Empower Your Powerpoints!

10 tips to power up your presentation and wow your audience.

1. Be the Star
   Remember that the powerpoint presentation is a visual aid to support your verbal presentation. Don’t make it so compelling that it outshines you! You don’t want to compete for attention with what is just an aid.
2. Keep it Simple
   No more than five words per line. No more than five lines per slide. No decimal place. No complex graphics. No flashy transitions. No sound effects.
3. BIG words Help
   Fonts should be 32 points and up. Use 42 for main fonts, 30-36 for second level fonts. To be sure, roll the chair back 2m from the computer screen. If it’s readable, it’ll be clear to audience at the back of an auditorium.
4. Use Simple Fonts
   Dump the serif for sans serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica. These fonts are clean with straight lines and no wavy ends, making them easier to read when magnified on a big screen.
5. Emphasise in Bold
   Be cautious with fonts – capital letters are too huge to be reader-friendly, italics project badly on screen while underlines signify hyperlinks. To be clear, use normal or bold fonts.
6. Check Colours
   It’s easy to lose yourself in the kaleidoscope of colours available. The general rule: Use striking contrasts. Light text on dark backgrounds and vice versa. Do a colour check on the big screen before your presentation. Colours on your monitor may appear different when projected.
7. Don’t Use ClipArts
   Don’t use clipart in the PowerPoint software. They look too cute and lack sophistication. Use images and graphics from external sources for visual impact. Digital images lend professionalism to your presentation. Ensure that your images maintain their resolutions when project on a larger screen.
8. Proof Read
   When editing your draft slides, be as ruthless as revamping your wardrobe. The same rules apply: Remove all material that is unappealing objectionable and obsolete. Proof-read and run spell checks. Mistakes get amplified on the large screen and typos diminish credibility.
9. Give Your Speech
   Trust that you have been meticulous with your preparation. Don’t apologise for anything. Make eye contact with the audience at all times and never just read off the visual. Your verbal presentation should augment what’s on the screen. Ensure you speak in tandem with the change in slides.
10. Make a Final Impact
    Place a powerful image or a relevant quote on the last slide as you make your concluding statement. If no quote or image is suitable, use a “Thank You” slide or a slide with your contact details. Don’t end abruptly.