Designing a pitch deck is about more than just putting slides together.
It requires attention to visual principles, data presentation, and context-specific formatting. A well-designed deck communicates professionalism to investors. It signals that you're disciplined and detail-oriented.
The following sections cover essential design elements. These will help you transform a basic presentation into a compelling visual story.
What are the essential visual design principles for pitch decks?
To design a pitch deck effectively, you need to master five core visual principles: color schemes, typography, layout, whitespace, and visual consistency.
These elements work together. They create a professional presentation that guides investor attention and reinforces your brand.
Color scheme
A disciplined color palette signals a disciplined founder.
Limit your deck to two or three primary colors maximum. More colors create visual chaos and dilute professionalism.
Your color choices should align with your brand identity. Disruptive companies can use bold colors. Companies focused on trust and stability benefit from muted tones.
High contrast between text and background ensures readability. Dark backgrounds work well with light text. Light backgrounds pair effectively with dark text.
Use accent colors strategically to highlight key data points and calls-to-action. Don't overwhelm the viewer with too many highlighted elements.
Test your color palette on multiple devices. Colors render differently across projectors, laptops, and phones.
Color psychology matters. Warm colors like red and orange convey passion and urgency. Cool colors like blue and green communicate professionalism and trust.
Popular combinations include blue and white for corporate trustworthiness. Black and yellow works well for bold startup energy.
Typography
Use two font families maximum.
One font should be designated for headings. Another should be used for body text. Switching fonts erratically makes your deck feel unstable and amateurish.
Web-safe fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, and Times New Roman ensure universal readability across devices.
Font personality should match your message. Serif fonts communicate formality and tradition. Sans-serif fonts convey a modern and approachable feel.
Create clear visual hierarchy through size variations. Large fonts for headings. Medium fonts for subheadings. Smaller readable fonts for body text.
The minimum font size for body text should be 24 points. This ensures readability from 20 feet away.
Keep bullet points short. Maximum 15 to 20 words per point. Text that wraps beyond two lines is too long.
Line height of 1.4 to 1.6 makes text scannable and professional.
Layout and visual hierarchy
Size, color, and placement should work together to guide the viewer's eye.
Each slide should communicate a single key point. Don't stack multiple topics on one slide.
Arrange slides to tell a logical story from beginning to end. This creates a clear flow that investors can follow.
Alignment is critical for professional appearance. Misaligned text and images make a deck look amateurish.
Copy and paste entire slides to maintain consistent alignment throughout. Vary slide layouts by mixing text-heavy slides with visual-heavy slides. This maintains engagement and prevents monotony.
Whitespace
Strategic whitespace allows design elements to breathe.
Crowded slides create cognitive overload. Whitespace gives designs a modern, uncluttered feel that signals thoughtfulness and discipline.
Information becomes more digestible when it's not crammed into every inch of the slide.
Leave adequate margins and padding around edges. Don't let text feel cramped.
Keep logos small and subtle. Place them in a top corner rather than dominating the slide.
Embrace empty space around main content. This creates visual breathing room that improves comprehension.
Visuals and consistency
Use high-resolution images that directly relate to your message.
People should be focal points when showing team members, products, or customers. One powerful image beats five mediocre ones.
Apply the same colors, fonts, and image styles throughout the entire deck. Consistency builds trust and professionalism.
Your company branding with recognizable logo placement, colors, and visual identity reinforces brand recognition.
Create one strong slide layout and replicate it for consistency. This produces better results than recreating each slide from scratch.
How do you design data visualizations in a pitch deck?
Each chart should communicate one clear takeaway.
Investors should understand your data within three seconds. Data should be immediately readable from 20 feet away.
Bold key numbers and minimize legends. Use color strategically to show relationships, but limit charts to two or three colors maximum.
Financial projections visualization
Financial projections should contain revenue forecasts over three to five years.
Include expense breakdowns across categories, profitability metrics including gross margin and path to profitability, key assumptions driving projections, and funding requirements with allocation details.
Line graphs work best for revenue and growth trends. They show trajectory and momentum over time.
A line graph displaying revenue trending upward from $100K to $2M over 36 months instantly communicates growth rate and consistency.
Bar charts work best for comparisons across categories or time periods. They're ideal for revenue by customer segment or expense breakdowns.
Use pie charts sparingly. Only for part-to-whole relationships with two to four slices maximum.
