Welcome to the June edition of mind-set.  I don't know if you are familiar with the expression, 'death-by-PowerPoint' but I am sure that you know how important it is to maintain audience attention during any presentation.

People can become too reliant on PowerPoint for much of the more potentially persuasive aspects of their communication. Unfortunately, it is often used as a band-aid for a lack of truly powerful speaking skills. And while I'm not a massive fan of the program, it does have its place.

It is with this in mind that I would like to invite you to consider three main points when preparing and delivering a presentation using PowerPoint:

• Layout 
• Involving your audience 
• Most importantly - YOU

1. Layout
 
Titles are your headlines and, if well written, a person should be able to read your titles and gain a clear understanding of the entire presentation.
 
Your titles should be simple and in Active Language. Do NOT use $100 words for a $1 idea.
 
Drop that cold business tone/language like a hot potato and tell a story with your slide titles.
 
Chunking information and bullet points: Remember that people can hold between 5 and 9 pieces of information (7 +or- 2).  To assist your audience in retaining the information, stick to five or less pieces of information per slide. Order content so there is a logical sequence (i.e. main topic 
 
Titles are your headlines and, if well written, a person should be able to read your titles and gain a clear understanding of the entire presentation.

Your titles should be simple and in Active Language. Do NOT use $100 words for a $1 idea.
 
Drop that cold business tone/language like a hot potato and tell a story with your slide titles.
 
Chunking information and bullet points: Remember that people can hold between 5 and 9 pieces of information (7 +or- 2).  To assist your audience in retaining the information, stick to five or less pieces of information per slide. Order content so there is a logical sequence(i.e. main topic, subtopics, details etc).
 
Logos and important images that link to a solution should be in the upper right corner, not the upper left OR anywhere along the bottom (put your images into the Visual Future of your audience).
 
Never have your logo or solution to a problem on a slide that contains a description of the problem. Keep them separate. You don't want to be guilt by association, do you? 

2. Involving your audience 
 
Don't end your presentation and then invite questions. Run through some frequently asked questions towards the end in order to answer anticipated queries in advance. Then mention you're happy to answer any further questions.
 
If you are selling, work at least several conditional closings into your presentation. Make them subtle. Asking and testing for understanding and conditional approval along the way is a subtle way to increase 'buy-in'. Keep watching your audience for nods of agreement.
 
Don't ask any "NO" questions! If you're going to ask questions of your audience while presenting, make them rhetorical questions that are designed only to elicit "YES" answers! 

3. Most importantly - YOU! 
 
Your slide is NOT your mouth! It's for visual reminders. Do not read out everything on your slides. This will patronise and annoy your audience. If they're not annoyed at the same information verbally, they will be annoyed that you are interrupting their internal voice while they're trying to read.
 
Actually, though, you CAN read each bullet point out loud if you use a laser pointer to keep people focused on where you're reading, AND if you also add other information that's not on the slide.
 
If you can, move your body away from the computer. Stand up. Get someone else to step through the slides at your laptop while you move around a little. Skip the laser pointer once in a while and go to the screen to point to your reference. All this will help keep people's attention and inject life into your presentation.
 
Remember, there are millions of PowerPoint presentations delivered each day around the world. The only difference between yours and the others is how you deliver it - your audience is there to see YOU.

I hope this provides you with some assistance and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me on 02 8969 6600 or e-mail paul@emergingmind.com.au If you wish to forward this edition to anybody that you think may find it useful, please do.

Kind regards,

Paul Kinsella

NB - If you have any topics that you would like addressed in this newsletter please feel free to send your suggestions to mind-set@emergingmind.com.au

If you have received this e-mail from a colleague and would like to receive future editions of mind-set click here

© The Emerging Mind 2006. All Rights Reserved.