Creating a tech presentation for your start-up isn’t easy.
What’s too much information? Is it easily understood? More importantly, will it make anyone want to invest in your efforts?
At SlideGenius, we’ve been helping technology and software companies create successful presentations for years. We know how hard it can be to get it right and how badly things go wrong if you don’t.
That’s why we’re here to help.
Before you ever get to the visuals, you need to find the right things to say. If writing isn’t your strong suit, here are a few tips that will help you create a communicative presentation that will turn your question marks into dollar signs.
Don’t Put All Your Knowledge on the Slides
One of the biggest mistakes people make is overexplaining.
People often forget that the visual aid is being shown behind the speaker. The speaker is the only one who needs to explain everything at length. The presentation is there to make it easy for the audience to follow the flow of the discussion.
Good presentations only have the nuggets of gold that comprise the value of the overall message. They present things in a manner that creates interest. They neither compete with the speaker nor do they divert your audience’s attention from the presenter.
Often a person will worry that their PowerPoint has not had every facet written into the slide, especially when introducing new technology or software.
“People won’t understand…!” they fret. Perhaps not. But if everything the speaker knows is in the presentation, the speaker is superfluous. If everything you know about how platform works is up there, it robs you of any perceived genius.
And a presentation alone will not hold the same attention that a human being will.
The speaker is the most important part. They should be authentic and credible, not someone who knows only as much as the PowerPoint presentation.
PowerPoint Slides Are Small, So Keep Word Counts Low
An effective presentation is composed of equal parts copy and visuals. You have to remember that this isn’t some pamphlet or manifesto handed out desperately on some street corner. Without the right visuals, your audience will spend their time wondering when it will end.
Even a skilled writer who fills their slides with text will find themselves overlooked. A less-than-skilled writer will only amplify their shortcoming.
There isn’t a hard and fast rule as to how many words there should be on a slide, but we try to stick to 75 words and below. Remember, less is more.
Leave Room for Visuals
Many people struggle with abstract concepts. It’s less a product of intelligence and more simply that most people who have the resources to invest in your project likely already have a lot of moving pieces in their lives.
The advantage of this is it alleviates some of the burden on you as a writer. After all, what can demonstrate how your technology works better than a well-created chart or a high res mock-up? The secret of images is that they help people turn concepts into reality.
Where do you place the images? Images, especially in a pitch deck designed to raise funds, belong in “Act 2” of the presentation.
They should appear after the problem has been established and the solution has been presented. These should make your products and services stand out, explain how they works.
These should make what you’re offering as tangible as possible.
When you’re outlining your script, make sure you’re leaving room dedicated to that.
Get Help from People Who Understand Tech Presentations
At SlideGenius, we have been helping people like you looking to outsource tech presentation designs since 2012. We’ve helped people raise hundreds of millions of dollars in that time. If there’s a lot riding on your presentation, you should reach out and talk to one of reps about what your needs are.
Our team of writers will help you create the structure and copy you need. Their work allows your genius to come to the forefront and enables our design team to create the visuals you’re looking for.
Don’t struggle alone. Pick up the phone today.
