Have you ever come across such a presentation that bored you tremendously to the point where you couldn’t take it, anymore?
I have! And believe me, those same presentations could have been much more interesting, only if they had a little suspense to them.
Making your presentations more engaging can leave that lasting impression you’ve always craved for, but only if you’ve done it correctly.
Many potential and good ideas end up in the trash when delivered in conventional and boring ways. Therefore, making your presentations engaging can elevate them and will enable them to convey their full meaning.
So, with that being said let’s get down straight to some of our classy tips that will help you craft those engaging presentations in no time.
Use the KISS Rule
There is a famous saying that goes “keep it short and simple”. It’s very much obvious for your audience to get overwhelmed by the dozens of lines that are being scrolled before their eyes and this will divert the focus.
The following three key points should be exercised so that it is easier for the audience to absorb more.
Ten slides: This is the optimal number of slides in a PowerPoint. Any number exceeding this is very difficult for the audience to comprehend.
Twenty minutes: Engaging your audience is something that should never be compromised. This can be only achieved if the presenter keeps his delivery time not more than twenty minutes.
Thirty-point font: Using a comparatively larger font in your slides means that you are including less text in the slides. This will compel you to include only essential information and hence redundancy would be gone.
Check spelling and grammar
A bad impression is already created in minds of the audience, the moment they see a typo. Having such small yet serious mistakes can lead your listeners to judge you for being careless and unprofessional. Therefore, to avoid such mistakes, always run a spellcheck on your entire slideshow while preparing your presentation. You always have the freedom of using third-party software like Grammarly to instantly spellcheck your written content for you.
Live the Moment
The best presenters are those who are not only experts in their field but are also well versed and even have a fair firm grip on the events happening in the presentation hall. They go with the flow while interacting and gossiping with the audience yet still staying on track with their presentation. Using this technique will not only aid in grasping the attention of the audience but will also help in making the topic more relatable.
The key to keeping your work professional is by making it more relevant and topical.
Start by Displaying your Agenda
The first and foremost thing that should be done is to outline your talking points or in other words, outline the speech that you are going to deliver. This will enable everyone in your audience to know how the whole thing is going to proceed. Moreover, the audience will be at ease in relating the things and making some sense of them.
Integrate high-quality images
A picture is worth a thousand words. I believe you really cannot prove this statement to be wrong. High-quality pictures and graphics can largely complement the message that you want to deliver. For this purpose, always test the images on a larger screen beforehand so that any chance of error is excluded.
Consistency is the key
Keeping your design consistent throughout will enable your audience to experience a similar look and feel. This will make them trust you for the fact that your work is professional, and all the designs are intentionally made.
Using built-in effects
This is a very tested and effective way of catching the eyes of your audience. PowerPoint provides you with numerous options to enhance the look and feel of your presentation. You can access these options in the Transitions, Animations, and Design Menus. Putting these effects to your advantage can turn the tables in your favor.
Use “Presenter View”
You will never want that your PowerPoint presentations become a stack of words that you will use as a buttress. For a presenter, their spoken presentation and visual aid must be always unified. For this purpose, Presenter View is best recommended because it has an area for notes, clock, and slides display.
Numbering the slides
During a formal presentation in any corporate sector, it is very much common that your boss may interrupt you and ask you to go to a specific slide. If your slides are numbered, then definitely he/she will ask you to go to that specific slide. But in case the numbering is not given then you will be in trouble.
Most of the presenters will be just toggling between the slides thinking that their boss might stop them where needed. This reflects very unprofessional behavior, and this is the reason why the numbering of slides is always recommended by the experts.
Include take-home points
There is always a chance that your audience will keep wondering about what this presentation was all about. Therefore, to reduce this uncertainty, include some ideas and messages that you think are necessary for your audience to take with. This will help you create a long-lasting effect, and your presentation would be much more impactful.
Conclusion:
For those in the corporate sector, grabbing the attention of your bosses, colleagues, and subordinates might be challenging and struggling but if you are using the right strategy, you will easily steal the limelight.
For the rest of you, don’t let the intimidation of a conventional presentation approach take you down. Instead, follow the guiding principles mentioned in this article so you can nail those upcoming presentations and spice up the ones you thought weren’t delivering to their full potential.
By following these creative techniques, your presentations will outperform your competitors and will help you bridge the communication gap with your audience in the most efficient manner.
