Powering Up Your Presentation: How to Make a More Effective PowerPoint

Using slides is an excellent way to break up the monotony of a presentation, and adding visual aids helps keep the audience interested in the topic. When you create a PowerPoint presentation, you can also recycle it, update it, and change things without starting from scratch. 

PowerPoint presentations can be a powerfully persuasive and informative tool when used effectively. Follow these simple tips to create an effective PowerPoint. 

Improve PowerPoint Presentations

Use a template

If you’re a newcomer to the world of PowerPoint and you’re not sure how you should organize the presentation, try using PowerPoint templates as a ready-made way to display your slides.

Using a template is an excellent way to provide a solid foundation for your slideshow. You don’t want to choose anything dated or overly basic, but nothing too loud or flashy. The template should also have design options that allow you to customize it and make it your own.

Use PowerPoint’s shapes

The PowerPoint program comes loaded with basic shapes like ovals and rectangles, but the software has more advanced options.

For example, the SmartArt function allows you to develop diagrams, flow charts, and more impressive graphics. You can break it up with intriguing shapes if you have bullet points, long paragraphs, numbers, or large amounts of information.

Add images to your shapes

Images are always a good idea to combine with shapes. You can crop an image that you have to fit inside the form. You can achieve this effect by selecting the image you’d like to add, clicking “Format” and then “Crop.” Next, select “Mask to Shape” and pick the shape where you want to place the image. 

Limit words on slides

As mentioned previously, less is more. If at all avoidable, don’t use bullet points. If you have to use them, reduce them to a few simple words. The point is to have the audience engaged and listening, not reading. 

Highlight what’s most important

Presentations are designed to cover essential information. Whether you’re working on a new product design, a paper, or a work project, neither needs to be covered in its entirety. 

Select the most poignant points to discuss and place the rest of the pertinent information in your Appendix. During the Q&A session near the end, refer back to it.

Use relevant graphs and charts

If graphs and charts are misused, they can be distracting. The goal is to ensure that your information design is clean and straightforward. This intentional design limits the chances of your audience trying to decipher an unnecessarily convoluted chart or graph.

Choose color scheme wisely

Like your font choice, colors can cause a litany of subconscious reactions from your audience. Choose your color scheme wisely. Selecting a color combination can harm your entire presentation significantly.

Rehearse

It’s good practice to familiarize yourself with your presentation and note the specific points you wish to emphasize. Rehearsing your presentation aloud will give you a better feel of the rhythm and the most suitable pace. You will also be able to see what doesn’t work and adjust accordingly. 

Record yourself

Using the voice recorder on your phone, record your presentation. Critique and assess your performance. Consider the following:

  • Are you pausing appropriately? Are they too long or too short?
  • Are you speaking too fast?
  • How do you speak when you’re nervous? Do you speak quietly or too loudly?

Before you go

When you choose to use PowerPoint slides, it can change how your information is perceived. These tips can enhance your presentation to help convey the information concisely and stimulatingly.