Now that you've finally validated your idea and completed your business setup, it's time to create your pitch deck so that you can start getting funding. You decided to get a good looking deck and started looking for templates online. As it turns out, there are thousands of designs to choose from. Should you go for something with stock images or illustrations? Corporate or contemporary? What does all this even mean? Which one should you pick? If you've ever been in that situation, we get it. That's why we thought it'll be great to break down the 3 main styles you'll see on the web.
Considering this is your pitch deck, it's very important to match it with your brand. Do you already have your color scheme, logos and fonts laid out and ready? These information will be needed very shortly when you're designing your deck.
Most slide packs should come with the standard layouts for a pitch deck. Always remember that the sample slides provided are guidelines on what it could look like. In the end, you have full control of all the elements. Be sure to use the guidelines and grids when creating your deck. Last thing you want is to have a pretty looking template with jumping texts across the screen. Consistency is key to professionalism.
There are a variety of styles to choose from but the main 3 are corporate, contemporary and minimal. Think about how your brand voice will be and about your target audience. That should give you a rough idea of the style you should pick. Of course, there can be a specific look that you're looking for but you have to remember that the entire style should appeal to your audience. You're selling something to them. Unless you're part of that market, picking what you like instead of what they like might not work out the way you want it.
This is the more traditional, preppy, buttoned up look. The layouts aren't too sophisticated and most of the slides will include block texts, tables, charts or graphs. This doesn't mean your charts and graphs will need to be boring. There's also a chance that icons will be included. There won't be many stock photos in use here besides on the cover, section divider and end slide. This style works best for traditional industries like finance or medical because of how well it shows what matters the most - the data and numbers.
This is the modern take on our evolving workplace. Relaxed, playful but knowledgeable, this template style should come with more interesting layouts. There should be a bigger focus on imagery and color blocks. There are overlays and shapes littered across the slide pack. If you're working on something more visual or needs to grab attention, this is your style. It works best for modern businesses across varying industries. One thing to note though, this isn't a one-size-fits all solution. Do your due diligence and pick the right template before moving forward with production. Pick the right imagery so that you can set the tone and get the expected response.
Sometimes less is more and it applies to this slide template style. You'll see light accent colors, big images and thin lines incorporated here. If you want to have some mystery and allure, this is the style for you. This design works great for high fashion, beauty products and more sophisticated, artsy businesses. The prime focus will be on the presenter instead of the presentation. You might think that using the style is as easy as just slapping blank bold fonts on the slide but you can't be further from the truth. It'll take a whole lot more consideration on what should be included and omitting the rest. That requires a good eye and strong curation skills to get right.
There are literally thousands of deck templates that can be purchased or custom designed for your business. You can have the best looking pitch deck but in the end, it's your content that matters. Don't stick every single bit of your thoughts on those slides. Just keep the headlines and what's important (it's not supposed to be your journal). Finding the right balance can be challenging for some. Let us know what you think and if there are any other styles you think we should include. If presentation design isn't your thing, maybe Mad Creative Beanstalk can help you with that. Drop us a message.
