
Every sales pro is obsessed with closing deals.
HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing report states that while 71% of salespeople focus on closing more business, only 17% expect their team to hit quota this year.
Why such a massive gap? Because closing doesn't start when contracts are on the table. It starts the second you deliver your sales presentation.
And if that presentation misses the mark, closing becomes little more than wishful thinking.
Presentations are the engine of the sales process. Get it right, and you've got the fastest path to turn prospects into paying customers.
In this guide, I'll show you how to create and deliver presentations that drive decision-making and close more deals.
You'll walk away with expert insights, proven frameworks, and ready-to-use sales presentation templates to help you land your next "yes."
Ready to start working on your sales presentation now? Visme's Presentation Software creates stunning slides that'll keep your audience hooked.
Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit sales presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:
A sales presentation is a structured pitch where you persuade potential customers to present a product or service and persuade prospects of its value to drive purchase decisions.
A sales presentation can also be a pitch deck. Startups use these decks to present their ideas to potential investors and get funding.
B2B companies use sales presentations to sell their products or services to other companies.
In some cases, a webinar is a sales presentation with an added value proposition.
What a sales presentation isn’t is a sales report where the presenter gives results on sales activity. Think of a sales presentation as what takes place before the sale takes place, and a sales report as what happens after.
Below is a pitch deck presentation template that can double as a sales presentation. Take out some of the slides and fill in your own company information for the particular offer.
Do you feel like you might need some help to create a sales presentation? Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Check out the video below to learn how to create a presentation quickly and easily, right inside Visme!
The components of your sales presentation will be based on your goals, needs and the audience you’re presenting to.
Here are the key elements that cut across the sales decks I've reviewed.
Made with Visme Infographic Maker
Slide | Description |
Cover Slide | Use a bold visual or striking headline to grab attention right from the start |
About Us Slide | Introduce your company, highlight expertise, and build trust with your audience. |
Problem Slide | Call out the key challenges your prospect is facing to create urgency and relevance. |
Solution Slide | Present your offering as the clear, direct solution to their biggest problems. |
How it Works Slide | Explain how your product or service functions and the steps a customer takes to get started. |
Packages Slide | Outline your different packages or pricing tiers you offer. |
Social Proof Slide | Add testimonials, client logos, case studies, or awards to show credibility. |
Perks/Benefit Slide | Highlight the tangible outcomes and advantages your prospect can expect. |
Closing Slide | End with a simple, actionable step that guides them toward the decision. |
Let’s check out a few reasons why a sales presentation is crucial to closing deals:
A good presentation is your chance to connect the dots between what you offer and the specific problems, goals, or pain points the prospect cares about. When your presentation shows a real understanding of their needs, you make your solution feel like the only logical choice.
During the presentation, you have the opportunity to address doubts, clarify misunderstandings, and address concerns. Unlike sales proposals, live pitch events eliminate barriers that could stall the deal.
A well-crafted presentation sells through emotions. By using storytelling, you can paint a vivid picture of how their future will look with your solution in place. When prospects connect emotionally to the outcomes, they’re far more likely to buy in and move forward with the deal.
Sales presentations aren't created equal. The way you pitch a new prospect shouldn't look the same as how you upsell an existing client or present at an industry event.
Below are a few types of sales presentations you could consider for different use cases:
Best for: Showcasing a specific product’s features and benefits to prospects and customers.
This format is perfect when you’re launching a new product or showcasing an updated version. Here, you’ll typically walk your audience through the problem your product solves, how it works step by step and the unique value it delivers to them.
The presentation example below opens with a bold question that instantly makes the audience think differently about their challenge and what life could look like once it’s solved.
From there, it uses a storytelling approach to introduce an ideal customer, highlight her pain point and show how she overcomes the struggle of finding meal recipes with the help of the tool. It then walks through a clear, step-by-step process that demonstrates the solution in action.
This narrative works because potential customers can easily see themselves in the story and imagine the same results.
