Making The Pricing Slide [A Complete Guide]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- May 1
- 6 min read
While building a sales presentation for a B2B SaaS client named Yasser, a question came up that sounded simple but revealed something deeper.
“How do we avoid scaring prospects with the pricing slide?”
The Creative Director replied,
“By showing value before showing cost.”
That single sentence cut through the fog. And it’s worth paying attention to, because pricing slides are not just about numbers. They’re emotional territory.
As a presentation design agency, pricing slides come up in almost every sales deck, pitch deck, investor deck, product launch, or solution presentation. And across industries, whether it’s software, logistics, manufacturing, consulting, or edtech - the same issue repeats.
Too many teams treat pricing slides like receipts. Tables. Tiers. Technicalities. But the pricing slide is actually the moment of truth. The point where prospects either mentally commit or quietly check out.
This blog breaks down everything that has worked (and everything that gets in the way) when crafting a pricing slide that actually helps close the deal.
First, let’s set the stage.
Why the Pricing Slide Deserves More Respect
The pricing slide is not just another block in the deck. It’s the part prospects remember when they walk into a budget meeting. The part that gets screenshotted. Forwarded. Debated.
And yet, it’s often the most neglected slide in the entire presentation.
This usually happens because teams are too close to their own numbers. They assume the value is obvious. But for the prospect, this is the moment when the emotional pitch of the deck collides with financial reality. If the slide doesn’t close that gap, everything that came before it risks being wasted effort.
It’s not a calculation. It’s a test.
A test of whether the narrative that’s been built across the presentation holds strong when money enters the picture. A test of whether the team truly understands the buyer’s priorities. A test of whether the offering feels worth it, even before a demo or trial.
What most overlook is that the pricing slide is not the place to start the value conversation. It’s where that conversation reaches its peak. Every insight, every transformation promised, every outcome painted before this slide has to earn the numbers that now appear.
The most successful pricing slides don’t just show a fee. They show what the fee stands for.
So, when buyers see a number, they don’t think, why is it this much? They think, of course it’s this much.
How to Make a Pricing Slide That Wins
Step 1: Build the Value Story First — The Slide Comes Last
The most common mistake? Designing the pricing slide in isolation.
This is not just a slide. It’s the final scene of a story. And it only makes sense if everything before it has done its job — especially the problem framing, the vision of change, and the proof that change is possible.
If the pricing slide shows up too early in the creative process, it often becomes a mechanical decision. Rows. Columns. Checkboxes. Numbers.
But if it’s the final piece of a well-told narrative, it becomes a natural next step — something the buyer is expecting, not dreading.
So before even thinking about format or layout:
Clarify the core problem you solve
Articulate what happens when that problem is solved
Show exactly how your product gets them there
Reinforce the cost of not solving the problem
Once that narrative is built, pricing becomes a supporting detail. Not a disruption.
Step 2: Decide the Role of the Pricing Slide in Your Sales Process
Not every pricing slide needs to close the deal on the spot. Some are designed to spark a discussion. Others are meant to anchor budget expectations. And some exist to get sign-off.
But the slide must know its role.
Start by asking:
Does this slide need to show final pricing or just a starting point?
Will a salesperson be walking through this or will it be read asynchronously?
Is this meant for CFOs and budget holders or end users and champions?
The answers will determine tone, depth, and structure.
For example, if the goal is to support a champion in convincing others, the slide should include ROI framing and optionality — giving them the tools to make the case.
If the goal is to close, then friction must be minimal and confidence must be high — meaning all objections should be pre-handled visually and verbally.
Never let the slide exist without context. A generic pricing table rarely does what teams think it will.
Step 3: Choose the Right Format Based on the Offering
Different pricing models call for different structures. Forcing all pricing into a 3-column format is lazy. Great pricing slides match the format to the model.
Here are a few models and how to approach them visually:
1. Tiered Pricing (3 Packages) Use clear, buyer-centric language.
Each tier should address a specific kind of buyer — from cautious to committed. Avoid feature bloat. Instead, use outcome-based headers and call out the “Recommended” tier with contrast and clarity.
2. Per-User or Per-Seat Pricing Keep the math simple.
Use a price-per-unit, followed by a visual example showing what it would cost for typical teams. Add a pricing calculator in interactive formats or notes suggesting ranges for common team sizes.
3. Usage-Based or Volume-Based Pricing Use a slider or pricing bands.
Help the buyer see where they fall based on their size or volume. Transparency builds trust. And if the model is complex, pair it with a real-world example so the logic becomes tangible.
4. Custom or Enterprise Pricing Never hide behind “Contact Sales.”
Instead, explain why pricing is custom. Show what variables affect it. And list what’s typically included — onboarding, SLAs, integrations, account management — to justify strategic pricing.
Always remember: the format must match the business model, not the other way around.\
Step 4: Use Language That Removes Resistance
Pricing triggers emotion. The language around it should be engineered to reduce friction and build confidence.
A few high-performing techniques include:
Framing by value: “Only X per month to eliminate Y problem”
Anchoring to common benchmarks: “Less than the cost of one lost customer”
Showing comparative logic: “Costs 80% less than hiring a full-time team”
Labeling tiers thoughtfully: Avoid “Basic” if it sounds inferior. Try “Starter” or “Essentials”
Using cues like “Most Popular” or “Best Value” to guide decisions
Every word around the price should help the buyer feel one thing: this is the smart move.
Step 5: Design for Clarity, Not Cleverness
The fastest way to lose trust at this stage? Design that’s too busy or too cute.
A good pricing slide should feel like a breath of fresh air. Spacious. Clean. Direct. Visual hierarchy must lead the eye from headline to price to action.
Some things that always work:
High-contrast callouts for the recommended tier
Icons or illustrations that summarize what’s included
Visual dividers to separate tiers without clutter
Clear buttons or prompts for next steps
This slide is not the place for experimentation. It’s where simplicity becomes a strategy.
If the buyer is pausing to decode it, the slide is failing.
Step 6: Preempt Objections Without Saying a Word
The best pricing slides handle objections before they’re voiced.
This doesn’t mean writing FAQ-style content. It means addressing the hidden questions that cause hesitation:
“What if this doesn’t work for our team?”
“What if we need more support later?”
“What if we outgrow this plan too quickly?”
“Why is this worth more than our current solution?”
Smart slides answer these with subtle cues:
“Flexible plans as your needs evolve”
“Includes onboarding, training, and 24/7 support”
“Built for scale — used by teams of 10 to 10,000”
“Designed to replace 3 separate tools”
Don’t wait for objections. Kill them before they surface.
Step 7: End With a Clear Next Step
Even if the pricing slide isn’t the final slide, it must suggest a next move.
That might be:
“Schedule a 15-minute call to customize your plan”
“Start a risk-free 30-day pilot”
“See a breakdown for your exact team size”
Whatever it is, say it. Don’t leave the prospect wondering what happens now. This is the slide where the internal conversation starts — give them the language and action to carry it forward.
Where to Place the Pricing Slide
The placement of the pricing slide is crucial in guiding the flow of your presentation. It should not be buried at the end or introduced too early, as both can disrupt the narrative. The ideal spot is usually after you've clearly articulated the problem, presented your solution, and built trust with the audience. By this point, the prospect is primed and understands the value they’re about to receive. Placing the pricing slide right after showcasing the core benefits — often just before diving into client case studies or next steps — allows it to feel like a natural conclusion to the value discussion. This placement maximizes impact because it follows the logical progression: the problem, the solution, and now, the cost to solve it.
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.