A Customizable Closer Deck
A fully customizable proposal deck for Semper Solr reps to close the deal. Improving trust and cutting prep time by 60% with a branded presentation system.
Problem
Semper Solr’s sales reps needed a more professional, flexible way to present proposals to prospective solar customers. Initially, their proposals were automatically generated by their solar provider. This generated proposal lacked cohesive branding, was difficult to customize, and didn’t effectively communicate Semper Solr’s unique value.
My Role
Product Designer
Skills
Product Design, Graphic Design
Tools
Photoshop, Illustrator, Google Slides
The Solution
I designed a custom, fully branded proposal deck that educates homeowners, communicates trust, and integrates seamlessly into the reps’ workflow. The new system built with Google Slides and Sheets makes it easy for reps to personalize and present.
Understanding the Problem
During interviews, many solar reps highlighted inefficiencies in their current workflow when preparing proposals for appointments. They often relied on two separate tools and had to switch between them in real-time, causing friction during meetings and reducing the overall professionalism and flow of the appointment.
On average 10+ mins needed for proposal prep time
Loss of customer interest during appointments due to inefficiencies in presentation
Loss of client trust caused by proposals lacking consistent company branding
As a designer, I need to recognize the loss of customer trust caused by inefficiencies in the current workflow, create a professional, on-brand deck that’s fast and intuitive to customize with clear educational content, and measure success through faster proposal creation and increased deal closures.
Why Use G Suite?
I chose to build this system using Google Sheets and Slides because the client was already fully integrated with G Suite. This made it easy for their team to adopt, edit, and customize the template without introducing new tools. Using existing tools also saves significantly on costs.
Slides also gives me the flexibility to design a polished, on-brand experience without losing much design functionality.
Designing the Template
I designed the deck visuals in Illustrator and Photoshop to ensure a polished, on-brand look. Each design was then exported and set as the background in Google Slides, allowing reps to edit content on top without disrupting the layout, combining visual quality with ease of use.
Setting Up the Sheet
Since each proposal needs to include customer-specific information, I created a corresponding Google Sheet that links and updates information in the slides. This allows reps to quickly input details, like names, system size, and savings estimates, which automatically populate the deck, reducing manual edits and ensuring consistency.
Final Deliverables
A fully branded, modular proposal deck built in Google Slides and Sheets, paired with a dynamic Google Sheet for easy customization. I also provided usage documentation to guide the sales team on how to input data and personalize proposals efficiently. I wanted to ensure my design would be intuitive, scalable, and ready for immediate use.
All values in this demonstration have been replaced with example numbers and are for illustrative purposes only. They do not represent an actual customer proposal.
The Impact
60% Faster proposal prep time
Improved customer trust through branding
Educating customers with ease using customized slides
Lessons Learned ˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
🔍 Be as specific and detailed as possible when briefing the client
Clear input leads to strong output. I learned that vague briefs almost always lead to rework, misalignment, and wasted time. By taking the time to ask the right questions, define goals precisely, and document expectations up front, I set the stage for smoother collaboration and more effective results.
🎨 Constraints will lead to adaptability and creativity
Keeping my user’s preferences in mind limited my design options. Although it may seem like an inconvenience, I love facing challenges like this head on. Constraints allow me to think outside the box and the results from this are all the more satisfying.
📶 Keep scalability in mind. How will I be able to deliver a product that may be widely used by an entire team?
I ran into the issue of only creating one copy of the proposal deck and the connected sheet. When the client asked for more copies, I unfortunately had to re-add and re-link each variable in the new copy of the decks. I definitely learned my lesson always to think 10 steps ahead and consider scalability in my designs.