How to make a PowerPoint pitch deck

Kick-start your deck with Copilot

Staring down a blank slide? Copilot is your creative assistant. Drop in an outline, a rough prompt, or even a Word doc, and Copilot spins up a first draft pitch deck fast.¹

For example, try this prompt:

“Create a 10-slide pitch deck introducing my freelance design services. Audience: small retail businesses.”

Tighten up your content later:
“Rewrite this slide with a more confident tone.”

Did you know? Copilot can even suggest layouts and images based on your content, saving you time and mental energy.

Shape your story like a pro

Every winning pitch deck follows a simple arc: What’s the problem? Why you? Why now? The good news is you don’t have to design the narrative alone.

Share your rough value proposition with Copilot and prompt¹:
“Help me refine this for startup founders who need fast turnarounds.”

Suddenly your story has clarity, purpose, and a hook.

Tip: Each slide should focus on a single idea. Your audience will thank you.

Tell your story with captivating presentations

Powerpoint empowers you to develop well-designed content across all your devices

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Make your slides look polished effortlessly

Design can feel intimidating, but with PowerPoint you don’t need a design degree to create something eye-catching. Copilot in PowerPoint can suggest professional layouts and visual improvements for your slides, based on the content you add. As you type or insert images, Copilot in PowerPoint helps match your ideas with polished designs, so your message always looks its best.

To get started just select the “Design Suggestions” button on the Design tab. You’ll instantly see a gallery of layout options tailored to your content. Pick the one you like, and your slide transforms in a click. You can always tweak or undo changes, so you stay in control.

Add speaker notes to stay smooth and confident

Slides shouldn’t tell the whole story—that part’s your job. Speaker notes help you show up prepared without cluttering your slides.

Here’s how to add speaker notes in PowerPoint:

1. Go to View > Notes
2. Add your talking points beneath the slide

Or let Copilot do the heavy lifting¹:
“Create concise speaker notes for this slide to help me pitch confidently.”

Did you know? Presenter View keeps your notes visible only to you, so you can glide through your pitch without missing a beat.

Level up engagement with audio or video

Want to stand out? Add a quick welcome video or a short voiceover walkthrough. It’s perfect for remote meetings, async client briefings, and stakeholders who prefer to watch instead of read.

Add multimedia using:

• Insert > Audio
• Insert > Video

Let Copilot give your deck that final sparkle

Once your slides are in solid shape, Copilot can help refine the details so everything feels sharp and intentional.¹ Here are a few quick ways to polish your deck:

• Tighten your text. Highlight a section and try: “Shorten this and make it more persuasive.”
• Upgrade your visuals. Select a slide and prompt: “Suggest two layout options and a visual approach for a consulting pitch.”
• Turn data into impact. Paste your numbers into a slide and prompt: “Create a chart that highlights the key takeaway.”
• Smooth the flow. Prompt Copilot with: “Improve the slide order and transitions for a clearer story.”

You get cleaner language, smarter visuals, and a more confident narrative, all in a few prompts.

Tip: Before you present, try the Rehearse with Coach feature in the Slide Show tab. This coach runs quietly in the background and gives quick feedback on pacing and clarity, so you feel polished when it’s go-time.

Why Microsoft 365 is built for your solo business

Running a solo business means your tools need to be smart, secure, and incredibly efficient. Microsoft 365 delivers:

• Copilot built directly into the apps you use most¹
• Bring Your Own AI security so you can safely use AI on work files
• Cloud storage and advanced protections
• A suite of creative tools
• AI-powered workflows without enterprise complexity

If you’re ready to pitch faster, design smarter, and create with confidence, get started with PowerPoint in Microsoft 365 (try it for free for one month!), and turn your next presentation into a win.

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