Stacked area charts effectively show revenue composition when multiple streams contribute to total growth.
Waterfall charts visualize the path from revenue to net profit. They show the impact of each expense category.
Show three to five years minimum to demonstrate long-term growth trajectory. Include real historical data alongside projections. This builds credibility.
Highlight the path to profitability clearly. Show when break-even occurs and when positive cash flow begins.
Add small callout boxes explaining assumptions. Something like "assumes 30% month-over-month growth based on current CAC and churn rates" adds credibility to projections.
Traction metrics visualization
Strong traction slides combine quantitative metrics with growth rates.
Include customer validation, engagement proof, milestone achievements, and qualitative proof like testimonials or partner logos.
The specific metrics depend on business type. SaaS companies should show Monthly Recurring Revenue growth, customer retention rate, and key partnerships.
E-commerce platforms should display Gross Merchandise Volume, active user growth, and conversion rates.
Mobile apps should present download trajectories, Daily Active Users growth, and App Store recognition.
Line graphs work best for user and revenue growth. They show momentum and acceleration.
Bar charts effectively highlight month-over-month or quarter-over-quarter growth through visual period comparisons.
Lead with your biggest achievement. This creates immediate impact.
Include growth rate context. "25% month-over-month growth" communicates more than raw numbers alone.
Mix quantitative data with qualitative proof like customer stories or partner logos. This adds credibility.
Market size visualization
The TAM/SAM/SOM framework presents market opportunity effectively.
TAM represents the Total Addressable Market or entire global demand. SAM represents the Serviceable Available Market or the segment you can realistically reach. SOM represents the Serviceable Obtainable Market or the portion you can capture in three to five years.
SOM matters most to investors because it connects to your valuation.
Nested circle diagrams are the most popular visualization approach. Concentric circles show TAM as the large outer circle, SAM as the middle ring, and SOM as the small center.
This format instantly shows scale relationships and addressable opportunity.
Stacked bar charts and funnel diagrams provide alternative approaches. They can show geographic breakdowns or progressive market narrowing.
Use consistent color coding. Assign one color to each market level throughout the deck.
Add data callouts. Label each segment with actual dollar amounts directly on the visualization.
Cite authoritative sources like Gartner, Statista, or IBISWorld in footnotes. This adds credibility.
Connect market sizing to your business strategy. Statements like "we'll capture 5% of SAM in Year 3" tie abstract numbers to concrete plans.
What are the image and icon guidelines for pitch decks?
Use clear, sharp photos that don't look blurry or pixelated on laptops or projectors.
Avoid cheesy stock photos. Pick images that feel authentic and match your brand.
Use one strong image per slide instead of multiple small images competing for attention. This creates clearer visual hierarchy.
Text placed on top of images must remain easy to read. You may need to darken the image or place text in a simple box.
Maintain a consistent look across all photos. Similar mood, lighting, and style make the deck feel like one unified story rather than a disconnected collage.
Professional, warm photos of people strengthen connection when showing team members, products, or customers.
Icon guidelines
Choose one icon style and maintain it throughout.
All outline icons, all filled icons, or all flat icons create consistency. Mixing styles looks messy.
Use icons to support key points like features, steps, or benefits. Don't use them to decorate every corner.
Simple icons that communicate meaning at a glance work best. Icons requiring explanation are too abstract and should be replaced.
Keep icon sizing roughly consistent throughout the deck. Give them adequate breathing room to prevent crowded slides.
Each slide should have one main focus. Remove anything that competes with that focus.
Keep the position of images and icons consistent from slide to slide. This creates visual predictability that helps investors follow your story.
How do you design pitch decks for different presentation contexts?
In-person presentations, video calls, and email send-outs have distinct requirements.
Creating decks that work across all three formats requires understanding these differences and adjusting design accordingly.
In-person presentations
In-person presentations work best with minimal text on slides.
Your voice does most of the talking. Large, bold headlines readable from the back of the room combined with powerful visuals create effective presentations.
The visuals should support what you're saying. They shouldn't repeat it.
Builds and animations that reveal information as you talk can enhance delivery.
Design for impact. Dramatic visuals, bold colors, and strong contrasts work well.
You are the main event. Slides serve as backdrop.
One main idea per slide with lots of whitespace prevents clutter.
Video calls
Video calls create unique challenges.
Your face and slides compete for attention on small screens. Text needs to be bigger since viewers are closer to their screens but still distant from the shared content.