Takeaway
Start your presentation with a thought-provoking opener, weave in a relatable customer story that mirrors your prospect’s pain points, show how your product makes their lives better, then clearly demonstrate how your solution works.
Best for: Introducing your product or service to potential investors, partners or early customers
A startup sales presentation is perfect when you need to build excitement, attract interest and drive buy-in for your startup’s solution.
Source: Best Pitch Deck
Rogo’s pitch deck captures interest for many reasons. The presentation opened up with a powerful brand narrative.
They introduce who they are, what they do and the companies they’ve collaborated with. They follow this up with a clear problem-solution approach, beginning with the question “Why do you need Rogo?” This framing encourages investors to think about the issue from the user’s perspective.
Also, they used visuals really well to back up their points, like that image showing the real problems customers have with generative AI. They illustrate the product features through platform screenshots and comparison to competitors.
Takeaway:
Start with a strong brand narrative to build credibility, then frame the problem from the user’s perspective. Showing can be more effective than telling, so reinforce your points with visuals, such as real-world examples.
To recreate Rogo’s pitch deck, use the template below to create yours.
Best for: Product walk-throughs and sales pitches
An interactive sales presentation not only makes your content stand out but also draws your audience into the conversion. It makes your message stick and ensures the details that matter most don’t get lost.
Here are a few ideas to create an interactive sales presentation.
This interactive sales presentation from IRSS, a safety solutions company, is a masterclass in interactivity. What makes it even more special is that it was fully built in Visme.
The idea was to create a virtual experience center where visitors could explore products and offerings in a self-guided, intuitive way. The presentation immediately sets the tone with a short video and a hotspot over the entrance to the IRSS office, labeled “Click hotspots to explore.”
Inside the virtual lobby, visitors are welcomed with multiple hotspot options, each unlocking a different area of the center. From there, embedded explainer videos simplify complex features step by step, while interactive hotspots let viewers dive into specific product benefits on their own terms.
Rather than feeling like a one-way sales pitch, this presentation plays more like a guided discovery.
You can check out the full design on their website.
Takeaway:
A little dose of interactivity will spike up your engagements.
Hotspots, embedded videos and clickable content give your audience control over how they explore your message and create a more immersive experience.
Best for: Early engagement with prospects and sparking conversations
A sales proposal presentation is used to present how a product or service will solve a prospect’s problem or meet their needs. They are the best tools to build relationships and show your clients how you can help them.
First, this template example does an excellent job of setting the stage with an About Us section and testimonial section (with real faces) that build trust.
The next slides take you deeper into the details, walking through problem, solution, pricing and timelines. Overall, the design is interactive and engaging, making everything clear without overwhelming the reader.
Takeaway:
Credibility builders like real-life testimonials can help you create a great first impression when sending your proposals.
Even the best-designed presentation can fall flat without strong delivery. Here are a few ways to ensure your message lands with impact.
The way you start your sales presentation can instantly affect how clients perceive it. A flat intro can make them tune out before you’ve even had a chance to reach the Aha moment.
So, your goal here should be to make them eager to hear what’s next.
There are several proven ways to achieve this.
As Peter Murphy, CEO of TrackSpikes.co, puts it:
“The initial 15 seconds is everything. Start strong. Don't thank people for taking the time. Own the room. I prefer an opening like: "Thousands of high school athletes run every year in busted spikes--and lose by hundredths of a second. We are correcting that.” This instantly puts a context, stakes and your role in resolving the issue. Then in a few words describe who you are and why they should care. One sentence. No resume dumping.”
Pro Tip: Before you finalize your hook, test it. Share it with a friend or colleague. If they’re fascinated without much context, you know you’ve done a good job.
Your audience reads your body before they hear your words. Non verbal cues like facial expressions, gestures, posture and the tone of your voice show the presence or absence of confidence and authority.
During your presentation, stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and your shoulders back.
