"I’m just trying to make sure everything’s clear, so I thought I’d add all the important points into a single slide to keep it simple," said the client during our remote consultation, showing us a draft with way too much going on.
Our Creative Director, who’s seen these kinds of over-complicated slides more times than we can count, smiled patiently and replied, “While I understand you want to be thorough, adding all that information to one slide can overwhelm your audience. You’re not just presenting data; you’re telling a story. A crowded slide won’t help anyone understand the story better; it’ll just distract from the message.”
As a presentation design agency, we know firsthand that crafting a compelling sales pitch is more than just squeezing in all your key points. A successful presentation is about creating a seamless, impactful experience for your audience. That means you need to balance the information you share with how you share it. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck trying to figure out how to fit all your information into one slide—or perhaps wrestling with what to keep in and what to leave out—then this blog is for you.
In this post, we’ll dive into the essential sales presentation design etiquette, exploring how to design your slides with empathy for your audience, keeping their attention, and guiding them to the core message. We won’t overwhelm you with every little design tip under the sun, but we’ll focus on the big takeaways—how to make your sales pitch clear, compelling, and, yes, even a little bit fun.
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Sales Presentation Design Etiquette [What You Need to Know]
The Art of Simplicity: Designing for Clarity
Here’s a key piece of advice we give to every client who approaches us with a cluttered slide deck: simplify. You don't need to fit everything into a single slide to prove you’ve done your homework. In fact, trying to do so will only dilute your message. The goal of a sales presentation isn’t to present everything you know; it’s to present the most important information in a way that resonates with your audience.
Sales presentations should feel like a clear conversation, not a confusing data dump. Your audience doesn’t need to know every little detail—they just need to understand the value you're offering and why it’s relevant to them. If your slide is overloaded with text, data, and conflicting visuals, you risk losing your audience’s attention before you even get to the good stuff. And here's the kicker: the more information you throw at your audience, the harder it becomes for them to retain anything at all. So, start by simplifying your message. Break down your content into digestible chunks, focus on the essentials, and let your visuals do the talking.
Think of your presentation like a map: instead of cramming in every little street and landmark, show your audience the key roads that will guide them to their destination—the ultimate goal of your presentation.
Engage with Intention, Not Just for Show
Every element of your slide should have a purpose. “It just looks better with more colors and images,” we hear clients say. While we’re all for making things visually appealing, design for clarity, not for decoration. If you’re using a graphic, make sure it’s contributing to the overall message and doesn’t just look "nice" on the page.
At Ink Narrates, we focus on ensuring that every visual choice serves the story you’re telling. Whether it’s through icons, charts, or illustrations, your design should engage your audience and guide them through the narrative of your presentation. Don’t just add visuals to fill space—use them to illustrate key points. A well-placed image or infographic can say more than a paragraph of text, but only if it’s aligned with the message you’re trying to convey.
You can still have fun with your design, but make sure that fun serves your goal. It’s all about intentional engagement, not visual noise. If a particular visual doesn’t enhance the story or the information you're presenting, it’s best to leave it out.
Avoid the Data Overload
Sales presentations often involve a lot of data—charts, numbers, graphs—but data overload is real. If you try to fit every single statistic you have into your slides, you’re going to lose your audience in a sea of numbers. Sales presentation design etiquette is about knowing how to pick and present the numbers that matter most to your audience, in a way they can easily digest.
A single well-designed chart can communicate your key point much better than a bulleted list of statistics. Use your visuals to clarify your message, not just repeat data. Show how your product or service addresses a pain point, and make it easy for your audience to see the correlation between your offering and the data you’ve presented.
Our advice? Focus on the story behind the data. Share the numbers that support your key message, but leave out the irrelevant details. If a chart or graph isn’t helping to tell your story, it’s probably best left off the slide.
Crafting Your Slides for Impact, Not Overwhelm
Remember when we said less is more? That doesn’t mean you have to remove all your content. It means you need to make strategic choices about what information to display and how to display it. Don’t overwhelm your audience with slide after slide of bullet points or long paragraphs. Use design as a tool to reduce mental load, not increase it.
Each slide should be clear and focused on one key point. If you find yourself juggling too much information, it’s a sign that you need to break it up into multiple slides. This doesn’t mean cramming everything into 20 slides, though—edit ruthlessly and ensure that each slide serves its purpose in the larger narrative of your pitch.
Effective presentation design is about pacing. Create a rhythm that keeps your audience engaged. A well-placed visual break between complex slides can help keep attention high and energy flowing.
Use Colors to Guide, Not Distract
When it comes to color, we always remind clients: color is powerful, but it needs to be used thoughtfully. The right palette can evoke the emotions you want your audience to feel—calm, trust, excitement—but the wrong palette can turn your presentation into a chaotic mess.
Don’t go overboard with neon colors or clashing shades. Stick to a cohesive color scheme that complements your brand and message. Use contrasting colors for emphasis, but avoid overwhelming your audience with too much. When in doubt, less is more. Use neutral tones as a base, and add accent colors sparingly to highlight key points or calls to action.
Have empathy in design
Designing a presentation isn’t just about what you want to say—it’s about understanding your audience and designing with their needs in mind. Empathy is a critical part of sales presentation design etiquette. Consider the emotional journey you want to take your audience on, and think about what they’re hoping to get out of your presentation.
Are they looking for a solution to their problem? Are they seeking reassurance that your offering is worth their investment? Every design decision should help them connect with your message on a deeper level. By understanding their perspective, you can design your slides to speak directly to their needs, concerns, and desires.
This empathy-driven approach to design will help you craft a presentation that not only looks great but also feels personal and compelling to your audience.
Design with Purpose
At the end of the day, sales presentation design etiquette boils down to one key principle: purposeful design. Whether you’re simplifying complex information, making strategic use of visuals, or choosing colors that guide the narrative, every element should be intentional and serve the story you’re telling.
By following these principles, you’ll create a presentation that doesn’t overwhelm your audience but rather guides them through a compelling, memorable experience. And when that happens, you’ll be much more likely to see results from your sales efforts.
Want to work with our team?
If you’re struggling to create the perfect sales presentation, we’ve got your back. As a presentation design agency, we specialize in crafting slides that strike the perfect balance between clarity, persuasion, and design.
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