Sales Presentation Template: The Structure Top Performers Use

📅 Updated: December 2025 | Includes AI customisation prompts

Quick Answer

The best sales presentation template follows a 7-step structure: Hook → Problem → Solution → Proof → Differentiation → Investment → Next Steps. This framework works because it mirrors how buyers actually make decisions — moving from “why should I care?” to “how do I buy?” Below is the complete template with examples from deals that closed.

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I’ve seen hundreds of sales presentations over 35 years — the ones that close and the ones that don’t. The difference isn’t charisma or product quality. It’s structure.

Top performers follow a predictable framework. They know exactly what to say and when to say it. They don’t wing it, and they don’t rely on slides packed with features.

This template is the structure I’ve taught to sales teams at SaaS companies, professional services firms, and enterprise tech vendors. It’s based on how buyers actually make decisions — not how sellers want to present.

The 7-Step Sales Presentation Structure

Every effective sales presentation follows this arc:

Step 1: The Hook (1 Slide)

Purpose: Earn the right to keep talking.

You have 30 seconds before your prospect decides whether to pay attention or check their phone. The hook isn’t your company history or your logo. It’s a statement that makes them think: “This person understands my problem.”

What to include:

• A provocative statistic or insight relevant to their situation
• A question that highlights a known pain point
• A bold claim you’ll prove in the next 20 minutes

Example: “Companies like yours lose an average of £340K annually to inefficient procurement processes. In the next 15 minutes, I’ll show you how three of your competitors eliminated that loss — and how you can too.”

What NOT to do: Start with “Thanks for your time today” or your company’s founding story. Nobody cares. Yet.

Step 2: The Problem (2-3 Slides)

Purpose: Make the pain feel urgent.

Before you can sell a solution, your prospect needs to feel the cost of their current situation. This isn’t about inventing problems — it’s about articulating the ones they already have, better than they can.

What to include:

• The specific problem you solve (not a vague industry challenge)
• The cost of the problem — in money, time, or risk
• Why the problem exists (without blaming them)
• What happens if it’s not addressed

Example structure:

• Slide 1: “The £340K Problem” — quantify the pain
• Slide 2: “Why Traditional Solutions Fail” — show you understand their attempts
• Slide 3: “The Hidden Costs” — reveal what they haven’t calculated

A financial controller I worked with at a fintech company had a brilliant problem slide: “Your finance team spends 47 hours per month on manual reconciliation. That’s not just expensive — it’s the reason your month-end close takes 12 days instead of 3.”

Step 3: The Solution (2-3 Slides)

Purpose: Show the path forward.

Now — and only now — do you introduce your solution. But here’s what most salespeople get wrong: they describe features when they should describe transformation.

What to include:

• Your solution in one sentence (the “what”)
• How it specifically addresses the problem you just described
• The outcome they’ll experience (not the features they’ll get)
• A visual showing the “before and after” state

Example: Don’t say “Our platform has automated reconciliation with ML-powered matching.” Say “Your finance team goes from 47 hours of manual reconciliation to 3 hours of exception handling. Month-end close drops from 12 days to 4.”

The demo question: If you’re including a demo, this is where it goes. But keep it focused — show only the parts that solve the specific problem you’ve highlighted. A 20-minute feature tour kills momentum.

Step 4: The Proof (2-3 Slides)

Purpose: Remove doubt with evidence.

Claims are easy. Proof is what separates top performers from everyone else. Your prospect is thinking: “This sounds good, but will it actually work for us?”

What to include:

• Case studies from similar companies (same industry, same size, same challenge)
• Specific results with numbers (not vague testimonials)
• Timeline to results (when will they see ROI?)
• Customer logos that build credibility

The similarity principle: Prospects trust proof from companies that look like them. A case study from a Fortune 500 won’t convince a 50-person startup. Match your proof to your audience.

Example: “Acme Corp had the same challenge — 47 hours of monthly reconciliation, 12-day close. Within 90 days of implementation, they reduced reconciliation to 4 hours and closed in 5 days. Here’s their CFO explaining the impact.”

Related: Executive Presentation Template: 12 Slides That Command the Room

Step 5: The Differentiation (1-2 Slides)

Purpose: Answer “why you and not them?”

Your prospect is comparing you to alternatives — competitors, building in-house, or doing nothing. You need to make the choice obvious.

What to include:

• Your unique approach (not just features)
• Why alternatives fall short (without badmouthing competitors)
• The risk of choosing the wrong solution

The “only we” test: Every differentiation claim should pass this test: “Only we [specific capability] which means [specific benefit].” If a competitor could make the same claim, it’s not differentiation.

Example: “Other reconciliation tools match transactions. Only we predict exceptions before they happen — which means your team fixes issues proactively instead of reactively. That’s the difference between a 5-day close and a 3-day close.”

Step 6: The Investment (1-2 Slides)

Purpose: Frame price as investment, not cost.

This is where deals stall. Not because the price is too high, but because the value hasn’t been established. If you’ve done steps 1-5 well, this slide should feel like a logical conclusion.

What to include:

• The investment (be direct — don’t hide pricing)
• ROI calculation based on the problem you quantified
• Time to value (when they’ll see returns)
• Options if available (good-better-best)

The ROI bridge: Connect your price directly to the problem. “You’re currently losing £340K annually to manual processes. The investment is £85K per year. That’s a 4x return — and most clients see positive ROI within 6 months.”

