Software To Make Your Presentation Stand Out

| Tuesday, April 5, 2011
By Penleope Cameron


If it is your first time using presentation software it can be daunting. How do you know if it will work in the right way? What if you put in something by mistake? All of these things need not be a problem if you approach this in the right way.

There are a number of options available, some free and some paid for. The free options will have less features but may be adequate for basic slide shows. However if you are still new to this kind of program you should make sure that the program has some kind of tutorial feature or demonstration video so that you can learn how to use it step by step. This will help ensure you learn how to place slides in the right order to avoid any potential embarrassment!

This means Material, Audience and Performer, with the audience being the most important part of it. The material is what you prepare and this should always be made with the audience in mind. While the software can help it is vital that you are always ready to talk and keep calm and clear throughout.

Whoever you are talking to bear in mind the key phrases and keep to them as much as possible. Each word is important and an excessive amount of words is often off putting and causes people to lose interest. Text only slides are not recommended as they look visually unengaging.

You should also limit the amount of slides. This will help keep people listening to you and ensure that you do not need to talk too much during the presentation. Look at the amount you have and be honest with yourself. What is the key point and what will most effectively prove that point? While humour can help emphasise a point and can make people think it is best to ensure that it is not too silly as it can make you look stupid. It may be better to do something light hearted at the start or at the end, both to get the attention and for relief when you finish.

Like any talk you should keep it short and relevant, carefully timing it to ensure that it has all the correct information in the right places. Too many slides can overwhelm people and they may not be able to keep up their interest. Bear in mind that you will be talking at the same time and you want people to be able to equally divide their attention.

You should also limit the amount of slides. Look carefully at the slides you have produced and ask how many of them are necessary to your point and how many are needless filler. A good presentation should be a balance between the slides and your speech. It is also a good idea to have less and to display them for longer for anyone taking notes.

When choosing presentation software online it is a good idea to look at product reviews. However be wary of excessively positive or negative reviews, especially if they have odd grammar or consist entirely of capital letters. Some programs may come with free demonstrations and it may be worth trying it before you are due to give a talk. Choosing carefully and using it well will help get the most out of your hard work.




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