How can you use design principles to create a visually appealing pitch deck?

2 Use contrast and alignment

Another important design principle to create a visually appealing pitch deck is to use contrast and alignment to highlight your key points and organize your information. Contrast is the difference between elements that makes them stand out from each other, such as dark and light colors, large and small fonts, or bold and thin lines. Alignment is the arrangement of elements that creates a sense of order and balance, such as left, right, center, or justify. You can use contrast and alignment to draw attention to your headlines, subheadings, logos, graphs, or quotes, and to make your slides easy to follow and scan.

3 Simplify and prioritize

A common mistake that many startup founders make when creating a pitch deck is to overload their slides with too much text, data, or graphics, which can confuse and bore their audience. To avoid this, you should simplify and prioritize your content and focus on the most essential and relevant information that supports your main goal. A good rule of thumb is to use one slide per topic, one idea per slide, and one sentence per line. You should also use bullet points, charts, diagrams, or icons to summarize and visualize your data, and avoid unnecessary details, jargon, or acronyms that might distract or confuse your audience.

4 Tell a story

One of the most effective ways to create a visually appealing pitch deck is to tell a story that connects with your audience's emotions, needs, and aspirations. A story is a narrative that follows a structure, such as the problem-solution-benefit framework, that guides your audience through your pitch and shows them why they should care about your startup. You can use design elements such as images, videos, testimonials, or case studies to illustrate your story and make it more engaging and memorable. You should also use a clear and conversational tone and language that matches your audience's level of knowledge and interest.

5 Test and refine

The final step to create a visually appealing pitch deck is to test and refine your design based on feedback and results. You should ask for opinions from people who are familiar with your industry, your target market, or your potential investors, and listen to their suggestions and criticisms. You should also measure the impact of your pitch deck on your audience's behavior, such as how long they spend on each slide, how many questions they ask, or how likely they are to take action. You should then use this data to improve your design and make it more appealing and persuasive.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?