What NOT to do: Apologise for price, offer discounts preemptively, or rush through this slide. Confidence here signals value.

Step 7: The Next Steps (1 Slide)

Purpose: Make action easy.

Never end with “Any questions?” End with a clear path forward. Your prospect should know exactly what happens next and feel confident saying yes.

What to include:

• The specific next step (not “let us know”)
• Timeline for that step
• What you’ll deliver and when
• Who needs to be involved

Example: “Based on what we’ve discussed, I’d recommend a pilot with your EMEA finance team — low risk, high visibility. I can have the scoping document to you by Thursday, and we’d kick off in January. Does that timeline work with your planning cycle?”

Related: Investor Pitch Deck Template: The Sequoia Format That Raised Billions

Common Sales Presentation Mistakes

After reviewing hundreds of sales decks, these are the patterns that kill deals:

1. Leading with your company

Nobody cares about your founding story, your office locations, or your org chart. Earn the right to talk about yourself by first demonstrating you understand them.

2. Feature dumping

Listing every feature signals you don’t know which ones matter. Top performers talk about 3-4 capabilities that directly address the prospect’s problem.

3. Generic proof

“We have 500 customers” means nothing. “We helped 12 companies exactly like yours reduce close time by 60%” means everything.

4. Hiding from price

When you bury pricing or rush through it, you signal that even you think it’s too expensive. Confident pricing backed by clear ROI closes deals.

5. Weak endings

“Let me know what you think” is not a close. “I’ll send the pilot proposal Thursday and follow up Friday to discuss” is a close.

Related: Best Copilot PowerPoint Prompts That Actually Work

Customising for Your Sales Cycle

This template flexes based on where you are in the sales process:

Discovery call (15 minutes): Hook + Problem + Solution overview. Save proof and investment for follow-up.

First pitch (30 minutes): Full 7-step structure, but lighter on proof. Focus on problem-solution fit.

Final presentation (45-60 minutes): Full structure with deep proof section. Include demo if relevant. This is where you handle objections and close.

Executive sponsor meeting (20 minutes): Hook + Problem (business impact) + Investment + Next Steps. Executives don’t need feature details — they need ROI and risk mitigation.

Using AI to Build Your Sales Deck

AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT can accelerate your sales deck creation — if you prompt them correctly.

For the Hook:

“Generate 5 opening hooks for a sales presentation to [industry] companies about [problem]. Each hook should include a specific statistic or provocative question. Target audience: [title].”

For the Problem section:

“Create a problem statement for [your solution] that quantifies the cost of [specific problem] for [company size/type]. Include hidden costs most buyers don’t calculate.”

For Proof slides:

“Write a case study summary for a sales presentation. Company: [similar to prospect]. Challenge: [problem]. Solution: [your product]. Results: [specific outcomes]. Format: 3 bullet points, each under 15 words.”

For Differentiation:

“Compare [your solution] to [alternative approaches]. Focus on 3 unique capabilities that competitors cannot claim. Use the format: ‘Only we [capability] which means [benefit].'”

Related: How to Use Copilot in PowerPoint: Complete Tutorial 2025

From Template to Closed Deals

A template gives you structure. But structure alone doesn’t close deals.

What separates good salespeople from great ones is execution: customising the problem to each prospect, finding proof that resonates, handling objections with confidence, and closing with clarity.

The Executive Slide System includes this sales presentation template plus 9 more — all with AI prompts for rapid customisation and before/after examples showing how to transform generic decks into deal-closers.

What’s Included: Free vs Paid

Feature	Free Checklist	Executive Slide System (£39)
7-step sales structure	✅	✅
What to include per slide	✅	✅
Ready-to-use PowerPoint template	—	✅
Before/after examples	—	✅
AI customisation prompts	—	30 prompts
9 additional templates	—	✅

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a sales presentation be?

Match your presentation length to your meeting time minus 30% for discussion. For a 30-minute meeting, prepare 20 minutes of content. For a 60-minute meeting, prepare 40 minutes. The best sales presentations leave room for conversation — that’s where deals close.

Should I send the deck before or after the meeting?

After, always. Sending before lets prospects form opinions without context. Present first, then send a follow-up version with additional detail they can share internally. The follow-up deck can be longer — it’s a leave-behind, not a presentation.

How many slides should a sales presentation have?

12-18 slides for a 30-minute presentation. The 7-step structure typically produces: 1 hook, 2-3 problem, 2-3 solution, 2-3 proof, 1-2 differentiation, 1-2 investment, 1 next steps. Add an appendix for detailed specs if needed.

What if the prospect asks about price early?

Give a range, then redirect: “Investment typically runs £X-Y depending on scope. Let me show you what drives that range — and more importantly, the ROI clients see.” Don’t avoid price, but don’t let it derail your structure before you’ve established value.

How do I handle competitors coming up during the presentation?

Welcome it: “Great question — let me show you how we compare.” Your differentiation section should anticipate this. If they mention a competitor you didn’t address, pivot to your “only we” statements. Never badmouth — always redirect to your unique value.

Related Resources

• Executive Presentation Template: 12 Slides That Command the Room
• Investor Pitch Deck Template: The Sequoia Format That Raised Billions
• Board Presentation Template: The Executive Guide
• QBR Presentation Template: Keep Clients Engaged
• Best Copilot PowerPoint Prompts That Actually Work