If you’ve ever Googled “how to write a pitch deck” or “how to create a pitch deck,” you’ve probably come across hundreds of templates, design tutorials, and “must-have slide” lists.
And while those resources are helpful, they often miss what makes a pitch deck work.
Having written and refined pitch decks for over five years, one thing that I learned is: a great pitch deck isn’t just well-designed, it’s well-thought-out.
It tells a story. It anticipates doubts. And it makes the right people say, “Tell me more.”
In this blog, I’ll take you through:
- What a pitch deck is.
- My exact process for writing one.
- Running examples from the best pitch decks out there.
- Real questions you should answer before you even touch a slide.
- Tips for writing a pitch deck fast and effectively.
Let’s break down what goes into crafting a pitch that moves your audience, whether they’re investors, clients, or partners.
What Is a Pitch Deck?
At its core, a pitch deck is a visual summary of your business, product, or idea. It communicates the most important details someone needs to understand who you are, what you’re building (or offering), why it matters, and what you want from them.
Whether you’re:
- Raising funds from investors (startup pitch deck)
- Trying to win over a new client (sales deck)
- Pitching a partnership or sponsorship (business pitch deck)
- Sharing a new internal product or initiative
…your pitch deck is your first impression. It’s often the deciding factor for whether or not you get a follow-up meeting, a funding conversation, or a signed contract.
Why Do You Need One?
Attention is scarce in today’s world. People don’t have time to read a 20-page business plan. What they want is:
- Clarity: What are you offering?
- Relevance: Why should they care?
- Confidence: Can you deliver what you promise?
A well-written pitch deck condenses all of that into 10-12 slides, packaged in a way that’s engaging, logical, and easy to follow.
But Isn’t That Just a Presentation?
Not quite. Unlike general presentations, which may be educational or informative, a pitch deck has one job: to persuade.
And persuasion needs:
- A clear message
- A focused structure
- Strong visual and verbal flow
- A specific call to action
That’s why writing a pitch deck is a process that involves understanding your audience, shaping your story, and choosing what not to say just as carefully as what to include.
Do This Before You Start Creating a Pitch Deck
One of the biggest mistakes while creating a pitch deck is skipping the thinking and rushing to the slides. Most founders or marketers jump straight into design tools like Canva, assembling slides without:
- Clarifying who the deck is for.
- Defining what the audience truly cares about.
- Prioritizing narrative flow over slide count.
Before you write a single word, do the prep work with these questions:
- Who is this deck for: investors, clients, partners, or sponsors?
- What do they already know about you?
- What matters most to them – ROI, credibility, impact, speed?
- Where do you want the conversation to go after this presentation?
- What are your most impressive proof points (traction, clients, metrics)?
- Are there any assumptions or objections they might have?
- What’s your core narrative or “why now” moment?
- Which data backs your claims (market size, demand, competitors)?
- What are the top 3 slides you want them to remember?
- Are you pitching this live or sending it over email?
Let’s now get into the details of writing a pitch deck.
1. Gather Your Building Blocks
Every great pitch deck begins before you touch the design. The real foundation is strategy; being crystal clear on your story and why it matters.
Think of it like gathering ingredients before cooking. If your ingredients are weak, the dish won’t turn out well, no matter how nice the plating looks. Similarly, a beautiful deck without solid content will fall flat.
That’s why it helps to start with the essentials. These will help you create the pitch deck outline.
- Problem: The specific pain point your audience faces, framed with clarity and urgency.
- Solution: How your product or service directly solves that problem.
- Market Opportunity: The size, growth, and potential of the market you’re addressing.
- Product or Service: What you’re offering and how it works in practice.
- Business Model: A simple breakdown of how you make money.
- Traction or Social Proof: Evidence that your idea works—users, revenue, or testimonials.
- Go-To-Market Plan: Your strategy for acquiring and retaining customers.
- Competitive Advantage: Why you stand out from competitors.
- Team: The people behind the vision and why they’re the right fit.
- Financials & Projections: Key numbers, forecasts, and financial logic.
- The Ask: Exactly what you want from your audience (funding, partnership, next step).
Pro tip: If you’re not sure where to start, consider filling out a Lean Canvas first. It condenses your entire business model into one page and ensures you don’t miss the fundamentals. From there, it’s much easier to expand into a compelling, investor-ready pitch deck.
2. Structure It Like a Story
The best pitch decks don’t just throw information at the audience. They guide them through a journey. Investors, sponsors, or clients are people first, and people connect with stories far more than with bullet points and jargon.
