Practical Pointers for Persuasive PowerPoint Presentations

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION! RULE NUMBER 1

Plan what you want to say before you start PowerPoint should only illustrate presentation

DO NOT USE RUNNING TEXT ON A POWERPOINT SLIDE RULE NUMBER 2

If you can read to your audience the text that appears on a PowerPoint slide, you have put too much text on the slide. After all, the purpose of the slides is to illustrate your presentation, not to take the place of your presentation. One problem with putting your speech on a series of PowerPoint slides is that you will have to make the type so small that it will be difficult to read. Besides, if your audience can read the slide and learn what you have to say, why do they need you at all? No, the only text that should be on the slide is a few words to emphasize your points. Think of text on PowerPoint slides as an outline, or notes you might take if you were attending the presentation. Anything more is counterproductive and could cause you to lose your audience. Remember, you want your audience to pay attention to you. Your slide show is only there to illustrate what you have to say.

USE CONSERVATIVE BACKGROUNDS RULE NUMBER 3

Exotic backgrounds can make type hard to read Don’t let background distract from message Use one background per presentation

DO NOT USE MORE THAN SIX BULLETED ITEMS ON A SLIDE RULE NUMBER 4

Too many items can be overwhelming Major points only Slides illustrate, not explain

DO NOT USE MORE THAN SIX WORDS PER BULLET RULE NUMBER 5

Too many words can be overwhelming Major points only Phrases should embellish presentation

USE FONTS THAT ARE EASY TO READ RULE NUMBER 6

Sans Serif Serif Decorative/ Display Script

Sans Serif Fonts Unornamented Clean look Easy to read

Serif Fonts Lightly ornamented Traditional look Usually easy to read

Decorative/Display Fonts May be ornamented or unornamented Exotic look Difficult to read

Script Fonts May be highly ornamented or lightly ornamented Usually fussy look Difficult to read

Guidelines for Fonts Legible Consistent Don’t mix fonts in an item

Point Size Bigger type is easier to read (This is 40 point) Nothing smaller than 18 point

Point Size Point size can reflect importance Be consistent

Typography Use correct typographic symbols Apostrophe = ’ ([Alt]0146) Open Quotation Mark = “ ([Alt]0147) Close Quotation Mark = ” ([Alt]0148) One-half = ½ ([Alt]0189)

USE APPROPRIATE GRAPHICS RULE NUMBER 7

Backgrounds Shapes/Dingbats

Clip Art Photographs Web Graphics

Graphics should reflect subject matter Don’t use graphics “just to use graphics” Be aware of copyright restrictions Don’t mix clip art and photos

PROOFREAD THE PRESENTAITON RULE NUMBER 8

Run spell check Print out a hard copy of presentation Read for grammar Carefully check to see if you any words out

BEWARE OF SOUND EFFECTS RULE NUMBER 9

Appropriate

Integral

Not distracting

FIELD TEST YOUR PRESENTATION RULE NUMBER 10

When projected, slides may look different Fonts may not be loaded on the computer Colors may shift when projected Legibility may be a problem

FOR SPECIAL EFFECTS, BREAK THE RULES FOR SPECIAL EFFECTS, BREAK THE RULES RULE NUMBER 11