Put away PowerPoint, Google Slides, and any software you’re tempted to open up. The first step to an effective presentation is clarifying your objectives, your audience, and your central (takeaway) message.
What do you want your audience to do, think, or feel after hearing your talk? Goals such as “update my audience” are short-sighted, but can be developed further. For instance, it could become “update my audience so they can appreciate all the promising work I’ve done and they’ll want to renew our grant.” Helpful goals are audience-centric and can inform what to include in your presentation.
Think about who will be in attendance and tailor your talk to them. Determine your audience’s
Understanding your audience will help you gauge how much background and technical detail to include. It will also help you motivate your work.
Effective talks leave the audience with a clear take-away message. Based on your goal for the talk and the interests of your audience, create a single-sentence message that you would deliver to your audience. If an audience member thinks back about your talk and remembers a single thing, what should that be?
Also, make sure you understand the format and constraints of your talk, including how much time you will have, how your slides will be shown (large projector vs. small TV screen), and how many people will attend and how they will participate (questions during vs. after).
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Your technical presentation should follow an hourglass-shaped narrative: start broadly with an issue that your audience cares about, lead into the specifics of your work, then open up again with what your results mean and how they link back to the bigger picture. When you structure your talk, however, start at the narrowest part of the hourglass—your results. Your central message will emerge from here.
The most important part of your talk to the majority of your audience is not your results themselves, but the message they support. Start planning your talk by looking at your results and deciding what main points you can draw from them.
Carefully group your results , not by how you performed the experiments, but by the main points they support. Aim for 2-4 groupings that each lead to a single main point. These 2-4 main points should form the evidence for the main message of your talk.
Filter out less relevant results based on how well they support your main points. You often just can’t fit everything into one talk, so be selective about what you include to maximize your impact.
Evaluate your argument based on how well your results support your conclusions, and how well your conclusions support your main message. Look for logical holes in your argument, and address them or modify your main message to better fit your conclusions.
Describe what you did to get to your results. Give your audience the information they need to understand your results (how you set up your experiment, simulation, etc.). Be selective about what information you include to keep focus on your central message.
Explicitly tell your audience why they should invest time listening to your talk
Start with something your whole audience cares about. For expert audiences, this could be a specific problem, where for uninformed audiences it should be a more general goal for your field.
How did your work address the needs from your motivation? Look forward to the future and describe the difference made by your work.
Start with the most direct impact of your work. What is at least one thing that your work directly accomplishes? What next steps does your work motivate?
Connect back to your motivation. Describe how you see your project evolving to have a larger impact. Explain how your (and your group’s/colleague’s/field’s) work is coming together to meet a larger goal. End by connecting back to the thing the whole audience cares about, not a “Questions?” “Thank you!” or “backups” slide.
Build a slide list based on the information you gathered. Take your motivation, methods, results, and impact, and turn them into a series of sentences, each representing a single slide. These sentences will become your slide titles, and together they should form a coherent story.
Fill out your outline from your slide list. Plan out what evidence you’ll need to support each slide title.
Now you can start creating slides !
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To win people over, create tension between the status quo and a better way.
After studying hundreds of speeches, I’ve found that the most effective presenters use the same techniques as great storytellers: By reminding people of the status quo and then revealing the path to a better way, they set up a conflict that needs to be resolved.
Updated: July 27, 2022
Published: February 11, 2021
Have a presentation coming up that involves PowerPoint slides? Creating the content and design for a new presentation can be a daunting task.
Between outlining, deciding on a design, filling it out, and finalizing the details, it's not uncommon for a few questions to pop up.
Where's the best place to start? Are some steps better to take before others? How can you make sure you aren't missing anything? And how on earth do you master those essential -- yet slightly technical -- design tricks that can take a presentation from good to great?
We're here to make the process a little easier for you. We've talked to some of the best presenters at HubSpot and have included their tips throughout this blog.
With the following tips in your arsenal, you'll be able to navigate PowerPoint much more fluidly and give a standout presentation that'll leave your audience wanting more.
1. decide on a working title and the main takeaways..
Beyond picking a topic, your first step should be coming up with a working title for your presentation. A working title is more specific than a topic: Think "How the Right Nutrition Can Strengthen Your Kids' Bones" instead of "Raising Healthy Kids." Keep in mind that a compelling presentation title is much like a compelling blog post title : short, accurate, and valuable.
Once you've got your working title, make a list of the main takeaways of your presentation to begin to give it some structure. This'll help you stay focused when writing your outline and elaborating on those sections.
Aja Frost, the Head of English SEO at HubSpot, says, "I try to structure my presentations around a story. Not only does this make the presentation more memorable and engaging, it's also easier to figure out which information is relevant."
To do this, Frost says to pick a protagonist. She adds, "It might be your team, your audience, your customer.... Then, identify the rising action, problem, climax, and falling action. It's just like grade school. This structure works whether you're talking about an accomplishment, a challenge, a big question—anything, really."
Once you have your main takeaways and your story in mind, it's time to begin outlining the content of your presentation in more detail, while keeping your specific audience in mind. A presentation on any topic should sound different if you're speaking to an audience of college students versus an audience of investors, for example. The tone, words, design, and delivery of your presentation should all cater to your specific audience for maximum impact.
Ask yourself: What do your audience members already know? What new information can you teach them? What are they expecting from your presentation? What's going to be interesting to them? What will keep them focused and engaged? Then, make choices during every stage of the presentation process accordingly.
Justin Champion, a content professor at HubSpot, says, "Before diving into a presentation, I create an outline of how it'll flow. I do this by creating an intro (what they're going to learn), the body (what they're learning), and finish with a conclusion (recap what they just learned) I use bullet point slide a lot for talking points I can expand on. Pro tip: use animations to guide the story. For example, instead of showing all the bullets at once, click through to each via animation."
This may not apply for more formal presentation that have rigid structures (like performance reports), but for presentations that have more flexibility, presenting your content as a narrative can be much more compelling.
Stories appeal to people's emotional side in ways that information, facts, and figures can't. They help you relate to your audience -- and in turn, they'll make you and your message far more interesting to your audience. They also help make complicated concepts more easily understandable to your audience, who may not share the same experience level or work in the same industry.
Kyle Jepson, a senior professor at HubSpot, says, "Since I’m an educator, I always structure my presentations around the learning outcomes I want to achieve. If there are three things I want my listeners to understand at the end of the presentation, I’ll have three sections. Whenever possible, I put some sort of interactive element at the end of each section to assess their understanding. In a virtual event, this might be a poll or a question for people to respond to in the chat. In an in-person setting, workshop activities or small-group discussions work well."
