Startups

How to create a sales pitch deck

Max Voronin
Max Voronin
8 minJuly 22, 2024
How to create a sales pitch deck
How to create a sales pitch deck

The ability to convey the benefits of services and products is a priceless skill for every business owner. It helps make your sales calls much more effective and smooth. Yes, you may be accustomed to explaining everything with words. But remember that many people are visual learners and to carry your message to the audience, you should care about top-notch visual content.

One of the best ways to produce a powerful visual effect is to make use of a sales pitch deck. A well-crafted deck will provide consistency and structure, keep your potential customers engaged and increase your credibility. Below, we are breaking down the basics of a winning sales pitch deck. So, don’t fall into obscurity! Learn how to create a great sales pitch presentation and boost your sales.

What is a sales pitch deck?

Before you delve into creating a sales deck, you need a solid foundation and understanding of what it actually stands for.

What is a sales deck? Well, a sales pitch deck is a professional presentation that helps you outline the benefits of your business and allows you to sell your services or products effectively. Usually, people compile them in PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides.

A sales deck is a great supplement to your pitch, conveying a compelling story about your product and answering questions like “What do we offer?” and “Why should people choose us?”. It should draw attention, hit the pain points of your audience, and contain a call to action.

When done well, it unlocks successful sales conversation opportunities and enables people to see the advantages and real value of your product. The sales deck is more than just a collection of polished slides. It gives you chances to hit the target by offering a breathtaking story and visual part.

Professional sales decks provide interesting information and engage your prospective clients. You can use them at every stage of your sales process. Whether you are searching for new clients, having your first meetings with them, or holding a sales presentation, a tailored sales deck can be key to a successful deal. It provides audience engagement and ensures an influential product demonstration.

It is also important to note that a sales deck and a usual pitch deck are two different notions.

A sales deck provides customer acquisition and convinces people to make purchases, while a professional pitch deck deals more with investor relations, persuading stakeholders to support a brand with extra funds.

Structure of a sales pitch deck

Now you know the meaning behind a good sales pitch deck. And it’s time to explore the structure and main components of a winning deck. Actually, there are different formats you can use for your sales deck, and you should choose the one that suits your case and makes sense for your prospect. You also can look through sales deck examples to get inspired and find the approach that resonates with your goals and sales strategy. Here are some main elements of a sales business pitch you should consider.

Structure of a sales pitch deck
  • Opening slide

A catchy opening slide, also known as a hook slide, contains a story to start your sales pitch. It helps you grab the attention of your potential customers and keep them entertained. Your hook should captivate people and provide them with essential information about your product. It covers your story, unique way and business proposal.

  • Pain points

Next, it is all about pain points. You discuss the problems and common issues your potential clients face. It works like a reminder of the problem people are constantly trying to solve. You can share stories of real people struggling with some issue and use visual storytelling to depict the challenges they go through.

  • Value of the product

After stating the problem, you should shift to conveying the value of your product or service. Tell people why your offer benefits them and what sets you apart from your competitors. What is your financial forecast? Position your product in the right context by contrasting the old and new ways of delivering some effect.

  • Solution

Then, showcase the solution you provide to your customers and demonstrate how you solve their problems. How does your product exactly work? Describe the intricacies of your offer and highlight the benefits of working with you.

  • Social proof

One more component of your sales pitch deck is a social proof slide pointing out how other people have achieved their targets by using your service or product. Here, you can share the stories of your real customers who have solved their issues through your exclusive offer. Just remember to ask for their consent before sharing this information.

  • Pricing & FAQs

Lastly, your sales deck should include pricing and FAQs. Anticipate the questions you may receive from your stakeholders and proactively answer them. Some of these questions may sound like, “Have you explored other approaches?” or “Did you consider a more cost-effective alternative?” By preempting these objections, you empower your buyers to be confident in their choices, so ask yourself, “What would I want to know if I were the prospect?”

Design tips for an effective sales pitch deck

Crafting a powerful sales pitch deck starts with understanding your target audience and identifying their pain points. It can be a hard and daunting task. However, knowing the basic presentation tips and design essentials can boost the creation process and allow you to create a high-quality sales deck that works for your goals. Here, we have compiled several working design tips that will help you build a great sales deck.

  • Storytelling

People love stories about other people. Moreover, stories are an integral part of persuasive communication. They evoke emotions, drive action and leave a long-lasting impression. You can tell your personal story or a customer success story. Paint your vision and illustrate real-world scenarios to make your product more impactful and relatable. Explore narrative techniques and use high-quality illustrations and videos to cut through the noise.

  • Dynamic message

Nowadays, people value content that is not only informative and structured but relevant to their needs, genuine and extraordinary. You can’t just find a sales deck template and nourish it with facts and numbers without tailoring it to your case. Provide practical solutions and actionable insights to make your presentation a valuable resource. Saturate your slide design with dynamic graphics, animations, and shapes that will reflect the innovative nature of your product.

  • Relevance

Use white space effectively, and don't overload your sales pitch deck with text, as it can distract people from your presentation. Equip them with the relevant facts, leverage only significant information and use quotes, charts, and graphs appropriately.

Practicing your pitch

You shouldn’t read directly from the slides and rely too much on your script. You should get prepared to captivate the people’s attention and win the hearts and minds of your target audience. Everyone knows that practice plays a crucial role in delivering an outstanding presentation. Explore some public speaking techniques (you can find a lot of them on the net) and practice your pitch out loud. It would be great if you practice the whole speech and record it to listen to yourself and note some parts that you want to fix.

Common mistakes to avoid

To craft a winning sales pitch deck, you should avoid some common mistakes that can ruin your presentation. For example, some people overload their audience with hard-to-understand information. It can only tire, bore, and annoy your listeners. Instead, break down complex concepts and use diagrams to highlight the value you are adding.

One more mistake is to recreate sales pitch deck examples and follow them exactly as stated without any tailoring. Try to make your presentation unique as it influences your brand reputation.

Tools and resources

There are a lot of available resources that can help you create a good sales pitch deck. You can use whatever you like and what suits your requirements. When used the right way, sales deck creation tools can supply you with a competitive presentation. Some of the most popular platforms are Canva, PowerPoint, Visme, and Google Slides. You can find the appropriate tutorials on the net and craft a sales pitch deck according to your vision.

To sum up

As you can see, every case requires a custom approach. By keeping in mind the essentials of sales decks and sticking to the design tips we have shared in this article, you can create a great presentation that will help you seal the deal.

However, if you don’t have enough time for this stuff or hesitate to use your design skills, you can always turn to professionals who deliver great results for your brand. Get in touch with DreamX anytime; we will help you and your business thrive!

Head of Lead Generation
Max Voronin
Head of Lead Generation
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Max Voronin is the Head of Lead Generation at DreamX. He is dedicated to developing strategies that cultivate high-quality leads and forge strong partnerships, fueling the company's growth.

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