Slide Strategies
15 proven deck structures with emotion arcs.
Strategy Selection
| Strategy | Slides | Goal | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| YC Seed Deck | 10-12 | Raise seed funding | VCs |
| Guy Kawasaki | 10 | Pitch in 20 min | Investors |
| Series A | 12-15 | Raise Series A | Growth VCs |
| Product Demo | 5-8 | Demonstrate value | Prospects |
| Sales Pitch | 7-10 | Close deal | Qualified leads |
| Nancy Duarte Sparkline | Varies | Transform perspective | Any |
| Problem-Solution-Benefit | 3-5 | Quick persuasion | Time-pressed |
| QBR | 10-15 | Update stakeholders | Leadership |
| Team All-Hands | 8-12 | Align team | Employees |
| Conference Talk | 15-25 | Thought leadership | Attendees |
| Workshop | 20-40 | Teach skills | Learners |
| Case Study | 8-12 | Prove value | Prospects |
| Competitive Analysis | 6-10 | Strategic decisions | Internal |
| Board Meeting | 15-20 | Update board | Directors |
| Webinar | 20-30 | Generate leads | Registrants |
Common Structures
YC Seed Deck (10 slides)
- Title/Hook
- Problem
- Solution
- Traction
- Market
- Product
- Business Model
- Team
- Financials
- The Ask
Emotion arc: curiosity→frustration→hope→confidence→trust→urgency
Sales Pitch (9 slides)
- Personalized Hook
- Their Problem
- Cost of Inaction
- Your Solution
- Proof/Case Studies
- Differentiators
- Pricing/ROI
- Objection Handling
- CTA + Next Steps
Emotion arc: connection→frustration→fear→hope→trust→confidence→urgency
Product Demo (6 slides)
- Hook/Problem
- Solution Overview
- Live Demo/Screenshots
- Key Features
- Benefits/Pricing
- CTA
Emotion arc: curiosity→frustration→hope→confidence→urgency
Duarte Sparkline Pattern
Alternate between "What Is" (current pain) and "What Could Be" (better future):
What Is → What Could Be → What Is → What Could Be → New Bliss
(pain) (hope) (pain) (hope) (resolution)Pattern breaks at 1/3 and 2/3 positions create engagement peaks.
Search Commands
# Find strategy by goal
python ../design-system/scripts/search-slides.py "investor pitch" -d strategy
# Get emotion arc
python ../design-system/scripts/search-slides.py "series a funding" -d strategy --jsonMatching Strategy to Context
| Context | Recommended Strategy |
|---|---|
| Raising money | YC Seed, Series A, Guy Kawasaki |
| Selling product | Sales Pitch, Product Demo |
| Internal update | QBR, All-Hands, Board Meeting |
| Public speaking | Conference Talk, Workshop |
| Proving value | Case Study, Competitive Analysis |
| Lead generation | Webinar |