This post is written by Tobias Schelle. Follow me on Twitter

You’re sitting at your desk, the deadline is up, you have to get your PowerPoint done. What is the first thing you do?

If you’re like the majority, you’ll start “in” PowerPoint. Big mistake!
The problem by starting in PowerPoint is that you think “linear”. It destroys your creativity and keeps you from seeing the big picture of your presentation. So what’s the solution?

It’s simple: Get away from the screen!

Software and tools distract us from what’s important; font size, animations, colors, shadings, they’re all secondary. First, you need to get your story right. So, close down PowerPoint, grab a paper and pen, and start drawing your slideshow in hand.
Not only do we avoid distractions, but when you start drawing in hand you will naturally connect to the right side of your brain and stimulate your creativity. It enables you to think beyond the possibilities in PowerPoint, so you can:

- See the big picture
- Think outside the box
- Make your story primary

Do yourself a favor and draw your next presentation in hand before you open up PowerPoint. Trust me, you’ll be surprised by the result.

Written by Tobias Schelle. Follow me on Twitter

Microsoft PowerPoint has become commonplace in almost company. The purpose for everyone is to communicate effectively. That is, to inform or get informed, with CLARITY and UNDERSTANDING.

So what’s the purpose of a PowerPoint presentation? Create maximum impact in minimal time and persuade the audience to take action, physically or mentally. If used right, a PowerPoint presentation can:

• Amplify your message
• Accelerate information absorption
• Assist comprehension and hence faster decision making

Presenting today

There is nothing more boring than a long, generic PowerPoint presentation. And 99% are: loads of slides filled with bullets.

Moreover, presenters generally tend to squeeze in too much information – much of which is out of line of the original purpose of their presentation. Too many points on a single slide or long paragraphs do not work. Remember, PowerPoint is a competent slide manager and presentation tool, not a word processor. The sight of a text heavy slide will make your audience lean back and lose interest. Instead, follow up with extra information in a document at the end of the presentation.

The animation trap

Using visual aid makes all the difference. But making your presentation visual does not mean you should have something flying out of every corner of a slide. Over utilization of these PowerPoint inbuilt animations will give it an unprofessional look and I doubt it reflects the identity of company.

A new approach

PowerPoint works best for presenting things visually. An appropriate image helps deliver the message more efficiently, and more importantly, it makes it  memorable. So the key is to use more visuals and fewer words.

Effective PowerPoint presentations that appropriately represent your organization should have the following:

• The presentation should be consistently designed (Timesaver: templates)
• Choose a color palette that goes with your company’s other marketing collaterals.
• Use clean and simple graphics/charts
• No more than 6 words per slide
• Use pictures that reinforces your words

A good rule for effective presentations is to avoid mixing reading and listening. If your audience is reading the points on the screen, they are simultaneously not listening to you, and vice-versa. It is a very inefficient way of getting your message across. After all, your goal is to make sure they leave the room with YOUR point of view

For inspiration, check out a presentation a made a week ago:A Story on Slide Design

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Presentations or speeches can be a wonderful experience for the person talking at the front of the audience and for the audience as wee. This is a technique usually used to get information to people and also to entertain people in some circumstances. There are many ways to do this such as Powerpoint, hand outs, or using writing on boards which are the visual aspects of presentations. But let’s face it, most of the time it is talking and the audience listening to many words.

Because any group is composed of different types of people with some who listen well, others that are visual learners, some that talking puts to sleep, and others that just want to talk, different ways may be used to attempt to reach everyone.

If at all possible to not get behind a podium. This separates the speaker from the audience and gives a feel that the speaker is unreachable. In this scenario it is unspoken that the audience role is to listen only. It may be untrue but it is an unconscious feeling and interpretation.

Walk around a little. This makes the audience follow you and keeps there attention. At the same time eye contact with different members of the audience shows that you are engaged with them. Don’t linger too long on one person though but it is OK to see if you can get a nod or a smile.

Bodies make a lot of expression so to use your hands is great. A cordless, hands free mike would be best for this. There are many places using these now and is a good investment. A good one even picks up a whisper.

The voice when speaking should change in tone and emphasis at time but there is no need to shout. It is much like a conversation though one sided mostly but people listen to conversational tone better than feeling it is simply orders. It is also terrific to smile and tell some related stories. Stories people remember and this gives a reference for the information given.

Presentations are meant to help people so give it in a manner that says exactly that.

Liz Cosline- Life Ownership Coach - Speaker

Author of:

Transcendental Sojourn - Arrival to One Journal (xlibris.com)

One Voice (publishamerica.com)

Unexpected Knowing (publishamerica.com)

Notice for Arrival (publishamerica.com)

In business management for over 23 years.

http://www.lizcosline.com

http://songofoneunexpectedlife.info

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