Avoid constant pacing or shifting your weight. This can signal nervousness and weaken your authority in the room.
Rather than fidgeting, putting your hands in pocket or moving aimlessly, use your hands to guide attention. For instance, pointing directly to numbers on a slide helps guide your audience’s focus on the data that matters most.
Your speaking pace matters just as much If you rush your slides, clients may miss important details. If you're too slow, they might lose interest. If you're steady and confident, your insights will be powerful.
Here are some insights from Chris Anderson, curator of the TEDX conference.
“The biggest mistake we see in early rehearsals is that people move their bodies too much. They sway from side to side or shift their weight from one leg to the other. People do this naturally when they’re nervous, but it’s distracting and makes the speaker seem weak. Simply getting a person to keep his or her lower body motionless can dramatically improve stage presence. There are some people who are able to walk around a stage during a presentation and that’s fine if it comes naturally. But the vast majority are better off standing still and relying on hand gestures for emphasis.”
And he’s right. TED talks and sales presentations may be at different stages. But the principle is the same: when your body projects calm authority, your message carries more weight.
Stories stick. They spark emotion and make messages memorable.
Research shows that people are 22 times more likely to recall information when it’s told as a story rather than presented as isolated data points. That’s why weaving stories into your sales presentation is so powerful.
Instead of simply listing product features or flashing stats on a slide, share a customer’s journey.
Show the challenge they faced, how they struggled and how your solution turned the tide. Stories help prospects see themselves in the story and imagine similar success for their own business.
The best stories to tell are those your prospects can relate to: a client in the same industry, a team battling similar inefficiencies or a leader trying to scale growth under pressure.
You can even draw from your company’s own origin story to highlight the problem you set out to solve.
In the words of Matthias Woggon, CEO & Co-Founder at eyefactive.
“Storytelling is key. People connect with stories, so I include real-world examples or personal experiences to make my points more relatable. For example, when discussing interactive technologies, I share case studies to show how solutions have helped clients.”
Audience engagement can jump up to 92% when presentations are interactive compared to when the speaker does all the talking.
For sales presentations, this is especially powerful because you need them to focus on you and your message.
When prospects share their challenges, priorities, or doubts in real time, you gain golden insights to adjust your pitch on the fly.
That’s how you turn a one-way presentation into a two-way conversation that moves the deal forward.
It’s not enough to simply inform or spark interest; you need to guide them toward the next step. What do you want them to do with the message you’ve just shared?
Surprisingly, an HBR study reveals that many sales professionals lack the skills to close a sale. Out of nearly 5,000 people surveyed, over 2,300 admitted they “concluded but did not close.”
Instead of directing their audience to act, they either talked around the close, spoke for too long or ended vaguely with lines like
“If you have any questions or want to move forward, call me.” But the truth is, that’s not a real close.
Here’s how to do it:
This approach makes your listener’s decision easier.
AI tools optimize and accelerate your sales presentation workflow.
Whether you need to research, find fresh angles or want to refine your draft, smart tools like ChatGPT and Visme AI help you move faster and work more efficiently.
Here are some ways you can use AI to improve sales presentations.
Instead of building your sales presentation slide by slide from scratch, Visme AI document generator can generate a professional draft for you in minutes.
Here’s how:
Example prompt:
“Create a branded sales presentation with an opening problem statement, solution overview, customer success stories, KPIs and a closing call-to-action. Use a clean layout with charts, visuals and icons that highlight value.”
Next, choose your visual style: corporate, minimal, creative, etc. and let Visme generate a complete draft.
You can then refine and personalize the content.
When preparing your sales presentation, you can use AI tools like Visme’s AI writer, ChatGPT or Claude to generate drafts, ideas, structures, outlines and overviews. For instance, the tools can help you:
After writing, tools like Visme’s AI Writer, ChatGPT or Grammarly AI can help you proofread, edit, and finalize a final draft.
