How to Audit/Review Your Pitch Deck [A Practical Guide]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Aug 21, 2025
- 7 min read
A few weeks ago, our client Liz asked us a question while we were working on her pitch deck:
“How do I know if my deck is actually good enough to put in front of investors?”
Our Creative Director looked up from his screen and replied:
“If your story is clear enough that investors get it without extra explanation, it’s good enough.”
As a presentation design agency, we work on dozens of pitch decks every year. And in the process, we’ve noticed one common challenge: most founders don’t know how to look at their own deck critically. They’ve spent so much time building the business, pulling numbers, and polishing the product that they’ve lost the ability to see the presentation through fresh eyes.
That’s why in this blog we’ll walk you through how to run a proper pitch deck audit/review. Think of it as a checklist and a reality check rolled into one. By the time you’re done, you’ll know exactly where your deck stands and what needs fixing before you step into that room with investors.
In case you didn't know, we specialize in only one thing: making presentations. We can help you by designing your slides and writing your content too.
How to Audit/Review Your Pitch Deck
When you review your pitch deck, the biggest mistake you can make is assuming the job is about slides. It’s not. Slides are just the surface. The real review has to go deeper — into your story, your structure, your numbers, your design, and how all of it comes together to either win investor trust or lose it.
A pitch deck audit/review is about stripping away the fluff and asking: is this presentation truly working, or is it just polished noise? Let’s go step by step.
1. Start with the Story
The story is your foundation. If you can’t make the problem clear and the solution compelling, the rest is wasted effort.
Ask yourself:
Does the deck immediately make the problem obvious?
Does the solution feel like the natural answer to that problem?
Could someone outside your industry explain your business back to you after seeing your deck?
That last question is powerful because most founders live inside their idea for years. They stop realizing how much jargon they use. Investors, on the other hand, don’t have the patience to decode industry speak. If your story doesn’t feel human and relatable, you’ll lose them before they even look at the numbers.
A good way to test this is the “coffee shop pitch.” Imagine you only have two minutes to explain your business to someone at a café. If your deck doesn’t follow the same flow you’d use in that conversation — simple problem, clear solution, big opportunity — your story needs tightening.
2. Test the Structure
A pitch deck isn’t a book, but it should read like one. There’s an introduction, a build-up, a climax, and a conclusion. If your slides feel like a random collage of ideas, investors won’t see the thread.
Look at your deck and ask:
Does the order make logical sense?
Do the slides build momentum, or do they feel like detours?
Does the ending feel like a strong close, or does it just fizzle out?
A good structure usually follows a simple arc: problem → solution → opportunity → traction → team → close. There are variations, but the principle is the same. One idea should naturally lead to the next, almost like pulling someone along a rope.
One mistake we often see is founders repeating themselves in different words. If you’re saying the same point across three slides, you’re slowing the rhythm. Every slide needs to earn its space. During your audit, remove anything that doesn’t push the story forward.
3. Scrutinize the Data
Numbers are where decks either gain credibility or collapse. Investors aren’t looking for a perfect forecast — they’re looking for signs that you understand your market and your business.
Run through these checkpoints:
Are your market size numbers real, or are they copied from a Google search?
Does your traction slide include meaningful proof, not vanity metrics?
Do your financial projections make sense, or are they just hockey-stick charts with no justification?
If you can’t defend a number when challenged, don’t include it. Every figure should have a source or logic behind it. And keep in mind that investors would rather see modest but believable numbers than exaggerated projections.
Here’s something we’ve learned working on dozens of decks: investors are less interested in what you think you’ll make in year five and more interested in whether you’ve thought through how you’ll get from year one to year two. Your audit should check whether the data you’ve included answers that bridge.
4. Audit the Design
Design is where a lot of founders go wrong. They think design is about looking pretty. It’s not. It’s about readability and professionalism. If your deck looks messy or inconsistent, investors subconsciously assume the same about your business.
Check your design against these:
Is your text readable in a room when projected on a screen?
