Category: PowerPoint Design

Choosing the Right Colors for your PowerPoint Design

color combinations

color palettes

PowerPoint Design

Jun 03, 2014

Recently, the Pantone Color Institute chose Radiant Orchid for 2014’s color of the year. The color is described as a “captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones”. It perfectly expresses confidence, creativity, and imagination.Colors play an important role in visual communication. Our personal experiences and cultural associations affect how we perceive them. Imagine if stop signs were colored blue instead? Do you think it will convey the same kind of urgency we associate with the color of blood?On their own, colors might seem like a rather inconsequential decision in the larger scheme of your deck. But it’s an important part of your slide, which could influence prospect decision-making and your business’ favorability in people’s eyes.Note that some of the most prominent brands are already recognizable color alone. Just like Pantone’s color of the year, the color you use on your deck will have a larger impact on clients’ perception of you.

Communicating with Colors in PowerPoint Design

A study conducted by The Michael Allen Company found that customers responded more to businesses with colored receipts. Similarly, marketing researchers from Virginia Tech observed that colors have a considerable impact on consumer behaviors.Because it’s become so integral to the business world, PowerPoint can also benefit from the psychological biases of color. Using meaningful and appropriate color combinations can help reinforce the message you want your audience to receive.

Things to keep in mind when choosing the perfect colors

1.) Your color palette must complement your topic.

Just like the images you use, your very color palette should be related to what you’re going to say. Don’t just choose colors on a whim. As we’ve seen from Pantone’s color choices every year, different colors represent different things, and can symbolize different things as well.Let’s say you’re presenting a project on water conservation. You can reinforce your message by sticking to the different shades of blue.

2.) The colors of your PowerPoint presentation should also complement the occasion.

It’s not just your appearance or language that should be appropriate to the occasion at hand. Your colors should always exude the mood and aura of the event you’re presenting in.For example, If your presentation is in a formal business setting, you might want to avoid using vibrant shades.

3.) Consider the personal preferences of your audience.

Similar to complementing the occasion, knowing your audience preferences is also necessary in picking the right color for the occasion. In basic color theory, brighter colors would call the attention of a tired audience, while cool colors would put an anxious audience at ease.As a more concrete example, if you’re a teacher lecturing to a class of teenagers, you can choose to go with bright color accents.

Conclusion

Keep in mind how each color is positioned in the color wheel. This will help you decide which combinations work together.Make sure that everything about your deck can be tied back to your pitch. If you want to convey strong points, use strong colors to express yourself. Your choices should also take into consideration both the location and your audience’s personal preferences.Create a winning deck with a pitch to match!

References

“Marketing Researchers Study Effect of Red on Consumer Behavior.” Virginia Tech. Accessed June 3, 2014.”PANTONE Color of the Year 2014 Radiant Orchid 18-3224.” PANTONE. Accessed June 3, 2014.

PowerPoint Presentations Can Benefit From Powerful Storytelling

Powerpoint

presentation

storytelling

Jun 02, 2014

Who doesn’t love to hear stories?PowerPoint presentations become more effective in their purpose when supported by engaging stories.

Why are They Important?

1. Make Your Messages More Relatable

There’s a reason why many of us had filled our notebooks with doodles during our school days: Barrage of facts and figures can make any lecture boring and mind-numbing. When incorporated into your presentation, the right stories can make your message more meaningful and more importantly, digestible. This is especially true if you take the time to learn more about your audience and the type of life stories that are likely to get their attention.After doing your research, draw a story from your own experience that’s similar to that of your general audience and use it to appeal to them emotionally.Stories can help establish a bond between the storyteller and the audience. We may not be aware of it at times but every one of us longs for a connection with others – especially with those who have had the same experiences as ourselves.

2. Allow You to Connect with Your Audience

As stories can cut through the audience’s filter better than facts, you have a greater chance of earning their trust.If you’re a good storyteller, you could even establish a connection with them. Once you have a connection with your audience, you can practically say anything to them and they’ll hardly express any disagreement.

