In this digital age, many presenters and salespeople alike have been taking to Powerpoints, Prezi’s, or other slide decks to effectively and efficiently communicate with their audience. Whether it be one on one or one on thousands, a great Powerpoint has the power
Keep it Simple One of the chief acronyms for presenting is the “KISS” principle. This stands for “Keep it Succinct and Simple”. Some individuals go for the other meaning of “Keep it Simple, Stupid”. Whichever one you prefer, being concise and direct with both wording and Powerpoint format is key to making a good presentation and ultimately – being a great presenter.
Limit Bullet Points and Text As a presenter, one of the worst things you can do is have a “messy” slide deck. This can be thought of as sloppy and even uneducated. In order to look professional, you must count on the slide deck to be a supplement to YOUR presentation. Do not put what you are going to say word for word on the slide deck… that alleviates the need for a presenter!
Use High Quality Graphics The point of using a slide deck is to paint a memorable picture in the mind of the audience member. You cannot do that if you don’t have high quality graphics. Also, it is important to know how to edit a picture within Powerpoint or whatever it is you’re using – setting a background as transparent goes a long way!
Utilize Color and Font Slide decks are rectangles – they can be boring! Make your rectangles less boring and even exciting by using colors and fonts that bring out your content and formats your slides nicely. Powerpoint does a great job with certain designs to pick from already in the system! In addition, there are downloadable online design templates that can really add some extra flare to your presentation!
BoweryJE22
What a great post. Such true information and pointers! I think as a student who sits through 16+ hours of lectures a week, we know what’s up when it comes a good presentation and one where we log into our Pinterest accounts or buy new shoes. When a professor takes the time to make their presentation interesting or talks about things not written up on the board it adds to the engagement of class and the enjoyment of that lecture. Along, with that is the use of photos, more importantly useful and meaningful images. It is so true being a visual learner show me a picture that means something, chances are I’ll remember it! Great post!!
The presentation is one of the most important aspects of sales. As a salesperson, having a presentation that grabs the attention of the customer is very important. I always have a more difficult time paying attention to professors when their presentations are boring and bland. I can imagine how this translates into the sales world. When a presentation is well thought out and presented, the customer will respect you.