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Free Business Templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides

Make your business presentations stand out with these free templates. Perfect for your next pitch, data analysis and ideas.

Download them to use with PowerPoint or edit them in Google Slides and start creating!

Formal B&W free PowerPoint Template and Google Slides Theme Ever feel like you just need a clean slate to get your ideas down?  This simple black and white presentation template is perfect for those times.  With its classic look, it won’t distract from your content,  allowing you to focus on structuring your thoughts […]

Simple and Formal Black & White free presentation template.

Looking to create a modern and engaging marketing presentation? Check out this free flat design marketing template for PowerPoint and Google Slides! This template utilizes a flat and clean aesthetic with geometric shapes and an orange and purple color scheme. It’s perfect for grabbing your audience’s attention and presenting your […]

Flat design Marketing Analysis template, free for PPT and Google Slides.

Launching a new business is exciting! But crafting the perfect introduction to potential customers can take time. This pre-designed template can help you quickly showcase your new venture.  This template is easy to customize with your information, logos and images, allowing you to create a professional brochure in no time. […]

Business Brochure / School Newsletter free template for Google Slides and PPT.

Make a lasting impression on your audience with this free and professional PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme. This template has a clean and modern design and features a peach color accent that you can modify easily to match your brand colors or preferences. Whether you’re preparing for a captivating […]

Formal peach free ppt template and Google Slides theme.

Nail your next business pitch without the design fuss! Grab attention with this sleek, minimalist theme for PowerPoint and Google Slides. Let your content shine with clean layouts and minimal distractions. With this free template you can focus on the message: Highlight key points, data, and visuals without overwhelming your audience. A […]

Pitch with Confidence: Free minimalist theme for a powerful business presentation.

Elevate Your Presentations with Earthy Elegance and Sophistication with this free PowerPoint Template and Google Slides Theme. Beth is a stunning free template for Google Slides and PowerPoint, featuring a soothing palette of earthy tones, organic shapes, and leaves. The template is designed to exude a sense of natural elegance […]

Beth, elegant and versatile free template.

A free PowerPoint and Google Slides template with retro lines and a grunge background.  Rigel is a simple yet versatile PowerPoint and Google Slides template that is perfect for your next professional presentation. The template features a modern blue and green color scheme that can be easily customized to match […]

Rigel, retro lines free template.

Simple and Professional free PowerPoint Template and Google Slides Theme This simple and professional template is the definition of minimalism. If what you are looking for is simplicity and just a touch of color, this is the perfect presentation template whether if you are a PowerPoint user or a Google […]

Simple & Professional free powerpoint and google slides template.

My Portfolio free PowerPoint Template and Google Slides Theme A simple and elegant template to present your portfolio or business idea in a chic way. It has many placeholders for images to showcase your products and its design features simple lines and a few stars. Download it today and conquer […]

My Portfolio, free Google Slides and PowerPoint template.

Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme. Non linear interactive business presentation theme. This template can be used for a business presentation, to prepare a lesson with different chapters or even as a weekly planner renaming each section as days of the week. To use it for a business presentation, […]

Formal presentation template with interactive menu.

Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme. Free colorful presentation template. Bauhaus is perfect for introducing multiple presenters right from the start. Select the pictures on the first slide and replace them for yours and your colleagues. Use a tool such as remove. bg to remove their background and then […]

Bauhaus, multiple presenters template.

Free PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme. Free presentation theme for webinars or professional developments sessions. If you are preparing your next webinar or if you are planning an online PD session, Camille free template for Google Slides or PowerPoint is a fantastic option. Camille is simple, a bit formal, […]

Camille, PD presentation template.

Free Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides Presentations Norris Well, this one is no Chuck, but I bet it can cause the same impact! Perfect for presentations about technology, cybersecurity, cloud computing, servers or communications. If you need the accent color to match your brand, or if you just want to […]

Norris Free Template for Google Slides or PowerPoint Presentations

Free Template for PowerPoint or Google Slides Presentations Hobart Hobart free template for Google Slides or PowerPoint has a clean design, perfect for your next professional presentation. Get your slides ready in no time and successfully communicate your message in your next meeting. Colors can be modified to match your brand […]

Hobart Free Formal Template for Google Slides or PowerPoint Presentations

Free Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides Presentations Lloyd Lloyd is inspired by editorial design and it’s perfect for a business presentation or your next conference. We chose blue because it produces a calming effect and it’s often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence and […]

Lloyd Free Presentation template for Google Slides or PowerPoint

Business presentation templates

Create engaging business presentations in minutes with these flexible templates — they are free to use and extremely easy to customize.

Explore our extensive collection of 39 business PowerPoint and Google Slides templates , designed to help you create polished, professional presentations.

These templates cater to a wide range of corporate needs, from proposals and reports to sales pitches and company overviews. With sleek designs, clean layouts, and customizable elements, our business templates allow you to easily adapt your presentation to your brand identity and specific requirements.

Whether you’re a startup entrepreneur, a seasoned executive, or a team leader, our templates will help you achieve your goals and elevate your brand.

Rocket Startup Template

Google Slides , POTX

SWOT Team Template

Businesswoman Postures Template

Businessman Poses Template

Sale Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides

Business Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides

Finance Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides

Downtown Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides

NEWSPAPER Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides

Office Drops Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides

Finance & Business Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides

Google Slides , PPTX

Voonex – Business Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides

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Top 20 Free Templates For Corporate And Business Presentations

When you hear the words ‘corporate presentation’ or ‘business presentation,’ what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Serious ? Informative ? Or are you thinking more like boring and yawn-inducing ? Whichever adjective comes to your mind, know that you can break away from the corporate presentation stereotype. How? By using modern-looking PowerPoint templates. In this article, I’ve compiled a list of the top 20 free templates for corporate and business presentations.

But before I give you the list, here are some common reasons you may want to use these templates for your next presentation:

• You don’t have time to design your slides from scratch

Even if you know your way around presentations and graphic design, you don’t have the time to create your presentation slides from scratch. Now, most business templates you’ll find on the web look like amateurs made them. But fret no more. This article will give you the links to all the best free corporate and business presentation templates you’ll ever find online.

• You’re not a design expert

If creativity and design are your weak points, then worry no more. These 20 templates will be literal life-savers! You no longer need to take a few days off from work just to finish your presentation. You’ll simply need to devote a few hours to customize these templates and you’ll have your slides ready in a few!

• You don’t want to spend $$$ on a premium business template

While there are advantages to using premium templates, they can easily set you back by $50 or so. While it may not sound like much in the grand scheme of things, a price tag of $0 is a very attractive alternative. Why spend money when you can download a professionally-designed template for free, right?

So, without further ado, here are the top 20 free templates for corporate and business presentations you can download right now!

• 26 Slide Corporate Template Pack by 24Slides

No matter how long or short your presentation is, you’ll find something useful in this 26-slide template pack. It doesn’t even matter what industry you’re in. If you need a quick and professional template, look no further than this!

You can use this template to outline your organizational chart. You can also use it to simplify your complex business processes. If you’re doing a business proposal, you can use some of the slides to explain how your plan will work and how it’s going to materialize.

• Corporate Free Presentation Template by SlideForest

This template pack from SlideForest comes with 8 slides. It may not sound like much, but if you’re an avid Apple Keynote or Google Slides user, then you’ll be happy to know that this pack comes in 3 different file formats. There’s (1) PPTX for PowerPoint, (2) KEY file for Apple Keynote, and (3) GS file for Google Slides.

You can use this pack to give a little background about your company, your social media statistics, and your business process. You can even share a bit about your team’s travel adventures!

• Light Themed Corporate Presentation Template by 24Slides

If you need a light-themed PPT template for your presentation, then you need to check this 14-slide template pack right away. With shades of violet, pink and green, this template is bound to capture people’s attention. The icons, graphics and diagrams included in the slides are all on point, and will look good in any business or corporate presentation!

• Regulus by Jun Akizaki

If you want a stylish and elegant-looking template, then make sure to check out Regulus. This template may have been published in 2014, but this is still as relevant today as it was 5 years ago. It includes 22 slides and uses 4 different color themes – pink, blue, green, and yellow. The dark wood background provides a nice contrast to the various elements on the foreground.

• Corporate PowerPoint Template Pack by 24Slides

With fuchsia and dark blue highlights, this 14-slide template pack will fit right in in most boardroom meetings and presentations. Use the agenda slide to outline your plan for your meeting and let everyone know what to expect. The process delivery slide can showcase every step of your process – whatever it may be. The product comparison slide is perfect for weighing the pros and cons of your products.

