We all want to be the show-stealer in those boardroom meetings, be the limelight in conference rooms and close billion-dollar deals with extraordinary speeches. One way to make it happen is to create irresistible PPT presentations.
Whether you are a student or a Human resource manager, we are all aware of the preeminence of Microsoft Powerpoint to help us earn some extra brownie points and its huge list of benefits that can transform you from a non-designer to a designer within seconds.
However, there are a few things that you must keep in mind before you start the journey ahead:
1. Say NO to built-in themes
Built-in themes sure as well do a pretty decent job, in fact it was a savior in the good-old college days. But here is the thing, to leave a mark, you need to stand apart, operate differently.
The reason why I suggest you, that while working on the aesthetics of your slides, add a touch of your own creativity. It will immediately grab viewers’ attention. Plus, you will end up leaving a stronger statement too.
There are a few portals that give you access to customized themes and templates. For instance, you can visit Pslides for free PowerPoint templates.
They have got a huge range of templates categorized for various purposes. The intricately designed layout, templates, diagrams, charts, diagrams and so on, can prove to be your USP on the D-day leading you to the win!
2. Look for Quality Photographs
Quality photographs are undoubtedly a major determinant for a stunning presentation. None of us want to scroll through those white background slides.
And now since the visual game is all that matters, photography is all the more important. Use the best quality photos exclusively design pictures instead of the same old ‘business-people on the white background.’
Trust me, it will instantly put you on a scale of one of the best presentations from the one in the many! For example, if you need 5 pictures for your presentation, don’t just go online select any 5 pictures and attach them.
Instead, brainstorm, take your time and then pick the best available. You can also surf through online portals like Flickr, Pexels, Freepik for royalty-free images.
3. Don’t take Typography for Granted
Presentations are a visual way of communicating your thoughts and ideas, so everything counts, including the font, size, formatting of your text.
Typography is the visual component of any text. It’s not just a means to improvise the text on your PPT, it is a way to communicate a specific mood, purpose, and even your goals.
So, before you type in all upper case for your headings, remember all-caps also resembles screaming! (and you surely don’t want to scream at your investor!)
4. Keep it Simple
A PPT is definitely the conversation-starter, but without the speaker, it’s already a fail. Thus, if you think that you can cram all your content in one slide and let the speaker rest – well, then that’s already sending the investors home.
Both the speaker and the PPT need to strike a balance between too little and too much. A solid PPT will distract your audience from what you are speaking. So instead, keep it simple with eye-pleasing visuals – it helps them focus on your speech.
5. Draft Concise Focal Points
Whatever you are working on, in your presentation; you certainly want your viewers and audience to garner special attention on a few points. That is what is termed as ‘focal points’.
It’s always advisable to highlight them in your PPT, tactical use of typography can serve the purpose – but remember there’s a thin line of difference between highlighting and screaming, you don’t want to cross that.
You can pick, something as simple as a different color for those few points, or a different font, size or simple ‘bold’. Apart from this, photography and visual illustration is also a great way to embolden the focal points.
If you don’t narrate your focal points clearly, your audience and users can lose interest almost immediately. None of us like to be beaten around the bush.
6. Create an Attractive Cover
Most of you might be thinking, how will the cover make a difference. It is usually played for less than a second, sometimes skipped, so why should you direct your efforts to create a cover.
Here is the thing, a beautiful cover with captivating images gives you a psychological advantage. As you begin things in a positive note, people know that they should pay attention. This step will also help the audience know what to expect from this PPT.
I am sure by now you must have understood that you necessarily need not be a designer to create masterpieces. Even non-designers can do great work. Nevertheless, I hope you make effective and stunning presentations. These measures are easily implementable.
