presentation deck define

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

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.

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What Is a PowerPoint Slide Deck? (PPT Presentations for 2024 + Video)

When you've got to give a big slide deck presentation, it can be a bit daunting to get started. You might already be feeling nervous about speaking in front of a crowd. Or you could be running short on preparation time.

A PowerPoint slide deck can help!

And don't forget to prepare those speaking aids or slides! Having a visual to go along with your slide deck presentation is usually expected by an audience.

That's why we use  Microsoft PowerPoint  to build out slide decks easily. You can use a PowerPoint slide deck template from Envato Elements to build one quickly. We'll learn how to do just that in this tutorial.

Download Our Free PDF eBook on Making Great Presentations

We want to make sure you know about this resource which will help you write, design, and deliver the perfect presentation. Download our Free eBook:  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations .

Now, let's dive into learning how to build PowerPoint slide decks.

About PowerPoint Slide Decks (Video)

Are you looking for the definition of a PowerPoint slide deck? Well, you've come to the right place.

The video below explains everything you need to know about slide decks and pitch decks--including handy tips to make your next slide deck presentation better.

Jump to content in this section:

What Is a PowerPoint Slide Deck?

What is a powerpoint ppt slide, 5 quick tips for making better powerpoint slide decks, what types of presentation can you give, how to build a slide deck quickly, top 5 design trends for powerpoint slide decks in 2024, common microsoft powerpoint questions answered (faq), learn more about using powerpoint (helpful tutorials on envato tuts+).

• Grab This eBook on Making Great Presentations (Free Download)

Keep reading to learn even more about PowerPoint slide decks.

A PowerPoint  slide deck  is a collection of slides that are in the same presentation. You'll hear "slide deck" used somewhat interchangeably with "presentation." Like a deck of cards, each slide is a key part of the overall package.

 "Slide deck" and "presentation" are sometimes used interchangeably. For example, you'll frequently see the term "deck" used when it comes to pitching your company or startup . 

Presentations can be supported with a slide deck. You'll approach building that PowerPoint deck differently based on the type of slide deck presentation. But the fact remains that slides are a helpful supporting tool when presenting. 

Save lots of time and make a great visual slide deck presentation by using a professional PowerPoint slide deck design  from Envato Elements.

PowerPoint has a bad reputation for being a tool that presenters lean on. While your slides should aid your presentation, they shouldn't contain every word you say. It should be used as a tool to enhance your presentation. 

If a slide deck is a collection of slides, then what is a PPT slide? Slide decks are made up of individual slides. Each slide brings something new to the table. A collection of slides comes together to build a successful PowerPoint presentation.

Think of a slide as an individual card in a deck. No matter what card game you're playing, every card has a role. You can't win a hand of poker or rummy without bringing many cards together. And you can't build a successful slide deck presentation with an individual PPT slide.

Building a PowerPoint marketing plan is much easier when you use a pre-built template. Let's learn more about the tips and skills you can use to reduce the work in building your next marketing plan.

To help you build an engaging slide deck presentation we have outlined five quick tips that you can put in place:

1. Reduce the Content on Each Slide

Less is more when it comes to presentations. Start by opening up the slide deck and then find ways to reduce the content by half. That could mean removing entire slides, reducing the number of text bullet points, or removing multimedia from each slide.

We've got the tendency to overcrowd slide decks with content. We often write a presentation while preparing the slide deck at the same time. In doing so, we run the risk of using the presentation file as an overcrowded note pad. 

A PowerPoint slide deck should only be the most important points of the presentation. Why show the points that you'll be speaking aloud in writing as well? There's no need for redundancy.

2. Build Each Slide in Phased Introductions

When you cut to a new slide, it can be a mistake to show everything at once. The same idea as the prior tip applies: the less you show, the better chance that your audience has of actually digesting the information .

Cutting to a slide with everything already showing is the fastest way to lose the audience's attention. As soon as you cut to a slide that has a wall of text, you'll lose the audience's attention. 

In the example below, there are basically four content blocks surrounding the center. Instead of showing them all at once, I'll use animations to bring them on in groups. 

To build your slides, introduce them in stages. You can use PowerPoint animations  to bring parts of the slide in stages. Instead of showing the entire slide contents, try phasing in various parts of it using animations. Don't show an entire text box. Instead, bring each bullet point on with a single mouse click. This will help to hold the audience's attention.

If you want to learn more about animating elements of your PowerPoint slides, check out the tutorial below. You don't have to use eye-popping and sophisticated animations to introduce your slide's elements.

3. Content First, Style Later

When you're preparing a slide deck, the content of the presentation is your number one priority.

Instead of starting off in PowerPoint, start off with pen and paper. Write the content and structure of the PowerPoint presentation deck first. Then you can add the supportive visuals and slides.

There's plenty more to learn when it comes to building supportive PowerPoint presentation decks. Make sure to check out Cassie McDaniel's tutorial that features 22 tips for building out great PowerPoint decks:

4. Use Illustrations & Graphics to Explain

You can explain everything in text boxes, but your audience is sure to zone out and lose focus quickly. Instead, it helps to use charts and graphs that can help you translate ideas into graphics.

Check out the two tutorials below to learn more about building engaging visuals for your audience.

5. Let the Conversation Continue

A slide deck presentation is a chance to grab an audience's attention. The last thing you want to do is let the presentation be the last point of contact with your audience.

That's why I  always  recommend that your presentation include a contact or follow-up slide. Using a slide that showcases your social media or simply asks the audience to get in touch is a great way to take the next step with your business.

Every presentation is different. There are many types of presentations that you can give to make an impact on an audience. Here are the categories that I tend to think of presentations as spanning:

• Persuasive . Presentations that are designed to change the mind of the audience.
• Decision-driven . The purpose of these presentations are to provide a recommendation or path forward in a situation or project. You will often find these in the corporate world. 
• Introductory . An introductory presentation is designed to be the first point of contact. This showcases your business and work to potential clientele.
• informative (educational) . Informative presentations are really geared around showing knowledge or new ideas to an audience.

Before you even open PowerPoint, you should understand what type of presentation that you're giving. This will help smooth out the writing process and give you a clear goal to aim for. 

For any creative project, you can cut many hours out of your work if you avoid recreating the wheel. In other words, don't build slides from scratch. Use a presentation deck template  from Envato Elements to get a head start.

Best of all: you can customize these presentation deck templates in five quick steps. Let’s learn how.

We’ll use the Visionare PowerPoint Presentation from Envato Elements in this mini-tutorial.

Let's get started:

1. Pick Out Slides to Edit

Think about how to make a slide deck support your message. Remember, slides are a visual aid, not a presentation by themselves. Choose only slides that support what you’re already discussing.

In PowerPoint, find Slide Sorter on the View tab. From here, click and drag to reorder slides in the deck. Hold Shift and click on unwanted slides, then press Delete . Start editing by clicking Normal back on the View tab.

2. Add Custom Text

Custom text is a key part of how to create a slide deck fast. Templates like this have text placeholders already built-in. To edit, click and drag to highlight any block of text. 

Then, simply start typing (or paste in words from elsewhere). It’s that simple. Repeat throughout the presentation deck as needed.

3. Add Images

How to create a slide deck that inspires audiences: it’s a common question. One of the best ways is to build an illustrated deck. Image placeholders make it a breeze. 

Simply browse to an image stored on your computer. Drag it over the placeholder and drop it into place. PowerPoint will import and scale the photo to fit perfectly.

4. Change Object Colors

Changing object colors on your presentation deck has several advantages. It lets you add contrast or share your brand’s special colors. Click on any object to get started. 

On the Home tab, find Shape Format , then choose Shape Fill . A color chooser menu opens, where you can click to preview (and apply) any color you want.

5. Delete Unwanted Objects

Pre-built presentation decks include all kinds of content. But keep in mind, you don’t have to use all of it! 

To build cleaner slides, you can click on images, text boxes, and other items to select them. Then, press Delete on your keyboard. It’s a helpful way to ensure templates always work for you.

Learn more about customizing PowerPoint template designs (or read on for more great tutorial resources): 

It's important to present modern designs in your PowerPoint slide decks. This will give your presentation the best possible chance of succeeding. To help you stay on top of modern design trends, we've got a list of the top five design trends of 2024:

1. Add Space

Add space around the different elements on your slides is an excellent way to add a modern feel. To help create this modern look, try to reduce the number of elements on your slides. This will allow you to add space to your slides that looks natural. 

2. Layer, Layer, & Layer

Layering your presentation deck designs will give your slides a more professional look. Layering the different elements on your slides will add a sense of depth. This helps create an eye catching design. Try using various color blocked shapes as the base layer and then layer on your text and images. 

3. Use Simple Fonts

Simple and easy to read fonts will instantly give your presentation deck a modern feel. Sans Serif type fonts are going to give your slides a clean look. Be sure to choose the appropriate font sizes as well. Having headings and body text make for a visually appealing slide design. 

4. Include High Quality Images

Including high quality images is a must if you want to feature a modern looking design that'll deliver. Envato Elements has a wide variety of high-quality images. You can use these images for your presentation decks. Lean towards bigger image sizes on your slides. 

5. Use a Simple Color Scheme

Simple color schemes work best for presentation decks. Picking two or three colors is plenty to deliver a trendy looking presentation. Adding more colors can make the design seem disconnected. Try using one main highlight color throughout your slides. 

Looking for even more templates? Don't miss out on the next section where we cover even more presentation templates that you can download.

Discover More Top Selling Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation Decks

Still haven't found the perfect PowerPoint slide deck for your upcoming presentation? Don't worry! There are plenty of best-selling PowerPoint presentation decks to download. Check out the articles below for more great presentation deck templates:

5 Top Presentation Deck Templates from Envato Elements (For 2024 Slides)

Envato Elements has thousands of presentation deck templates ready for you. Here are five top designs trending now:

1. Coftofee - PowerPoint Template  

When you consider how to create a slide deck, it pays to think about your message. A flexible template is a great choice because it gives you a lot of creative power. Coftofee delivers just that, with 150 slides and five custom color schemes. All you've got to do is drop in your own content.

2. Drove Creative - PowerPoint  

Think building an amazing presentation deck takes forever? Think again. Drove Creative makes it a breeze, thanks to powerful use of master slides. In essence, these let you make bulk edits in a single step. Plus, you’ll find a full set of vector icons and resizable graphics throughout.

3. Simple Work Presentation  

Whether you’re making a business or personal presentation deck, versatility is a must. Simple Work lives up to its name, with 33 slides created in beautiful HD resolution. Simply drag and drop content onto the slides. Every graphic is fully editable, letting you have full creative control at every turn.

4. Station PowerPoint Presentation  

Wondering how to make a slide deck more interesting? Station is packed with ideas and designs to help you do exactly that. Bright colors feature on each slide. There are charts and infographics that present your ideas in unforgettable style. Also included are maps and vector icon sets.

5. Be PowerPoint Presentation Template  

Be is a presentation deck made in a minimalist style. It really helps your content stand out. Choose from dozens of sleek layouts, including images and device mockups. It’s quick, easy to edit, and sure to impress even the toughest audience.

Let's now go over a few FAQ's for Microsoft PowerPoint. 

Do you have questions about Microsoft PowerPoint? Below, we've collected five of the most frequently asked questions and provided answers to them:

1. Can You Print Your Presentations?

Yes, you can! PowerPoint supports the printing of all your presentations. This makes it easy to distribute your presentation if you need to.

Printing out your slides can use quite a bit of ink. Check out our tutorial below on how to print your slides and still use less ink:

2. How Can I Be Engaging and Effective With PowerPoint?

PowerPoint can be quite intimidating if you're new to the software. But don't worry! As long as you've got a professional template, all you need to do is add your content to the placeholders. This will instantly give you a professional looking presentation deck.

