Pitch Deck Feedback [How to Leverage it for Future Pitches]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Oct 14
- 8 min read
A few weeks ago, our client Andrew asked us an interesting question while we were working on his pitch deck. He said,
“How do I actually use pitch deck feedback to make my next one stronger?”
Our Creative Director replied,
“By treating it as data, not as judgment.”
As a presentation design agency, we work on dozens of pitch decks throughout the year, and in the process, we’ve observed one common challenge: founders tend to react to feedback rather than analyse it.
So, in this blog, we’ll talk about how to use pitch deck feedback not just to fix what went wrong but to build a stronger narrative for future pitches.
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.
First, let's talk about...
How to Gather Feedback for Your Pitch Deck (and Do It Proactively)
Most founders wait for feedback like it’s a surprise quiz. They pitch, get polite nods, and walk away unsure what actually worked. That’s not feedback. That’s noise.
Good feedback doesn’t just happen, you have to go get it. Start by asking the right people: one investor, one marketer or storyteller, and one potential customer. Each sees your deck differently, and together they reveal blind spots you’ll never notice alone.
Then, ask focused questions instead of “What do you think?” Try things like:
“Did the problem statement make sense?”
“Was the story clear and memorable?”
“Did my ask feel justified?”
Finally, collect feedback right after you pitch, not days later. People forget fast, and delayed reactions are sugarcoated ones. The key is to create space for honesty and treat every comment as data, not as judgment.
How to Leverage Pitch Deck Feedback for Your Next Pitches
Gathering feedback is one thing. Most founders think that once they have it, they’re done. That is a rookie mistake. Feedback by itself is useless. It’s the way you use it that determines whether your next pitch soars or flops. Think of feedback like raw material. It’s not a finished product. If you don’t process it, it just sits there collecting dust.
The first step is to organize it.
When you get notes from multiple people, you’ll notice a mix of specific and vague comments, praise, critiques, and some that are just opinions disguised as wisdom. This is where most people panic.
They try to implement everything at once or dismiss it entirely. Neither works. You need a system.
Start by categorizing feedback into three buckets:
Storytelling and narrative: Comments on whether your pitch made sense, felt compelling, or was engaging.
Data and credibility: Feedback about your numbers, projections, evidence, and claims.
Design and delivery: Notes on visuals, flow, and how your personality or voice came across.
This simple framework helps you see patterns. If five people say the problem slide is confusing, that is not an isolated opinion. That is a red flag. If only one person notices a font issue, you can safely deprioritize it. Patterns are your friends. Patterns tell you what actually matters.
Once you have patterns, it is time to analyze the feedback instead of blindly implementing it.
This is the part most founders skip because it feels like work. You have to understand why people reacted the way they did.
For example, let’s say several investors commented that your solution slide is too technical. Do not just simplify the slide and move on. Ask yourself: is the problem that your audience doesn’t care about technical details, or is it that your explanation fails to connect to the value proposition? There is a difference. Fixing the wrong problem will cost you your next pitch.
Another common situation is mixed feedback.
One investor says the deck is too long. Another says it doesn’t give enough context. Both are valid but contradictory. How do you handle this? You have to prioritize based on your objective. If your goal is to secure funding from a highly experienced investor, lean into brevity and sophistication. If your goal is to onboard first-time investors or customers, more context might be necessary. Feedback is a tool, not a rulebook. Your vision still drives the choices.
After analyzing, it is time to apply the feedback strategically.
Don’t just tweak slides randomly. Think in terms of themes and story arcs. Every change should strengthen the overall narrative, not just fix a complaint. If multiple people say the deck loses momentum after slide three, maybe your story arc needs reordering. Perhaps your solution should come earlier, or your proof points should be embedded within the problem context. Changes are most effective when they reinforce the flow, not when they patch a single slide in isolation.
One powerful technique we use as a presentation agency is to translate feedback into hypotheses.
Instead of saying, “Investor X said this slide is confusing,” reframe it as, “If we simplify this slide and make the problem more relatable, investor comprehension will improve.” Then test it. This mindset shifts feedback from a critique into an actionable experiment. Every pitch is a learning cycle. Your goal is to validate or invalidate hypotheses and refine your deck continuously.
It is also important to capture lessons in a reusable format.
Feedback is only valuable if it informs your next presentation. Create a “Feedback Log” document where you summarize key takeaways from each pitch, the changes you made, and the results. Over time, you’ll notice trends. Maybe your storytelling improves, but your data slides consistently get questions. Maybe your visuals resonate, but your ask is unclear. These insights are gold. They help you avoid repeating mistakes and accelerate your deck evolution.
