PowerPoint Pointers

Recommendations for more effective and professional presentations and remember that PowerPoint should be used as an aid

• The slides should provide visual support and not be relied upon to carry the presentation.
• Audiences can only retain a very small amount of information per presentation so use a maximum seven topics as a guide (not seven per slide!)
• Keep file size small for email.
• Keep text to an absolute minimum.  If you look at your Powerpoint and think “I really don’t want to go through this whole things and proof read it,” then you probably have too much for the audience to want to read.  
• Reduce all sentences or bullet points to as few words as you can – one word if possible! Use pictures instead of text where possible to improve retention of your message. Loading a presentation with puppies and kittens will keep an audiences’ attention for hours.  It works for YouTube.

• Keep the bulk of detail in your verbal presentation and the slide as a simple summary of a point. People will generally read a slide before listening to the presenter. Keep it simple.