Example prompt:
“Here’s the draft text from my sales presentation. Please proofread it for grammar, improve the flow, and make the tone persuasive but professional. Also, suggest where I could make the text more concise for slides instead of paragraphs.”
If you would like to create a custom, highly relevant visual that fits your pitch, Visme’s AI image generator, DALL-E, Midjourney, and more can help.
Example prompt:
“Create a modern, professional illustration of a diverse business team analyzing sales data on a large digital screen in a sleek office environment. The style should be clean and minimal, with colors that match a corporate blue-and-white theme.”
Below are some of the top five sales presentation software you’ll find in the market.
If you want to have an in-depth review of some best AI presentation tools, read this guide.
And if you’re stuck with PowerPoint, read this in-depth review of the top AI tools that create PowerPoint slides to up your slide design game.
Tools | Key Features | Pricing | G2 Review |
Visme | Professional templates designed with sales teams in mind, Presenter studio, Presenter notes, AI presentation tool, Advanced design elements, interactivity, 3D characters, data visualizations, live data integration, branding tool, collaboration tool, workflow tool, analytics tool, dynamic fields. | Free with premium plans starting at $12.25 | 4.5/5 (425) |
Power Point | Animations and transitions, Slide master and presenter view, Multimedia support, AI Copilot and Designer tools | Free online, Subscribe to any of Microsoft 365 for full access | 4.6/5 (4,251) |
Keynote | Smooth animations and cinematic transitions, iCloud syncing across Apple devices, Presenter tools, | Free for all Apple users | 4.4/5 (527) |
Slides Beam | Pitch-focused templates, Pre-made design or outline mode, Presentation analytics | Free;Paid from $228/year | 4.4/5 (26) |
Google Slides | Simple interface with minimal learning curve, YouTube embedding, Live editing and collaboration tools, easy export to PDF, PPT | Free | 4.6/5 (20) |
Sales presentations created with or without templates can benefit from a number of design elements. These are tools that will help you visualize the information for your pitch. From charts to infographic widgets, everything is at your disposal with Visme.
Let’s take a quick look at some of them.
Creating visual content with content blocks is much easier than starting from scratch. We use the same principles as our presentation themes to create ready-to-use content blocks.
There are a number of design options when it comes to content blocks.
For example, you can use header and text, stats and figures, graphics and text and diagrams. You also have to ability to save your favorite and most versatile blocks in a library to use for all your future presentations.
Visme content blocks are available on the left-hand toolbar of your editor. Find it in the “Basics” button at the very top of the list.
Visme icons come in all shapes and sizes. From static line icons to animated full-color isometric illustrated icons. All are color customizable and easy to resize. Making them fit your brand is seamless and intuitive.
Use icons instead of bullet points as a replacement for unnecessary text, as a way to create a visual flow or as a decorative element. Icons are your best friend when creating visual projects.
Include personable characters along with your content blocks and other design elements. These characters will help create a relatable environment for your audience, making it easier to sell your products or services.
The Visme characters can be static or animated. Customized in terms of color, pose and repetition of action. They work great to explain certain concepts and ideas that need a visual push to come across.
Infographic widgets are great design tools for visualizing small data sets. Use groups of these to visualize individual statistics and information that will help sell your product or service.
Customize the color and dimensions easily to fit in with the rest of your project.
Visualize location information with customizable interactive maps. Choose between counties, states, entire countries or regions. Enter data for your map with a Google sheet or do it manually.
Visme maps can be as simple as a color outline to a multicolored data map with a legend and interactive pop ups.
Very few sales presentations can get away without a minimum of charts and graphs. The Visme graph engine has a wide variety of options to create line charts, bar graphics, scatter plots and more.
You only need to input your data once and the graph engine shows you different options to choose from. Select the one that makes your data the easiest to read and doesn’t confuse the audience.
Adding special effects is a great way to add visual value to your slides. Motion graphics shapes and backgrounds will make your sales presentations more interesting to look at. These are great for sales presentations that don’t accompany a speech or elevator pitch.