For more information on how to create engaging presentations, check out the article below:

3. Does the Quality of My Template Really Matter?

Absolutely! When you use a low-quality template, your presentation will be much less impactful. The templates on Envato Elements are professionally designed. This ensures that you're only using the most impactful designs. 

For more information on how to make a slide deck from a template, check out the tutorial below:

4. Where Should You Start?

Starting a presentation deck from scratch or even with a template can seem like a daunting task. The number one priority when starting a presentation deck is the content. Before you even get into the design customization, you need to have quality content to add to your slides.

Check out this article on how to write a professional PowerPoint presentation:  

5. How Do You Change PowerPoint Templates?

Using PowerPoint templates are a must if you aren't a professional designer. Thankfully, it's very easy to switch in and out of PowerPoint templates. 

To find out how to change PowerPoint templates check out the article below:

 Looking for even more helpful tutorials on how to create a slide deck? Check out the next section where we offer up even more great resources!

This PowerPoint presentation deck tutorial showcased some of my favorite resources and tips for building a PowerPoint slide deck. There's still plenty more to learn to help you rapidly build out a slide deck that you feel confident showing to an audience.

Check out these other helpful PowerPoint tutorials:

Grab This eBook on Making Great Presentations ( Free Download )

This eBook will help you learn how to write, design, and deliver great presentations.

Download  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations  for FREE with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter. Get your ideas formed into a powerful presentation that'll move your audience.

Now's the Time! Go Make Your Own PowerPoint Slide Deck

What is a PowerPoint slide deck ? Using custom PowerPoint PPT slide templates from Envato Elements can save you a lot of time on your presentation deck. 

Select the PPT slide deck templates you like. Then, build your own PowerPoint slide deck.

How do you build your slide decks? What are your favorite tips for helping reduce the time you spend in PowerPoint? Let me know in the comments section below this tutorial.

Editorial Note : This tutorial was originally published in June of 2018. It's been comprehensively updated to include new information and slide deck examples—with special help from Andrew Childress and Daniel Strongin . A video has been added by Chamira Young . 

How to Make an Engaging Slide Deck (+ Example & Templates)

Learn how to create a slide deck step-by-step. Get tips, examples, and templates to make a slide deck presentation that stands out beyond any PowerPoint.

7 minute read

helped business professionals at:

Short answer

How to make a slide deck in 7 easy steps?

The main steps for creating a slide deck are:

• Define your slide deck goals
• Research your target audience
• Research your topic
• Prioritize what you want to say
• Write your slide deck narrative
• Create or collect visuals that support your narrative
• Use a template to set up your slide deck design
• Bonus: Use an AI slide deck generator to do it all for you

Most slide decks bore the audience because they fail to tell a story

Imagine standing in front of an audience, only to watch their attention fade as you click through slide after slide. It's a disheartening experience, and it's more common than you might think.

The truth is, a slide deck without a clear narrative will bore your audience and leave your message unheard.

Worse than that, a storyless slide deck may leave people disappointed and feeling like they wasted their time. And you probably wouldn’t want such feelings to reflect on you.

But a good story makes your slide deck memorable, enjoyable, and perceived as more valuable by your audience. This is the power of a good story, and this is what this post will teach you to harness.

Let me show you the techniques to turn your presentations into compelling narratives . Learn the process, get insights, and tips, and grab a slide deck template to get you started.

Let's dive in!

Common mistakes to avoid when creating a slide deck

Here's a rundown of common mistakes to avoid when creating a slide deck as shared by Dan Zedek , a professor of journalism and media innovation at Northwestern University:

Overloading with visuals: Feeling insecure about visual talent often leads to overloading slides with too many photos, irrelevant images, colors, or typefaces. Simplicity adds clarity.

Long slide duration: A slide that stays up for 5 or 6 minutes can cause the audience's mind to wander. Aim for 30 seconds to a minute per slide to keep engagement high.

Irrelevant animations and colors: Using animations and colors that don't serve the content can be distracting. Use them sparingly and consistently to highlight important concepts.

Ignoring the audience: Understanding who's in the audience and what they expect from your presentation is key. Tailor the contents of your presentation to resonate with them.

Reading from the slide: This is considered one of the worst sins in slide presentations. Your slides should complement your speech, not repeat it.

Lack of pacing: Research shows that people's patience lasts about 6 or 7 minutes. Pacing your presentation and breaking down big ideas into smaller pieces can keep the audience engaged throughout.

Failure to inject personality: You're not just presenting facts; you're telling a story. Let your personality shine through, whether it's your authority, humor, or passion for the subject.

How to prepare for creating a slide deck?

The difference between a forgettable slide deck and a memorable one lies in the groundwork you do before you sit down to build the slide deck.

In the words of Nancy Duarte , the author of the book “slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations”: “Audience interest is directly proportionate to the presenter's preparation. You better spend time and energy on any presentations where the stakes are high.

An audience can tell how much energy you spent on your presentation, which is a reflection of how much you valued their time.

If they gave you an hour of their time, you need to make it worth it to them by treating their time as a valuable asset by making the content valuable to them.”

Here's a guide to laying that foundation for a slide deck that not only informs but engages:

1. Define your slide deck goals

What's the aim of your presentation? Are you looking to educate, convince, engage, or motivate? Pinpointing your goal is like setting your GPS; it guides everything that follows.

2. Research your target audience

Understanding your audience's needs, expectations, and pain points allows you to tailor your message. Speak their language, address their concerns, and you'll capture their attention from the first slide.

3. Research your topic extensively

Dive into your subject with the curiosity of a child and the diligence of a detective. This depth of understanding will shine through in your presentation, building credibility and allowing you to address questions and objections with confidence.

4. Choose the right delivery format

Most slide decks are delivered using the PowerPoint slide format, a common 9:16 ratio that we all know. This includes presentations made with tools like Google Slides and Canva. You may even think this is the ONLY way.

But the ppt slide format is a bad format for engagement. It’s static, limited in space, and prone to all the common slide deck mistakes .

On the one hand, a static slide deck is the most common and recognized format, which makes it “safe”. But the fact it’s recognizable also makes it indistinguishable and boring.

On the other hand, an interactive slide deck invites your audience to explore with you, turning the presentation into a conversation.

Which deck would be more likely to get your attention, the static or the interactive one?

How to organize the contents of your slide deck?

A slide deck's effectiveness isn't just about the content; it's about how that content is organized.

The way you structure your slide deck can mean the difference between your audience walking away with valuable insights or leaving halfway into your presentation.

Here’s how to organize the contents of your deck for maximum impact:

1. Prioritize what you want to say

The reality is that people forget 90% of what you present after 48 hours , and the 10% they do remember is often random.

So, how can you control that crucial 10%? By prioritizing your content, focusing on the key messages that align with your goals, and crafting your content to ensure that the right bits of information become part of that vital 10% that sticks.

2. Build anticipation

Engage your audience's natural curiosity by leveraging information gap theory . Create intentional gaps in your narrative, pose questions, and hint at answers to come.

It's like leaving breadcrumbs along the path, guiding your audience through your narrative and keeping them hungry for more.

3. Create a slide deck narrative

Humans think in stories; we relate to them, and we remember them. The secret to an engaging slide deck is using a storytelling structure.

If it's a business presentation, follow with an execution plan, and close with clear next steps. The storytelling framework helps your audience flow through your slide deck like a good book.

Here’s our recommended storyline structure:

How to design your slide deck for engagement

If you want to design your slide deck for engagement, think beyond text.

Create original visuals that breathe life into data. Complement your words with multimedia elements like images and videos. Incorporate interactivity and narrated design to transform a monologue into a conversation.

5 magical steps to create your best-ever slide deck

Creating a slide deck that stands out might seem like a complex task, but with AI as your creative companion and a clear roadmap to follow, it turns into a seamless and magical experience.

Here's how you can breathe life into your ideas and make a captivating slide deck with a few easy steps:

1. Tell our AI about your presentation goals

Begin by telling our AI assistant about the slide deck you wish to create. This first step sets the tone, allowing the AI to align with your goals and craft the perfect content structure.

2. Introduce yourself and your brand

Briefly share details about yourself, your company, and the topic of your presentation. This personal touch helps the AI fine-tune the content, making your slide deck resonate with your audience.

3. Select your slide deck design and style

Choose a design that reflects your brand. Our AI assistant will take it from there, crafting a deck that's visually cohesive and appealing.

4. Customize your slide deck

Add your text and design touches, and let the AI adapt the design to your content. You can also use it to enhance your copy, brainstorm ideas, or even generate original visuals.

5. Review and refine your slide deck

Take a final look and make any last-minute changes. If any tweaks are needed after sending, no worries—you can still make them. Your deck lives online, so you're in control of the version your audience sees, always.

How to personalize your slide deck

In the world of presentations, personalization is the magic ingredient that turns a standard slide deck into an engaging dialogue.

It's the subtle art of making each viewer feel like you're speaking directly to them, understanding their unique needs and interests.

But how can you achieve this level of personal connection? Here’s how you can do it with Storydoc -

3 steps for easy slide deck personalization:

Add information about your prospect: Add names and company details with a simple click. Your audience will receive a deck that feels crafted just for them, enhancing engagement.

Add dynamic variables: Using dynamic variables, you can address your reader by name throughout the presentation, turning it into a personalized conversation.

Advanced: Integrate Storydoc with your CRM: Storydoc seamlessly integrates with your CRM, allowing you to pull information directly into your decks. It's personalization at scale.

How to measure the effectiveness of your slide deck

Measuring the success of a slide deck goes beyond numbers; it's also about understanding the connection you've made with your audience. It's about knowing what resonates, what inspires, and what lingers in the minds of those you've reached.

Every slide deck created with Storydoc comes with an analytics panel that provides real-time insights -

Are viewers spending time on the slides that contain your key points? Who are they sharing your presentation with? Are they taking the next step, like visiting your website to learn more or looking through your portfolio?

By understanding how your audience interacts with your content, you can turn a standard presentation into a powerful tool for connection and influence.

Here’s a quick video showing how it works:

Slide deck templates

While following best practices is essential, standing out requires something more. It requires going from static to interactive, and from fact-led to story-led slide decks.

But interactive storytelling slide deck templates are hard to come by. Or at least they used to be.

Below you have designed templates that will make your next presentation something to remember.

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.

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Home Blog Design How to Create a Slide Deck in PowerPoint

How to Create a Slide Deck in PowerPoint

A commonly used term when working with presentations is “slide deck,” but what exactly do we mean by that? Should you be familiar with some core terms before making your first presentation?

As we believe continuous education is key for presenters, regardless of their presentation skill level, today, we will talk about presentation deck meaning, how to build a presentation deck, and which elements define success in this process. Additionally, for a broader understanding and skill enhancement in making effective presentations, our section on how to make a presentation offers valuable insights and practical tips. Without further ado, let’s get started!

Table of Contents

What is a Slide?

What is a slide deck, what should be included in a powerpoint slide deck, recommended slide decks for any kind of presentation.

A PowerPoint slide can be defined as a digital canvas in which we organize information and ideas in a visual format, primarily oriented for professional settings like business presentations, conferences, or academic presentations. People instantly associate slides with PowerPoint due to Microsoft PowerPoint being the industry-leading software in presentation software, offering full compatibility format with free software options like Google Slides.

The starting point of any slide is a blank canvas to which you can add a title, and you’ve got plenty of space to insert images, draw shapes, add videos to your presentations, and more. PowerPoint has a standard layout for its blank slides, as shown below. This layout can be modified by accessing Slide Master in PowerPoint .

