How to Design Your Product Slide [Showcasing Value]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- May 24
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 10
One of our clients, Michael, asked us an interesting question while we were working on their product slide:
"How do you decide what to include on a product slide without overwhelming the audience?"
Our Creative Director answered simply,
“A product slide is done right when it shows exactly what matters and nothing else.”
As a presentation design agency, we work on many product slides throughout the year, and in the process, we’ve observed one common challenge: people tend to either cram every detail onto the slide or over-simplify it to the point of losing meaning.
So, in this blog, we’ll talk about how to craft a product slide that strikes the right balance: showing what matters, saying it clearly, and simplifying for impact.
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.
Why Product Slides Often Fail
Everyone knows what a product slide is. But almost nobody gets it right.
We see the same mistake over and over: people either overload the slide with every possible detail or strip it down so much it becomes vague and forgettable. Neither works.
A product slide isn’t about showing everything your product can do.
It’s about showing what your audience needs to know to care. It’s about being ruthless with what stays and what goes.
From working with dozens of clients,
we’ve learned that the hardest part isn’t designing the slide.
It’s deciding "what" to show and "how" to say it without drowning your message in noise or boring your audience to death.
That’s why the right product slide strikes a balance: it’s clear, focused, and meaningful. It tells the story of your product in a way that clicks fast and sticks.
Now, let's talk about how to write the slide content & design your product slide...
How to Write Content for Your Product Slide
A product slide is only as strong as the story it tells and that story comes from the words and the visuals working together. Here’s what to keep in mind when writing the content:
Start with the experience, not the feature.
Don’t just say what your product does, describe what it feels like to use it. Lead with the benefit before you get into the details.
Keep your copy short and scannable.
Use phrases, not paragraphs. A few sharp lines that capture the essence of your product will always land better than a wall of text.
Use real product snapshots.
The slide loses half its impact without visuals. Add real interface or mock-up images while writing; it helps you shape content that complements what’s shown, instead of repeating it.
Write with design in mind.
Place your text while you write, not after. Seeing how your words sit next to product visuals helps you strike the right balance and keep the layout clean.
How to Design Your Product Slide
Let’s break down how to approach the design strategically.
1. Create visual contrast from the rest of your deck
Your product slide should stand out, not blend in. Most decks follow a visual rhythm: muted backgrounds, minimal graphics, and clear content sections. But when you arrive at the product slide, the focus shifts to the hero: your product.
That’s where contrast works its magic. Use a darker or lighter background than the rest of your slides to make this one feel distinct. Add a subtle spotlight effect or gradient to pull attention toward the product mock-up. The goal is to make people pause; to feel that something significant has arrived in your story.
Just remember: contrast doesn’t mean chaos. Keep your brand colors and typography consistent, but use layout and tone to make this slide feel like the main act, not just another scene in the show.
2. Make typography work for you
Typography can quietly make or break your product slide. When showing multiple features or benefits, avoid small or uniform text; it flattens hierarchy. Instead, create a visual rhythm using font size, weight, and spacing.
For example:
Use a strong heading for the product name or tagline.
Medium-weight subheads for key features.
Smaller, lighter body text only when you absolutely need supporting details.
Keep your line length short for easy readability, and if you’re presenting live, make sure your audience can read it from a distance. Clarity always wins over creativity.
And here’s a small but powerful detail: match your typography tone to your product’s personality. A fintech product might use a clean, modern sans-serif to signal precision and trust. A wellness app might go for softer curves or slightly rounded fonts to evoke calm and care.
3. Place product snapshots with purpose
Product images are the heartbeat of your slide. But dropping a random screenshot into the layout isn’t enough. You need to frame it as part of a story.
Use device mock-ups (like a phone, laptop, or tablet frame) to help viewers instantly understand where the product lives. It’s not just a UI anymore — it’s a living experience inside something they recognize.
Show the most impressive or visually clear part of your product. If the interface has too many sections, zoom into a key moment of action. You can even add subtle callouts or icons near important features to draw attention without cluttering the screen.
And here’s something most people miss: place your product visuals while you’re writing content. It’s the only way to ensure the text and image complement each other. Your design should make space for both, not force one to shrink to fit the other later.
4. Keep breathing room
Good design isn’t about how much you can add, it’s about how much space you can create. White space (or negative space) helps your slide breathe, giving each element a chance to stand out. Crowded slides dilute focus, especially when you’re showing a product.
So, keep margins generous. Let your product image take the center stage and allow text to wrap around it comfortably. The more space you give, the more premium your design feels.
5. Maintain consistency, but don’t lose energy
Even though your product slide stands out, it shouldn’t feel disconnected from your deck. Use the same color palette, typography, and graphic language; but give this slide a little more energy. This is the turning point of your presentation.
Think of it this way: your product slide is where logic meets emotion. Everything before it builds curiosity; this is where you deliver the “aha.” So treat it like a cinematic reveal: visually clean, emotionally charged, and unmistakably yours.
This approach is the blueprint we follow whenever we create or overhaul product slides. Not adding bells and whistles. It’s about cutting through the noise and making sure what you show, what you say, and how you simplify all work together to deliver a clear, compelling message.
FAQ: Should You Animate the Product Slide?
You can, but think of animation as seasoning: a little can elevate the story, too much can overpower it. Use motion when it helps people see what you’re saying. For instance, a smooth transition showing how a user moves through your product can make your explanation click instantly.
But when animation becomes the star, it steals attention from what matters, your message. Keep it purposeful. If it clarifies, keep it. If it just decorates, leave it out.
Example of a Good Product Slide from Our Portfolio
Look at this example of a product slide from one of our projects. It’s for an AI-powered voice authentication solution and was part of their sales presentation. We showcased the product mockup within a phone screen to help viewers visualize how the product actually feels. The key features like “Zero Wait Times” and “Rich Analytics” are highlighted in feature boxes to draw quick attention, while a short paragraph provides extra context for those who want more detail.
Since this deck was meant to be shared via email, we included that brief text section. If it were being presented live, we’d have kept only the highlighted features and removed the paragraph to keep the focus on verbal storytelling. You can read the full case study here.
Consideration While Presenting Your Product Slide Live
When you’re presenting your product slide live, remember you’re not just showing a screen. You’re helping people imagine what it’s like to use your product. Instead of describing what they already see, talk about what it helps people achieve. Let the visuals guide your story and focus on how it solves real problems or makes life simpler. That shift from showing features to showing value keeps your audience emotionally connected.
Also, give the slide a moment before you start talking. Let people take it in. Keep the text light so your voice leads the story, and bring genuine energy to your delivery. The product slide is your proof moment. Treat it as something worth pausing for, not just another click in the deck.
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.