Category: Presentation

Timed Presentations: Tips for When the Clock is Ticking

presentation tips

time limit

timed presentations

Sep 02, 2014

While an extra ten minutes might seem harmless, it could mean something else for the people in your audience. An extra ten minutes could mean that majority of your audience won’t be able to hear your conclusion. It can also make or break the outcome of your presentation, especially if you’re pitching to investors or trying to make a sale.[sg-blog-modules module=one]So how can you be sure that your timed presentations end at the exact moment? Follow these three simple tips to help you finish presentations on time:

Plan accordingly

The secret to timed presentations is sufficient planning. The first thing you have to do is ask how long you have to speak. For business presentations, 30-45 minutes seem to be the standard. If you’re talking at a seminar, you might have an hour to present. Check with your contacts or the organizers to be sure.Once you have the answer, you can begin planning how everything will play out. Aside from the main discussion, what else do you have in mind for your presentation? Do you want to involve your audience with some activities? Are you planning on giving a live demo?Think about everything you want to do during your presentation and consider how much time each part could take up. Everything included in your presentation should contribute to your main takeaway. You should also allocate a few minutes for answering questions, and give yourself leeway in case your equipment malfunctions or you arrive late at the venue.

Rehearse and make necessary edits

After you’ve finished planning and preparing your presentation, take the extra step to rehearse everything you want to do on stage. With a timer going, practice your speech with the PowerPoint deck you’ve prepared. You should also rehearse your body language and how you plan to move on the stage. Make your rehearsals as close to your actual presentation as possible.If you can, ask a friend or family member to help you out. Have them take note of how long you take during each part of your presentation. If it looks like you’re taking too long on the introduction, trim some of the parts out. Keep rehearsing and editing until you’re a little bit under your allotted time. If everything runs smoothly, you can use the extra time to address a few more questions.

Make adjustments on stage

Now that you know how long each part of your presentation will take, use these markers to facilitate your delivery. Take note of the time as you give your presentation. Enable PowerPoint’s Presenter View to access a timer. If you originally allotted 5 minutes for your introduction and you’re running over time, adjust accordingly. Skip the joke you were planning to tell and move on to the next part of the presentation.Flexibility is important in timed presentations. But keep in mind that being flexible doesn’t mean rushing through your slides and talking fast. Instead, try to condense the less important parts of your presentation by offering a general overview. In cases of unforeseen events, don’t ask for extra time unless you’re offered an extension.–Make sure your audience stays to hear the rest of your presentation by staying within your allotted schedule. Timed presentations might seem a bit restrictive, but they’re basically protocol in the business world.Don’t miss out on great opportunities just because the clock is ticking behind you.[sg-blog-modules module=two]Featured Image: MattysFlicks via Flickr

6 Presentation Books to Read over Labor Day Weekend

powerpoint books

presentation books

presentation reading list

presentation tools

Aug 29, 2014

It’s been a difficult work week, and you can’t wait for the three-day weekend. Whether you’re planning to soak up the sun or stay at home to relax, Labor Day weekend is the perfect opportunity to crack open a few presentation books.These 6 titles are fun and refreshing, offering new perspectives to the oft-repeated tips. Sit back and give yourself an opportunity to be inspired by new ideas.

Six presentation books to read over Labor Day weekend:

1.) The Art of Explanation: Making Your Ideas, Products, and Services Easier to Understand

Coming up with a new idea is only half the battle. The next part is explaining your work to an audience, and getting them to see your entire vision. In The Art of Explanation, Lee LeFever covers the different ways you can successfully communicate your big ideas. This book is the perfect read for entrepreneurs, educators, and anyone who wants to improve their presentation skills.

2.) Confessions of a Public Speaker

Anyone who has experienced stage fright or anxiety will find comfort in Confessions of a Public Speaker. Scott Berkun utilizes humor and quick wit to relay presentation secrets he learned from over 15 years as a professional public speaker. His lessons are told through anecdotes of his own thrilling performances and embarrassing mistakes. This is a book novice presenters can relate to and enjoy. Reading it won’t feel like work at all.

3.) Moments of Impact: How to Design Strategic Conversations that Accelerate Change

Chris Ertel and Lisa Kay Solomon remind readers that action happens only after effective communication takes place. To get there, Moments of Impact imparts a simple process that can help collaborators solve issues and avoid misunderstandings. If you’ve ever left strategic meetings feeling more frustrated than enlightened, this is the perfect book to read and share with the rest of your team.