Each slide is a single page of a presentation and can be edited to meet the requirements of any presenter without meaning you alter the following slides. Remember, presentation software tends to work with destructive workflow methodologies – meaning the changes you make cannot be reverted if you save the file and try to access it later. If you want to test multiple design options on a single slide, we highly recommend you create individual slides for each design or even save them as different file names so you can revert to a previous stage without inconvenience.

A slide deck or PPT deck is a collection of slides curated for a sole purpose: serving as visual aids for a presentation topic. These slides can contain multiple tools like charts and graphs , placeholder text areas, icons, dashboard display, illustrations (in the format of vector images), and way more depending on three key elements:

• Build quality: How much effort the creator put into crafting the slides.
• Software: Although compatible, PowerPoint decks may offer some effects that aren’t available in Google Slides. For that reason, creators often flag animated slides or slide decks containing complex shadow effects as only PowerPoint-compatible.
• Topic: A presentation deck intended to present a marketing plan won’t contain the same elements as one intended to deliver a motivational talk. 

Before deciding how to start a presentation , select a slide deck compatible with the topic your presentation is geared toward.

We like to work with the method of using one topic per slide. This means not overpopulating your slides with content for the sake of showing content. Such practices affect readability and the overall understanding of your presentation.

Instead, we will teach you how to curate content in your slide decks by taking pitch deck templates as an example. 

Say we select the Executive Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template . This pitch deck is intended to introduce potential investors to what the business is about. 

Rather than filling all the data in just 2-3 slides, take it easy and work with the layout this template offers:

• Title Slide: Every single presentation should list a title slide, with quality graphics and the presentation title being clear enough. Additional information can include the presenter’s name, the company’s name, logo, etc.
• About Us Slide: In business environments, companies should always introduce themselves, highlighting key information like the industry they move in, significant milestones, etc. Remember, this is an introduction to the company as an entity, the company profile presentation , not a description or introduction of team members .
• Best Services: Depending on your niche, take this as an opportunity to promote your core activities as a company.
• What We Do: This is complementary to “Best Services.” It is the section where you specify which areas your company covers and why your services stand out against competitors.
• Mission and Vision: Required for any pitch deck presentation.
• Meet the Team: This slide can either be an org chart or be presented through photos for the managers per department (the interaction points between stakeholders and management).
• Our Advantages: Ideal to complement slides 3 and 4, this expresses the competitive advantage of the company and marketing plan, and you should present your flagship product or service.
• Market Opportunity: What led your company to approach its niche, attending to customers’ pain points.
• Timeline: This slide serves to introduce significant milestones, projects, planned strategies, deadlines, etc.
• Market Size: When we have to answer the total addressable market (TAM), we can use a slide representing TAM, SAM, and SOM .
• Competitors: Two slides in this presentation deck talk about a company’s competitors and different approaches to representing that data with visual impact. 
• Data Chart: If you intend to discuss a KPI in particular, this chart slide can work to expand the talk over that point. 
• Product and Demo: This works either for e-commerce or physical products. Presenters can alter the slide to discuss services rather than products or just keep the “Best Services” slide.
• Pricing Slide: When discussing a business pitch, you must present your current pricing range to potential investors. In this case, the slide resembles the pricing tier format you can find on many websites.
• Thank You Slide: Knowing how to end a presentation with class is critical to securing a business deal. You can include a photo that resembles closing a business deal, a video that further expands your company’s history, products/services, and culture, or leave it with a minimalistic “thank you.”

With just 15 slides, you can create a powerful slide deck communicating your message to your target audience. Keeping a clean layout and following the 1 topic per slide rule ensures your presentation delivers a clean speech.

Now, we’ll move on to how to make a presentation deck from scratch. We recommend working with PowerPoint templates , as design decisions are already taken for you (font pairing, color schemes, placeholder areas, balance between text and graphs).

Select a Slide Deck

By browsing professional PPT template creators’ websites like SlideModel, you can find a vast selection of products tailored to your needs. It is as easy as to browse for the topic you want via the search bar, locate a product you desire, and download it to your account. You can also explore the available products per category through menu elements.

Insert your Content

Every single presentation deck available at SlideModel.com is entirely customizable. We can add illustrations by going to Insert > Picture and selecting the origin from which you want to upload your image into the presentation.

Also, users can customize the template and replace the image in the placeholder area by right-clicking over it and selecting Change Picture .

Text content can be edited in the text placeholder areas by clicking over it. Charts and graphs may require some extra steps depending on how they were crafted. To replace the placeholder data, simply select the chart or graph element and click on the Filter option next to it. Seek the Select Data option at the end of the contextual menu.

Modify the data used as a sample in the chart with the information pertinent to your company or project. An MS Excel spreadsheet will open up to allow that procedure.

Other Customization Options for Slide Decks

Finally, we recommend you check the following articles to learn more about aspects to edit in slide decks:

• How to change fonts in Slide Decks .
• How to change the theme in Slide Decks .
• Which fonts will make your Slide Deck stand out .
• How to insert 3D models in Slide Decks .
• How to change slide layout in a Slide Deck .
• How to rotate a slide in PowerPoint .

If you need a quick method to create a slide deck presentation, check out our  AI presentation maker . A tool in which you add the topic, curate the outline, select a design, and let AI do the work for you.

A clear and cohesive theme, concise and impactful text, and high-quality graphics are all you need to create a powerful slide deck, as long as it follows a logical flow that guides the audience through the presentation.

Yes, our expertise in this field tells us there are no visible differences between working with PowerPoint and Google Slides or Apple Keynote to create a quality presentation, except for some curved text effects and complex animations. When considering a Slide Deck vs PowerPoint, it’s important to note that all these tools can effectively deliver professional presentations.

– Select a theme or template that aligns with the presentation’s topic or audience. – Consider the context and setting of the presentation. – Opt for a clean and professional design that backs up your speech rather than add distracting elements.

When working with presentation software, you can format text as you would work with any text editor. Remember to stick to concise and clear language, with no technical jargon. Huge “text walls” deter the audience from your talk, as there’s a natural impulse to read the content. Opt for legible fonts rather than complex script typefaces.

Using a consistent color scheme is the first step, which can be analogous (easier to work), complementary, or bolder options as long as you stick to recommended color pairings. Avoid harsh contrasts, as they make your slides less legible. Use a maximum of 3 different fonts in your slide, best if 2 only.

1. Innovative Business Presentation Template Slide Deck

Powerful graphics with contrasting tones that add a vibrant vibe to your presentation. This slide deck is ideal for startups, tech talks, or any presentation that wants to showcase a vanguard style in touch with the latest design trends.

Use This Template

2. PPT Slide Deck Template

A semi-formal slide deck that balances many visual aids and placeholder text areas while bearing a complementary color scheme. Ideal for team meetings, introducing your company to investors, or academic presentations.

3. Business Executive Presentation Deck for PowerPoint

Sleek, formal, and with plenty of tools to repurpose this slide deck for multiple presentation requirements. A fully editable PPT presentation deck that can accommodate an alternative theme to its distinctive cool blue executive tones.

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What Is a Deck Presentation?

Explore what a deck presentation is, including pitch decks, slide decks, and innovative alternatives to traditional formats.

Types of Deck Presentations

1. pitch deck presentation, 2. slide deck presentation, 3. walking deck presentation, 4. powerpoint deck presentation, breaking away from standard slide decks.

• Interactive Presentations: These allow the audience to interact with the content, choose paths through the material, or delve deeper into topics of interest through embedded links or multimedia elements.
• Infographic Presentations: Utilizing strong visual graphics to tell a story or present data, these are less text-heavy than standard slide decks and often more engaging.
• Prezi Presentations: Known for its zoomable user interface, Prezi offers a dynamic alternative to the linear progression of traditional slides, making it suitable for more narrative-driven or conceptual presentations.

Why Use a Deck Presentation?

• Clarity and Engagement: Visual aids help clarify complex information and maintain the audience's interest.
• Professionalism: A well-designed deck reflects professionalism and preparedness, enhancing the presenter's credibility.
• Record Keeping: Decks can be shared and reviewed after presentations, serving as a documentation of what was discussed.

Best Practices for Creating Effective Deck Presentations

• Keep it Concise: Each slide should convey only one idea, keeping text minimal and to the point.
• Use Visuals Wisely: Incorporate charts, graphs, and images to break up text and illustrate points more vividly.
• Consistent Style: Use a uniform design template, font sizes, and colors to maintain a professional and coherent look.
• Rehearse: Practice your presentation multiple times to ensure smooth delivery and timing.

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What Is a Slide Deck Presentation?

The slide deck, PPT deck, pitch deck, and a range of other words are frequently used to denote a presentation. What is the difference between them, if any? What is a slide deck, and why is it so important for managers and specialists in different fields? In fact, it takes a little time and effort to discover the basic specifications of the notion and its peculiarities that help to acknowledge its true prominence and relevance. 

Talking about a slide deck, it is critical to mention that the term is assigned to a combination of slides that are used to form a presentation. In most instances, it is created using a corresponding presentation design software. The content of your presentation, its visual elements, and a range of other aspects are used together to present the necessary information in a simple and beneficial way. A slide deck is one of the most efficient and powerful instruments that help to tell a story, advertise a product or share vital data about an organization/company and its services. 

As it has already been mentioned, a slide deck is a combination of slides that form a presentation. A considerable number of businesses use this tool to share their vision, plans, and strategies, to analyze the performance, or to share critical information. Although it may seem that a slide deck and presentation are interchangeable terms, it is prominent to specify the discrepancies between the notions. 

In the overwhelming majority of instances, presentation is a broad term that is used to denote an act of delivering information, mainly in the form of a speech. A slide deck, in turn, is aimed at visual components that are used giving a presentation. 

What's the Difference Between a PowerPoint and a Slide Deck?

Browsing the web in search of comprehensive information about PPT and slide deck, most people get confused, as in most instances, the definitions are used interchangeably. However, it is not a reason to relax, as there is a critical difference that should always be taken into account. 

If you consider a slide deck definition, you will notice that the term is usually applied to a group of slides that are put together in a presentation. In fact, the term slide deck appeared earlier than PowerPoint tools were presented. Originally, it was a notion to characterize the batch of slides that were used in a projector. 

As for PowerPoint presentation, it is special software that is used to create presentations and influential slides. With the development of technology, PPT instruments were used to come up with a comprehensive deck of slides that would look powerful and meaningful. 

What Types of Presentations Can You Give on a Slide Deck?

Is this the first time you have worked on a slide deck? Then you are likely to have a lot of questions. What information do you put in a slide deck? How is it formatted? What are the types of presentations that can be created? These are a few most common questions people are excited about. 

At this point, it is vital to emphasize that each presentation is different and unique. The information you include in a slide deck helps to reach the audience and keep people interested in the promoted product or service. Additionally, one should mind that the objectives and purposes for the slide deck creation may differ a lot, depending on the goals of the company. Consequently, the types of presentations will also vary. The most common uses for a slide deck include persuasion, introduction of the services, presentation of information, and so on. Thus, there are the following types of presentations specified:

• Persuasive. The goal of this presentation type is to influence the vision of the audience and convince them to make the right decision. 
• Decision-driven. Do you want to provide the listeners with recommendations on the topic? Take advantage of decision-driven presentation, which is frequently used to promote certain projects or products. 
• Introductory. Is this the first time you have met the partners? Do you want to introduce your business? Follow the tips and guidelines that will help you showcase your company and make it look meaningful and influential. 
• Informative. New ideas, up-to-date concepts, and similar projects are presented using informative or educational slide decks. 

Once you are aware of the different types of presentations to craft, you should be ready to make your choice even before you open the corresponding software and start working on the deck. Focus on this aspect to smooth and speed up your process and make it much more efficient. 