• Trine by Gabriele Romagnoli

As you can see on the screenshot above, this template pack is quite the looker. It has over 50 slides included and comes in two color schemes: aqua and dark wood. Each slide comes in two variants (dark/light), so if you’re a fan of dark backgrounds, you’ll love this pack. Best of all, you can use these for all kinds of presentations too – not just corporate ones!

• Corporate Package of 20 Slides by 24Slides

If you intend to cover a bit of everything in your presentation, then you may want to download this 20-slide template pack. It’s got a lot of graphics and charts included. So, if you intend to use a pie chart, line chart, SWOT analysis, gear process, before and after comparisons, calendars, and more, then this may be the perfect template for you.

• Nowco Free Corporate Template by Kata Ragasits

You don’t need to go over the top to get your audience to pay attention to your presentation. You just need to download the Nowco template. It is a perfect example of a template that strikes a nice balance between minimalism, functionality and design. The author has labeled what each slide is for. So, you can go through the different slides and pick out what’s most relevant to your needs.

• Corporate Data Presentation Template Pack by 24Slides

If you need to give a presentation with lots of graphs and charts, then this is the right template for you. This 9-slide template is all about visualizing data. We’ve included a bar chart, several pie charts, stacked bar chart, and stacked line chart. There’s also a dashboard slide to give your audience a bird’s eye view of your corporate data sets.

• Corporate Sales Management PowerPoint Template by PowerPointify

As you can see in the screenshot above, this 10-slide template pack comes in a blue background. The smartly-dressed human icons that are present on every slide will add a nice corporate touch to your presentation. You can use the slides to introduce your team, outline your goals, direction and progress. There’s also a couple of slides dedicated to presenting the challenges you’ve faced, your growth and ultimately, your success.

• Business Clean Presentation by Aleksandr Babin

There are 15 slides included in this free template pack. If you find this a bit lacking, then the good news is that the author also sells a much more comprehensive premium version (150+ unique slides) on Graphic River. However, for most quick corporate presentations, the free version is good enough to use as a starting point. You can simply duplicate some of the slides and edit the elements as you see fit. To download, simply type $0 on the field, “Name a fair price,” and click the Purchase button.

• Competitor PowerPoint Template by 24Slides

If you have done no competitor research at all, then you’re potentially leaving a lot of money on the table. It’s important to know your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses, and why customers flock to them. Study the competition and find out how you can fill a specific gap in the market. Then use this PPT template pack to present your findings to your stakeholders.

• Free SWOT Diagram PowerPoint Templates by SlideForest

You need to invest some time to do a thorough SWOT analysis. You don’t want to leave any stone unturned, or else your decision-making skills may be adversely affected. With that said, if you don’t want to settle for plain, old bullet points to present your SWOT analysis, then this template pack will surely help you out. You can choose from 8 different SWOT diagrams. Choose the ones that appeal most to you, and replace the placeholder text with the results of your SWOT analysis.

• Exclusive Free PowerPoint Template by Slidesmash

If you’re looking for an exclusive template, something that’s only unique to you, well, you need to keep looking. But if you don’t mind using something other people have downloaded as well, then the so-called ‘Exclusive’ Free Template may be perfect for your presentation! This template pack includes 25 slides in 16:9 widescreen layout. From the introduction to the ‘meat’ of your discussion, this pack has all the slides you need.

• Business Presentation Template by 24Slides

This 20-slide template is perfect for any kind of business presentation. You don’t want to bore your audience off with plenty of text-based slides. Instead, you want to use something like this template pack. It’s packed with graphs and charts that you can use in your presentation. From organizational charts to Gantt charts, mind maps and timelines, and everything in between, this template has got you covered. You can even use this to share your social media statistics or describe your marketing funnel. Check this template out today and add it to your personal template library!

• Business Pitch by RRGraph Design

This is one of the most helpful free templates I’ve downloaded on the web so far. In addition to the PPT file, the author also includes a help guide in PDF format. The guide will show you how you can change the logo, header, footer, color theme, images, adjust the layouts, and edit the placeholders. To download this 10-slide template pack, just hit the social media like or share buttons. The download link will then appear on your screen.

• Business PowerPoint Template by Slide Fabric

This free 15-slide PowerPoint template distinguishes itself from all the other templates in this list. How? Well, the authors have added slide transitions and animations, so that’s one less thing you need to worry about.

As you can see in the screenshot above, the template pack already looks great on its own. You don’t need to do a whole lot of changes to make your very own corporate or business presentation slides. All you need to do really is just replace the placeholder content with your own, delete any unnecessary slides, and call it a day!

• Business Roadmap PowerPoint Template by 24Slides

You don’t want to leave your business’ success to pure luck. Instead, you need to spend considerable time and effort planning every aspect of your business. As in, plan everything from A to Z. If you’re trying to persuade potential investors and/or your stakeholders to invest a considerable sum of money on your business, then you should spend most of your time learning how to become a better presenter .

It’s nerve-wracking enough presenting in front of others. So, you should download this 10-slide template pack to make your life less complicated. It’s got all the slides you need to present your business roadmap. It’s got charts and diagrams to give your audience a nice, colorful visual aid during your presentation.

• Vega by ThePopp

This template pack is best used by brands that embody the meaning of fun and youthfulness. It’s vibrant and colorful, and a younger audience may be better appreciative of the slide design.

The author has been generous enough to include 89 slides in this template pack. So, you need not be afraid of running out of presentation slides anytime soon. They’ve also bundled free icons as well as two PPT versions in the zip file. One has built-in animations and transitions while the other has none. Pick which one you like best and start customizing it!

• Aemelia Presentation Template by Slides Carnival

Sometimes, you don’t need to use something flashy to make your corporate or business presentation stand out. A simple, but well-designed template pack like Aemelia may be enough to do the job for you. This 25-slide template pack uses transparent icons as a pattern. This is a great design choice because it looks great no matter what background color you choose. You can download the file as a PowerPoint file or use it as a Google Slides theme.

Have You Downloaded Your Favorite Templates Yet?

If you have, then good for you! Otherwise, you better get cracking. I’ve handpicked these 100% free templates for corporate and business presentations especially for you. If you’ve done all the hard work, but you’re not 100% satisfied with it, then why don’t you let our in-house designers fix your slides for you? Click here to know more about our presentation design services.

You might also find this interesting:

• 10 Ways To Repurpose Your Presentation Slides
• How to improve your business presentations in 2021
• Top Alternatives To SlidesCarnival Templates

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Business PowerPoint Templates for Presentations

Download Business PowerPoint Templates , diagrams and slide designs for making business presentations related to Marketing, Finance, Strategy and more.

Our business themed templates cater for presenter leads like no one else. Whether you need to make a BCG Matrix. SWOT analysis, data analysis curve, a complex business diagram or just a nice presentation to impress your audience, we have a template for you.

Our Business PowerPoint Templates include slide designs that have been made for specific types of business presentation topics, as well as template designs that are simple enough to accommodate any type of business presentation topic.

Featured Templates

Editable Business Model Canvas PowerPoint Template

Business Plan PowerPoint Templates

Business Case Study PowerPoint Template

Business Review PowerPoint Template

Weekly Operations Meeting PowerPoint Template

Daily Product Team Updates PowerPoint Template

Creative Business Company Profile PowerPoint Template

Professional Client Meeting PowerPoint Template

Client Meeting Presentation Template

Phygital Product Launch Strategy PowerPoint Template

Consulting Proposal PowerPoint Template

Corporate Presentation Slide Deck Template

Autonomy Mastery Purpose PowerPoint Template

Investment Opportunity PowerPoint Template

Equity Investment PowerPoint Template

Investment Pitch Book PowerPoint Template

A business is an organization where people collaborate to consistently work on tasks that drive them to a set goal. Businesses are meant to solve consumers’ immediate needs by selling products or rendering services, and businesses profit from the products and services it provides. The Business Powerpoint Templates are ready-made designs created to depict Business, Finance, Strategy, Analysis, etc.

Each template is designed with different PowerPoint elements and serves a unique purpose. You can apply them to different situations in the business presentations, and alternatively, you can use the Company Presentation Template. Business Slides vary depending on the situation you are considering using them for, but we have templates suitable for all business tasks.

