Making a PowerPoint Presentation is one of the most basic things taught in Elementary School.
PowerPoint is the undisputed leader when it comes to making a presentation. It is stable, proven, and each new version adds more features to make it even more efficient.
But making a presentation can be complicated!
Do you actually know how to make an effective(eye caching) Presentation?
No worries if you don'. Coz we are here to answer that for you.
The main problem with PowerPoint is that most users do not have the know-how to create elegant and engaging presentations, as this requires a high level of design skills.
Fortunately, it's possible to find on the Internet, literally tens of thousands of free PowerPoint templates, for just about any topic, idea or concept! However, when you search for the PowerPoint presentation you are dreaming of, you will often find yourself confronted with 2 major concerns:
- It is difficult to find free.
- The right one which suits your needs and looks modern(At least the graphics don't date back to 90’s).
- Finding the right template online gets time killer some times.
How to choose your PowerPoint template?
First of all figure out the concerns a group of which you are going to create the presentation.And by that, I mean pink template will probably not fit if you make a corporate presentation on an environment related topic. But it may work for a group of teens or young toddlers.
Here are a few free Powerpoint templates that you can use with your eyes closed!
Here are few sites where you could find amazing templates for your presentation.
Www.Thepopp.com - This Japanese site presents fifteen PowerPoint themes for free download. We particularly enjoyed the 3 examples above, but it was very difficult to make a choice, as they are all equally interesting! Each model includes several tens of slides, in different colors and tones, with many possibilities: charts, graphs, price tables, and more! This site is a must to know!
Www.slideteam.net - Site offering a wide variety of PowerPoint templates. By clicking on the button below, you will arrive on an article in their blog that offers 7 free templates, as well as detailed explanations to personalize them.
Www.site2max.pro - This site of a freelancer that sells many PowerPoint templates on GraphicRiver, also offers about fifteen free PowerPoint themes. Donations are accepted. Each power point theme contains between 10 and 20 slides, which offer various possibilities: diagrams, graphs, price tables ... The download of the template is done after clicking on one or other of the social buttons (Twitter, Facebook, Google+).
Ok, So That Was The Easiest part of Creating Presentations Now Get Read to break the sweat!!
1. 1 idea = 1 slide.
- This is THE basic rule. Your slides should be clear, as refined as possible. Some use a fairly simple rule (which I also endorse):
- - 6 Points / Slide
- - 6 Words / Points
- Be aware that this rule is a maximum limit to help you lighten up your presentations! But ideally, it takes less text, unless it is really justified!
- An idea is usually summarized in 1 word, or even 2. In some cases, one can use a schema, an image, a Smart Art.Above all, one must avoid drowning one's idea in the text.
2. Getting Organized
Before starting work, it is important to know where you put your feet. If you know in advance what to put in your Powerpoint, it's perfect. But take the time to put all your ideas on paper, or on Word (I recommend!).
- Start by putting everything in bulk,
- Organize your ideas,
- Make a detailed, detailed plan.
- Add the ideas that come to you as you go along.
- From this text base, you will save a lot of time creating your support. In addition you will have enough to fill your "comments" box, you will have a basis for your oral speech.
- You can then go through the Storyboard box.
- The storyboard is a sort of summary of your presentation, it will allow you to structure and design your PowerPoint in advance.
- The idea is simple: draw your slide roughly, then add little by little what you would like to put in.
- Base yourself on your detailed plan and insert next to the sketches what you want to deal with in the presentation.
- Keep in mind that this step will save you time and will allow you to have a consistent reasoning in your presentation.
3. Stay consistent.
- Did you follow advice number 2? So respect your plan! By creating it, you have to create logic in the presentation, by following it, your PowerPoint will again in earnest. It is important to know exactly where you are and where you are going. If you do not know, you will lose half of your audience.
- The second point to respect imperatively: One to Two fonts MAXIMUM! (Except in some cases, like a quote, definition, a different emotion), it is important to control all the details of its support. Otherwise, your presentation will appear completely disjointed. When I was watching presentations made by student friends, it was very easy to see those who used the technique of "We each make a slide and we bring them together before presenting them". Believe me, this is the best way to lose credibility.
