When a traditional PowerPoint isn’t the answer
How to know when to switch formats (and what to use instead)
At Notion, we love PowerPoint. We work in it every day. But even we’ll admit: sometimes, it’s not the right tool.
Just because your team has always used slides doesn’t mean this story, project, or audience needs to be a PowerPoint deck. One of the most strategic things you can do is pause and ask:
“Is PowerPoint the right format for this communication?”
If it’s not, we’ll tell you and help you pivot to something more appropriate for the ask.
Here’s how to know when PowerPoint isn’t the answer, and what alternatives might work better:
1. When the story isn’t linear
PowerPoint is a great storytelling tool when you’re leading someone through a beginning, middle, and end. But some stories don’t follow that structure.
If your presentation needs to:
- Let the audience guide the direction (like in a sales conversation)
- Jump between non-sequential modules
- Respond dynamically based on audience input
… then a non-linear format or interactive solution might work better.
SOLUTION: A modular, clickable deck (still technically built in PowerPoint, so I’m stretching the “non-PPT” title of this article a bit) or a custom-built sales enablement tool
2. When the content is static
If your goal is to inform, not present, PowerPoint might overcomplicate things. Long decks aren’t ideal for deep reading.
Sometimes, you don’t need a “presentation” at all — you need a document that people can absorb on their own time.
SOLUTION: Branded PDF, oversized placemat (11×17) for in-person meetings, one-pager, eBook, or mini website … or tackling the meeting with a well-planned white-board session where the audience is highly engage and contributing to the storyline/solution.
3. When you need motion or emotion
PowerPoint has animation capabilities, but in the wrong hands it can have gimmicky feel or simply be distracting. Our experienced designers can weave in video and sound into your presentations to match the pace, tone and emotional levels your storytelling needs. If you’re launching a product or pitching a big idea to a wide audience, you may want something more cinematic.
SOLUTION: Short-form video, animated explainer, keynote sizzle, or motion graphic — or even a new solution we’ve developed, called Ambient Storytelling. Years ago we started doing more mini-videos built in PowerPoint and exported as MP4s. They’re not as cool as the real thing, but they come in at a nice price point for our clients.
4. When the presentation lives beyond the room
PowerPoints often rely on a presenter to fill in the blanks. But if the deck is going to be shared without narration, you need a different approach.
Ask yourself: Will this be forwarded? Uploaded? Left behind after the meeting?
If yes, it may need more context, annotation or a format that stands on its own.
SOLUTION: Enhanced PDF with notes, or export as a narrated video walkthrough. Highly visual whitepapers are also an option — ones that read less like a research report and more like an illustrated multi-page infographic, especially one that can be broken up and used across a memorable social campaign.
5. When you’re in a high-traffic environment
PowerPoint isn’t (exactly) built for exhibit booths, trade show kiosks or large digital signage. If you need something that loops endlessly or looks great from a distance, you might need more control over design and timing. Though, PowerPoint can be used for affordable touch-screen interfaces vs. paying a developer to code something that only lives for a weekend.
SOLUTION: Vertical slide formats, looping video, HTML5-based experiences, or touchscreen / interactive builds. (Note: We do use a tool to export HTML5 coded sites that are designed in PowerPoint. It’s a unique solution to save on costs and still get a nicely packaged solution.)
What to ask before you start any presentation
Here are 5 quick questions we ask our clients at the start of every deck:
- What’s the goal of this presentation?
- Who’s the audience?
- How will it be delivered or consumed?
- Does it need to be editable or templated?
- Are there any restrictions or expectations from leadership or brand?
These answers shape whether PowerPoint is the best fit — or just the most familiar one.
PowerPoint isn’t the only tool in the box
We often help clients identify a better format that saves time, adds clarity or improves the audience experience.
Some of the alternatives we’ve created for clients include:
- Interactive PDFs with clickable flows
- Vertical decks for digital signage
- Motion videos with voiceover
- Presentation-style PDFs for investor relations
- Animated explainers for product marketing
- Click-through demo tools for sales teams
- Microsites for campaign storytelling
The best format is the one that makes your message clear and memorable (and meets your budget, of course!). And we’re happy to help you figure that out.