While sweeping statements can help you set the stage, supporting those statements with evidence will make your argument more interesting and credible. Data and examples give your argument content, and people will understand what you're saying much better.
But don't just slap random stats on your slides and expect to "wow" your audience. Be sure your data comes from a reputable source and that you're presenting it in a way that's easy to understand, like through accurate charts and graphs.
Finally, don't overwhelm your audience with too much data. According to psychologist George Miller , we can only remember approximately five to nine bits of information in our short-term memory at any given time. Keep that in mind as you collect your evidence.
During a presentation, it's important to connect with your audience. But how can you do that when you're just talking at them?
Anni Kim, an INBOUND professor at HubSpot, says, "Staying engaged during a virtual presentation is tough, so provide plenty of opportunities for participation. You should add a slide at the beginning that points out how people can take advantage of the chat and ask questions throughout the presentation."
Once you've set the expectations, keep up on the chat and answer questions as they arise.
Now that you have a structure in mind, you'll start to write the content. Below, we'll give tips for how to start and end your presentation.
1. start with a story..
Not to be repetitive, but storytelling is one of the best ways to capture your audience's attention in general. Presentations are no different. Starting with a hook is a great way to get your audience invested in your content.
Champion says, "The best way to start a presentation is with an interesting story that connects to the content. A great way to keep you audience engaged is to make the content interesting."
On the other hand, while you want to tell a story, you also want your audience to connect with you as the presenter.
Jepson says, "During the introduction, I think one of the most important things to do is to set expectations for your style as a presenter. You don't always need to start with a joke or a story. Start out by being you, and then keep being you for as long as you’re on stage."
While you'll most likely use a standard approach with session title, presenter's bio, and an agenda, you don't want your audience to get bored.
Jepson adds "I think the standard approach (session title, presenter’s bio, agenda) is pretty effective except that it’s usually super boring. I try to include the standard information but sprinkle in things that are surprising or unusual."
Some examples include:
Now that you've structured your post and have ironed out the details of your introduction, it's time to work on the end of the presentation.
1. recap what the audience has learned..
First and foremost, the end of your presentation should tie everything together.
Champion adds, "Recap what they just learned, explain next steps based on learnings, and offer any associated resources to continue learning."
This will help people remember the content and give them resources to learn more or reach out if they have questions.
Another great way to end a presentation is with a Q&A.
Jepson remarks, "I always end with Q&A. The only tricky thing about that is knowing how to cut it off if you’re getting more questions than you have time to answer or if you aren’t getting any questions at all. In both of those situations, I do essentially the same: I cut it off and tell people to come talk to me individually."
For in-person meetings, Jepson will tell the audience to come find him after the presentation to ask more questions. However, for virtual meetings, he'll let people know how to reach him, whether that's via LinkedIn or email.
Calls to action are an important component of any piece of content and presentations are no different. What do you want your audience to do with this information?
In your recap, include actionable ways for your audience to incorporate your information into their day-to-day (if applicable). You can also let people know to reach out to you with questions so they know the next steps in case they want to discuss the presentation further.
Now that you have an idea of what you're going to be talking about and how you'll be laying it out, it's time to open up a new PowerPoint presentation and apply those basic design elements.
1. pick a color scheme..
Before you begin translating your text outline into PowerPoint, you'll want to start by adding some very basic design elements to your PowerPoint slides. First, choose a color scheme -- one that has enough contrast between colors to make colors stand out. Whether you decide to use two, three, or four different colors in your presentation is up to you, but certain color combinations go together better than others. Read the sections on creating color schemes in this blog post to figure out a good color combination.
Image Source
In PowerPoint, less is more. You don’t ever want to let the design distract from your message. But at the same time, you want to get more creative than a plain, white background -- even if you're going for a very simple design.
The three main ways to add a background design to a PowerPoint presentation are: 1) to use a predesigned template from PowerPoint; 2) to create a custom background using a solid color; or 3) to create a custom background using an image. Here's how to do each of those things.
(We also have a few general PowerPoint templates available for download here , which come with a series of videos to teach you some basic PowerPoint creation tips.)
PowerPoint comes with a series of predesigned templates to choose from.
To browse these templates on a Mac: Click on the slide or slides you want to add the background to. Then, click the "Themes" tab at the top of the screen.
You can either scroll through your options up there, or you can access the themes gallery in a bigger window by hovering your mouse over the theme previews and clicking the dropdown arrow that appears below them.
Right-click the background style that you want. To apply the background style to the selected slides, click "Apply to Selected Slides." To apply the background style to all of the slides in your presentation, click "Apply to All Slides."
To browse these templates on a PC: Click on the slide or slides you want to add the background to. Then, click the "Design" tab at the top of the screen. In the "Background" group, click the arrow next to "Background Styles" to open up the theme gallery.
Pro Tip: You can also apply any PowerPoint template you already have as a theme, even if it doesn't show up in the theme gallery. To do that, click the "Browse Themes" option you'll find at the bottom of the dropdown themes gallery, and navigate to wherever the given presentation, template, or theme is located on your computer. Then, click "Apply."
Want your slide background to be a simple, solid color? The steps to do this are almost identical on a Mac and a PC.
Simply right-click the slide(s) you want to add a background color to, then click "Format Background." In the window that appears, click "Fill" and then "Solid." Notice you can also adjust the gradient or make the background a pattern. Click "Apply" at the bottom to apply the changes.
Sometimes, making the slide background a high-definition image can really make that slide pop. It also encourages you to cut down on text so that only a few keywords complement the image. PowerPoint makes it easy to create a custom background using an image you own.
First, choose your image. Size matters here: Be sure it's high resolution so that it can fill your slide without becoming blurry or distorted. Here are the 17 best free stock photo sites to help you find some large, great quality images.
To create a custom background using an image on a Mac: Click the slide that you want to add a background picture to. To select multiple slides, click a slide and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other slides.
Next, click the "Themes" tab at the top of your screen. In the "Theme Options" group, click "Background," then "Format Background."
In the window that appears, click "Fill," then "Picture or Texture." To insert a picture from a file, click "Choose Picture..." and then locate and double-click the picture you want to insert. If you want to use this picture as a background for just the slides you selected, click "Apply." If you want to use the picture as a background for all the slides in your presentation, click "Apply to All."
To create a custom background using an image on a PC: Click the slide that you want to add a background picture to. To select multiple slides, click a slide and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other slides.
