Consider all of the members of your company team and their various skills. Perhaps even consider the skills that they put on LinkedIn and are endorsed by others. Chances are presentation content and design don’t make the list, right? Presentations are usually something we are assigned to do and trudge through rather than something we develop personal pride for; sort of like being told to run a mile for the first time, or write an essay on the invention of the lightbulb. We can do it, yes, but we may not do it well or enthusiastically.
If your company delivers more than one presentation a year, the word “template” may have already floated through your mind. Can it help your employees overcome presentation discomfort? Can it help your brand appear more credible and consistent? All of this depends on your personal requirements and those of your company as a whole.
That in mind, you can self-assess your need by asking the following questions:
How many people will use the presentation?
If your company is limited to 1-3 speakers for a single presentation, a custom Powerpoint may be your best option. This is because the overall look and feel will have less of a chance to be compromised by different opinions, changes, and design (or lack thereof) preferences.
If your company has 3+ people using multiple presentations throughout the year, say for a sales team, then a template might be best to suit their individual needs.
How much branding does my company already have?
This is not as simple a question as whether or not you have brand guidelines or a designated rulebook. Branding can be restricted to a color palette or it can be a complex collection of rules and tone regulation. The stricter your brand guidelines, the better a PowerPoint template will work for you. It can keep your design aligned and make sure people follow rules without having to look them up or spend time double checking on everything.
If you don’t have a ton of branding or your standards are a little less strict, consider a custom PowerPoint. That way, you have more flexibility while sticking with the “feel” of your company and creating a unique piece.
How much training does my team have?
Are any of your team members great at design? Does anyone have a background in writing? Since PowerPoint presentations are a combination of different skills and abilities, you may be able to harness the power of your existing team rather than purchase a custom design. If this is the case, ensure that the team members you have in mind are also skilled at using PowerPoint software itself.
If you worry that your team may not have such specialized skills, say for a group of salespeople, then a template is a perfect option. No one needs no sharpen any specific skill, and everyone can use a template easily without previous know-how.
How much customization does each PowerPoint need?
If you find that your presentations need to change often, then a template is the perfect option. You can drag and drop elements like company logos, change the text for an estimate, and still maintain the overall look you’re going for.
On the other hand, presentations that have the same message and don’t require editing, for example, a pitch overview presentation, may benefit from custom design. That way you can create something unique and frame-worthy without compromising for editable text and design.
If you still have some questions about whether or not a template is right for you, check out these related articles for guidance:
Best Practices for PowerPoint Template Design