3. Can Make Your Audience Agree with You

As long as your stories hit their mark, they can help you make your case and have your audience agree with your points.This happens because stories shut down whatever counter-arguments your listeners have, making them less likely to think of reasons to disagree. Another reason for this is that stories have the power to touch human emotions, which increases the likelihood of your audience agreeing with you.Now that you know the importance of storytelling in creating a presentation, what now? How do you take advantage of it? Well, all you need to do is find a nice way to tell your stories. Here are some tips for your to consider:

How to Incorporate Stories

1. Add a human element to your story

As with any stories, you need someone for your audience to relate to. This someone is the hero. In your case, this could be a student, a colleague, a consumer, or anyone who’ll make sense being included in your story.

2. Give your hero a goal and an obstacle from achieving that goal

A story without conflict can be boring. So give your hero something to aspire to as well as some challenges he needs to overcome. In your PowerPoint, this could be the part you introduce the problem.

3. Come up with a satisfying ending

People love happy endings. They inspire feelings of hope and joy. This is where you show how your ideas can solve the problems you’ve introduced earlier.

Hopefully, these three steps are enough to get you started on polishing your storytelling skills. In any case, arranging your deck in this order can make your presentation more engaging and make your job as a presenter much easier.

 

Reference

“How to Use the Persuasive Power of Metaphors.” Enchanting Marketing. 2013. Accessed June 2, 2014.

Why It Matters to Have a Quality Healthcare PowerPoint

healthcare industry

healthcare powerpoint

powerpoint presentation

professional powerpoint

May 28, 2014

A smiling elderly male doctor with white hair and beard is wearing a white coat and a stethoscope around his neck. He stands in a bright room with large windows behind him, reminiscent of the clean aesthetics often used for animations in pitch decks.

In the healthcare industry, effective communication is essential for educating patients, training professionals, and presenting critical data. A high-quality PowerPoint presentation can make a significant difference in delivering complex information clearly and engagingly. Whether you’re a healthcare provider, researcher, or administrator, a well-crafted PowerPoint can enhance understanding, support decision-making, and improve outcomes.

Here’s why it matters to have a quality healthcare PowerPoint:

1. Clarity in Communicating Complex Information

Healthcare often involves the presentation of intricate and technical data, such as medical procedures, research findings, or treatment plans. A quality PowerPoint breaks down these complexities into clear, digestible content, allowing both healthcare professionals and non-experts to understand and act on the information.

Why It Matters:

  • Improved Understanding: Medical terminology and data can be overwhelming. A well-designed presentation uses visuals, such as charts, infographics, and diagrams, to simplify and explain concepts clearly.
  • Consistency: Quality PowerPoints ensure that the same accurate and standardized information is communicated, reducing the risk of misinterpretation or errors.
  • Audience Engagement: Well-organized slides with clear, concise content make it easier for your audience to stay focused and grasp the key points.

Example:

When explaining a new surgical technique, using a step-by-step visual diagram along with brief, clearly written descriptions can help both medical staff and patients better understand the procedure and its benefits.

2. Professionalism and Credibility

In healthcare, credibility and professionalism are paramount. A polished, professional PowerPoint presentation demonstrates that the presenter has prepared thoroughly and takes the subject matter seriously. It reflects the quality and reliability of the institution, research, or practice being presented.

Why It Matters:

  • Building Trust: Whether addressing colleagues, stakeholders, or patients, a high-quality presentation builds trust and shows that you are organized, knowledgeable, and credible.
  • Reinforcing Expertise: A well-crafted PowerPoint enhances the presenter’s authority on the topic, ensuring that the audience perceives the information as accurate and reliable.
  • Consistent Branding: For institutions, consistency in presentation design, colors, and logos reinforces the brand and reflects a professional, organized approach.

Example:

When presenting a new hospital policy to the board, a sleek, well-organized PowerPoint with clear data visualization and consistent branding helps position your institution as professional and forward-thinking.

3. Better Patient Education

Patients often need clear, concise, and visually engaging information to understand their diagnoses, treatment options, or medical procedures. A well-designed PowerPoint presentation can significantly enhance patient education efforts, empowering them to make informed decisions about their health.

Why It Matters:

  • Simplifying Medical Jargon: Many patients find medical terminology confusing. A quality PowerPoint can use visuals, such as illustrations or animations, to explain complex medical terms in a way that is easy to grasp.
  • Visual Aids for Learning: People learn better with visuals. For example, using an infographic to show the process of managing a chronic condition makes the information more accessible and memorable.
  • Improved Compliance: Patients who understand their treatment options or care plans are more likely to comply with medical advice, leading to better health outcomes.

