PowerPoint slides can make or break a presentation and the success of yours can often come down to design. Too many graphics and your audience will be distracted from the actual points you are trying to get across, too little and your audience may loose interest. With this in mind, here are four design tips for an effective PowerPoint presentation.
Make it Unique
Yes, PowerPoint supplies its users with a number of design templates but if you want yours to stand out from the crowd, be aware that there are other options. One way to make your presentation unique is to customise your PowerPoint design. You can re-size your slides, use bespoke colour combinations and create custom shapes among many other things. No one wants to sit through the same boring presentation over and over again so distance yourself from those tired, overused templates and create slides that inspire.
Less is More
The PowerPoint slides are designed to support the main points of your presentation and overloading them with content will only distract your audience from your speech. PowerPoint has a range of features that allow you to jazz up slide transitions with animations. Subtle animations can make your slideshow that little bit more impressive but to use too many and it could come across as slightly gimmicky.
Choose Colours with Care
Colour can enhance your PowerPoint presentation and give your slides a professional edge. However, colours should be chosen carefully in order to create a visually pleasing presentation. Certain colours have connotations so make sure that the ones you pick are associated with positive emotions. One way to take the guesswork out of choosing colours for your slides is to use colours that reflect your brand. Take the primary colours used in your website design and branding and incorporate them into your slide design. Choosing the right colours can guide the emotions of your audience throughout your speech. A dark blue or purple background works well with lighter texts and lighter neutral backgrounds complement dark texts but it is best to avoid bold colours such as red, black and brown as these shades tend to come across as aggressive on screen.
Text Vs Images
It can be tempting to fill your PowerPoint slides with bullet point after bullet point but nothing will jeopardise your presentation faster than large blocks of text. An abundance of text will detract attention away from you and leave you competing for the audience’s attention. Images provide the audience with information in a simple and engaging manor and can add value to your presentation. However, if you do choose to support your main points with images, ensure you use graphics of the highest quality. Images of people often make an impact and add a personal touch to the presentation.
So, there you have it, four design tips to help you create a professional presentation at speed. Creating a visually appealing presentation design takes time but our top tips will simplify the process and result in a polished presentation that can’t fail to engage your audience.
