10 TIPS TO CREATING POWERFUL POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS
Slide presentations are nothing new. Neither are decks packed with loads of content, poorly designed visuals, and lack of brand consistency. Ultimately, the size, organization, and design of your slides contribute to the presentation material's success.
For beginners, utilizing PowerPoint’s stock templates may work okay, and more intermediate users might find value in purchased templates from a range of template sites. If you represent an organization with an established brand standard, consider building a unique template in line with the company’s visual identity – defining a structure and format to present your message.
Here are 10 tips for creating powerful PowerPoint presentations:
01 Start with an Outline
Who is your audience, and what do you want them to know? Ask yourself how you would summarize your goal and your most important talking points. Start with the main ideas and elaborate later.
02 Keep it Simple
Remember this: seven slides, no more than seven lines of text, with no more than seven words per line. Think billboard, not brochure.
03 Slide Format
A 4:3 ratio is great for standard projectors, monitors, or when printing, while a 16:9 widescreen format has quickly become industry standard for digital use. Define what’s best now and in the future.
04 Brand Templates
Build a template using established brand standards and share widely with colleagues. This should include defined fonts, logo assets, icon styles, color palette, and more.
05 Slide Masters
All templates should include a title master, subtitle master, and content master with two to three standard content formats. See more info from Microsoft here.
06 Content Hierarchy
Like the hierarchy of content in your outline, each slide should be greeted with a visual hierarchy for balance and good visual aesthetics. This will convey your message quicker and with more impact.
07 Quality Media
Visuals are interpreted faster than any copy. Smart images and supporting videos in a quality format can lend to your storytelling in a meaningful way.
08 Charts & Graphs
Visual presentation of data is a popular method for delivering information quickly. Microsoft PowerPoint and other presentation tools have data-to-visual functions worth using and easy to build (and edit later).
09 Animation & Transitions
Capture your audience’s attention through purposeful animation and motion within your slides and slide transitions. Too many effects or dramatic transitions can begin to work against your objectives. Stick to a limit and select subtle standards.
10 Less is More
Keep messaging concise, graphics simple, and the page uncluttered. Minimal messaging also allows for larger text, better readability, and meaningful visual storytelling.
Creating the first PowerPoint brand template or presentation is the foundation for building future presentations with ease. Following simple guidelines will deliver a presentation that informs and achieves your objectives, time and time again.
A bonus tip: Involve the stakeholders in the presentation through the development process. Half or more of the presentation's success is obtained through the presentation's continuity and the presenter.
Taking smart steps in the beginning will ensure you create a powerful presentation now and in the future.
Aedieno is a boutique creative agency. For thoughtful creative, marketing or consulting advice, please contact us.
