#hdbestof2013

As the year draws to a close, we want to acknowledge and showcase the many amazing, inspiring decks that have been created by our community in 2013. We’ve selected ten categories, and each day beginning December 16th, we’ll reveal the five finalists in two of those categories.

Most Creative Hook

A clever hook piques curiosity and draws your audience in — our sixth category highlights decks that do this particularly well.

1. Dear Speaker, I Loathe You. Sincerely, Your Event Planner, by Julius Solaris

This clever piece of content marketing turns the tables and enumerates tips for conference presenters–from the perspective of the event planner. With humorous images and  hard-hitting copy, Julius Solaris gently (and not so gently) reminds speakers that “Your time is not about you, it’s about them,” that the time slot is not a suggestion, and–our favorite—slides that look like this “are not cool.” (Full disclosure: Julius completes the picture with a companion piece titled “Dear Event Planner, I Hate You. Sincerely, Your Speaker” on his blog.)

Click to peruse Julius’s clever list of do’s and don’ts for speakers, and share it with the hashtag #hdbestof2013 to cast your vote for better speaker behavior everywhere!


Dear Speaker, I Loathe You. Sincerely, Your Event Planner – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

2. I Am Your Dog, by Casey Lomonaco 

Like Julius, Casey plays with perspective by creating her Haiku Deck in the voice of her dog Mokie. The transcript of her dog’s thought process, captured using the Public Notes feature, is funny, touching, and awesomely clever  — “I mean, I bark when the UPS guy arrives within our zip code and YOU KEEP TALKING ON THE PHONE LIKE YOU DON’T EVEN HEAR ME!” And the “top secret tips” she shares about dog behavior along the way are terrific, whether you’re a dog lover or not.

Click to see life from Mokie’s perspective, and share it with the hashtag #hdbestof2013 to cast your vote as the most creative hook of 2013!


I Am Your Dog. – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

3. Bad Client Situation Toolkit, by Nick Armstrong

We see a ton of Haiku Decks each day, and we can say with confidence that this is the only one we’ve seen that includes a cover image of urinals AND some seriously useful information about improving client communication. Haiku Deck Guru Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing gives a step-by-step guide to diagnosing and fixing a bad situation, articulating common causes, how to save boatloads of money, and how to prevent the same situation from happening again. (Bonus points to Nick for using the awesome Novella theme and solid-color list slides to amp up the impact of his tips.)

Click to check out all the clever wisdom in the Bad Client Situation Toolkit, and share it with the hashtag #hdbestof2013 to cast your vote for it as most creative hook of the year!


Bad Client Situation Toolkit – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

4. Movember Stache Facts, by Centurion Signs UK

We love Haiku Decks that rally support for a great cause, but this one takes it to the next level, promoting mens health by offering “comebacks for dealing with derogatory Movember comments.” Relevant stats, such as the amount of time you save by not shaving, are cleverly brought to life with memorable images and snappy sound bites. Kudos to Centurion Signs UK, both for supporting Movember and for spreading the word with such wit!

Click to find out why you should trust the ‘stache, and share it with the hashtag #hdbestof2013 to show your support in the most creative hook category!


Movember ‘Stache facts – Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

5. Little H Woodworking, by Stephen Harrison

This isn’t the first example we’ve seen of a Haiku Deck digital portfolio or catalog, but Seattle woodworker Stephen Harrison makes his stand out with playful imagery and clever copy — from “Ukulele starts with u” to “Everybody needs a little moose in their life.” Each of Stephen’s elegantly crafted slides (created with the sleek Tabletop theme) tells a story — illustrating how he reuses material, for example, or showcasing functionality.

Click to take a peek at Stephen’s unique portfolio, and share it with the hashtag #hdbestof2013 to cast your vote for the most creative hook of 2013!

Most Creative Hook: Haiku Deck #hdbestof2013 finalists

“Little H Woodworking,” by Stephen Harrison

Cast Your Vote!

Don’t forget to help select the winner and bring more visibility to these clever creations by adding a comment below, sharing your favorite with the #hdbestof2013 hashtag, or dropping us a line at gallery@haikudeck.com. We’ll select one winner from each category to receive a special Haiku Deck prize (and, of course, creative bragging rights)!

Tips for Crafting Creative Hooks

We believe there’s a creative hook for any story! Here are a few resources that might be helpful.