10 Reasons Pitch Decks Are The Secret Weapon All Businesses Need!

Pitch decks are like a secret weapon for businesses - they're a bit like Iron Man's suit, but for presentations. And just like Iron Man's suit, they're not just for show and have multiple uses. Pitch decks can help you communicate your business idea more effectively, get buy-in from stakeholders, attract new customers, and much, much more. So why aren't more businesses using them for a variety of different purposes then?

Well, for one thing, they can be a bit intimidating. Creating a presentation that effectively and precisely communicates the inner workings of your business can be a daunting task - especially for the less graphically minded or technically trained entrepreneur. But fear not, dear reader! Once we run through our list of ten reasons that you should be using pitch decks for your business right now, you'll soon see that any apprehension you might have is far outweighed by the sheer magnitude of positive impact they can have.

1) Pitch decks make ANY presentation less boring.

Let's be real - unless you’ve got the charisma of Robert Downey Jr., most presentations have a tendency to be pretty dull. They can often feel like a bad movie that you can't turn off, no matter how hard you try. But with a pitch deck, you can make your presentations heaps more engaging and interesting. With eye-catching visuals and a clear, concise message, you can keep your audience on the edge of their seats, just like the first Iron Man film. Yeah, I used to love me a bit of classic Marvel - before they killed off Tony Stark. I'm still in therapy over it. Regardless of whether you’re pitching to an investor or selling products to a new customer, having a visual aid such as a deck can be EXTREMELY effective in inducing greater engagement and making key points really 'pop' in the minds of those who are watching.

2) They help you avoid the dreaded "Death by PowerPoint."

We've all been there. You're sitting in a meeting, staring at a never-ending stream of bullet points and graphs, and before you know it, you're nodding off. A pitch deck can help you (and your poor audience) avoid this embarrassing fate. By using visuals that support your message, you can keep your audience engaged and avoid the dreaded "Death by PowerPoint" syndrome sweeping boardrooms globally. With the perfect mixture of imagery, infographics, and only the most important of text, a great deck will serve you far better in getting your message across to its intended target - and prevent the sound of snoring from becoming your undesired soundtrack! Don’t think dull - think deck!

3) They're a great way to break the ice.

Let's say you're meeting with a potential client for the first time. You're nervous, they're nervous - it's like a first date, but without the wine or ambient sound to drown out any verbal missteps. A pitch deck can be a great way to break the ice and start the conversation down along the road to the real topic at hand. Just like a date centred around going to the cinema (do people even still do that on dates?), a deck allows you ‘somewhere to be’ once the small talk runs dry, and you need to get down to the business of, well, business. I’m certain that “shall we look at my deck now?” will become a great line for you in the future. Just don’t say it on a first date and especially not at a noisy bar!

4) Pitch decks can help you make a stronger case.

When you're trying to convince someone to buy your product or invest in your business, you need to make a strong case - like, a REALLY strong case. A great pitch deck does just that. By forcing the intended message into a limited amount of space, it makes the information you share far more "pressing" and poignant, while preventing the person being pitched from becoming overwhelmed by a sea of words - most of which they won't remember anyway. This pitch deck format will also help them later when they try to recall the key points, as they've both "seen it" and heard it - not just listened to you say it while they stare off into space, nodding.

5) They're a great way to showcase your creativity.

Let's face it, business presentations can be pretty dry. But with a pitch deck, you can showcase your creativity and inject a bit of personality into your presentations. With custom graphics, engaging visuals, a bit of humor, and even the option of video, you can make your pitch deck really stand out in the minds of your intended viewer. Just imagine how much more engaging legal documents and contracts would be if they included pictures and infographics! Sadly (and I mean that), they can't. Although, how much more interesting would that make breach of contract lawsuits? "What do you mean, you misinterpreted the skull and crossbones graphic to mean that Q4's forecast was going to be positive?" On the other hand, your pitch decks and presentations certainly CAN break away from tedious conventions like this! Don't bore your audience with the small print - fill their heads with big ideas and a compelling vision for why they should work with you. In short, if you want them to "engage", aim to be engaging - in every possible way. In this endeavor, showcasing your creativity might just go a long way.

6) Pitch decks can help you stay on message.