That’s why one of the most powerful approaches is to use the classic story arc. It keeps your pitch engaging, logical, and memorable. Here’s how you can apply it to your business pitch deck:
The Hook
Your opening slide should make people sit up and pay attention. This could be a hard-hitting statistic (“80% of startups fail due to poor customer acquisition”), a relatable pain point (“Every content manager struggles with keeping up with daily deadlines”), or a bold statement that frames the conversation.
In its 2004 pitch deck, Facebook used a quote from the Stanford Daily. This simple addition worked on multiple levels. It sparked curiosity, demonstrated the product’s influence within a community, and added credibility by leveraging a trusted source.
The Problem
Next, define the gap in the market or the pain point your audience cares about. You need to show you understand them. If the audience nods their heads here, you’ve got them invested.
The problem slide in LinkedIn’s Series B fundraising pitch deck is a great example. Instead of simply stating that no effective solution existed, they demonstrated why existing alternatives failed, making the problem undeniable.
The Solution
Now, enter your product or service. This is where you position what you’ve built as the answer to the problem. Keep it simple, clear, and focused on benefits, not just features.
Take a look at the solution slide in the pitch deck of Stan Store. It’s simple, visual, and instantly communicates the core benefits without overwhelming the viewer.
Proof
Back it up with evidence. Share metrics, traction, testimonials, user growth, or case studies. Social proof tells your audience: this isn’t just an idea, it works. In Copy.ai’s deck, they highlighted real user comments from social media, offering solid proof of product validation.
The Opportunity
Zoom out to the bigger picture. Why is now the perfect time? Maybe the market is growing, regulations are shifting, or consumer behavior is changing. This slide is where you show scale and potential. Canva’s pitch deck is an excellent example of showing not just the size of the opportunity, but also how Canva is uniquely positioned to disrupt and dominate the market.
The Ask
End with clarity. Whether you want funding, a partnership, or simply the next meeting, spell it out. A pitch deck without an ask leaves your audience wondering what to do next.
3. Make Your Pitch Deck Visual & Focused
You only have a few seconds to capture the attention of your investors, partners, or clients. They aren’t reading line by line. They scan and want to see the idea. The faster they ‘get it,’ the stronger your chances of keeping them engaged.
The golden rule: one big idea per slide. If someone can’t understand your slide in 5 seconds, it’s too crowded.
Here’s how to keep them clean, engaging, and powerful:
- Charts instead of paragraphs. Turn your growth numbers, market size, or projections into simple graphs that make the point instantly.
- Icons instead of long lists. Replace bullet-heavy slides with icons that guide the eye and cut down clutter.
- Data visualizations instead of dense tables. Use bar charts, pie charts, or timelines to help your numbers tell a story.
- Real photos of people. Especially faces that reflect your target audience’s demographics because humans connect to humans, not stocky clip art.
Shopify’s pitch deck includes excellent examples of data visualizations. The numbers are presented so clearly that they’re easy to grasp at a glance.
4. Don’t Just Show Data. Speak Their Language
Visualization is one thing, but how do you make data in a pitch deck persuasive?
Facts and numbers matter, but numbers alone rarely move people. You need to frame them in a way that connects to your audience’s goals, pain points, and priorities.
Think of it this way: raw data is information, but framed data is persuasion. The difference lies in context and relevance. The goal is to show why those numbers matter and why your audience should trust and invest in you.
Avoid:
- Dropping in generic buzzwords like “innovative” or “game-changing” without proof.
- Using internal jargon that only your team understands.
- Overloading slides with charts or spreadsheets that feel like homework.
Do this instead:
- Show proof through people. Add client testimonials, quotes, or short success stories that humanize your numbers.
- Make comparisons. Use benchmarks or competitor comparisons so investors see not just your data, but your edge.
- Translate into outcomes. Don’t just say “We improved efficiency.” Say “We helped clients save 12+ hours per week, cutting their admin time in half.”
In Sandbox VR’s pitch deck, you’ll see a strong example of how to speak the audience’s language while staying true to the brand’s voice and tone.
5. The Ask: Be Clear & Confident
Your pitch deck builds up momentum. Your “Ask” is where you direct it. Too many great decks fall flat because they end without a clear next step. If your audience isn’t sure what you want, they’ll default to doing nothing.
