PowerPoint is a powerful presentation tool, but it is NOT your presentation. Think about the last time you sat through a presentation where the presenter put virtually every word on the slide. Now think about the last time you attended a presentation where the speaker put up a picture with only a few words, if any. Which one of those presentations did you find more interesting or inspiring?
I once attended an hour-long presentation where the speaker had maybe a total of 5 slides, and all were pictures. I found myself riveted as this dynamic speaker showed a picture of herself climbing a mountain and then spoke for 10 to 15 minutes on resiliency and endurance. I was absolutely captivated as were most audience members around me. Sure, you have the typical distracted attendees, but in an audience of over 300 people most were hanging on every word as our speaker continued to share her story and relate it to leadership and the skills that a leader needs to possess.
Next time you are preparing for a presentation, keep these powerful PowerPoint tips in mind:
- Think of PowerPoint as a way to enhance your presentation and not as the “main attraction”.
- Avoid the temptation to use too many animations and transitions. Audiences are long past being amazed by the technology.
- Keep text to a bare minimum. Tell the story, don’t make your audience read it, and for goodness’ sake, don’t read it to them.
- If you must convey data heavy excel “eye” charts. Then break them up into multiple slides showing only one big, bold, highlighted segment at a time. Each point should be its own slide. Can’t do that, then consider giving a handout or sharing the document online. Then, use PowerPoint to highlight your key takeaways.
- Choose a background that is aligned with your message. Keep it simple and make sure it displays well in various lighting scenarios.
- Avoid the temptation to throw in a picture of your kids or your pets unless it is relevant to your topic. Your audience won’t be impressed.
- Use fonts that are easy to read and that are large enough to see from across the room.
- Don’t over do it on font sizes and colors. Generally, no more than 2-3 font sizes and colors should be used on a page. Keep it simple.
- Consider using the Master Pages function to create templates to match your brand or message. Get help from a designer if you need it.
- If you’re tempted to use your PowerPoint content in place of notes, DON’T. Use the notes instead. Otherwise, you are likely to spend much of the presentation with your back to your audience.
Do you have more tips to share or your own PowerPoint story? Share it in the comments below.
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