Which tool should you use to pitch your project?

The project presentation pitch: a milestone not to be overlooked

There are many different situations that call for a project presentation. They don't all have the same purpose or format: a meeting to present to investors, participation in a trade show or competition, an online crowdfunding campaign... You need to present your project in the best possible light to capture the audience's attention, reassure investors and inspire potential backers to follow your company's progress.

During an oral presentation, the written support provides a framework to ensure that nothing is forgotten and that the elements are dealt with in the right order.. Acknowledgements and brief background, concept presentation, demonstration, steps taken, business model, market potential, feedback, strategy for standing out from the competition, financial feasibility, needs and expectations... This is all information to be reviewed.

Small business: 6 tools for presenting your project

Various tools enable you to create personalized media, oruse predefined templates to be completed with your own information, images, videos... If the package is intended for projection, the presentation document can alternate between text, product photos, visuals, graphics, infographics and even video animations.

1. PowerPoint

This is Microsoft's best-known solution. PowerPoint ensures professional presentations with its slide sequences, enabling the creation of slideshows with the option of 3D animation and voice interaction. However, this tool now faces competition from various online alternatives.

2. Google Slides

Google's office suite features an online presentation tool for collaborative working. Slides can be synchronized to promote teamwork, and links are possible with other applications such as Google sheets, Google docs, etc.

3. Canva

Best known for managing visuals, particularly for social networks, Canva is a graphic design platform with a whole section dedicated to presentations in a variety of formats: posters, graphics, 16:9, 4:3 and mobile-first projects.

4. Prezi

It's an interactive office tool for slide-free presentations. Templates are divided into broad categories: business, consulting, HR, marketing, planning, pitch, etc. What sets Prezi apart from other solutions is its ability to zoom in and out on certain areas. This gives the demonstration a more dynamic dimension.

5. Keynote

For Mac users only, Keynote is a presentation software that's part of Apple's office suite. The interface is simple and intuitive. Like Google Slides, the Keynote application lets you work in teams on the model, with the option of retouching photos and setting up cinematic animation effects.

6. LibreOffice Impress

The LibreOffice solution includes a tool for creating multimedia presentations. The interface is very minimalist and resembles older versions of PowerPoint. With the installation of the Presentation Console extension, Impress offers slide notes, transition time control and other options.

Some presentation tools offer their own library of atmospheric visuals. But there are also platforms that provide royalty-free images. Pixabay, Pexels, Unsplash, Canva... Some are free, others charge a subscription fee or pay per image.

Build your Business Model Canvas for easy presentation

The Business Model Canvas is based on a method described by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur in their book "Business Model Nouvelle Génération". The idea is to construct a synthetic canvas on a single page to represent the entire business model. This document illustrates the synergies between the various key elements of the project, which can then be detailed as required.

The Business Model Canvas is made up of different sections:

1. Customer segments
2. The value proposition
3. Communication and distribution channels
4. Customer relations
5. Income
6. Key resources
7. Key activities
8. Key partners
9. Cost structures

Bpifrance has also developed a dedicated tool for creating online business plans.