Don't Choose A Presentation Design Service Until You Read THIS!

 Hi, I’m Christine Outram and in this post I am going to show you how to pick the right presentation design service for YOU and YOUR needs without wasting time and money with sub-par design firms or multiple rounds of edits. 

What we’ll cover:

• Why this is NOT generic advice
• How to tell if a presentation design service is any good
• How to choose the right presentation design service for YOU
• Presentation design recommendations filtered by what you need

Why This Is Not Generic Advice

This is my promise to you: this post is NOT generic advice.

If you’re choosing a presentation design service, the most common thing that people will tell you is:  “check out the portfolio of the designer” before working with them. 

To which I will say: “well, duh”.

You’re already smart enough to ask for samples from a presentation designer or company. 

What you really need to know is: “how do I pick a service and feel confident that I have chosen the right one for me?”

That’s what I am going to show you in this post. I am going to give you a framework for deciphering whether a presentation design service is any good or not and how to pick the right presentation design service for YOU and YOUR needs.

How do I know how to do this? I’ve spent the last 15 years designing presentations and have created hundreds of presentations for startups, fortune 500 companies, small businesses and more. 

This doesn’t mean you need to work with me! But it does mean I have a unique perspective on what makes a good presentation designer - a perspective I am happy to share with you.

Ready to dive in? Of course you are!

How To Tell if a Presentation Design Service Is Any Good

The Golden Rule of Presentation Design:

Your presentation design service must produce a presentation that can convince the reader to take the action you want. 

It’s easy for a design service to make your presentation look pretty… But a pretty set of slides doesn’t necessarily captivate or convince! 

What separates a good presentation design service from a stellar design service is this:

The best presentation designers will create a presentation that looks stunning AND has a compelling narrative - one that holds the reader’s attention and gets them to buy into your story and take a next step.

This can be a problem if you’re working with a large-scale presentation firm. Many of these companies make money by using junior designers to create presentations at a cheaper rate. 

The result? A presentation that looks good but doesn’t actually do its job.

You'll KNOW a good presentation when you are reading it and subtly nodding your head, or thinking to yourself - "wow, what a great opportunity/business". If you ask for sample presentations from your design firm (which you should), then this is the metric you should be using - does this presentation make sense to me? Or does it just look pretty.

The best presentation designers are uniquely skilled in bringing together what I call The Three S’s:

1. Storytelling
2. Selling
3. Stunning Design

Awesome Presentation Designer Skills Explained

1) Storytelling is what will get your reader to emotionally connect with you. The words and images you use will make or break whether a customer will feel the trust and excitement necessary to take a next step.

2) Selling is all about telling a clear story of what you can do for the reader while simultaneously putting to rest any doubts or questions that will prevent them from moving forward.

3) Stunning Design is the bare minimum of what any presentation design service should offer. But without adding storytelling and salesmanship, your presentations will always fall flat.

Now let’s talk about how to choose the right service or designer for you.

How to Choose The Right Presentation Design Service

Grab a piece of paper because I am going to ask you a series of questions that will help you quickly choose the right presentation design firm for you.

For each question, write down your answer.

Question 1:

What state is your presentation in?

1. I have a compelling narrative and presentation draft that I am happy with, the only thing I need is design
2. I have a presentation draft, but I’m not happy with it - I need help design and also with making my presentation compelling
3. I don’t have a draft and need help from the beginning!

Question 2:

When it comes to speed, quality and price, which is the most important to you?

1. Fast turnaround & high quality (even if it means paying more)
2. Low price, fast turnaround (even if it sacrifices quality)
3. Low price, high quality (even if it means working with a junior and multiple rounds of edits)

Question 3:

Are you likely to need more presentations or marketing collateral in the future? For example sales presentations, business plans, websites, or any other material you use to communicate your business's value.

1. Yes, I can see us having additional presentation needs
2. No, this is a one-off thing

Question 4:

If you answered “yes” to the question above, how important is it to you that you work with the same designer/storyteller each time you have a new presentation to complete?

