What’s your process when creating a slideshow? All too often, presenters simply copy their notes and information into bullet points, maybe throwing in a stock photo here and there. Boring slideshows can make your audience glaze over and detract from your message. So what can you do to create a slideshow that’s as engaging and dynamic as you are? Check out our three tips below!
- Cut out Complicated Transitions or Effects: Many presenters try to make a boring slideshow more lively by piling on animations and other effects. Not only can these make your presentation look unprofessional, they can also get extremely tedious. Having information “fly” in on each slide adds quite a bit of time to your presentation, irritating your audience and distracting them from your message. Keep it simple. If you’re an animation addict and simply must include them, use them sparingly, limiting yourself to just one or two for the entire presentation.
- Don’t Rely on Templates: Templates will simply make your slideshow look like every other presentation your audience has ever seen. Switch it up by creating your own look, but keep it simple and professional. Establish consistency by choosing a color theme (i.e., two or three shades of blue) and a font scheme. Choose a few complimentary fonts (e.g., Arial and Arial Black) and use them consistently throughout your presentation (i.e., use one font for titles, one for subtitles and accents, and one for general text).
- Learn to Present Data Effectively: If your slides are bogged down with dense data, your audience will be trying to puzzle their way through it instead of listening to you! If you don’t want to compete with your slides for your audience’s attention, create figures and visuals that illustrate data in the clearest, cleanest way possible. Always take time to orient your audience to your figures, for example, “Each of the bars on this chart represent one of our sources of revenue this quarter.” You may want to consider using a laser pointer to visually draw your audience’s attention to different data points.
Want more? Check out last week’s blog where we have more great tips for crafting a stand-out PowerPoint presentation!
Are you ready to take your communication skills to the next level? Give us a call and see how Corporate Speech Solutions can improve your professional life! Call us at 212-308-7725 or send us an e-mail at jayne@corporatespeechsolutions.com to learn more. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!
If your communication skills are holding you back from professional success and you want to make your communication skills your most powerful professional tool, make sure to pick up a free copy of my e-book “Communicate with Clarity and Confidence!” by subscribing to our newsletter community on our website. In this free resource, I break down the myriad factors that contribute to confident communication and guide you through how to use each aspect to your advantage.
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