What Is the Importance of a Slide Deck?

Presenting information, creating lectures, delivering messages and accomplishing a range of other tasks, people cannot succeed without a slide deck presentation. It is a powerful tool that complements the verbal message and gives an opportunity to make the speech more structured and consistent. Additionally, it is impossible to deny that the effort you make creating the slide deck will surely pay you off. 

As it has already been mentioned, it is an instrument that helps to create an excellent structure and aid the presentation process. In most instances, a well-crafted slide deck resembles the outline that aids the logical presentation of the material. 

What Must My Slide Deck Have? 

Have you already started using presentation software to come up with the most meaningful and reasonable slide decks? Then you need to make maximum effort to create an influential presentation that will contain the most critical data only. 

What should you start with? What are the indispensable components of the slide deck? Keep reading to detect the prominent stages of your work on the presentation. 

What's Your Value Proposition?

If you strive to present your company or its services, you should start with the value proposition. Declare the intent of your service and introduce the objectives of the company so that the audience is aware of your values and vision. It will contribute to the relevance of your slide deck and will help you keep the listeners alert and interested. 

What Problem Are You Solving? 

Another part of the slide deck should include detailed information about the problem you are going to discuss and solve. There is no need to include much information that may seem confusing. Instead, you should be straightforward and specific, emphasizing the most critical aspects of the issue or downsides of a certain undertaking. 

What Is Your Solution?

If you have already stated the problem, you should answer the next question: What do you use a slide deck for? Right, to provide the audience with the effective and powerful solution your company can offer. This is probably, the biggest part of the slide deck that should highlight the strong points of your company and show it as the only way out of the complicated situation. 

What Is Your Strategy Going Forward?

While the solution to the current problem is undoubtedly an advantageous experience, it is not enough to convince the partners or colleagues. Working on slide decks, people should not forget about the strategies and perspectives the audience wants to hear. Emphasize the vision of your company and its attitude towards future development, which will contribute to its relevance and dependability. 

Who Are You? 

Finally, when you are almost done presenting a variety of topics on a slide deck and convincing partners that the solution you offer is the most beneficial, you should give brief information about your service and its peculiarities. It will help people trust you more and get more confident in your reliability. 

Presentation design techniques

Types of presentations

What Is a Powerpoint Deck?

A PowerPoint deck is a series of slides created in Microsoft PowerPoint to convey information. These decks can vary in complexity, and their design combines text, images, and multimedia for effective presentation.

Utilized for a range of purposes, from business pitches to educational lectures, the key to an impactful PowerPoint deck lies in its clarity and visual appeal. Strategic use of typography, imagery, and design elements ensures that the content engages and resonates with the audience.

At a Glance:

• PowerPoint decks are sequences of slides to convey information.
• Origin of “deck” traces back to old projectors.
• Presentations are live events; slide decks are the electronic files.
• Various slide layouts available in PowerPoint: text, visual, data.
• Good presentations are concise, well-designed, and rehearsed.
• Decks can be used live or as reference materials.

Understanding the PPT Deck

Difference between a presentation and slide deck, how can you create a deck in powerpoint, what should you include in a ppt deck, what makes a good powerpoint presentation.

It gets its name from the old deck projectors, which had a stack of presentation cards that were used to present ideas in front of an audience. In the same way, a PowerPoint deck is a stack or a deck of slides that are used for a presentation.

Building your deck is intuitive: add a new slide by tapping on the “+” icon or using the right-click menu. PowerPoint offers a diverse range of slide layouts, be it text-centric, visual-heavy with pictures or diagrams, or data-driven with tables and charts. For a dynamic touch, embed multimedia components like videos or audio clips. You can save it either as a universally accessible PDF or as a PowerPoint file for fellow PowerPoint users.

At its core, a presentation is a live event: a speaker, in real-time, uses slides to convey messages to an audience. The slide deck, on the other hand, is the electronic file holding those slides.

Think of it this way:

Presentation: Live event with slides viewed on a screen or projector. Slide Deck: The electronic file you open in programs like PowerPoint to see those slides. In presentations, slides often flow in organized sections or subsections. While in a slide deck, these markers might be hidden for a seamless view. However, a quick click on the Show/Hide button (usually at the bottom-right) can reveal or conceal them.

The versatility of slide decks extends beyond live displays; they serve as handy reference materials. For a room full of attendees, print the slide deck as handouts. And if sharing digitally? Simply email it or save to cloud storage.

To create a deck in PowerPoint, you need to create a new presentation and add slides to it. To add a slide, click on the plus sign (+) in the lower-left corner of the screen. This will open a menu where you can choose from a variety of slide designs.

Once you’ve added some slides to your deck, you’ll need to choose a layout for each one. The layout governs the placement of text and pictures on the slide. There are several different layouts to choose from, and you can change the layout of any slide at any time.

A good PPT deck should include a title slide, section markers, and slides for each section of your presentation. You’ll also want to add slides for your main points, as well as slides with graphics and charts.

If you’re sending a deck to someone else, you may also want to add a cover slide and table of contents. A cover slide is a slide that contains your name and the title of your presentation. A table of contents is a list of the slides in your deck, with links to each one.

When tasked with creating a PowerPoint presentation , understanding its fundamental components can make the difference between engaging your audience and losing their attention. Here are some guidelines to ensure your presentation stands out for the right reasons.

• Conciseness: Keep it brief and to the point. Slides should support, not overshadow, the speaker’s narrative.
• Effective Design: Use principles like contrast, alignment, and spacing to improve readability and aesthetics.
• Balanced Creativity: While adding unique elements can be beneficial, ensure they align with the overall message.
• Presentation > Slides: The slides are tools; the effectiveness of a presentation relies heavily on the delivery.
• Preparation: Dedicate time to practice and refine your delivery, ensuring you’re within the allocated time frame.

In essence, a memorable PowerPoint presentation is a blend of concise content, thoughtful design, and thorough preparation. By keeping these components in mind, you’ll be well-equipped to deliver a presentation that not only informs but also captivates your audience.

A PowerPoint deck is a file that contains the slides for a presentation. It can be used for live presentations or as a reference document. With a little bit of practice, you’ll be able to create beautiful and informative slide decks that will impress your audience. We hope this article has helped you understand what a PowerPoint deck is and how to create one.

Related Posts:

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.

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What is a PowerPoint Deck: A Complete Guide

A PowerPoint deck refers to a collection of slides that make up a presentation. It is created using Microsoft PowerPoint or alternative presentation software like Google Slides or Apple Keynote.

What is a Slide Deck?

Nowadays, slide decks are digital files, but the name has stuck around. Some key things to know:

Key Components of a Slide Deck

Quality Visuals

Types of Slide Decks

1. business pitch decks.

Key Features:

2. Internal Presentation Decks

3. sales/marketing decks.

Key Features

How to Create a PowerPoint Presentation

Follow these steps to build an impactful PowerPoint deck:

1. Define your purpose

**2. Develop key messages **

3. Storyboard content

4. Design visually appealing slides

PowerPoint Presentation Tips

About the author, vegaslide staff, related posts, powerpoint 2016: presenting your slide show.

How to Link One PowerPoint Presentation to Another

What your function keys do in microsoft powerpoint, how to make an image transparent in microsoft powerpoint.

10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea, from TED’s in-house expert

When your slides rock, your whole presentation pops to life. At TED2014, David Epstein created a clean, informative slide deck to support his talk on the changing bodies of athletes . Photo: James Duncan Davidson/TED

Aaron Weyenberg is the master of slide decks. Our UX Lead creates Keynote presentations that are both slick and charming—the kind that pull you in and keep you captivated, but in an understated way that helps you focus on what’s actually being said. He does this for his own presentations and for lots of other folks in the office. Yes, his coworkers ask him to design their slides, because he’s just that good.

We asked Aaron to bottle his Keynote mojo so that others could benefit from it. Here, 10 tips for making an effective slide deck, split into two parts: the big, overarching goals, and the little tips and tricks that make your presentation sing.

Aaron used this image of a New Zealand disaster to kick off a slide deck from TED’s tech team — all about how they prepares for worst-case scenarios. He asked for permission to use the image, and credited the photographer, Blair Harkness. View the whole slidedeck from this presentation.

The big picture…

• Think about your slides last . Building your slides should be the tail end of developing your presentation. Think about your main message, structure its supporting points, practice it and time it—and then start thinking about your slides. The presentation needs to stand on its own; the slides are just something you layer over it to enhance the listener experience. Too often, I see slide decks that feel more like presenter notes, but I think it’s far more effective when the slides are for the audience to give them a visual experience that adds to the words. .
• Create a consistent look and feel . In a good slide deck, each slide feels like part of the same story. That means using the same or related typography, colors and imagery across all your slides. Using pre-built master slides can be a good way to do that, but it can feel restrictive and lead to me-too decks. I like to create a few slides to hold sample graphic elements and type, then copy what I need from those slides as I go. .
• Think about topic transitions . It can be easy to go too far in the direction of consistency, though. You don’t want each slide to look exactly the same. I like to create one style for the slides that are the meat of what I’m saying, and then another style for the transitions between topics. For example, if my general slides have a dark background with light text, I’ll try transition slides that have a light background with dark text. That way they feel like part of the same family, but the presentation has texture—and the audience gets a visual cue that we’re moving onto a new topic. .
• With text, less is almost always more . One thing to avoid—slides with a lot of text, especially if it’s a repeat of what you’re saying out loud. It’s like if you give a paper handout in a meeting—everyone’s head goes down and they read, rather than staying heads-up and listening. If there are a lot of words on your slide, you’re asking your audience to split their attention between what they’re reading and what they’re hearing. That’s really hard for a brain to do, and it compromises the effectiveness of both your slide text and your spoken words. If you can’t avoid having text-y slides, try to progressively reveal text (like unveiling bullet points one by one) as you need it. .
• Use photos that enhance meaning . I love using simple, punchy photos in presentations, because they help what you’re saying resonate in your audience’s mind without pulling their attention from your spoken words. Look for photos that (1) speak strongly to the concept you’re talking about and (2) aren’t compositionally complex. Your photo could be a metaphor or something more literal, but it should be clear why the audience is looking at it, and why it’s paired with what you’re saying. For example, I recently used the image above—a photo of a container ship about to tip over (it eventually sank)—to lead off a co-worker’s deck about failure preparation. And below is another example of a photo I used in a deck to talk about the launch of the new TED.com . The point I was making was that a launch isn’t the end of a project—it’s the beginning of something new. We’ll learn, adapt, change and grow.

Here, a lovely image from a slidedeck Aaron created about the redesign of TED.com . View the whole deck from this presentation .

And now some tactical tips…

• Go easy on the effects and transitions . Keynote and Powerpoint come with a lot of effects and transitions. In my opinion, most of these don’t do much to enhance the audience experience. At worst, they subtly suggest that the content of your slides is so uninteresting that a page flip or droplet transition will snap the audience out of their lethargy. If you must use them, use the most subtle ones, and keep it consistent. .

• Try panning large images . Often, I want to show screen shot of an entire web page in my presentations. There’s a great Chrome extension to capture these—but these images are oftentimes much longer than the canvas size of the presentation. Rather than scaling the image to an illegible size, or cropping it, you can pan it vertically as you talk about it. In Keynote, this is done with a Move effect, which you can apply from an object’s action panel. .
• For video, don’t use autoplay . It’s super easy to insert video in Keynote and Powerpoint—you just drag a Quicktime file onto the slide. And when you advance the deck to the slide with the video that autoplays, sometimes it can take a moment for the machine to actually start playing it. So often I’ve seen presenters click again in an attempt to start the video during this delay, causing the deck to go to the next slide. Instead, set the video to click to play. That way you have more predictable control over the video start time, and even select a poster frame to show before starting. .

