Presentation Matters

Posted by: Bart Bushong on February 7, 2012
Presentation Matters

Whether it’s for a new client, old client, potential client, or for internal use, speaking in front of an audience isn’t the easiest thing to do. Even after years in the field, many still find it to be a nerve-racking chore. Especially if you don’t have a professional designer on your staff, there can be a lot of pressure to craft an impressive digital show. But you don’t need to worry. Here are some helpful tips to guide you through your next presentation.

Keep it clean and concise.

No one likes to listen to a long lecture. Make your point as quickly and clearly as you can. Keep your slides clean and brief as well. Don’t clutter up your slide with multiple images and lengthy bullet points. A distracting, text-heavy slide can steal the audience’s attention away from you as they try to read ahead. Make your point, make it well, and move on.

Keep it visually interesting.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so when possible, use an image instead of text. Putting the right image with your words is an effective way to maintain attention and share your message. Compfight is a great resource to find Creative Commons images for commercial use.

Keep the focus on you.

Yes, it’s great to have nice slides for your audience, but they didn’t come to inspect your PowerPoint skills. They are here to see YOU. The slides are only there to help guide the conversation and give additional visual information. Being an engaging speaker is more important than having some fancy slides.

Whether you use PowerPoint or Keynote, the keys to a killer presentation are the same. Put care into crafting your presentation, but remember that what’s saved on your flash drive isn’t the most important thing you’re bringing to the table.

What are your go-to tips for business presentations?

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