- In the same frame of mind, stay linear, do not contradict yourself, if you announce an info, be convinced of what you announce. Put the shapes in what you say, and keep consistency in the overall presentation.
- Last point, surely the most important, and yet the one with which I have the most problem: To Reread! I really am not an expert in spelling, as I told you in the objectives of the Blog "There are phrases of the times, you can read them 20 times, you see no error, and yet! "
4. Moderate its animations.
- I will not take 10 minutes on this. You have to be very careful in using animations. Most often, a presentation without animations is more serious. That said, I personally find that when it is well mastered it captivates the audience's eye, which will listen to you better.
- Some tips: Prefer the animations "basic", "discreet", "moderate"; Adapt the intensity to the idea you develop, do not overdo it.
5. Respect a graphic charter.
- When you realize your plan, you must start to have presentation ideas for your PowerPoint (Personally, ideas come to me when drafting the plan).
- It is very important to create your graphic charter and respect it. Microsoft PowerPoint integrates a great tool " Slide Masks ". If you are frightened by this function, take the time to discover it, you will gain a considerable time and you will learn at the same time to build a theme more in your image.
- Avoid the original themes of the software, they are seen and reviewed, it is often synonymous with lack of work or research. You do not need to be an artist to be creative.
- At the color level, do not multiply the layers of colors, prefer themes to 1, 2 colors by playing on hues, font size, bold, italics, etc. Also prefer sober colors, pastel types. Obviously, in some cases, you will be brought some flashy colors, but use them with delicacy. Again, be consistent with your subject and audience :).
6. Be astute and inventive.
- I tend to think that when one has an idea in mind, there is always a way to realize it. It remains to be seen what means will have to be implemented, and if it is worth it.
- In PowerPoint, it is the same thing, if you have an idea that you absolutely want to integrate, but you do not find the function to do it, there is almost always a more or less simple trick to realize your wish.
7. Use resources (photos, graphics ...).
- As I said before, it is important to know how to synthesize information. And for that, the best technique remains to accompany his words by images, graphics, etc ...
- PowerPoint integrates a function that I find very classy: The Smart-Art, by delving a bit in the formatting options, there are possibilities to make very professional schemes.
- Beware of overloading, most often, the simplest slides are the most talkative. Again, adapt yourself. It 's you who make the presentation, not your Slide.
- Be careful also with the images you use, bear in mind that the image must bring something to your speech and not fill in the empty spaces of your slide!
8. Cite its sources.
- I hope that it is useless to repeat it, to quote its sources is paramount. This is a big problem today on the internet, but in a presentation before an audience, a lack of source can be catastrophic.
- Generally, this brings you credibility (depending on the relevance of the source), added value, and this can protect you, both in terms of rights, but also if your presentation is followed by a sequence of the question- reply. Citing your sources will protect you from redundant questions about certain resources and you can focus on the main topic.
9. Get ready!
- So, as I say, if you've read me so far, it's because you want to be successful in your presentation, and therefore to be well prepared.
- As we saw the preparation goes through a few steps:
- Gathering info (to know his subject and make an interesting presentation)
- Organize ideas and reasoning.
- Design the sequence of its slides.
- Create your PowerPoint as a support for its presentation.
- BUT you still have a stage, too often neglected, to repeat. You have to repeat, or simulate the presentation at least once!
- To validate the consistency of its presentation,
- To check if everything works,
- To see if one is comfortable with the subject and therefore validate his knowledge of the subject.
10. Be humble but confident.
- I put this point to the end as we approach more of a course on self-confidence or coaching. But I think that's the most important thing.
- When you do a job, no matter what its nature, you need to be aware of your abilities to do this job. And you need to know you can do what you want. Insurance is what creates, if you realize something, even completely ugly, be proud, so that when you present it you are credible to your audience, and you have no regrets.
- The second important point, remain humble in your accomplishments. You are not asked to make a film or to reinvent the wheel, it is simply a support for YOUR presentation, it is you the main character of this film. Always think that your support must be understandable by all, do not overload your slides, avoid the special effects! [This was the paragraph of the metaphor 😉]