Next, click the "Design" tab at the top of your screen. In the "Background" group, click "Background Styles," then "Format Background."
In the window that appears, click "Fill," then "Picture or texture fill." To insert a picture from a file, click "File" and then locate and double-click the picture you want to insert. If you want to use this picture as a background for just the slides you selected, click "Close." If you want to use the picture as a background for all the slides in your presentation, click "Apply to All."
1. fill in the text on your slides using concise language..
Your slides are there to support your speech, not replace it. If your slides contain too much information -- like full sentences or (gasp) paragraphs -- then your audience members won't be able to help but read the slides instead of listening to you. Plus ... that's boring. Instead, use slides to enhance keywords and show visuals while you stand up there and do the real work: telling a story and describing your data.
When it comes to your slide text, focus on the main phrases of a bullet point, and cover details verbally. We recommend using up to three bullet points per slide and making any text as simple and concise as possible. A good rule of thumb is this: If you're using more than two lines per slide or per idea, then you've used too much text. Depending on the type of presentation, two lines might even be a little text-heavy.
Are you planning on sending your slides to your audience afterward? If you're concerned about putting enough information on the slides for people to understand your presentation when they go back to it later, you can always add little details into the slide notes in PowerPoint. You can find the Notes pane at the bottom of your PowerPoint screen, right below your slides. Click and drag the edge of the pane to make it larger or smaller.
Once all your content is there, you're ready to finalize your title. First, refine your working title as best you can on your own. Is it compelling and interesting enough to engage your audience from the very start? Does it accurately reflect your presentation?
Next -- and this is important -- connect with someone else to brainstorm the final title together. Read this blog post for a helpful walkthrough on writing a great title and title brainstorming with others.
1. choose a font that's easy to read..
Choose either one font to use throughout your presentation, or two (one for your headers and one for your body text) that contrast each other well. Here's a list of 35 beautiful fonts you can download for free to get you started.
If you decide on two fonts, your header font should be bold and eye-catching, and your body text font should be simple and easy to read. (For more guidance on what fonts work best together, take a look at this visual guide .)
Fonts changing from one computer to another is one of the most common problems PowerPoint presenters have -- and it can really mess up your presentation and flow. What's actually happening in this case is not that the fonts are changing; it's that the presentation computer just doesn’t have the same font files installed .
If you’re using a PC and presenting on a PC, then there is a smooth workaround for this issue. When you involve Mac systems, the solution is a bit rougher.
On a PC: When you save your PowerPoint file, click "Save As" and then "Save Options." Then, select the "Embed TrueType fonts" check box and press "OK." Now, your presentation will keep the font file and your fonts will not change when you move computers (unless you give your presentation on a Mac).
On a Mac: In PowerPoint for Mac, there's no option to embed fonts within the presentation. So unless you use ubiquitous typefaces like Arial or Tahoma, your PowerPoint is likely going to encounter font changes on different computers. The best way to avoid this is to save the final version of your presentation slides as JPEGs, and then insert those JPEGs onto your PowerPoint slides. In other words, make each slide a JPEG picture of your slide. (Note that the file size of your PowerPoint will increase if your presentation includes a lot of JPEGs.)
Mac users can easily drag and drop the JPEGs into PowerPoint. If you don't use actions in your presentation, then this option works especially well.
If you want your presentation to appear "animated," then you'll need to do a little tinkering. All you need to do is save JPEGs of each "frame" of the animation. Then, in your final presentation, you'll just display those JPEGs in the order you'd like the animation to appear. While you'll technically have several new slides in place of one original one, your audience won't know the difference.
If you're a Mac user and want to use this option, then be sure to add this to your checklist as the final step.
Once you've chosen your font, you can start playing around with font size. Carefully choose the font sizes for headers and text, and consistently use the same font face and sizes on all your slides to keep things clean and legible. Be sure your font is big enough so even the audience members in the way back of the room can read them.
The biggest PowerPoint no-no is using too much text on a slide. The most effective slides use text sparingly and present it in a way that's easy to read. One trick to make text more legible without changing the font size or layout is to increase or decrease the space between each line and each letter.
Select the text you'd like to adjust. On the "Home" tab, in the "Paragraph" group, click "Line Spacing" and choose "Line Spacing Options." In the Paragraph dialog box's "Spacing" section, click the "Line Spacing" dropdown list and choose "Exactly." In the "At" text box, adjust the value accordingly. Click "OK" to save your changes.
Select the text you want to change. Then, on the "Home" tab, find and click the "Font" button." Choose "Character Spacing Options" from the dropdown menu. Adjust spacing as needed.
Great visual cues can have a huge impact on how well your audience understands your message. Using gorgeous images in a slide presentation is the perfect way to keep things interesting.
It's important, though, that you don't use images to decorate. This is a very common mistake. Remember: Images are meant to reinforce or complement your message, but they can be distracting. Focus on finding high resolution images so that they look good when expanded without becoming blurry or distorted.
If you don't have your own images to use, check out our roundup of the 17 best free stock photo sites .
Pro Tip: If you're finding that the background of an image is distracting, you can actually remove it before putting it into your presentation directly inside PowerPoint -- no Photoshop required. Read this blog post for instructions .
Using multimedia in your presentation, like video and audio, can be an effective way to capture your audience's attention and encourage retention of your message. In most cases, it's best to avoid using more than one or two video or audio clips so you don't detract from your talk or your message.
PowerPoint lets you either link to video/audio files externally, or embed the media directly in your presentation. You should embed these files if you can, but if you use a Mac, you cannot actually embed the video. We'll get to that in a second.
PC users: Here are two great reasons to embed your multimedia:
Mac users: You need to be extra careful about using multimedia files. You'll always need to bring the video and/or audio file with you in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation. It’s best to only insert video or audio files once the presentation and the containing folder have been saved on a portable drive in their permanent folder. You can also record voiceovers for your presentation or hire a voice actor through Voice123 .
If your presentation is going to be played on a Windows computer, then Mac users need to make sure their multimedia files are in WMV format . That can get complicated, so if you want to use PowerPoint effectively, consider using the same operating system for designing and presenting no matter what (if that's something you can control).
The title of your presentation is often the first impression it gives off -- especially if it's going to be on display as people file in to your presentation -- so it's important to put some time and careful thought into its design.
Here are 20 layout ideas for PowerPoint title slides from Chris Lema :
There's a reason this is at the end. If you add things like your logo that you want to be in the same place on every slide, any adjustments you make to individual slides could slightly alter the alignment ... and you'll have to go back and adjust them all over again.
