How important is the design of my pitch deck?

We all know that this is a visual world. It’s not enough to showcase your terrific idea using words and figures. You need to bring the whole case to life with visual storytelling that’ll stick in the minds of your potential investors. That’s why Design is the last step of our methodology The Six Principles of the Perfect Pitch.

Why Design matters so much

At Robot Mascot, we’ve worked with entrepreneurs from a range of different sectors to create winning pitch decks, and in every case, design mattered. There have been times when founders have questioned ‘how important is the design of my pitch deck?’ after going through an exhaustive content creation stage. But miss out on the design principle, and you’re doing yourself a massive disservice. Get it right, and your pitch will be perfect.

Our brains can process images 6,000 times faster than text. That’s powerful under any circumstances, but when you are putting something in front of a time-poor investor, it becomes critical. In seconds, you can use the design of your pitch deck to communicate a variety of different messages at a glance. Get this right, and you’ll not only grab their attention, but you’ll compel them to want to know more.

The brutal truth is that you will be one of many entrepreneurs trying to win over an investor at any time. The competition is fierce, so you need to do whatever you can to stand out and be memorable. Remember that 90% of the information transmitted to the brain is visual, so we find it far easier to process visuals, having had so much practice. If you want investors to connect with your idea, engage with your pitch and remember you, they will need that visual stimulation.

Banishing Boredom

If you’ve read our blogs on content, particularly ‘How to write investment winning content for my pitch deck’, you’ll know that you can’t afford to waste space. Every single word, figure and visual needs to earn its place. You cannot imagine how many waffling, boring, bland pitch decks your investor will have to wade through during their career. Give them something worth looking at.

Remember, like every piece of written content, the design you create should communicate with clarity. In fact, when you are writing the content, you should be thinking about how visuals could give this piece of your pitch more impact. By using colour, typography, infographics, images, graphics and other design tools, you can bring the idea to life visually and ensure it’s not something an investor can easily forget.

Better yet, many of your competitors won’t be doing this. Like many unfortunate souls before them, some of them will be presenting bland, forgettable presentations that investors have to trudge through without enjoying their experience.

Great design elevates your pitch, emphasising key pieces of content, reinforcing important messaging and making the pitch deck an enjoyable read. If an investor can see that you’ve carefully considered the look of your pitch, they’ll also be reassured that you understand the importance of design for the consumers of your business. It’s another bit of proof that you are an entrepreneur worth investing in.

There’s a good reason why Design is the last of ‘The Six Principles of the Perfect Pitch’. It needs to come after you’ve got everything else prepared. Armed with clear, concise content that’s got a brilliant structure and compelling narrative, you’ll be ready to use design flair to finish off a perfect pitch deck.