Example:

A PowerPoint presentation on diabetes management for newly diagnosed patients could include simplified graphics on how insulin works, interactive slides for tracking blood sugar, and step-by-step guides on dietary adjustments.

4. Enhancing Training and Education for Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals are continually learning—whether through medical training, continuing education, or research updates. High-quality PowerPoint presentations are essential tools for conveying important information in an organized and efficient manner, ensuring that learning is effective.

Why It Matters:

  • Retention of Information: Visuals, summaries, and well-structured slides help healthcare professionals retain complex medical information more effectively.
  • Standardized Learning: A professional PowerPoint ensures that all training sessions, whether conducted in person or remotely, deliver the same high-quality content.
  • Interactive Learning: Incorporating quizzes, case studies, or interactive elements into a presentation encourages active participation, improving engagement and knowledge retention.

Example:

In a medical training session on handling emergency situations, a PowerPoint presentation with case scenarios, decision-making flowcharts, and interactive assessments can help medical professionals apply what they’ve learned in real-world situations.

5. Data Visualization for Research and Analysis

In healthcare research, data plays a crucial role. Whether you are presenting clinical trial results, patient outcomes, or research findings, high-quality data visualization in your PowerPoint presentation helps make the information understandable and actionable.

Why It Matters:

  • Clarity in Data Representation: A well-designed PowerPoint can present large datasets in a clear and concise way, using charts, graphs, and tables to highlight key insights.
  • Highlighting Trends and Comparisons: PowerPoints help audiences see important trends, comparisons, or correlations that may not be immediately apparent in raw data.
  • Supporting Decision-Making: Accurate and clear data visualization allows stakeholders to make informed decisions about research directions, policy changes, or clinical practices.

Example:

A researcher presenting the results of a clinical trial could use bar graphs to show comparative outcomes between a new treatment and standard care, making it easier for the audience to evaluate the efficacy of the new approach.

6. Effective Collaboration and Decision-Making

Healthcare often involves collaboration among multidisciplinary teams, including doctors, nurses, administrators, and external partners. A high-quality PowerPoint can facilitate better communication and collaboration by providing clear, structured information that everyone can follow and understand.

Why It Matters:

  • Aligned Understanding: A professional presentation ensures that all team members, regardless of their role or background, are aligned with the same information and can make decisions based on a unified understanding.
  • Simplified Communication: For teams working on complex healthcare initiatives, a well-organized PowerPoint simplifies communication by presenting data, strategies, and goals in a clear and structured manner.
  • Facilitating Discussions: PowerPoint slides can help guide discussions, ensuring meetings stay focused and productive.

Example:

In a strategy meeting about improving hospital operations, a PowerPoint presentation that outlines data, goals, and action plans helps all team members contribute to the discussion and collaborate effectively on decision-making.

7. Supporting Public Health Education and Awareness

Public health campaigns, whether about vaccinations, disease prevention, or lifestyle changes, rely on effective communication. High-quality PowerPoint presentations can play a pivotal role in educating the public and increasing awareness about important health issues.

Why It Matters:

  • Reach a Wider Audience: A visually engaging and clear PowerPoint can be used in community health seminars, schools, or public webinars to effectively reach diverse audiences.
  • Increasing Retention: Simplified slides with key messages and visuals increase the likelihood that your audience will remember the information and act on it.
  • Consistent Messaging: Ensuring that your presentation is well-designed and accurate means that your messaging will remain consistent, even when presented by different healthcare providers.

Example:

A public health presentation on flu prevention could use infographics to show how flu viruses spread, highlight the importance of vaccinations, and offer simple tips for maintaining hygiene during flu season.

Conclusion

A high-quality healthcare PowerPoint presentation is essential for effectively communicating important information in a clear, organized, and engaging way. Whether educating patients, training healthcare professionals, presenting research, or collaborating on decisions, a well-designed PowerPoint enhances the understanding, professionalism, and impact of your message. Investing time in creating a visually appealing, well-structured presentation can improve communication, lead to better outcomes, and build trust with your audience.

