Business presentation checklist

Use this before any class presentation, case competition submission or interview deck. Your ticks are saved on this device only.

The argument

• You can state the main message of the deck in one sentence
• The first content slide gives the answer, not the background
• Every slide supports the main message — remove any that do not
• The storyline makes sense reading only the slide titles, in order

Slide titles

• Every title is a full sentence that states the takeaway ("Wastage drives 80% of the cost increase"), not a topic ("Cost analysis")
• Titles fit on one or two lines
• The body of each slide proves its title — nothing more, nothing less

Charts and data

• Each chart makes one point, and the title says what that point is
• Axes are labelled with units (₹ crore, %, units)
• The number that matters is highlighted; everything else is muted
• Sources are noted at the bottom of each slide that uses external data
• No 3D charts, and no pie charts with more than four or five slices

Design

• One font family, at most two sizes for body text
• Text is large enough to read from the back of the room (or on a phone, for shared decks)
• Consistent alignment and spacing across slides
• Colour is used to highlight meaning, not to decorate

Delivery

• You have rehearsed aloud at least twice, timed
• You know your transitions — how each slide leads to the next
• You have prepared for the three hardest questions you could be asked
• Backup slides with detail are ready in an appendix