Prompting guide
How to write effective prompts that produce better presentations
The prompt is where the magic happens. A well-crafted prompt helps Presentation Maker understand exactly what you need and produce better results.
The golden rule: context is everything
The AI cannot read your mind or access your files directly. Everything you want in your presentation must be explicitly stated in your prompt or uploaded to your project's knowledge base.
More context = better presentations.
Prompt vs. sources: where should context go?
You can provide context in two places: your prompt or your sources. Use each for what it does best:
| Put in Sources | Put in Prompt |
|---|---|
| Company facts, metrics, team bios | Instructions (deck type, structure, slide count) |
| Financial data, customer lists | Audience and tone guidance |
| Meeting transcripts, research notes | What to emphasize or exclude |
| Anything you want cited | Visual and style preferences |
| Content you'll reuse across decks | One-off context for this generation only |
Why sources? Content in sources is citable, reusable, and searchable. When you paste company facts into sources, the AI can cite them properly and you won't need to repeat them in every prompt.
Why prompt? Prompts are for instructions—what to build, who it's for, how to structure it. Keep prompts focused on direction, not data.
If you find yourself copying the same company background into every prompt, paste it into sources once instead. You'll get better citations and save time.
The prompt formula
Every effective prompt answers 3 questions:
- What — What type of deck do you need?
- Who — Who is the audience?
- Why — What's the purpose or goal?
Use this template as a starting point:
Create a [document type] for [Company Name] ([domain.com]).
Context:
- [Key fact 1 with specific numbers]
- [Key fact 2 with specific numbers]
- [Key fact 3 with specific numbers]
Include slides for: [topic 1], [topic 2], [topic 3]
Audience: [who will see this] Tone: [formal/casual/technical/etc.] [Any special requirements: citations, images, slide count]
Example prompt
Create a Confidential Information Memorandum for Atlas Manufacturing (atlasmanufacturing.com), a precision components manufacturer.
Context:
- Revenue: $45M, 12% EBITDA margin
- 85 employees across 2 facilities in Ohio
- Key customers: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics
- Founder-owned, seeking full exit
- Recent investment: $3M in CNC equipment upgrades
- Value proposition: AS9100 certified with 99.2% on-time delivery
Include sections for: executive summary, investment highlights, company overview, products and services, customers, operations, financial performance, and growth opportunities.
Audience: Private equity buyers and strategic acquirers Tone: Professional, institutional, data-driven
Another example: Investor pitch
Create a pitch deck for Acme Corp (acme.com), a B2B SaaS company founded in 2021.
Context:
- ARR $2.4M, 150% YoY growth
- 45 enterprise customers (Microsoft, Target, Walmart)
- Product: AI-powered inventory management for mid-market retailers
- Founders: Jane Smith (ex-Amazon), John Doe (ex-Shopify)
- Recent milestone: Series A of $8M led by Sequoia
- Value proposition: Reduces inventory costs by 30% through predictive analytics
Include slides for: problem, solution, market size, traction, competitive landscape, team, financials, and ask.
Audience: Series B investors Tone: Professional but confident
Be specific with numbers
Vague language produces generic slides. Specific numbers produce credible presentations:
| Type | Good example | Weak example |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | "ARR $2.4M, 150% YoY growth" | "Growing fast" |
| Customers | "45 enterprise customers including Microsoft, Google" | "Many customers" |
| Market | "$12B TAM, targeting 2% share" | "Large market" |
| Team | "12 employees, 3 ex-FAANG founders" | "Experienced team" |
Specify structure and emphasis
Tell Presentation Maker how you want the deck organized:
- Slide count — "Create a 10-slide deck" or "Keep it under 20 slides"
- Key sections — "Include sections on market size, competitive landscape, and financials"
- Emphasis — "Spend more time on our growth metrics and less on company history"
Create a 12-slide board presentation covering: executive summary, Q4 financial performance, key wins, challenges faced, and 2025 priorities. Keep financials to 3 slides max.
Control what's included
Specify what to include or exclude:
- Must include — "Make sure to include the customer testimonials from the case study doc"
- Exclude — "Don't include any pricing information"
- Source priority — "Prioritize data from the Q4 financial report over older documents"
Create an investment teaser focusing on growth metrics and market position. Include the revenue chart from the financial model. Don't include any information about the pending litigation mentioned in the legal docs.
Generation modes
Choose a mode based on how much depth you need:
| Mode | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Express | ~10 min | Quick drafts, simple decks |
| Smart Mode | ~20 min | Most use cases (default) |
| Comprehensive | ~30 min | Complex decks requiring deep research and synthesis |
All modes use the same credit cost per slide. The difference is how thoroughly the AI researches and synthesizes your sources. Start with Smart Mode—you can always regenerate in Comprehensive mode if you need more depth.
Requesting revisions
After your presentation is generated, you can request targeted changes without regenerating from scratch. Revisions typically complete in 1-2 minutes and preserve your existing content.
Be specific about what to change—reference slide numbers and describe exact edits:
On slide 3 (Market Size), update the TAM figure to $50B and add a source citation
For detailed guidance on writing effective revision requests, see Revise your presentations.
Iterate and refine
Your first generation is a starting point. After reviewing:
- Download the deck and review in PowerPoint
- Note what's working and what needs adjustment
- Generate again with a refined prompt, or edit directly in PowerPoint
Save prompts that work well. You can reuse effective prompts across projects with minor adjustments.