If you are going to present your project, you quickly reach for supporting resources such as PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi or other programs. What if I would NOT use this? It is best to deliver a great presentation without too many slides. You can use a flip chart or bring an object. There are great alternatives but if you still want to use a PowerPoint, then we would like to give you some tips. These are seven indispensable tips for clear and professional PowerPoint presentation.
1. Fewer Slides in PowerPoint
Remember that the story has to come from you and not what's on the screen. In any case, limit the number of slides in your presentation. Some speak of a maximum of 10 slides for a presentation of about 20 minutes, others recommend that you use even less. There is no golden rule, just make sure your audience is not overwhelmed by the amount of slides. Also don't calculate in terms of the number of seconds / slide. Some slides will take you longer than others. So don't pin yourself to that.
2. Less Text. Clear Layout
Information that is presented to us visually remains for much longer. Therefore, make sure that your slides do not contain too much text. Limit it to a few key words, a statement, a slogan, or to a research result.
Ideally you should set the font size to 30. By default it is set to 18! Why so big then? Two advantages. With a lousy projection because of an old device, a small screen or too much light in the room, everyone will still be able to read what is on your screen. Moreover, such a large font prevents you from putting too much text on your screen. Also make sure there is sufficient contrast between the text and the background of your slide.
3. Strong Visual Material
Nothing as crunchy as pixelated photos or images with the maker's watermark running through them. In any case, choose solid photo material.
Google is an inexhaustible source of visual material. Look there for high-resolution photos to use in your presentation. Try to be creative and look for images that are unique or not so widely distributed. Have you ever checked with the communication service of your company if there is no database with photos of your company, your products or the people? The more original your material, the more fascinating your presentation. And above all... never use clip-art!
4. One Slide, One Message
In any case, it is not the intention to put a lot of information on your slide. Limit yourself to one message, one starting point or one topic. For example, you can explain your argument on the basis of one statement or one quote. Make a nice slide out of that. You tell the story yourself verbally.
5. Easy on the Animations!
It's not because PowerPoint offers you 798 different ways to make text appear on your slide that you should start using them all. One animation (windmill blades, exploding) is already more laughable than the other (falling from the sky, bouncing) and they also divert attention from your message.rnWhat are they useful for? When you want to explain processes or the different steps of a procedure, you can use animations to show the different steps on the screen.
6. Visualize Your Graph
Charts, diagrams or tables can hardly be called sexy and they usually make your audience pale as soon as you dare to show one. In PowerPoint, but also in Excel and even in Word you can create simple charts and export them.
Google slides templates by hislide can make it easier for you. Here at hislide you can easily download hundreds of free powerpoint templates for free. Do not hesitate to extract the essential information from a complicated table and make it a simplified version.
7. Clarify Your Slideshow
You have taken a whole series of photos from the net and aimed them at your slide. Almost no text. And it still doesn't look nice. This is because you can see that the photos come from different sources and that there is no common thread running through your slides. Provide peace and simplicity in your presentation. Use the same colors, styles and shapes on each slide. This way your story also radiates a strong uniformity.