If you’re tired of recycling the same tired presentation deck for every sales call, product launch, or marketing kickoff, this is for you. Whether you’re a founder, a marketer, or just the person who always gets stuck making slides, you want a template that actually fits your go to market strategy—not another generic “company overview.” That’s where Pitch comes in.
This guide will walk you through how to customize Pitch templates for different go to market (GTM) strategies, what’s actually worth tweaking, and what you can safely ignore. No buzzwords, just practical steps.
Why Customize Templates for GTM?
Let’s be real: One-size-fits-all decks rarely fit anyone. The story you tell to investors isn’t the same as what you show at a trade show, and neither of those should look like your sales pitch. If your deck is generic, you’re doing more work later, manually updating every slide. Worse, you’re missing your chance to tell a story that actually lands.
Customizing templates up front saves time, keeps your messaging tight, and helps your team stay on the same page (literally).
Step 1: Get Clear About Your GTM Strategy
Before you even open Pitch, get specific about your GTM approach. Here are the most common:
- Product Launches: Building buzz, explaining value, and showing differentiation.
- Sales Enablement: Equipping reps with decks tailored for prospects, with clear pain points and solutions.
- Partnerships/BD: Focused on joint value, integration points, and mutual wins.
- Investor Pitches: Big on vision, growth, and the story behind the numbers.
- Marketing Campaigns: More visual, story-driven, and shareable.
Pro tip: If you’re not clear on your GTM, you’ll waste time endlessly tweaking slides. Sketch out your story on a scrap of paper first.
Step 2: Pick a Template That’s Close Enough
Pitch offers a ton of templates, but don’t overthink it. Look for one that roughly matches your strategy or has the right number of sections. You’re going to change a lot anyway.
- For Product Launches: “Product Overview” or “Startup Launch” templates work.
- For Sales: Try “Sales Deck” or “B2B Pitch.”
- For Investors: Look for “Investor Update” or “Pitch Deck.”
- For Partnerships: Use a sales deck as a base, but plan to tweak.
What doesn’t matter: Colors, fonts, and minor layout details—these are easy to swap later. Focus on the structure.
Step 3: Rip Out What You Don’t Need
The fastest way to a useful template? Delete. If a slide doesn’t fit your GTM story, cut it. Don’t try to shoehorn your narrative into a template’s flow.
Here’s what’s safe to delete:
- “Team” slides if you’re not selling your team (e.g., sales calls)
- Anything with placeholder “Lorem Ipsum” that doesn’t map to your content
- Slides packed with features if you’re focusing on outcomes or benefits
What to keep, even if you’re not sure:
- Agenda/summary slides (you can always hide them)
- Visual elements for structure—these help keep things readable
Pro tip: You can always duplicate the template and save both versions. Don’t be precious—editing is your friend.
Step 4: Layer In Your GTM-Specific Content
Now, start adding the stuff that actually matters for your GTM strategy.
For Product Launches
- Problem/Solution Slides: Spell out the pain, then your fix.
- Demo/GIF Slide: Show, don’t just tell. Pitch supports embedding demos or short videos.
- Competitive Landscape: Only include if it’s relevant—don’t force it.
- Pricing/Availability: If you’re ready to share, put it upfront.
For Sales Enablement
- Customer Stories: Real-world examples carry more weight than feature dumps.
- Objection Handling: Slides that answer common “But what about…” questions.
- ROI Calculator: Even a simple visual beats a wall of numbers.
For Partnerships
- Joint Value Prop: Why does this partnership make sense?
- Integration Points: Screenshots or diagrams work better than text.
- Next Steps: Don’t assume—they’ll forget by the end.
For Investor Pitches
- Vision Slide: Make it memorable, not just a mission statement.
- Traction/Numbers: Use charts, not just bullet points.
- Ask: Be clear about what you want (money, intros, advice).
Don’t try to cram everything in. If it feels crowded, it probably is.
Step 5: Lock Down the Structure (But Stay Flexible)
Get your slides in the right order. Make sure there’s a clear flow:
- Hook (grab attention fast)
- The problem (what hurts)
- Your solution
- Proof (traction, testimonials, logos)
- Next steps or ask
If your deck feels repetitive, cut slides. If key info is buried, bring it forward.
What to ignore: Fancy slide transitions, endless icon swaps, or ultra-minor spacing tweaks. They rarely win anyone over.
Step 6: Brand, Don’t Bedazzle
Pitch makes it easy to set your brand colors, fonts, and logos. Do this at the end, not the start—otherwise you’ll spend ages fiddling.
- Use your real logo and colors. Ditch the placeholders.
- Stick to 2–3 colors and 1–2 fonts. More is not better.
- Check accessibility: High-contrast text beats “on brand” pastel every time.
Pro tip: If you have a company style guide, import those settings into Pitch and save as your base template.
Step 7: Save as a Custom Template
Once your deck feels about 80% right, save it as a custom template in Pitch. This way, you (and your team) can spin up new decks fast, without starting from scratch each time.
- Name templates clearly. “2024 Sales Deck – SaaS” is better than “Final_v2.”
- Add notes or slide guidance for teammates. Even a line like “Replace with target customer story” can save hours.
- Limit editing access if you want to avoid “helpful” tweaks from the whole company.
Step 8: Test in the Wild (and Keep Iterating)
No template survives first contact with a real audience. Run your deck past a co-worker, or better yet, in a real meeting. Watch for:
- Where people get confused or bored (these slides need fixing)
- Slides that everyone skips (maybe delete or consolidate)
- Questions you get over and over (add a slide or a backup section)
Don’t be afraid to tweak your template after a few uses. What works for a product launch might flop with a direct sales pitch.
What’s Worth Your Time (And What Isn’t)
Worth it:
- Customizing structure and messaging for each GTM
- Making sure charts and visuals are up to date
- Adding real-world proof (case studies, metrics, demos)
Not worth it:
- Obsessing over micro-alignment or fonts for hours
- Making 10 different versions for every possible scenario—pick 2–3 variations max
- Overloading slides with every detail (less is more)
Pro Tips for Sanity
- Templates are starting points, not end products. Don’t get too attached.
- Get feedback early. Don’t wait until you’re “done” to show someone.
- Keep a “spare parts” slide at the end. Dump extra slides there instead of deleting forever.
- Review quarterly. Outdated decks are worse than no deck.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
Customizing templates in Pitch isn’t about making things perfect—it’s about making them usable. Start with a template that’s close, ruthlessly cut what you don’t need, and focus on the slides that tell your story. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Get your deck out there, see what lands, and tweak as you go.
Most importantly: Don’t let your GTM strategy get buried under a pile of slides. Keep it sharp, keep it real, and you’ll be way ahead of the pack.