How to prep your decks ahead of INBOUND: 6 smart ways to stand out
HubSpot’s iconic INBOUND conference is just around the corner, which means one thing: thousands of marketers, sellers, founders, operators, and idea-havers are about to descend on San Francisco to pitch their hearts out. Some will be pitching products. Others, themselves. A few might even be pitching ideas they scribbled on a napkin mid-flight. (Respect.) The point is, everyone’s trying to make an impression. And in a crowd this big and buzzy, the difference between “meh” and memorable often comes down to your slide deck.
A sharp, on-brand deck isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s your go-to sidekick at INBOUND. Whether you’re booking meetings in advance, catching attention at the booth, or following up with that perfect lead you met in line for coffee, your slides help you stand out as polished and professional.
Below, we’ll break down how to prep your deck like a pro — with a few smart moves, some subtle flair, and zero “uh, let me find that slide…” moments.
Top 6 ways to use pitch decks before, during, and after INBOUND
Let’s be honest. Most teams show up to events like INBOUND with great intentions… and a dusty deck they last touched during an unrelated event 12 months ago.
But the top-performing teams? They treat their decks as living tools — not just to present, but to open doors, spark conversations, and leave a lasting impression.
Here are six strategic ways your decks can help you shine at INBOUND, from your pre-event outreach to your post-event follow-up.
1. Use a deck to book meetings before you arrive
Don’t wait until the event starts to start selling. A sharp, tailored deck can help you lock in key meetings before you even touch down in San Francisco. This is especially helpful if you have a list of key accounts you’d like to engage with.
- Create a “Why you should meet us at INBOUND” deck.
- Personalize it for different personas or industries.
- Intro yourself ahead of the event with video recordings directly within your deck.
- Drop a link to relevant materials in your outreach emails, DMs, or relevant networking platforms.
If you’re already using Pitch, you can share more than just beautiful, on-brand decks ahead of INBOUND. Create and share a pitch room — a dynamic hub of relevant resources to help warm up your prospects ahead of the event and keep the momentum afterward. Think decks, proposals, contracts, case studies and beyond, all in one place. The best part? You can track exactly who’s engaging with what content so you’ll be fully prepared to tailor your pitch when you meet and follow up with your prospects.
2. Let your slides do the schmoozing with a visual story
Whether you’ve got a booth, a speaking slot, or just a corner of the networking lounge, your deck can help bring your message to life.
- Enrich your deck with intriguing visuals to draw people in.
- Share a product demo, tell your origin story, or spotlight key wins.
- Keep it bold, visual, and easy to skim at a glance.
When you craft slides in Pitch, you can add sleek animations and transitions that catch the eye without distracting from your message. If you’re presenting in real time, you can also use the focus effect to direct your audience’s attention toward specific slide content.
3. Create “back pocket” decks for on-the-fly pitches
You never know when you’ll meet someone important — in line for snacks, at happy hour, or on the hotel shuttle. Be ready to show what you do in under two minutes.
- Build a mini version of your pitch deck: 3–5 slides max.
- Focus on who you help, what makes you different, and how to follow up.
Pitch lets you quickly duplicate or remix existing decks, which you can pull up on your phone for a smooth, on-the-spot presentation. When it’s time to follow up, templates make it easy to send something tailored right away.
4. Give your sales team ready-to-use deck variants
Heading to INBOUND as a team? Make sure everyone’s equipped with a deck tailored to their conversations.
- Create variations for different buyer types or verticals.
- Keep everything on brand with shared templates.
- Ensure your whole team is speaking the same visual language.
Working from a single source of truth, Pitch keeps everyone aligned and ensures the right message is amplified — no more outdated decks creeping into current conversations. Plus, scaling personalization is simple: just add variables to your slides with a few clicks, so your decks always show the right company names, logos, dates, and more.
5. Follow up with personalized decks after the event
The real magic often happens after the badge-scanning ends. Stand out in a crowded inbox with a follow-up deck that’s personal, clear, and value-packed.
- Summarize the conversation, recap your proposition, and include a CTA.
- Send your deck as a clickable link — no downloads or hefty file attachments.
- Use analytics to see who engages with what, and when (then follow up accordingly).
Personalizing decks for all the potential customers you met might seem like a big task. Thankfully, you can simply upload a .csv file of contacts and Pitch will batch create however many beautifully designed and ready-to-send decks you need.
6. Turn your learnings into a post-event recap deck
INBOUND will be packed with insights. But not everyone will be ready to buy your product. Why not strengthen your connections by turning what you learn into something valuable for your audience?
- Create a “Top 5 learnings from INBOUND 2025” deck.
- Share it on LinkedIn, in your newsletter, or internally.
- Position your team as plugged-in thought leaders.
With Pitch’s templates, this doesn’t have to be a heavy lift. You can go from idea to published presentation in under an hour, so your takeaways don’t just sit there — they actually get used.
What winning decks at INBOUND have in common
Now you’ve got the strategy — but what makes a pitch deck truly stand out at INBOUND? These are the qualities we consistently see in decks that get noticed, shared, and acted on.
Short and punchy
INBOUND is fast-paced. No one wants to flip through 25 slides between sessions. Winning decks get to the point. Think clarity over clutter, signal over noise.
Tailored to the moment
Generic decks fall flat. Great ones feel like they were made for the person in front of you — even if they weren’t. A little context goes a long way.
Explain the “why,” not just the “what”
Don’t just list features or credentials. Tell a story. Why does this matter now? Why should your audience care? What pain are you solving?
Sleek and on brand (without trying too hard)
Good design doesn’t just make you look cool — it makes your message easier to absorb. Bonus points for staying on brand, using clean visuals, and avoiding death-by-bullet-point.
Easy to open, share, and reshare
Whether you’re sending a link, scanning a QR code, or flipping your laptop around mid-chat, your deck should work wherever your audience is.
Create an INBOUND-ready deck that opens doors
Whether you’re pitching your product, your team, or a bold new idea, INBOUND 2025 is a chance to connect and convert. A strong pitch deck helps you do just that.
Pitch makes it easy to create standout decks in minutes, so you can show up polished and prepared. Co-create with your team, stay on brand, and track every view. Here are a few links to help you get started:
When in doubt, remember the best decks don’t try to say everything. They say just enough — with clarity, confidence, and a little flair. Need help making that happen? You know where to find us.
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