It can be daunting to create a presentation from scratch. Many people start by designing a set of great-looking slides, then developing a script to match. But this is the exact opposite of what you should be doing. You need to start with a strong foundation of ideas and words before you get to the … [Read more...] about A great presentation is more than just pretty slides
The best PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts
There are a few keyboard shortcuts for PowerPoint that I rely on so often I don't even know I'm using them. Unless I'm trying to do it on a Mac, in which case they don't work (sorry, Mac folks!). But if you use PowerPoint on a PC, then you can take advantage of these great keyboard shortcuts to … [Read more...] about The best PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts
The National Scout Jamboree is no place for a political rally
In my work as a presentation consultant, I always tell my clients is that they must consider the wants and needs of their audience. No matter what the goal of the presentation—whether it's to sell, persuade, inspire or teach—it's important that we tailor our speeches for each audience so that they … [Read more...] about The National Scout Jamboree is no place for a political rally
What size should my slides be, 16:9 or 4:3?
Deciding on a slide format used to be easy when there was only one choice. Nowadays, you can choose between 4:3 format or 16:9. What do these numbers mean and which size should you choose for your presentations? What the numbers mean The above notation is called the "aspect ratio," or the ratio of … [Read more...] about What size should my slides be, 16:9 or 4:3?
PowerPoint templates and Office themes explained
If you're a presentation designer and you want to make it easy for people to create great looking slides consistently, PowerPoint templates and Office themes are the best! I thought I'd take a few minutes to explain what templates and themes are and the differences between the two. Templates and … [Read more...] about PowerPoint templates and Office themes explained
How to eliminate distracting gestures and movements
When you're speaking in front of an audience, your actions can speak louder than your words. Swaying, hand clasping, pacing, and other unconscious movements can distract people from your main message and communicate quite a different one, such as "I'm unprepared," "I'm nervous," or "I'd rather be … [Read more...] about How to eliminate distracting gestures and movements
How to make presentations less boring
"There is no such thing as a boring project. There are only boring executions." So said Irene Etzkorn, one of the United States' leading experts on plain English writing and simplifying communications. Many of us will be faced at some point with communicating information on a boring subject. But … [Read more...] about How to make presentations less boring
One of the best PowerPoint add-ins on the market
For people who constantly work with PowerPoint, add-ins help to streamline the workflow and enable users to do more in less time. Add-ins are supplemental programs that add custom commands or features to PowerPoint. Strangely, although I've been using PowerPoint since 19*cough-cough*, I've never … [Read more...] about One of the best PowerPoint add-ins on the market