Work Kits
How to Perfect
Your Visual Pitch
A Playbook
Welcome to this
Sales playbook
This website and accompanying templates walk you through the process of crafting a visual pitch deck.
1
Scroll down
For content on why and how visual comms
can help win clients and audiences.
2
Learn by doing
Open the accompanying presentation template
to follow along step-by-step. By the end of this
playbook, you’ll have a visual pitch deck ready to go!
3
Get the TL;DR
A checklist at the end of the playbook summarizes
the steps to make sure everything’s covered.
4
Set the pace
Jump to sections, return to the work kit, or come back
the playbook later, using the handy navigation bars.
This is the era of the visual economy. Thriving in it requires organizations
to think and work differently.
- Zach Kitschke, CMO, Canva
A picture paints a thousand words; a pitch deck should do the same. Say more with less by balancing efficient words with effective visuals.
In a survey of 1,600 business leaders from the US, UK and Australia...
90%
agree that visual communication
increases efficiency
85%
say it carries more
authority than any other communication methods
89%
89%
believe visual communication tools help customers stay engaged with presented materials
Serving an irresistible pitch
Writing a pitch has a lot in common with concocting a dish. They both start with good ingredients, must be put together in the right order, and plated well. A great pitch is a feast for the eyes and whets the audience’s appetite - enough to secure that follow-up meeting.
The recipe
A pitch is all about impact. There’s no secret recipe, but the golden rule for writing, “Show, don't tell”, has proven particularly effective. Take the audience on a journey, starting with strong empathy towards known pain points that your product or service aims to address. Then, let them experience the solution and get excited to jump on board.
Show, don’t tell
Bring the deal to life
End strong
The ingredients
Generally, the pitch deck has three types of pages: Opening slides, value slides, and offer slides. There are also modular slides you can add or tweak, depending on your needs.
We’ve gathered the different “ingredient” slides to navigate the process of developing a visual pitch deck. Follow along with this fully customizable template. Keep it open in one tab and write your template step by step as you read through this playbook. Here we go!
Opening Slides
Value Slides
Modular Slides
Offer Slides
Opening Slides: Start strong
Opening slides set the stage for the audience. This is where we either attract or lose their attention,
so it’s important to get it right.
What opening slides are for
1
Establishing the context
With the introductory slides, you can prove to the customer that you know their world, and have enough insider information to make a case. This is crucial for establishing credibility.
2
Identifying the problem
This is where you demonstrate empathy. Let the customer know that you understand their pressing issues and know their pain points well.
3
Proposing a solution
Prove that your solution is the right fit for addressing their pain points. Get them excited about your proposal!
Title Slide
Go to the tab with your open template and customize the title slide with your and your customer’s details. Replace the image with something compelling and relevant.
Tip: Type “/” followed
by keywords to instantly pull up graphic, photo, video, and even template options.
Add your logo
And your customer’s logo
Add a compelling background image - or video!
Change these details
Remember - Show, don’t tell
These opening slides mostly feature a single text box - that’s by design! One strong statement paired with a compelling image are all you need to get your point across.
Agenda Slide
Create a content outline to set expectations. It can also serve as a navigation guide for your discussion.
List the topics in order
Tip: When you’ve completed your pitch deck, link the items here to the respective pages for easy navigation.
Nexus Slide
A nexus is a connection or link between things, implying causation. In a sales pitch, a nexus slide performs the same function. It contains a powerful, polarizing insight that influences how your audience perceives a key issue and then links back to your solution. The nexus can be a trend, statistics, or market conditions - anything that directly and inevitably affects your customer’s business. Focus on the most compelling thing to instill urgency and a fear of missing out!
In this example...
Strong words like “imperative” and “explosion” create a sense of urgency, while bold statements like “new expectations” imply inevitability, and a need to get on board ASAP.
A compelling, FOMO-inducing statement
Images to drive home the point
Problem Slides
These slides contain statements that define the problem, risks, and potential negative implications to your customer’s business. If you have a graph or image to better explain the issues, you can use those, too!
Problem statement
Option 1
Tip: Create charts in minutes without leaving Canva. Find bar, line, interactive charts and more under “Elements” on the left-side panel.
Accompanying charts
Option 2
Solution Slides
State how your offered product or service directly addresses the problem. Be concise with your solutions and make sure to only include the ones relevant to the issues that were raised.
Your offered solutions
Option 1
Your offered solutions
Option 2
Value Slides: Woo, wow, win
Helming a top research-backed sales and consulting firm, David Hoffeld spent a long time studying and applying the art of selling - and he knows it’s all about demonstrating distinct value. He outlines three steps to accomplish just that: First, understand what matters to the customer. Second, identify what your product, platform, or service can do for them that no others can. Finally, convey these two in a way that gets customer buy-in - this is where value slides come in handy.
What value slides are for
1
Showcasing your value
Demonstrate your unique selling proposition - all the tangible and quantifiable ways your offer surpasses anything else in the market.