1. review and edit your slides..
Spend some time on your own flipping through your slides while practicing your talk. Make sure you can check all of the following off the list:
The best presenters don't read off your slides, so it's important to prepare and practice your presentation ahead of time. You never want to be the person finalizing your talk or presentation half an hour before an event ... that's just poor planning. Plus, what if the projector fails and you have to give your talk without slides? It can happen, and if does, you'll be incredibly happy you spent so much time preparing.
Depending on the venue, you might have a presenter's screen available to you in addition to the main projected display that your audience can see. PowerPoint has a great tool called "Presenter View," which includes an area for notes, a timer/clock, a presentation display, and a preview of the next slide.
Make sure "Presenter View" is turned on by selecting it in the "Slide Show" tab of your PowerPoint.
To practice using "Presenter View," open the "Slide Show" tab within PowerPoint. In the "Presenter Tools" box, click "Presenter View."
This isn't just a bonus step -- it's an essential one. Technology can mess up on you, and you need to be prepared. Between operating systems or even between different versions of Microsoft Office, PowerPoint can get a little wonky. One way to avoid problems is to ensure you have all the right hardware with you. Bring along your own laptop when you're presenting, just in case.
Even if you bring your laptop, but especially if you for some reason cannot, bring a backup copy of your PowerPoint file on a flash drive.
What other tips do you have for nailing PowerPoint presentations?
Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2015 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
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The name PowerPoint says it all – a powerful tool for visualizing expressive content. With the right presentation structure, PowerPoint helps add weight to your ideas and statements through visual impact.
Are you looking for the perfect presentation structure that provides lots of opportunities to inspire your audience? Not exactly sure where to start? Keep reading for a detailed guide that will guarantee success.
As a rule, a presentation needs a topic and a specific reason for presenting it.
Here are some examples:
Regardless of the topic or occasion, you need a clear and well-thought-out presentation structure. Without that, your audience will have a tough time following and your presentation will fall short of its goal, like attracting a new customer.
Give yourself enough time to prepare your PowerPoint presentation. As soon as you know when you’re presenting, create a schedule. Spend 30 minutes a day preparing your upcoming presentation. Allow enough time to research the material, too. Use the rule of thirds as a guideline: If you have twelve days until the presentation, devote four days to researching and collecting information.
Take the time to thoroughly research your presentation topic. Take notes, collect ideas and thoughts. Use something you always have with you; a small notebook, a tablet or your smartphone is all you need. Keep your notes short – just enough information to get your creative juices flowing.
Once you have enough material, it’s time to organize and structure it. Now is the time to form your basic presentation framework. Remember to allot enough time for this (think about the 3/3 rule).
Use your notes to develop your presentation. Ask yourself this: What’s the goal of my presentation? For example, do you want to impress investors with your startup or present an innovative marketing plan for the coming fiscal year? Answering this question will help you develop a core thesis.
Here’s something else to ask yourself: What do you want from your audience? Do you want to prompt an action (e.g., buy a product) or kick-start a discussion?
Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to think about the right PowerPoint presentation structure . Here’s a general guide:
Remember to balance the various parts of your presentation. As a rule, the introduction shouldn’t be more than two slides. The topic slides form the body and should make up about 70% of your PowerPoint presentation. As simple as this may sound, it can be difficult to know which stylistic devices or elements to use to keep your audience’s attention. What should you focus on in each section of the presentation?
Take a look at this chart outlining a presentation:
So, what does this mean for each part of the presentation structure?
An intro is an important part of any presentation structure. It has to awaken the audience’s interest and ideally, create a rapport. There are several ways to start the presentation.
With this type of introduction, you meet the audience at their level and gradually get to the core content of your presentation. Your first slides should be simple and not introduce too much new content. The audience should be able to understand and agree with all points until you finally get to the main topic. The first step is to describe the current situation , the second step to describe the challenge and the third step to discuss how to respond to the challenge .
With this introduction, the element of surprise is on your side. Start the presentation with a statement that shocks or surprises your audience. Bold statements or results from studies are excellent ways to do this. With this kind of intro, you also describe the current situation and what has happened or could happen. You outline the potential consequences and ask how it should be handled. Make sure these statements are true and relevant to your audience. If they aren’t, you’ll come off as less credible.
The body should make up about 70% of your presentation structure. This is where you flesh out your presentation topic. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes; how you would like a presenter to address you? Are their arguments valid? This is a great time to actively involve your audience in a question-and-answer scenario. This is called a dialogue-oriented presentation. Involving your audience this way guarantees their full attention.
There are two ways to organize the main part of the presentation:
With this structure, the core message is introduced at the beginning of the presentation’s main section. Presenting the core message early will have your audience wanting to hear more. This is exactly the right time to start the question-and-answer scenario to hold their attention and get them involved.
The funnel introduces the core message towards the end of the presentation . This structure does have a few drawbacks. It doesn’t lend itself well to a dialogue-oriented presentation and by waiting until the end to deliver your core message, your audience may not make the connection with earlier key statements. To avoid this, it always helps to revisit those earlier statements and reinforce the core message.
It’s also a more challenging presentation structure to pull off, especially if you don’t have that much experience with presenting. The funnel can be effective with controversial and/or highly emotional topics. Controversial core messages that are brought up at the very beginning of a presentation can lead to discussions that veer off and are hard to control. In these cases, the funnel structure is the better option.
The final part of your presentation structure may seem like the easiest. You’ve presented all your content, so the hard part is over, right? Never underestimate the importance of your conclusion . It gives you the perfect opportunity to reiterate your key points. Use it to summarize your insights, draw a conclusion and finally, discuss what needs to be done next.
It’s also a great opportunity to initiate an open discussion. If you want to open the floor to comments and questions at the end, give your audience a heads-up at the beginning of your presentation. That will give them a chance to take notes as you go along. You could also encourage the audience to ask questions during the presentation. Do this only if you know you won’t get thrown off track and you can quickly shift gears while presenting. You can find more helpful tips for a successful end of presentation here.
How to apply these tips now and create a presentation from scratch can be found in this tutorial .
Don’t forget that content alone is not enough to convince your audience. A well thought-out and rehearsed presentation is also counts as part of a presentation’s structure. The right delivery supports your slides and opens the door to communicating with your audience. You can find many helpful tips on giving a presentation in these articles:
Is your presentation ready? Now it is time to prepare for your delivery. A short script may help . Just make sure you provide additional information and don’t simply read the slides aloud.
You can choose any note-taking tool you like. You can either use classic index cards with keywords or the Notes function in PowerPoint. You can read more about this here .
