By Jacki Rose

Everyone uses it, but is it the best way to present your information?

Most people who use PowerPoint of give Presentations have not had much, if any, public speaking or presentation skills training.  However, we tend to copy what others are doing.  I would like to suggest stop doing what everyone else is doing and do it right.  The following steps will help you stand out above the rest.

To get the most out of your PowerPoint presentations, follow theses 5 Crucial Steps.

1.      The main attraction.  You are your presentation, not your slides.  Your audience would much prefer to look at you than your slides. Believer it or not, you are better looking than your slides.  You are more engaging than your slides.  You are much more interesting than your slides.  The most interesting your presentation the more engaged your audience will be and the more engaged they are, the more they will want to do business with you.

2.      Converse rather than read.  Never ever read your slides!  It will insult your audience and bore them to death.  Your audience would prefer you engage in conversation with them rather than read and present your slides to them.  Show them that you know what you are talking about by explaining each slide rather then reading them.  The more you converse with them, rather than read to them, the more knowledgeable you will appear.   The more knowledgeable you appear, the more confident you will seem and people like to do business with those who exude confidence.

3.      Screen off to side.  It seems like almost every PowerPoint presentation you see today, the screen is in the middle of the room and the main attraction.  The presenter is hidden off to the side some place and the audience e can’t find him or her.  If you place the screen off to the side a bit, and you are at the centre of the platform your audience will be able to pay more attention to what you are saying.  This is important because your slides cannot engage your audience only you can.  Your slides cannot explain to the audience what they mean and can do for them, only you can.  Your slides cannot get your audience to do what you want them to do; only you can (i.e. buy from you, learn from you, whatever your goal may be.)

4.      One bullet point per slide.  Most people put way too much information on a slide.  If you want your audience to focus on the items you are discussing, have only that item showing.  Have one bullet point per slide or cover up the other pints on that slide and only have the one showing that you are talking about.’

5.      Go beyond text.  Have as many slides as possible with pictures and/or graphics rather than just text.  A picture gets your message across much more effectively with a whole lot more impact.  Pictures and graphics are also more engaging and will keep the attention of your audience much more than any text slide.

What now?  Does this mean you have to go and redo your entire Power Point presentation?  Not necessarily.  Go through your entire presentation and try to find slides you can shorten and/or replace with a picture or graphic.  Then write out everything you want to say about your slides and/or include in your presentations.  Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, and you have your audience engaged, excited, and wanting to do business with you.

Jacki Rose is a professional speaker, presentation skills trainer and public speaking coach.  Visit www.JackiRose.com