4.) Thinking Fast and Slow

If you’ve been too bogged down at work to come up with fresh ideas, Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow might come in handy. The Nobel Prize winning author introduces readers to the world of the brain. He explains the two “systems” that drives the way people think. The first system is more intuitive and emotional, while the second one focuses on deliberation and logical thinking. This book is perfect for anyone who is willing to try a new approach to decision-making and brainstorming.

5.) The Sketchnote Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Visual Note Taking

We’ve talked a lot about the importance of visuals in explaining difficult concepts and new ideas. This is why images are important to PowerPoint presentations. In The Sketchnote Handbook, Mike Rohde takes the same concept and applies it to note taking. Do you have a hard time recalling new information? That can change with visual note taking. And you need to be an artist to do it. All you need is a pen, a notebook, and some creativity.

6.) Show and Tell: How Everybody Can Make Extraordinary Presentations

Giving great presentations is easier said than done. I’m sure every presenter—even the ones that have bored you to death in the past—aim to engage their audience with an interesting discussion. If you want to make sure you’re giving all that you can, take note of the tips and tricks that Dan Roam covers in Show and Tell.

Which of these presentation books intrigue you? Grab your favorite title and learn something new over the weekend.

Featured Image: Simon Cocks via Flickr

3 Tips for a Concise Pharmaceutical PowerPoint Deck

drug development presentation

pharmaceutical powerpoint

Powerpoint tips

Aug 28, 2014

The drug development process is often long and tedious. Before new drugs and medical devices are introduced to the public, there needs to be careful planning, research, and several clinical trials. Throughout these steps researchers, pharmaceutical companies, contractors, and government agents work together to ensure public safety. This is why presentations in the pharmaceutical industry are extremely crucial.[sg-blog-modules module=one]Pharmaceutical presentations play a significant role in relaying information during the drug development process. In this case, using PowerPoint isn’t just an aesthetic decision. The use of visual aids is an effective way to present consequential data in a clear and concise manner.These are three tips to keep in mind when working on a pharmaceutical PowerPoint:

1. Design should be simple but interesting

The main purpose of a pharmaceutical PowerPoint is to relay information and data. That means it shouldn’t get buried under complicated imagery and slide animations. Instead of going over-the-top with customization, use color schemes cohesively throughout your presentation.Going with a simple, engaging design will pique your audience’s interests enough without distracting them from your key points.

2. Make use of images meaningful to your data

If you completely ignore presentation design, you might end up with a bland pharmaceutical PowerPoint. Even if the people you’ll be presenting to are likely professionals in the field themselves, you still want your slides to be visually engaging. What you can do is make use of stock or CC images that will help illustrate the key points you’re making.While they don’t have to be directly related to your presentation, make sure you can explain your visual metaphors when giving your pitch. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with a superfluous slide that will make you look unprofessional.

3. Don’t put everything on the slides

Your pharmaceutical PowerPoint shouldn’t include every data you have available. Keep the hard-hitting numbers and information in your documents.Your presentation should only serve to supplement your papers by giving a meaningful overview.–You can pick up more pharmaceutical PowerPoint ideas by viewing our vertical portfolio. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.With us, we can help you create slides that will perfectly communicate the hard work you’ve invested throughout the long drug development process.[sg-blog-modules module=two]Featured Image: reynermedia via Flickr

Data Storytelling: Mastering the Art with 4 Simple Rules

Powerpoint tips

presenting data

Aug 26, 2014

When presenting data, it’s crucial that your audience can fully understand what they mean and represent. You might think the highly complex graph on your slide is doing the trick. But it could actually make things more confusing for your audience. Make sure everyone is on the same page with these four simple rules for presenting data:

Include only the most important part 

Be mindful to include the information that’s most important to your core message. If you’re dealing with plenty of spreadsheets, review the data you have and figure out what they mean in relation to your presentation. This will help you pick out which data are the most significant to your key points.

Know when and which graphs or charts to use 

Figure out the correct way to present your data. Review the different types of charts and graphs to know what you should use for your presentation. You can also summarize your data in a few simple sentences if you don’t really need to go into detail.

Add some interest with related images and icon

Bar graphs and pie charts are great methods for presenting data. But if your presentation deck has one chart after another, your visuals can easily look dull and monotonous. You definitely want to have a bit more variety. As an alternative, you can try presenting data with images and icons that help drive home your point.

Lead by telling everyone what the numbers are about 

Before you go into a detailed discussion, begin by talking about what the numbers means. Provide the audience an overall look before zooming in to the finer points. Keep your audience engaged by helping them see the bigger picture. This is especially important if your presentation is crucial to sales or investment efforts.Read More: 5 Commandments for Presenting Data in PowerPoint Featured Image: justgrimes via Flickr

Engage and Empower: Innovative PowerPoint Tools and Tutorials for Interactive Presentations

audience interaction

powerpoint tools

powerpoint tutorial

Presentations

Aug 22, 2014

Interactive presentations can elevate your content by making your audience feel more involved and engaged. PowerPoint offers several built-in tools and features that allow you to create dynamic, interactive slides. From hyperlinks to embedded polls, you can transform a passive presentation into an interactive experience.Here’s how to use PowerPoint tools to make your presentations more interactive:

1. Hyperlinks and Action Buttons

Hyperlinks allow you to create clickable links within your presentation that direct the audience to another slide, a website, or an external file. This can be especially useful for interactive quizzes, navigational menus, or reference material.How to Do It:

  • Highlight the text or select the object you want to hyperlink.
  • Go to the Insert tab and click Hyperlink.
  • Choose whether the link will direct to another slide, a webpage, or a file.

Example: Use hyperlinks to create a table of contents slide that allows your audience to jump to specific sections of the presentation.

2. Polls and Quizzes

You can make your presentation more engaging by incorporating polls or quizzes that gather live feedback from your audience. Tools like Mentimeter or Poll Everywhere can be embedded directly into PowerPoint, allowing you to display real-time results.How to Do It:

  • Create a poll or quiz using an interactive tool like Mentimeter.
  • Insert the poll into PowerPoint as a live interactive element by embedding the code or using the tool’s PowerPoint add-in.

Example: Use a poll to gauge audience opinions on a topic, then display the results live during the presentation.

3. Interactive Zoom

PowerPoint’s Zoom feature allows you to create a more dynamic and interactive navigation experience within your presentation. With Zoom, you can jump between sections, zoom into content, and return to the overview slide, making your presentation feel more fluid.How to Do It:

  • Go to the Insert tab, then click on Zoom.
  • Choose whether you want to create a Summary Zoom, Section Zoom, or Slide Zoom.
  • Customize the zoom functionality to allow smooth transitions between content.

Example: Use Summary Zoom to create an interactive outline of your presentation, allowing you to navigate between different sections based on audience preferences.

4. Trigger Animations

Trigger animations allow you to set specific actions to occur when an object is clicked. This can be useful for interactive infographics, quizzes, or decision trees.How to Do It:

  • Select the object you want to animate.
  • Go to the Animations tab and choose an animation.
  • In the Timing section, click Triggers and choose which object will trigger the animation.

Example: Use trigger animations to reveal additional information when a button or object is clicked, creating an interactive learning experience.

Final Thoughts

Interactive presentations can engage your audience and empower them to participate in the content. By using PowerPoint’s innovative tools, such as hyperlinks, polls, zoom, and trigger animations, you can create a more dynamic and memorable presentation. Test these features ahead of time to ensure they function smoothly during your live presentation.

Improve Your Presentation Skills with Deliberate Practice

deliberate practice

presentation improvement

presentation preparation

Aug 18, 2014

Improving your presentation skills through deliberate practice involves focused, structured efforts aimed at enhancing specific aspects of your performance. Here’s how you can apply deliberate practice to presentations:

1. Set Clear, Specific Goals

  • Why it works: Deliberate practice is about working toward well-defined objectives. Instead of simply aiming to “get better at presenting,” identify specific areas for improvement, such as vocal clarity, body language, or slide design.
  • How to apply: Start with measurable goals like improving eye contact with 80% of your audience or reducing filler words (e.g., “um” or “uh”) by half. Breaking down your goals into smaller, concrete tasks makes it easier to track progress.

2. Focus on One Skill at a Time

  • Why it works: Concentrating on one element at a time allows you to hone that specific skill. Trying to improve everything at once can lead to frustration and lack of progress.
  • How to apply: If you’re working on voice modulation, focus on varying your tone and pitch during practice rather than worrying about gestures or slides. Once you’ve improved one skill, move on to the next.

