Tag: presentation design

No Photoshop? Edit Pictures in PowerPoint

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Jun 30, 2014

PowerPoint isn’t just a tool for creating presentations—it can also serve as a powerful photo editing platform, especially if you don’t have access to professional tools like Photoshop. With PowerPoint’s built-in features, you can perform a variety of photo edits such as cropping, resizing, applying filters, removing backgrounds, and adding effects, all within the application.Here’s how to edit pictures in PowerPoint without the need for Photoshop:

1. Cropping and Resizing Images

One of the most basic and useful photo editing features in PowerPoint is the ability to crop and resize images. Cropping allows you to focus on specific parts of the image, while resizing helps you fit the image into your slide layout.How to Crop and Resize:

  1. Insert Your Image: Go to the Insert tab, click Pictures, and choose the image you want to edit.
  2. Select the Image: Once inserted, click on the image to select it.
  3. Crop the Image:
    • Go to the Picture Format tab and click on the Crop button.
    • Drag the black crop handles to focus on the area of the image you want to keep.
    • Press Enter to apply the crop.
  4. Resize the Image: Drag the corners or edges of the image to resize it without distorting the aspect ratio.

2. Removing Backgrounds

PowerPoint’s Remove Background feature is incredibly useful for isolating subjects in images. It automatically detects the background and removes it, leaving just the central subject.How to Remove Backgrounds:

  1. Select the Image: Click on the image, then go to the Picture Format tab.
  2. Click “Remove Background”: The areas PowerPoint detects as background will be highlighted in purple.
  3. Mark Areas to Keep or Remove:
    • Use the Mark Areas to Keep and Mark Areas to Remove tools to fine-tune the selection.
  4. Apply the Changes: Once you’re satisfied, click Keep Changes to remove the background.

3. Applying Artistic Effects and Filters

PowerPoint has a variety of artistic effects that can be applied to images, mimicking photo filters you might find in dedicated editing software.How to Apply Artistic Effects:

  1. Select the Image: Go to the Picture Format tab and click on Artistic Effects.
  2. Choose an Effect: Browse through effects like Blur, Pencil Sketch, Watercolor Sponge, and more.
  3. Adjust Transparency and Brightness: Use the Corrections and Color options in the same tab to adjust the brightness, contrast, and overall look of the image.

4. Adding Borders and Shadows

PowerPoint allows you to add borders, shadows, and other effects to images, making them stand out more in your presentation.How to Add Borders and Shadows:

  1. Select the Image: Click the image and go to the Picture Format tab.
  2. Click “Picture Border”: Choose a color for the border and adjust the thickness.
  3. Add Shadow Effects: Under Picture Effects, select Shadow and choose from preset shadow styles.

5. Combining Images with Shapes

If you want to place your images into a custom shape, you can use PowerPoint’s Merge Shapes feature to combine images and shapes creatively.How to Merge Images and Shapes:

  1. Insert a Shape: Go to Insert > Shapes and select a shape.
  2. Insert Your Image: Follow the steps to insert the image on top of the shape.
  3. Merge the Shape and Image:
    • Select both the shape and the image by holding Ctrl and clicking each one.
    • Go to the Shape Format tab, click Merge Shapes, and choose Intersect to merge the image with the shape.

6. Adding Text and Overlays

If you want to add text overlays or combine multiple images, PowerPoint makes it easy to create layers and add design elements to your photos.How to Add Text and Overlays:

  1. Insert a Text Box: Go to Insert > Text Box, then type your text on the image.
  2. Format the Text: Use the Home tab to change font style, size, and color.
  3. Position the Text: Drag the text box over the desired area of the image.
  4. Add Overlays: Insert additional shapes or images to layer over or under your main image.

Final Thoughts

PowerPoint is a surprisingly powerful tool for basic photo editing, offering features that allow you to crop, resize, remove backgrounds, and add artistic effects—all without needing Photoshop. Whether you’re creating a professional presentation or simply editing an image for a project, PowerPoint provides a flexible and user-friendly platform for your editing needs.

