Glossary
What is an action title?
Action title: An action title is a slide headline written as a full sentence that states the slide's conclusion, such as “Revenue grew in every region”, instead of only naming its topic.
An action title is a slide headline written as a full sentence that states what the slide proves. A topic title only names the subject (“Revenue by region”). An action title gives the conclusion (“Revenue grew in every region; the Nordics led with +27%”).
The reader gets the point before looking at the chart, and the chart becomes the evidence. Read in order, the action titles of a deck tell its whole story, which is why consultancies, boards and sales teams ask for them.
Topic title or action title
| Topic title | Action title |
|---|---|
| Revenue by region | Revenue grew in every region; the Nordics led with +27% |
| EBITDA bridge | Margin expansion came mostly from volume and better network utilization |
| Initiative status | Three of five initiatives are on track; two need the Board's attention |
How to write one
- Start from the evidence. Look at the chart or table and ask “so what?”. Write the answer as the title.
- Use a full sentence with a verb. “Strong Q3 growth” is still a topic. “Revenue grew 18% in Q3” is a statement someone can agree or disagree with.
- Give each slide one message. If the title needs an “and” to join two unrelated points, make two slides.
- Keep it to one line, two at most. That is roughly 8 to 15 words. Move detail into the body of the slide.
- Let the slide prove it. If the title says the Nordics led, highlight the Nordics in the chart.
Typical mistakes
- A topic with decoration. “Market overview: key trends” is still a label.
- A title the slide does not support. It teaches readers to distrust your headlines.
- Adjectives instead of numbers. “Strong growth” says less than “+27%”.
- Three-line titles. They usually hide two messages.
Not every slide needs an action title. Title slides, agendas, section dividers and appendix pages can keep short topic titles.
Related terms
An action title is the written form of the so what of a slide. Read in sequence, the titles form the storyline of the deck, and each one carries a key message. The full method, with twelve before-and-after examples, is in the guide to action titles.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is an action title the same as a headline?
Not quite. A headline can be a label such as “Revenue” or a teaser. An action title is always a complete sentence with a verb that states what the slide proves, and the content of the slide supports it.
How long should an action title be?
One line is ideal and two lines are the limit, which is roughly 8 to 15 words. A title that needs three lines usually carries two messages, and the slide should be split.
Does every slide need an action title?
Every content slide should have one. Title slides, agendas, section dividers and appendix pages can keep short topic titles because they do not argue anything.
How do I write an action title in PowerPoint?
PowerPoint has no special feature for it. Type the sentence into the slide's normal title placeholder, not into a loose text box, so that it also shows up in Outline view and is read as the slide title by screen readers.
Keep reading
Storyline and structure
- GuideStructure a presentation
How to structure a presentation for work: lead with the answer, match the order to your purpose, use skeletons for decisions, updates, pitches and proposals.
- Free toolOutline builder
Free presentation outline builder: pick occasion, audience, goal and length, then edit a slide-by-slide storyline of action titles and open it as your brief.
- GlossaryMECE
MECE means mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive: a way to split a problem into parts that do not overlap and leave nothing out. With examples.
- GlossaryGhost deck
A ghost deck is a draft presentation built from slide titles and rough sketches before any data exists, so a team can agree on the story first.
- GlossarySCQA
SCQA stands for Situation, Complication, Question, Answer: a four-step opening that shows your audience why your answer matters. Definition and example.
- GlossaryIssue tree
An issue tree splits one key question into sub-questions, branch by branch, so every part can be analyzed and nothing is missed. Includes a worked example.
Where to go next
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