The presentation of a meal can make or break your dining experience at a restaurant. That’s why most chefs take great care in how a meal looks when plated. Likewise, the quality of your slide presentation at a conference or meeting will speak volumes about you and your organization. Recently, we’ve seen a few slideshows that have left us wanting, well, less (in terms of text) and more (in terms of design). So with that, I offer my top five tips to keep in mind when creating and giving your next presentation.
1. Design matters
Headlines in varying point sizes, inconsistent use of colors, and competing fonts—these seemingly small details matter. When your presentation looks sloppy and unprofessional, it reflects poorly on you and your organization. While presentation software programs provide pre-designed templates you can use, you may want to consider hiring a designer for a professional looking template that is uniquely your own and can be used for any presentation your organization may make. The template should be consistent in the use of fonts, colors and styles (for headings, text, etc.) and support your company brand. Your brand’s style guide should set the parameters for the template you develop.
2. Use graphics
Even a word person like me enjoys nice graphics. So if a graphic will convey your message without text, don’t be afraid to use one. Here, we are talking about graphs, photos and other artwork. If you reuse graphics from another communication piece, make sure to resize them if necessary. Graphics that aren’t sized properly may appear distorted or pixelated. If using a graph, it should have a clear message (and, make sure any text and labels are legible). Complicated graphs with tiny labels or legends can be more distracting to your audience than helpful.
3. Don’t overwhelm with text
Your presentation should not be a script of what you’re planning to say to your audience. After all, why would your audience need to listen to you if everything is up on the screen in front of them? Your presentation should serve as a guide or cue for your remarks. A good rule of thumb: Have no more than three to five bullet points per slide. (Bullets should be no more than three to five words.) Give them a reason to be there and listen to you!
4. Tell them what you’re going to tell them
At the start of the presentation (after your title slide), it can be helpful to provide a bulleted list of the main areas you will cover (also known as the “tell them what you’re going to tell them” slide). Likewise, at the end of a longer presentation, it can be helpful to include a summary slide (the “tell them what you told them” slide) to reinforce your message or a call to action (what do you want your audience to think or do after seeing your presentation?). And, as a reminder from my last post, this is not the time for jargon!
5. Practice makes perfect!
Don’t ever wing it when making a presentation—even if you’ve given the same one many times before. It’s always good practice to walk through your slides and rehearse your presentation several times before you give it. The best speakers appear relaxed and prepared—and their passion for the subject shines through when they present. A nervous or unprepared speaker can raise questions in the minds of the audience about the presenter’s credibility. The more you practice, the more comfortable and more natural you will be.
You’re the expert and know more about your subject than anyone else—make sure it comes through when presenting to your audience.
Photo CC via flickr by Dana Moos