Most importantly, practice your presentation . Speaking freely and confidently is key to your presentation’s success. As great a tool as it is, PowerPoint can’t do it all for you; it can only visually support your key messages. So, take the time to make sure you are as well prepared as possible.
PowerPoint gives so many advantages to you and your presentation. PowerPoint is so easy to use, even beginners can master it in just a few simple steps.
Follow our tips on the right presentation structure – you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to create a professional and cohesive PowerPoint presentation!
If you need help developing the right presentation structure or building your presentation, let us put our expertise to work and help you create the perfect presentation. Feel free to contact us here for a no-obligation estimate or email us at: [email protected] .
Are you looking for professionally designed slide templates for your presentation? Then take a look at our shop . We have templates on a diverse selection of business topics and design themes for you to download. For example, these:
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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Presentations > How to structure any presentation
No matter what your topic’s about, there are effective ways to set up your presentation structure. A well-delivered presentation is memorable, logical, and will impart your knowledge and expertise to your audience. And research backs this up : audiences retain information that’s in a properly structured presentation 40% more accurately than without an order. Learn how to structure your presentation and get the most out of presentation software , while making the most impact.
The most compelling presentations follow a logical narrative. You begin with establishing a foundation, introducing your thesis statement, and then diving into your points.
Powerpoint empowers you to develop well-designed content across all your devices
If this structure seems familiar, that’s because it mimics the five-paragraph essay that uses the same narrative form, except in a written versus visual context.
In your opening slide, your title, subtitle, and any other descriptions will introduce your topic to your audience. Whether it’s humorous, academic, or a little of both, it’s best to keep your title concise and therefore memorable; your subtitle can expand on more details.
If you choose, you can include a summary of your presentation as a preview of what your audience can expect and the points you aim to cover. This can touch on how long the presentation will last, what the audience will learn, and what anticipated questions you may be expecting. You can easily place this information into a table of contents in PowerPoint.
The first slides of your presentation should explain to the audience why you’re here, and why you’re the most qualified to explain this topic. Perhaps you had previously written persuasive papers on the subject or you’re the project lead on this role. A brief biographical statement with highlights to your career or expertise, punctuated by bullet points, will go a long way into touching upon your qualifications.
Next, you’ll be introducing your topic to your audience—which will be an overview of the angles you’ll explore in this presentation. Discuss your thesis statement in the form of your presentation’s purpose: do you aim to refute a common misperception, or persuade the audience towards a certain way of thinking? Discuss the potential challenges to your thesis statement, and know that later in the presentation, you’ll be addressing these issues head-on in order to make your argument airtight.
The main body of your presentation will be the bulk of your presentation, and you can make this section as long as it needs to be in order to get your point across to your audience. No matter what approach your presentation takes, it will consist of bullet points, images, and multimedia. Visual aids go a long way to helping your audience retain information, and PowerPoint makes it easy to insert images and videos into your slides.
Begin with statements that are short, memorable, and impactful. Then, back these up with facts and evidence from your research: The key to successful sourcing applies to essay research as well as presentations. Be sure to place enough separation between distinct ideas into their own slides, as too much information in one slide can become overwhelming and therefore more easily forgotten.
To help your audience retain what they’ve learned, make sure to sum up all the key points of your presentation. Your conclusion should be brief and to the point. Make sure you don’t bring up any new information in your conclusion.
At the end of most presentations, there is time for questions and answers. Here, you can dive into detail with specific concerns your audience might have, while using this time as a chance to reflect your own expertise.
Be sure to budget enough time (approximately 5 to 10 minutes) for this portion, depending on the subject and response. Your audience will likely appreciate this chance of interaction, and by addressing any questions they might have, you can reinforce the merits of your presentation on a personal level.
Presentations might be difficult, but developing a well-structured presentation can impart confidence—which will be helpful in reducing the anxiety that comes with public speaking. For more tips on how to deliver a winning presentation, check out Microsoft 365 .
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Blog > English Presentation Structure (Introduction, Closing) & useful Phrases
02.21.20 • #powerpoint #presentation #english.
When giving a presentation in english, there are certain guidelines you should follow. Maybe you haven't got a lot of experience presenting - or you would simply like to refresh your already existing knowledge - we're here to teach you the basics about presenting and provide you with a free list of useful phrases and the basic structure you can in your presentation!
The general structure of a presentation is the following:
It is up to you to design these three parts. Using videos or everyday-examples can be a great way to introduce the audience to the topic. The important thing is that you capture the audience's attention from the beginning by making an interesting introduction. The main part is where you present your topic, ideally divided into sections. You can be creative with it - incorporate images, videos, stories or interactive polls . We generally recommend using different kinds of elements, as that makes the presentation more lively. Make sure your main part is well structured, so your audience can follow. In the conclusion, you should give a short summary of the points you made without adding any new information. You can also make an appeal to your audience in the end.
Here you'll find several phrases that you'll need in every presentation. Of course, you should adapt them and use them in a context that is suitable for your setting. The phrases are divided into subcategories so you can find what you're looking for more easily.
In your introduction, you should:
Welcome your audience
Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone!
Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to my presentation about...
Introduce yourself
I am ... (from company ...) and today I would like to introduce you to the topic of ...
My name is ... and I am going to talk about ... today.
Icebreakers (for audience engagement)
Icebreaker polls are an amazing way to engage your audience instantly. They function as a fun and playful element at the beginning, giving you the perfect start you need to give a successful presentation. Click here to read our detailed post about icebreaker polls!
Mention the presentation topic and the reason for giving the presentation
I am grateful to be here today and tell you you about...
I would like to take this opportunity to talk about ...
I am here today to talk to you about ...
The reason why I am here today to talk about ... is ...
The purpose of this presentation is to ...
My goal today is to ...
Hopefully, by the end of the presentation, you will all know more about ...
Give a short overview of the content
To make it as understandable as possible, I divided my presentation into ... parts. In the first part, I will concentrate on ..., the second part will be about ..., ...
First of all, I will give you a short introduction, then we will move on to ...
... and finally, I will give you some insights to ...
Here are a few phrases that you could use during the whole presentation, but especially in the main part.
Engage your audience
In order to raise the audience's attention and improve their engagement, it is extremely important to make contact with them. A great way to do so is by adding interactive elements such as polls. If you would like to know more about this topic, read our article on How To Boost Audience Engagement . You can also use a software like SlideLizard , which allows you to conduct live polls, do Q&A sessions with your audience, share your resources and many more benefits that take your presentation to the next level.
