If you're tired of spending hours cobbling together pitch decks with outdated slides, random file versions, and endless email threads, you're not alone. This guide is for anyone who has to build custom sales presentations, but wants to actually get it done—without turning it into a part-time job. Whether you're new to Seismic or just want to stop fighting with it, let's get practical about building pitch decks that work.
Step 1: Get Your House in Order — Organize Your Content Library
Before you even think about building a deck, you need to know what's in your content library. Seismic is only as good as the content you (or your marketing team) have put into it.
Here's what actually matters:
- Find the “source of truth” slides. These are the official, up-to-date slides that marketing wants you to use. Don’t waste time with old versions floating around your desktop.
- Get to know folders and tagging. Seismic's search gets better if content is tagged and organized. If it’s a mess, ask your admin or marketing team for a tour.
- Ignore the fluff. If you see “best practices” decks you never use, don’t feel guilty. Focus on customer-facing stuff you actually need.
Pro tip: If finding content feels like a scavenger hunt, flag it. Most admins want to know when their library’s a mess.
Step 2: Clarify Your Audience and Deck Goals
It’s tempting to jump in and start dragging slides around. But pause and ask: Who’s this deck for? And what do I want them to do after seeing it?
- Is this a first meeting or a final proposal? Deck structure changes a lot.
- What’s your customer’s industry, pain point, or tech stack? Personalization matters, but don’t overdo it.
- What’s the call to action? Every deck should have a point. If you’re just showing off features, you’re probably wasting their time—and yours.
Don’t: Try to build one deck that works for everyone. You’ll end up with a monster that pleases no one.
Step 3: Use Seismic’s LiveDocs or Slide Libraries—But Don’t Overcomplicate It
Seismic has a couple of ways to build decks: you can use LiveDocs (for dynamic, form-driven content), or the Slide Library (drag-and-drop slides). Here’s what actually works for most sales teams:
Slide Library (For Most Situations)
- Open the Slide Library and pick your base deck. This is usually a “master” deck with all the essential slides.
- Drag in only what you need. Ditch the “just in case” mentality.
- Don’t get bogged down by options. More templates ≠ better decks.
LiveDocs (When It’s Worth It)
- Use LiveDocs if you need auto-filled data, personalized case studies, or region-specific info.
- Be honest: If LiveDocs forms take longer than just editing the slides, skip them. The goal is a good deck, not a perfect database.
What to Ignore
- Fancy “smart content” that never seems relevant. If it’s not saving you time or improving the deck, don’t use it.
- Old decks labeled “2019 Kickoff.” Unless your prospect is nostalgic, stick to what’s current.
Step 4: Personalize—But Only Where It Counts
Personalization is great, but it’s easy to overdo. Focus on the parts your customer will actually care about.
- Swap in relevant case studies or logos. Don’t fake it—if you don’t have a customer in their industry, leave that slide out.
- Edit intro and summary slides for the audience. A little effort here goes a long way.
- Customize data points or ROI stats if you have them. But don’t make up numbers just to fill space.
Pro tip: If you’re spending more than 15 minutes personalizing, you’re probably gold-plating. Good enough is good enough.
Step 5: Review and Trim the Fat
The best decks are short and clear. Before you hit “send” or “present:”
- Cut slides that don’t answer a customer question. If you’re unsure, ask yourself: “Would I care about this if I were them?”
- Double-check links and embedded videos. Nothing kills momentum like a dead link mid-pitch.
- Make sure branding is consistent. Mismatched logos or fonts make you look sloppy, even if your message is great.
Don’t: Add slides just because you spent a lot of time on them. Ruthlessly delete anything that doesn’t serve the conversation.
Step 6: Share, Track, and Learn
Seismic lets you share decks as links, PDFs, or PowerPoints. Each method has its pros and cons:
- Share as a Seismic link if you want to track views or see which slides get the most attention.
- Export as PDF or PPT if your customer hates logins or company firewalls block links.
- Don’t bother with analytics if you never look at them. But if you’re curious, Seismic’s tracking can actually tell you which slides are ignored (usually the ones you argued with marketing about).
Pro tip: If a deck gets reused a lot, ask marketing to turn it into a new template. No one gets a medal for rebuilding the same deck every week.
Step 7: Build a Repeatable System (That Doesn’t Make You Miserable)
If you’re the “deck person” on your team, do yourself a favor:
- Save your best decks as templates or “starter packs.” No need to reinvent the wheel.
- Keep a cheat sheet of your go-to slides. If you always use three slides for healthcare prospects, bookmark them.
- Share feedback with your admin or marketing. If you’re missing content, ask for it. If a template stinks, say so (politely).
What doesn’t work: Trying to fix your whole content library yourself. Focus on your workflow and let others handle the big picture.
The Honest Truth: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What actually helps: - A clean, up-to-date content library. - Knowing your audience and goal before you start. - Short, focused decks with a clear call to action.
What wastes time: - Over-customizing every slide. - Chasing down the latest “approved” logo for every vertical. - Drowning in analytics you’ll never use.
Ignore: - Decks made for execs that never get used in real deals. - Templates that try to be all things to all people.
Keep it simple. The best pitch decks are clear, direct, and easy to build (and reuse). Use Seismic to make your job faster, not more complicated. Iterate as you go—don’t wait for “perfect.” And if something in Seismic slows you down, skip it. Your goal is to have more conversations, not more slide headaches.