Three Mistakes to Avoid in Making Your Elevator Pitch

elevator business pitch

elevator pitch

elevator pitch mistakes

Rick Enrico

sales pitch

May 22, 2014

An elevator pitch is a short but persuasive speech that aims to spark interest in what your business does. It is also used to generate interest in a particular project, concept, or product. Ideally, an elevator pitch shouldn’t last longer than a short elevator ride (about 30-45 seconds).With that very small window of opportunity, it may seem hard to get a pitch right. There are several ways Entrepreneur contributor Dwight Peters provides on perfecting an elevator pitch. It would also help, however, to be aware of the most common elevator pitch mistakes.Apart from avoiding such mistakes, you’d be able to project a more confident front once you finally make your pitch. So, let’s get started with these three mistakes:

Focusing on Yourself

While your professional success can be a good thing, talking about it for too long would only alienate your audience. It will make you sound like an arrogant know-it-all who believes he’s better than them.Don’t lose sight of your main goal, which is to establish a connection with your listeners. Remember that like any human being, they’re mostly interested in how you can help them, not amaze them with your numerous credentials. You can establish this much-needed connection by linking what you do with an existing need or problem. A good problem slide can help you explain this part.When you explain to your audience what it is that you do, do not be too general in your approach. It is best to be specific. It will make your elevator pitch as relevant as possible.[sg-blog-modules module=one]

Using Technical Lingo

In making your pitch relevant, see to it that you avoid jargons and buzzwords that only you or someone in your industry understands. Otherwise, you will only succeed in creating a communication gap between you and your audience. As a result, you will lose their attention quickly.Remember, the goal of the elevator pitch is not to show how extensive your vocabulary is. Using words a potential investor or customer don’t understand will not impress them. It will only backfire on you.

Bragging about Your Company

Similar to talking too much about yourself, people aren’t that interested in hearing you brag about your company. While presenting your product or service’s unique features may be essential in highlighting your advantage over the competition, your audience won’t speculate on the process you use to get results.Ultimately, the only thing that matters to them is what’s in it for them. So focus more on explaining the benefits that you offer, not on your process of doing things.

With these things out in the open, you can now focus better on the right steps to take. Keep in mind, though, that there are still some challenges that you might encounter. But as long as you position your business as the one who can provide the best solution to a pressing need, you are off to a good start.

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Reference

Peters, Dwight. “6 Tips for Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch.” Entrepreneur. August 27, 2013. Accessed May 22, 2014.

Designing a ‘How It Works’ Slide That Works

how it works

Powerpoint

PowerPoint slide

presentation slides

slide design

May 20, 2014

Do you find it difficult to explain to someone how a product, service, or process works? If your business involves selling new products or you’re constantly introducing new service features, then you’ll need an easy way to explain things. This is where the “How It Works” slides come in.Explaining how certain things work is one of the most common uses of presentation slides. Done right, a “how it works” PowerPoint can be effective for product demos, process flow illustrations, or pitching a business idea. To help you get started out, here are some ways you can make this type of slide work:

Lay it out

PowerPoint has several types of slide layouts. The default type comes with two boxes: The text box at the top, which is for the title of the slide, and the middle box, which is a multipurpose placeholder for text, graphics, or any content types.For this purpose, however, you may choose the blank layout type and then simply insert the content that you need. Or better yet, as with the above slide, choose the Title Only template before putting all the other elements. To enhance the effect of your slide, feel free to choose from the Shapes and SmartArt Graphics.

Be consistent with colors

This one is pretty basic although there are still those who take it for granted. Buffer‘s Leonhard Widrich writes about how color schemes can affect our perception of a brand. The more recognizable colors have effectively been associated with specific brands, while those that were more difficult to point out didn’t have such a good color combination.Similarly, presentation slides should have similar color schemes as they can affect the overall impact of your message.Using varying combinations for different slides can confuse your audience. So for best results, make the color scheme of your How It Works slide consistent with the rest of your deck. This also applies to the slide itself. Looking at the above sample, you’ll notice that the color of the iVoteLIVE logo is consistent with that of the template. Apart from that, most of the imagery (i.e., photos and graphics) have similar shades of colors. This makes the slide pleasant to look at.

