I obsess over typography in strategy presentations. Not because I'm a designer. Because type is a signal.
What type communicates
Before anyone reads a single word, the font has already said something:
- Default system fonts say: "I didn't think about this"
- Overused corporate fonts say: "I'm playing it safe"
- Intentional type choices say: "Every detail matters here"
The signal
When a CEO opens a strategy deck, they're making a judgment in the first three seconds. Is this person rigorous? Do they care about craft? Can I trust them with my company's future?
Type answers those questions before the first slide is read.
My rules
- One typeface family. Two max. Restraint signals confidence
- Generous spacing. Ideas need room to land
- Hierarchy through weight, not decoration. Bold, regular, light. That's enough
- If the type is right, you need almost nothing else
Typography is the first act of strategic communication. Get it right and the room leans in before you speak.