There are many companies, typically startups, that create pitch decks to show off their ideas for games. As there is no standard format for these deck examples it is not hard to find some that are very well put together yet still fail to effectively get the idea across. The following is a list of some mistakes I have seen in the past in pitch deck examples and how to avoid them.
1. Screen Shot Too Small On The Presentation Deck
Include screenshots for every bullet point that needs one. If you are going to include an image then make sure it’s big enough to see from a distance. If it’s not, chances are the people reading your deck won’t see it and you will lose their interest.
2. No Concept Art
This is one case where quality doesn’t matter over quantity, if you don’t have any concept art then don’t include some that were thrown together in five minutes just to say you have some. Concept art, especially for early levels of the game, is very important because it allows you to convey ideas without having to describe them in detail.
You may want to present your concept using a mindmap online that you can make on Venngage.
3. Too Much Text On The Business Pitch Example
I’ve seen cases where people have scripts written out like they are presenting their information on stage to investors or clients. This is not an effective way of doing things. Also, don’t make the mistake of trying to convey information in an overly complicated manner with lots of screenshots and descriptions. Keep things simple and stick to what is important – stick to bullet points.
Venngage
4. No Proven Success
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can just jam up a deck full of great ideas with no proven success, nobody will take you seriously. You must have evidence of your ability to overcome challenges and see projects through to completion.
5. Unnecessary Art
Not everyone has the resources available to drop $20 000 on great-looking art for their deck example, but if you can’t find something decent within your network then it’s probably not worth having at all. I’ve seen some decks with photos of their team members, or screenshots from popular games that could have easily been replaced by better-looking alternatives.
6. Short Deck Example
No matter what you are trying to show off, don’t just save it as a 10 slide deck example and call it done! This is one of the most common mistakes I see people making when looking for pitch deck examples online. Remember, you are trying to get butts in seats – if it is short and terrible then nobody will want to sit through it.
7. Spacing On The Slide Deck Templates
Spacing is very important when putting together a pitch deck example because it allows for easy reading of your information. Make sure that you have a clear amount of spaces between important points and bullet points, don’t just jam them all up together with no breaks.
Venngage
8. Too Many Features
Don’t try to cram in too many features because it will just be overwhelming for people to read through – they probably won’t even finish it! Only put in the most important features and take out anything that isn’t completely necessary.
9. Too Much Animation
Don’t use too much flashy animation, no one likes that stuff anyway! Just put in your information and save the extra stuff for when you are presenting your deck example to clients or investors. Save it for then because this will likely be the first time many people will be seeing your whole project.
10. Poor Quality Of Pitch Deck Template
This is probably the most common mistake that people make when creating their decks. Remember, if you are going to spend time putting together a pitch deck example then put some effort into it! Don’t use bad-quality images from Google or low-quality screenshots from your actual project.
11. Too Many Music/Sound Effects
Not everyone appreciates the background music or sound effects that you might have included in your deck. It can also make it hard to hear what people are saying if they are trying to speak over the audio elements, so try not to use them unless necessary.
12. No Call to Action
What is a pitch deck for? This is a big one! Don’t make the mistake of neglecting a call to action because it will leave investors wondering what they should do next. It can be as simple as suggesting that people follow you on social media or watch your video, but it is important to give your audience something to do.
13. No Video
If you have a team of people who are going to be presenting your pitch deck example then it is probably a good idea to include a video. This can give potential investors a better feel for who is behind the project, and what you are all about.
Takeaway
Make sure you have a clear and concise idea of what kind of deck example you want to create before you even start working on it. You should know exactly what information will be necessary and how it will all look together.
