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If that means simplifying your content or recapping previous presentations then so be it. If you really care about your audience, you have to be an advocate for their learning needs not your own agenda. Getting the tone and content of your presentation right starts with being honest about what they really want to hear and what they can realistically absorb.
Can you think of plot twists or hooks that can be shared along the way to keep them interested? You might find writing an initial ‘script’ away from PowerPoint helpful before you go diving into slides. This doesn’t mean you should start your presentation with “Once upon a time”, just that you should build it in such a way that the chronology of the topic is clear. Even if you have to deliver a long series of facts, remember that it’s the underlying meaning or outcome of those facts that will strike home. Human beings have used stories to impart information since the dawn of time and it’s still a great way to communicate. Think of is an ‘elevator pitch’, a synopsis of a book or an abstract for a scientific paper. If you can’t summarise your presentation topic in 10-15 words, then it’s probably too long or too vague. It’s also a good discipline for you as a presenter to help keep you keep the topic succinct. Summarising your presentation in a single slide at the beginning gives your audience a clear idea of what they’re going to learn and stimulates anticipation of the whole story. a university lecture) but could the additional time be better used for questions and answers? Start With A Summary You might need to over-run the 20 minute rule in some circumstances (e.g. He was talking about pitching to investors but this is fairly solid advice for any presentation. Guy Kawasaki wrote that a presentation “should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points”. Creating Your Presentation Follow The 10-20-30 Rule New: We now have a handy tool where you can upload and “ Analyse My Presentation” to get live feedback on you PowerPoint presentation file, just follow the link. Let us know if you can think of any others we should add! Here is our list of tips and techniques to help you deliver a fantastic presentation. PowerPoint is often blamed but often this is really a case of a poor workman blaming his tools.Īudience polling tools like our ParticiPoll system can add an extra dimension to presentations but what about all the other things that make for a great presentation? Microsoft PowerPoint has been around since 1987 and is by far the most popular presentation tool on the market but many people still struggle to give effective presentations. A comprehensive list of PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks.
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