Visual Storytelling Techniques For Effective Pitch Decks

Hollywood knows how to captivate, inspire, and move audiences. What if you could do the same as a PM? The impact? You become memorable, influential, and even get promoted. Here are the 4 steps of Hollywood storytelling that will transform you into an influential PM: — 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 Think about iconic films like The Godfather, Titanic, or Inception. What makes them unforgettable isn’t just visuals. It's the compelling stories and narratives that resonate for years. Here’s the process behind these blockbusters: Script Outline → The foundation. Directors define key characters, pivotal moments, and emotional arcs. Script → The details. Once the outline is done, directors craft a detailed script that keeps the audience hooked. Movie →The execution. A great script needs visuals to bring it to life. Theater → The environment. Creating an immersive experience. Here’s how PMs can use it: – 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭 - 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗽 Every blockbuster starts with a plan, and your story should too. → 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Who are you speaking to, and what motivates them? → 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: How do you want them to think, feel, or act differently by the end? → 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Why would they resist your idea, and how can you address it? — 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮 - 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 Now it’s time to bring your story to life. → 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽 Spark curiosity with a mystery or unresolved question. Example: "What’s the one feature users have begged for, but we can finally build today?" → 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 Highlight contrasts (current state vs. future possibilities). Example: “Today, we release four times a year. Imagine the value we could deliver if we doubled that.” → 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Ask questions or share personal stories to build empathy. — 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯 - 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗸 Your deck is a supporting actor, not the star. → 𝗖𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: If a slide feels crowded, remove distractions or break it into multiple slides. → 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲: Your visuals should support your story, not replace it. → 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: Use clean layouts, consistent fonts, and visuals that reinforce your key points. — 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰 - 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 Even the best script falls flat if the actors don’t believe in it. → 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: Practice until you feel connected to the message. → 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺: Watch for signs of confusion, boredom, or disengagement. Adjust on the fly, even if it means pausing or pivoting. → 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽: Document decisions, answer open questions, and keep the momentum alive. — More about it here: https://lnkd.in/eZVBVY4A

Unf*ck your pitch deck to get a follow-up meeting. 💸 Over the past 3 years, clients have affectionately dubbed me 'The Deck Doctor.' My unique skill set of sales psychology x artistry has empowered founders and future-tech startups to raise more than $100,000,000, fueling their dreams and transforming their visions into tangible realities. 🚀 Guess what? I use the same 5 Deck Crafting Techniques every time: 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴: • Emphasize your 'why' • Showcase your strengths and recognize your challenges • Define your hero (it could be you, an innovative technology, or a unique belief) This simple principle helps you to construct an engaging narrative. 2️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴: • Dial in on what sets you apart • Highlight your 'unique edge' that differentiates you in the market Quick note: Don't just enumerate features. That's a common mistake. Instead, demonstrate how your unique attributes address a need. 3️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴: • Avoid presenting a boring list of facts • Instead, craft a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end • By avoiding dry facts and crafting a compelling journey, you'll captivate investor interest. Sounds simple, right? 4️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴: • Identify the challenges in the market • Discuss their impact and the pain they cause • Present your solution as the much-needed answer Follow these 3 steps, and you'll keep investors intrigued. 5️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴: • Showcase your value proposition • Follow your suspense with your 'revelation' moment • Watch as investors' faces light up with understanding That’s it! 🤯 Which one of these Deck Crafting Principles hit most? Happy to dive deeper into any of these in future posts. LMK in the comments 👇🏻 🪩🪩🪩 Unlike the usual LinkedIn content, mine comes with a unique price tag. ❌ 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗜'𝗺 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿. Your currency? Shares, comments, and spreading the word among your entrepreneurial & start-up circles. Your feedback helps inspire me to slay more dope content you find valuable. So, tag a founder friend in the comments.👇🏻 🙏 🪩🪩🪩 #PitchDeck #StartupTips #entrepreneurship #raisingcapital #funding #startup

Most investors will skim 40 pitch decks in an afternoon. If your headers don’t tell the full story, you’ve already lost them. Here’s a trick: Make every slide a mini-story with a clear, compelling header. Bad: 👎🏻 Why Now? 👎🏻 Team” 👎🏻 Traction Better: 👍A New Financial Regulation Just Opened the Door—We’re First to Market. 👍Our Team Brings 20+ Years of Energy Drink Marketing Expertise. 👍We’ve Signed 15 Enterprise Customers in the Last 3 Months. These work for a few reasons: 1️⃣ The headers pull their weight. A strong header frames the slide so readers know exactly why it matters. 2️⃣ Skimmers become interested. Investors are busy. Narrative headers allow them to skim and still get hooked. If you’re unsure about whether you’re header is good or now, use “The Story Test” ➡️ Take all of your headers, put them together in a paragraph, and ask: ✅ Does it tell a cohesive story? ✅ Is it powerful enough on its own? If the answer is “yes,” you’ve nailed it. If not, rewrite. Here’s how to do it yourself: 1️⃣ Start with the big idea for each slide. 2️⃣ Write it as a clear, narrative statement that sparks interest. 3️⃣ Make sure your headers can stand alone as a mini-pitch. Takeaway: Investors skim. Good headers open doors. Great ones close deals. For more pitch deck insights, download Hustle Fund’s + Deck Doctors' “The Pitch Clinic” ebook here >> https://lnkd.in/e6cKnFV2