3. Record and Review Your Presentations

  • Why it works: Watching yourself present helps you spot areas for improvement that you might not notice in real-time, such as slouching or overusing certain phrases.
  • How to apply: Record yourself giving a practice presentation. Afterward, review the footage to see where you can make adjustments. Focus on specific areas like body language, pacing, or voice projection.

4. Get Constructive Feedback

  • Why it works: Feedback from others allows you to see how your presentation is perceived and provides insight into areas you might overlook.
  • How to apply: Ask for feedback from colleagues, friends, or mentors after practicing. Specifically request input on key areas like clarity, engagement, or organization. Act on the feedback and incorporate changes in your next practice session.

5. Practice Under Simulated Conditions

  • Why it works: Practicing in an environment similar to the one in which you’ll present helps reduce nerves and prepares you for real-world conditions.
  • How to apply: If you’ll be presenting in front of a large audience, simulate that experience by practicing in front of a small group or even in the venue itself if possible. This can help you get used to factors like timing, stage presence, and handling distractions.

6. Break Down Complex Elements

  • Why it works: Deliberate practice involves mastering small, complex tasks rather than trying to perfect an entire presentation at once.
  • How to apply: Focus on improving one part of your presentation, such as the opening hook, transitions between slides, or handling Q&A. Work on each element individually until you’re comfortable before integrating them into the full presentation.

7. Consistent Practice Over Time

  • Why it works: Skill improvement happens with consistent, repeated practice. By spacing out practice sessions, you can retain skills better and avoid burnout.
  • How to apply: Instead of practicing the day before your presentation, incorporate regular practice into your routine. This might involve setting aside 30 minutes each day for a week to practice different parts of your presentation.

By using these deliberate practice techniques, you can methodically improve specific aspects of your presentation skills, leading to more confidence and greater impact in your presentations.

Unlocking the Power of Your Voice: Dynamic Vocal Warm-ups for Stellar Presentations

presentation

relaxation tips

vocal warmups

Aug 15, 2014

In presentations, your voice is your greatest tool. It’s important that you’re heard to the very back of the room. If you’re addressing a large group of people, you might be tempted to strain your voice to make it louder. However, this could damage your vocal chords over time.Even with a microphone, you still have to constantly enunciate your words. The best way to protect your best presentation tool is through vocal warm-ups.Aside from the health benefits, vocal warm-ups can also help you from stuttering or stumbling over words.

Releasing tension and practicing good breathing

The trick to maximizing your voice for public speaking is relaxation and good breathing. Start your vocal warm-ups by relaxing your body. Stand in a place where there’s plenty of room for you to move. Release any tension in your body by doing some stretching.Do the following exercises, repeating each for at least two to three times:

Neck

  • Slowly bend your head forward, bringing your chin close to your chest. Hold the position for around 10 seconds. Next, gently bend your head backward so you can see the ceiling. Again, hold for 10 seconds.
  • Turn your head to the right, hold the position for 10 seconds. Slowly turn back to your starting position and then turn to your left, again holding for 10 seconds. Make sure you’re looking over you shoulders when you do this exercise.
  • Bend your neck slowly, bringing your ear as close to your right shoulder as possible. When you start to feel a stretch, stop and hold the position for 10 seconds. Do the same thing on your left side.

Shoulders and back

  • Stand straight with your arms on your side. Bend to you side so that one of your shoulders lower and the other one rises. Hold the position for 10 seconds and do the same thing on the opposite side. Repeat the exercise two more times.
  • Lock your fingers together. With your palms out, stretch your arms over your head and hold for 10 seconds. After that, stretch your arms in front of you and hold for 10 seconds. Continue the exercise by bend forward slight, while still keep your back straight. Stretch your arms to your back in the same way as before and hold for 10 seconds.
  • Position your arms like you’re giving yourself a big hug. Try to make your hands meet as much as possible and hold the position for 10 seconds. After you release, bend one arm over you shoulder and then reach for your hand using the other arm coming from below your back. Try to grasp for your fingers if you can and hold for another 10 seconds.
  • .Lastly, stretch your triceps by bending an arm over your shoulder and press gently on your elbow. Hold for ten seconds and do the same thing in the opposite direction.

Arms and legs

  • Stretch your arms above your head and in front of you, holding each position for 10 seconds. Shake your arms for a while, as well. Do the same for your legs by shifting your weight to one and shaking off the other. After that, try to do some quick jumping jacks and jump in place, as well.