How to Work with a Professional PowerPoint Designer

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Jun 27, 2014

Even with a working knowledge of PowerPoint, there will be times when you’d rather hire a presentation designer than work on it on your own. Either you’re too busy and don’t have the time or the event is too important for a DIY presentation. In any case, having a professionally designed PowerPoint gives you a number of advantages.For one, you can be sure that your slides are given a lot of tender, loving care. You know can’t go wrong once you step in front of your potential audience with your PowerPoint. Professional PowerPoint designers can certainly come up with attractive and mind-blowing designs. They don’t even need your help or input at all, right? Wrong.There’s more to working with presentation designers than telling them your preferred design and paying for their expertise. There are still some things expected of you to ensure that your presentation would look unique and not as though it was made using a cookie cutter template. To make the most of your collaboration (and your budget), here are some tips that you may want to follow when working with a designer:

Prepare your content

Unless you want your presentation to contain generic stock photos, you’ll need to provide your designer with appropriate materials to use. You also have to make sure that the text data is complete and ready.This way, the designer can work on your PowerPoint immediately and get it done according to your time frame.

Communicate properly

Your designer needs to understand your objectives for your presentation. If for some reason you’re going to be busy for the next couple of days, be sure to provide him or her with a description of what you want your slides to convey. This includes the general style, feel, and tone.If there are any specific colors and typeface that you want, then say so. Avoid giving general instructions such as “make it look awesome” or telling the designer to “surprise me.” Vague instructions can be interpreted in many different ways and really “surprise” you in the end.

Trust your designer’s instinct

When in doubt, put your trust on your designer. For sure, he or she has an extensive experience and the right skills to deliver great results.If you have some ideas that wouldn’t jive with the overall presentation design, let your designer work on a solution. After all, you’re working with an expert.

Conclusion

Working with a professional PowerPoint designer is not a one-way street. Both of you want the same thing: A well-designed PowerPoint presentation that will leave a great impression. So, as much as possible, be open to suggestions and if you’re presented with a concept, respond constructively.Keep in mind that successful projects are generally the result of a great collaboration between two people who respect each other’s skills and capabilities. 

Reference

“Colors and Typography.” Virginia Tech. Accessed June 27, 2014.

What Godzilla Can Teach You About Presentation Design

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May 29, 2014

The new Godzilla movie continues to roar its way to the top of the US box office. Earning an impressive $93.2 million on its debut weekend, the film featuring the CGI-version of the King of Monsters is doing even better overseas. Not bad for a “giant monster” that was originally played by an actor in a rubber suit.Since its first appearance in the 1950s, Godzilla has been one of the most recognizable and influential Japanese pop culture symbols. In the United States, we have appropriated the “-zilla” part of its name as a suffix to refer to something grand or at least, aspires to be. It is also commonly used to refer to something hyperbolic (e.g., bridezilla).In short, the suffix is an allusion to the power and massive size of Godzilla. Wouldn’t you want to have the same impact for your PowerPoint presentation? Then let’s see how you can create a PowerPoint-zilla for your demo or pitch.

Make It Larger than Life

This latest incarnation of Godzilla stands at 355 ft. tall or the same height as a 40-story building. That definitely makes this kaiju a force to be reckoned with. So how can you make your slides as imposing as Godzilla?Obviously, creating physically large slides is out of the question. What you can do, however, is to design them with massive amounts of creativity. Hit your audience with a larger than life, high-quality images. Make your slides roar with a well-designed layout, animation, and sound effects.

Create Anticipation

In most Godzilla movies, the giant monster doesn’t appear right away. But you can certainly feel its presence in each scene. With every passing minute, you are at the edge of your seat. You’re anticipating the moment Godzilla will finally make its appearance. Never once you take your attention away from the screen.The same can be true if you decide to invest on making your PowerPoint presentations powerful and impressive. The best presentations are those that excite the audience with great slides and masterful delivery.