2
Meeting customers where they are
Next, connect your offer to the customer’s pain points. This is an opportunity to align empathy with solutions.
3
Making a case for mutual benefit
Show a track record and case studies of how you solved the problems of clients struggling with similar pain points. Make a case for a win-win situation!
Did you know?
86% of global business leaders are turning to data visualizations when creating plans and presentations, with 91% using data visualizations at least once a week. [1]
Demonstrate value
This portion is all about getting the customer to visualize the value your offer brings. Let’s go back to the template and let the visuals do the talking!
Distinct Value Slides
Let the numbers tell as story through data visualization.
If needed, add a supplementary sentence or two to drive home
the distinct value you deliver.
Spotlight on the most relevant numbers using large fonts.
Choose a suitable chart that captures the data your customer needs to see.
Add a title that doubles as the chart’s main point
Use color
to highlight what’s most relevant.
Tip: On the object panel, select “Show legend” to automatically label the chart.
Case Study Slide
Show your track record through a balance of quantitative and qualitative impact data.
Highlight impact numbers in large fonts.
Add images and testimonials to add qualitative evidence of favorable results.
The art of charts
Data visualization is both an art and a science. Knowing what data to present is just half the battle - how you present it is what makes you win. Chart your path with the help of Flourish, an intuitive platform for creating easy-to-use visualizations. [2]
Modular Slides: Customize to customers
Few things beat the power of personalization, especially with a sales pitch. Every customer has unique needs, and a good salesperson is able to intuit those and craft a message that meets them. These additional modular slides are optional and entirely modifiable, depending on your product offering and how it addresses your client’s requirements.
What modular slides are for
1
Relating to customer concerns
Listen to what the customer is saying. They're usually vocal about pressing issues, which will make it easy for you to tailor a solution for them.
2
Zeroing in on customer interests
Listen to what the customer isn’t saying, too. Be perceptive; react to cues and pick up clues on what interests them throughout your conversation.
3
Highlighting the right features
Pick and choose from your arsenal of prepared slides. Ensure relevance by focusing on what matters most to the client.
Flaunt your best features
Anticipate opportunities by preparing slides for any scenario. Add, remove, or substitute slides in your template as needed.
Product Slide
These slides show what your product, platform, or service can offer.
Choose a clear product shot
Option 1
Draw attention to unique features
Option 2
Impact Slides
These drive home the value of your solution, demonstrating a clear improvement after it’s applied or used. Use various visual tools to exhibit the potential results for a stronger impact.
Use this to demonstrate quantitative or qualitative improvements, such as efficiency or convenience
Use this to show improvements over time, such as achieving scale
Other Modular Slides
Product and impact slides are just two types; there are more to explore, and they're as varied as your product or service’s features. There’s no need to get overwhelmed or start from scratch. Find quick inspiration by going to “Design” on the left-side panel and selecting “Layouts”. Choose the one that best fits what you want to communicate and customize it as you require.
Offer Slides: Seal the deal!
You’ve said your piece, and you’ve connected with your client. Now that you have the what and why out of the way, all that’s left is to answer the how.
What offer slides are for
1
Wrapping it up
Summarize what’s been discussed, and give an idea of what working together might look like.
2
Providing offers
Propose options based on what you know or found out during the pitch.
3
Keeping lines open
The pitch is meant to secure that second meeting. Thank the client for their time and let them know how to reach you.
Close memorably
You started strong; now end with a bang. Make an offer they can’t refuse - or one they’ll at least seriously consider. The template has three slides to help you close on a positive note.
Next Steps Slide
Paint a picture of what accepting the offer could look like - and how it could make their lives better!
Recap the discussion
Show a timeline of the next steps
Offer Slide
Show options or packages that best fit the client’s needs, based on what they’ve told you and your reading of their situation.
Clearly show package inclusions
Be transparent
about pricing
Closing Slide
End with appreciation for their time, and let them know the best way to reach you.
Show appreciation for their time
Double-check your contact details for accuracy
More Sales Templates
The pitch is just the beginning. Up your sales game with these ready-to-use templates.
Sales Metrics Whiteboard
Post-Sales Strategy Presentation
Onboarding Plan Website
Looking for more templates?
Check out a range of high-quality templates, conveniently housed in Canva’s library.
Final Checklist
Show, don’t tell
Keep your slides visual and on-point. Long paragraphs belong in your script, not your slides.
Know, don’t sell
Avoid hard selling. Instead, open the pitch with empathy and a deep knowledge of your customer’s situation.
Demonstrate value
When you have your customer’s trust and interest, show how you can come in to help. Emphasize impact, results, and benefits.
Personalize the pitch
Listen to your customers and highlight only what’s relevant to them.
Close memorably
Seal the deal with the best options you can offer and let them know how to reach you.
References
- The Visual Economy Report 2023. https://canvavisualeconomy.com/
- Clark, D. (2023, May 25). Introducing world-leading data visualization in Canva. Canva. https://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/flourish-integration
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