6 Tips to Create a Kitchen Sink Deck That’s Drippin’

Author: Emily Coplai

We’ve all heard the phrase “everything but the kitchen sink” but we usually don’t hear it in conjunction with decks or presentations. In fact, it’s known that PowerPoint presentations should be simple, truncated and to the point. Everything but the kitchen sink can be a faux pas when it comes to presentations.

While we wholeheartedly subscribe to simplicity is best in presentations, there is one instance when PowerPoint and maximalism coincide and that’s in a kitchen sink deck.

What is a kitchen sink deck?

Let me break it down for those who may not utilize a kitchen sink deck. At its core, a kitchen sink deck is basically a collection of strategically designed, customizable slides that cover everything you may ever need to discuss in a presentation. You have your base slides that may discuss your company, history and high-level offerings. And then you have your catalog of extra slides to pick and choose from to tell a catered story for your audience.

Those extra slides may include specifics on product lines, more detail on certain services, initiatives you’re pushing, the list goes on. The thought is that by having any and every slide at your fingertips, you or your sales or marketing team can easily craft the perfect presentation for your audience in just minutes.

What are the benefits of creating a kitchen sink deck?

The benefits of having a kitchen sink deck at your fingertips go beyond ease of use. They can (and should) save you time and money. One master deck with all the slides you need (and then some) can allow initiatives to move forward without the need for a custom sell sheet or custom deck each time. Presentations can be curated quickly for a specific sales request, customer request or RFP.

The most important thing to remember when creating a kitchen sink deck is that even though you’re covering a lot of topics, you should keep it simple and engaging. This is still a presentation after all. If content is king, design is queen.

6 Tips to Create a Successful, Attractive Kitchen Sink Deck:

1. Build as you go. A kitchen sink deck should be a living, breathing tool that transforms as new opportunities arise.
2. Keep the document clean by assigning a single project manager with primary access who collaborates with different departments to make updates. They can add/remove slides as new offerings and initiatives arise while sticking to a cohesive look.
3. Like any other effective presentation, keep messaging simple and to the point. Highlight key points only and allow the presenter to handle the rest.
4. If emailing the deck instead of presenting, make sure a call to action is clearly defined. This allows for the recipient to follow up with any specific information and pricing details.
5. Don’t overlook the power of good design. Make it beautiful with photography, eye-catching typography and icons while also adhering to brand guidelines.
6. Review, review, review. You set the deadlines here. Take the time to check for errors and inconsistencies.

We know that creating even the most necessary tools can feel overwhelming to some. Utilize help around you from different departments and your outside marketing agency, or both! At Catch-22 Creative, we assist clients with their marketing needs—from a single project to a fully integrated marketing campaign and yes, kitchen sink decks. Our team acts as an extension of yours when you need it on projects big and small. Learn more about our services, our work and our team by contacting us.

Catch-22 Creative" width="300" height="300" />About the Author:

Emily Coplai is the Creative Director and Partner at C-22 and has been with the company for over 10 years. Over the past decade, she’s provided exceptional strategy, design, advertising & branding expertise to startups, established companies and Fortune 500 companies. Originally from Michigan, Emily graduated from Michigan State University in Advertising and Design and she loves rooting for her Spartans. Go Green!

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