PowerPoint presentations - the gateway to a coma induced nap. Who cringes at the thought of sitting through a PowerPoint presentation that more times than not, is filled with lengthy text that the presenter continuously reads from?
Recently, a few companies asked us at Leadarati to create new PowerPoint presentation templates consistent with their branding.
According to Hubspot, “the feedback loop from audience to presenter barely exists. In our new world, the value of a single pixel on the cluttered screens of remote audiences is immense. And the screens themselves— their quality and colors— vary wildly from member to member.”
That means we need to work harder than ever to inspire our attendees to absorb the information presented and inspire the audience enough to stay engaged (and awake). The evolution of the PowerPoint presentation is upon us.
How do we revolutionize these presentations to make then fun, hip and engaging? Let’s discuss:
1. Analyze the client’s current pitch deck for sales.
2. Modernize said pitch deck.
3. Use new pitch deck for the backbone branding of each presentation.
Guy Kawasaki, leader in Marketing, author and venture capitalist says, “that nobody wants to be in the meeting, so we need to be aware of that. Attention spans have changed dramatically as a result.”
When are we going to get the tips on how to revolutionize these PowerPoint presentations? You might be asking… well right now!
Here are my tips for an effective PowerPoint presentation:
· Lead with Importance
Assume that people won’t stay focused or engagement for your entire presentation, so prioritize your slides and let your audience know that you will connecting with them, and that this presentation will not be long.
· Use Visuals
To keep people attracted to your point, use visuals that your audience can relate to that make sense to your topic to break up the content presented.
· Quality Over Quantity
Produce your presentation with are. You must have a creative slide deck to keep your audience interested in what’s to come. If you have a designer friend – call them!
“Using a consistent, complimentary color theme strategically can help position your brand in the mind of your customers," says Beautiful.ai's Creative Director Anuja Kanani. She recommends limiting your presentation to 3-4 colors in your palette, with one accent color to highlight key points and bring balance and harmony to your presentation. In Hubspot’s top presentation designs in 2022 they also mention to include the use of three colors in this way:
Be selective with your slide’s content.
According to Hubspot, “the key to designing for the 'new normal' is embracing radical simplicity. A designer must reduce a slide to its core idea, then push to simplify even further. They must ask themselves — 'Do I really need to show this?' Then challenge themselves every time the answer is 'Yes.'”
· Credibility
Before you deep dive into your topic – shout out a provocative statistic or quote that embodies why your topic is important or critical.
· The 10/20/30 Rule Apply Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint. Kawasaki says, “A pitch should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.”
So – there you have it, the Evolution of the PowerPoint Slide Deck. The less snoring induced, less text filled, not over 25 minutes – presentation guide to getting your point across while keeping your audience engaged….and awake!
Reach out for more marketing tips and tricks by emailing me at anita.omalley@leadarati.com or commenting below.