Are you using one consistent style for fonts, colors, and visuals?
Do the visuals actually explain your points, or are they just decoration?
We’ve seen decks where graphs are crammed with so much data they’re unreadable. That’s not design, that’s sabotage. Your audit should make sure every visual adds clarity.
Good design is invisible. Investors shouldn’t think, “Wow, nice slides.” They should think, “Wow, this company makes sense.”
5. Check for Clarity and Brevity
Most decks die from overload. Too many words, too many numbers, too many ideas.
During your review, ask yourself:
Can I cut this point in half without losing meaning?
Do I need full sentences, or would keywords work better?
If an investor flips through this deck in 3 minutes, will they get the essence?
Remember: the pitch deck is not the place for every detail. It’s the place to earn a conversation. Your audit should aim to cut out anything that doesn’t directly move the investor toward yes.
6. Review the Flow of Attention
This is something most people overlook. Every slide should have one focal point. If there are five things competing for attention, the investor won’t know where to look.
Ask yourself:
When someone sees this slide for two seconds, do they know the main message?
Is the slide trying to say too many things at once?
Does the eye naturally flow from one point to the next?
Your deck is like directing a movie. You’re guiding the viewer’s attention scene by scene. An audit/review should check whether you’re actually directing that attention or leaving it to chance.
7. Assess the Balance Between Logic and Emotion
A strong deck appeals to both sides of the brain. Logic convinces the mind, but emotion drives decisions. If your deck is all numbers, it feels dry. If it’s all inspiration, it feels hollow.
When reviewing, ask:
Does the deck make the problem feel urgent and real?
Does it make the opportunity feel exciting and worth chasing?
Do the numbers ground the vision in reality?
The best decks create what we call “rational excitement.” Investors feel inspired, but they also feel confident that the founder has done their homework.
8. Put Yourself in the Investor’s Shoes
This is the ultimate test. Your pitch deck is not for you. It’s for them.
During your review, read through every slide while asking:
Why should I care about this problem?
Why should I believe this solution will work?
Why should I trust this team?
Why should I invest now instead of later?
If your deck doesn’t answer these four questions clearly, it’s not ready. Your audit should always bring you back to this perspective.
9. Do a Ruthless Cut
Finally, the best decks aren’t just reviewed. They’re edited down. Once you’ve gone through all the checkpoints, go back and cut.
Remove anything that feels like filler. Remove repetition. Remove the slide that you secretly know is weak but kept in “just in case.”
A tight deck always beats a long one. Investors don’t remember everything you say. They remember the sharp points that stood out. Your audit should leave you with fewer, stronger slides.
Why a Pitch Deck Audit/Review Matters
Most founders think their deck is fine as long as the slides look clean and the numbers are in place.
The reality is very different. Investors see your deck as a test of how you think, how disciplined you are, and whether your business is worth their time. That’s why reviewing your deck critically isn’t optional. It’s essential.
You’re Competing for Attention
Investors look at hundreds of decks every year. The enemy isn’t rejection. It’s being forgotten. If your story doesn’t hit hard and your slides don’t hold attention, your deck disappears into the pile. A proper review makes sure you cut the noise and highlight what’s memorable.
First Impressions Stick
Your deck is often the first thing an investor sees. If it feels sloppy, unclear, or amateur, that impression carries into every conversation afterward. A solid audit ensures the first impression is one of clarity and professionalism.
Investors Read Between the Lines
When investors see a deck that’s inconsistent or inflated, they assume the same about the founder. A messy story suggests a messy business. A weak design suggests weak attention to detail. Your deck signals more about you than you realize.
Confidence Comes From Clarity
Finally, a pitch deck audit/review doesn’t just improve the slides — it improves you. When your story is sharp and your numbers are defensible, you walk into the room with confidence. And that confidence is often what tips the decision in your favor.
Skipping the review is like walking into a negotiation without preparation. You may still get through it, but you’ll leave money and opportunity on the table.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.