Powerpoint presentations or similar presentations are one of the most important job skills needed by the modern job market due to their effectiveness in clarifying objectives and summarizing data. However, if this software is used incorrectly, the result will be a bad and messy presentation that does not perform the purpose for which it was designed.
The matter is not limited only to the labor market. A lecture or a study course is almost devoid of a presentation presented by students to their colleagues, which is often evaluated and forms part of the student’s final mark. So, how can you prepare a professional presentation that guarantees the satisfaction of your bosses at work or your teachers at the university? In today’s article, we have collected for you several practical tips for creating an organized, tidy, and effective presentation for communicating the information it contains.
1- Write before you start designing the presentation.
Presentation software and applications help you get your message across to your audience, but you can’t deliver a good message if you don’t know exactly what the message is. Before you start working on your presentation’s design, first write its content. At this point, commit to the following:
- Step away from your computer and write your thoughts down on a piece of paper.
- Write the main titles included in the presentation so that each title is on a separate piece of paper.
- Arrange these snippets in front of you and take a look at them to make sure they are coherent and logical.
- You can change the locations of the clips (the main titles in the presentation) and adjust them until you reach the final result that you are satisfied with.
- Make sure that the presentation you prepare contains an introduction, main content, and a conclusion.
- You can now start writing the content of your presentation by referring to the main titles you have prepared.
- After you have the text ready, you can switch to your preferred program and start preparing your presentation.
2- Choose an attractive title for the presentation.
The first slide in your presentation is the most important of all, because it is the one that will determine whether or not your audience is interested in the topic. So make sure your first headline is interesting and catchy.
You can start by asking a question about the main topic of your presentation, or you can involve the audience in the presentation by asking their opinion on a specific aspect that you will be discussing.
3- Stick to simple designs
Unless your presentation is geared towards young children or elementary school students, stay away from unleashing your artistic potential here! Make sure to choose simple, uncluttered designs, and avoid distracting backgrounds that include lots of colors and elements.
If you are not determined by a specific design (as is the case in presentations in some large companies), choose a simple and basic design. In terms of the line, make certain that:
- Choose simple, easy-to-read fonts such as: Arial or Calibri that can be viewed on different devices.
- Stick to a maximum of three genres in a single presentation.
- Use the same font (size, type, and color) for all headings in your presentation, as well as for the rest of your content.
4- Do not exaggerate the use of movements and effects.
Use effects and transitions between slides wisely. The same applies to movements in the slide. You don’t need to show the text or the number of sentences using a new character each time. It is not necessary to add animations to every slide. Here are some tips in this regard:
- Make your presentation as close as possible to what news stations use to present information.
- Simple animations, such as moving from right to left or vice versa, are the best option for elements on a slide.
- Complex movements such as spinning or the like are often slow and bore the audience, so avoid using them.
- Use no more than 3 types of transition animations between slides. Also, do not include these movements between all slides.
5- Focus on one idea in each slide
The most important purpose of your presentations is to ensure that the audience can absorb the information you are sharing with them; otherwise, your efforts will be in vain. And if you put too many ideas and information on one slide, you risk confusing the audience. So make sure to include only one main idea per slide.
In the event that you find yourself in front of a long presentation that exceeds the time allotted to you, this most likely means that you have put ideas in it that exceed his capacity, and it is preferable here to shorten it and amend its content.
6- Use text sparingly.
This point is related to the previous one. Even if you only include one idea per slide, be sure to use your text sparingly. Always remember: when an audience is busy reading what you’ve written, they’re probably not listening to what you’re saying. make sure to keep the text on each slide to a minimum. The following tips will help you at this point:
- Write the text in bullet points rather than paragraphs.
- Write only pencil tips, and then you can expand on each point.
- Do not use more than five points on a single slide.
- Use a larger text size of at least 24 to ensure your audience can read it.
7- Use images intelligently.
Stick to the following when using images in your presentation:
- Use high-quality photos, which you can either take yourself or purchase through popular photography sites.
- If you use free stock photos available online, pay attention to copyright, especially if you’re doing a world-class presentation.
- Do not use small, low-quality images and then enlarge them, as this will reduce the quality of your presentation.
- Avoid using Clip Art images available on the software you use, as your audience has seen them hundreds of times before and your offer will not be unique if you use them.
- Use images and cartoons only if your presentation requires them.
8- Use appropriate charts
There are many charts that you can use in your presentation, and each one is for a specific type of data. So make sure to use the right drawing in the right place. below are the types of graphs and their uses:
- Pie charts: used to show percentages. When using this type of graphic, make sure that the number of sectors in one circle does not exceed 6 sectors. Use contrasting colors to show the most important sectors, or separate them from the circle to highlight them.
- Bar charts: are used to show changes in quantity over a specific period of time. Here, it is preferred that the number of columns not exceed 8 as a maximum.
- Horizontal bar charts: They are used to compare specific quantities with each other, such as comparing company sales in four regions. It is also recommended that you use a maximum of 8 columns.
- Line graphs: used to show trends and developments in a specific field. Make sure to use it in this context only.
9- Use colors well.
We all know that colors affect emotions, so using the right color can help motivate or persuade an audience. And many specialized studies in the field confirm that colors have the ability to increase audience interaction, enhance the learning process, and help people remember information.
You don’t have to be an expert in color theory to create a presentation that stands out, but at least make sure you know a few basics:
- Colors are divided into two types: warm colors (such as red and orange) and cool colors (such as blue and green).
- Cool colors are generally used in the background because they appear to fade into the distance, while warm colors are used in key elements, such as the title and text, because they appear closer and clearer overall.
- If you are going to give a presentation in a dark room (a conference hall, for example, or a large theater), try to use a dark background (dark blue, gray, etc.), with text in a light color, such as white.
- If you are going to present the presentation in a bright room (which is often the case), it is preferable that the background color be white with dark or black text.
10- Practice delivering your presentation.
Always remember that the presentation you are preparing is only a way to help the main character of this story, and that is you! In order to be able to communicate your idea well, you must practice delivering the presentation out loud and make sure that it is compatible with the time period available to you. You can also record your voice during the recitation and then listen to it to identify weaknesses and error spots and then correct them.
11- Review the offer carefully before submitting it.
Here, it is preferable to ask a friend or colleague you trust to take a look at it to make sure that it is free of any embarrassing typos and that the message you want to deliver is clear and understandable.
12. End the presentation with a call to action.
The last slides of your presentation should summarize what you’ve already presented. Always remember that this is not the time to present any new ideas. One of the best ways to end your presentation is with a call to action. For example, you can ask your audience to provide their opinion on a specific topic related to the information you presented or invite them to try the product you discussed. You can also simply attach contact information to yourself in case any of them want to inquire and learn more.
By following and adhering to these tips, you will be able to prepare professional presentations in various fields without fear that you will fail to deliver your message or confuse your audience. Share your views on the best tips for preparing a professional presentation and the most common mistakes in the process.
Read also: How do you deal with work pressure properly?
