Your first presentation can make you excited and nervous at the same time. Exciting because it is an opportunity to showcase your talent and give an input; unnerving because you may not have the slightest clue how to keep your PowerPoint presentation interesting. PowerPoint makes it possible for people to present information in an organized manner using slides. However, not every presentation will generate the desired results. With these PowerPoint presentation tips, you can find ways to spruce up your slides to captivate your audience.
So many things can mess up your PowerPoint presentation to a point where your audience doesn’t want to spend an extra minute listening to you drone on and on. Simply put, the success of your presentation is proportionate to the amount of work you put in your slides.
What Is a PowerPoint Presentation?
PowerPoint is a Microsoft Office tool that people use to display certain information. The application contains slides that can accommodate text and images. PowerPoint (PPT) has become a necessary tool in business when doing presentations. The template simplifies presentation because you get visual aids to accompany your speech. Visual aids are very effective when trying to impart knowledge or explain facts to other people. It is easy for an audience to lose concentration or get distracted when all they have is the sound of your voice to guide them through a project proposal.
Even when tackling the simplest topics, PPT can assist you to grab and maintain the attention of your audience. However, showing up at your board meeting with just ordinary slides can have the opposite effect. This is when the need to get some fresh PowerPoint presentation tips appear. Some people make mistakes when inserting links or images, which can undermine the integrity of the whole thing. Personal style, design skills, and technical expertise are just a few of the skills that can help with your presentation. By combining advice from professional speakers and tech enthusiasts, you can get useful PowerPoint presentation tips.
Who Uses PowerPoint
The Microsoft application comes in handy in all sorts of situations, not just business. Motivational speakers who have to communicate with a huge audience utilize PowerPoint to make work easier. With a laptop and projector, speakers can present vital information to a large audience. Universities and colleges also find great use for PowerPoint. Both students and lecturers create slides on different subjects and use them in class.
Nowadays, some authors even use PowerPoint for their books. With the increased use of the online platform, some writers opt to publish on the web rather than in paperback. Readers can then access their books on PPT and download on their devices. The same applies to companies who want to relay important details to consumers. PPT makes it less taxing to lay out information in an orderly fashion.
7 Fresh PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Your Slides
The way you present your information on PowerPoint can determine its reception among the audience. So, how can you enhance the visual experience of your audience?
1. Passion and Preparedness
Some people think that because they have PPT slides they can get away with doing the bare minimum. Even with the best slides and enticing images, it’s bound to fail. This can happen because you don’t put the necessary effort into your presentation.
Love what you are doing and take the time to practice communicating it. Think of your presentation as a storytelling session, and the audience will feel your zeal.
2. Keep It Minimal
One of the most helpful PowerPoint presentation tips is to practice being a minimalist. Nothing is so crucial that you need to cram sentences and image on slides. Most experts recommend six words on a slide. An overcrowded PPT looks rushed and not well thought-out.
Remember that this is not just about the information; it about your image as well. Your supervisor, students, or seminar attendees can tell how organized you are by looking at your PowerPoint presentation.
3. Explain Acronyms
Even when you are working with people who know what you are talking about, explain short-forms anyway. Don’t put acronyms in the middle of a presentation and fail to spell it out for the audience.
In some instances, not the entire audience may know what certain terms mean, so don’t make them guess.
4. A Point for Each Slide
Don’t put three points all on one page. What happens is that your audience will already be thinking about the third point when you are just starting to elaborate the first one.
You can have one point on the page, then two sentences to expound on it. This way, your audience gets a clue of how you will approach the idea.
5. Add Some Effects
In selected instances, sound effects can do wonders for your presentation. Be cautious, though to know where they work and where they are inappropriate. For example, if it’s an ad campaign pitch, you can have a few effects to compliment the graphics and text.
They are usually great with animations. Take the time to find some cool effects that will set your display apart.
6. Align Photos with PowerPoint Design
Another of the useful PowerPoint presentation tips is to make sure your images correspond with the slide design. A few design hacks can help like using the cropping tool to customize your images.
You can have pictures in all kinds of shapes that fit nicely into the slides. Remember to align your text and images as well.
7. The Font
The font can be a very subtle yet effective means of impressing your audience. First, keep the font large. Know that PowerPoint shrinks your font automatically as you input text into the slides. Be sure to disable this function before you start.
The default font available on the application can be a bit bland. You can buy font or choose some free ones online to add life to your slides.
Turning the Page
PowerPoint presentations are unavoidable in everyday life. When your day comes to present to an audience, it helps if you know the formula to avoid common missteps.
The above PowerPoint presentation tips are just a starter pack. But you can learn more as you progress. Always remember to factor in the type of audience when making a PowerPoint presentation for the best results.
The images are from depositphotos.com.