Why is PowerPoint the business card
- Miyu Hosokawa
- Oct 20
- 3 min read
Yes! Hannibal!
I'm Hosokawa, a branding consultant.
Business professionals know that appearance accounts for 90% of the deal.
Lecturers and presenters know that my voice can change conversion rates.
I, too, practice self-branding ; my attire, posture, gait, to sell myself to the fullest.
Yes.
Truly, in business, appearance is 90% of the battle.
Now then.
I've refined presentation materials for numerous companies and individuals, transforming value into a “form that communicates.”
Now then.
I've refined and polished presentations for numerous companies and individuals.
Is the talk everything? Does design not matter?
The answer is NO!
That very mindset is significantly lowering your sales.
1. Design is the “first impression.”
Appearance accounts for 90% of a person's impression
—and the same goes for business.
For example,
If you approached about a service you have no interest in.
What if the paper handed to you were bad design?
That alone would make you not want to listen, right?
You might even find yourself grimacing.
Conversely, what if the materials were easy on the eyes?
“This sounds interesting,” “Maybe I'll listen.”
It leaves a positive impression.
The same applies to PowerPoint.
It truly is your business card.
2. Design connects to “understanding” and “memory.”
The purpose of PowerPoint is not merely to convey information, but to ensure understanding and to leave a lasting impression.
Even the most brilliant business ideas are meaningless if they are not understood.
The left is the kind many businesspeople make ; slides with every single line of dialogue written out.
Oh my God…
The right uses diagrams and visuals to organize key points.
The most important message this slide conveys is that publishing is a speculative venture requiring enormous budgets.
Both convey the same content. But the right one is easier to understand, right?
By “visualizing” information like this, it becomes easier for the audience to grasp.
3. Design is the visualization of thought.
That said, design isn't just about “making things look cool.”
That's a mistake.
Its essence lies in the skill of “structuring and visualizing thought.”
If your business isn't yielding results, take a step back and reflect.
・ Why did you launch this service?
・ Why are you proposing it at this timing?
・ Why should they work with you specifically?
If these core pillars are shaky, profits won't materialize as expected.
For example, my strengh is first impact.
Because I was a manga artist, and publishing is “speculation, not investment,” I started with the conviction that I absolutely must sell.
In manga, getting readers through the first 3 pages is the absolute minimum rule.
Meaning, if you don't clear those 3 pages, the company's losses are guaranteed.
And precisely because I'm a manga artist who always gets those 3 pages read, I specialize in consulting focused on first impact.
Now then. What passion drives your business?
Once you've organized your starting point, you need to consider “what information to share, in what order, and how much to reveal.”
This is the fusion of logic and design. It's different from just being “cool.”
Looking at your materials reveals how well-organized your thinking is.
4. Enhancing Trust and Value
The quality of your PowerPoint is judged your personal and company “brand.”
For startups especially, your initial presentation materials directly shape your corporate image.
If fonts are inconsistent or colors lack unity, it can make you seem “unprofessional”...
Conversely, a carefully designed PowerPoint alone conveys impressions like “this work seems high-quality” and “they seem trustworthy.”
Design directly builds credibility.
5. Professional design gets the message across.
Anyone can acquire design skills?
Sure!
Microsoft PowerPoint is easy to use.
But “effective design” requires mastering many skills:
・ The reader's visual flow (guiding the eye)
・ Information hierarchy (organizing main and sub-points)
・ Color psychology (the impression colors convey)
・ Information grouping (meaningful clusters)
Unfortunately, these aren't skills you can master overnight.
We often hear feedback like, “My proposals got approved more easily after refining the materials,” or “Our sales conversion rate increased.”
In fact, some clients came to me specifically because they couldn't secure funding through sales pitches alone.
Design possesses the power to directly drive results.
Design is an investment, not a cost.
PowerPoint design isn't just about looking cool!
・ To build trust
・ To organize your thoughts
・ To create a structure that communicates effectively
・ To visualize competitive advantages
In all these areas, “design” is a major factor that influences business outcomes.
Even if you're in sales and feel like “the other person isn't responding well,” feel free to reach out for a chat ☺️
By making your message “communicate effectively,” your value will expand even further.
After all, if it doesn't communicate, you won't even get the chance to grow!
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