Choose from our creatively designed Business PPT Template to help you save time, energy, and resources in your next presentation. Using any of these templates makes your business presentation visually appealing and communicates efficiently to your audience without hassle. They are all downloadable and 100% editable. Browse through our collection of Business Presentation Templates to select the one suitable for your next presentation. You can try out the Go To Market Strategy Template for PowerPoint that demonstrates an extensive account of your company’s marketing strategy. Organizations use it to introduce an improved value proposition to the targeted market segment.

In addition, our Business Presentation PowerPoint Templates are compatible with both Mac and Windows. They are also compatible with Keynote, Office365, and Google Slides. These templates are also available in various colors, styles, fonts, and font sizes, making them one-of-a-kind. The colors, icons, shapes, vector images, and other elements used for these Slides have been carefully chosen. You can change the color and edit the placeholder texts to your preference. It personalizes the slides, and your audience gets more connected.

How to make a captivating Business Presentation Template?

• Make a plan – create an outline that includes the main points and pieces of evidence you want to get across.
• Choose a slide deck – Select a slide deck that matches the tone of your presentation: the formality of your workplace, the content you are presenting, and your brand.
• Lead with a captivating and engaging story.
• Add catchy verbal signposts; it can be a tagline, etc.
• Rely on images and charts rather than text and tables.
• Incorporate audience interaction.
• Hold a few non-essential data points and end with a Question and Answer.

What are the advantages of using Company Presentation Templates?

PowerPoint backgrounds templates are extremely useful in business:

• They help maintain the company’s image in the eyes of the general public and your client base.
• It enables you to highlight the positive aspects of your company logically.
• It also lends credibility to your presentation, especially if you use graphs and charts to demonstrate your company’s financial success. It aids in maintaining a distinct yet consistent presentation style.
• It also keeps a company from becoming monotonous.

What should a business presentation include?

The following are the steps to creating a powerful company presentation:

• Discuss the company.
• Define the firm’s services.
• Describe the management and employees.
• Provide examples of previous projects.
• Provide feedback and testimonials.
• Keep it brief.
• Make use of a professional design.
• Be enthusiastic.

How do you make a good business presentation on PowerPoint?

Guidelines for creating powerful Business PowerPoint Presentations

• Create a consistent and simple design template with the slide master feature.
• Reduce the number of words on each screen and simplify it.
• Avoid using all capital letters and limiting punctuation.
• Text and background should be in contrasting colors.

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10 must-have slides in a business presentation

Nearly every professional, regardless of their role and field, will create and deliver a business presentation at some point in their career. Creating a slide deck takes a lot of preparation, including planning the content, structuring the slides, designing with appealing visuals and rehearsing the pitch.

  The 10-20-30 rule is a commonly used and much-praised structure for creating a business presentation. Following the 10-20-30 rule, the presenter should not present more than 10 slides, should not exceed 20 minutes, and should not use font sizes less than 30 point. Created by Guy Kawasaki , this method is for presenters to create and deliver impactful presentation.

  For a business deck, presenting your content in 10 slides can be a challenging task, as your messaging needs to be concise yet persuasive. Here are 10 slides that you should include in your business presentation to make your slide deck a success.

1. Title slide

This is the introduction slide that gives your audience an overview of what your presentation is about. Include important details like your topic, company name, logo, date of presentation, presenter name, and designation.

What makes a good title slide?

If you’re promoting a product or a service to your audience, then use a picture of it in the title slide instead of stock images. Provide crucial details that help your audience understand what they can expect from the session. Use a clean, simple font style in an appropriate size with a contrasting background to make the title easy to read.

2. Problem statement 

The objective of a business presentation should be to offer a solution to a business problem. Use this slide to define the problem for which you’re proposing a solution. Make your points clear, concise, and persuasive by highlighting the impact it has on the business.

What makes a good problem statement slide?

State the business problem you’ve set out to solve. Involve your audience by asking them if they have a solution to the above problem and then explain how your idea can impact the business. Make your content precise and easy to read without overwhelming your audience with too much information.

Define the goals you’re aiming to achieve through this presentation and list them as stages in your plan. Demonstrate your goals as points with a realistic timeline for each milestone.

What makes a good goals slide?

  Goals help set the direction for your business plan. Let’s say you’re launching a new product in the market and need to list the various milestones you’re aiming to accomplish to get the product to your audience. Instead of showcasing them as plain bullet points, break them down into milestones with timelines. Explain them in a few words and emphasize key points with animation effects and icons to make it visually appealing.

  4. Solution or Strategy

Now that you have mentioned the problem and set goals for your business, use this slide to talk about how you’re planning to achieve them. Write an overview of your strategy and plan of action and highlight the key points.

What makes a good solution slide?

Introduce your strategy with an impressive title and emphasize important content using text effects. Make your content compelling by highlighting the benefits of your strategy and presenting your solution as a narrative with eye-catching visuals and icons.

  5. Analysis

Your market, SWOT, and competitor analysis form an essential component in laying out your business plan in detail. Use supporting data in your business presentation to walk your audience through the analysis.

What makes a good analysis slide?

If your slide deck is for a product launch, then validate your strategy by including your analysis of the market, competitors, and your target customers to understand your position in the business. Instead of plain text, use charts and tables to explain your insights for these numbers. Bring your data to life with animation and text effects.

6. Financial plan and revenue    

Your business presentation should include your financial plan, revenue projections, and other relevant metrics necessary to measure the success of your business strategy.

What makes a good finance slide?

Present the budget required for different business stages like research, development, execution, marketing, etc. Use charts to break down your finances in planned stages. Add visuals and bring your charts to life with animation and effects.

Every business deck needs supporting data to validate your analysis and plan. Use charts and tables to help your audience understand your business position better.

  What makes a good data slide?

For business presentations like project management, add data to compare and analyze your plan and  identify  areas of improvement. Determine the best chart style to showcase your numbers and highlight the compelling data points, then add a line or two of your own conclusions from these numbers and explain them in detail during the presentation.

8. Timeline  

Setting up a timeline for your business is crucial as it establishes the direction, priorities, and roadmap for achieving your business goals. You can also use a timeline to showcase your company’s journey by featuring various milestones, starting with its inception and highlighting some of your prominent projects to date.

What makes a good timeline slide?

Make your timeline slide less text-heavy and more visual with a timeline chart to take your audience through the various milestones. Add visuals, icons, and path animations to make your timeline visually engaging.

Introducing your team members forms an integral part of your business presentation as its sends a strong message of your company’s expertise. For a small business, you can introduce all your employees, while bigger companies should introduce members crucial for the operation of your company.

What makes a good team slide?

For presentations like a project report or sales pitch, it’s necessary to include your team slide as the audience needs to know the members involved in the project. Include headshots of your team members with their title/designation, along with a short description of their role in the business.

10. Q&A or End Slide

This will be the closing slide of your business presentation and must leave a lasting impact on your audience. If you want to answer audience questions, schedule your Q&A session at the end of your presentation.

What makes a good end slide?

A good end slide recaps your overall presentation and contains your company’s important details. Close your presentation with a rhetorical question to make a thought-provoking impact on your audience.

  For nearly every type of business presentation or pitch, these ten slides will help you create a strong framework for your slide deck. However, don’t forget that different sorts of business presentations have their styles and needs based on the objective, industry, and the target audience. To learn more about some best practices for creating a presentation template for every industry,   take a look at our previous blog post .

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• Inspiration

23 presentation examples that really work (plus templates!)

• 30 Mar 2023

To help you in your quest for presentation greatness, we’ve gathered 23 of the best business presentation examples out there. These hand-picked ideas range from business PowerPoint presentations, to recruitment presentations, and everything in between.

As a bonus, several of our examples include editable video presentation templates from  Biteable .

Biteable allows anyone to create great video presentations — no previous video-making skills required. The easy-to-use platform has hundreds of brandable templates and video scenes designed with a business audience in mind. A video made with Biteable is just what you need to add that wow factor and make an impact on your audience.

Create videos that drive action

Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.

Video presentation examples

Video presentations are our specialty at Biteable. We love them because they’re the most visually appealing and memorable way to communicate.

1. Animated characters

Our first presentation example is a business explainer video from Biteable that uses animated characters. The friendly and modern style makes this the perfect presentation for engaging your audience.

Bonus template:  Need a business video presentation that reflects the beautiful diversity of your customers or team? Use  Biteable’s workplace scenes . You can change the skin tone and hair color for any of the animated characters.

2. Conference video

Videos are also ideal solutions for events (e.g. trade shows) where they can be looped to play constantly while you attend to more important things like talking to people and handing out free cheese samples.

