Making Your Presentation in Slides (How To Make The Presentation They'll Remember)

Making product presentations is, I think, the most stressful part of my job. With all those disapproving eyes and condescending bosses around me, it gives me shivers every time I contemplate another schedule for me to make my presentation. I don't know how people in computer ads do it. They make presentations seem fun and effortless.

From my many experience of doing presentations, one thing I learned is that there's nothing more striking than a well produced slide. Knowing your material inside and out or even upside down is already a definite topic. But having a very powerful slide presentation is another thing. One author couldn't have said it more clearly- "Project one across a twenty foot screen in a darkened auditorium and you'll experience the real power of words and pictures. The image is crystal-clear, the colors are intense and the impact is big, bold and unforgettable. Overheads and video don't even come close."

The most important rule for making slides is to include only the relevant information, and not the whole enchilada. You're audience doesn't want to read a boring detail of your presentation. And they don't want to hear your reading expertise either. You just need to take down points that are relevant, and expound on the topic yourself. And make it more engaging. Try to include your audience in your discussion. This way, yawning will be minimized to its utmost level.

• Avoid tables but, if necessary, simplify by including only the information you will need to make your point. One of the most boring presentations I've ever encountered is a production of tables and graphs in the entire piece. Up to the last period and centavo was indicated in the slides presented. I couldn't help myself from getting sleepy and yawning the rest of the time.

• Use numbers with only a few important digits. Always round off. Avoid including the decimal part, if necessary. If there is some graphical way you could present the figures, do it. There's nothing simpler to grasp than information in pictures and images.

• Include on each slide only information you will discuss. The more information in your slide, the more it will become distracting and confusing. Try to limit each slide to one idea. And, include just a few sentences to explain your idea.

• Make sure your slides are readable. If you can read a 2x2" slide without the help of a magnifier then even those seating in the rear will be able to see what you are projecting. Font sizes of 18-24 seem to work best.

• Slide with light backgrounds may be more readable than those with dark ones, especially when there is room light. Most computer-generated slides project much darker result than they appear on the computer screen. Choose color combinations that go well together. And even if there's a small possibility that your audience will include color-blind people, there's nothing wrong in making the necessary measures.

• Present your slideshow in an organized manner. No need for you to further torment your audience by "rewinding" or "fast-forwarding" every time you want to recall certain points. If you think that you would be referring to the same points more than once, prepare duplicates within your slideshow.

• Prepare horizontal slides rather than vertical ones. The size of the screen may result in cropped vertical slides. In addition, viewers at the rear, particularly in a large room, won't be able to see the bottom of vertical slides.

Believe it or not, these steps have made my presentations more bearable to my audience. Slides are a quick and inexpensive means to make your point. Combined with today's tools and technology, you can make your own presentations entertaining, educating and move people to do some action.