can read everything you’re going to say, that element is lost.

5. Appearance Select a font or combination of fonts (never more than 3) that are easy to read from any distance. Generally you’re safe with PowerPoint’s default fonts. Remember, you are trying to convey thoughts and ideas not your creative talents. Similarly, maintain a hierarchy in font size. The slide title should be the largest font used with each lower step being progressively smaller. Just like with the font itself, you can’t really go wrong with the default sizing. If you find that you must reduce font size do it proportionately and reduce it throughout the presentation for consistency. While this isn’t meant to radically alter personal style and wardrobe just don’t wear anything that will overwhelm the audience or become the day’s

Microsoft PowerPoint is the defacto standard business presentations and slideshows. They’re quick to produce, and easy to update. In many cases they’ve replaced proposals and business plans and it’s not uncommon for Federal procurements to require both a proposal and a presentation. A PowerPoint presentation may be all that stands between you and funding or you and a contract. Unfortunately, because it is so easy to use it is also easy to abuse and can spell disaster for even the most experienced presenters. A successful presentation is a visual aid and not a visual distraction. The following tips will help you avoid common pitfalls and help avoid alienating your customer and destroying your business.

1. Special Effects Video clips sound and transitions can divert the audience’s attention from the message to the effect. Giving a special effects burdened presentation can also turn into a comedy routine if it hasn’t been well rehearsed so that the presenter and the presentation are on the same track. Leave the fade-ins, fade-outs, wipes, blinds, dissolves, checkerboards, cuts, covers and splits to the competition unless they are absolutely necessary to convey the message. This includes builds, lines of text appearing with a mouse click, can be distracting. Focus on the message, not the technology.

2. Clipart Do not use clipart, regardless of where you get it. It shows a lack of creativity, a disregard for the subject matter, and disrespect for the intelligence of your audience. Graphics and other images are a presentation must have. Not only to they enhance your message, in come cases they can become the message and they satisfy the needs of the visually oriented people in the audience. Use other image sources such as screen captures, scanned images or images purchased from a stock photo agency or other reliable vendor. Keep in mind that there are copy right laws limiting the use of images you don’t own or have permission to use. Further, if you’ll be providing the audience with a hard copy, use high resolution images. Images created for, or presented on, the web will not suffice. The printed version will be pixilated and sloppy.

3. Templates Templates are a sign of laziness. Everyone recognizes them and it sends the message that your audience wasn’t worth the time it would take you to develop something just for them. They also force you to fit original ideas into someone else’s mold. Naturally this doesn’t apply to using a company standard format.

4. Dense Text There is a reason people read books in bed; dense text puts people to sleep. On top of that the guy in the last row will never be able to see anything but a black box. Don’t use complete sentences, paragraphs, or quotations. Presentation slides are not speaker’s notes and they’re not just an outline of the presentation. The contents of a slide should be made up of words or phrases that support the slide’s title which support the presentation’s message. A good rule of thumb is use no more than five or six bullet points per slide and no more than eight or ten words per bullet point. Remember, your audience can read so don’t read for them. Often, parts of an effective presentation depend on creating suspense to engage the audience. If the audience can read everything you’re going to say, that element is lost.

5. Appearance Select a font or combination of fonts (never more than 3) that are easy to read from any distance. Generally you’re safe with PowerPoint’s default fonts. Remember, you are trying to convey thoughts and ideas not your creative talents. Similarly, maintain a hierarchy in font size. The slide title should be the largest font used with each lower step being progressively smaller. Just like with the font itself, you can’t really go wrong with the default sizing. If you find that you must reduce font size do it proportionately and reduce it throughout the presentation for consistency. While this isn’t meant to radically alter personal style and wardrobe just don’t wear anything that will overwhelm the audience or become the day’s

ge to the effect. Giving a special effects burdened presentation can also turn into a comedy routine if it hasn’t been well rehearsed so that the presenter and the presentation are on the same track. Leave the fade-ins, fade-outs, wipes, blinds, dissolves, checkerboards, cuts, covers and splits to the competition unless they are absolutely necessary to convey the message. This includes builds, lines of text appearing with a mouse click, can be distracting. Focus on the message, not the technology.

2. Clipart Do not use clipart, regardless of where you get it. It shows a lack of creativity, a disregard for the subject matter, and disrespect for the intelligence of your audience. Graphics and other images are a presentation must have. Not only to they enhance your message, in come cases they can become the message and they satisfy the needs of the visually oriented people in the audience. Use other image sources such as screen captures, scanned images or images purchased from a stock photo agency or other reliable vendor. Keep in mind that there are copy right laws limiting the use of images you don’t own or have permission to use. Further, if you’ll be providing the audience with a hard copy, use high resolution images. Images created for, or presented on, the web will not suffice. The printed version will be pixilated and sloppy.

3. Templates Templates are a sign of laziness. Everyone recognizes them and it sends the message that your audience wasn’t worth the time it would take you to develop something just for them. They also force you to fit original ideas into someone else’s mold. Naturally this doesn’t apply to using a company standard format.

4. Dense Text There is a reason people read books in bed; dense text puts people to sleep. On top of that the guy in the last row will never be able to see anything but a black box. Don’t use complete sentences, paragraphs, or quotations. Presentation slides are not speaker’s notes and they’re not just an outline of the presentation. The contents of a slide should be made up of words or phrases that support the slide’s title which support the presentation’s message. A good rule of thumb is use no more than five or six bullet points per slide and no more than eight or ten words per bullet point. Remember, your audience can read so don’t read for them. Often, parts of an effective presentation depend on creating suspense to engage the audience. If the audience can read everything you’re going to say, that element is lost.

