Tools, clarity, and time for the win

The design trinity that leads to effective B2B sales presentations

Creating effective sales presentations in the technology B2B space isn’t easy. Over the past decade-plus, we’ve supported tech industry clients and designed their most important sales presentations. We’ve seen the evolution of presentation software and know how to push the boundaries of what the best tools provide, adapting creatively to provide the most impactful experiences for our clients.

Here’s what it takes. Our design team begins by understanding the work at hand through the information provided by the client. Then, they conceive and craft designs based on core principles such as composition, proportion, and hierarchy.

Once a foundation is laid, our designers need three critical elements to deliver a sales presentation that produces meaningful results: cutting-edge design tools, uncompromising clarity, and ample time. Each element is significant, and the lack of even one can produce an underperforming presentation.

This, we’ve learned, is the design trinity in the age of AI.

The right tools

Staying ahead of design trends is crucial in the fast-evolving landscape of tech marketing. Cutting-edge, AI-based tools like MidJourney and Runway enable our designers to create innovative images and other graphic elements based on written prompts to elevate their designs. However, we’ve found that these outputs sometimes fall a bit flat: even precise prompts may yield less than optimal results.

The real magic happens when AI outputs are refined and polished by our designers to differentiate the work, helping it to stand out and elevating the overall design. Using a MidJourney-generated image as a base, for example, a designer may modify it in Photoshop and Illustrator, legacy Adobe design tools that offer more control than the newest apps. The AI tools are impressive and useful, but in the end, it’s the skilled designer’s eye and ingenuity that produces each element that gets placed into a Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation to tell our clients’ story.

Moments of clarity

Clarity is necessary when creating presentations in the tech sector, where concepts can be inherently complex. Our designers need a clear understanding of the client’s objectives, narrative, and content. They look for precise and detailed information about the technology being presented, the target audience, and the key messages that must be conveyed.

When a designer has clarity on these topics, it ensures that the story is visually compelling and flows logically and persuasively. Without clarity there’s a risk of designs being confusing or disjointed, leading to presentations that fall short of effectively expressing the ideas in a relevant visual language.

All in good time

Time is an underestimated component of great design. The design process involves several stages, including understanding client requirements, brainstorming, conceptualizing, and refining the concepts. A solid sales presentation generally takes multiple iterations to reach the polished final version. Efficiency is always on our mind, but it takes time to accurately represent the client's vision and effectively communicate the intended message.

Think of it this way: You’re hosting a party and need a cake. Short on time, you rush to the grocery store and purchase a commercially produced cake. But with adequate time to plan, you can order a cake from an amazing local bakery, customized to your liking—flavor, number of layers, and special decoration.

Both cakes are satisfying and serve the purpose. The second one, though, wows your guests. Why? Because it’s based on a custom concept, made from thoughtfully sourced, high-quality ingredients, and hand-crafted by an artisan who, with more time, adds intricate details that elevate the results to a veritable work of art.

In design, creativity and quality thrive when not rushed. Given the space to fully develop their ideas, our designers produce impactful designs that not only meet immediate needs but also provide our clients with long-term value. By advocating and providing the necessary time for design, we ensure that our collaboration with clients results in work that exceeds expectations.

The takeaway

Great design helps transform complicated tech concepts into a story the audience can actually see and easily grasp, learn from, and be influenced by. When our designers understand the client’s objectives, they can craft visuals that convey complexity while making it engaging. With the right tools, uncompromising clarity, and ample time, our design team consistently strikes the right balance between the message and the visuals in presentations that meet the client’s goals, tell a compelling story, and have a lasting impact.

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