You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. In the case of pitching to investors, this couldn’t be better demonstrated than with pitch deck design. While it would be nice to be the only pitch deck that crosses investors’ desks, the unfortunate truth is that your pitch deck is likely just one of numerous others that they receive every year. Because of this, you only get a few minutes to make the right impression about your product or service. And when you present a stunning, well-organized, and well-thought-out pitch deck to your investor, you’re giving your company the best chance to get noticed and subsequently, thrive.
The Tips
If designing a pitch deck sounds daunting, the good news is that you rarely have to start from zero to create a standout pitch deck. We’ve got a few simple tips to give you a leg up on getting noticed while getting your ideas across clearly.
Image source: Anastasia Salazar Ltd. for YOGO
Leverage Your Existing Branding Work
If you’ve already put in work into branding, this is a great chance to apply that to your pitch deck design. Your existing color palette, typography, photography, or illustrations will all provide a great place to start building a pitch deck that is consistent with your branding. If you haven’t yet established your branding, decide on a color palette of 2-6 colors, 1 typeface style, and establish your margins.
Image source: Anastasia Salazar Ltd. for Auxeris
Stick to a Mood
Along with branding, figure out the mood of your pitch deck design, and stick to it. Think on what you’d like your audience to feel as you move through your presentation. If you want them to feel energized, this might mean action-based images. If you want a sophisticated feel, you might opt for a completely different approach, with lots of negative space and a minimal design. Jumping from one style to another will disorient and detract from your presentation.
Image source: Projector
Minimize Text
Unless you’ll be sending your pitch deck with no chance to present directly to the investor, you should do your best to limit the amount of text on your slides. More text means more time spent trying to read everything on the page, rather than paying attention to your message. Try sticking to a maximum of 50 words and voicing over the details.
Image source: Anastasia Salazar Ltd. for Akello
Give Bullet Points an Upgrade
For the essential text that is on the page, innovate the way you present the information rather than using the traditional bullet points. Adding icons or images or separating information into more slides can be a good way to break down information logically and creatively.
Image source: Anastasia Salazar Ltd. for F8 2018
Don’t Forget Hierarchy
Think about the information you want to bring emphasis to, and make sure there’s some hierarchy to your slides. A good way to do this is to think in terms of an outline format. What is the one most important piece of information you want people to remember from the presentation? What are some supporting features or details?
Image source: Projector
Add Emphasis Creatively
One way to visually communicate this hierarchy is to add emphasis creatively. The copy you want to highlight can be emphasized using a different color, size, or weight (bolding). Highlighting the background of the copy, adding icons or photos, frames, or arrows can also be some other simple ways to draw attention to important information and maintain hierarchy.
Image source: Creative Market
Use Templates
You don’t have to start from scratch. Turn to websites that offer templates for whatever format you’re using (Keynote, PowerPoint, etc.). For example, try searching “presentation template” on behance.net. If you are creating your own slides, you can make your own templates as well, creating 2-3 variations that you can recycle throughout your presentation and adding consistency.
Image source: Projector
Apply Visual Aids
The more visuals, the better. There are many websites that offer free or paid access to icons, illustrations, and photography that can add a little oomph to your presentation, such as The Noun Project, Stocksy or Adobe Stock to name a few. If appropriate, using tools like Giphy can provide a visual aid that adds a bit of light-heartedness as well.
Image source: Medium
Making Use of Photography
An easy way to add intrigue to your pitch deck design is through photos. Stock photos can be customized by putting them into various shapes, blurring, or tinting them or using them as a full-bleed background. Photos provide a simple way to bring the presentation to life.
After you’ve put your presentation together, see if all your pages work together. Is there a logical rhythm to the flow, especially with regards to how you’ve distributed images and text?
Opportunities on the Horizon
A pitch deck design that is on-brand and thoughtfully developed will directly affect how the recipient views your company. A well-crafted and memorable pitch deck will likely make a lasting impression, and give you a better chance to really get your message across. And getting your message across means a higher chance of winning over new clients and investors for your business.
Anastasia Salazar Ltd. is an independent design studio for tailored branding and digital designs. Reach out to learn how we can help you create a presentation customized for your brand.