- Bulletproof your slides. Too many bullet points and text make it easier to lose your audience’s interest and will cause them to read ahead, tuning you out.
- K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple). One concept or main point per slide is enough. The more congested each slide is with information, the more difficult your presentation becomes to follow. Use your speaker’s notes for your talking points, not your slides.
- Think visually. What will hold your audience’s attention? Pictures, charts, graphs – not lots of words. And no cheesy clip art!
- Plan ahead. Create a “roadmap” or outline of your presentation before you start building it. This will help you organize your thoughts and the key points you want to make while also helping you avoid overloading your audience with information.
- Give food for thought. A handout is a good way to leave your audience with a summary of key points or to give them additional pertinent details you didn’t address in your presentation.
What are some things you do to create effective, compelling presentations?