Lastly, I’d love to leave you with a couple book recommendations. The first is Resonate , by Nancy Duarte. It’s not so much about slides, but about public speaking in general – which is the foundation for any presentation, regardless of how great your slides are. In it, she breaks down the anatomy of what makes a great presentation, how to establish a central message and structure your talk, and more. (One of her case studies comes from Benjamin Zander’s charming TED Talk about classical music, a talk that captivated the audience from start to finish.) Think of this as prerequisite reading for my second recommendation, also by Duarte: Slide:ology . This is more focused on presentation visuals and slides.

Happy slide-making.

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What is a PowerPoint Deck? An Ultimate Guide

Last updated on July 6th, 2023

Are you a businessman who needs a consistent flow of presentations for your everyday routine? Being a marketing specialist, an educationalist, and any other professional, you would always have used presentations in your life. The presentations help us convey our ideas more effectively by engaging the audience’s attention towards our main topic of discussion.

Slide decks are also presentations comprising multiple slides depicting various information and data like pictures, videos, charts, infographics, and more. One of the main objectives of the slide decks is that they break down the overall complex structure of the topic and turn it into easily understandable smaller parts. The quality of the data and information remains intact while the presenter is also facilitated due to the slide decks’ supportive interface and manageable structure.

PowerPoint Deck is a term people call a presentation or collection of PowerPoint slides . Even more, it is often used to call a collection of PowerPoint presentations. Instead of using the term presentation to refer to a .ppt file, sometimes the term PowerPoint deck is used, which stands more for the collection of PowerPoint slides rather than the presentation method using PowerPoint or the presenter standing up talking with the slides. Sometimes a deck is an unbound printout of the presentation given to the participants.

Also known as “slide deck” or just “PowerPoint deck”, the term means a presentation file or a series of presentations.

Difference between a Presentation and Slide Deck

While many of us confuse a presentation with the slide deck, there is a difference between both terms. Both terms are used interchangeably without knowing their context and meaning.

The major difference between a presentation and a slide deck is that a presentation is a process of conveying ideas, concepts, and messages through talks and speeches while the slide decks offer a visual aid to the presentations.

A slide deck is mainly used for representing organizations for sharing their projects, plans, and business strategies on various levels. Business professionals and marketers most of the time leverage the easy to manage and control process of developing and presenting slide decks.

Historical Perspective

Historically speaking, the slide decks have a very charming past as compared to other tools being used in the industry. Previously, an instrument named “Carousel Slide Projector” was used for presenting the slide show of the slides that were mainly put in the body of the projector in the form of photos and pictures.

With an amazing capacity to handle about 40 to 80 slides per show which was a great feature back then, Carousel Slide Projector was able to present a slide show in the given time according to the requirements of the presenter. However, there were some controllability issues but still, it was a great product back then and was mostly used by academics, researchers, and businessmen all over the world. The slides that were known collectively in the presentation were known as slide decks.

Are Slide Deck and Slideshow the same?

These two terms usually resonate together in the readers’ minds. But there is a clear difference between Slide Deck and Slideshow. Both terms, Slide Deck and Slideshows, are used in the context of presentations, but a slight change in the keywords creates a significant difference in the themes and concepts of these words.

A slide deck is usually known as a collection of the slides in a presentation and a slide show is a process through which these slides are presented, or described to any audience.

Usually, a slideshow covers the whole of the screen and it is not as editable as a single slide of the slide deck. The slide show is usually exposed on an electronic device or projector through which a presenter effectively shares the visuals and graphics of his presentation with the audience sitting in front of him.

What is PowerPoint?

Slide decks existed in the form of physical slides being shown on a projector, way before the revolution of digital technology. But with the passage of time, the need for the latest technologies and tools became more common in the marketplaces and everyday life due to ever-increasing developments in the business and scientific world. Hence the PowerPoint-like software were introduced to effectively design and present presentations on various PC systems like Computer, Laptops, and even tablets, etc.

Initially, it was released by Forethought Inc in 1987 that was only available for Mac OS. Later on, the entire software system was purchased by Microsoft and was rebranded as Microsoft PowerPoint and it is still present in the ownership of Microsoft.

What is a PowerPoint Template?

A PowerPoint template is a presentation file that includes information about the layouts, color, and fonts, and you can use them as a starting point when preparing a new presentation. With so many options available, you can easily find a template matching your company’s branding or the specific look you’re seeking. PowerPoint Templates (PPT templates) also save you time by providing a pre-designed layout that you can simply fill in with your own content. Best of all, PowerPoint templates are easy to use and can be applied with just a few clicks.

Many sites are offering paid & free PowerPoint templates with different themes, styles, and designs. PowerPoint also has built-in PowerPoint templates that you can use in the PowerPoint editor when you start a new presentation. Other presentation providers, such as SlideModel, offer a vast catalog of presentation templates and PowerPoint slides with stunning infographics and visual designs that you can use to save time preparing your presentations.

So if you’re looking to add a little extra polish to your next presentation, be sure to check out some of the great PowerPoint templates available online.

Slide Deck and Pitch Deck

What is the slide deck meaning? Various forms of the presentation styles that have been introduced gradually have created some confusion in the minds of the readers regarding the basic terminologies of those types and their meanings. The same is the case for the Slide deck and Pitch deck where many people will confuse the terms as similar to each other.

In the digital boom of the business world, every startup and entrepreneur needs persuasive strategies to raise funds and gain more investments for their businesses. Pitch decks are one of the great ways to do that.

While slide decks are simply the collection of the slides , the pitch decks , on the other hand, represent the specific type of presentations that are mainly used for raising funding and grabbing investments for businesses and startups, or to present an idea to investors.

You can refer to a pitch deck as a slide deck but not all slide decks are pitch decks.

PowerPoint Slide Deck

There are a number of ways to create slide decks as they are one of the most commonly used words for developing presentations, even before the evolution of technological developments.

So, what is a slide deck? Slide decks were present in the form of physical slides being shown on a projector previously but when they are designed, structured, compiled, and presented through a software named PowerPoint, then they are known as PowerPoint slide decks. Being one of the most widely used software (almost 500 million users worldwide) PowerPoint presentations are one of the most easily manageable and customizable software.

Another great feature of PowerPoint templates is that they can be used to edit, and customize the pre-made templates of the presentations to save your time and resources being spent on the designing and developing of the presentations from scratch.

Websites like Free PowerPoint Templates can be used to download thousands of professionally crafted templates for free to be used in your every possible business, marketing, educational, or any other project.

Slide Decks in Google Slides

The Google Slides, another important and well-known presentation software, is also widely used by consumers who mostly prefer a web-based software to cater to their needs. Google Slides also offer a variety of options to its users to create engaging designs and themes incorporating diagrams, graphs, charts, tables, infographics, and various other visuals available to be used for your every need.

The slide decks that are being developed in the Google Slides Software are known as Google Slides’ decks.

How to Create a Slide Deck in PowerPoint?

By following these steps, you can easily develop your next great slide deck allowing you to create a slide deck in PowerPoint.

• Start and open the PowerPoint tool
• Plan the structure and hierarchy of your presentation
• Start by creating a title slide with a persuasive title for your topic
• Develop the remaining slides by giving the relevant title to each of the slides
• You can use images, videos, and infographics too according to your project’s needs
• There are also options to add animation and transitions. The design and visual appeal of the presentation can be effectively enhanced using those options.
• End your presentation with complimentary “Thanks” and “Any questions” slides
• Save your work and keep your presentation in either a hard disk or cloud-based storage network
• Present Your amazing presentation

3 Tips to Enhance your Slide Deck’s Productivity

Your next slide deck should be your flagship project as you know almost all the important factors and terminologies related to the slide deck. However, if you need some additional boats, there are some more techniques and tips to polish your slide deck more.

Tip #1. Add Visuals

Always add more visuals to your slide deck to make it more appealing to your listeners. The attention rate of the audience is always more towards visual representation as our brain processes visual data 60,000 times faster than contextual information. Hence incorporating a considerable amount of graphics and design elements in your presentation will not be a bad idea. You can add infographics, photos, charts, tables, and much more by using Different software tools like PowerPoint and Google Slides. PowerPoint features include the possibility to insert icons, images, videos or alternatively you can create your own infographics and visual slides in PowerPoint from scratch.

Tip #2. Write Less, Speak More

Your presentation should not be as long as a research report and also not as short as a highway billboard. There should be a balance between words and imagery. But it is always recommended by experts that presentations with fewer words and more visuals help the presenter to divert its attention more towards the audience, which elevates the overall focus of the audience that boosting the productivity of the presentation.

Tip #3. Develop a Consistent Design

The design of your presentation should be confident from the start to the end. The color strategy, the font style, the anthem, and the overall message of the presentation should be maintained throughout the course of delivering a presentation to increase the overall engagement rate of the audience.

Final Words

Slide decks deliver the message of a speaker more conveniently incorporating the visual and graphical elements in its core structure. The retention rate of the interest of the listeners can be enhanced significantly if the slide decks are designed by using the latest softwares like PowerPoint and Google Slides. The animations, transitions, tables, charts, engaging diagrams and other visuals all make the slide decks a number one choice for the marketers and businessmen to present their business plans, ideas, and future business strategies to their stakeholders effectively.

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Create an Effective Slide Deck

A great presentation depends on more than the high-quality information you’re sharing. Here are some essential principles to help you create a memorable slide deck. Choose the right fonts. Use sans serif fonts like Helvetica or Arial for a minimal look and better readability. Stick to two font styles throughout your presentation—one for headings and another […]

A great presentation depends on more than the high-quality information you’re sharing. Here are some essential principles to help you create a memorable slide deck.

Source: This tip is adapted from “How to Make a ‘Good’ Presentation ‘Great’” by Guy Kawasaki

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What is a Pitch Deck? Meaning, Example, and Guide

This article will help you understand the concepts and components of an effective pitch deck.

Throughout many years of helping startup founders navigate fundraising, we've come across many pitch decks. We can confidently say that we know a thing or two about writing good pitch decks. In this article, we'll do a deep dive into the definition of a pitch deck and what the ideal pitch deck looks like.

Pitch Deck: What is It?

A pitch deck is a short and concise presentation, usually created using PowerPoint, Keynote, or similar software, used to provide your audience with a quick overview of your business plan. It typically covers key aspects such as your company's mission, business model, market opportunity, product or service, competitive landscape, financials, and team. The goal of a pitch deck is to attract investment by convincing potential investors of the viability and future growth of your business. Most pitch decks are around 15-24 slides long and are used during meetings with investors, demo days, or as a part of the initial screening process by accelerators.

A pitch deck shouldn't be a boring business presentation. It's a narrative that tells your company's story . Depending on your stage and your particular journey, this ‘story' can take different angles: solving a pressing problem, a unique business model, remarkable traction, revolutionary tech, or superhuman founders. Usually, a deck will have between 15-24 slides, but this depends on all the above factors and shouldn't be taken as a rule of thumb. The deck's goal is clear: you need to persuade your investor audience to trust you and your solution so they want to invest their money in your company.

A pitch deck can be used for different purposes , such as emailing it to help you land investor meetings, pitching, and presenting in front of an audience. Depending on these scenarios and time constraints, the presentation can have more or less information, but the structure should generally be the same.

In short: a pitch deck is a quick presentation that outlines your company's business plan to potential investors. The goals of a pitch deck vary, though generally it aims to secure financing from investors, or at least further conversations about investing in your startup.

When will you need a pitch deck?

