Lately clients have been asking about how to help people improve their PowerPoint presentations. In a tidy package, here is my best advice for presentations:
Less is more.
- Less data–just a few powerful pieces–is more compelling than heaps of numbers.
- Ten slides are more memorable than fifty.
- One clear idea moves an audience more than three, four, or five ideas, especially muddy ones.
- One relevant story sticks longer than a hundred statistics.
- Four words on a slide communicate more than forty.
- A 10-minute presentation grabs an audience more than a 60-minute one.
- An hour spent understanding the audience pays off more than 24 hours of fearing them.
- One precise call to action inspires an audience more than a dozen suggestions.
- An ounce of courage is worth more than a pound of blather.
Yes, for presentations, less is more. But what if you have more to say–not less?
The place for the more–more data, more analysis, more recommendations–is the accompanying report or paper. You can use it as a resource when answering audience questions. And the audience can take it away to learn more.
Do you believe less is more when it comes to great presentations? What is your best advice?
Lynn
Syntax Training