1. Very important - I don’t want to have to go over my business again with a new person each time
2. Somewhat important - I only need someone to make my presentations look pretty, so it doesn’t matter if I use a different person each time
3. Not important at all - I don’t mind either way

Have all your answers written down? Great!  

Now that you know what you want, here are my recommendations for you based on what YOU need.

Presentation Design Company Recommendations Filtered By What You Need

Scenario 1: You need Design +  compelling storytelling + high quality with a fast turnaround time

This is for you if: have a presentation draft, but you’re not happy with it and you need someone to turn it into a presentation that is compelling and well-designed in under 5 days.

Best recommendation: 

• Shameless plug - work with me! This is my sweet spot (get a free consultation here). 

Next recommendation: 

• Pitch Genius. A high-quality choice that specializes in fundraising presentations for startups. This is a premium service with stellar results. Prices start from $10,000. At the time of writing, it is unknown what their turnaround time is.
• Pro Business Plans. A well-rated choice from consumers, particularly startups looking for pitch decks to raise money.

Least recommended for this situation:

• Slidebean. While this service is affordable, you don’t get to choose who you are working with. This means you might end up with someone junior who doesn’t have the ability to take what you have and elevate it into a compelling narrative. 
• Slide Genius. This is a full-service agency that can help with a variety of presentations. However, it has the same problem as Slidebean - you don’t get to choose who you are working with.
• UpWork. UpWork is an affordable solution, but finding someone of high quality takes time. If you want something fast, I suggest looking elsewhere.

Scenario 2: You need Design only, for one presentation + high quality with a fast turnaround time

This is for you if: you’re already an expert strategist and storyteller and it is simply your design skills that are lacking.

Best recommendation: 

• Slidebean. I’ve heard good things about their design output and if you don’t need higher-order thinking or strategic smarts, then this is an affordable option. Starting at $39/slide.

Next Recommendations:

• UpWork. If it is only design skills that you are looking for then you can easily view portfolios on UpWork and quickly see a style you want at a price you can afford.
• Slide Genius. A worthy choice if you’re looking for a fast turnaround and you only need a single presentation designed.
• Work with Me! I am a little more expensive than UpWork, but I offer an extremely quick turnaround and if you ever need another presentation done, you can save time and money by working directly with me again. Book a free consultation here.

Least recommended for this situation:

• Pitch Genius. As a full-service presentation and coaching shop, what Pitch Genius offers goes beyond the needs of someone who is simply looking for a design tune-up.

Scenario 3: You have ongoing presentation design needs + you need high quality and a  fast turnaround

This is for you if: you have a number of ongoing presentation design needs (for example, pitch decks, sales decks, business plans, marketing collateral etc) and you’re looking for a one-stop shop who you can build a trusted relationship with over time.

Best recommendation for a presentation design service: 

• UpWork. If you can find someone good on UpWork, you can keep working with them whenever you need another presentation.
• Work with me! There is an advantage to working with a small, independent provider in this situation: you always work with the same person and the more they get to know your business, the faster they can work - saving you time and money.

Next Recommendation:

• Pitch Genius. Pitch Genius will do very good quality work for you, but for ongoing needs, they may be too expensive for many companies who have a need for multiple presentations.

Least recommended choices for this situation:

• Slidebean. The person you worked with last time may not be available leaving you explaining your business and needs every time.
• Slide Genius. Slide Genius has the same problem as Slidebean - you never know which designer you’re going to get.

Scenario 4: You're cost-conscious and need a decent budget option

This is for you if: you know you don't have the funds for a super-duper high-quality service, but you also know that you still need help. 

Best recommendation: 

• UpWork. It may take a bit of time to find, but there are decent freelancers on UpWork who don't charge an arm and a leg. Pro tip: look for native english speakers if you need help with storytelling.

Next Recommendations:

• DIY: If you're really strapped for cash, I can point you in the direction of free templates and resources so that you can design presentations for yourself. Just reach out if you want any advice! 
• Slidebean: If you only need a few slides re-designed then Slidebean could be a good option. At $39/slide it's an afordable alternative to working directly with a professional.

 I hope that gives you a clearer idea of what you need and how to find a great fit for a presentation design service. Reach out if you have any questions! I always love to hear from you.

~ Christine