‍You'll need a pitch deck throughout your journey as a founder and many stages of a startup's life. For starters, almost every U.S. accelerator program will ask for a pitch deck during their initial screening process. Once you're in, get ready for the "pitch practices." These spaces allow you to rehearse your pitch and refine your presenting skills. Rehearsing is crucial; it's designed to prepare you for future demo days. An event where you present your business to a room full of key players think investors and other program coordinators.

However, this is not the most common use of your deck. The most common use for a pitch deck is whenever you and your team decide it's time to seek external capital. Think of your pitch deck as your ‘presentation card.' Often, what will determine whether you can sit in front of potential investors is if your deck has a clear and compelling story that can be understood. The presentation decks can also serve as a pre-meeting brief, allowing investors a sneak peek before a face-to-face conversation, or as a discussion tool during your meetings to walk them through your value proposition clearly and concisely.

A pitch deck serves a dual purpose : not only does it provide investors with an overview of your company, making it easier for them to evaluate the investment potential, but it also helps you, as a founder, as a mental exercise into articulating the key aspects of your startup and pen key information and data about your company.

The ideal structure

Again, think of your deck as a story/journey your reader is going through. Throughout the presentation, the key questions the pitch needs to answer are:

• What market opportunity have you discovered?
• What have you built to tackle it? How does it work, and who is it for?
• How much are you growing, and will you continue to grow?
• And why are YOU and your team THE right ones to change that status quo?

These four guiding questions will frame the structure of your pitch deck First, you want to set the stage with your deck's introduction. This encompasses the cover slide and the status quo section. What's the current landscape, and what isn't working?

Next, we pivot to introduce your solution think of it as the story's hero. This is where the narrative takes a turn. We focus on what sets your solution apart, its features, how it generates revenue, and its target audience.

For seasoned entrepreneurs, this is also the point where we'd highlight any traction gained, demonstrating your understanding of your business's growth trajectory and your concrete plans for expansion.

Then, it's time to size up the market. You should explore how the target market responds and how big it is the stakes couldn't be higher. But that's not all; your audience will also be eager to learn about the competitive landscape and how you are better than your competitors.

Finally, we reach the climax of the pitch deck. Here we highlight the founding team, your unique competitive edges, or perhaps your innovative rollout strategy. We wrap up this section by clearly outlining your funding needs and providing a breakdown of how the capital will be used.

What should be in a Pitch Deck Presentation?

Many authors, venture capitalists, startup founders, and evangelists have developed various iterations of what they believe are the essential components for successful pitch presentations. There is definitely not one correct answer. However, there are certain best practices and highly recommended components the deck should have.

At Slidebean, we've created this visual to show how we visualize the ideal story arc of a pitch deck.

This fits perfectly into the ideal pitch deck structure we tend to use at Slidebean.

Debunking Pitch Deck Myths

As CEOs and founders approach their pitch decks they’ll inevitably come across some myths: like the number of slides they are allowed to use, or whether or not to include an advisors slide. Let me tell you right now, it’s all crap. 

In the end a pitch deck is a summary of your company story , nothing more, nothing less. If your company story is long, and it takes you 25 slides to cover it, great. If you can do it in 10 without leaving anything out, better. 

To me a pitch deck is this blend of storytelling, of building up excitement; with business, and numbers, and a very rational, cold decision which is: will this company make me, investor, money? 

Does Your Company Really Need a Pitch Deck?

Companies come in all shapes and sizes, but only a handful of them are venture-fundable. 

You may hear talk on the startup press about this and that company raising millions of dollars, but for the most part, these are fast-growth, massively SCALABLE companies, and that’s why they can (and must) raise capital to expand.

There’s really no terminology to tell them apart, but I like to use Startups vs. Small Businesses .

Yes, if we are strict about their definitions, all Startups begin as Small Businesses, but the difference I want to make here relates to their scale. 

So let’s draw a line here and paint that picture. 

Small Businesses

Say a developer and a UI designer got tired of their day jobs. They’ve built a name and a portfolio for themselves and they decide to start their agency. 

To me, this is the definition of this category of ‘small business’. This is, by all means, a tech company, but in order to scale they will need to hire more and more designers and developers. Their margins, the profit the company makes after covering expenses, will always be limited because they are essentially selling man-hours. 

Can they reach great scale? They can build an agency with 1,000 engineers, but that is a long-shot. Examples here are the McKisneys and th EYs of the world: massive consulting companies that still sell mostly, services; but those are exceptions. 

Can they raise venture capital? Unlikely. And definitely not at the idea or early revenue stage. 

Those companies are usually formed by 2 or 3 partners who bring in some capital of their own to get started. One of those partners might even be an ‘executive’ co-founder: while the other, or others bring the expertise and the work, the executive co-founder brings the capital. 

But that is not an investor that you find with a pitch deck. It’s probably a relationship that you’ve already built, and that trust you to get in bed with you for this business. 

There’s nothing wrong with being a ‘small business’ type of company. The US economy was built on these small businesses.

The Tech Startup

This is the company that you read about on Techcrunch . A company that has found a transformative market opportunity, and that is using technology to solve it in an extremely scalable way. 

Uber is not a car or a taxi company. It doesn’t need to hire drivers. It operates all over the world and can open an operation in a city with 3 employees, because they are a marketplace. They are connecting drivers to riders. 

Same with Airbnb . They don’t need to buy homes or rooms (like a hotel), they are just connecting the players in this economy. 

Going to Social Media, when Facebook acquired Instagram in 2013, they were bought out for $1 Billion. The company had 250 million users and 13 employees. Because software is infinitely scalable, and you don’t need a massive staff to support it. 

That’s the concept that I like to classify as a tech startup. Once again, technically, the development shop is a tech startup, but I’m not using the dictionary definition. 

The story on how these companies fund their operation is very different. These are companies reaching for the moon, so they will need to raise capital every couple of years (assuming they are doing well). 

On a SaaS (software as a service) for example, it’s expected that the founders build a prototype and sell it to a few customers before considering outside capital. 

On a Social Media platform, fast user growth is expected before raising significant capital. Look at the Facebook story- assuming that you saw the movie: Thiel only invested in ‘The Facebook’ AFTER it was a hit in Harvard. 

Other industries like Healthtech and Hardware do require capital earlier on, because they are very capital intensive just to get started. 

For the most part, these companies will operate at a loss for years, because everyone is betting on the large play. Think Amazon, who didn’t turn a profit for decades, but today, it completely dominates the e-commerce industry. And AWS. And streaming. 

Parts of a Pitch Deck

The three-act structure.

Rules are made to be broken, but I believe this structure is truly the ideal one. For this outline we combined our own experience, our analysis of hundreds of decks, from successful companies like Airbnb and Uber and finally, storytelling. 

And let me start with that one, because as irrelevant, and unrelated as it may seem- storytelling makes or breaks a deck. 

Who doesn’t love a good story- a story of how this team used their wits to overcome difficulties. Or a story on how everything stacked against them, and they won by the skin of their teeth. 

I learned this stuff in film school, and it ruined movies a little bit for me, but most stories, films included, follow a 3-Act structure that looks like this. 

During Act I, the SETUP, we have an introduction to the characters and to the status quo. We are presented with a universe that we can believe in, that we can invest in, as long as it’s realistic, and consistent with our own experience. 

Then comes Plot Point 1, around a third of the movie in. This is a point in the movie where the story takes an unexpected turn, and the plot gets its direction changed. 

In The Social Network, it’s when this coding, viral platform genius that we’ve been introduced to, gets presented with the Havard Connect idea by the Winkelvosses, and decides to steal it. 

The first plot point also opens a range of possibilities of where the story could go. As viewers, we are at the mercy of the script and often have no idea where the conflict will go. 

As the Plot changes direction, stakes start getting higher. We care about these characters and build excitement. This all builds up to the climax of the story, which comes right after the second plot point. 

In the Social Network, the Second Plot point is Eduardo freezing the Facebook account: it’s another unexpected turn in the story. Instead of opening possibilities of where the story could go, it narrows them down. This is followed by the climax of the story, the confrontation between Mark and Eduardo in the Facebook office. 

Try placing your pitch deck story in this arch. 

We start with an introduction , the status quo. What’s going on, how does the world operate today? What are the flaws? 

Your Solution slide is the first Plot point . You are pivoting the direction of the story, of the current status quo and possibilities are endless. 

Now you start narrowing down. The product takes shape. Stakes get higher. We understand the hero of the story, the product. 

The second plot point and climax could vary depending on your business. Maybe it’s in your traction slides, because you tapped into an incredible distribution channel. 

Maybe the plot twist revolves around the competitors, and how they foolishly overlooked something your team knows. Maybe it’s about your team, your background, and experience which is unmatchable.

It’s at that climax when the viewer is most vulnerable. It’s after that climax, that you get to ask for money. 

Very broadly speaking, the key elements that fit this structure are listed below. This doesn't mean the deck should have no more than 13 slides. Depending on your particular case, many of these sections should be expanded into more than 1 slide.

• Market Overview
• Product/Features
• Revenue Model
• Go-To-Market
• Market Size
• Competition
• Fundraising/Use of Funds‍

These core sections of a pitch deck are intentionally designed to flow from broad to detailed, starting with the business opportunity and gradually zooming in on why this particular company is poised to fill a gap in the target market.

If you're on the hunt for some pitch deck inspiration, check our gallery of successful pitch deck templates right here I want to take a moment to re-emphasize that this structure is, by no means, a rule of thumb. Every company has its own story, and whoever is creating the pitch deck will adapt these slides into the order that produces the best possible story, given their strengths. Early-stage startups, who usually don't have relevant traction, lean heavily on the problem-solution fit, the market potential, and being first to market. More mature companies, in contrast, tend to emphasize their traction, KPIs, unit economics, and how additional funding can accelerate their growth.

Regardless of the size of the company or the milestones to date, the ultimate goal of a pitch presentation is to provide a broad overview of how the startup works, its strengths, and future growth opportunities.

Are there different types of pitch decks?

More than different decks per se, the main factor to consider is that there are different scenarios in which you'll use a deck, so we definitely need to adjust the narrative to fit these different time constraints and content requirements. While there's no one-size-fits-all guide to the types of pitch decks, here are some commonly encountered decks:

Elevator pitch deck:

This is a deck that should, as the name suggests, be able to deliver a pitch for 1-2 minutes during an elevator ride with a potential investor - figuratively speaking. Nonetheless, these sorts of decks are highly condensed versions of your pitch. Focus on the most essential information: problem, solution, traction, market, use of funds, and growth.

Demo day pitch deck:

Usually a bit more detailed than an elevator pitch but still on the shorter side. These pitch decks are common on demo days when many startups present sequentially, and the time limit is sacred. Here, founders usually have no more than five minutes to present. These pitches are often presented in large auditoriums, and the focus is yourself, so the deck itself should have little-to-no-text and be heavy on visuals to capture your audience's attention.