Please raise your hand if you ...
Have you ever thought about ... ?
I would like to do a poll about ...
Please ask any questions as soon as they arrive.
On one hand, … on the other hand…
Comparing … with …, we can see that…
Clearly, … makes more sense than …
Whereas Option A is …, Option B is …
Making new points
Firstly,… Secondly,…
What also has to be mentioned is…
Next, I would like to bring up the topic of…
That being said, now we are going to take a look at…
Let's move on to the next topic.
On the next slide,…
The last thing I would like to mention is…
We made a whole blog post about how to pose questions in your presentation: The Right Way to do a Question Slide .
Talking about images or videos
In this image you can clearly see that ...
We are now going to take a look at a picture/video of ...
I'm going to show you a video by ... about ... now.
I've prepared a video about ...
Talking about statistics and charts
I am now addressing this graph that refers to the results of study XY.
In the graph on this slide, you can see that ...
The average is at ...
This graph clearly shows that the majority ...
According to this graph, the focus should be on ...
What that study tells us for practice is that we should ...
Emphasizing
I would like to emphasize the importance of ...
Moreover, it has to be said that ...
I want to stress the importance of ...
We always have to remember that ...
This is of high significance because ...
That part is especially important because ...
When something goes wrong
I am sorry, but it seems like the projector isn't working.
Could someone please help me with ...?
Is anybody here who knows how to ...?
Could someone give me a hand with ...
I would like to apologize for ...
I apologize for the technical problems, we are going to continue in a minute.
I am sorry for the inconvenience.
In the conclusion, you should...
Sum up the main points
In conclusion I can say that…
To sum up the main points,…
With all mentioned aspects taken into consideration, I can say that…
Make an appeal
So please, in the future, try to be conscious about...
Please take a moment to think about...
I would like to encourage you to...
Thank your audience and say goodbye
It was a pleasure being here today.
Thank you for listening and goodbye.
Thank you for being such a great, engaged audience. Goodbye.
Thank you so much for listening, see you next time.
What is the structure of a presentation?
Your presentations should always have an Introduction, a Main part and a Conclusion.
What is a good way to begin a presentation?
You can start by introducing yourself, giving an overview of your topic, telling a little story or showing the audience an introductory video or image.
What are good phrases to use in English presentations?
There are many phrases that will make your presentation a lot more professional. Our blog post gives you a detailed overview.
About the author.
Pia Lehner-Mittermaier
Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.
Do you want to make your presentations more interactive.
With SlideLizard you can engage your audience with live polls, questions and feedback . Directly within your PowerPoint Presentation. Learn more
for your PowerPoint Presentations
Hybrid event.
When an event consist of both virtual and in-person parts, this is called a hybrid event. This type of event is popular as it combines the benefits of both online and live events.
In live online training, it is sometimes useful to divide the students into small groups for certain exercises, as it would be impossible to have conversations at the same time. Break-out-rooms are used so that people can talk to each other without disturbing the others. When the exercise is over, they are sent back to the main room.
Audience Demographics are the characteristics of listeners like age, gender, cultural backgrounds, group affiliations and educational level. The speaker has to consider all these characteristics when adapting to an audience.
An information presentation is created when no solution is currently available. Facts, data and figures or study results are presented and current processes are described.
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Consulting firms all around the world consistently rely on the pyramid principle to build high-quality presentations with proper slide structure..
Consulting firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG rely on proper slide structure to communicate insights to their clients. In this post, I’ll show you exactly how they use the Pyramid Principle to structure their slides, and why it makes such a big difference in the clarity of their presentations.
If you’re new to this blog, make sure you check out our other consulting slide breakdowns . And when you’re ready, take a look at our advanced PowerPoint and presentation building courses where you can learn to create presentations like a top-tier consultant.
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Table of Contents
Put simply, the Pyramid Principle is just a structured way of communicating your ideas where you start with your main point and then work your way through the supporting details of that main point. It is represented pretty well with a pyramid because you start right at the top of the Pyramid and then move down to the bottom with more supporting details and data.
Let’s say I am trying to communicate the idea that LeBron James is my favorite player. I would first start with the main point, and then provide my three key arguments for why he is my favorite player. Then below that, I could provide supporting details for each key argument.
In this visualization, each idea is meant to summarize all the ideas below it. For example, the idea that Lebron James scores a lot of points summarizes the two supporting details about his career average of 27 points per game, and him being the 3rd highest all-time scorer.
This style of top-down communication works really well in a variety of settings, including email, face-to-face communication, and of course, PowerPoint presentations — which is what I’m going to focus on here.
The first example on our list is BCG . The slide is an excellent example of the Pyramid Principle because it is well-structured and clear. The slide title says “Melbourne seen as a cultural and creative city”, which is the main point the slide creator is trying to communicate (which is why it sits at the top of the slide in bold green letters).
Then they’ve split the main point into two key arguments: “Melbourne perceived by Australians as the country’s leading cultural city” and, “International travelers also perceive Melbourne as a creative city”. Then below each subtitle, there are four supporting points that are meant to provide support.
“Melbourne as a Global Cultural Destination” BCG
In this example the Pyramid Principle is quite easy to see. The title of the slide is the main point, the subtitles of the slide represent the key arguments, and the bullet points below that make up the supporting details and data. Each aspect of the slide fits into one of these three layers, and everything on the slide has a purpose.
By structuring the information in this way, BCG makes it easy for the audience to process the contents of the slide quickly and easily. There’s no question about what they’re trying to say, or why they’re trying to say it.
With data-heavy slides like this, it can be easy for the audience to get lost — especially if they’re trying to listen to a live speaker, read the words on the slide, and think critically about the slide’s message. Even for a smart person, this can be cognitive overload. Organizing the slide into digestible bites significantly reduces the mental load on the audience.
The next slide from McKinsey is also reasonably straightforward. It’s from a deck about high-growth emerging economies, which they refer to as “outperforming economies”.
The title of the slide says “A pro growth agenda of productivity, income, and demand propelled the outperforming economies”, and the slide itself shows the three areas that have propelled the growth for these emerging economies: productivity, growth, and demand.
“Outperformers: High-growth emerging economies and the companies that propel them” McKinsey, October 2018
There’s a few data points on the slide and a nice visual in the middle to break down the three main categories, making it pretty easy to spot the different layers in the Pyramid. So obviously, just like in our last slide, the main point will be represented by the title. That is what they want us to understand and take away from the slide first.
