Presentations are not simply a good test of your communication skills but also your ability to plan and build a story that connects with your audience. A sales deck will often make or break the opportunities you create and no matter how amazing your service or product may be, if it is delivered without clarity your chances of winning the business are significantly reduced.
As experienced sales deck designers, we understand the pitfalls to avoid and the areas that require the most attention. Finding the right balance in the sales presentation design stage takes some time to master due to the level of detail and creativity each one requires. Below we go into more detail by focusing on the four main criteria that should form the foundation of every effective sales deck.
Impactful messaging
With the rapid growth of e-commerce and tech, the business world is more competitive than ever and as a result the time you have to capture the attention of your audience is getting shorter. Distractions are everywhere – be it messages from competitors, busy schedules, or the physical distraction of digital devices that demand fast and direct responses.
A great sales deck can take all of this into account and more by ensuring the message is delivered clearly and concisely. According to scientists the average human attention span is getting shorter due to our reliance on smartphones and if a sales pitch is confusing or overloaded with too much information minds will quickly start to wonder.
You don’t want your audience quietly thinking about their next meeting, what’s for dinner that evening, or even worse, recalling a presentation they preferred from a competitor! When it comes to text on screen less is more and when supported by strong imagery and design it embellishes your product or service in the client’s mind. As pitch deck designers this is something we cannot emphasise enough as it can ultimately make all the difference between a good and bad sales presentation.
Get creative
Whether it’s creating original marketing campaigns for a service or finalising the finer details of product packaging, you need a style that reflects the brand’s ethos and personality. A sales presentation design is no different in that respect as it is more than a series of words and images put together on the page.
The style you use in the pitch deck is just as key as the message you are trying to deliver. The features and benefits of your product or service become far more enticing when presented in a way that is visually appealing, as it easier to engage with and encourages your audience to keep paying attention.
Always remember your sales deck is an extension of your brand and it will create that all important first impression on your audience. If the style is confused and unclear, their belief in your business could be affected, while a pitch deck that seamlessly represents your brand will enhance your reputation and increase your chance of securing the deal.
Know your audience
As pitch deck designers we’ve worked with clients who have no experience of creating sales presentations through to companies who have been doing it for years. The common thread between them all is the importance of understanding their audience and tailoring the message towards the people receiving it.
Generalist sales decks may seem like they can appeal to everyone when in fact they end up communicating to no-one at all. What a high level executive needs to understand about your proposal is completely different to a Procurement Manager or a technical specialist working in a specific department.
Once the meeting has been arranged you should always ask who you will be pitching to as this will allow you to organise the length, detail and complexity of your sales deck. The immediate environment of the space it will be delivered in also has to be taken into consideration to ensure the scale and tone finds the right balance for the scale of audience who will be listening.
Understand your objective
By thinking about how you want your audience to think, feel or respond, it allows you to work backwards to create the perfect opening and ending to your sales deck. Connecting with both emotion and logic helps create a memorable sales presentation design, regardless of whether you are selling or presenting a certain point of view.
Once you know how you want your audience to react then creative sales deck designers can plan a road map that will take them to that end point through your pitch deck. By strategically positioning clear calls to action at the start and finish of the presentation will encourage them to respond positively and ensure they respond in way that funnels them through to the next stage of the sales process.
Buyers invest in people first before the product, which is why finding and developing the emotional connection is so important, as it presents a solution to a problem they personally want resolved. A clear objective invariably leads to a better outcome that pleases both the buyer and improves sale conversion rates.
At the Presentation Experts we’ve worked with clients across a range of industries all with one thing in common, they need to sell a product or service. Through professional design backed by years of experience we’ve helped them deliver effective sales presentations everytime.
If you’re looking to breath some life into an old sales presentation or want a complete presentation designed from the ground up by our professional designers then get in contact today!
