The 10/20/30 rule: does it still work today?

Developed by Guy Kawasaki, the 10/20/30 rule is mainly used for Professional Pitch Deck presentations when using PowerPoint. According to this rule, the presentation should only have ten slides that take no more than 20 minutes to go through. The featured font of the slides should not be less than 30 points.

The rule worked for several years and allowed numerous companies to gain the clients they targeted. It is difficult to quantify its effectiveness today, as powerpoint is no longer the only viable option where companies can deliver media-rich presentations. This is why, when looking for the right Pitch Deck Services, you need to have a clear idea of tactics that work and those that are outdated.

The truth is, this rule is still as relevant as ever. Here are some reasons why you want the company you hire for Pitch Deck Services to make use of this rule.

Do not cram too much text in your presentation

You do not have to stick to the ten slides rule necessarily, but you do have to reduce your sales pitch to only a few words that pack a lot of punch. Bend this rule, but do not break it. Have a strong outline and ensure you have included some of the essential points. The rest, you can briefly speak on your own as you explain the pitch. Your slides can contain a sentence or two. However, you can keep the audience captivated by including your ideas in your speech. An important principle to have is that the presentation has nothing to do with the PowerPoint slides; it is all about you and how you explain your ideas.

Keep it short

Today, people’s concentration spans are getting shorter. Therefore the 20-minute part of the rule remains the most inflexible. You can no longer get people to sit and listen to a presentation that is an hour long. Their minds will wander elsewhere, and you will be left speaking to yourself. This is why most lessons in schools are 45 minutes long. Even then, teachers need to take constant breaks to maintain the concentration of learners.

Ensure that everything you have to say fits into the 20 minutes. This should include any questions you want to answer. This will require practice and learning from others who have achieved in-depth coverage of topics in a few minutes.

The audience will not be interested if they can’t read the slides

If the font is small, your audience is likely to lose interest even before you begin speaking. Regardless of how brilliant your ideas are, they will be of no use if the audience zones out. This is why you need to test different fonts and font sizes to ensure the audience can see clearly. But, do not use a font that is too big so that the audience feels incompetent. The font should be so that those at the front and those at the back can see clearly. It should be a similar experience for everyone.

Conclusion

Making the perfect Pitch Deck presentation is not as easy as most people assume. Numerous aspects go into planning to ensure that the audience is informed and entertained at the same time. This is why you need professionals like us to help you get the clients your business needs to get to the next step.