Set up a Satisfying Payoff

As soon as Godzilla receives its screen time, all hell just breaks lose. As the kaiju confronts another of its kind and starts to beat the living daylights out each other, you basically know how it’s going to end. But somehow your mind is still blown even after Godzilla lets out its atomic breath and the credits start to roll.With your monster presentation design, the trick is to hold your audience’s attention with a ‘promise’ that everything that you’re saying will make sense at the end. When you present an issue at the get-go, make sure that you have the solution by your last slide. 

References

Busch, Anita. “FINAL INT’L BOX OFFICE: ‘Godzilla’ Biggest Opening Of Year; ‘Spidey’ Passes ‘Captain America’s Int’l Cume; ‘Frozen’ Nearing Another Record As Disney Enjoys A $700M ‘Captain’ Ride.” Deadline. May 19, 2014. Accessed May 29, 2014. Featured Image: “Godzilla art horizontal” from cinefantastiqueonline.com

Our Best PowerPoint Recommendations of 2013

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Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Dec 10, 2013

The developing art of PowerPoint changes year by year; bringing forth new ideas that create all around better presentations. We’ve compiled our list of the most effective and beneficial tips from 2013.Stay Consistent. Consistency is key when it comes to your companies branding – the basic marketing should be universal throughout your entire presentation. This uniformity should include your companies logos, color, background, theme and graphic styling. The consistency will help reflect your company’s mission and philosophy by remaining constant on all platforms and this will create a recognizable brand to customers and audience members alike- which builds trust and loyalty.Back to Basics.You tell a story with your presentation slides,  so think of your PowerPoint as a high school essay that starts with an outline; organizing your introduction, your main points, counterpoints and conclusion. Your presentation should include all of these concepts and flow through accordingly.Outline Smart.Every substantial project starts somewhere and your powerpoint presentation should always start with a storyboard. This tool keeps your slides on point and helps you follow your persuasive argument throughout the entire presentation. A storyboard efficiently allows you to write all your points and ideas down prior to starting your powerpoint, which organizes your ideas effectively. Images Speak Louder than Words.A picture is worth a thousand words. The images that you place within your slides should be carefully chosen to fit your presentation. Another tip to consider is  to chose high quality images, look for HD or downloadable high-res images when searched on the Internet for your content, these will look much more polished on a large projector.Applying the Right Tools.Utilizing effective outside tools can be used to enhance many components of your presentation slides. Touching back on a few we’ve covered in the past include beneficial support sites including, The PowerPoint FAQ that answers all your common day PowerPoint questions.

Why You Need Work With The Naked

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Oct 10, 2013

While this title might sound provocative, it refers to the concept outlined in Garr Reynolds’ book The Naked Presenter, which emphasizes the importance of authenticity, simplicity, and connection when delivering presentations. “Naked” here means presenting in a raw, authentic, and honest manner—stripped of unnecessary embellishments or distractions. This approach can help you build a stronger connection with your audience and communicate more effectively.Here’s why working with “The Naked Presenter” approach can transform your presentations:

1. Focus on Connection, Not Perfection

When you focus too much on perfecting every slide, you risk losing the human connection that’s vital to engaging your audience. “Naked” presenting encourages you to embrace imperfections and focus on connecting with your listeners.Why It’s Important:

  • Enhances Engagement: Audiences respond better when they feel a personal connection to the speaker.
  • Builds Trust: Being authentic makes you more relatable, helping to establish trust with your audience.

How to Do It:

  • Speak naturally and don’t worry about being flawless. Authenticity is more compelling than perfection.
  • Use personal anecdotes or examples to make your presentation more relatable.

2. Simplify Your Slides

The Naked Presenter approach advocates for minimalist slides that focus on enhancing your message rather than distracting from it. Avoid slides cluttered with text or complicated visuals.Why It’s Important:

  • Keeps the Focus on You: Overloading slides with text or visuals can divert the audience’s attention away from you, the presenter.
  • Clarifies the Message: Simple slides help the audience grasp your main points without unnecessary distractions.