Screen sharing reduces visibility. What appears clear on your laptop may be hard to read for viewers.
Increase font sizes by 20 to 30 percent compared to in-person decks.
Use simple layouts with less information density. High contrast colors and fewer words per slide prioritize readability.
Avoid busy backgrounds and small details that blur when screen-shared.
Test by sharing your screen and viewing from a distance. This reveals readability issues before important calls.
Email send-outs
Email decks face the biggest challenge.
Investors read slides in silence without presenter explanation. Each slide must stand alone and communicate its meaning without verbal context.
Self-read decks require comprehensive but concise text. Headlines should function as summaries rather than prompts.
Add short descriptive text blocks under headlines explaining what the slide means.
Chart labels and callouts should make metrics obvious without explanation.
Context for numbers should be explicit. Write "MRR grew from $50K to $125K in 6 months, a 150% increase" rather than just showing a chart.
Include assumption callouts for financial projections. Add slide notes or footer text explaining key takeaways.
Table of contents or slide numbering helps readers navigate the story.
Two-version approach
The most effective approach involves creating two deck versions.
The presentation deck for in-person and video calls contains minimal text across 15 to 20 slides. Visuals carry the story.
The self-contained deck for email send-outs provides more detailed explanations across 15 to 25 slides. No reliance on verbal explanation.
What tools should you use to design a pitch deck?
Selecting the right design tool depends on your design skills, collaboration needs, and desired output quality.
PowerPoint offers familiarity to most investors, flexibility, offline functionality, and easy PDF export. The platform requires more effort to achieve modern design and can easily produce cluttered slides.
Google Slides provides free access, excellent real-time collaboration, simplicity, and easy link sharing. The platform has fewer design features and weaker typography options. Premium-looking designs are harder to achieve.
Canva enables non-designers to create polished decks quickly through extensive pitch deck templates and built-in photos and icons. Designs can feel templated. Fine control over layout and spacing is limited.
Figma and similar design tools like Visme and Beautiful.ai offer maximum control over layout and visuals. Great for custom, high-end decks with strong collaboration features. These tools have steeper learning curves.
Pitch-specific tools like Pitch, Slidebean, and Storydoc are built for fundraising. Good default structures, templates, analytics, and AI assistance. Less flexibility than pure design tools.
Here's a simple rule:
- Speed and ease → Google Slides or Canva
- Custom, highly polished look → Figma or order design services
- Structure and AI help for fundraising → Pitch, Slidebean, or similar
What are common pitch deck design mistakes to avoid?
Common design mistakes fall into several categories. These include text errors, visual inconsistencies, chart problems, layout issues, and strategic missteps.
Text and content mistakes
Too much text on slides causes investors to stop listening and just read.
Headlines should stand alone with bullet points containing three to four words maximum. You should do the talking, not the slide.
Unclear or vague headlines prevent investors from immediately understanding slide content. Use specific headlines like "We've acquired 50K users in 6 months" rather than generic labels like "Traction."
Walls of small text are unreadable from a distance. They look unprofessional.
Use larger fonts. Break text into separate slides. Simplify content.
Visual mistakes
Inconsistent fonts and colors across slides make the deck look like different people designed each slide.
This signals poor attention to detail.
Select two fonts and two to three colors early. Lock them in and use consistently.
Mixing image styles or icon sets creates visual chaos. Choose one photo style and one icon set for consistent use throughout.
Low-resolution or pixelated images damage credibility. They look cheap.
Use high-quality images from reputable sources. Make sure they appear sharp on actual presentation screens.
Busy backgrounds and cluttered layouts make content hard to read.
Use whitespace. One main visual per slide. Clean simple backgrounds.
Chart and data mistakes
Charts requiring investors to squint or think hard fail their purpose.
Charts should be readable within three seconds. Bold key numbers. Use clear labels.
Multiple insights in one chart create competing attention. Use one insight per chart. Separate slides for multiple points.
Hidden assumptions make revenue projections that shoot up without explanation look unrealistic.
Add small callouts explaining growth drivers. This adds credibility.
Unrealistic hockey stick curves signal founders who don't understand their market. Show realistic growth with explanation. Include existing traction data.
Layout mistakes
Text and images competing for attention confuse viewers about focus.
Use one clear focal point per slide. Use size and color to guide the eye.
Cramped margins make content feel claustrophobic. Leave adequate padding around edges. Embrace whitespace.
