Top 10 Effective PowerPoint Tips

PowerPoint can be an effective business tool. It can also give everybody in the conference room a headache. How you affect the people viewing your slideshow is up to you.

Here are our top 10 tips on building an effective, memorable PowerPoint presentation:

1. Make an emergency PDF version – This is just in case the presentation computer does not have the same version as the computer you were working on. Nothing is more embarrassing than getting up in front of a hundred people and not getting your PowerPoint to work. Expect for the worse, and you will be prepared. Call ahead to learn what version the host computer has installed. If you can, test your PowerPoint presentation beforehand.
2. Have all your files in one folder – This is to prevent breaking movie links.
3. Stay with a simple theme – Don’t go overboard on an extravagant layout. Remember, less is more.
4. Give a sense of place for the viewer – Make sure that titles – both the Presentation’s title and the page’s title – are easily read. A person coming in in the middle of the meeting should be able to immediately know what the presentation is about.
5. No more than 8 lines of text per slide – PowerPoint is a visual tool. If it has too much text, your viewers are more likely to not read any of it.
6. Don’t use too much animation – As cool as the sound effects and slide-changing animations may be, try to restrict the overuse of them. Having too much animation in your presentation distracts from content. On top of that, it borders on becoming unprofessional.
7. Be consistent with graphs – All of your graphs should have a similar look and feel. Keep the titles clear and the content simple.
8. Use consistent fonts and font sizes – Make sure fonts are big enough and easy to read. If you are using a unique font, make sure your host computer also has that font. If it doesn’t, the spacing could change, ruining the slide.
9. Use simple, professional colors – Stay with neutral tones, like browns, tans, grays, and faded blues, to maintain a professional look. You can also try using your company’s colors.
10. Use photos and clip art wisely – Again, PowerPoint is a visual tool. People like pictures. Photos and clip art can add a lot to your presentation. Just be sure not to take away from the overall message or to make it too distracting.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.