How many slides should a pitch deck be?

A pitch deck is a significant element of business expansion and success. It is a clear presentation entrepreneurs and founders compile to demonstrate their business offerings, show the message they are trying to communicate, and point out the value they possess. A professional pitch deck should be properly arranged to reach the desired results. One of the essential factors impacting the outcome of your pitch deck presentation is its length. Captivating people’s attention and retaining their interest can be a daunting task. You should keep in mind that people’s attention span is limited, and they quickly tune out. So, presentation time and slide count are of high importance for a memorable performance and further successful pitching results.

Your pitch deck size can shape a certain image of your business and team, defining how people perceive your brand. For example, a super long presentation may push them to the idea that you can’t express your thoughts clearly and succinctly, and you probably lack the skills to build straightforward strategies. On the other hand, a pitch that is too short can evoke doubts and question your expertise in the niche you have chosen. So, you should be careful with slide count in your pitch deck, as it influences your success or failure. Note that your potential investors can digest dozens of pitch deck presentations daily and encounter similar business ideas pretty frequently. Now, let’s break down the specifics behind the ideal number of slides for the pitch deck.

A winning pitch deck can tell a compelling story about your business and persuade others that your idea is worth giving a try. It can earn you sufficient funding, beneficial partnerships, and continuous support. However, to reach all this, you need to make an effort and get some knowledge to craft a quality and engaging pitch deck. Along with proper pitch deck dimensions and appropriate color choice, picking a suitable slide count is a vital part of the pitch deck creation process. An ideal pitch deck length will help you engage your audience and grow your chances of success. It will make your investor presentation slides more memorable and effective and allow you to convey your message in the most influential manner.

When it comes to business development, people often seek a secret magic recipe that can provide growth and success in no time. In fact, things are not so simple and sometimes require extraordinary efforts, skills, and knowledge. While crafting a pitch deck for your business, you may have stumbled upon some difficulties, but now you know that this process takes time and requires research, even for points like the perfect slide count.

If you google “pitch deck how many slides,” you will find various tips and sometimes contradictory information on this stuff. Luckily, there is a certain industry standard on the number of slides you include in your pitch deck. It amounts to 10-15 slides one should use to convey a core message of their business. A lot of creators advise this slide count because such length allows speakers to structure ideas well and present them in a dynamic way.

Maybe you have heard about Guy Kawasaki, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur, author, and speaker who often gives tips and essential practices for successful speeches. He introduced the 10/20/30 rule that promises to avoid boring performances. This rule implies a speaker should use ten slides for their presentation, taking only twenty minutes and containing a font size of at least 30 points. According to the author’s opinion, this formula enables speakers to captivate the audience and communicate their core messages and vision in a comprehensive manner. This rule allows you to engage your listeners and make them stay interested to the end. A 10 slides pitch deck will also help you look more professional and transparent.

Some experts also advise using as many as 12 slides in a pitch deck. People’s assumptions differ, and you should assess them before applying the approach that suits you best. If you look through some of the successful startup pitch decks, you will see they differ in size and design. This happens because every startup is unique, and sometimes, creators should change the rules and produce custom solutions.

You should remember that a typical audience’s attention span lasts only about seven minutes. If you make every effort and do your best, and the topic is extremely interesting, you might get ten minutes of their pure attention. You can even get just five minutes of their interest as people’s minds are overstuffed with information, facts, and data. A concise pitch deck becomes an invaluable key to success in this situation. It can tell a compelling story about your business, its benefits, and specifics and still be engaging enough to resonate with your audience. A brief pitch deck increases your chances of being heard and appreciated by potential investors.

A winning pitch deck can bring a lot of lucrative offers and successful partnerships. However, you should take time and some resources to craft a powerful business presentation. If you have seen some pitch deck examples, you have probably noticed they often have much in common. They all have certain points and stages in their structure. Here are the vital slides that matter for your pitch deck.

1. Title slide

This first element is extra important as you can make a solid first impression here and get noticed by potential investors. This slide defines your further speech and shapes your overall image. It includes the main information about your business, team, vision, and values you stick to.

2. The relevant problem

Here, you should describe a problem that people face and suffer from. Explain how it influences people’s lives, routines, and behaviors. Give some examples and prove that this issue is relevant and detrimental.

3. Your solution

This slide is the most important part of your pitch deck presentation, as it explores the unique solution your project offers. You explain how your service or product can help people overcome some issues and describe your solution's benefits. Include some positive examples and real-life stories of how your business has helped somebody.

4. Competition

A competitive analysis slide allows you to persuade potential investors to choose your project over others. You show what competitors you have and highlight how your product can still be viable and profitable. You discuss your benefits and convince them to support your idea.

5. Finances

A financial projections slide includes information like how many clients you expect, as well as sales and revenue expectations. Here, you describe your current financial situation and tell them how much money your project requires. You also explain what profits investors can get in the long run.

Every case is unique and requires some specific approach. When it comes to choosing the number of slides in your pitch deck, you should pay attention to your goals and expectations. Who is your audience, and what do you want from them? Do you seek funding, partnerships, or clients? A lot of points define the proper length of a pitch deck. The number of slides depends greatly on the niche and location. Also, consider how many speeches your listeners have daily. If they encounter dozens of similar projects, maybe it’s better to make your pitch deck concise and include only vital information and facts.

You should care not only about slide count but also about slide design best practices. A good design helps you create a smooth experience for your audience and prove your professionalism. It allows you to highlight the uniqueness of your offer and showcase the benefits of your product.

Some of the tried design practices involve incorporating storytelling in presentations and creating graphic elements around real-life stories. It helps to build stronger bonds with the audience and make people trust you. Also, remember the importance of strong visual appeal in pitch deck presentations. You can hire experts to produce quality illustrations, animations, and charts or do it yourself if you have the necessary skills. Make your pitch deck design reflect your project’s core and stay consistent for greater results.

As you already know, the pitch deck slide count depends on various factors, and it often differs from company to company. Sometimes, businesses break the rule of 10-15 slides and create customized presentations.

For example, a fintech company, Plum, has used only nine slides in its pitch deck to describe its value proposition. They did not use many slides, but they still managed to cover the main messages about the product. They demonstrated their mission well and highlighted the desire to automate wealth management with a minimalist design and vast data on growth strategies and target markets.

One more example of a non-standard pitch deck slide count is Finix's pitch deck presentation. This payment technology provider used 21 slides to visualize its core message, revenue model, and unique value proposition. They needed such a slide count to highlight their project’s scalability and efficiency.

A well-crafted pitch deck design can do wonders for your case. Whether you are launching a startup or owning an established business, an impactful pitch deck will allow you to attract more resources for your business growth.

Now you know the recommended slide count for a pitch deck and can start your creation journey in no time. Pay attention to color psychology and choose the proper software to design a quality presentation.

However, if you don’t have time to study the technical side behind the design platforms and want to focus on more vital things in your career, turn to our design specialists and enjoy a professional result!