Another powerful way to improve your sales presentation is by using device mockups or images of devices. Showing your product on a laptop, phone or tablet doesn’t just make your slides look polished, it helps your audience immediately picture how your solution fits into their world.
Alejandra Mariscalez, Head of Design at Visme, explains it well:
“Incorporating product information or images displayed on a device helps convey a modern, relevant look. It enhances the overall presentation design and reinforces the perception of a credible, professional product or service.”
A short, engaging clip can quickly communicate what your product or service is about while setting the right tone for the conversation.
In the words of Alex,
“Incorporating a quick video at the beginning of a presentation has a big visual impact on your audience and is a great way to quickly send a message of what your product/service is about. This can easily set the mood and make a great impression.”
Using a template can help you get a good idea of how to set up the slides in your sales presentation. In the end, you might not use the template as is and you’ll change a lot of the elements. But the idea is that a template gets you started.
At Visme, we have a number of sales presentation templates. Here are a few of our favorites.
This sales presentation template has 16 slides all in a similar style. Choose the slides that fit your vision best and duplicate your favorites. This is the perfect template for the sale of a digital product or service.
Use this template if you’re selling sponsorship and booking opportunities for an event. It doesn’t matter if the event is virtual or in person, you still need to get people to participate, buy tickets, buy advertising spots, etc.
Showcase your products in the best light. Try out this template to create a sales presentation that sells a specific product. Each slide is designed to present an important aspect of your product, its value proposition and who it solves your customers’ pain points.
Change the colors to match your brand and personalize the messaging easily. Keep critical information accurate and consistent across your presentation using Dynamic Fields. All you need to do is create dynamic fields and input data once, which will appear throughout your slides.
The Visme Modern presentation template isn’t just great for sales presentations. This set of slides can help you create any type of presentation. For a sales directed slide deck, use the slide library categories to find the slides you need.
Not only does this slide library have all the slides you need, but there are also variations of each one. Select the one that fits your content best.
Much like the modern presentation theme, the simple presentation theme has over 300 slides in over 20 categories. You simply have to select the sides you need, then choose the composition of the elements you like best.
Finally, add your own information and data to finalize your sales presentation deck. Don’t forget your brand colors, a few storytelling tidbits and a clear value proposition.
It’s easy to design a sales presentation with Visme. The design elements and information visualization tools will help you put together a memorable sales presentation that will seal the deal.
Before you start designing any slides, you’ll need to have all your information in an easy to follow outline document. If possible, separate the sections into what will go on each slide. This will help save you time when you’re actually in the editor creating the presentations.
Remember to keep the information per slide as short and sweet as possible. You’re looking to convince and convert, not teach a masterclass.
Once you have all your information ready to go, it’s time to sign in to your Visme account and choose a template. Browse the ready-made templates or select one of the three themes which are more like builders.
When you pick a template and then you realize it’s not what you needed, changing for another one is easy from inside the editor. Set up as many slides as your outline calls for.
All the photos, icons and illustrations inside the templates are free to use. As are all the ones in the Visme graphics library. Simply use the search function to find what you need. All icons and illustrations are customizable to match your brand colors.
If you have brand or company visual assets ready to use, upload them to your media library and add it to your canvas.
Add the content from your outline into the presentation. Go slide by slide so you don’t miss anything. If text boxes change sizes, use the sizing function to readjust how text fits on the slide.
Change the color theme to match your brand. Prepare your Brand Kit first with a color palette and color theme with your brand colors. Then in the editor, change the template colors as you wish.
To change the fonts, select the text and add the new fonts in. You can upload your own brand fonts or use one from our long and varied collection.
Use the Visme Graph Engine to create charts and graphs to add to your sales presentation. If the template you selected already had charts and graphs, simply customize to fit your data and story.
Add infographic widgets for small data sets or small tidbits of statistical information. For example, percentages and arrays.