After you’ve released the tension in your body, you should also try to relax your facial muscles. Massage your cheeks and scrunch up your face. Open your mouth widely to release tension in your jaw. Once you feel completely relaxed, you can start practicing your breathing. Stand straight with your feet apart, making sure they’re aligned with your shoulders. Place a hand on your stomach.As you inhale, you should be able to feel your diaphragm rising. When you exhale, notice how your diaphragm expands. Keep breathing in and out, making sure your diaphragm is doing what it’s supposed to. After a while, try letting out a loud noise (like a “HAH!”) as you exhale.

Vocal warm-ups

After you’ve successfully relaxed your body and practice your breathing, you can do vocal warm-ups. Similar to what you did when practicing your breathing, remember to unite your voice with your breathing to ensure that you’re using your diaphragm.The first thing you can try is sounding out your vowels. Breathe in and sound out the different vowels as you exhale.Your next vocal warm-up is to sound out consonants. Try humming and letting the vibrations of the sound you make reverberate through your body. Let your body relax once more by shaking your limbs. Lastly, practice your articulation with some tongue twisters.–There you have it! Make sure you practice these vocal warm-ups to get you prepped for your next presentation.[sg-blog-modules module=two]Featured Image: Harry via Flickr

The Art of Words: Unveiling the Symbiosis between Poetry and Presentation

inspiration

presentation content

presentation ideas

Aug 13, 2014

You might think poetry and presentations are in completely opposite planes. Both are just different ways of communicating and expressing new ideas. While poetry focuses on artful interpretation, presentation content requires you to be concise and straight to the point. You’ll be surprised that despite this obvious conflict, there are ways that poetry and presentation content overlap with each other.[sg-blog-modules module=one]Here are ways presentation content can mirror poetry in other ways.

Strong images

Like poetry, great presentation content contains strong images. It’s not enough that you have images in your slides. You also need to integrate powerful imagery in your choice of words. Consider how the poet Ezra Pound perfectly set up a familiar scenario in just a few words:

 In a Station of the MetroThe apparition of these faces in the crowd;Petals on a wet, black bough.

Similarly, your presentation content should be able to ignite the imagination of your audience with more descriptive and active words.Pair these words with powerful pictures in your slides and you’ll surely keep your audience engaged for a long time.

Analogies and metaphors

Poets take abstract concepts and liken them to more concrete and relatable things.  For example, in William Shakespeare’s famous sonnet, he describes a beloved by comparing her to a “summer’s day.” While your presentation content doesn’t have to be as lengthy as a Shakespearean sonnet, you should also make sure that your ideas are as clear and digestible as possible.You might as well talk of the abstract when you discuss complicated data without simplifying it. To help your audience fully grasp a complex topic, use common metaphors and analogies in your explanation. Use something you know they’ll be able to relate to, like a scene from a famous movie or rules of a popular sport.

Structure

Poems follow a specific structure that helps reader follow its internal rhythm. Even if a certain poem is written in free verse, it still has specific patterns that allow readers to see the natural flow of words.The same thing should be present in your presentation content. Structuring your presentation content makes it easier for your audience to follow what you’re saying. Determine the logical flow of your ideas by starting with a storyboard.–Like presentations, poems can take on different forms. Sonnets typically tackle love and romance. Epics follow the adventure of a hero. Some poets prefer to write in free verse. Similarly, the type of presentation you’re going to prepare for will depend on the topic and context.Your presentation can be a sales pitch, or it can be informative and educational. It can also be a report that’s driven heavily by data. In all these scenarios, your presentation won’t look and sound the same, just like a poem would.Embrace your inner presentation poet with these tips and craft a winning pitch and deck to match![sg-blog-modules module=two]Featured Image: Martin Pettitt via Flickr

Persuasive Presentations: 3 Tips for Success

presentation tips

Aug 07, 2014

A successful presentation is measured through its impact on the audience. If you can persuade others to consider new ideas, you’re doing your job right.[sg-blog-modules module=three]Whether you’re selling a product or pitching to investors, the main goal is always to convince others that your viewpoint is valid. As the presenter, you need to move your audience into action. Positive outcomes are a result of ideas that sparked the interest of audience members. To get the best results, practice the art of persuasive presentations.These are the three essential things you need to remember when delivering persuasive presentations:

1. Create an immediate impression

To deliver persuasive presentations, you need to capture the attention of your audience immediately. It’s often said that you have 60 seconds to make a good first impression. Whether or not you have longer than that, the only way to ensure your audience listens is to catch their interest as soon as you start presenting.Let the audience see how they place in the overall picture you’re painting for them. In other words, show them why your presentation is relevant to them. A story is a great way to appeal to their emotions. Show that your presentation is more than just faceless numbers and research. If you’re trying to make a sale, you can vividly describe a story that highlights the problems your product can solve.

