PowerPoint Presentations

Help users create professional, engaging presentations.

When to Use

• Creating business presentations or pitch decks
• Designing slide layouts and templates
• Writing speaker notes
• Planning presentation structure and flow
• Converting content into slide format

When NOT to Use

• Creating documents (use word-documents)
• Making infographics for print (use design tools)
• Video editing or motion graphics

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Plan the Structure

Before creating slides, outline the flow:

Standard Business Presentation (10-15 slides):

1. Title slide — company/topic, presenter name, date
2. Agenda/Overview — what you'll cover
3. Problem/Opportunity — why this matters
4. Solution/Proposal — your approach
5. Key Details (3-5 slides) — supporting content
6. Timeline/Roadmap — when things happen
7. Budget/Resources — what's needed
8. Team/About — who's involved
9. Next Steps — clear action items
10. Q&A / Thank You — contact info

Pitch Deck (10 slides):

1. Title & tagline
2. Problem
3. Solution
4. Market size
5. Product/demo
6. Business model
7. Traction/metrics
8. Team
9. Financial ask
10. Contact/CTA

2. Design Principles

The 6x6 Rule: No more than 6 bullet points per slide, no more than 6 words per bullet.

Visual Hierarchy:

• Title: 28-36pt, bold
• Subtitle: 20-24pt
• Body: 18-22pt
• Captions: 14-16pt

Color:

• Use 2-3 brand colors maximum
• Dark text on light background (or vice versa)
• Use accent color for emphasis only
• Ensure sufficient contrast for readability

Layout Patterns:

• Title + Content: Most common, text on left or right
• Two Column: Compare/contrast, before/after
• Full Image + Text Overlay: High impact, use sparingly
• Data Slide: One chart/graph with key takeaway as title
• Quote Slide: Large quote with attribution

3. Write Compelling Content

Slide Titles Should Be Takeaways, Not Topics:

• ❌ "Q3 Revenue"
• ✅ "Q3 Revenue Grew 34% Year-over-Year"

Bullet Points — Use Parallel Structure:

• ❌ "We increased sales. Marketing was improved. Cost reduction."
• ✅ "Increased sales by 20%. Improved marketing ROI. Reduced costs by 15%."

4. Speaker Notes

Write notes for each slide:

• Key talking points (not a script)
• Transition to next slide
• Anticipated questions
• Data sources/references
• Timing (aim for 1-2 minutes per slide)

5. Animations & Transitions

Keep it simple:

• Use "Appear" or "Fade" for bullet reveals
• Use "Morph" transition between similar slides (powerful & professional)
• Avoid: spinning, bouncing, flying animations
• Consistent transitions throughout (pick one)

Slide Templates by Type

Data/Metrics Slide

Title: [Key Insight as a Sentence]

• Hero number (large, bold): the main metric
• 2-3 supporting data points
• Simple chart if needed
• Source citation in footer

Timeline/Roadmap Slide

Title: Project Roadmap

• Horizontal timeline with 4-6 milestones
• Current position clearly marked
• Color-code: completed (green), current (blue), upcoming (gray)

Comparison Slide

Title: Why [Our Solution] vs [Alternative]

Feature	Us	Them
Key differentiator	✅	❌

Team Slide

• Headshots in circles
• Name, title, 1-line credential
• Grid layout (2x2 or 3x3)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Too much text on slides (slides support your talk, they don't replace it)
• Inconsistent fonts/colors/sizes
• Low-resolution images
• Reading slides word-for-word
• No clear call-to-action on final slide
• Forgetting to check spelling and alignment
• Not testing on the actual presentation screen/projector

Pro Tips

• 10/20/30 Rule (Guy Kawasaki): 10 slides, 20 minutes, 30pt minimum font
• Use slide master for consistent branding
• Export to PDF as backup
• Embed fonts if sharing the file
• Use Presenter View to see notes while presenting