PowerPoint presentations are — by far — the largest single way we communicate our message to the masses whether it be face-to-face, via a webinar, or using an Internet tool, such as Slideshare. However, the biggest complaints about PowerPoint presentations are:
- They are boring
- They are irrelevant or
- The presenter tried to cram too many slides into too little time.
So, given that people still use Powerpoint presentation equipment to deliver the message, what can you do to be more interesting and engaging to your audience? Below are some simple tips that can help get your message across and keep your attendees begging for more.
- Hit the presentation “sweet spot”. In today’s fast-paced mobile market, it is important to plan your presentation for 20 minutes or less. It isn’t about you, your company, or your organization’s reputation. It is all about the message.
- Be enthusiastic and exciting. Make good eye contact with attendees and smile. Tell stories to bring your message to life.
- Show, don’t tell. How can your presentation improve the lives of your attendees? Show them through videos, photographs, and stories. The less text you have on slide, the better.
- Limit the number of slides to 10 or less. This will keep you focused on the message.
- If you have to use text, use no more than 6 words per slide. The purpose of PowerPoint is to be a visual cue to you for your story. It is intended to enhance your presentation, not prolong it.
- Never, ever, READ your slides. This will turn your attendees away faster than you can say “PowerPoint”. One bold CEO of a Fortune 1000 company told the presenter to stop their presentation and leave the slides behind “because he could read the slides just as well as the presenter could.”
- Try to find out the attendee’s needs and tailor your presentation to meet them. If you are conducting a product launching event, find out what need this product will solve for the participant. If it is a training session, present what they need to know and why it is important.
- Ask and listen. Answer questions as they come up, don’t wait for Q & A. Be willing to abandon your slides in the interest of where your audience is at. You are the subject matter expert, but they are the experts in what they need to know. Be flexible.
- Learn as much about your audience as possible. This can be completed through an online community before your talk or by asking a series of questions before your presentation begins.
- Test your presentation audio visual equipment well in advance. Have your audiovisual rental company on premise to go over the entire presentation with you and test the sound and Internet connection if necessary. Give yourself 1 to 2 hours in advance of your talk to be comfortable with all the equipment and connections.
Are you event planning in California and looking for LCD projector and screen rentals? Give AV Event Solutions a call or check out their express quote form for fast turnaround on rental equipment and event services.