Take it easy with texts

This is another common concern and when it comes to How It Works slides, we can’t stress enough its importance. The purpose of slides is to describe visually something you can’t explain verbally. Why spend 15 minutes explaining a new feature, when a couple of images will take you just a few seconds, right?If you’re going to include some texts, make sure not to mix up the fonts and font sizes just for the heck of it. Otherwise, your slide will appear visually confusing. Take a look at the sample again. While the format of the texts describing the consumers is different from the texts indicating the features (iVoteLive computer interface, Live Program Broadcasts), they still work because each group has specific purpose.In short, they are not randomly mixed up.

The Takeaway: Engage with imagery

In general, images can make it easier for people to understand and remember ideas. So use relevant imagery instead of text in parts where you think a visual element would work better. When using images, though, be sure that they are of appropriate quality.For scanned images, the ideal resolution is between 150 dpi (when precise color reproduction is not required) and 300 dpi (if you need higher quality images).As much as possible, do not take images from the Internet as they usually of a very low quality and might pixelate when projected on a screen. 

Reference

Widrich, Leonhard. “Why Is Facebook Blue? The Science of Colors in Marketing.” The Huffington Post. January 16, 2014. Accessed May 20, 2014.

Why We Are Different: Creating A Slide That Highlights Your Competitive Edge

competitive edge

presentation slide

why we are different

May 15, 2014

One of the most important slides in any business presentation is the one that highlights your competitive edge. This slide should clearly communicate what sets you apart from your competitors, whether it’s a unique product feature, exceptional customer service, or a disruptive business model. It needs to be concise, compelling, and backed by solid evidence.Here’s how to create a slide that effectively communicates your competitive advantage:

1. Identify What Truly Sets You Apart

The first step is identifying the unique selling proposition (USP) of your business. What do you offer that your competitors can’t? This could be anything from patented technology, specialized expertise, customer loyalty, or exclusive partnerships. Focus on the real differentiators, not generic claims.How to Do It:

  • Be Specific: Avoid vague statements like “We offer great customer service” and instead provide quantifiable evidence or real-world examples.
  • Focus on the Customer: Highlight what makes your product or service more valuable to the customer compared to competitors.

Example: Instead of saying, “We provide fast delivery,” you could say, “Our proprietary delivery system guarantees delivery within 24 hours in 95% of orders, 3x faster than the industry average.”

2. Use Data to Support Your Claims

It’s not enough to simply state what makes your company different—you need to provide data to back it up. Use metrics, testimonials, or third-party validation to add credibility to your competitive claims.How to Do It:

  • Show Market Comparisons: Use charts or graphs to visually compare your product’s performance, pricing, or user ratings against competitors.
  • Include Testimonials or Reviews: Adding a testimonial or customer quote can humanize your competitive edge and provide social proof.

Example: Include a chart comparing your product’s customer satisfaction rating (e.g., 4.9/5) against competitors, emphasizing how your company consistently ranks higher.

3. Highlight Your Unique Process or Technology

If your competitive edge is rooted in a proprietary process, technology, or intellectual property, dedicate part of the slide to explaining this uniqueness. Make sure it’s clear how this differentiator impacts the customer experience or market positioning.How to Do It:

  • Use Diagrams: If your advantage is based on a technical process, consider using a simple diagram to explain it visually.
  • Simplify the Jargon: Avoid using overly technical language. Keep it simple and relatable, focusing on how it benefits the end-user or client.

Example: Showcase your patented technology with a simple visual explaining its efficiency, and follow it with a few bullet points outlining how it reduces costs or speeds up delivery for customers.

4. Visualize Competitive Analysis

One of the most effective ways to illustrate your competitive edge is by using a competitor matrix or a visual comparison chart. This allows your audience to quickly see how you stand out in key areas.How to Do It:

  • Competitor Matrix: Create a table that compares your product with competitors across several key categories (e.g., price, features, support, quality).
  • Highlight Strengths: Make sure your strongest features stand out, either by using color highlights or checkmarks for areas where you outperform competitors.

Example: Include a competitor comparison matrix that shows your product has more features at a lower price point, highlighting it with checkmarks and bold text.

5. Show the Impact on the Market

Communicate the broader impact your competitive edge has on your target market. Does it increase your market share, make you the leader in a specific niche, or allow you to expand into new territories? Show investors or stakeholders why this matters for future growth.How to Do It:

  • Project Market Share Growth: Use a graph to project how your competitive edge is expected to drive market share growth over the next 3–5 years.
  • Highlight Customer Retention: If your advantage helps you retain customers better than competitors, provide data on customer retention rates and satisfaction.

