Let’s be honest: many presentations are a fast track to the snooze button. Designed to convey vital information, most end up making audiences daydream about their next coffee break.
Let’s remedy that. But first, identify which of the three common presentation types you’re crafting:
- Simple Transfer
- Moderate Influence
- Complex Engage
1. Simple Transfer Think of these as straightforward information relays. They’re concise (usually 5-8 slides) and may discuss topics like “Social Media Don’ts for Our Team.”
Elevate Simple Transfers by:
- Using a consistent, well-designed template.
- Incorporating large visuals with succinct headers.
- Complementing slides with spoken insights.
- Deploying icons for clarity.
- Opting for basic infographics or smart art for processes.
- Infusing light-hearted humor through visuals or text.
- Limiting to 5-8 bullet points per slide.
- Sticking to facts—skip opinions or strategies.
2. Moderate Influence These delve deeper than Simple Transfers. Aimed at influencing thought or behavior, they’re bolstered with compelling arguments and span 10-20 slides. An example could be “Social Media Best Practices for Our Brand.”
Elevate Moderate Influences by:
- Maintaining a consistent, well-designed template.
- Using impactful visuals with concise headers.
- Segmenting with separator slides for topic shifts.
- Streamlining content to avoid redundancy.
- Using icons for clarity and categorization.
- Limiting to 8-12 bullet points per slide.
- Incorporating relevant images that enhance the narrative.
- Simplifying with minimalist infographics.
3. Complex Engage The heavyweights of presentations. Often lengthy, they intricately weave data from various sources to elucidate complex ideas or processes, like an “In-depth Medical Case Study.”
Elevate Complex Engages by:
- Sticking to a sleek, well-designed template.
- Employing simple shapes and tasteful gradients.
- Leaving ample white space for thought.
- Incorporating a detailed table of contents.
- Streamlining to avoid content repetition.
- Demarcating sections with separator slides.
- Using icons to streamline information.
- Implementing same-page transitions for data flow.
- Capping at 8-12 bullet points per slide.
- Integrating rich, illustrative visuals.
- Enhancing with infographics, illustrations, or even short video snippets.
Presentations shouldn’t be lullabies. Whether you’re briefing on office kitchen decorum or unveiling a tech strategy, by weaving in these enhancements, you ensure your audience is not just awake, but truly engaged.
