Slides should illustrate a point … not write out your speech.
Visuals and PowerPoint presentations can greatly enhance your presentation. Powerpoint slides should be viewed as an outline, a reinforcement of our message. You want your audience looking and listening to YOU … not trying to read the slides.
Warning: misuse of PowerPoint (e.g. providing too much information to your audience) will bore them to tears. Bored audiences don’t pay attention.
- One idea per slide — or use a picture to reinforce your idea.
- Less than 5 words per bullet — 1-3 words are best (some say don’t put more words on the slide than you would on a T-shirt or bumper sticker…)
- Use building animation so each bullet appears as you present the idea.
- Use well-designed graphs, or visuals to illustrate your point.
- Each slide should include only information you plan to discuss.
- Type font should be large, legible.
- Backgrounds should be simple.
- Avoid whirling, twirling, swooshing animation.
Keep as many lights on as practical. Your audience needs to see your face — your eyes — so they can tell you care about the topic.
If you use a pointer, don’t wave it around, especially if it is a laser pointer. And, talk to your audience … not your slides.
Your Words Matter 