Custom PowerPoint design is a beautiful thing. Imagine a keynote speaker standing in front of a crowded auditorium. Behind them, an illustrated and animated presentation works in perfect harmony with their talk. This kind of design takes time, craftsmanship, and an intimate knowledge of the presenter themselves. A good presentation is not much different than a great film or book, clearly expressing each idea in a captivating way.
…But not all presentations are like that.
If you have a short timeline or simply can’t relate to the keynote-scenario, you’re not alone. There are so many different kinds of presentations and presenters, all with their own unique purpose. Who uses PowerPoint templates? If you’re debating the pros and cons for your own project, see if you fall within any of these categories before making a decision:
Fast Turnaround
Custom designed projects can (and should!) take weeks to create. Rounds of feedback, the existing design schedule, and back-and-forth changes are all part of the process to create something gorgeous. Sometimes, however, emergencies come up. You may have a last minute sales pitch or an unexpected upcoming conference. Clients who use our templates are often led there because of a timeline we can’t accommodate. Templates ensure you always have something consistent, good-looking, and ready to use at a moment’s notice.
High Frequency
How many presentations does your company deliver a week? If you have a lot of sales people and need to customize, the number could be high. If a client needs to produce individual, custom work on a weekly basis, then a template is the perfect option. Companies that have presentations which are used like a catalog often benefit most from templates, because they can add and remove slides while still keeping consistent design throughout.
Lower Cost
What if you need both fast turnaround and have a high frequency of decks going out the door? Cost is probably an issue. This is especially true for startups or other companies who are using the presentation to establish themselves in the market. They don’t have the capital of huge companies to create a custom presentation that their team can take on the road. A template is a perfect low-cost solution for people who don’t want to compromise, but aren’t ready for completely custom pricing.
Here’s an example story of a perfect candidate for a template. The GreenWize Company makes gardening supplies to be sold in local stores around San Diego. They need their sales reps to present custom presentations to shop owners which only feature the products that they feel will be a good fit. This presentation needs to be delivered each week, sometimes twice a week, by different reps. And of course, the main problem is that their existing startup costs outweigh anything they would spend on design. Fast turnaround, high frequency, and cost: all signs that GreenWize should invest in a template.
Do any of these three needs sound familiar? Read all about PowerPoint template best practices before you get started! Here are a few helpful articles:
Best Practices for PowerPoint Template Design
