In one of our last blog posts we briefly discussed when to use PowerPoint presentations. This was only the tip of the iceberg. Here we would like to go into depth on how to make PowerPoint work for you and your presentation. PowerPoint is a great tool of sharing information when used effectively and appropriately.
The Don’ts of PowerPoint Presentations
- Don’t let your PowerPoint be your whole presentation. In other words, PowerPoint is a tool to improve your presentation but should not be the whole presentation. Some presenters literally hide behind a podium and simply click through the slides. As a presenter, you should engage your audience; talk to them rather than read to them.
- Don’t use PowerPoint as your textbook. This means you should know you material thoroughly before the presentation and your PowerPoint presentation should only serve as cues.
- Avoid putting together wordy presentations. Your audience should be paying attention to what you are saying and not trying to read through your presentation.
The Do’s of PowerPoint Presentations
- Begin your presentation with an outline, your agenda for the presentation. This tells your audience what they can expect to gain from your presentation.
- You should use your slides to enhance the information that you are sharing with your audience. Consider using graphs or pie charts where appropriate or any other graphics that will help to bring your message across.
- Use a large enough font for all to see and consider using contrasting colors to make it easier for your audience to read the information on your slides.
- Rehearse your presentation several times to get a good idea on when to transition slides and also to keep track of the length of your presentation. There are some fun slide transitions you can use to give your presentation some visual interest. However, the slide transition should not distract or take away from the information that you are sharing with your audience.
- Finally don’t take yourself too seriously – have fun!