How to Do It:

  • Limit each slide to one key idea, and use visuals sparingly.
  • Use large, readable fonts and high-quality images to convey your message clearly.

3. Be Vulnerable and Genuine

Working with The Naked Presenter philosophy involves showing your authentic self, even if it means revealing some vulnerability. Audiences appreciate when presenters drop their defenses and communicate from the heart.Why It’s Important:

  • Creates Emotional Impact: Vulnerability can make your message more powerful and resonate deeply with your audience.
  • Enhances Memorability: Audiences are more likely to remember presentations where they felt an emotional connection to the speaker.

How to Do It:

  • Share personal stories, challenges, or lessons learned to illustrate your points.
  • Don’t be afraid to show your personality—whether it’s humor, passion, or humility.

4. Eliminate Unnecessary Details

A key aspect of The Naked Presenter approach is focusing on what really matters. You don’t need to overload your presentation with every piece of information. Instead, focus on the core message and the essential supporting details.Why It’s Important:

  • Maintains Audience Interest: Too many details can overwhelm your audience and cause them to lose focus.
  • Clarifies Your Message: By stripping away non-essential information, you highlight what truly matters.

How to Do It:

  • Start by identifying your core message and build your presentation around it.
  • Use data or examples sparingly and only when they directly support your main point.

5. Embrace Silence and Space

In presentations, silence can be as powerful as speech. The Naked Presenter approach encourages you to embrace moments of pause and use space effectively, both in your slides and in your speech.Why It’s Important:

  • Allows for Reflection: Pausing allows your audience to absorb and reflect on what you’ve said.
  • Creates Emphasis: A well-timed pause or minimalist slide can give more weight to your message.

How to Do It:

  • Don’t be afraid to pause for a few seconds after making a key point—it gives your audience time to process the information.
  • Use white space in your slides to direct attention to the most important elements.

Final Thoughts

Working with the principles of The Naked Presenter can help you create more meaningful, engaging, and authentic presentations. By focusing on simplicity, vulnerability, and connection, you’ll be better equipped to captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression. Remember, the most impactful presentations are often those that are honest, uncluttered, and direct.

Check out our Webinar for ON24 :Teaching the Importance of Simplicity

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Virtual Academy

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Oct 07, 2013

 SlideGenius Founder and CEO Rick Enrico spoke last Thursday on the importance of simplicity in presentation design as a part of ON24’s very first installment of its Webinar Academy.To view the webinar, titled, “Avoiding Information Overload: The Importance of Simplicity in Presentation Design,” do the quick, 1-minute registration here and view the entire webinar series created by ON24, a leading virtual communications company. Along with Rick’s, you’ll find several other Webinars that have a lot to teach about presenting in the digital age.While most presentations designed by SildeGenius are given in person, the attention ON24 is giving to Webinars is indicative of a growing trend toward Internet-based presenting and how this is expanding our scope of how we can reach an audience. By viewing our webinar, you’ll see that all the key elements of an effective PowerPoint presentation are still there, but coupled with it is the ability to reach millions of people at the click of a button by creating your presentation online.

How Much Should a Presentation Deck Cost?

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SlideGenius

Aug 16, 2013

“How much does it cost to hire a graphic designer to create a PowerPoint presentation for me?”

This is a common question we often get right off the bat from potential clients looking for a PowerPoint specialist, but it’s not a simple question to answer.  First, we need to know about your business needs, your resources, and your goals. Are you a small startup or a Fortune 500?  Basically, it’s a very personalized process, and there’s no blanket answer for it.

It’s a lot like asking, “how much does it cost for you to make me a website?”

There are a myriad of factors that go into the cost:

How big of a business are you?

How high-end do you want your website to be?

Do you already have a website to use as a foundation?

What kind of functionality do you want the website to have?

