PowerPoint Presenation Thoughts

In teaching many classes and speaking at lots of conferences and chapter meeitngs, I’ve become very aware of making sure that my PowerPoint presenations are beneficial and useful. The times I don’t use them are when I speak for 20-30 minutes. I mean it will take longer to set up the computer then it will to do anything else.

I use my presentation as my notes; although the audience doesn’t realize it. Those notes “jog” my memory. Even 3 words = 10 minutes of talk.

I don’t make people think that I think they’re stupid by reading stuff line by line.

I use pictures when I can.

No running things, floating things, etc.

No font under 28 — I like 35-40 for headings and 28-30 for words.

The fewer words on a page, the better.

The shorter the presentation, the better.

If you put a quote on the presentation, give people a long enough time to write it down.

Brand the presentation to your company.

Get someone to proofread it and format it nicely.

Bring it on a flash card, have it on your computer and send it to yourself using an email address that you only read on the web. I’ve even brought it to a conference on a CD. :)

OK that’s my list :)

(c)2010 Maria Marsala