Full investor deck:

‍This is what you normally find when Googling “What is a Pitch Deck” or “Pitch Deck Meaning”. A full investor deck is the archetypical pitch deck and also the most commonly used. Typically, it showcases your company for potential investors to review and assess if it is venture-backable or not. This is a more in-depth look at your startup's aspects, from business model and go-to-market strategy to financial projections and fundraising needs. These decks have between 15-24 slides and are also called “email decks,” meaning they are sent to help you land investor meetings. They can also be used to guide in-person meetings and help you highlight traction and data that would otherwise be trickier to explain verbally.‍

Key components for a solid pitch deck

• Good Story Structure - Storytelling Arc: In pitch decks, the order in which you present your information is crucial almost as critical as the content itself. Your information should follow a logical order that paints an overall business picture and has a story arc that makes sense. Most storytelling techniques in public speaking also apply to narrating your business story.
• Easily Understandable: This point goes hand in hand with the structure and order of the deck and, honestly, is quite obvious. Readers need to understand your company and the deck, regardless of them being unfamiliar or unrelated to your industry. The typical trap in which many fall is getting too technical and using jargon that many of us simply - don't understand. Try to tell the story clearly, compellingly, and concisely so that anyone* can understand the deck and get excited about your company.
• Human-Centered & Relatable: It's tempting to focus too much on the solution you created and give lengthy explanations of your product's super cool features. The reality is that the best business idea is meaningless if it doesn't solve a genuine human problem. The deck needs to convey that there is a clear problem/solution fit. Make things relatable by providing proof of the user's pain points, quantify the problem, and mention how your solution improves their lives - and why your team is the only one that can do it. If your audience can't relate to the problem, convincing them of your solution will be hard.‍
• Compelling Visual Resources: While your presentation's content is vital, your slides' visual look is critical in engaging your audience. People get bored quickly, and a visually dynamic presentation can help you maintain their interest. We process images much more efficiently than text; use this to your advantage by crafting visually striking slides that enhance your message. And please, remember that this is not a business plan. You shouldn't have everything in your deck. This is a high-level document that has to paint a solid picture of your company. There will be a time and place to deep dive into different areas of the company; the slide deck is not the place.
• Traction-Oriented Slides: If you have the traction, brag about it. Results and actual data tend to be more relevant than anything else. They demonstrate you've found or started to find product/market fit, and that your addressable market has been identified and defined. Nothing gives you more credibility than actual, measurable success with paying customers. Bonus points: you must be prepared to discuss these metrics and unit economics once you present them, so make sure you know and understand them.
• A Healthy, Exponentially Growing Business: The simple (and hardest) truth of crafting a solid and compelling pitch deck is that it depends on your company's performance. Revenue-generating businesses, low-churning products, exponential and sustained growth, and consistent usage… these are the things that investors are looking for, and that will charm them. The reality behind the startup fundraising world is that investors want a 10x return for their investment. Despite the reputation of being risk-takers, they ultimately look for their investment to yield results.

A pitch presentation is valuable for founders and investors to assess collaboration opportunities. A solid deck can take you really far, and a deck full of red flags can deter you from even having the opportunity to pitch in person to potential investors. It is a good exercise because it forces you to do a conscious exercise to articulate your story in a compelling manner, as well as a format that is compatible with the majority of investors around the world. By no means is it an easy task, but the exercise of writing it will help you understand your company from an external perspective and force you to understand key aspects of the narrative you have: growth, metrics, solution, problem, etc.

I hope this article has clarified what a business deck is and the components of a 5-star deck.

For more insights, feel free to explore other articles on our blog about pitch deck basics.

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A pitch deck is an essential tool for startup founders, especially in the early stages, as it helps them connect with potential investors and secure crucial venture capital funding. It serves multiple purposes, all of which are key to a startup's growth path. Here, we outline them.

Preparing to pitch to investors from a VC Firm? This article includes examples and explanations from renowned Venture Capital Firms to guide you on crafting your pitch deck.

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What is a Pitch Deck? Examples, Tips and Templates

Written by: Mahnoor Sheikh

A pitch deck is a brief presentation that gives potential investors or clients an overview of your business plan, products, services and growth traction.

As an entrepreneur, you probably know this: your company or idea needs financing.

Oftentimes, this financing will come from external sources—i.e. people who aren’t friends or family. This means that you’ll need to communicate your ideas to potential financiers in a way that gets them excited about investing in your business.

In other words, you’ll need a pitch deck .

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit pitch deck templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

Table of Contents

What is a pitch deck, what’s included in a pitch deck presentation, 8 real-life pitch decks to know, the dos and don'ts of pitch decks, how to create a pitch deck in 3 easy steps, pitch deck faqs, looking for presentation software.

• A pitch deck is a visual presentation that tells the story of a business to persuade and engage potential investors.
• The most common pitch deck slides are introduction, problem, solution, market size and opportunity, product, traction, team, competition, financials and use of funds.
• Learn from the eight real-life pitch deck examples to get inspired about creating your own.
• Visme helps you create pitch deck presentations to secure funding in just three steps: choose a template, customize it and download or present it.
• Sign up for Visme's free online presentation software and start customizing your pitch deck templates now.

A pitch deck, also known as a start-up or investor pitch deck, is a presentation that helps potential investors learn more about your business.

As strange as it sounds, the primary goal of a pitch deck is not to secure funding—it’s to make it to the next meeting.

Surprised? Wait, let me explain!

Securing funding is a multi-step process. A good, informative pitch deck is the first rung on the ladder. You’ll want to present investors with an idea that intrigues them and gets them to engage with you.

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• Monitor clients' level of engagement to see what they are most interested in
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What is a Pitch Deck Presentation?

A pitch deck presentation usually consists of several slides that help you tell a compelling story about your business . You can put one together using a generic software like PowerPoint or use a modern tool like Visme to create an out-of-the-box presentation.

What is an Investor Deck?

An investor deck is a presentation entrepreneurs prepare when seeking financing rounds from investors. It presents valuable information about the business, which is critical when seeking financing or looking to convince the best investors.

When faced with busy executives who won't sit through a presentation, opt for a startup one pager as an alternative. It'll help you grab their interest faster and secure a meeting where you can share your pitch.

Interested in learning more about creating compelling investor decks? Read this article and take advantage of our professional design templates to get started.

It’s tempting to dump information onto investors. As a founder, every part of your business is important to you. But the best pitch decks are ones that are short and easy to follow.

A good rule of thumb is to include no more than 19 slides in a pitch deck.

There are many different opinions about the components of a pitch deck. But when we looked at some successful startup pitch decks out there, we noticed 10 key slides included in most of the presentations.

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Let’s take a look at each of these slides in detail.

1 Introduction

The first slide of your pitch deck is also the most important one. It’s your chance to make a great first impression, so make sure you don’t let this opportunity go.

Keep the introduction slide short and sweet—tell people who you are and why you’re here.

You can also use this slide to communicate the value proposition of your business . Try to articulate it in a single phrase or sentence, like:

“We make video games for doctors.”

“We make Happy Meals for adults.”

“We’re Sephora for pets.”

You get the point.

A good value proposition will make your audience sit up straight and want to listen to the rest of your presentation.

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If your business idea doesn’t solve an actual problem, what are you doing?

You should identify a problem your target audience faces, a gap that the market is currently not addressing.

A good problem slide will identify two or three problems your product will tackle without being long-winding. Keep the text focused so that investors will have an easy time following.

Airbnb’s ‘problem slide’ from their original pitch desk is a great example.

In this slide, identify a concise and clear solution that investors can easily follow. This is an important slide that makes your product deck captivating.

Airbnb’s solution slide highlights how they aim to solve each of the three problems they pointed out earlier in big and bold letters.

In this slide, identify a concise and clear solution that investors can easily follow.

Airbnb’s solution slide highlights how they aim to solve each of three problems they pointed out earlier in big and bold letters.

Avoid making grand statements like “we are the only ones doing this.” Most people in the room will probably know multiple companies trying to address the problem you’ve identified.

Another good strategy is to offer multiple possible solutions to the problem presented and then move on to the one you have chosen and why. This shows investors your dedication and research.

Instead of uniqueness, focus your presentation on your research, drive, commitment and capability in solving the problem.

But make sure you don’t put all of that on your slide. Keep it simple and to the point, and let these guidelines shape your entire presentation.

Airbnb Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by Airbnb that you can customize for your own startup.

Customize now!

Customize this pitch deck template to make it your own! Edit and Download Now

Visme's AI Writer is a game-changer for crafting pitch decks. It provides clear, concise information, making sure your pitch deck impresses every audience. Just explain the tool about what you want write and it will take care of the rest.

4 Market Size and Opportunity

When creating a sales pitch structure, be sure to include a summary of your market research.

The market will determine if you get your funding or not. If you are operating in a small market, investors might find that the potential ROI is too small or too risky to fund you.

Using sources from your research, a solid market slide will graph out past market growth and future potential market growth so that investors can easily see what the potential of your product is.

A good example of a market size slide is from Lunchbox’s pitch deck.

Notice how the slide clearly shows the market size and identifies the opportunity in measurable numbers.

Create a powerful pitch deck in minutes!

• Choose from hundreds of ready-to-use templates
• Customize text, images, logos and more
• Add interactive buttons and animations

This is the part where you show off the actual product or service your business is selling.

If it’s a physical product, add professional photos of your product from different angles. You can also include exploded or cutaway views that highlight the materials and features of your product.

If your product is an app, online tool or service, consider adding screenshots that show off its most unique features.

Dandelion Energy's product slide includes a comprehensive explanation of their product in a concise and easy-to-understand manner with an illustrated graphic.

To take things further, you can also do a physical demo of your product in the middle of your presentation. Or embed a video or link into your slide to do a virtual demo.

TouristEye Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by TouristEye that you can customize for your own startup.

This slide should be all about the growth of your business—the numbers of sales you’ve made, the major goals you’ve achieved till now and the next steps.

Most startups include a hockey stick growth chart in the traction slide of their pitch deck.

This slide in Buffer’s pitch deck is a great example of how you can show off your current achievements to investors.

The traction slide plays a crucial role in crafting a compelling pitch deck for investors as it reduces risk in their eyes. They want to see proof that your business idea or solution has what it takes to be profitable.

Buffer Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by Buffer that you can customize for your own startup.

Customize this pitch deck template to make it your own!

• Add your own text, images, logo and more
• Customize anything to fit your brand image and content needs

Your pitch deck outline will include your core team members. The investor is interested in the drive of these people and what makes them unique enough to see this project to its success.

Under each core team member, consider including bullets, descriptions or titles that show why they are central to your mission.

Here’s an example of a team slide from Teton AI's pitch deck.

Keep the members here limited to your core team. Advisors need not be included.

8 Competition

Utilize the competition slide to visually illustrate your competitors and communicate the factors that make your startup special.

Airbnb has a great slide in this regard.

Notice how they use affordability and ease of access as the driving force setting their business apart from other travel or listing companies.

Buzzfeed also does great by showing how they offer more than what their competition can. They use their plan to reach across the aisle and offer the services of multiple competitors as their selling point.

Buzzfeed Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by Buzzfeed that you can customize for your own startup.

9 Financials

The financials slide in your pitch deck is one that investors spend the most time looking over.

Your pitch deck outline should contain your company’s projected growth over the next three to five years, along with details about your business model and finances.

Enlive’s pitch deck does a good job at showcasing their income statement projection in this slide.

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• Upload an Excel file or sync with live data from Google sheets
• Choose from 16+ types of charts, from bar and line graphs to pyramid and Mekko charts
• Customize anything, from backgrounds and placement of labels to font style and color

The use of colors and a bar chart makes the financials easier to understand and definitely look more interesting than a boring spreadsheet full of numbers.

A lot of this information is not set in stone. No one can accurately predict where you’ll be in the next three years, but investors expect to see you outline your plan and show that you have the financial knowledge to reach it.

You can also explain your economic plan here. This includes your operating structure and distribution channels as well as your plan to make money.

10 Investment and Use of Funds

Before you wrap up, don’t forget to tell investors what you need from them.

But instead of just asking for a certain amount of funding, also let them know what you plan to do with the money.

When you justify your ask, it helps build trust and lets investors take you seriously.

Here’s a no-nonsense investment slide from Intercom’s original pitch deck as an example.

Remember to be strategic here. Let your investors know the amount you are asking for, but keep it real. You don’t want to lose out on a big investment simply by aiming too high. Cover your bases.

