Outsourcing presentations vs. In-house design. Do I need an expert?

To outsource, or not to outsource?

At face value, outsourcing tasks and skills are sometimes seen as one of those superfluous “additional expenses” – just like the free fruit, coffee or Friday drinks.

Boston Consulting Group surveyed CEOs and found that “in 2021, almost half of all the companies we surveyed will outsource more work than they will do internally.”

Relying solely on in-house staff to fit every want and need could be costing you far more in the long run – seriously. Designing presentations is a great example of how things can go terribly wrong. People you’ve hired to do finance, tech, even marketing and comms aren’t designers and many trained designers – talented as they may be – don’t specialise in (or particularly like) PowerPoint.

What’s more: Substandard presentations are not only painful to watch, they’re also said to result in longer purchasing decision cycles, delayed or incorrect internal decision-making and negative impacts on a person’s career – depending on their use, of course.

Here are a few reasons why outsourcing your PowerPoint presentations to an expert could be well worth the cost.

Don’t sit on the sidelines; get in the game with the competition

So, you thought you could put together that sales pitch presentation in-house – no sweat. And maybe it’s even scrubbed up pretty well! But guess what? Your competitor(s) didn’t – they hired an expert team of designers who have heaps of experience putting together hundreds of sales pitches for high-profile clients. You can read more about what it takes to create a winning presentation here.

In this situation, you’re seriously disadvantaged before you’ve even walked through the door to sell your product, service or idea. On the other hand, by taking the opportunity to target the best and most experienced presentation experts right from the outset, you’ll be the one cutting out those competitors who thought they could wing it!

Ride those waves of opportunity

Despite your best efforts to hire the most talented permanent in-house designers, there’s one thing no amount of experience will be able to handle efficiently. We’re talking about the usual peaks and troughs of workload – because we all know when it rains, it pours!

By forming a strong relationship with expert designers outside the business, you can be sure they’ll be ready to hit the ground running when you find yourself overrun with new sales opportunities (which also clash with a couple of scheduled internal company presentations). Seriously, aligning with the right team of outsourced design experts could be a key driver for business growth.

Presentations on demand: It’s all-hands-on-deck when it matters

Time is of the essence for nearly every presentation. Whether it be for a sales pitch, company update or annual conference, there will always be a fixed deadline or event date. In fact, sometimes you’ll get very little notice!

The problem with relying on in-house staff is that they’ll probably have plenty of work on their plate already – even if you do think your presentation is the company’s highest priority. Cutting corners, low morale and poor-quality work are just some of the risks of overstretching your hard-working in-house staff.

So, don’t do it! Outsourcing the task means your presentation requirements will be treated as a top priority and the highest quality will be delivered on time.

Jack of all trades, master of none? Not here.

Great graphic design is one thing but making sure the final product is fit for purpose is quite another. A major benefit of outsourcing your presentation design needs is that you get to take advantage of targeted skills and expertise and cutting-edge technology.

Unlike in-house design all-rounders, your outsourced designers will know exactly what it takes for you to deliver a show-stopping presentation such as the right amount of text, well-placed animations, quality images, graphical representations and logically organised information. All these tricks of the trade will ensure you have the right tools and best chance of success.

Credibility

A presentation, no matter how long or short, is your business’ opportunity to create a great first impression (and hopefully a lasting one too!) This means one amateurish screw up could cost you more than a lost opportunity and a bruised ego.

When damage to company reputation is at stake, expert designers will ensure your presentation represents your brand professionally, while making your story persuasive and your offering to customers and clients clear and enticing.

So, give it some thought, because in 2018 it’s entirely possible to build a close team of talented professionals who deliver on time, every time – without the expense of full-time salaries. And the idea is catching fast!

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