How to Develop An Unforgettable Pitch Deck to Attract the Clients You Want

For small businesses and freelancers, it can be difficult to find the right angle to pitch potential clients on your services or products. Having a pitch deck that can be sent to potential clients for different services or be used in a presentation is extremely helpful, as it outlines your value in a clear and concise way while providing a clear timeline of what a client can expect when they work with you.

What to Include on Freelance Pitch Deck Slides

According to Canva chief evangelist and former Apple employee Guy Kawasaki, the best pitch decks only use ten slides and take 20 minutes. The slides he recommends are:

1. Title
2. Problem/Opportunity
3. Value Proposition
4. Underlying Magic: What makes your idea or business better than anyone else?
5. Business Model
6. Go-To-Market Plan
7. Competitive Analysis
8. Management Team
9. Key Metrics
10. Accomplishments and Timeline

Guy also recommends not using smaller than a 30 point font. Although these slides are meant for a pitch deck to gain startup funding, the same basic principles also apply to small business who are pitching potential clients to earn their business.The first 5 slides can remain the same, and the last 5 can focus on a plan for the client, competitors in their industry, who is involved, metrics to track in the project, and a timeline of the potential project for the client. It may also include a mention of past successful projects by the small business or freelancer.Kawasaki’s point about a well-designed presentation only taking 20 minutes is important, as a concise presentation will keep a potential client’s interest. This increases the chance of them wanting to work with you.

What to Avoid in Your Freelance Pitch Deck

Staying concise and to-the-point is key, so it’s important to avoid the following:

• Not focusing on what you can offer: clients want to know how you are going to solve their problem or improve their business. They don’t necessarily care about your community involvement or the way your company is set up. Focus on results to be more effective.
• Having too many slides: ruthlessly go through all your slides and cut anything that isn’t essential. Have an outside person review the slides if it helps you get a better perspective on what would be important to someone outside your organization.
• Giving too much information: there is a fine line between too much information and not enough. You don’t want to share so many stats, options, or guidelines that it becomes overwhelming. A pitch deck should be an introduction that piques curiosity, not a document that has to include absolutely everything.

Use a Pitch Deck to Your Advantage

A pitch deck for potential clients is a high-level view that shows them how you can work together. By summarizing what you can offer and a general project timeline, you are helping to set client expectations. This makes them feel comfortable and excited about working with you.Having a great pitch deck also shows you are proactive and prepared, which shows your expertise and commitment. Stay succinct and don’t be afraid to leave time for questions. This can help you establish relationships with potential clients that opens the doors for ongoing business.

A pitch deck essentially explains to the audience what your business' history and unique selling proposition (USP) is in a 20-minute presentation. Make every slide count and only include the necessary information to keep audience interest and leave space for questions or further discussion. The right pitch deck can open many doors: new clients, investors, or outside interest that can help your company grow.