Skip to main content

Avoid the Danger. Use PowerPoint to Tell Your Story.

Have you ever decided to “go solo” in a sales call, investor pitch, or meeting? How did it go? Did you flounder, present out-of-order, wish you had your financials to share in an awesome chart?

It can be alluring to leave the slides at home. To break free of what may feel like a clumsy communication crutch.

Bill Gurley shares in his fantastic article ‘In Defense of the Deck‘: “Many believe that PowerPoint decks are emblematic of the type of bureaucracy disparaged in Dilbert cartoons. Others want to appear “casual” and “conversational” and view the presentation as overly formal. But, going deck-less can be a risky move, and here is why. Investors are not solely evaluating your company’s story. They are also evaluating your ability to convey that story.”

Every year Cubicle Ninjas helps hundreds of businesses tell powerful visual stories. We believe having a beautiful, streamlined PowerPoint presentation can make or break your next client conversation. We feel this way because of the confidence and excitement we hear in our customer’s voices each day.

Gurley states, “The purpose of a presentation deck is to enable entrepreneurs to effectively tell the story of their business. In many ways it’s like a structured scientific proof.” Great PowerPoint decks help you effectively tell your story and may be the difference in winning your next deal or round of funding.

Gurley also says, “The process of crafting the story of your company for the first time can be a cathartic experience […] Developing a presentation deck gives you a great forum to nail those things down and to ensure that everyone is working with a common purpose.”

Sometimes people laugh when we share we have a brilliant design team that handcrafts beautiful presentations. They can’t comprehend it. Often PowerPoint is done so badly, they think the problem is with the medium. But the medium is here to stay. A world class presentation shows you not only have ideas, but understand the art of telling these ideas in a way that inspires others to act.

Leave a Reply


Need a Ninja?