Multiple topics on one slide overwhelm viewers and reduce impact. Use one main idea per slide. Split content across multiple slides when needed.
Misaligned text and objects make decks look careless.
Use slide grids and guides. Align elements to the same baseline. This creates professional appearance.
Strategic mistakes
No clear story or structure leaves investors confused about how parts connect.
Follow a logical flow. Problem → Solution → Team → Traction → Market → Ask. Create clear transitions between slides.
Decks that don't match presentation context fail in delivery. Adjust content for context. More explanatory text for email. Bigger fonts for video calls.
Data without context lacks meaning. "We have 50K users" means nothing.
Add comparison or growth context. "50K users, 10x growth in 6 months" communicates significance.
Unclear investor asks leave audiences confused. Be explicit. "Raising $2M to expand US sales team and scale customer support."
How should you use animations and transitions in pitch decks?
Animations should be used selectively to control pace and guide viewer attention.
Good uses include revealing bullet points one at a time during discussion. Animating chart data with growing bars or tracing lines draws attention to key numbers.
Fading in images creates pacing and visual interest. Entrance animations on title slides add impact.
When to avoid animations
Skip animations for email and PDF decks. They don't play and look broken or confusing.
Video call pitches suffer from screen-share delays that make animations look glitchy.
Text-heavy slides look gimmicky with animations. Self-read decks have no presenter to trigger animations.
Anything that spins, bounces, or plays sound looks unprofessional. Avoid it.
Slide transitions
Avoid slide transitions like swooshes, spins, and fancy fades between slides.
These effects look dated and signal amateurish design.
Use simple fades or no transitions. Let content speak for itself.
Animation best practices
Keep effects simple. One animation per element.
Use fast timing between 0.5 to 1 second for snappy feel.
Animate only for clarity or emphasis. Not for decoration.
Maintain consistency. Same animation style throughout.
Test on actual presentation setups. Ensure smooth playback.
The fundamental rule
In-person presentations can use light animations effectively. Bullet reveals and chart builds work well.
Video calls, email, and PDFs should remain static and self-explanatory.
Most founders over-animate. Default to no animations unless you have a specific reason.
How do you design mobile-friendly pitch decks?
Many investors review decks on their phones or tablets.
Text readable on laptops becomes tiny on phones. Charts and images lose detail. Cluttered layouts become impossible to scan on small screens.
Typography adjustments
Increase minimum font sizes to 28 points for headlines and 18 points for body text.
This is larger than the 24 points and 14 points used for desktop.
Simpler fonts are more readable at small sizes. Bold, clean fonts work better than thin, delicate alternatives.
Layout changes
Use one column only. No side-by-side text and image arrangements.
Stack elements vertically. Headline, then image, then key points.
Use wider margins and less content per slide. This may mean more total slides, but content spreads appropriately for small screens.
Visual adjustments
Use simpler charts with fewer lines and clearer labels.
Large images work better than tiny product shots. High contrast between text and background improves readability.
Icons must remain clear and recognizable at small sizes.
Content density
Use fewer words per slide. Approximately half of what works on desktop.
Two to three bullet points maximum instead of four to five on desktop.
Small callouts and footnotes become unreadable on phones. Avoid them or make them larger.
Technical considerations
PDF format is safest for mobile delivery. It renders consistently across all devices without scaling issues or broken formatting.
Test your deck on actual iPhone, iPad, and Android tablet devices before sending. What looks fine on large monitors may fail on five-inch phone screens.
File size matters. Large image files slow loading on mobile networks.
Compress images to keep files under 10MB.
The practical approach
Assume investors will review your deck on their phones.
Design with mobile in mind from the start. Readability on five-inch screens guarantees the deck looks great on laptops.
The reverse doesn't work. Designing for desktop first and hoping it works on mobile produces poor results.
Want to outsource your pitch deck design?
Designing a pitch deck takes time.
You need to master visual principles, create compelling data visualizations, and optimize for multiple presentation contexts. Many founders don't have the bandwidth for this.
Outsourcing your pitch deck design lets you focus on what matters most: building your business and preparing for investor conversations.
Professional designers understand investor expectations. They know how to create visual hierarchy, present data effectively, and maintain consistency across slides.
The result? A polished deck that communicates professionalism and discipline before you say a single word.
Ready to get started? Get a quote for your pitch deck design here.