Common Sales Deck Mistakes to Avoid

Not so long ago, a sales deck was a little more than a complementary item in the sales arsenal. However, with the marketing industry constantly evolving, sales presentations have proved to be a critical element that can capture viewers' attention, trigger their interest, and convince them to invest in your project.

A well-thought-out sales presentation contains critical information about your product. It outlines your value proposition and highlights the future potential that the funders are usually most interested in. Yet, you should realize that the number of pitfalls to stir clear of is as extensive as the list of benefits to reap.

With that in mind, today we'll share with you several common sales deck mistakes that can cost you the desired investment. Whitepage experts know how to create a perfect sales deck design, and we'll point you in the right direction!

Overloading Slides with Information

One of the biggest sales deck mistakes is information. Surely, this sounds surprising, but hear us out. No matter the field you are working in, you gradually gather more and more information on a particular matter. While all the details seem equally important to you, the audience will perceive it differently. In the majority of cases, informational overload overwhelms the viewers. As your audience gets more and more confused and disengaged, your chances of securing the desired outcome get slimmer. That's a given.

Professional presentation design services know better than to fill out the slides with excessive text, complex charts, and challenging data. Instead, they stick to these simple rules:

• Rule of a single message – to keep the audience involved and interested, you shouldn't try to break more than one message in a slide. Such an approach ensures that the viewers get the significant points fully.
• Rule of a bullet list – while lists make it easier to grasp presented information, you shouldn't abuse the benefit. Try not to go over 5 bullet points in a list. A single slide must contain no more than a single list.
• Rule of informative visuals – human brains are wired to perceive visuals faster than text. That is why delivering some critical data in the form of images, charts, tables, and icons improves comprehension.
• Rule of white spaces – white spaces help the audience to make out primary points and focus on essential information instead of dispersing their attention over secondary elements.
• The rule of highlighting – if you want the audience to see something, you must ensure it is bright enough to catch their attention. You can use different fonts, colors, bold fonts, and whatever else to succeed with the task.

NB!

Keep in mind that a shortage of information is as table-turning as any other of sales presentation mistakes. Surely, you don't want to overload the main slides with excess data. However, as you want to ensure that the audience gets all the critical insights, stats, and other information, you should include appendix slides in the presentation. Don't forget to tell the viewers that they will find more details in the appendix section of the sales deck.

Neglecting the Storytelling Aspect

Appealing, trendy, and informative pitch deck design takes you only halfway through the quest for a successful deal. Emotional connection with the audience is what makes your message memorable and convincing. That is where the art of storytelling comes in. A resonating story will coat your business with a layer of trust. It will humanize it. That is why neglecting the storytelling aspect is one of the top sales deck mistakes.

There are a few reliable strategies you can put to the test when creating your brand narrative:

Logical flow

A story with an introduction, a conflict, a solution, and a resolution is what makes it engaging and relatable. First, you set the stage and outline a common problem that most of the audience members are familiar with. Then, you focus further on the pains that people constantly have to deal with, and after that, you present a magical solution. However, you can't be empty-worded about it. You should share some success stories that prove the effectiveness of your service or product.

Company's mission

As you are creating a story, you should describe your role in it. You can bring the moral principles that your company abides by. On top of that, it is essential to show that you have walked in the user's shoes for a while to realize the scale of the struggle. Such an approach reflects your credibility and speaks about your principles.

The power of analogies

Depending on the field you are working in, some areas and concepts may be too complicated for an audience with limited experience in the industry. While using visuals to simplify matters is a great idea, you can also refer to metaphors and analogies. The better the audience understands the presented idea, the more positive their decisions will be.

Lacking a Clear Value Proposition

Another stop on our route of common sales presentation mistakes is a clear value proposition, the lack of it, to be more precise. You must understand that in this fast-paced world, new offers and solutions spout out like mushrooms. That is why you should declare it loud and proud as to what makes your product unique and worth the audience's while.

There are a few tips on how you can pinpoint a clear value proposition and communicate it effectively in your sales deck:

• Research your target market segment to identify your audience. The better you understand the needs and preferences of your potential users, the easier it will be to outline a value proposition that resonates with them.
• Scan the competitor field. Try to find potential weak spots in their offers to ensure that your product doesn't have those. Besides, you can use some unique features to enhance your proposition.
• Showcase unique features and benefits. Don't be shy and boast a little. However, you shouldn't brag or exaggerate.
• Reach out to existing customers and gather their feedback. Use the gained testimonials as proof of the customer-claimed worthiness of your offer.

Using Low-Quality Visuals

Visual elements are a critical part of a sales deck structure. However, low-quality visuals will provide the opposite effect. The thing is that blurry images, questionable graphics, and design inconsistencies will make the most informative presentation look unpolished and unprofessional.

