Preparing a presentation can be a daunting experience. Standing in front of an audience to give a speech can be an even more overwhelming prospect. However, you are unlikely to get through university without having to create a presentation. Depending on your subject, instructors may require you to provide feedback from a group task or deliver the findings of a scientific experiment. Whatever the topic, you’ll be presenting to your tutor and fellow students. While preparing a presentation and making your case in front of them is not easy, especially if you’re not used to doing it, it is a good practice since many employers use presentations as part of the recruitment process.
How to Write a PowerPoint Presentation Successfully
Creating an excellent PowerPoint presentation is a skill that any professional must have, especially in the corporate and business world. The problem? It is very easy to get it wrong. From poor color choices to confusing slides, a bad PowerPoint slideshow can distract the audience from the awesome content. A PowerPoint presentation is like a poster presentation; only that the information is on computer slides rather than actual posters. It often accompanies and enhances oral presentations instead of serving as speaking notes. Well-designed slides used sparingly and with good timing can be brilliant. Heck, they can even make an otherwise good presentation awesome. Here are some tips to help you illustrate why your creative talents are the perfect ingredients for a killer presentation.
Use the 10-20-30 Rule
A PowerPoint slide should only have the main points. Guy Kawaski suggested the 10-20-30 rule to make presentations engaging and captivating. He says that a good presentation should not contain more than ten slides, shouldn’t last for more than 20 minutes, and the content should not be more than 30 points. But how do you make your texts lean on the slides? Draw relevant information from your narrative and feature only core ideas and points on slides. You can use the “6×6 technique” to avoid getting too wordy. This guideline suggests using no more than six bullet points or lines per slide with no more than six words per line.
Write an abstract for a Presentation
The purpose of an abstract is to highlight the most critical information in a piece of writing. However, a presentation abstract is different. Try to think of it as an invitation to a party. You want to create as much excitement and curiosity for your presentation as possible. Writing an abstract for a presentation requires the presented information to be more succinct. Unlike a typical abstract or executive summary, the presentation abstract should have less than 250 words and have a simplified and condensed breakdown. The abstract should come after your short bio.
Write A Presentation Outline
When preparing a presentation, there are various ways you can use it to share relevant ideas. One tool that helps presenters is a presentation outline – a synopsis of a talk or pitch. Presentation outlines help you organize your agenda and create a logical flow of thoughts in your script. They give you a clear path to transition your audience from your current status to where you want them to be. Follow these steps to create an outline for your presentation:
- Consider the purpose of your presentation
- Create a structure – introduction, main body, and conclusion
- Use an attention grabber
- Consider visual content
- Include a call to action
Use a Paper Writing Service
Writing presentations can be a stressful process. Students often struggle to get it right and need a guiding hand to help them create engaging and captivating slides. Luckily, CustomWritings presentation writing services that can take care of your PowerPoint presentations. Their team of writers can break down any topic to create slides precisely according to your custom instructions. Besides, the company offers presentation examples and other academic writing services, such as research papers, term papers, assignments, admission essays, and dissertations, at affordable prices across the board for all sorts of projects. No matter your academic level. Whether a Ph.D. or Master’s, you will always get personalized, original, quality, and professional papers at accommodating rates.
Stick to One Idea Per Slide
Like keeping slides virtually uncluttered, focusing on one key idea per slide can help your audience quickly follow along. Too many ideas on one slide can detract the audience from the significance of each idea. By featuring only one point per slide, you also give the idea room for visual impact. For instance, you can experiment with fonts and image sizes to deliver the desired effect.
Include Powerful Visuals
Adding visual elements to your presentation makes your deck more engaging and dynamic. However, the caveat is that visuals used as an afterthought can counter your ideas rather than complement them. Such visuals as nostalgic photos can appeal to the audience’s emotions in a way that a generic stock picture might not. Likewise, using eye-catching charts and graphs to simplify complex information instead of writing out a slew of statistics as text can keep your audience from getting overwhelmed with data. Remember that visual aids should complement your oral presentations, not repeat them or deliver the presentation for you.
Be Savvy with Design Details
A good design can make or break a presentation. If you haven’t got a budget for a designer, presentation tools, such as Canva and Visme, can help you make great slides. Firstly, use color consistently. Bright colors can dazzle, but too many can be off-putting. Use the colors most relevant to your message. Secondly, be consistent with the font. Consistent designs make your presentation look professional. Don’t switch from caps and lower case, Cosmic Sans to Times New Roman, or 10-to-18-point text size. Keep your on-screen text uniform for a more cohesive message. Lastly, format to precision. A wonky line on a slide or a badly pixelated graphic can put some people off, as it looks like you haven’t tried very hard, or worse, you just aren’t good enough. In a snapshot;
- Use color sparingly
- Use font consistently
- Format to perfection
Polish Several Times
Like your favorite shoes, a good presentation needs a few rounds of dusting before it’s all shiny and sparkly. Don’t be afraid to get messy. Arrange your ideas side-by-side and discover new connections that you didn’t see before. You should edit the slides ruthlessly. At first, you may have a considerable amount of information and struggle to get down six bullet points per slide. Edit thoroughly until you pair your message down to the bare essentials. You can also get a fresh pair of eyes to refine your presentation.
Final Thought about Presentation Writing
Written presentations are a powerful way to share ideas – if you create a deck that communicates your points clearly and effectively. Other communication dynamics, such as your oratory skills and body language, can influence your presentation’s success. Nonetheless, a well-written presentation is a resource that your audience can revisit long after you’ve shared it. By applying these PowerPoint presentation tips, you’ll be in a stronger position to inform, entertain, inspire, and activate your audience through a clear message.