Example: Display a chart showing projected market growth, indicating that your product’s unique features will allow you to capture 25% of the market within three years.

Final Thoughts

Both a winning speech supported by an engaging PowerPoint presentation and a compelling slide highlighting your competitive edge require clarity, focus, and strong visuals. The key to success is keeping your audience engaged, demonstrating your unique value, and supporting your claims with real data. Whether you’re delivering a speech to a large audience or pitching to investors, these tools help you communicate your message more effectively and leave a lasting impression.

Why We Are Different: Highlighting Your Competitive Edge

competitive edge

presentation slide

why we are different

May 15, 2014

Today, most mainstream markets are becoming more saturated and difficult to penetrate, especially for budding entrepreneurs. This leads to companies and brands simply imitating each other in terms of features and benefits. But for those in these precarious market situations, customers have heard it all, and they’re not that impressed.Defining your competitive edge can help establish your unique position in the market. With clearly defined benefits and features, your customers will know what really makes you a cut above the competitors and what steps you need to take to maintain that position.Here’s how you can craft a slide stating your specific advantages:

Say it Fast

The “Why We Are Different” slide is a common fixture in corporate profile presentations.Ironically, many organizations use the same strategy in describing the things that differentiate them from the crowd: They use bullet points. Enumerating your best qualities isn’t exactly the best way to present your competitive edge. If you can say it one sentence, the stronger your impact will be.This doesn’t mean that you’ll be leaving out important details from your slide. It only means compressing the important points in one non-highfalutin and simple-to-understand sentence. Since we’re talking about customers who are tired of hearing the same things over and over, a brief but enlightening slide is a breath of fresh air for their tired gaze. Try to be as concise as possible in your slide. Don’t go off on tangent unless necessary.

Back it Up

Another effective way to describe your edge over the competition is this: Don’t make it about the competition.Make it client-driven. You can do this by identifying your customer base and describing the solution to their problem.For most of your customers, you are the ideal provider not because of flashy advertising or due to popular choice, but because you are able to address their needs and challenges. In an interview with LoyalBlocks’ Ido Gaver, Kevin Daum enumerates the ways you can back up your statements and show your sincerity.Show people that their loyalty to you has perks—whether it’s in terms of addressing them personally, or giving them perks like promos and freebies. Build and maintain your competitive edge on that opportunity.

Say it Loud

Now that you have an idea of what your competitive edge really is, it’s time to declare it to the world using your slide. You don’t need to use big, highfalutin words.Simple words would be enough, as long as they sound sincere, not condescending and inappropriate. Use images to support your text. Make sure they are relevant and do not detract from what you want to say. An effective slide that aims to set you apart from the competition will only succeed if you bring together strategic techniques to the table.

Be Creative with Your Deck: Tips on Creating An Effective Team Slide

pitch presentation

team slide

May 13, 2014

Introducing your team is a key component of many presentations, whether for a pitch, company overview, or project proposal. A well-designed team slide should not only showcase who’s on the team but also convey their roles, skills, and the value they bring to the project. Instead of a plain list of names and titles, make your team slide engaging and visually appealing.Here are some creative tips for designing an effective team slide:

1. Use Photos for a Personal Touch

Including team members’ photos adds a personal touch to your presentation, helping the audience connect with the individuals behind the project. This is especially useful in pitches or client presentations.Why It’s Effective:

  • Personalizes the Team: Photos make the team feel more real and approachable.
  • Enhances Credibility: People are more likely to trust and engage with presentations that showcase the actual individuals involved.

How to Do It:

  • Use high-quality, professional headshots for each team member.
  • Ensure consistency in photo style—either all black and white or color to maintain visual harmony.

2. Highlight Roles and Expertise

Don’t just list names and titles—highlight each team member’s role and their unique expertise. This adds depth to the slide and demonstrates the team’s collective capabilities.Why It’s Effective:

  • Showcases Value: Highlighting individual roles and skills demonstrates the team’s expertise and relevance to the project.
  • Builds Confidence: Audiences are more likely to trust your team when they understand each member’s qualifications.

