Slides
• Visual Design Tools

How-to Prompt Beautiful.ai's AI Assistant for Better Results

If you’ve generated AI content before, you know it can sometimes be tricky to get the text or images exactly right. Perhaps the tone is off, the audience is wrong, or the illustration style doesn’t match what you’re going for. 

Or maybe, your AI tool is lacking the right context. Context is really important. If you look across any generative  AI tool; whether it is text, images, or video – that's where it struggles.

Any result you generate from AI comes from your prompt , or the series of text instructions you feed  AI. The quality and structure of your prompt will influence the accuracy of the AI’s response. Based on your input and context, AI then uses natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to analyze your input and craft a response.

Why is prompting important in AI?

Prompting is a skill, one that requires knowledge of the AI tool and what it does. To effectively use any AI, you have to know how to prompt it effectively and give enough context to allow it to finish the task. An effectively written prompt delivers relevant responses, ultimately saving you time and frustration. 

One of the most common mistakes in prompting AI is being too vague or ambiguous, which often leads to off-target responses. To help avoid this, we’ve developed an anatomy for good AI prompts to help deliver better results from our AI assistant.

Anatomy of a great AI prompt

Beautiful.ai’s assistant creates presentations, smart slides, and slide text. Whether you need an entire pitch deck, a single quote slide, or suggestions for text on an about us slide, our generative AI features can help you fill in the blanks.

To craft a prompt that delivers the presentation of your dreams, you need a description , direction , and details . 

Prompting our AI with specifics such as your company’s name, search parameters, and intended audience will help it understand everything you need. Details help us  customize answers that uniquely fit  your brand and purpose. 

Text and slide choice will change depending on the audience. Ask yourself, is this deck for a customer, an investor, a professor, or just for fun? Be sure to include company names as well, our text generator is skilled at weaving in your business and product names in a natural way. 

Remember to include only the most relevant details, as AI doesn't appreciate riddles and treasure hunts. The clearer the instruction, the better. So be detailed, but concise.  

2. Directions

Determine the type of slides required to accomplish your goals and the nature of the presentation you intend to deliver. What type of slides do you need? What kind of presentation are you making? Within Beautiful.ai, there are many designs we can shuffle through and analyze, but it helps when you specify what you need. 

To prompt our assistant with clear, specific directions, we recommend looking at our library of templates and smart slides to see what you want to include in your query. 

When you input a specific prompt, our AI features start to fill in the blanks. For example, a prompt like: “A report on the TV show Game of Thrones with season summaries and streaming metrics” will create slides based on what our machine learning can find on Game of Thrones via internet search engines. 

Pro Tip: Beautiful.ai’s AI Writing Assistant is also a valuable tool when creating and editing a deck. You can direct the assistant to make your text block shorter, longer, rewrite it completely, use active voice, or  change the tone. Expand on your ideas with a single click. 

3. Descriptions

Use descriptive adjectives to set the tone of your slides and copy. Words like upbeat, playful, professiona l, and friendly are super helpful in creating a starting point you can launch off of and further instruct our assistant. 

You can also get more specific. Go in-depth with descriptions to identify who your audience is. Examples of this would be; “Make this easy for a 12-year-old to understand,” or “The person reading this has a Master’s in finance.”

Create presentations easily using AI

Besides prompts, there’s one more ingredient to getting better AI results -  context. Context is the compass that guides artificial intelligence through raw information – with Beautiful.ai, some of that context is simply: making an engaging, beautiful presentation. 

But presentations are nuanced. They have different purposes and subject matters. They belong to various teams and campaigns. We wouldn’t be here if presentations were a one-size-fits-all kind of deal.

Any information you add to your slides in Beautiful.ai provides our tool with new context. Context unlocks a world of new opportunities and is a fundamental component to slide-making that showcases our AI’s effectiveness and reliability.

Here are some of the ways Beautiful.ai is unique in the way it handles context in and out of the slides:

Beautiful.ai generates new text based on the context of your slides

Once you’ve crafted a slide, you might be interested in adding more information or including a new section to elaborate on the point you’ve made. 

Instead of starting a prompt from scratch, our assistant reads and understands your slide’s text to establish context. These are the parameters for what you’re looking to add. 

This cuts your prompting effort in half since you no longer need to describe tone, audience, purpose, or anything else. 