For this event presentation sample below, we used bright colours, stock footage, and messaging that reflects the brand and values of the company. All these elements work together to draw the attention of passers-by.

For a huge selection of video presentation templates, take a look at our  template gallery .

Business PowerPoint presentation examples

Striking fear into the hearts of the workplace since 1987, PowerPoint is synonymous with bland, boring presentations that feel more like an endurance test than a learning opportunity. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Check out these anything-but-boring business PowerPoint presentation examples.

3. Design pointers

This PowerPoint presentation takes a tongue-in-cheek look at how the speakers and users of PowerPoint are the problem, not the software itself.

Even at a hefty 61 slides, the vintage theme, appealing colors, and engaging content keep the viewer interested. It delivers useful and actionable tips on creating a better experience for your audience.

Pixar, as you’d expect, redefines the meaning of PowerPoint in their “22 Rules for Phenomenal Storytelling”. The character silhouettes are instantly recognizable and tie firmly to the Pixar brand. The bright colour palettes are carefully chosen to highlight the content of each slide.

This presentation is a good length, delivering one message per slide, making it easy for an audience to take notes and retain the information.

Google slides examples

If you’re in business, chances are you’ll have come across  slide decks . Much like a deck of cards, each slide plays a key part in the overall ‘deck’, creating a well-rounded presentation.

If you need to inform your team, present findings, or outline a new strategy, slides are one of the most effective ways to do this.

Google Slides is one of the best ways to create a slide deck right now. It’s easy to use and has built-in design tools that integrate with Adobe, Lucidchart, and more. The best part — it’s free!

5. Teacher education

Here’s a slide deck that was created to educate teachers on how to use Google Slides effectively in a classroom. At first glance it seems stuffy and businessy, but if you look closer it’s apparent the creator knows his audience well, throwing in some teacher-friendly content that’s bound to get a smile.

The slides give walkthrough screenshots and practical advice on the different ways teachers can use the software to make their lives that little bit easier and educate their students at the same time.

6. Charity awareness raiser

This next Google slide deck is designed to raise awareness for an animal shelter. It has simple, clear messaging, and makes use of the furry friends it rescues to tug on heartstrings and encourage donations and adoptions from its audience.

Pro tip: Creating a presentation is exciting but also a little daunting. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed — especially if the success of your business or nonprofit depends on it.

Prezi presentation examples

If you haven’t come across  Prezi , it’s a great alternative to using static slides. Sitting somewhere between slides and a video presentation, it allows you to import other content and add motion to create a more engaging viewer experience.

7. Red Bull event recap

This Prezi was created to document the Red Bull stratosphere freefall stunt a few years ago. It neatly captures all the things that Prezi is capable of, including video inserts and the zoom effect, which gives an animated, almost 3D effect to what would otherwise be still images.  

Prezi has annual awards for the best examples of presentations over the year. This next example is one of the 2018 winners. It was made to highlight a new Logitech tool.

8. Logitech Spotlight launch

What stands out here are the juicy colors, bold imagery, and the way the designer has used Prezi to its full extent, including rotations, panning, fades, and a full zoom out to finish the presentation.

Sales presentation examples

If you’re stuck for ideas for your sales presentation, step right this way and check out this video template we made for you.

9. Sales enablement video presentation

In today’s fast-paced sales environment, you need a way to make your sales enablement presentations memorable and engaging for busy reps.  Sales enablement videos  are just the ticket. Use this video presentation template the next time you need to present on your metrics.

10. Zuroa sales deck

If you’re after a sales deck, you can’t go past this example from Zuora. What makes it great? It begins by introducing the worldwide shift in the way consumers are shopping. It’s a global phenomenon, and something we can all relate to.

It then weaves a compelling story about how the subscription model is changing the face of daily life for everyone. Metrics and testimonials from well-known CEOs and executives are included for some slamming social proof to boost the sales message.

Pitch presentation examples

Pitch decks are used to give an overview of business plans, and are usually presented during meetings with customers, investors, or potential partners.

11. Uber pitch deck

This is Uber’s original pitch deck, which (apart from looking a teensy bit dated) gives an excellent overview of their business model and clearly shows how they intended to disrupt a traditional industry and provide a better service to people. Right now, you’re probably very grateful that this pitch presentation was a winner.

You can make your own pitch deck with Biteable, or start with one of our  video templates  to make something a little more memorable.

12. Video pitch template

This video pitch presentation clearly speaks to the pains of everyone who needs to commute and find parking. It then provides the solution with its app that makes parking a breeze.

The video also introduces the key team members, their business strategy, and what they’re hoping to raise in funding. It’s a simple, clear pitch that positions the company as a key solution to a growing, worldwide problem. It’s compelling and convincing, as a good presentation should be.

13. Fyre Festival pitch deck

The most epic example of a recent pitch deck is this one for Fyre Festival – the greatest event that never happened. Marvel at its persuasion, gasp at the opportunity of being part of the cultural experience of the decade, cringe as everything goes from bad to worse.

Despite the very public outcome, this is a masterclass in how to create hype and get funding with your pitch deck using beautiful imagery, beautiful people, and beautiful promises of riches and fame.

Business presentation examples

Need to get the right message out to the right people? Business presentations can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

Simply press play and let your video do the talking. No fumbling your words and sweating buckets in front of those potential clients, just you being cool as a cucumber while your presentation does the talking.

Check out two of our popular templates that you can use as a starting point for your own presentations. While they’re business-minded, they’re definitely not boring.

14. Business intro template

Modern graphics, animations, and upbeat soundtracks keep your prospects engaged as they learn about your business, your team, your values, and how you can help them.

15. Business explainer template

Research presentation examples.

When you’re giving a more technical presentation such as research findings, you need to strike the perfect balance between informing your audience and making sure they stay awake.

As a rule, slides are more effective for research presentations, as they are used to support the speaker’s knowledge rather can capture every small detail on screen.

With often dry, complex, and technical subject matter, there can be a temptation for presentations to follow suit. Use images instead of walls of text, and keep things as easy to follow as possible.

16. TrackMaven research deck

TrackMaven uses their endearing mascot to lighten up this data-heavy slide deck. The graphs help to bring life to their findings, and they ensure to only have one bite-size takeaway per slide so that viewers can easily take notes.

17. Wearable tech research report

Obviously, research can get very researchy and there’s not a lot to be done about it. This slide deck below lays out a ton of in-depth information but breaks it up well with quotes, diagrams, and interesting facts to keep viewers engaged while it delivers its findings on wearable technology.

Team presentation examples

Motivating your team can be a challenge at the best of times, especially when you need to gather them together for….another presentation!

18. Team update template

We created this presentation template as an example of how to engage your team. In this case, it’s for an internal product launch. Using colorful animation and engaging pacing, this video presentation is much better than a static PowerPoint, right?

19. Officevibe collaboration explainer

This short slide deck is a presentation designed to increase awareness of the problems of a disengaged team. Bright colors and relevant images combine with facts and figures that compel viewers to click through to a download to learn more about helping their teams succeed.

Recruitment presentation examples

Recruiting the right people can be a challenge. Presentations can help display your team and your business by painting a dynamic picture of what it’s like to work with you.

Videos and animated slides let you capture the essence of your brand and workplace so the right employees can find you.

20. Company culture explainer

If you’re a recruitment agency, your challenge is to stand out from the hundreds of other agencies in the marketplace.

21. Kaizen culture

Showcasing your agency using a slide deck can give employers and employees a feel for doing business with you. Kaizen clearly displays its credentials and highlights its brand values and personality here (and also its appreciation of the coffee bean).

Explainer presentation examples

Got some explaining to do? Using an explainer video is the ideal way to showcase products that are technical, digital, or otherwise too difficult to explain with still images and text.

Explainer videos help you present the features and values of your product in an engaging way that speaks to your ideal audience and promotes your brand at the same time.

22. Product explainer template

23. lucidchart explainer.

Lucidchart does a stellar job of using explainer videos for their software. Their series of explainers-within-explainers entertains the viewer with cute imagery and an endearing brand voice. At the same time, the video is educating its audience on how to use the actual product. We (almost) guarantee you’ll have more love for spiders after watching this one.

Make a winning video presentation with Biteable

Creating a winning presentation doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. Modern slide decks and video software make it easy for you to give compelling presentations that sell, explain, and educate without sending your audience to snooze town.

