So you’ve built a slick sales deck in Storydoc—nice work. Now comes the part most people trip over: getting it into your prospect’s hands without making it public to the whole internet, or stumbling over clunky file formats and permissions.
If you’re tired of PDF exports that break your interactive slides, or feel uneasy about sending sensitive info through open links, this guide’s for you. I’ll break down the real (not just advertised) ways to export and share Storydoc presentations, how to keep them reasonably secure, and what pitfalls to avoid.
Step 1: Know Your Export Options—And Their Limits
Let’s clear up a common misconception: Storydoc is built for web-based presentations, not static decks. You don’t “download a PPT” and walk away. That’s by design—the interactive features, analytics, and branding all rely on the presentation living in the cloud.
What you can do: - Share a web link: The default (and best) way. The deck stays interactive and you control access. - Export as PDF: You can do this, but you’ll lose most of the interactivity and analytics. Only use this if your prospect absolutely insists on a PDF. - Embed in another site: For some use cases (like internal wikis), you can embed the live deck, but this doesn’t help with secure sharing outside your company.
What you can’t do: - Download a working PowerPoint (PPTX) file. That’s not a thing with Storydoc. - Have a truly “offline” interactive version. The magic needs the web.
Bottom line: If you want all the bells and whistles, plan to share a link, not a file.
Step 2: Prep Your Storydoc for Sharing
Before you hit “send,” make sure you’re not about to overshare. Check these boxes:
1. Review for Sensitive Info
- Double-check slides for any confidential data that isn’t supposed to leave your team.
- If you must include sensitive stuff, be ready to set up tighter access controls (more on that soon).
2. Update Presentation Settings
- Give your deck a human-friendly name and description. Prospects will see these.
- Customize your cover and thumbnail—first impressions matter more than we admit.
3. Set the Right Access Level
In Storydoc, every presentation is private by default. You can tweak who gets in: - Anyone with the link: Easiest for prospects, but anyone who gets the link can view it. Good for low-sensitivity content. - Password-protected: Adds a layer. You set a password, then share it separately with your prospect (don’t put it in the same email as the link—seriously). - Email-restricted: You specify who can view the deck by email. The prospect will need to verify their identity (usually by clicking a link in their inbox). More friction, but much safer for sensitive info. - Team/Workspace only: For internal sharing; skip this for external prospects.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure which to pick, default to password-protected for anything even slightly confidential.
Step 3: Share the Presentation Link Securely
Here’s where most people get lazy—don’t just drop a link in a random group chat and hope for the best. Sharing securely is about using the right tool for the job.
1. Use Direct Email (or a Secure Platform)
- Email the link (and password, if used) in separate messages. Yes, it’s an extra step, but it stops casual snooping if one email gets forwarded.
- If your CRM or sales enablement platform supports it, use built-in integrations to send the deck. You’ll get better tracking this way.
- Avoid posting links in Slack channels, WhatsApp groups, or anywhere that’s not private.
2. Set Expiry Dates (If Possible)
- Storydoc sometimes lets you set a time limit on a link. Use this for one-off proposals—no need for a pitch deck to live forever online.
3. Track Views and Engagement
- One of the best parts of Storydoc is seeing who actually opens your deck and which slides they spend time on.
- If you care about tracking, avoid exporting to PDF—stick to the online link.
Step 4: Export as PDF (When You Have To)
Sometimes you’re dealing with a prospect who just can’t (or won’t) open a web link—security policies, firewalls, you name it. Here’s what to know about exporting:
- The PDF will be flat—no videos, no clickable analytics, no forms. Expect it to look okay, but not amazing.
- Some formatting or animations may not render well. Test before you send.
- You lose all tracking. You won't know if they opened it, which slides they viewed, or if it got forwarded to your competition.
How to export: 1. In your Storydoc dashboard, open the presentation. 2. Look for the export or download option (usually in the top right). 3. Select “Export as PDF.” 4. Double-check the file on your own machine before sending.
When to use this: Only as a last resort, or if your prospect’s legal/compliance team is allergic to cloud links.
Step 5: Troubleshooting and Common Pitfalls
Even with best intentions, stuff goes sideways. Here’s what to watch for:
“The link doesn’t work!”
- Make sure the deck is published, not in draft.
- Double-check you didn’t set access restrictions too tightly (e.g., wrong email address).
- Try opening the link in an incognito window to test what your prospect sees.
“We need our logo off the deck.”
- Storydoc sometimes locks branding behind premium plans. If your deck is splashed with their watermark, check your subscription level.
“Can we host the deck on our own servers?”
- Short answer: No, not really. Storydoc works best as a hosted service. If your IT/legal folks demand on-premise hosting, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
“How do I revoke access?”
- You can usually unpublish or delete a deck in your dashboard, which kills the link. There’s no automatic “kill switch” for links already sent out—so if it’s really sensitive, set up expiry dates or limit by email/password from the start.
Step 6: Best Practices for Secure, Professional Sharing
If you want to look like you know what you’re doing—and actually protect your info—stick to these habits:
- Send links, not files, whenever possible. You keep control and your deck stays interactive.
- Use passwords or email-restricted access for anything confidential. Don’t roll the dice with open links.
- Keep your dashboard tidy. Delete old decks and links you’re no longer using. Less clutter, fewer risks.
- Limit oversharing. Don’t CC half your company on sensitive decks. The more people with access, the less secure it is.
- Test before you send. Open the link in a private browser window to see what your prospect will actually experience.
Quick FAQ: What Not to Bother With
Q: Does exporting to PDF keep things more secure?
A: Not really. A PDF can be forwarded just as easily as a link, but with zero tracking or kill switch. The only “secure” thing about a PDF is that it’s less interactive.
Q: Are Storydoc’s built-in analytics private?
A: Only you and your team see the analytics. Prospects don’t know you’re tracking their views (unless you tell them).
Q: Can I watermark or restrict printing on the exported PDF?
A: Not by default. If you need that level of control, you’ll have to use a third-party tool after export.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
There’s no magic bullet for secure sharing—just smart habits and knowing what your tools can (and can’t) do. Stick to sharing Storydoc links with the right access controls, avoid unnecessary exports, and double-check before you hit send. If something feels awkward or clunky, it probably is—and it’s okay to tell your prospect “this is the most secure way we have.”
Don’t overthink it. Start simple, get feedback, and adjust as needed. That’s about as secure—and sane—as you can be with sales decks in the real world.