Have you ever been in a meeting where someone goes off on a tangent, and you end up discussing something completely unrelated? A bit like in Avengers End Game, when Tony Stark was suddenly... Oh, wait. I'm doing it again. With a pitch deck, you can stay on message and avoid these kinds of distractions. By using a structured presentation, you can guide the conversation and ensure that everyone stays focused on the pitch at hand. Using this approach almost gives you a "manual reset" on any part of the conversation. If you feel that your audience needs to be kicked back into caring, "next slide, please". If you, on the other hand, need to rein in your own latest tangent and don't know how to transition out of it seamlessly, simple. Just use these two words... next slide. It's digital magic, my friends. Abra-flipping-cadabra!

7) They help you make a stronger first impression.

We all know that first impressions are important. That's clearly why I drink so much wine on first dates. When you're trying to win over a potential client or investor, a strong first impression is equally as crucial. A pitch deck can help you do just that. By presenting your business idea in a visually appealing way, not only can you grab attention and make a lasting impression, you do something else; you prove that time, energy, and attention went into the meeting ahead of time. This makes people see you as someone who really prepares for business, and as such, it allows them to trust you. After all, if you're prepared and willing to go the extra mile for your presentation now, why wouldn't you also do that when you're in business with them later? That's exactly what you want the recipient of your next pitch to be thinking, so why not use a deck and prove yourself early?

8) Pitch decks can be repurposed for a variety of uses.

Once you've created a great pitch deck, you can easily repurpose it for a variety of different uses throughout your business. For example, you can use it as a sales tool to showcase a new product or service to potential customers or as a training tool to educate new employees on your wider business. In fact, the possibilities are endless. Once you have an in-house presentation style and the ‘constants’ about your business written down and presented in one place, you can alter that same presentation for a multitude of different purposes - making you look forward-thinking and exceptional at each turn. So few businesses bother to actually do this that when one does, it looks fantastic. Good job, you! Not to mention how awesome you and your team will find it when you no longer have to keep repeating over and over again what your business does or how it works - you can quickly whiz them over your pre-made deck instead. Back of the net!

9) They help you stand out from the competition.

In today's crowded business landscape, where a potential customer can browse multiple businesses in mere seconds online, it's more important to stand out from the competition than ever. A pitch deck can help you do just that. By creating a visually stunning presentation that showcases your unique value proposition, and in a way that is super pleasing on the eyes, you can differentiate yourself from your competitors - and make a lasting impression on your audience in the process. As covered in the point above, you shouldn't just limit this to investor pitches either. Look at every single touchpoint in your business, irrespective of it being with outside parties or in-house team members. Then, ask yourself two simple questions. 1) Would a great-looking pitch deck or presentation have value here? 2) Are my competitors bothering to do this? If they are not, you've just taken a big step above them in conveying how you are to the outside world. After all, isn't that just marketing 101? Knockout!

10) Pitch decks can help you get funding!

Last but certainly not least, pitch decks are a crucial tool for securing funding - no matter where that funding comes from. Whether you're looking for investment from venture capitalists, pitching your business to a bank for a loan, or simply asking a friend or family member to come onboard with your new idea, a great pitch deck will make the strongest case possible for why you're worth investing in. Just like with the other points, those with the power to invest are looking for opportunities with promising entrepreneurs or companies that can illustrate their ability to sell to people… post-investment. If you knew that a certain company had totally fluffed their last attempt to sell their product to you with advertising, would you really be inspired to buy their stock? Unless you were a world-renowned ad wizard, about to start a new job there and turn the company around, the answer is likely no! The same rules apply here. The more compelling your pitch for investment actually is, the more likely you’ll appear to be able to keep your business growing and thus be worth investing in. If you want to present yourself as the next great business marvel (comic book pun intended) with even greater future returns on the horizon for investors or the local bank manager, don’t short-change this opportunity to sell the bigger picture. Or in other words, use a fantastic pitch deck!

So there you have it - ten reasons why all businesses should be using pitch decks - no matter the reason. And if you're still not convinced, we've got one more reason for you: at Way Above Deck, we make it easy and affordable to get a professionally designed pitch deck we make it easy and affordable to get a professionally designed pitch deck that will knock the socks off your audience. Our team of experienced deck builders will work with you to create a custom pitch deck that's tailored to your business needs and even discuss the various uses for a deck that your business might have, even if you don’t realise it yourself yet.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to www.wayabovedeck.com to learn more about our pitch deck services and start creating presentations that will help take your business to the next level or speak to one of our team via email or phone today!