Some may say that visual appeal comes second since it is the information that the deck contains that matters most. Yet, you should realize that the low quality of a presentation will make the audience question the quality of your product. Besides, as the audience starts to doubt your credibility, the unpolished look will keep on distracting them from the central message of the presentation. All these inconveniences combined will provoke general disinterest and distrust.

The simplest way how to avoid sales presentation mistakes related to the visual aspect of the presentation would be to use trustworthy tools and resources. You can find high-quality images on Shutterstock, Unsplash, or Pexels. Besides, there are platforms like Canva or Piktochart that offer various presentation templates, photos, infographics, icons, and more.  

Failing to Tailor the Presentation to the Audience

One of the most misleading assumptions is that there's a universal presentation that comes to everyone's taste. A 'one-fits-all' approach is among the sales deck errors that even seasoned experts can make. However, the only outcomes you can count on are disengagement, loss of interest, and missed opportunities.

Every sales deck should reflect the target audience's needs, pains, and preferences. To create such a presentation, you must start with an in-depth dive into the specifics of your potential user base:

• Your industry is where you should start the research from. Scan the recent market trends to point out challenges and concerns that the consumer may have. These details will help you create a sales deck that corresponds to the recent requests.
• As you proceed with the research, it helps to pay attention to available user feedback. Very often, people leave comments about what they don't like about the existing offer and what can be improved. You can use this information to improve your product and ensure that it has a notable arsenal of advantages as opposed to the existing competitors.
• Since you seek additional investments, the potential funder's circle deserves your attention as well. You can evaluate previous stakeholder interactions to figure out what makes them choose specific projects. Some investors are all-in for the unparalleled uniqueness of the product, while others care for the revenue stats. If you find what makes your audience tick, you will be able to design a presentation that impresses and converts.

Tips on how to customize the presentation

You can use the same sales deck in front of different audiences with as many as a few updates:

• Always personalize the introduction
• Outline and address specific pain points
• Attune the presentation tone and style
• Use field-relate visuals
• Leave room for specific Q&A sessions

Overreliance on the Deck

As you are trying to decide how to avoid sales deck mistakes, Whitepage experts want you to remember that your presentation isn't the only weapon you possess. In fact, over-relying on the deck may lead to an artificial and impersonal aftertaste that the audience will have.

How so? Well, if you stick to the script and leave no room for personal interaction with the audience, it will ruin the connection you have been working hard to establish. The easiest way to rule out such overreliance is to practice your presentation. Moreover, we encourage you to practice without the slides to increase the engagement and adaptability of your presentation.

Here's how you can do it:

• List the main points of the presentation and make sure that you can deliver and discuss them without the help of visual aids.
• Turn your presentation into a compelling narrative. A well-structured and engaging story is easy to convey. Besides, an exciting story triggers interest and user engagement.
• Don't be afraid to interact with the audience. Rhetorical questions, quizzes, and polls make the presentation twice as dynamic and memorable.
• Work on your tone and body language. Use gestures and movement to make and emphasize a certain point and initiate a desired reaction or response.
• Practice in front of your colleagues and invite them to ask questions and make remarks along the way.
• Record your delivery and inspect for the areas that may need to be improved. 

Ignoring the Call to Action

It may come as a surprise, but a compelling CTA(Call to Action) is one of the most understated sales deck issues. Even well-trained presenters tend to forget that a strong CTA is the final push that the audience needs to follow in the right direction. Whether you want the audience to schedule a follow-up meeting, sign up for a trial, or make a purchase – you MUST tell them. It takes a subtle but persuasive approach to succeed with the task.

For example:

• Want to see our product in action? Book a demo today!
• Experience limited benefits – sign up for a one-month Free Trial!
• Schedule a free consultation now!
• Speak with our trained expert to find out more!

Despite their simplicity, CTAs can be pretty tricky, especially when it comes to scattering them strategically throughout the presentation. There are a few practical tips we are going to share to point you in the right direction:

• Use a CTA right after presenting a unique benefit or a success story.
• Use clear and specific CTAs.
• Use persuasive language but stir clear of pressure.
• Use urgency to reinforce the CTA.
• Make sure that your CTA is noticeable.
• Reinforce the message and use it a few times in your presentation.
• Ensure that the CTA correlates with your target audience.

Conclusion

A successful sales presentation relies on many pillars. However, if you stir clear of excessive information, set a clear value proposition, tailor it to a chosen audience, and use a compelling and highly visual story – you will be a step closer to sealing the deal.  

We've shared with you a list of mistakes to avoid that prove to have been helpful in improving sales pitch presentations. Use these tips to create a sales deck that impresses, persuades, and converts. Don't forget that you can always contact the Whitepage agency for professional assistance. Together, we will create a presentation that makes you stand out!

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