For the best online video presentation software around, check out Biteable. The intuitive platform does all the heavy lifting for you, so making a video presentation is as easy as making a PowerPoint.

Use Biteable’s brand builder to automatically fetch your company colors and logo from your website and apply them to your entire video with the click of a button. Even add a  clickable call-to-action  button to your video.

Share your business presentation anywhere with a single, trackable URL and watch your message turn into gold.

Make stunning videos with ease.

Take the struggle out of team communication.

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Business PowerPoint Templates

Download 100% free business powerpoint templates & presentation slides.

Browse our collection of free Business PowerPoint templates & presentation slides. This collection includes original designs and effects that you can use freely for your presentation needs. This free Business PowerPoint template collection includes quality corporate PPT template designs, management strategy presentations, and other business-related templates. The perfect resource for presenters looking for free business presentation templates, including C-Level teams, managers, MBA students, and corporate personnel that need to create high-quality presentations.

Free Finance PowerPoint Template

Free Company Meeting PowerPoint Template

Free Go-To-Market Strategy PowerPoint Template

Free Monopoly PowerPoint Template

Digital Leadership and Innovation PowerPoint Template

Free SWOT Analysis PowerPoint Template

Free Payment Methods PowerPoint Template

STAR Interview Method PowerPoint Template

Free Teamwork in Business PowerPoint Template

Free Networking PowerPoint Template

Global Trade Company PowerPoint Template

Free Business Proposal Presentation Template

Every day, millions of business presentations are held. Presenters from around the globe create business presentations for various purposes, from persuading business presentations and sales pitches to technical business presentations for training on a new technology or concept. In this category, you can find creative business presentation designs and Business PowerPoint templates with pre-made slides that you can easily use in various business presentation topics.

You can find free themes, for example, for quality management, Human Resources HR PowerPoint, time management PowerPoint templates and even more business PPT templates like Creative Thinking Skills PowerPoint template . This is a good resource also for Marketing PowerPoint Templates or Business Backgrounds for PowerPoint or business presentation PowerPoint templates to master your strategic thinking.

What is a business presentation?

Business presentations are used in companies or organizations to sell an idea or product, for training purposes, for a workshop, or to motivate the audience. There are different types of business presentations, from persuading business presentations to business presentations for training.

How do you download business PowerPoint templates?

In this category, you can find free business presentation templates with pre-designed themes and backgrounds that can help save work hours. But if you are looking for more professional templates, you can download the free PowerPoint presentation slides available on our site.

We will send you our curated collections to your email weekly. No spam, promise!

20 Best Business PowerPoint Templates – Free & Premium

When the need is to make an impactful stand-out business presentation to your clients, partners or potential investors, then using a default Microsoft PowerPoint template may not be enough. To design a winning PowerPoint presentation, you need the right tools or in this case, PowerPoint templates.

That’s why in this article, we have rounded up some of the most impressive and best business PowerPoint templates that you can download and customize with your content, images, and colors to build stunning presentations. Whether you’re working on a business plan presentation, presenting a business portfolio or a startup pitch deck, you will find below a selection of professional and high quality templates to suit your requirement.

These PowerPoint templates come with all the slides necessary to present your company data and business profile. They will help you save time and make creating a professional looking business presentation easier. Our collection includes both premium and free PowerPoint templates and they are put in different sections for easy browsing. Let’s dive in!

Free Business PowerPoint Templates

To start with, we list down some of the best free business PowerPoint templates. Some of these templates are also available for download in Google Slides and Keynote versions as well. All these PowerPoint presentation templates allow free personal and/or commercial usage.

1. Cranford Free Business Presentation Template

Cranford free presentation template has a very professional and formal set of layouts that will be great to use during your next business presentation. From presenting financial reports to introducing your company and business to your potential investors, this PowerPoint template will help you create a persuasive presentation. Free download includes 16:9 HD slides for PowerPoint, Keynote and Google Slides theme.

2. Free PowerPoint Presentation Template

This free PPT template has a clean design and you can download it for free. The template comes with 30 unique slides and is designed in 16:9 format. Easy to customize to include your own background images and color to support your content and creating an engaging presentation for your business such as consulting, IT or any other topic. Perfect to present a team update or goal, or pitch internal projects.

3. Cool Startup Business Plan PowerPoint Template

This free minimal PowerPoint template and Google Slides theme is a great choice for startups for translating their business plan into a visual presentation for their potential investors. Use of illustrations , minimal line icons and in-trend outline fonts is bound to capture attention and make your presentation stand out.

4. Selfone – App Showcase PowerPoint Template

Selfone is a beautiful and free PowerPoint Template to showcase your app or product. Includes 32 slides, SVG icons , vector based maps as well as mockups to allow you to easily present your app on all smartphones and screens. On downloading, you also get Keynote and Google Slides files along with PowerPoint slides.

Related: App Landing Page Templates

5. Free PowerPoint Pitch Deck Template

Designed specifically for startups and entrepreneurs, this free PowerPoint pitch deck template features slides tailored to cover all the main points of seed/Series A pitch and winning wording examples to help you streamline your copywriting for your own deck. It is also available for Keynote.

6. Musetto – Modern Business PowerPoint Template

Musetto PowerPoint template has a clean and modern design with a warm, beige color theme. You can use it for any type of business presentation and easily customize it to fit your branding. Available for free download in PPT and PPTX formats. You can also get its full version with 50 slides from Creative Market .

7. Spark Business Free PowerPoint Template

With Spark, a free template, you can give a professional touch to your PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations. It includes 20 semi-transparent illustrations of different concepts making it versatile for use on any topic. Comes with 25 dark theme slides, 80 customizable icons and world maps.

8. Minimalist Business Slides

Featuring a simple, minimalist design, these presentation slides will make your content the highlight of your next business meeting. Designed for both Microsoft PowerPoint & Google Slides, it contains 35 different slides in 16:9 widescreen format, editable graphics such as graphs, tables, timelines and mockups to present your data in a clear and easy to understand way.

9. Free Annual Report PowerPoint Template

A free business PowerPoint template you can use to create annual report presentations for your project or company. This template includes 20+ unique slides with animated transition effects and easily customizable layouts.

10. Free Business Plan PowerPoint Template

This free PowerPoint template is a great choice for designing slideshows for presenting your business plans and strategies in meetings. It includes 17 clean and modern slides that will fit any kind of business use.

11. Creative Company PowerPoint Template

If you are in a creative business and want your business presentation to be as creative as the work you do, this free PowerPoint template is a perfect fit for you. It has 35 unique slides with illustrations, abstract and wavy shapes for creating eye-catching visuals to complement your content.

Also see: Creative Digital Agency Website Templates

12. Bara: Free Business PowerPoint Template

Bara has over 130 presentation slides with tons of elements, layouts, maps, infographics, charts and icons, everything you need for creating an impressive business presentation. It’s available in both PowerPoint and Keynote versions.

13. Free Neumorphic PowerPoint Template

A free PowerPoint presentation template in trendy neumorphic design style. Includes light and dark themes. Free version has 8 animated slides, you can also get its full version that has 260 animated templates editable in PowerPoint and Illustrator.

Premium Business PowerPoint Templates

In this section, you will find a selection of premium business PowerPoint templates that are available at an affordable pricing. With your purchase, you also get free support and updates for these templates. Please note that links to these templates are affiliate.

1. Bontance – Corporate PowerPoint Template

Bontance is a clean business PowerPoint (.PPTX) template designed for a variety of purposes including creative studios, photography and portfolio showcase. Available with Envato Elements subscription, this template offers a set of 40 master slide layouts with image placeholder, easy color change, image drag and drop, vector icons and much more.

2. Be. Clean & Modern Business PowerPoint Template

Be. is a minimalist and modern PowerPoint template that effectively uses images and impactful headings in its slide design. The template comes with over 125 unique slides, 550 font icons and editable vector graphics to give you full control of the customization. Ideal for product and portfolios presentation. File formats: .pptx & .ppt.

3. Professional Business Plan PowerPoint Template

With a simple yet powerful design, this business PowerPoint template includes creative photo layouts, infographics, tables and diagrams to show your business plan, strategy and company profile in a professional way.

It has 94 creative slides for highlighting your vision, guiding principles, problem/solutions, product concept and much more. Also compatible with Canva, Keynote and Google Slides.

4. Project Proposal PowerPoint Template

Presenting a project proposal or a business idea? This project proposal PowerPoint template can help you save time in making a successful project proposal presentation.

