If you've ever stared at a blank slide, wondering how to make your sales pitch deck not just presentable but actually convincing, you're not alone. Plenty of tools promise to make the process easy, but most decks still end up cluttered, dull, or confusing. This guide is for anyone who needs to create a sales pitch deck that gets to the point, looks sharp, and helps you win deals—without spending hours fussing over design. We'll walk through the real steps using Slidebeam, a tool that does a lot of the heavy lifting, but still needs you to bring the story.
Step 1: Nail Down Your Message Before You Open Slidebeam
Before you even touch Slidebeam, get clear about what you’re selling and to whom. No tool can fix a muddled message.
Ask yourself: - What problem does your product solve, and for whom? - What’s your “so what?” — why should anyone care? - What action do you want your audience to take after the pitch?
Write this out in plain language. If you can’t explain it on a napkin, don’t expect your slides to do it for you.
Pro tip:
If you’re pitching to different types of customers, pick one and focus. “One deck fits all” usually means “one deck wins none.”
Step 2: Get Set Up in Slidebeam
Head to Slidebeam, sign up or log in, and start a new project. You’ll notice right away that Slidebeam’s big promise is making design easy—just pick a template and fill it in.
What works: - Templates are clean and modern. You won’t get stuck with ugly fonts or layouts. - You can drag and drop content—no fiddling with alignment.
What to skip: - Don’t get distracted by stock images or fancy transitions right now. The story comes first.
Pick a “Sales Deck” template if they offer it. If not, start blank or with something simple. Don’t obsess—this is all easy to change later.
Step 3: Build the Backbone Slides
Most winning sales decks follow a simple structure. Here’s a no-nonsense outline that works, with Slidebeam slide types to use:
- Title slide:
- Company name, your name, and a short, sharp tagline.
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Use the “Title” slide block.
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The Problem:
- What pain does your audience feel?
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“Headline + Image” or “Text” block.
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Your Solution:
- What’s your product, and how does it fix things?
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Demo screenshots help, but keep text short.
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How It Works:
- 2-4 clear steps or features.
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Try a “Process” or “Icons + Text” block.
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Proof:
- Social proof (logos, testimonials, metrics).
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Use a “Logos” block or “Quote” slide.
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Why Now:
- Why is this urgent? Why should they care today?
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Keep it to one point.
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Pricing or Offer:
- What’s the deal?
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“Pricing Table” block works great, but simplify if it gets cluttered.
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Call to Action:
- What should happen next? Meeting, trial, contract, etc.
- Make it obvious.
Honest take:
You don’t need 20 slides. You do need clarity. If a slide doesn’t move the story, cut it.
Step 4: Add Content Without Overloading
When you add your words and images, less is more. Slidebeam helps you stick to this, but it’s still on you to keep things tight.
Tips for each slide: - Keep text brief. One idea per slide, no walls of text. - Use visuals where they add value. Screenshots of your product, customer logos, or one clear chart beat generic stock photos every time. - Be concrete. “Save 10 hours a week” is better than “increase efficiency.”
What to avoid: - Bullet lists that go on forever. - Jargon. If you wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t write it. - Overexplaining. Trust your audience to get it—if they don’t, a slide won’t save you.
Step 5: Make It Look Good (But Don’t Get Lost in Design)
Slidebeam’s main draw is that you don’t have to be a designer. Here’s how to use that to your advantage:
- Pick one color scheme and stick to it. Don’t try to match every brand color you’ve ever used.
- Use Slidebeam’s layout suggestions. If it recommends a way to present your info, try it before you start customizing.
- Logos and product images: Use high-res images. Blurry or pixelated stuff makes you look sloppy.
- Don’t overcrowd slides. White space is your friend; it makes your message easier to understand.
What to skip: - Animations and transitions. They rarely add anything to a sales deck. - Cutesy icons or illustrations unless they genuinely help explain something.
Pro tip:
Preview your deck on both a laptop and a phone. Slidebeam’s decks are responsive, but sometimes text still gets squished.
Step 6: Share, Present, or Export
Once your deck looks and reads right, Slidebeam gives you a few ways to share it:
- Share a link: Fastest, and you can see if people actually open it.
- Export to PDF: Good for sending as an attachment, but you lose interactivity.
- Present from Slidebeam: If you’re live on Zoom or in person, presenting from Slidebeam means last-minute edits are easy.
Be careful:
If you export to PDF, animations won’t work and some formatting might shift. Always check the PDF before you send it.
Step 7: Test Your Pitch (and Your Deck)
Don’t wait for the big meeting to test your slides. Run through them out loud—ideally with someone who’ll give you honest feedback.
- Are you stumbling over any slides? That’s a sign they’re too busy, confusing, or just not needed.
- Do you get questions you can’t answer or that you thought you’d already answered in the deck? You probably need to clarify those slides.
- Do people “get it” quickly? If not, cut back or rework your message.
Pro tip:
Record yourself doing the pitch. It’s awkward, but you’ll spot pacing issues, jargon, or slides that need to be tighter.
Step 8: Iterate, Don’t Obsess
The best sales decks don’t try to do everything on the first try. After you’ve pitched a few times, you’ll know what lands and what doesn’t.
- Keep a “parking lot” of slides you cut but might need in the future.
- Update your proof and logos as you win more customers or get better testimonials.
- Resist the urge to over-polish. Your message matters more than fancy graphics.
The Bottom Line
A winning sales pitch deck is about having a clear message, a simple story, and slides that help (not hinder) your delivery. Slidebeam takes care of the design, so you can focus on what really matters: explaining your value and making the next step obvious. Don’t overthink it—get your first draft out, test it, and keep improving. The best decks are never really “done,” and that’s fine.