Think of your Ask as the call to action of your entire presentation. It should be precise, realistic, and delivered with confidence. Your audience should leave the room knowing exactly what you want, and why it’s worth saying yes.
Avoid:
- Vague requests like: “We’re exploring options…”
- Passive closings such as: “Let us know your thoughts.”
- Overly complicated asks with too many conditions.
Do this instead:
- Be specific about numbers or timelines. For example, “We’re raising $2M this quarter to scale our AI platform. Would you like to discuss participation?”
- Frame it as an opportunity for them, not just for you. For example, “We’re opening 20 partner slots for agencies this quarter. Would you like to explore if we’re a fit?”
- Make the next step obvious. For example, “We’d love to schedule a follow-up demo next week to dive deeper into the product roadmap.”
Final Tips for a Winning Pitch Deck
Your pitch deck is a story, a strategy, and a first impression all rolled into one. Keep these final pointers in mind before you hit “present.”
- Less is More: Aim for clarity, not volume. If you can say it in fewer words, do it.
- Lead With Impact: Your first 2-3 slides set the tone. Start strong with a hook that sticks.
- Show, Don’t Just Tell: Use visuals, demos, and data points that make the idea tangible.
- Know Your Audience: Tailor the language, tone, and examples to investors, clients, or partners.
- Practice Ruthlessly: Rehearse until your flow feels natural. Confidence comes from preparation.
- Be Ready for Questions: Anticipate objections and have sharp, data-backed answers ready.
- End with Certainty: Don’t fizzle out. Close with a clear, confident ask.
Your Pitch Deck Is a Door Opener
A pitch deck isn’t the whole conversation; it’s the spark that gets you into the room. Its job is to earn attention, build curiosity, and move your audience to take the next step, whether that’s a meeting, a partnership, or funding.
Keep it simple, visual, and story-driven. Lead with clarity, back it with proof, and close with confidence.
At the end of the day, investors, partners, and clients aren’t just buying into slides. They’re buying into you, your team, and your vision.
Craft your deck with purpose, deliver it with conviction, and let it be the bridge between your idea and the opportunities ahead.
And if you’d like support in shaping a deck that resonates, we’d love to help you make it happen. Just drop us a message.
Frequently Asked Questions About Writing a Pitch Deck
1. How many slides should a pitch deck be?
The sweet spot is usually 10-15 slides. This length forces you to focus on what matters the most while still covering the essentials. Anything longer risks losing attention; anything shorter may leave big gaps in your story.
2. What do investors actually want to see in your pitch deck?
Investors care about three things: the problem, the solution, and the opportunity. They want to know if you’re solving a real pain point, if your solution is scalable, and if your team is capable of pulling it off.
3. How do you write a great pitch deck?
A strong pitch deck is structured like a story. Open with the problem, build tension, present your solution, and show proof that it works. Keep each slide to one main idea, use visuals instead of text-heavy blocks, and always finish with a clear ask.
4. Can ChatGPT create a pitch deck?
Yes, ChatGPT can help with crafting the storyline, refining your messaging, suggesting slide flow, and even generating draft text or visual ideas. But AI works best when paired with human expertise, especially for design, branding, and tailoring the deck to your unique audience.
5. What do I include in a pitch deck?
Most effective decks include these core elements:
- Problem & Opportunity
- Solution / Your Offering
- Market Size
- Business Model
- Traction & Proof
- Competition
- Team
- Financials & Projections
- The Ask (funding, partnership, etc.)
6. Where do you find images for pitch decks?
You can use free stock photo sites like Unsplash or Pexels for authentic images, or premium libraries like Shutterstock for more polished options. Infographics and icons from tools like Canva, Flaticon, or Noun Project also work well. Even better, use real photos of your product, team, or customers whenever possible.
7. What comes first, a business plan or a pitch deck?
Usually, the pitch deck comes first. It’s a quick way to validate interest and open doors. A complete business plan, which is more detailed and operational, comes after you’ve piqued interest and need to dive deeper.
8. How long does it take to create a pitch deck?
If you already have your content and numbers ready, you can draft a deck in a few hours. But to refine the storyline, polish visuals, and design it professionally, most great decks take 1-2 weeks of work and iteration.
9. What is the 10/20/30 rule for pitch decks?
This rule, introduced by Guy Kawasaki, is a simple guideline:
- 10 slides (maximum)
- 20 minutes (to present them)
- 30-point font (so your text is readable and forces brevity)
It’s not a strict rule, but a reminder to keep your deck sharp and digestible.