This professional PPT template comes in 2 aspect ratios: 4:3, 16:9, with plenty of easy to edit PowerPoint professional slides that are 100% customizable and tons of free vector icons and over 125 + theme colors.

5. Forade – Tech Business PowerPoint Template

If you are working on a tech startup or business presentation, then this PowerPoint template is an ideal fit for you. Features 30 unique slides in a dark theme that you can easily customize thanks to image placeholders and master slides.

6. Strive – Business Creative Studio PowerPoint

Strive is a stylish PowerPoint template you can use to design presentations for modern startups and creative studios. It includes 30+ high resolution 1920×1080 px slides that are easy to customize with your content. Its striking color scheme, clean layout and typography will make your presentation stand out.

7. Down – Business PowerPoint Template (.PPTX)

Down is a modern PowerPoint template designed for various corporate and business presentations such as creative agency, company profile, photography, pitch deck, and even for personal portfolio presentation. It comes with 39 slides, slides with infographic, clustered chart, dashboard and pie chart, vector icons are also provided to help you customize them.

Creating a visually attractive presentation is crucial to ensure a successful outcome. With these editable business PowerPoint templates at your disposal, you can ready your presentation in no time. These free illustrations and images may come in handy in customizing these templates.

You might as well find these resources useful:

• Best Minimal PowerPoint Templates
• Best Professional PowerPoint Templates
• Best Business Letterhead Templates
• Presentation Folder Templates & Mockups
• Tri-fold Brochure Templates

Monika loves graphic design & other forms of creative art. When not found tinkering with her favorite graphic design tools, she is mostly reading or writing on wide array of topics. Follow her on Twitter @monikaratan

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Presentation templates

Captivate your audience with customizable business presentation templates. whether you're pitching clients, wooing investors, or showing off your latest wins, there are presentation templates that'll suit your next meeting..

Free slide templates for presentations

Presentation decks can make or break your speech—don't risk boring or unprofessional slides distracting from your message. Set yourself up for success with free, eye-catching presentation templates that don't require graphic design skills to use. Whether you're pitching to investors or sharing a class project, using presentation templates allows you to focus on the content of your work without worrying about the design. Explore presentation templates for pitch decks, annual reviews, and conference slides, and get ready to wow your audience. Choose a presentation template and customize it with your business's branding and logo. If you work in a creative field, don't shy away from bold designs and vivid colors . Presentation templates offer versatile options for personalizing—get creative by customizing your template or opt for adding your own text to existing designs. When you use a template at your next meeting, you'll turn a simple presentation into an opportunity to impress. To make presenting even easier, you can download your template in a variety of formats, like PowerPoint and PDF, or share it digitally with your colleagues.

R news and tutorials contributed by hundreds of R bloggers

Express to impress: leveraging ibcs standards for powerful data presentations.

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Numbers around us in R bloggers | 0 Comments

Attention: Article looks long at word count, but remember that contains pretty long chunks of code.

Disclaimer: While my work in this series draws inspiration from the IBCS® standards, I am not a certified IBCS® analyst or consultant. The visualizations and interpretations presented here are my personal attempts to apply these principles and may not fully align with the official IBCS® standards. I greatly appreciate the insights and framework provided by IBCS® and aim to explore and learn from their approach through my own lens.

The Power of Expression in Data Reporting

In the world of business intelligence (BI) and data reporting, the ability to express data effectively can make or break the decision-making process. Amid an overwhelming flow of information, data must not only be analyzed but also communicated in a way that drives insight, action, and understanding. This is where the International Business Communication Standards (IBCS) framework comes into play, particularly its “Express” component within the SUCCESS acronym: Say, Unify, Condense, Check, Express, Simplify, Structure . The “Express” component is the critical bridge between data and comprehension, focusing on how data is visualized and presented.

At the heart of Express lies a simple question: How can we present data so that it is understood quickly and without misinterpretation? The answer is not just about using charts and tables but also about selecting the right types of visualizations that align with the information being conveyed. Leland Wilkinson’s Grammar of Graphics provides a theoretical backbone to this approach by laying out the essential building blocks of effective visual communication. Together, the principles from IBCS and the Grammar of Graphics guide us in transforming raw data into powerful visual narratives.

IBCS and the Grammar of Graphics: A Perfect Synergy

The IBCS framework emphasizes standardization and clarity in how information is visualized, calling for the replacement of ineffective chart types and encouraging the use of comparisons and explanatory visuals. This aligns well with Wilkinson’s Grammar of Graphics , which provides a systematic approach to visualizing data through a combination of geometric shapes, scales, and aesthetic properties. The Grammar of Graphics builds a foundation where every visual element — whether a point, line, or bar — serves a purpose and contributes to the clarity of the message.

These two frameworks together empower BI practitioners to not only present data but to express it in a way that makes patterns, comparisons, and insights obvious. This chapter will explore how the Express component of IBCS, complemented by the Grammar of Graphics , can turn confusing reports into clear, actionable data presentations.

Choosing the Right Object Types: Charts and Tables

One of the foundational elements of effective data presentation is selecting the correct type of visualization. According to the IBCS standards, charts and tables should be used strategically to express data in the clearest, most impactful way. Each chart type has its own strengths, and choosing the wrong one can lead to confusion, misinterpretation, or even worse, misleading conclusions. This section will focus on how to align chart types with IBCS guidelines and how the Grammar of Graphics can assist in structuring these visuals.

The Role of Appropriate Object Types

IBCS emphasizes simplicity and clarity, which translates into using visualization types that naturally align with the type of data you’re working with. The goal is to make the relationships, patterns, and insights in the data immediately apparent to the audience.

• Bar Charts : Bar charts are the workhorse of data visualization. They are ideal for showing comparisons, such as revenue across different regions or sales figures over several months. IBCS recommends horizontal bar charts to compare categories and vertical bar charts for time series data.
• Line Charts : Line charts excel at showing trends over time. In scenarios where you need to express changes, such as stock prices over a year or temperature changes, line charts are much more effective than other types like pie or radar charts.
• Tables : While charts help visualize data trends, tables are best suited for presenting precise numbers. IBCS guidelines advocate using tables when exact figures matter more than the visual trends, such as financial reports or performance metrics. A well-designed table that adheres to IBCS principles has a clear structure, avoids clutter, and presents data in a way that makes comparisons simple.

Transforming a Report with IBCS Principles

Let’s look at an example of transforming a poorly chosen chart type into a more effective IBCS-compliant visualization:

Before : Imagine a report that uses a pie chart to compare market share across different regions. While pie charts are common, they are not IBCS-compliant and make it difficult to compare exact proportions, especially when the differences are small.

After : By applying IBCS standards, we replace the pie chart with a horizontal bar chart . The bar chart not only allows for easier comparison of regions side by side but also makes it immediately clear which region has the largest or smallest market share. This simple change transforms the clarity and effectiveness of the report.

The Grammar of Graphics Approach

Leland Wilkinson’s Grammar of Graphics provides a framework to build visuals by combining geometries , scales , and aesthetics in a systematic way. In our example, the use of a bar geometry and the scale of the market share on the horizontal axis creates an immediately interpretable visual. This modular approach ensures that every element in the chart contributes to the clarity and overall goal of effective communication.

Eliminating Inappropriate Chart Types

In data visualization, some chart types are popular but not effective at conveying clear, actionable insights. The IBCS standards discourage the use of these chart types because they often distort information, waste space, or make comparisons difficult. Here’s how to eliminate these inappropriate chart types and replace them with more effective alternatives.

1. Replacing Pie and Donut Charts with Bar Charts

Before : Pie or donut charts are often used to represent proportions, such as sales by region. However, these charts make it difficult to compare slices accurately, especially when the differences are small.

After : Replace the pie or donut chart with a horizontal bar chart . Bar charts are much easier to read and allow for more precise comparisons between categories.

Replacing Gauges and Speedometers with Simple Line Charts

Before : Gauges or speedometers are often used in dashboards to show a single metric, like customer satisfaction or profit margins. However, they consume a lot of space and make it hard to track changes over time.

After : Replace gauges with a simple line chart that shows the trend of the metric over time. This not only conveys the current status but also provides context for how the metric is performing.

Replacing Radar Charts with Grouped Bar Charts

Before : Radar charts are used to compare multiple variables across categories, such as department performance metrics. However, the circular design is hard to interpret and makes comparisons less intuitive.

After : Replace radar charts with a grouped bar chart that presents the same data side by side. This allows for much clearer comparisons across categories and metrics.

