Your slide deck is a huge part of your presentation. So when it comes time to create it, you’ve got some options. You can use a pre-made template, design your own from scratch, or enlist the help of a professional. Today, we are walking through the pros and cons of each option to help you make the best choice.
Use a Pre-Made Presentation Design Template
From PowerPoint to Canva to Prezi, most presentation design programs offer a template bank with attractive pre-made options. With thousands of presentation templates out there, most of them for free, you have a good chance of finding one that works for you.
PROS:
Easy to use. With drop and fill features, most templates are extremely user friendly. Simply add your own elements to preset template placeholders.
Saves you time. It probably won’t take you long to find something that will meet your presentation needs. You can settle on a great template choice in a matter of minutes, saving you time to customize or practice your presentation.
Options to customize. Once you’ve found a great pre-made template, you can usually customize it pretty easily. Change the colors to match your branding. Add or alter slide elements to make the template distinct.
CONS:
Can look outdated. If someone isn’t updating the template bank, the offerings might not reflect current design trends.
Others can use it too. The biggest problem with using pre-made templates is that you won’t own your slide deck. Think of the thousands of people scrolling through those templates banks even as you read this. The template you select has been and will be used hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
Can distract from your message. A pre-made template is made to be aesthetically pleasing. But it’s not made to help communicate your message. Great design starts from a great story. And templates can’t take into account the content you will be putting on your slide. So, they can end up taking away from your message rather than adding to it.
Design Your Own
Most presentation design software allows you to create your own template. If you are confident in your design skills, this might be a good option for you. For example, PowerPoint offers a Slide Master feature which allows you to control the look of your entire presentation easily.
PROS:
You control the finished product. If you are wanting sole ownership over every little detail, designing your own template might be your best choice.
You save money. Since you aren’t enlisting outside help, this option can save you money. You just have to factor in how much time it will cost you to learn the program and create the template.
CONS:
Can take a lot of time. If you are someone who gets stumped by font choice or color palette, this isn’t the best choice for you. Presentation design software comes with thousands of customization choices. For some people, the sheer number of those choices can be overwhelming. This can cause you to waste your valuable time wading through the options with no real idea of how to choose.
Requires knowledge of design principles. Great design has a science to it. There are theories and principles of arrangement, color choice, shapes, and more. If you don’t know how to employ these to your slides, you might be better off enlisting the help of an expert.
Contract Professional Help
Another option you have is to collaborate with an agency to create a presentation design template. The same way you’d call in a plumber or electrician for their expertise, you can reach out to a presentation design expert. As with the other two options, there are pros and cons.
PROS:
Your slide deck is unique. With a customized product designed by an expert, you get a one-of-a-kind presentation that you own. No risk of your audience seeing it used other places.
Your content drives the design. Your designer works from the purpose and content you give him or her, so your presentation design is part of the message you are trying to communicate right from the beginning.
Creative collaboration leads to a better product. When you work with a designer, you get the benefit of bouncing ideas off of each other. This leads to a more creative and innovative design.
Reduces your stress and time spent. One of the most attractive parts of contracting outside help is that you get to hand the project over to someone who is fully capable. That means you don’t have to spend time scrolling through hundreds of templates. And you don’t have the stress of making all of the design choices.
CONS:
You pay for an expert. Sure, it costs money to hire outside help. But it helps to remember what could be riding on the success (or failure) of your presentation. Ask yourself whether enlisting the help of a presentation design agency is worth the investment.
We know there’s a lot riding on your slide deck. Hopefully this pros and cons list will help you decide whether using a pre-made presentation design template, creating your own slide deck, or contracting professional help is right for you.
If you want to learn more about what it’s like to hire a presentation design agency, reach out to us now.