2. Offer a promise you can keep

Persuasive presentations are all about selling ideas to an audience. Think about your own experience as a consumer. Why do you choose to buy a certain product or service? Probably because it promises to offer something you need, want, or are interested in.Apply the same thought in your presentations. In order to persuade your audience to action, you have to make a promise that will catch their attention. As an example, think back to when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone in 2007. He said it was going to be a revolutionary product that’s unlike any other smartphone in the market. About 1.4 million units were sold within the first 3 months of its release.However, learn to practice caution. Make promises that you know you can keep. Offer your audience evidence that you can keep your word. Provide them with data from research. You can also share some testimonials, or offer a quick demonstration. Let them see that your claims are truthful and reliable.

3. Encourage concrete action

When you reach the end of your presentation, leave your audience with a specific Call-to-Action. After having shared your ideas, it’s time to give the audience an objective they can act on.Be brief and straight to the point. Don’t beat around the bush with phrases like “maybe you can consider” or “if it interests you”. Show confidence in your presentation and it’s likely that your audience will feel confident in your ideas as well.–Persuading your audience shouldn’t be hard. Learning the right offers to make will draw them closer to you and your brand. Create a good first impression on your listeners by telling an engaging story everyone can relate to, but which is also relevant to your brand.Be grand with your gestures, but make sure to promise only what you can deliver. Don’t give people false hope that will fall short of their expectation.End with a solid CTA that will move people to action. Need a deck to go with your pitch? Contact our SlideGenius experts today for a free quote![sg-blog-modules module=two]Featured Image: Emilio Küffer via Flickr

The 3-Step Approach to Effective PowerPoint Slides

PowerPoint Design

presentation structure

Aug 01, 2014

We’ve been providing you with plenty of ideas on how you can improve the design of your PowerPoint slides. There are so many ways to make unique and creative PowerPoint slides but the most important thing is to make sure your audience can easily understand the information you’re presenting.And doing that boils down to making sure you hit these three essential things: concise content, powerful visuals, and a logical structure.Take note of this three-step approach to ensure your PowerPoint slides effectively translates your core message:

1.) Write content that is concise and complete

Keep your text minimal in each slide. As we’ve covered before in our review of Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule, your PowerPoint deck shouldn’t serve as a teleprompter. If you add everything you want to say in your slides, you might be tempted to read from it. Even worse, your audience might just read ahead without listening to the rest of your lecture.What you should do instead is to figure out the take-home points in each slide. Organize your points in a way that single concepts appear in only one slide at a time. Write these points in a manner that’s similar to writing a headline—in short but complete and discernible sentences.

2.) Add visuals that make a point

Visuals help make your PowerPoint slides attractive, but that’s not enough for an effective presentation. According to Penn State’s Michael Alley, when adding visual elements to your PowerPoint slides, you should also think about what purpose they can serve. Don’t just add a pretty picture because your slides look too bare.Make sure that the images and illustrations  you include serve as evidence to the important points you want to make.

3.) Create a structure with a logical flow

While your PowerPoint slides might look great individually, they won’t make much sense together without any structure. Creating a logical flow to your PowerPoint slides is important.Before you even start working on your slides, create a rough outline and a storyboard.Look out how your main points play side by side and re-arrange slides if you have to. You’ll find that your PowerPoint presentation will make a narrative pattern that your audience can easily follow.

Conclusion

Your slides should act as a guide, not a complete rundown of your points and details. Give yourself some space to elaborate on each objective, and to interact with your audience outside the PowerPoint. As much as you’ll want visually engaging slides, keep your text down to a minimum.Keep your content compact and simple, elaborate enough for the audience to understand, but short enough to let you speak. Instead of walls of text, go with visually interesting graphics, like diagrams or pictures. Connect all these points together with a logical flow that ties in all your points neatly.

References

Alley, Michael. “Rethinking Presentation Slides: The Assertion-Evidence Approach.” Scientific Presentations. Accessed August 1, 2014.”The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint.” Guy Kawasaki. 2005. Accessed August 1, 2014. Featured Image: Matt Wynn via Flickr