5. Appearance Select a font or combination of fonts (never more than 3) that are easy to read from any distance. Generally you’re safe with PowerPoint’s default fonts. Remember, you are trying to convey thoughts and ideas not your creative talents. Similarly, maintain a hierarchy in font size. The slide title should be the largest font used with each lower step being progressively smaller. Just like with the font itself, you can’t really go wrong with the default sizing. If you find that you must reduce font size do it proportionately and reduce it throughout the presentation for consistency. While this isn’t meant to radically alter personal style and wardrobe just don’t wear anything that will overwhelm the audience or become the day’s

e message and they satisfy the needs of the visually oriented people in the audience. Use other image sources such as screen captures, scanned images or images purchased from a stock photo agency or other reliable vendor. Keep in mind that there are copy right laws limiting the use of images you don’t own or have permission to use. Further, if you’ll be providing the audience with a hard copy, use high resolution images. Images created for, or presented on, the web will not suffice. The printed version will be pixilated and sloppy.

3. Templates Templates are a sign of laziness. Everyone recognizes them and it sends the message that your audience wasn’t worth the time it would take you to develop something just for them. They also force you to fit original ideas into someone else’s mold. Naturally this doesn’t apply to using a company standard format.

4. Dense Text There is a reason people read books in bed; dense text puts people to sleep. On top of that the guy in the last row will never be able to see anything but a black box. Don’t use complete sentences, paragraphs, or quotations. Presentation slides are not speaker’s notes and they’re not just an outline of the presentation. The contents of a slide should be made up of words or phrases that support the slide’s title which support the presentation’s message. A good rule of thumb is use no more than five or six bullet points per slide and no more than eight or ten words per bullet point. Remember, your audience can read so don’t read for them. Often, parts of an effective presentation depend on creating suspense to engage the audience. If the audience can read everything you’re going to say, that element is lost.

5. Appearance Select a font or combination of fonts (never more than 3) that are easy to read from any distance. Generally you’re safe with PowerPoint’s default fonts. Remember, you are trying to convey thoughts and ideas not your creative talents. Similarly, maintain a hierarchy in font size. The slide title should be the largest font used with each lower step being progressively smaller. Just like with the font itself, you can’t really go wrong with the default sizing. If you find that you must reduce font size do it proportionately and reduce it throughout the presentation for consistency. While this isn’t meant to radically alter personal style and wardrobe just don’t wear anything that will overwhelm the audience or become the day’s

sn’t apply to using a company standard format.

4. Dense Text There is a reason people read books in bed; dense text puts people to sleep. On top of that the guy in the last row will never be able to see anything but a black box. Don’t use complete sentences, paragraphs, or quotations. Presentation slides are not speaker’s notes and they’re not just an outline of the presentation. The contents of a slide should be made up of words or phrases that support the slide’s title which support the presentation’s message. A good rule of thumb is use no more than five or six bullet points per slide and no more than eight or ten words per bullet point. Remember, your audience can read so don’t read for them. Often, parts of an effective presentation depend on creating suspense to engage the audience. If the audience can read everything you’re going to say, that element is lost.

5. Appearance Select a font or combination of fonts (never more than 3) that are easy to read from any distance. Generally you’re safe with PowerPoint’s default fonts. Remember, you are trying to convey thoughts and ideas not your creative talents. Similarly, maintain a hierarchy in font size. The slide title should be the largest font used with each lower step being progressively smaller. Just like with the font itself, you can’t really go wrong with the default sizing. If you find that you must reduce font size do it proportionately and reduce it throughout the presentation for consistency. While this isn’t meant to radically alter personal style and wardrobe just don’t wear anything that will overwhelm the audience or become the day’s

can read everything you’re going to say, that element is lost.

5. Appearance Select a font or combination of fonts (never more than 3) that are easy to read from any distance. Generally you’re safe with PowerPoint’s default fonts. Remember, you are trying to convey thoughts and ideas not your creative talents. Similarly, maintain a hierarchy in font size. The slide title should be the largest font used with each lower step being progressively smaller. Just like with the font itself, you can’t really go wrong with the default sizing. If you find that you must reduce font size do it proportionately and reduce it throughout the presentation for consistency. While this isn’t meant to radically alter personal style and wardrobe just don’t wear anything that will overwhelm the audience or become the day’s focal point. And, like reading your slides, nothing will cause the audience’s mind to wander (perhaps to the competition’s presentation) like a stiff posture. Interaction between you and the audience during the presentation may not be appropriate but you can engage your audience and keep their attention by being even a little bit animated. Your goal is to capture and hold the audience’s attention. Talk with your hands and move about the room or at least from one side of the front of the room to the other.

6. Technology. The best advice is to never trust it completely. If you transport your presentation on CD test it and make multiple copies. If you’re responsible for the projector make certain that you have a spare bulb and that you know how to install it. If the audience is providing the venue and equipment take spares even if they never leave your car or hotel room. If the presentation is crucial take two sets of equipment.

7. Handouts Always leave your audience with something to remember your presentation by or to refer to once you’re gone. However, if you distribute materials before your presentation, your audience will be reading the handouts rather than listening to you.

8. Rehearse

Never give a presentation that you haven’t rehearsed even if you think you are familiar with the subject matter. This is particularly true if you are only giving a portion of the presentation or worse yet, if the presentation was presented for you.