Replacing Spaghetti Plots with Small Multiples or Line Charts

Before : Spaghetti plots with multiple overlapping lines make it difficult to follow individual trends, particularly when there are too many lines on the same chart.

After : Use small multiples (separate, simpler line charts for each category) or break down the plot into fewer, clearer line charts. This allows for easier interpretation of each individual trend.

Replacing Traffic Lights with Variance Analysis Charts

Before : Traffic lights (red, yellow, green) are often used to show status or performance indicators. While simple, they oversimplify complex data and lack context.

After : Replace traffic lights with a variance analysis chart that shows actual values against targets, enabling a more nuanced understanding of performance.

In each of these examples, we’ve replaced ineffective visualizations with IBCS-compliant alternatives that enhance clarity and make comparisons easier. By aligning with IBCS standards and leveraging concepts from the Grammar of Graphics , we ensure that data is expressed in a way that supports clear and informed decision-making.

Optimizing Data Representations

In data presentations, the way information is structured and represented can make all the difference. While it’s tempting to rely on lengthy textual descriptions or overly complex visuals, the IBCS standards encourage using quantitative representations wherever possible. Numbers, charts, and visualizations convey information more directly than text, and when done right, they can eliminate ambiguity and speed up understanding. This section will discuss how to optimize data representations according to IBCS principles and make use of quantitative visuals to avoid reliance on text-heavy slides.

Why Quantitative Representations Matter

Visualizing data quantitatively rather than explaining it in words provides immediate clarity and facilitates quicker decision-making. Consider a slide overloaded with paragraphs of text explaining key performance indicators (KPIs). It forces the audience to read and interpret, which slows down comprehension. In contrast, well-constructed charts, tables, or graphs can convey the same information in seconds.

IBCS emphasizes minimizing text and replacing it with visual elements that communicate the data clearly and effectively. This not only reduces cognitive load but also ensures the information is perceived accurately.

Example: Replacing Text-Heavy Slides with Charts

Before : Imagine a presentation slide with paragraphs of text explaining the company’s revenue growth over several years. The text describes the revenue trajectory and highlights which years saw increases or decreases.

After : Instead of text, replace this explanation with a simple line chart that clearly shows the revenue trend over time. A visual like this is much easier to understand at a glance, as it provides a direct view of the data without the need for lengthy descriptions.

This line chart immediately communicates the trend in revenue growth, making it clear which years saw increases and where the dips occurred — something that would have taken several paragraphs to explain in words.

The Role of the Grammar of Graphics

Leland Wilkinson’s Grammar of Graphics emphasizes the structured combination of elements such as scales , aesthetics , and geometries to create clean, informative visuals. In the example above, the line geometry and the use of scales on both the x-axis (years) and y-axis (revenue) allow for precise interpretation of the data. This approach transforms raw data into an easily digestible visual story that speaks for itself.

Avoiding Text-Only Slides

IBCS encourages replacing text-heavy slides with visuals wherever possible, but this doesn’t mean removing all text. The key is to balance text and visuals so that the text provides context while the visual delivers the core message.

For example, consider a slide that lists key performance indicators (KPIs) with lengthy descriptions of each one. Instead of using large blocks of text, create a table that lists the KPIs alongside the relevant figures, with minimal explanation.

Before : A slide with long descriptions of KPIs, such as:

• “The customer satisfaction score has increased by 10% from the previous quarter.”
• “Sales conversion rates are up by 15%, reaching the target of 75%.”

After : A simple chart that presents the KPIs clearly:

This visualized table allows the audience to immediately see the comparison between current performance and targets without the need for long explanations.

Best Practices for Optimizing Visuals

When optimizing your visuals, keep in mind these best practices, which are in line with both IBCS standards and the Grammar of Graphics :

• Simplicity : Strip away unnecessary details, labels, and decorative elements. Only include what is needed to communicate the data.
• Focus on Comparisons : Ensure that your visual enables clear comparisons, whether that’s between time periods, categories, or variables.
• Precision : Use scales and axes that accurately represent the data. Avoid distortions that can mislead the viewer.
• Balance of Text and Visuals : When text is necessary, keep it concise and complementary to the visual. Avoid long paragraphs and focus on what the audience needs to understand.

Enhancing Comparisons

One of the most powerful ways to make data meaningful is through comparisons. IBCS emphasizes the importance of showing comparisons clearly, whether between different scenarios, time periods, or variables. Comparisons help uncover trends, outliers, and relationships that would otherwise remain hidden. This section focuses on how to effectively incorporate comparisons into your reports, leveraging both IBCS standards and the Grammar of Graphics .

Why Comparisons are Critical

Without comparisons, data lacks context. For example, knowing that a company made $50 million in revenue last year is valuable, but it’s even more informative when compared to the previous year’s revenue, the industry average, or the company’s target.

Comparisons can be added in a variety of forms, such as:

• Time Comparisons : Comparing performance across different time periods (e.g., this quarter vs. last quarter).
• Scenario Comparisons : Showing different outcomes under various scenarios (e.g., best case, worst case, and expected case).
• Variance Analysis : Highlighting the difference between actual and target performance.
• Category Comparisons : Comparing different product lines, regions, or departments.

Example: Adding Variance Analysis for Target vs. Actual

Before : A report shows actual sales figures but doesn’t provide any context or comparison to targets.

After : By adding variance analysis  — comparing actual sales to target values — the report becomes much more meaningful. The audience can instantly see which regions met or missed their targets.

In this chart, we clearly see how each region performed against its target. The use of a variance analysis chart, where actual values are compared to targets using error bars, is a perfect way to communicate this comparison. The Grammar of Graphics enhances this process by using bars to represent actual performance and error bars to indicate target values. This direct comparison between actual and target performance makes it easy for the audience to spot areas of concern or success.

Enhancing Comparisons with Scenario Analysis Over Time

Before : A business report might present a single revenue forecast with no indication of uncertainty or alternative scenarios. This lacks context and doesn’t provide decision-makers with a full understanding of potential risks and opportunities.

After : By creating a scenario analysis line chart over time , we can show three scenarios — best case, expected case, and worst case — for a given metric (e.g., revenue) over several years. This allows stakeholders to see how different scenarios unfold and compare the potential outcomes in a more comprehensive way.

Interpreting the Scenario Analysis Over Time

In this scenario analysis, the best case scenario shows the most optimistic projection, where revenue grows consistently year after year. The expected case is a more conservative forecast with moderate growth, while the worst case anticipates a decline in revenue. The line chart makes it easy to compare these three scenarios over time, helping stakeholders understand the potential range of outcomes.

The Role of Grammar of Graphics in Scenario Analysis

This chart uses the line geometry to show trends over time for each scenario. The color aesthetic is used to differentiate the scenarios clearly, while the x-axis (years) and y-axis (revenue) allow the viewer to track changes over time. By using a consistent scale for all scenarios, we ensure that the audience can easily compare the growth or decline across the different scenarios.

Best Practices for Scenario Analysis Over Time

• Consistent Time Axis : Ensure that the time axis is the same for all scenarios, so that each scenario is directly comparable over the same period.
• Use Distinct Colors : Choose distinct and meaningful colors for each scenario (e.g., green for best case, red for worst case), so the viewer can easily differentiate between them.
• Highlight Key Points : Use markers (points on the line) to emphasize key moments in the forecast, such as sharp increases or decreases.

Small Multiples for Time Comparisons

Another effective technique for enhancing comparisons is the use of small multiples . Instead of cramming multiple lines into one chart (which can lead to spaghetti plots), small multiples create separate panels for each variable or time period, making comparisons across time much clearer.

Before : A single line chart shows revenue trends for multiple regions, with overlapping lines creating visual clutter.

After : Using small multiples, each region’s revenue trend is shown in a separate panel, making it easier to spot trends within each region while still allowing comparisons across regions.

Using facet grids creates a cleaner, more focused comparison of revenue trends for each region. This method keeps the charts easy to read, and the consistent scales across panels allow for straightforward comparisons between regions.

Best Practices for Effective Comparisons

When adding comparisons to your reports, here are some IBCS-aligned best practices to follow:

• Use Clear Scales : Ensure that all charts using comparisons have the same scale. Inconsistent scales can mislead the viewer and obscure important differences.
• Visualize Variances : Whenever possible, show the difference between actual and expected values, not just the raw numbers. Variance bars, error bars, and side-by-side comparisons are excellent for this.
• Avoid Overlapping Data : Use small multiples or grouped charts to break down complex datasets. This makes it easier for the audience to follow each variable or time series.
• Ensure Readability : Simplify the visual layout so that the key comparison is obvious at first glance. Avoid excessive labels or embellishments that distract from the main message.

