As a professional presentation designer, I love talking to people who want presentations designed. But sometimes I'll talk to a person who'd really be better off if they presented without a PowerPoint. When that happens, I turn the dollar signs off in my eyes and talk rationally about why they … [Read more...] about How do I know if I need a PowerPoint?
Don’t be that guy whose cell phone rings during a meeting
This will be a short post today because the topic is very simple: silence your cell phone when you're in a meeting. Especially if you're running it. Every mistake is a learning opportunity. Or, if you make the mistake while you're teaching people how to be good presenters, a teachable moment. In … [Read more...] about Don’t be that guy whose cell phone rings during a meeting
The only four PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts that matter
At Toastmasters the other day, I watched as one of my colleagues fumbled with the setup of her PowerPoint presentation. She struggled to get the deck in slide show mode. When she finally managed that, she lamented that she'd forgotten to include a black slide. Two simple keyboard shortcuts could've … [Read more...] about The only four PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts that matter
How to fix the empty seat problem at your next presentation
There comes a time in every public speaker's career when attendance at his presentation is less than what he thought it would be. Through no fault of his own, people just don't show up. He looks out into the audience and sees a few people scattered all over the hall, leaving vast swaths of empty … [Read more...] about How to fix the empty seat problem at your next presentation
Storytelling in PowerPoint
As long as there have been people, there have been stories. From the tale of Oog the Mighty who brought down a mastadon with a single blow of his club to The Hunger Games, people love a good story! We imagine ourselves as the hero, celebrating his victories and suffering his losses right alongside … [Read more...] about Storytelling in PowerPoint
How to avoid four common presenter problems
While it's not possible to anticipate everything that could go wrong during your presentation, there are things you can do to ahead of time to stop problems before they start. Here are four events that could derail your whole presentation and what you can do to avoid them. Problem #1: No place to … [Read more...] about How to avoid four common presenter problems
The best way to make a PowerPoint? You have 5 jobs.
I'll bet you thought you only had one job! But if you want to design an effective presentation, you actually have five jobs as a presenter: writer, editor, graphic designer, teacher, and audience member. Don't focus on one job. You need all five. Designing a presentation from scratch can be a … [Read more...] about The best way to make a PowerPoint? You have 5 jobs.
Persuading with PowerPoint: Features vs. benefits
Understanding the difference between features and benefits will help you to create presentations that audiences will really respond to. The difference between features and benefits Simply stated, "features" are the components that make up a product or service: ingredients, parts, equipment used, … [Read more...] about Persuading with PowerPoint: Features vs. benefits