Giving a presentation is an everyday activity, but not everyone does it well. Some presentations are powerful and have a significant impact on the audience, while others are a work in progress. Jim is an aspiring professional striving to make it big in the world. He used to deliver presentations like everyone else, using PowerPoint as his tool of choice. However, his approach was often confusing and boring, and it was holding back his prospects for success.
Fortunately, Jim learned a better way to give presentations. He now focuses on the story he wants to tell and tries to follow a simple structure with a clear beginning, middle, and end that links together his various points. When formulating his story, Jim uses a simple pad of paper or sticky notes, which helps him think more creatively and stay outside the box.
Jim considers the best tools to help him tell his story effectively. Sometimes, he opts to use a whiteboard, flip charts, handouts, or even no props at all. When it makes sense for him to use PowerPoint, he remembers that sometimes “less is more.” He doesn’t dumb down his presentations, but he limits each slide to one key idea. He looks for visual ways to tell his story, with minimal text, photos, and clear charts and graphs.
Jim still uses plenty of text to help him remember what he wants to say, but he hides it in his notes that only he sees. This new approach takes more time, energy, and rehearsal, but it’s well worth the effort. Jim’s audiences are now much more engaged and better understand and remember his presentations.
Animation is a helpful tool that can be used in a presentation to make it more engaging. However, it should be used sparingly and only when it makes sense. Animation can help simplify complex ideas and make them more understandable. It can also be used to create visual interest and break up the monotony of text-heavy slides.
In conclusion, giving a powerful presentation requires a well-structured story, clear and concise slides, and engaging delivery. It may take more time and effort to prepare, but the results are well worth it. By using animation when appropriate and limiting text-heavy slides, you can create a presentation that is both memorable and effective.