Then next the key argument level is also pretty clear with “higher productivity”, “boosting demand”, and “strong and inclusive growth” shown in bold text within each bracket (and also mentioned in the title). Then lastly, the bottom layer of the pyramid is represented by the various bullet points within each bracket (below the key arguments).
Altogether, it makes for a well structured slide with a clear message and clear supporting points. Despite not be organized visually in the same way as the BCG slide, the slide is very well structured and easy to understand.
Then lastly, we have a slide from Bain , and this one is slightly more complicated than the first two. The title says “Greater than 60% of growth in 2011 continues to come from new customers. However, share from existing customers improved.” The slide is all about the luxury goods market in China, and more specifically, they’re trying to show where the growth in the market is coming from.
“China Luxury Market Study” Bain & Company, December 2011
The BCG slide was organized neatly into the left and right sections of the slide, and in the McKinsey slide they were bolded with bullet points underneath. What’s tricky about this slide however, is that the Pyramid Principle is not clearly visible at first glance.
The title of the slide still represents the main point, and the key arguments are not emphasized visually, but logically they’re still present. The first key argument is that growth is coming from new customers, and the second key argument is that growth is coming from existing customers. Then if you look through the body of the slide, you’ll notice that everything falls into one of these two categories.
In the waterfall chart for example, notice how it is split into these two categories: new customers (as represented by the red columns), and then existing customers (as represented by the dark grey columns). Then on the right hand side of the slide, each of the bullet points can fit into one of the two categories.
For example, the first bullet says “China market is still supply driven; new store openings create new demand.” This clearly fits into the key argument about growth coming (in part) from new customers. Combined with the key argument about growth coming from existing customers, these two provide solid logical support for the main point.
So despite not having an easy visual layout like the previous two examples, this slide is well organized logically, and provides a nice structure that helps the audience clearly understand the main message, as well as the support for that main message.
You can watch a video version of this article on YouTube .
As a speaker, you make every effort to make your presentation stand out – you add high-resolution images, well-researched content, animation, and whatnot, but despite this, sometimes your slideshow fails to hit the mark. Can you think of any reason? Poor design, lack of facial expression, and ineffective delivery of speech are the most probable reasons you will give for the presentation failure . Well, these are quite obvious reasons. Wait! Are you overlooking one important aspect that makes the presentation fall flat, i.e., the structure?
According to research studies, the information/data presented in a structured manner is retained 40% more precisely by the audience than the unstructured information/data. |
Every decent presentation follows a natural flow with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and appropriate transitions and signposts, which gives a direction to the audience and keeps them on track. However, creating a well-structured presentation is a daunting task and takes a lot of nerve as you have to consider a lot of factors – the objective of your presentation, whether you need any visual assistance, settings where you will be delivering your talk, knowledge of the audience level, time constraints for your speech, etc.
If you are not sure how to organize your slides to create an impact on the audience, you have landed at the right place. In this blog post, we have provided some outstanding ways to structure your presentation. Let’s dive deeper!
Image Source:
https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Situation-Complication-Resolution.jpg
This structure is the best fit for presentations that aim to persuade the audience. It first describes the current scenario (more precisely, what’s going on at present) and then introduces the audience to the complication or problem (causes and impact). Then portray the solution of the problem (the steps, resources, and time required to solve it, the objections you may encounter, etc.). Finally, visualize the benefits after the resolution of the problem. You can make the presentation more intriguing by backing up your information with real-life examples, proof, and facts.
To sum up, the flow of information in this structure goes this way:
Example : In his TED talk, Paul Greenberg beautifully presented how fishing salmon, tuna, and shrimp can ruin the oceans. He then suggested a few specific ways to overcome the problem that can benefit both nature and the people who earn their livelihoods through fishing.
Image Source:
https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Hook-Meat-and-payoff.jpg
In this presentation structure, the presenter opens his talk with something (like surprising information, less known facts, provocative statements, rhetorical questions, etc.) that keeps the audience hooked and wanting more. Gradually, the story progresses in an interesting way and finally ends with a conclusion that relates to the beginning.
Example : To learn more about how this structure works, watch this presentation by Simon Sinek on “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.”
https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Situation-Opportunity-Resolution.jpg
Every problem has an opportunity – this can be better represented by leveraging the Situation-Opportunity-Resolution structure. Instead of focusing more on the audience’s fear, it gives more attention to their aspirations.
Example : Watch this TED talk by Adam Galinsky on “How to Speak Up for Yourself” to get more insights into this structure.
https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The-Drama.jpg
https://www.presentation-guru.com/on-structure-the-hidden-framework-that-hangs-your-story-together/
This structure is generally followed to present the success story of the business/individual. To be more precise, this structure depicts a Hero’s Journey – how he embarked on a voyage, what challenges/obstacles he encountered on the way, what unique things he discovered about himself, and what was the outcome of the entire voyage.
The entire story is narrated in the following 8 steps:
Example : See how beautifully Adam Driver narrated his story of becoming an actor from Marines. This TED talk is the perfect example of this structure.
https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The-pitch.jpg
The Pitch is perfect for sales presentations that aim to make the audience believe that the presenter’s idea can help them resolve their problem. The slideshow begins with the evaluation of the current situation and then proceeds towards the hurdles and the solution. You can include data, research, experiments, case studies, or use tests to support your ideas. Conclude your talk with the action that the audience is supposed to take next. Don’t forget to add a ‘hook’ (added benefit).
Here is a quick look at how this structure looks like:
Example : Check out how Enric Sala pitched to solve the problem of turning the high seas into a natural reserve. He ended by making people aware of how people can contribute to their country.
https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/the-explanation.jpg
This structure works best for crafting information-rich presentations that aim to educate the audience about a new regulation, initiative, insights, or process. The presentation progresses in an upward direction, depicting where we are now and where we need to reach or what we need to attain in the future. The steps to move to the next stage are showcased precisely, ensuring that the audience understands accurately how and why each stage affects or concerns them. The final stage of transformation is disclosed at the end. In a nutshell, this structure follows the following steps:
Example : Watch this TED talk by Amy Cuddy, an American social psychologist. She followed an Explanation structure for delivering her talk on power poses and how they can impact the consequence of a difficult situation.
https://www.presentation-guru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sparkline.jpg
If you are going to communicate your company’s or department’s vision or present an idea, product, or initiative, you can use this structure which follows a zig-zag pattern instead of a traditional linear one. Using this structure, you can zig-zag back and forth between ‘how things worked then’ and ‘how they would work in the future,’ giving momentum to your presentation. This structure focuses on concluding the slideshow on a high note.
