Be memorable. Stand above the crowd. Not in it.
Show up to impress.
We don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.
spend your effort.
- 10/20/30 rule. Pretty straightforward. Ideally, no PowerPoint presentation should be more than ten slides, longer than 20 minutes, and use fonts smaller than 30-point size.
- Consistency is key. Create a template that includes your logo placement in the same location and size on each page. Logos that are different sizes from page to page, or located in different spots will move from slide to slide… like a movie. You want your reader to focus on your content, on what you are saying and not to be distracted by the “movement” of your logo.
- Simplicity works. Less is more in terms of content. Don’t put a lot of copy on a single slide. The slide content is meant to guide you as you make your verbal presentation. Put key points on the screen and expand on them in your talk. Remember, the slides are not the place to put your entire presentation. Do not read your slide to your audience. Talk to it.
- Make sure the text is large enough to read easily. Ideally, no more than five lines of print per slide.
- Handouts are a great way to support your presentation.
- To avoid a delay between slides, manually change your slides rather than using the automatic timing option available in PowerPoint.
- Include a main subject title for each slide. Use a smaller size print for the points you are making. Avoid using all capital letters, all in the same size.
- Be strategic with the colours you select in your presentation. Consider your audience. For example, when presenting to accountants avoid the use of red as this colour indicates a “red” light to them. Blue and green are effective colours to use when presenting bad news as they communicate calm.
- When you are done with your presentation, turn it off or have the last slide frozen.
- The last slide should include a thank you to your audience for joining you as well as contact information which includes name, phone number and email address.
Clients often ask me to assist with presentations. Everything but the kitchen sink is typically included. Know your audience. The presentation is a guide for you to help tell your story, make your pitch and impress. It should raise questions that will create thoughtful conversations and help you build a relationship with your audience. Well thought out, it will position you as a thought leader showing that you are professional and organized.
Guy Kawasaki has a great website with awesome resources. He is an American marketing specialist, author, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist. He was one of the Apple employees originally responsible for marketing the Macintosh computer line in 1984. I think he might know a thing or two about getting in front of an audience.
https://guykawasaki.com/the_102030_rule/
Presentations are like telling a story. Garr Reynolds shares different ways to tell your story. He’s so good at presentation creation that he travels the world teaching companies on how to make presentations. On his website is a great video where Garr gives a TED x Kyoto talk. Worth a watch.
Blogs produced by the Big Bold Idea include information on how we help to elevate you so that the world will follow… you. We are here to elevate reputations and define legacies through a process entitled Artic-e-late which is designed to articulate your brand and/or idea and elevate it. Through our retreat “space” at the Vintage Cabins, we offer workshops for business owners to help them tell their stories and build powerful presentations. Let’s put your Big Bold Idea into a presentation that can’t be ignored.