Just like web design, there are quite a few factors that we custom tailor to the needs of each client when landing on the price for their deck. That means what your presentation deck costs can be a little… or a lot.

The Low End Pitch Deck ($1,000 to $3,000)

Prices in this range fall into two categories, returning clients looking to improve a deck they’ve already had designed, and they’d like to perform relatively minor improvements to it.  A complete overhaul of a presentation requires much more time and effort.The other group that falls into this category are those looking for a new, custom-designed deck, but are only willing to pay the bare-bones price for it, which we highly discourage.  Having a solid visual aid is the second most important part of a presentation.  The first is showing up.  You don’t want to skimp on your PowerPoint presentation, because that’s sure to leave a bad taste in the mouths of potential clients or investors.Remember, a professional PowerPoint presentation is an investment.  An investment that will surely produce an ROI and help impress and attract new clients, which is the opposite effect that a mediocre presentation will have.  A bad impression is worse than no impression at all.

Mid-range Presentation Design ($3,000 to $10,000)

Most of our clients fall into this range. This involves either significantly revamping a previous presentation, or doing a new presentation involving a significant amount of animation and custom graphic design.The wide amount of variation in this range depends largely on the quantity of slides in your deck and the amount of graphic design and animation needed on each slide. Again, costs here can be greatly leveraged depending on how much copywriting, design, and multimedia is being brought to the table by the client.

The Upper End Presentation Services ($10,000 to $50,000)

If you’re a young startup looking to breaking in to a competitive, high-end market and you don’t have much to show for yourself concerning branding or multimedia, we can do it all for you, but it will be a significant cost. Building a public, corporate identity through a presentation is a huge task, so it’s best to do it right the first time.This range also includes multi-deck projects and large decks nearing the triple-digit slide count.  Also in this range are the custom-designed slide libraries, which are essentially an interchangeable database of slides that can be catered to the individual needs of sales teams with in larger companies, while maintaining a consistent set of slides controlled by management.We’ve found the most satisfied clients are the ones who view presentation and pitch deck design as an evolving, ongoing relationship.  While a small startup may initially only have the resources for a fairly basic presentation, they are able to continue working with us, and improve the professionalism, appeal, and selling power of their presentation as their business expands, and they have more to invest in a presentation’s power to attract new clients.This allows the client to not only spend just the resources they have available, they’re able to constantly pinpoint and customize exactly what they want out of a presentation, and consequently, as presentation designers, we’re able to figure out over time exactly what optimizes your business from a presentation point of view.  We work best when our process and your business grow alongside one another.

3 Additional Perks of Getting a PowerPoint Presentation Specialist

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Aug 08, 2013

As much as we hate tooting our own horn (mostly true), we want to expand on our recent post, “3 Reasons Why You Need a PowerPoint Specialist.”In the previous post, we listed a few of the reasons why our clients have found that having a professional PowerPoint design made was imperative for businesses to be perceived as professional and competent. So if you’re a business that wants to be perceived as unprofessional and incompetent, our services aren’t for you. So here are a few more reasons why you can’t afford to skimp on presentation design.

Build Confidence in Your Audience, Yourself

Would you rather show up to the Monaco Gran Prix in a MacLaren F1 or that dinky Honda Civic you drove in high school? It wouldn’t matter if you were the best driver that’s ever been behind the wheel, you’re not going to fare well with a hunk of junk car.It often doesn’t matter how excellent a presenter or public speaker you are, if you show up with an amateur presentation, your presentation ability won’t be evident, and your presentation won’t impress anyone. In order for your audience–whether that be investors, potential clients or employers–to have confidence in you, your professionalism and capability need to be apparent.

Make the Sell

A professionally designed presentation is an expense, but more importantly, it’s an investment.Our promise to clients, “We design presentations that sell,” is just that: A promise. The increase in business our clients experienced after deciding to show up to important presentations with a professionally designed presentation caused them to continue to employ our services.

More Efficient Allocation of Resources

We’re better than you are at designing PowerPoint presentations. We’re sure you’re better at doing whatever it is your business does too. Outsourcing can be a valuable tool in employing outside expertise when it comes to specialized services.Many remain skeptical about outsourced services, fearing the hidden costs and lack of transparency, but we’ll walk you through every step of our process here at SlideGenius, so you know exactly what you’re paying for.Allowing clients to see our process in action lets them realize the number of man hours they save by outsourcing their presentation design to us, thus being able to spend time on the business they do best, or on preparing for the oral portion of their presentation while we focus on the visual aspect. 

Reference:

“3 Reasons Why You Need a PowerPoint Presentation Specialist.” SlideGenius. August 1, 2013.

3 Reasons Why You Need a PowerPoint Presentation Specialist

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Aug 01, 2013

In an age where computers and technology are rapidly becoming more and more user friendly, it’s common for people to adapt a do-it-yourself mindset when it comes to PowerPoint presentations. Sure, covering the basics of throwing together a PowerPoint is something anyone can do, but to do it well and effectively–that takes expertise.Here are three of our favorite reasons why leaving your presentation design to the experts is not only preferred, it’s imperative to your and your company’s success.Consistency and Brand Recognition

An example of a creative, engaging slide by SlideGenius.Many large sales companies allow their sales associates to have a good amount of free reign during corporate sales presentations, but this often includes letting these sales people craft and present their own PowerPoint presentations, which can often lead to lack of synergy and a muddled corporate identity.With a unified, clearly discernible PowerPoint, your company can present itself in a consistently professional manner, avoid ambiguity in your sales strategy, and allow for creativity in the field within a controlled context. It also sets the standard of excellence for presentations throughout the company.Make a Memorable ImpactSadly, many are okay skimping by with just an adequate presentation, but there’s a world of difference between a passable presentation and one that’s going to make an impression, and ingrain what you have to say into your audience’s memory.A great presentation, one designed by the specialists who do it for a living, is a carefully crafted narrative accompanied by graphic designs that visualize your message in a way that’s easily digestible and highly impactful.We all know the moments where we need to present at the top of our game, and unless you happen to be an expert PowerPoint designer, that wont happen if you show up with a home-made presentation.Exemplify Your SkillsA PowerPoint presentation is a visual aid. It’s an element in your presentation; it’s not a presentation in itself. You, or whoever it is that will be presenting, should always be the key component in the presentation. However, without a strong visual representation of your message, all the passion and clarity will be diminished.Furthermore, a presentation that doesn’t show creativity, passion, and competency can have a serious correlation to how your entire business is perceived. You might be a computer programming company, a lackluster presentation will still reflect poorly on your ability to do the job, whatever that job may be. Show that you are a competent, professional company in all aspects, and confidence in all aspects of your work will follow.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Slide Design

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SlideGenius

Jul 30, 2013

1. Do Keep It Simple

Simplicity is key to creating effective slides. Avoid clutter and focus on one main idea per slide to ensure clarity.Why It’s Important:

  • Enhances Clarity: Simple, focused slides make it easier for the audience to follow along.
  • Reduces Distractions: A clean, uncluttered design keeps the audience’s attention on the key message.

How to Do It:

  • Limit each slide to one main point.
  • Use minimal text—opt for bullet points, and limit each slide to 5-6 bullet points at most.

2. Do Use High-Quality Visuals

Images, charts, and graphics can make your presentation more engaging, but only if they are high quality and relevant to your content.Why It’s Important:

  • Increases Engagement: High-quality visuals capture the audience’s attention.
  • Enhances Professionalism: Blurry or low-resolution images can make your presentation look unprofessional.

How to Do It:

  • Use high-resolution images and professional-quality graphics.
  • Ensure that visuals are relevant to your message and support your content.

3. Do Maintain Consistency

Consistent slide design makes your presentation look polished and cohesive. Consistency in fonts, colors, and layout improves the overall flow of your presentation.Why It’s Important:

  • Creates a Unified Look: Consistent design elements help create a more professional presentation.
  • Improves Audience Focus: A cohesive design helps the audience focus on the content rather than being distracted by varying styles.