How to Do It:

  • Include a brief description of each team member’s role and area of expertise.
  • Consider adding a fun fact or key achievement to make the slide more engaging.

3. Organize with a Clear Layout

A cluttered team slide can confuse your audience. Organize the team members in a clean, easy-to-read layout. You can use grids, circles, or other shapes to group team members together.Why It’s Effective:

  • Improves Clarity: A clear layout ensures your audience can quickly identify team members and their roles.
  • Enhances Visual Appeal: A well-organized slide looks more professional and is easier to follow.

How to Do It:

  • Arrange team members in a grid, with photos and names aligned in rows or columns.
  • Use clear, readable fonts for names and titles, and avoid overcrowding the slide with text.

4. Add a Team Structure or Hierarchy

If you’re presenting a large team or project hierarchy, visually represent the structure with a flowchart or organizational chart. This helps the audience understand who’s responsible for what.Why It’s Effective:

  • Clarifies Reporting Lines: An organizational chart visually communicates team structure and roles within the project.
  • Simplifies Complex Teams: It’s easier for the audience to understand large or complex teams when they can see the hierarchy.

How to Do It:

  • Create a simple flowchart that shows each team member’s position within the organization.
  • Use lines or arrows to indicate reporting relationships or areas of responsibility.

5. Use Icons and Graphics

Adding icons or simple graphics next to each team member’s name or role can make your slide more engaging and visually interesting. Icons can represent roles, skills, or departments.Why It’s Effective:

  • Enhances Visual Appeal: Icons break up text and add a creative touch to the slide.
  • Simplifies Information: Using icons can quickly communicate key information about team members without overwhelming the audience with text.

How to Do It:

  • Use relevant icons to represent each team member’s role or department (e.g., a computer icon for the IT team or a graph for a finance role).
  • Keep the icons simple and consistent in size and style.

6. Tell a Story with Your Team

Instead of just listing team members, tell a story about how the team came together or why they’re uniquely suited for this project. This approach makes the team slide more engaging and memorable.Why It’s Effective:

  • Creates Engagement: Storytelling helps build a connection with the audience and makes the team more relatable.
  • Builds Credibility: A story about the team’s qualifications or past successes strengthens the audience’s trust in your capabilities.

How to Do It:

  • Include a short narrative about the team’s background, shared experience, or key achievements.
  • Keep the story concise and relevant to the presentation’s goals.

7. Add Interactivity (For Digital Presentations)

If your presentation is digital or interactive, consider making the team slide clickable. Viewers can click on each team member’s photo to see more information, such as a bio or LinkedIn profile.Why It’s Effective:

  • Adds Depth: Interactive elements allow the audience to explore more detailed information about the team without cluttering the slide.
  • Encourages Engagement: Clickable links or profiles make the slide more interactive and engaging.

How to Do It:

  • Hyperlink each team member’s photo to their LinkedIn profile or a separate slide with more detailed information.
  • Ensure the links are easy to find and use, especially in a digital format.

Final Thoughts

Your team slide is an opportunity to showcase the people behind your project and demonstrate their value to your audience. By using high-quality visuals, highlighting roles and expertise, and incorporating creative design elements like icons or stories, you can create an engaging and effective team slide that leaves a lasting impression.

Helpful Tools for Designing Presentations

presentation tools

Presentations

May 01, 2014

Have you ever been impressed by an exceptional presentation that it made you wonder how the presenter had done it? We’re going to let you in on a secret.Behind every successful presentation are a bunch of design and productivity tools. To give you some ideas, here are some of the tools for designing presentations that experts commonly use:

For organizing ideas

Taking down notes is an essential part of the brainstorming process to come up with presentation ideas. Many of us, however, are not used to putting thoughts on paper anymore. In this case, a mind mapping software will come in handy. Mind mapping involves drawing bits of information in diagram form instead of writing them in complete sentences. And in place of pen and paper, you can use a software application to create the diagrams.Xmind is the one of the most popular mind mapping software out there. It’s packed with so many features yet easy to use. Best of all, it’s free.This program lets you create a concept map from scratch or with the help of its templates. Apart from the templates, it also comes with a number of charts that you can choose from for different purposes. This makes Xmind not only one of the best tools for designing presentations but it is also great for improving your productivity in general.