Don’t just create, collaborate with your AI

Before, our generative AI writing assistant delivered one result. Today, it’s more iterative, makes suggestions, and allows you to tweak your prompt. This makes it easier to collaborate with our AI, something we wanted to implement to improve user experience. 

Instantly create slides out of documents

We are constantly working to improve our AI to expand use cases and make presentation design easy and accessible to everyone. Another new feature allows you to convert lengthy documents, such as transcripts, e-books, research papers, or website URLs, into easily digestible slides. With AI that designs for you, you can give polished visual presentations (created in minutes!) for every boring or lengthy document. 

All of that happens thanks to context. Create your own Beautiful.ai presentation today.

Isabelle Nicole

Isabelle is a freelance content writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles.

Recommended Articles

6 companies crushing the future of work in 2021, it's time to democratize design, presentations for the rest of us, 10 new year resolutions that will help you present better in 2022.

AI PPT Maker for your content

Outline to presentation.

Our AI-powered PPT Generator will convert your outline to a stunning deck. Type or paste in a detailed text outline below and see the magic for yourself!

Transform your Outline to a Deck

Enter the Prompt...

Character count reached limit

Benefits of Using Presentations.AI

Why use presentations.ai.

End your presentation woes with our AI-powered Presentation Generator! Embrace effortless, creative, and automatic presentation creation.

Instant Creation

Transform your concepts into captivating presentations instantly with our presentation AI.

Stunning Visuals

Leverage AI for designs that capture and hold your audience's attention.

Tailored Content

Use our AI presentation maker for content that resonates deeply with your audience, enhancing message delivery and engagement.

Simplified Design Process

Our AI PPT maker streamlines the presentation creation process to save time and encourage creativity.

Accessibility

Get started for free using our AI presentation maker, making cutting-edge technology accessible to everyone.

Customization at Your Fingertips

Our presentation maker AI offers easy-to-use customization options, allowing you to perfect your presentation's look and feel.

Multilingual Support

Reach a global audience with presentation AI that supports multiple languages.

Innovative Presentations

Stay ahead with AI presentations, designed to create content that’s not only informative but also memorable.

Engagement Enhanced

Captivate your audience with dynamic and interactive presentations, thanks to the advanced capabilities of presentation AI.

Transform the way you communicate with Presentations.AI, where innovative technology meets creative expression.

From a simple text outline to a stunning presentation in 1,2,3…

Step 1: Enter your text

Start with your detailed outline - you can type it out or paste in content from any other document or web pages. You can be as detailed as you wish.

Step 2: Customize Your Deck

Select the number of slides you need. Our AI customizes the presentation to fit your story perfectly.

Step 3: Generate & Impress

Hit generate, and within seconds, your idea is now a presentation ready to captivate any audience.

How to Create a Presentation with Presentations.AI

Access Presentations.AI and choose to create a new presentation with Presentations.AI.

Input Text:

Enter your text outline into the AI presentation maker.

Optionally, select preferences such as language and length.

Click 'Generate' to create your presentation.

Review and Adjust:

Make any needed adjustments for a personalized touch.

Deliver your message with confidence, backed by a professional AI presentation.

Feedback and Iterate:

Use audience feedback for future presentations.

Save your AI-enhanced presentation, ready for sharing (requires upgrade).

Learn more about Outline to Deck

Introducing Clip-E: Revolutionize your presentations with AI superpowers

How to create presentations using Idea to Deck

How to create using presentations using Outline to Deck

Branding with personality: What makes you stand out

Is the generic visual brand guide outdated?

30 ads that made our heads turn: Making ads that convert

Frequently asked questions

Presentations.AI is an AI presentation app that uses advanced technology to automate and enhance the process of creating presentations, making them more engaging and effective.

The AI presentation maker uses artificial intelligence to interpret your input and generate presentations that are tailored to your requirements.

Yes, Presentations.AI is versatile and can be used for a wide range of presentations, including business, education, and more.

There is a free version available, offering essential features with the option to upgrade for more advanced capabilities such as the ability to export to an editable PPT.

PPT maker AI streamlines the presentation creation process by automatically generating content and designs, saving you hours of manual work.

Absolutely. AI presentation designs and content are optimized for engagement, making your message more impactful and memorable.

Embrace the future of presentations with Presentations.AI, where every slide tells a story and every presentation leaves a lasting impression.

Become the presentation superstar you were meant to be