Another aspect founders often ignore is emotional resonance.
Feedback is not always about facts. Sometimes it is about feelings. Investors, customers, or stakeholders react emotionally. If multiple people say a slide feels “boring” or “overwhelming,” dig deeper. What emotions are you trying to evoke, and where are you failing? Pitch decks are not just information dumps. They are experiences. Feedback helps you calibrate that experience for maximum impact.
We also strongly recommend role-playing your next pitch using feedback. Rehearse with colleagues or mentors and incorporate critiques into your delivery. A slide might be perfect, but if you stumble while explaining it, the deck will fail. Delivery is inseparable from design. Feedback is not just about visuals or words—it is about how those elements translate when you speak. Treat every note as a rehearsal prompt.
Another underrated tip is to segment feedback into short-term and long-term improvements.
Some changes are quick wins. Others require structural or strategic revisions. For example, tweaking font sizes or adding icons is a short-term fix. Rewriting your market analysis section or repositioning your value proposition is long-term. Recognizing the difference prevents founders from getting frustrated or overwhelmed. It also allows you to incrementally upgrade your deck without stalling your next pitch.
It is equally critical to maintain your deck’s identity while integrating feedback.
Too often, founders chase perfection by implementing every suggestion, ending up with a deck that pleases no one and feels generic. Feedback should enhance your voice, not dilute it. Your uniqueness is what makes your pitch memorable. Use feedback to sharpen, not replace, that uniqueness.
Now let’s talk about feedback loops.
Every pitch is an opportunity to collect and refine insights. The first iteration of your deck might be rough. The second will be better. By the third or fourth, you’ll start seeing clear patterns in what resonates and what doesn’t. This iterative approach ensures your deck is not static. It evolves with your understanding of the audience, the market, and your own story. Think of it as compound interest for pitches—the more cycles you go through, the higher the return on each piece of feedback.
We also emphasize quantitative tracking when possible.
Note how many questions arise from each slide, how long you spend explaining each section, or how many investors request follow-up materials. Numbers don’t lie, and when combined with qualitative feedback, they give you a crystal-clear picture of which parts of your deck succeed and which need work.
Finally, embrace a mindset shift.
Feedback is not about defending your deck or your ideas. It is about becoming a better communicator, storyteller, and strategist. Founders who approach feedback as a tool rather than a judgment consistently outperform those who treat it personally. Each critique, each suggestion, each awkward silence is a signal. Decode it, act on it, and you will see your future pitches improve dramatically.
To summarize, leveraging pitch deck feedback is a multi-step process:
Organize feedback into categories
Look for patterns, not isolated comments
Analyze why people react the way they do
Apply changes strategically to strengthen your story
Translate critiques into hypotheses and test them
Log insights for future decks
Pay attention to emotional resonance
Rehearse incorporating feedback
Segment changes into short-term and long-term fixes
Keep your deck’s identity intact
Iterate continuously
Track quantitative signals
Adopt the right mindset
The founders who master this process do not just create better decks, they create decks that evolve, decks that connect, and decks that close deals.
Taking Pitch Deck Feedback Productively, Not Personally
Here’s the harsh truth: most founders take feedback personally. Someone points out a flaw, and suddenly it feels like an attack on your intelligence, your company, or even your vision. That mindset is deadly. If you internalize every critique, your next pitch will either be defensive or watered down. Neither gets results.
The first step to taking feedback productively is to separate yourself from the deck.
Your deck is a tool. Your ideas are the foundation. Feedback is about the deck’s clarity, flow, and impact, not about your worth as a founder. When you see feedback as data, not judgment, it becomes something you can act on instead of something you need to defend against.
Next, look for patterns, not isolated comments.
One person saying your market slide is confusing does not mean you failed. Five people pointing out the same confusion does. Patterns are signals. Everything else is noise. By focusing on trends, you filter out emotional reactions and concentrate on actionable insights.
Another key mindset is curiosity over ego.
Ask yourself: why did this investor feel lost here? What could make this slide land better next time? Approach feedback like a detective, not a victim. When you treat critiques as puzzles to solve, you turn every pitch into a learning opportunity.
Finally, document your takeaways and turn them into concrete changes.
Make your feedback actionable. Rewriting a slide or adjusting your narrative is infinitely more productive than stewing over a comment you didn’t like. The goal is progress, not validation.
In short, feedback is a mirror for your deck, not for your ego. Learn to separate the two, focus on patterns, approach critiques with curiosity, and convert insights into action. That is how you grow your pitches, your company, and yourself as a founder.
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