Intercom Pitch Deck Template

Here's a pitch deck template inspired by Intercom that you can customize for your own startup.

While there’s no universal structure for creating pitch decks, make sure your pitch deck outline contains the slides we’ve highlighted.

When it comes to choosing pitch deck dimensions, you can either use the 4:3 aspect ratio or 16:9 aspect ratio. When emailing your pitch, ensure the file size isn’t larger than 10MB.

Learning from real examples is like getting advice from experts. By looking at what has worked for other businesses, you can better understand how you should design your own pitch deck.

So, here are some good pitch decks and examples that real-life companies have used recently to secure funding.

1. Finix ($126M)

Finix's pitch deck presents a tailored solution for businesses to manage payments, emphasizing their platform's efficiency and scalability. It effectively visualizes their unique value proposition, revenue model and market opportunity with a sleek and professional design that reflects their purpose well.

2. Softr ($15.7M)

Softr's deck uses aesthetic consistency with clear visuals to highlight their no-code platform's functionalities. Their compelling narrative includes discussion on market trends, competitive differentiation and growth plans, capturing the essence of their vision.

3. Lunchbox ($72.1M)

Lunchbox is a restaurant technology platform that enhances the customer experience by offering online ordering, loyalty programs, and other digital solutions to streamline operations.

They've cleverly included lots of additional visual elements like icons, illustrations, charts and data visuals in their presentation. Everything in their deck shows how they mix food and technology together.

If you want to elevate your pitch deck's visual appeal using unique and high-quality graphics, like this example, Visme's AI image generator is there to help.

It can help you generate any graphic in different formats, like icons, illustrations, drawings, abstracts and more. Use the tool to generate a high-quality graphic to emphasize your pitch deck content.

4. Plum ($82.4M)

With its sleek, minimalist design, Plum's pitch deck establishes its mission to automate wealth management effectively. Their slides are rich with data on target markets, growth strategies and financial projections, reflecting their drive to democratize personal finance. Also, they limited their slides to 9 and still managed to cover enough.

5. Teton AI ($6.4M)

Teton's pitch deck features a clean and professional design, aligning with its focus on cutting-edge AI technology in healthcare. They've used Venn diagrams, charts, shapes and high-quality, relevant images to emphasize their deep learning and computer vision products.

6. Vue Storefront ($38.9M)

Vue Storefront's pitch deck smartly incorporates its brand color – a refreshing green scheme. This not only aligns with their brand identity but also infuses vibrancy and a distinctive sense of innovation into the design.

They used boxes for text organization to convey clarity and structure, making information easily digestible.

7. Party Round ($7M)

Party Round, with a recent funding of $7 million, is dedicated to simplifying the fundraising process for founders.

This pitch deck is smartly designed with a balanced layout that quietly hints at automation and user-friendliness. The use of big letters boldly captures attention, while adding 3D design elements adds a layer of dynamism, creating a visually engaging presentation that stands out.

8. Dandelion Energy ($134.5M)

The color choice of Dandelion Energy's pitch deck aligns with the company's focus on sustainable energy, evoking warmth and eco-friendliness. The deck incorporates visual elements such as bar graphs, images, and an illustration to vividly explain how their geothermal product works.

Now that you’re clear on what a pitch deck is and what a good one contains, let’s take a look at some common dos and don’ts for creating and giving powerful pitch presentations.

But before that, make sure you watch the video below on the top pitch deck design tips for creating the perfect startup pitch.

When Designing 

Do use bullet points on slides..

Remember that this is a presentation with a short time span. Make your sales pitch deck brief and to the point.

Don’t overwhelm your audience with a lot of text. Explain the things you want to explain in detail but don’t cram them onto your slides.

DON’T stuff your slides with text.

As you can see from the examples above, it’s best to have bullets, not paragraphs, on slides.

Furthermore, use large font sizes, lots of visuals and a readable color scheme. This will help you put together an engaging and informative presentation.

DO include your contact details.

Make sure you include your contact information at the end of your presentation to let your audience know who to reach out to for queries.

Here is the contact slide from Facebook’s 2004 pitch deck.

This slide also allows your business to have a ‘face’ and encourages investors to look this person up.

DON’T add too many team members.

In your Team slide, stick to core members. Too many executives can overwhelm; your investors want to know who is piloting the ship.

When Presenting

Do tell a story..

Make sure you present your audience with an engaging narrative that allows them to feel why your business is tackling the problem it is and how this will affect them.

DON’T focus on only the stats.

Without a cohesive narrative and a bigger picture dealing with the why of your business and what it will bring to your customers, all your stats sound dry and boring.

Make sure a purposeful narrative runs throughout your presentation, not just at the beginning. The stats are important, especially financial stats, but they aren’t the only important thing.

DO elaborate and minimize as you see fit.

What is on the slides is important, but so is how you present it.

As you’re speaking, gauge your audience, their interests in the particulars of your business, and what they most care about. Then, tailor your company pitch deck to their needs.

DON’T just read from the slides.

Tailor your presentation to keep your audience engaged and never just recite what is written on your slides.

Remember, investors can read. The reason this is a presentation and not an email is so you can engage with them.

Creating a startup pitch deck doesn’t need to be difficult. If you’re short on time, you can use a design tool like Visme to put one together in literally just a few minutes.

No more starting from scratch and creating slides one by one. You can simply use ready-made templates and replace the placeholder content with your own.

Here’s how it works.

Step 1: Choose a template.

To get started, sign in to your Visme dashboard and choose a pitch deck template that fits well with your content and type of business.

There are hundreds of presentation templates in Visme’s library, and they’re all fully customizable.

Customize your favorite pitch deck template! Edit and Download

You can also mix and match slides of a similar style using our presentation themes.

Step 2: Customize.

When you find a pitch deck template you like, click on Edit to start customizing it inside the Visme editor.

You can change anything and everything to fit your content needs. The editor is easy-to-use with drag-and-drop functionality. You can use it even without any prior design experience.

Change colors, fonts and images. Swap icons for relevant ones using our free icon library. Add and customize data visualizations to make boring numbers more interesting. Insert animations and links, embed videos, and more.

You can also add, remove or rearrange slides as you see fit. Use Dynamic Fields to keep your personal, company and other key information accurate and consistent throughout your presentation.

The entire customization process will barely take you an hour if you just replace the placeholder content with your own.

Step 3: Download or share.

You can download your pitch deck in image or PDF format, or as a PowerPoint file.

Generate a link to share it privately with specific people, like in an email. You can also publish your presentation on the web so it can show up in search results on Google.

You can also embed the pitch presentation on your company website using a responsive code. Once you’ve shared your deck, you can start tracking analytics to see how many people viewed it or have taken action.

Running out of time? You can generate a complete and captivating AI pitch deck in minutes using Visme's AI presentation maker .

Just describe the type of presentation you want the tool to create and Visme's Chatbot will suggest different template styles. Once you've chosen the most relevant template for your presentation, you can wait for the tool to create the design.

After that, you can preview, regenerate, or open your project in the Visme editor. Once you're sold on the template design, you can further customize it using the wide range of design tools and assets available in Visme's pitch deck maker.

Here are some frequently asked questions that will help you clear any doubts about creating your pitch deck.

Q1. What should you avoid in a pitch deck?

When developing a pitch deck, you should take care of several pitfalls to deliver an effective and impactful presentation:

• Avoid using unnecessary jargon and complex terminologies to keep your explanation simple and clear.
• Don't overcrowd a single slide with too much information, as it can make it hard for your viewers to grasp the key elements.
• Ensure to include the unique aspects of your product or service that set it apart from others in the market.
• While you need to recognize your competitors, highlight what makes your venture different and, perhaps, more appealing.
• Be realistic with your revenue predictions; overly optimistic numbers can cause investors to doubt your credibility.

Q2. How long should a pitch deck be?

The ideal pitch deck should be about 10 to 15 slides long. Each slide should discuss critical business aspects, like problem statement, market size, solution, business model, etc. However, the number of slides may change based on your business complexity and target audience.

Q3. What is the difference between a pitch deck and a business plan?

A pitch deck and a business plan are both critical for startups but serve different purposes:

Pitch Deck: A pitch deck is a brief presentation to give your audience (typically potential investors, partners, or customers) a quick overview of your business plan. It's generally used during face-to-face or online meetings and should be engaging, concise and to the point.

Business Plan: A business plan, on the other hand, is a formal document that details the tactics and strategies you intend to employ to start and grow your business. It covers minute aspects such as your business model, detailed market analysis, organizational structure, cash flow projections, etc.

Q4. What is the best software for creating a pitch deck?

It depends on your business, but you’ll generally want to choose software that blends the ease of use with cutting-edge functionalities. In that case, Visme is the best software for creating a pitch deck with advanced features like data visualization tools , presenter notes , presenter studio , animated graphics and more.

Q5. Cost of making a pitch deck?

The cost of making a professional pitch deck can vary depending on whether you hire a designer or do it yourself. Hiring a designer to create a custom deck from scratch could cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

However, tools like Visme allow you to easily create high-quality decks without design experience or costs. Visme offers free online presentation software with hundreds of professionally designed templates for pitch decks and other types of presentations.

Q6. What types of investment pitch decks are there?

There is no universally accepted classification of investment pitch decks into specific types, but they vary based on the nature of the business or the purpose of the pitch.

However, there are a few common types or themes of pitch decks that companies often use:

• Pre-Seed Pitch Deck: This pitch deck serves the purpose of securing initial funding to shape and refine a business concept. This deck outlines the problem, solution, market potential, basic financials and team.
• Seed Pitch Deck: Crafted to attract funding for the launch and early development of the business. It builds upon the pre-seed deck by offering more details on market validation, product development, and initial traction.
• Series A/B/C Pitch Deck: This type of pitch deck is for seeking significant funding rounds for growth and expansion. They provide comprehensive information on market leadership, financial performance, scaling strategies, competitive landscape and potential exit plans.

Q7. What is the difference between a pitch deck and a presentation?

A pitch deck is a type of presentation designed specifically to propose an idea, product, solution or opportunity to potential clients, investors or partners. A presentation, on the other hand, is a content format composed of slides, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be used for pitching purposes.

Q8. What should not be included in a pitch deck?

A pitch deck should not include irrelevant information, unrealistic financial projections, unverified claims, technical jargon and overly complex data or slides. You should also steer clear of presenting negative information like potential risks or challenges without offering mitigation strategies or solutions.

A powerful pitch deck can help you secure the funding you need to make your business idea a reality. This article will give you the confidence you need to design and present a killer investor pitch deck .

If you want to learn more about pitch decks and giving great presentations, check out some of the resources below.

• 17 Pitch Deck Templates Inspired By Real-Life Startups and Businesses
• 15 Expert Tips for Giving a Powerful Business Presentation
• Presentation Success Formula: How to Start Strong and End Powerfully

You can also watch this video on how to structure your presentation to keep your audience hooked till the very end.

If you're looking for an easy-to-use, professional presentation software to help you make a powerful pitch deck, Visme can be just what you're looking for.

You can browse through fully designed pitch deck templates that are inspired by real-life pitch decks of successful companies, such as Airbnb, Buffer and more.

Each template is customizable, so you can easily plug in your own content, graphics and brand assets, and download it in PowerPoint or PDF format, or publish it online.

Ready to create your very own pitch deck? Sign up on Visme for a free account and take it for a test drive!

Create captivating pitch decks in minutes using Visme

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About the Author

Mahnoor Sheikh is the content marketing manager at Visme. She has years of experience in content strategy and execution, SEO copywriting and graphic design. She is also the founder of MASH Content and is passionate about tea, kittens and traveling with her husband. Get in touch with her on LinkedIn .