For creating attractive graphs and charts

Data-driven presentations can be hard to pull off. Failure would mean exposing your audience to torturous, boredom-inducing barrage of information. The best workaround would be to use charts and graphs. Creating such visuals can be tiresome, though. Especially for those of us who are not that good with Microsoft Excel. Thankfully, there’s a tool that can serve as a guide in the process of creating charts.Oomfo is a plugin for Microsoft PowerPoint that helps users create engaging charts in presentations. With its user-friendly interface, you can create a wide range of charts that range – from the basic bar types to the more complicated ones such as the interactive waterfall chart.

For taking screenshots

Incorporating some screenshots in your presentation can help illustrate the points you are trying to make. However, you can’t simply rely on the Print Screen key on your keyboard. Sure, it’s handy but it offers a very limited capability. For one, you will have to paste the captured screenshot into an image editor such as Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop before you can save or manipulate it. For a more efficient solution, you may want to check out Skitch.Skitch is a screen capture tool that doesn’t just take a screenshot but also allows you to annotate it if you need to clarify your point further. You may choose to instantly save the screenshot as a JPG, BMP, PNG, or TIFF file. Skitch also lets you perform modifications to your screen shots. You can resize, flip, crop, and rotate the resulting images and archive them for use at a later date.

Creating a presentation involves more than just putting together a bunch of PowerPoint slides. With the right tools, a professional presenter can make his presentations remarkable and effective in getting his message across.

Adobe Programs for Enhancing Presentation Designs

Adobe programs for PowerPoint

Illustrator

Photoshop

ppt tips

presentation tips

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius Blog

Apr 28, 2014

As we all know, PowerPoint presentations are highly useful for sharing information. We use it to educate, train, motivate, or even to sell. Not all pitch deck presentations are created equal, though. To be effective, your slide decks should be well organized and carry strong visuals. And when it comes to creating visual elements, practically no other tools are as powerful as the Adobe programs.Below are some of the Adobe applications that can enhance your next presentation design:

Adobe Photoshop

Microsoft PowerPoint is considered the industry standard for presentation tools. Adobe Photoshop, on the other hand, continues to set the bar for image editing. When you combine the features of these programs, you have a great chance of creating an effective presentation.Custom backgrounds are among the great things that presenters can create with Photoshop. While you can always use PowerPoint’s preloaded templates, your presentation will only end up looking bland and generic. A Photoshop-created background, on the other hand, will allow your presentation to stand out and look professional.To create your own background, simply choose an image that you want to use. Open it in Photoshop and edit it accordingly. After saving your personalized background image, insert it into the PPT by right-clicking on the slide and then selecting “Format Background.”  One reminder, though. Make sure that the image you use is appropriate to the theme of your presentation design. Otherwise, it will distract your audience.

Adobe Illustrator

Illustrator can produce just about any type of images, making it perfect for web graphics, marketing collateral, and, of course, PowerPoint presentations. A vector-based tool, Illustrator is quite different from Photoshop (which is raster-based). This means it works using lines and curves unlike Photoshop, which does its job on a pixel level.Using vectors created in Illustrator has some advantages over Photoshop-edited images. For one, vector objects are scalable. You can change their size without worrying about quality loss.When you create an image in Illustrator, make sure to save it for PowerPoint. To do this, click File and then select “Save For Microsoft Office.” Choose a location for the file, then enter a filename before clicking Save. This command allows you create a PNG file that can be used not only in PPT but also in other Microsoft Office applications.If you need to customize the PNG settings to improve resolution, transparency, or background color, you can just choose Export instead of the Save for Microsoft option.

Saving Files

Graphics imported into PowerPoint usually fall into two main categories: The Bitmap or Paint-Type and the Object-Oriented or Draw-Type.It’s recommended that you choose widely used Bitmap types such as .JPG, .BMP, or .TIF files. Unusual files like QuickTime compressed, PICT, and EPS don’t often translate very well. So when you save or export images, determine the file type carefully to ensure a great looking final image.

References

Akhter, Aquil. “60 Beautiful Logo Design Tutorials And Resources.” Smashing Magazine. April 30, 2009. Accessed April 28, 2014.Bear, Jacci Howard. “What Is the EPS File Format?” About.com. Accessed April 28, 2014.