Explaining Causes: Structure and Clarity

In data reporting, one of the most important tasks is to not only present data but to explain why certain outcomes occur. The IBCS standards recommend using tree structures to visually illustrate cause-and-effect relationships between key metrics. This helps decision-makers quickly understand the underlying factors that drive performance.

A tree structure is a hierarchical visual where a top-level metric is broken down into its contributing components. For example, profit can be broken down into its drivers, such as sales and costs . This method provides a clear visual flow, helping the audience trace back key figures to their source metrics.

In this section, we’ll explore how to use tree structures to explain causes, leveraging patchwork in R to create a multi-level visualization that breaks down a top metric into its sub-components over time.

Using Tree Structures to Explain Causes

Tree structures represent how a key metric is influenced by its underlying components, visually linking them in a cause-and-effect hierarchy. In a typical scenario, profit might be the top-level metric, which is influenced by sales and costs . These components can further be broken down into detailed metrics like units sold , price per unit , and fixed or variable costs .

This kind of breakdown not only shows what’s happening but also why it’s happening, making it easier for stakeholders to identify the drivers of success or areas of concern.

Example: Visualizing Profit Breakdown Using Patchwork

Let’s break down a company’s profit into its two key drivers: sales and costs . Each will be represented by its own chart, showing values across several quarters. Using the patchwork library, we’ll combine these charts into a tree structure, with profit at the top and sales and costs  below.

Before : In a typical report, profit, sales, and costs might be presented as individual, disconnected charts or numbers, without any clear visual indication of how they relate to each other.

After : We use a tree structure to link these metrics together, showing how profit is directly influenced by changes in sales and costs over time.

Here’s how you can create this structure in R:

Interpreting the Tree Structure

• Profit is placed at the top, showing how it evolves over four quarters (Q1–Q4).
• Sales and Costs are positioned below it, illustrating how these two components contribute to the overall profit.
• By linking these metrics visually, decision-makers can clearly see how changes in sales or costs directly affect  profit .

Expanding the Tree Structure

To provide even deeper insights, we can break down sales and costs into more specific components. For instance, sales can be split into units sold and price per unit , while costs can be divided into fixed and variable costs . This expanded tree structure helps the audience trace every dollar of profit back to its root causes.

Expanded Interpretation

• Sales is further broken down into units sold and price per unit , showing how both contribute to total sales across the quarters.
• Costs is split into fixed costs (which remain constant) and variable costs (which fluctuate), illustrating how each cost type impacts total costs.
• This expanded tree structure provides a deeper understanding of the components driving profit, allowing for a granular analysis of what’s affecting each metric.

Best Practices for Tree Structures in IBCS

• Start with the Key Metric : Place the top-level metric (e.g., profit) at the top of the structure and gradually break it down into its components.
• Show Time Trends : Using consistent time periods (e.g., quarters) across all metrics makes comparisons easier and reveals trends.
• Use Visual Links : Tree structures work best when they visually connect the metrics, clearly showing how each component contributes to the overall result.
• Keep the Layout Simple : Ensure the tree structure is easy to follow, with each chart clearly labeled and connected to its related metrics.

Beyond using tree structures to break down key metrics, other critical techniques for explaining causes in data reporting involve revealing correlations and clusters . These methods help uncover relationships between variables and group data points that share similar characteristics, allowing for deeper analysis of performance drivers.

Using Correlations to Reveal Relationships

In business reporting, it’s important to explain the relationships between different variables. For instance, you might want to know whether increasing advertising spend is correlated with an increase in sales. Correlation visualizations help demonstrate these connections, showing how one variable influences another.

Example: Visualizing Correlation Between Advertising Spend and Sales

Before : A report might present advertising spend and sales as separate figures or in separate charts, leaving it up to the reader to interpret any relationship.

After : A correlation scatter plot shows how changes in advertising spend are linked to sales, making the relationship between the two variables easy to interpret. A positive correlation, for example, could suggest that increasing advertising spend leads to higher sales.

Interpreting the Correlation Plot :

• Each point represents the relationship between advertising spend and sales for a particular period.
• The trend line shows the general direction of the relationship: a positive slope indicates that higher advertising spend correlates with higher sales.
• This visualization helps decision-makers assess whether investing more in advertising could drive additional sales, which might not be clear from viewing the figures in isolation.

Using Cluster Analysis to Group Data

Another powerful way to explain causes is through cluster analysis , which helps identify patterns or segments in your data. By grouping data points with similar characteristics, cluster analysis can reveal insights about different customer behaviors, product performance, or regional trends.

Example: Clustering Customer Purchase Behavior

Before : A report might list customer purchase behavior data by region, but it doesn’t reveal any patterns or similarities between different regions.

After : A cluster analysis plot groups customers based on similar purchase patterns, helping identify which regions or segments behave similarly, and how they differ from others. This provides actionable insights into regional strategies or product offerings.

Interpreting the Cluster Analysis :

• Each point represents a customer’s purchase amount in a given region.
• Color-coded clusters show which customers are grouped together based on similar purchasing behaviors. For example, regions like Asia might have higher purchase amounts than South America .
• Clustering allows for targeted actions, such as focusing marketing efforts on high-purchasing clusters or understanding what drives differences between segments.

Combining Tree Structures, Correlations, and Clusters

Tree structures, correlations, and clusters offer complementary ways to explain causes in data reporting:

• Tree Structures provide a hierarchical breakdown of metrics, showing how top-level results are derived from underlying factors.
• Correlations reveal relationships between different metrics, showing how changes in one variable may influence another.
• Clusters group similar data points together, highlighting patterns or segments that may not be obvious in the raw data.

Together, these techniques provide a rich, multi-faceted explanation of business performance, helping stakeholders understand both what is happening and why it’s happening.

Best Practices for Explaining Causes with Correlations and Clusters

• Highlight Relationships : When two variables are related, use correlation plots to make this relationship visually clear, especially when decision-makers need to see how one factor drives another.
• Cluster Similar Data : Use clustering when it’s important to group data points by similar behaviors or characteristics. This is especially useful for segmenting customers, regions, or product performance.
• Combine with Tree Structures : Use tree structures to provide the hierarchical context and breakdowns of key metrics, and enrich the analysis with correlation and cluster visuals to show deeper relationships or patterns.

Expressing with Purpose

Throughout this chapter, we have delved into the importance of using IBCS standards to enhance the way data is expressed in business reporting. As we’ve seen, the clarity and effectiveness of a report depend heavily on the proper selection of visualizations and their alignment with best practices. The IBCS framework’s emphasis on appropriate chart types , clear comparisons , and visual hierarchy transforms raw data into insightful, actionable information.

In the fast-paced environment of business intelligence, where decision-makers need to comprehend data quickly and accurately, the ability to express information clearly is critical. Reports that fail to meet these standards can lead to misinterpretation, confusion, or missed opportunities. By adhering to IBCS guidelines, you ensure that data reports are:

• Clear and focused : Free of unnecessary chart types that clutter or obscure insights.
• Consistent and standardized : Allowing stakeholders to easily understand, compare, and analyze the information without needing extra explanations.
• Actionable : Designed to emphasize key comparisons, causes, and insights that guide decisions.

These principles are not just about creating aesthetically pleasing charts but about communicating the right message with impact. Whether it’s ensuring your visuals provide clear comparisons, or using tree structures to explain causes, the IBCS standards provide a systematic approach to making data understandable and insightful.

Looking Ahead: The Importance of Integrating IBCS in Your Reporting

As we progress through this series on adapting IBCS standards into reporting, it’s important to recognize that the full power of IBCS lies in consistent application. By continuing to integrate these principles into every report, you’ll build a robust framework that delivers accurate and meaningful data to decision-makers.

But we’re not done yet! There are still two more chapters to go in this series, where we’ll dive deeper into other essential aspects of IBCS reporting. After completing the series, I’ll provide a comprehensive tutorial and framework that outlines how to choose the correct visualizations, validate them against IBCS standards, and adapt these guidelines to your specific reporting needs.

This final guide will serve as a step-by-step manual to ensure that every report you create is IBCS-compliant , leading to clearer, more effective communication in your organization.

Express to Impress: Leveraging IBCS Standards for Powerful Data Presentations was originally published in Numbers around us on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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