How to Do It:

  • Use the same font, colors, and layout throughout your presentation.
  • Stick to a pre-designed template or create a consistent style guide for your presentation.

4. Do Use Contrast for Readability

Text and background contrast is critical for readability. Ensuring that your text stands out against the background makes it easier for your audience to read.Why It’s Important:

  • Enhances Readability: High contrast between text and background makes slides easy to read.
  • Directs Attention: Contrast can also help emphasize key points.

How to Do It:

  • Use dark text on a light background or light text on a dark background.
  • Avoid using similar colors for text and background, as this reduces readability.

5. Do Use White Space

White space (or negative space) is the empty space around text and images. Proper use of white space improves readability and helps highlight the key elements of your slide.Why It’s Important:

  • Prevents Clutter: White space keeps your slides from becoming overcrowded with content.
  • Improves Focus: It allows key elements to stand out, making your presentation easier to follow.

How to Do It:

  • Leave enough space around your text and images to avoid overcrowding.
  • Avoid filling every corner of the slide with content.

The Don’ts of Slide Design

1. Don’t Overload Slides with Text

Slides that are overloaded with text are hard to read and can overwhelm your audience. Too much text can also cause your audience to focus on reading rather than listening to you.Why It’s a Problem:

  • Overwhelms the Audience: Large blocks of text are difficult to digest during a presentation.
  • Shifts Focus: Audience members will spend more time reading your slides than listening to what you’re saying.

How to Avoid It:

  • Break up text into concise bullet points.
  • Focus on presenting only the key ideas, and elaborate verbally.

2. Don’t Use Too Many Fonts or Colors

Using too many different fonts or colors can create a chaotic and inconsistent look. This can make your presentation look unprofessional and distract the audience.Why It’s a Problem:

  • Creates Visual Confusion: Too many fonts or colors make the slides look busy and disorganized.
  • Reduces Professionalism: A cluttered, inconsistent design can make your presentation feel amateurish.

How to Avoid It:

  • Stick to two fonts at most—one for headers and one for body text.
  • Limit your color palette to 2-3 complementary colors.

3. Don’t Use Low-Quality Images

Using low-resolution or pixelated images can damage the credibility of your presentation. Visuals should always be high quality to maintain a professional appearance.Why It’s a Problem:

  • Looks Unprofessional: Low-quality images can make your presentation appear careless.
  • Distracts the Audience: Poor-quality visuals can distract from the message you’re trying to convey.

How to Avoid It:

  • Use only high-resolution images, especially for larger displays.
  • Avoid stretching or distorting images to fit the slide.

4. Don’t Overdo Animations and Transitions

Animations and transitions can add interest to your presentation, but overusing them can become distracting and take away from your message.Why It’s a Problem:

  • Distracts from the Content: Excessive animations can take attention away from the message you’re trying to convey.
  • Interrupts Flow: Too many transitions can disrupt the natural flow of your presentation.

How to Avoid It:

  • Use animations sparingly and only to highlight key points.
  • Stick to simple, smooth transitions between slides.

5. Don’t Forget About Readability

Slides should be designed for readability, with clear fonts, appropriate sizes, and enough contrast. Avoid small fonts or busy backgrounds that make the text hard to read.Why It’s a Problem:

  • Reduces Engagement: If your audience has to strain to read your slides, they’ll lose interest quickly.
  • Decreases Impact: Important information may be overlooked if it’s hard to read.

How to Avoid It:

  • Use fonts that are easy to read from a distance, with at least 24pt font size for body text.
  • Ensure sufficient contrast between the background and text colors.

Final Thoughts

By following these do’s and don’ts of slide design, you can create a visually appealing, engaging, and effective presentation. Simplicity, consistency, and readability should be your guiding principles, while avoiding common pitfalls like text overload or excessive animations will help keep your audience focused and interested in your content.