Comments on: 10 Tips for better Powerpoint

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:06:20 +0000

Yes – always telling a story, and you might tell multiple stories in one presentation. Thanks for the reminder about “made to stick” – a very good book!

By: Mike K Smith

Mike K Smith — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:53:55 +0000

Benjamin – I think Garr would argue that you’re ALWAYS telling a story, even if you’re trying to persuade or inspire. The story makes it STICKY (stickiness being a good thing in making what you’re saying stick in people’s minds). http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2007/07/make.html

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:09:56 +0000

Hi Mike! I’m trying to remember the chronology, I think i wrote this when Garr was still blogging, and before his book, otherwise I would have mentioned it. A good pointer! Likewise, Seth’s really bad powerpoint (mentioned at the end of 10 things not to do in a business powerpoint presentation) is a must-read classic for any presenter.

Looking back on this, and having done more competitive speaking, I’d say that there are different sorts of presentation. You aren’t always telling a story, sometimes you are trying to persuade or inspire. In that context, story is just a part of the equation. I’m sure you’ll make it work, and make it interesting, even if it is presenting stats

By: Mike K Smith

Mike K Smith — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:25:18 +0000

Read “Presentation Zen” by Garr Reynolds and/or subscribe to his blog, visit his website at http://www.presentationzen.com. Garr has excellent advice on making an impact through presentation materials.

His advice (paraphrased by me):
The slides should tell a story to your audience. All other purposes and priorities are below this one.

Great advice, a very readable book with good examples. Now if I could only get his advice to work in a scientific context!!! Aargh!

Also, check out Seth Godin’s advice – http://www.sethgodin.com/freeprize/reallybad-1.pdf.

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 16:55:29 +0000

Great tips Nathan! A word of caution on Flickr photo use in commercial presentations: Creative Commons is not the same as copyright cleared. For example, if you use a photo of the Eiffel Tower taken at night, you might have copyright permission from the photo owner, but do you have copyright permission from the copyright owner of the Eiffel Tower light show? I have seen a number of small companies end up with large legal bills over this sort of thing recently.

I’d put 15 at no.1 for presentation creation – I think it is a subject deserving a post all to itself.

More tips?

By: Nathan Ketsdever

Nathan Ketsdever — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 01:42:37 +0000

#11 Use Creative Commons pictures from Flickr to tell your story. Just attribute them (ie provide a URL link at the end of the presentation). Telling a visual story is critical

#12 Post your presentations on Slideshare.net (as long as its not corporate secrets)

#13 Listen to a Steve Jobs or Guy Kawasaki speech on YouTube

#14 Give yourself a digital education. Watch the best Slideshare.net presentations for ideas about design and excellence in presentation.

#15 Ask the “why is this significant?” to my audience question

By: Matthew Cornell

Matthew Cornell — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:39:59 +0000

Great tips. I used the Beyond bullet points approach when putting together a six-hour 130-slide PP presentation. Of the six hours, over 1/2 is interactive exercises. Total # of bullets: 7 (I couldn’t resist a few). I *do* have some “visual bullets” – small pictures in a row (no more than 5) for my own memory.

By: Jamin

Jamin — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 19:00:21 +0000

Hi Tim! You are right. I was being kind, 5-7 would be a big leap forwards. 1-2 is close to perfection, if anyone has seen a Steve Jobs presentation, you’ll know what this looks like. I think it is a big ask for a non-professional presenter, but if you can get there, then do it! One word on a slide is VERY powerful – add notes for the handouts though! That reminds me of a funny story, but for another time…

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:37:57 +0000

5-7 lines of text! Too much. 1-2 max.

By: Jamin

Jamin — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 18:40:35 +0000

True! Although being a poor presenter, with no slides, isn’t much better than being a poor presenter with poor slides. The real shame is when you see a good presenter made into a poor presenter with poor slides. Can good slides rescue a poor presenter?

By: aedjp

aedjp — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:33:34 +0000

I think #10 should have been #1 – If you don’t need to use PP then don’t!