Pitch Deck vs. Email Attachment
When you need to send a pitch deck to an investor, client, prospect, or business partner, one of the first decisions is how the recipient will receive the presentation.
The traditional approach is simple: attach the PDF or PowerPoint file to an email and send it. Another option is to host the pitch deck online and provide the recipient with access to the presentation.
Both methods can work well. The better choice depends on whether the recipient needs the original file, how often you expect to share the presentation, whether you want information about viewer activity, and how much control you want over distribution of the presentation.
What Happens When You Send a Pitch Deck as an Email Attachment?
Sending a pitch deck as an attachment creates a separate copy of the presentation that becomes part of the recipient's email message.
The recipient can generally download the file, save it locally, print it, forward it to other people, or open it again later without needing to return to your website or presentation platform.
That convenience is one of the strongest reasons email attachments remain common. At the same time, distributing the file itself means that the copy is no longer entirely under your control.
What Happens When You Host a Pitch Deck Online?
With a hosted pitch deck, the presentation is uploaded to an online service and the recipient is given a way to access it.
Instead of attaching another copy of the original presentation to each message, you can provide a link, access code, or other viewing instructions.
Depending on the service, hosting may also provide access controls or information about how the presentation is viewed.
1. Convenience
Email attachments are extremely familiar. Almost everyone knows how to open a PDF or PowerPoint attachment.
Hosted presentations can also be convenient, particularly when the viewer only needs to see the slides rather than download or edit the original file.
Whichever method you choose, the important consideration is reducing unnecessary friction for the recipient.
2. File Size
Large pitch decks can become awkward email attachments.
High-resolution images, photographs, graphics, and other media can make PowerPoint and PDF files surprisingly large. Email services may impose attachment size limits, and recipients may not appreciate downloading a large presentation on a mobile connection.
Hosting the presentation online avoids repeatedly attaching the large presentation file to every message.
3. Distribution of the Original File
When you send a presentation as an attachment, the recipient receives a copy of that file.
That may be exactly what you want. For example, a colleague may need to edit the presentation or a client may need an offline copy.
If the viewer only needs to read the presentation, however, you may prefer not to distribute the original file unnecessarily. Hosting can provide an alternative by keeping the presentation online.
4. Forwarding
Email attachments are very easy to forward.
In some situations, that is useful. An investor may want to forward your pitch deck to a partner, or a sales prospect may want to send your presentation to a colleague.
In other situations, you may prefer to control access more deliberately. A hosted presentation can make it possible to manage access without distributing additional copies of the original file.
5. Knowing Whether the Presentation Was Viewed
One of the limitations of an ordinary attachment is that sending it does not necessarily tell you what happened after the message arrived.
The recipient may have opened the pitch deck immediately, looked at it briefly, reviewed it carefully, or never opened it at all.
Some hosted presentation services can provide information about viewer activity. That additional context may be useful when deciding when to follow up with an investor, prospect, or client.
6. Updating the Presentation
Pitch decks frequently change over time.
Revenue figures change, new customers are added, team members change, product information evolves, and fundraising goals may be updated.
When you send an attachment, the copy already sitting in the recipient's inbox does not automatically change just because you created a newer version.
Depending on how an online presentation platform works, hosting may make it easier to manage which version you distribute going forward. You should still verify that viewers are being directed to the correct current presentation.
7. Offline Access
An email attachment has an important advantage when offline access is required.
Once the recipient downloads the file, the presentation can often be viewed without an internet connection.
A hosted presentation normally requires internet access. If you know your audience will need to view the presentation while offline, an attachment or downloadable copy may therefore be more appropriate.
8. Editing and Collaboration
If the recipient needs to edit your PowerPoint presentation, a hosted viewing copy may not be enough.
A coworker, designer, business partner, or collaborator may need the original PowerPoint file in order to change the slides.
Pitch deck hosting is generally more useful when the recipient's job is to view the finished presentation rather than edit the source file.
9. Mobile Viewing
Many recipients first encounter a pitch deck on a phone or tablet.
Large attachments can be inconvenient to download on a mobile connection, while PowerPoint files may also depend on the software available on the viewer's device.
A browser-based hosted presentation can simplify mobile access, although the slides themselves should still be designed with smaller screens in mind.
10. Presentation Security and Confidentiality
Neither email attachments nor hosted presentations should be treated as a perfect way to prevent information from ever being copied.
An attachment can be duplicated or forwarded. A hosted presentation can limit distribution of the original file, but a viewer may still be able to photograph, screenshot, describe, or otherwise reproduce information displayed on the screen.
For particularly sensitive information, consider carefully what belongs in the presentation in the first place and whether additional legal or contractual protections are appropriate.
When Is an Email Attachment the Better Choice?
Sending the presentation as an attachment may make the most sense when:
- The recipient needs the original file.
- The recipient needs to edit or reuse the slides.
- Offline access is important.
- The presentation is small and easy to send.
- You do not need viewer activity information.
- You are comfortable with the recipient retaining a copy.
When Is a Hosted Pitch Deck the Better Choice?
Hosting the pitch deck online may be worth considering when:
- The recipient primarily needs to view the presentation.
- You do not want to repeatedly distribute the original file.
- The presentation is large or inconvenient to attach.
- You expect to share the same presentation with multiple people.
- You want additional information about viewer activity.
- You prefer to provide online access through a browser.
You Do Not Necessarily Have to Choose Only One Method
Different recipients and situations may call for different methods.
You might normally provide online access to your pitch deck but send a PDF copy when a particular investor requests one. A sales team might host its standard presentation online while sending editable PowerPoint files internally to employees who need to update the slides.
The objective is not to declare one sharing method universally superior. It is to choose the method that fits what the recipient needs and what you want to accomplish.
An Alternative to Pitch Deck Email Attachments
PitchDeckHost.com was created for situations where you want people to view a presentation without relying entirely on email attachments.
You can upload a supported PDF, PowerPoint, or other supported presentation file and provide investors, prospects, clients, and other viewers with online access to the hosted presentation.
PitchDeckHost.com can also provide information about how a presentation is viewed, giving you additional context after you have shared it.
Learn About Pitch Deck Hosting
Related Pitch Deck Resources
You may also find these PitchDeckHost.com resources useful:
How to Share a PowerPoint Presentation Online
How to Share a Pitch Deck With Investors
How to Send a Pitch Deck to Investors
Visit the complete Pitch Deck Resources section for additional articles about creating, designing, presenting, sharing, and tracking pitch decks and other business presentations.