When you think of presentations you’ve been to that really had an impact on you, what do you remember most?
It probably wasn’t the Powerpoint slides. Powerpoint is a great tool, if used correctly. But too many people make the mistake of trying to let the slides speak for them, packing in so much content that they lose their audience entirely; either by overwhelming them with far too much content, or because people are busy taking notes and ignoring what the presenter is saying.
Getting to the Point
Great presenters rehearse their message until it becomes second nature. By focusing on only a few points and repeating them several times, you will find your audience is more engaged. If you are allowed 20 minutes to present, try using only 10 minutes.
Then take questions so that you create an interactive dialogue. If you don’t have any takers at that point it probably means your presentation lacked impact for some reason. Don’t stress about it; presenting and public speaking take a lot of practice but anyone can learn well. Try to learn from your mistakes and each time you get back up on the horse, you’ll get a little better!
For more great pointers on using Powerpoint, read Seth Godin’s post Nine steps to Powerpoint Magic
One Point per Slide
Here is a simple video tutorial on how you can quickly convert Powerpoint slide with several bullets into multiple slides that each make a single, specific point with impact:
