If you’re in sales, you already know nobody wants another generic pitch. Buyers are busy, and they can spot a template a mile away. If you’re using Showell to share your pitch decks, product sheets, or case studies, you’ve got some handy tools for making your content feel like it was made just for them—without spending hours on every single prospect.
This guide is for sales teams, account managers, and anyone who wants their outreach to land better. We’ll dig into how Showell’s custom content features actually help (and where they fall short), plus give you real-world tips to avoid the usual traps.
Why bother with personalization?
Let’s cut to it: Personalized pitches get more responses. When you reference a prospect’s situation, show relevant case studies, or just use their name, you’re proving you did your homework. But—there’s a fine line between smart customization and wasting hours tweaking every slide. The trick is to personalize just enough to matter.
Showell gives you tools to quickly customize documents, decks, and collections, so you can spend less time fiddling and more time talking to people.
Step 1: Know what you should personalize (and what to skip)
Not every document needs to be personalized. Here’s where to focus:
Worth your time: - The intro slide or email—use their name, company, or a specific challenge - Case studies and testimonials—swap in ones that match their industry or size - Pricing or proposal sections—tailor numbers, features, or terms - Demo videos—if you have versions for different industries
Usually not worth it: - Boilerplate product specs (unless you’re in a regulated industry) - Legal terms (unless you’re in final contract talks) - Anything nobody actually reads (sorry, “Our Mission” slide)
Pro tip: If you find yourself editing the same slide for every pitch, make a template version with “fill in the blank” spots. Showell’s custom content tools can help here.
Step 2: Use Showell’s custom content features smartly
Showell isn’t magic. But it does make it easier to mix, match, and tweak content for each prospect. Here’s how to use its features without overcomplicating things.
2.1. Create and manage custom presentations
You can drag and drop slides or documents from your Showell library to build pitch decks on the fly. That means you can start with a core deck, then swap in a relevant case study or leave out slides that don’t fit.
What works: - Save time by building a “base” deck with placeholders for custom sections. - Keep a folder of customer-specific slides (logos, testimonials) ready to go. - Use Showell’s version control so you’re not sending out-of-date info.
What to ignore: - Don’t try to build a new deck from scratch every time. Reuse as much as you can. - Avoid overloading with every single document “just in case” (buyers hate long decks).
2.2. Edit PDFs and slides directly
Showell lets you do light editing—adding text boxes, highlighting, or dropping in images—right inside the app.
What works: - Add the prospect’s name, logo, or a quick note to the cover slide. - Highlight the most relevant feature or stat for this buyer. - Drop in a personalized video message if you’re feeling ambitious (but don’t overdo it).
What to ignore: - Don’t obsess over perfect formatting. Quick tweaks > pixel-perfect design. - Don’t add so many edits it looks messy or desperate.
Reality check: If you need to rewrite entire sections, do it in your original file and re-upload. Showell’s editor is for tweaks, not full rewrites.
2.3. Use Collections for sharing bundles of content
Showell’s “Collections” let you pull together a set of files (slides, PDFs, videos, etc.) and share them as a single link. Great for follow-ups or when buyers want to “see everything.”
What works: - Bundle only what’s relevant—don’t send the whole library. - Add a short intro note for context (“Here are the use cases we discussed for Acme Corp.”). - Use Showell’s analytics to see what gets opened (and what’s ignored).
What to ignore: - Don’t use collections as a dumping ground—buyers don’t have time to sort through it all. - Don’t forget to give each collection a clear, prospect-specific name.
Step 3: Automate the boring parts
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time. Here’s how to set up Showell so personalization takes minutes, not hours.
- Templates: Build master decks with spots for custom info. Mark these clearly so you (or your team) know where to edit.
- Reusable assets: Store customer logos, vertical-specific slides, and testimonials in Showell’s library. Easy to swap in as needed.
- Folders and naming conventions: Keep things organized. If you have to dig around every time, you’ll stop customizing.
- Preset Collections: Pre-build bundles for common use cases (by industry, product line, or persona).
Pro tip: Spend a couple of hours up front setting up templates and reusable assets. Saves you a ton of time (and mistakes) later.
Step 4: Track what works (and what flops)
Personalization is only worth it if it actually moves the needle. Showell gives you some analytics, but don’t get suckered by “vanity metrics.”
Pay attention to: - Which documents get opened or downloaded - How much time is spent on each slide or page - Whether personalized content is actually being viewed
Ignore: - “Shares” or forwards (you can’t control what people do with links) - Obsessing over every minor stat—look for trends, not one-offs
What you learn: If nobody’s clicking your custom intro, maybe it’s not as clever as you thought. Iterate and try new approaches.
Step 5: Don’t overdo it—keep personalization simple
Here’s the hard truth: Too much customization is just as bad as none. If your deck looks like a Frankenstein of pasted logos and clumsy copy-paste jobs, people will notice.
Keep it clean: - Personalize only the slides or sections that matter. - Use real information—don’t fake testimonials or stats. - Double-check for embarrassing mistakes (wrong company name, etc.).
When in doubt: Less is more. A few thoughtful, relevant tweaks beat a patchwork of “personalized” fluff every time.
Real-world tips from the trenches
- Ask your best reps: What do they actually personalize? Steal their shortcuts.
- Test and refine: Try different approaches and see what gets a response.
- Don’t let “perfect” slow you down: A solid, timely pitch beats a “perfect” one sent too late.
- Keep your asset library up to date: Outdated case studies or old logos kill your credibility.
Wrapping up
Showell’s custom content features make it easier to send pitches that feel relevant—without eating up your week. Personalize where it counts, set up templates to save time, and pay attention to what buyers actually engage with. Don’t let the pursuit of the “perfect” pitch paralyze you. Start simple, see what works, and keep tweaking. That’s how you actually win more deals.