The Common Template Mistakes Presentation Designers Have To Fix
And why AI is making them worse
My clients often come to me with presentation decks and templates that need updating or reworking before I can use them effectively for whatever I’m creating for them. This is generally because the template being used has issues. While this has always been the case, now AI is compounding the problems.
AI is getting better at presentation design. It’s making it easier for non-designers to create decent-looking presentations. However, it’s actually starting to cause more problems – and some of the problems are getting harder to fix. Making sure you have an experienced designer when you need one – and knowing where AI can be a real issue – is key.
Why you need a robust template for your presentations
A template gives you the backbone and guidelines for your presentation decks. It makes sure all your slides – and all your decks – are consistent, professional, and on brand. Fonts, colours, layouts, and so on should be the same throughout. Your template is the guide that makes sure every presentation uses and builds on your brand identity.
You won’t notice when a template is used properly. However, when something is off, it can be very obvious.
The template mistakes I fix most as a professional presentation designer
1. Old slides dropped into a new template
Most companies update their templates from time to time (if you don’t, it’s probably time for a refresh!). Old slides need to be redone and replaced. Often people don’t know (or care) that the old ones should no longer be used.
If old slides and styles are still available and an employee would need to do some work to them to get them to match the new style, they’ll often just use what they already have. Sometimes they might update bits, but not always to the standard you need. You can end up with old and new fonts, colours, logos, and layouts in the same slide or from one to the next. Any differences might seem minimal at first glance, but can be visually jarring.
How I fix it: I rebuild each slide of my clients’ decks rather than patching in bits and pieces here and there and hoping for the best.
2. Various masters in one deck
Some companies have more than one master template. This can be because they have templates for various types of presentation decks or because they’ve updated their master over the years and not deleted older versions. This means you can end up with a confused deck that comes with various master files. It can produce a heavy, chaotic, and confusing-to-edit result.
How I fix it: I start again or strip the deck back to one master. Any missing slides can be rebuilt at this point, creating a brand new master template that is fit for purpose.
3. A resized template
This can sometimes happen when people need (or use) a non-standard size for their presentation. You’ll see odd font sizes and elements will reposition themselves. Again, this can look very strange and doesn’t do anything for your brand reputation or inspire confidence.
How I fix it: I rebuild the slides at the right size and set the text to the template’s styles.
4. No template at all
This is increasingly common and is almost always caused by using AI to create presentation slides without a template. If AI slides are pasted into a deck the designer then has to fix any inconsistencies. The same is the case for entire decks created with AI.
How I fix it: this often requires a lot more work as I have to start from scratch and create a new slide for each non-templated or AI one.
How and why AI is making presentation-design mistakes worse
AI doesn’t know your brand
If AI has to guess your brand colours, logos, and fonts from what it can find online, they are likely to come out wrong. It can take a lot of work to get everything right again.
AI gives you more words - that mean less
The copy AI produces might sound impressive but usually says very little of value. Fewer words are better on presentation slides and they have to tell your story strategically.
People send designers screenshots instead of actual slides
This means we can’t edit anything and therefore have to extract everything to rebuild it.
Clients are noticing AI and don’t appreciate it
It’s tempting to use AI for presentation decks and pitch submissions. On the surface it seems quicker, easier, and cheaper. We’re seeing large marketing teams who are starting to really lean into it. However, clients are starting to notice and penalise those agencies and businesses whose work has not had sufficient, professional human input.
Designers are feeling it
Dealing with the fallout from AI presentation designs has dominated conversations among presentation designers for a while now. Cleaning up AI templates and decks takes longer than normal ones. Some designers are now charging more for this reason.
You don’t have to stop using AI for presentations
AI is not intrinsically bad or wrong. As with everything, it’s about knowing when and where to use it – and when not to.
A professional presentation designer knows exactly when AI could be used and when they shouldn’t even think about it. I explain to my clients what I do and don’t use AI for. For example, I’ll use AI to pull text out of a screenshot so I don’t have to retype it myself because it saves time – but I’ll always compare the result to ensure it matches the original.
If you’re using AI for your presentations:
Use if for thinking, not the actual design
Edit the text: cut as much as you can and think about your brand voice and the story you’re telling
Rebuild your content in your template, don’t just paste in an AI slide
Send your designer the files, not a screenshot
When you need a real presentation designer
If you want a truly professional investor deck, pitch deck, or template you can use consistently and with confidence, you need a professional presentation designer. I know PowerPoint inside out and spend my days creating presentations.
A designer understands how templates work beneath the surface
We rebuild rather than patch up so the same problems don’t keep cropping up
We keep your brand consistent even when numerous people are working on your decks
We think about strategy, structure, and story and edit as the circumstances require. We’re not attached to the content or too close to it
We use AI as a tool only when it can enhance, not as a shortcut or without understanding the implications
Your presentation is often the first thing of note that a prospective client or investor sees of your business. It needs to make an impact – and the right impact. If your decks are problematic, or you need a template that’s built to last, why not get in touch?