If you’ll be sending the sales presentation on its own without your speech accompanying in, consider adding interactivity, animation and narration for your audience to feel connected to the slides.
Alternatively, you can have two versions. One without these elements to accompany your spoken speech and an interactive version to send to potential clients after you’ve talked to them.
Interactivity can be buttons that open popups, websites or navigate to other slides. Animation can be achieved with animation effects on any element or with animated icons and characters. Add narration to your slides so your audience will have an easier time following along.
When presenting live to an audience, take advantage of the presenter's notes function. These are notes and reminders that only you can see on the slides as you go through the sales presentation.
They will help you stay on track with the story, will give you cues for when to ask questions or insert a humorous comment. Use these as support, not as reading points.
Your sales presentations can be shared in a number of different ways. Share it as a live link, download as HTML5 to share offline with all the animation and interactivity you added. Download as a PDF to share as a static presentation or to print in a booklet.
Share your sales presentation easily in a Zoom or Google Meet call by sharing your screen and sending a copy to your attendees.
Here are a few mistakes you should look out for when delivering your sales presentation.
This happens when you overload your audience with details that sound impressive but don’t actually move them closer to a decision. For your presentation to compel the listener, you need to shift the focus from what you do to why it matters to your listener.
For instance, if your product helps reduce costs, don’t just talk about features, make cost savings the central argument. Show exactly how much your client can save, back it up with proof or case studies and tie it directly to their goals.
Trying to improvise, ad-lib or present without real preparation is one of the quickest ways to lose credibility. Without structure, you risk coming across as disorganized, off-point or even unprepared in front of the very clients you want to persuade.
Your preparation should begin long before you step into the room. Take time to build an outline and structure your points into a clear, compelling narrative.
One of the biggest missteps in a sales presentation is doing all the talking yourself. When you dominate the conversation, you leave little room for the prospect to share their thoughts and miss out on insights that could help you close the deal.
A good approach is to ask smart questions that lead your prospect to recognize the problem, connect it to your solution and take ownership of the decision. That way, closing the deal feels natural, not forced.
Another reason sales presentations fail is that the salesperson doesn’t step into the role of an authority. They slip into the frame of a customer service representative.
The truth is, prospects don’t just want a friendly voice. They’re looking for a confident advisor who understands their challenges and can point them to the right solution. Acting as an authority gives your words weight, builds trust and positions you as the expert in the room.
Sales presentations should last between 15–20 minutes. Product demos or technical solutions presentations can stretch to 30–40 minutes, but you need to keep them engaging and interactive.
Below are the 5 steps of a presentation call:
The best topics for a sales presentation are the ones that spark curiosity while moving them closer to a buying decision.
Here are some high-impact topics you can build around:
Audience-Centric & Problem-Focused: Tailor your presentation to the audience’s needs by showing exactly how your solution solves their problems.
Clear Value Proposition: Highlight the benefits and advantages of your product so the audience sees its true value.
Engaging Content & Storytelling: Use stories, visuals, and vivid language to make your message memorable and relatable.
Strong Call to Action (CTA): End with a clear next step, such as booking a demo or scheduling a follow-up, to keep momentum going.
The goal of a sales presentation is to prove your value build rapport with prospects and move them closer to a buying decision. But to achieve that, your foundation needs to be solid.
In this guide, we’ve walked through how to create and deliver a compelling sales presentation. We’ve also shared expert tips, common pitfalls to avoid and ready-to-use templates to help you get started faster.
Now it’s time to put that knowledge to use. And there’s no better way than with Visme—a unified content creation suite that is built to make creating powerful sales presentations a breeze. It’s loaded with a hub of AI tools and features like branding kits, data visualization, collaboration tools and workflow management.
Beyond the hundreds of sales presentation templates available, Visme also provides a wide range of templates and design tools for proposals, reports, infographics, one-pagers, pitch decks, training materials and more.
Ready to take your sales presentations to the next level? Sign up to start creating presentations that win more deals.
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