Example : In 2007, Steve Jobs used the same structure for his keynote for launching the iPhone. He took advantage of the power of the unexpected to create a suspenseful opener and tease the audience. He threw light on what smartphones looked like and could do then and what they would look like and would do in the future. He finally demonstrated the iPhone in a very dramatic way.
Watch Steve Jobs’ full keynote below:
Some presentations leave you informed or inspired. This is because the speaker crafted the slides in a simple and logical manner that made it easy for you to grab the key takeaway message quickly.
A thoughtfully organized presentation benefits the speakers as well by helping them stay on topic, remain calm, avoid awkward silences, and deliver their talk with confidence. By choosing the right structure for your presentation, you can convert your boring information/data into an exciting story that appeals to your audience, both emotionally and intellectually. If you are presenting for the first time or have no time to craft a presentation from scratch, you can use pre-designed, high-definition templates to give a structured look to your information. If you have something relevant to the topic you want to share with us, write in the “Comments” section below. And, if you like the blog post, do share it on your social media handles.
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Structuring your slides cohesively.
When you have a wealth of ideas in your mind, it can be challenging to put them all together in a coherent way. This is also true for designing a PowerPoint Presentation . Many people have great ideas but cannot structure them into a cohesive PowerPoint Presentation. To end this, we’ve put together a few tips on effectively structuring a PowerPoint Presentation .
Creating an appealing presentation is crucial for a successful message. Design involves organizing information and engaging through elements like colour, typography, and graphics. A well-designed presentation conveys information clearly, leaving an impact. PowerPoint slide design captures attention and keeps the audience engaged. Well-crafted design enhances message delivery and aids in information retention. Consider the target audience to tailor the design. Professional design plays a key role in presentation success.
Structuring A PowerPoint Presentation – Agenda Template
The importance of structure in a PowerPoint presentation lies in its ability to organize key points and ensure clarity for the audience. By planning a clear structure, you can effectively guide your audience through your presentation and minimize the risk of losing your place or becoming distracted. Creating a good PowerPoint is crucial for engaging your audience. Plan content carefully and use attractive graphics. Consider your audience and customize the presentation. Use professional techniques for a polished result that resonates with viewers. A well-done presentation enhances communication.
A PowerPoint template is a pre-designed layout for creating presentations, offering customizable features for a polished look. It saves time by eliminating design work. Choosing the right template is crucial for businesses and individuals to convey their message effectively. In order to convey a message effectively, a well-designed and professional PowerPoint is crucial. This involves high-quality images, consistent formatting, and clear, concise content. Using design options and templates can create a polished presentation. Animations and multimedia can capture the audience’s attention and deliver the message effectively. Planning and organizing content, design, and delivery are important in creating a PowerPoint.
1. Clear and logical organization: A good presentation should have a clear flow, with each section building upon the previous one for the audience to follow and understand.
2. Introduction: A strong presentation structure starts with a clear and engaging introduction that grabs the audience’s attention and provides an overview of what will be covered.
3. Main points: The presentation should have a limited number of main points, typically three to five, that are clearly stated and supported with relevant information or evidence.
4. Supporting evidence: A good presentation structure includes supporting evidence, such as data, examples, or case studies, to back up the main points and make them more convincing.
5. Visual aids: Effective use of visual aids, such as slides or props, can enhance the presentation structure by providing visual representations of key points or data.
6. Transitions: Smooth transitions between sections or points help the audience understand how each part of the presentation relates to the overall topic and keeps them engaged.
7. Conclusion: A strong conclusion summarizes the main points and provides a clear and memorable ending to the presentation. It may also include a call to action or a key takeaway for the audience.
8. Engaging delivery: A good presentation structure is enhanced by an engaging delivery style, including eye contact, vocal variety, and body language that keeps the audience interested and focused.
9. Time management: A well-structured presentation takes into account the allotted time and ensures that each section or point is given appropriate attention without rushing or going over time.
10. Adaptability: A good presentation structure allows for adaptability by adjusting content or delivery based on audience needs or feedback, demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness.
A Standard Presentation Structure will have the slides including: 1. Introduction, 2. Agenda, 3. Background, 4. Main Points, 5. Conclusion, 6. Q&A, and 7. Closing. Every PowerPoint presentation must have 3 important sections: 1. Introduction, 2. Body, and 3. Conclusion.
1. Introduction: The intro of a presentation is crucial. It grabs attention, gives an overview of the topic’s importance, and sets the tone. It should make the audience interested in listening. A strong intro sets the presentation’s tone, making it more likely for the audience to pay attention and remember the content. It provides a snapshot of what to expect and the objective. Include the title and a brief overview.
2. Body: Key points of PowerPoint should be covered in the talk body. Provide info/explanation in sections for audience understanding. Cover all key points with detail/examples. Prepare to answer questions. Conclude by summarizing main points & key message. When creating a PowerPoint, consider key points for the main body of your talk. Include essential aspects to ensure audience understanding. Covering key points in the main body helps keep the presentation focused.
3. Conclusion: The conclusion sums up the main points and message of your presentation. End your PowerPoint presentation with a clear, concise conclusion. It should not introduce new information, but reiterate key points. Include a thank you slide to show appreciation to your audience and provide contact details for future opportunities. Now that you know what’s covered in your presentation, it’s time to create it.
Structuring A PowerPoint Presentation – Standard Presentation Structure
When making a presentation, focus on these key areas:
1. Content: Presentation idea and concept are ready. Craft presentation content in three sections – intro, body, conclusion. Cover all arguments you wish to convey. Content is crucial for an excellent presentation. Ensure a well-crafted presentation covering all points for the audience. Plan, write, and organize your presentation. After planning content, create slides or visuals to convey your message effectively. Keep the audience in mind. Great content ensures a successful PowerPoint presentation.
2. Text: Slides need clear & easy-to-read text in sans serif font (e.g. Arial/Helvetica) for body & serif font (e.g. Times New Roman) for headers. Font size should be legible from a distance & text concise with bullet points & short sentences. Align text well for neatness & utilize white space to highlight key elements.
3. Sequence: Next step in PowerPoint: organize info into subsections, consider audience’s understanding. Outline is vital: intro, body, conclusion. Organize thoughts, ensure flow, boost audience engagement.
4. Narrative: You need a strong narrative for an impactful presentation. Conveying info isn’t enough – be creative. Make your message memorable for the audience. A great story makes your presentation unforgettable. You need a powerful narrative to impact your presentation. Tell a story that engages and keeps the audience wanting more. A good narrative helps make complex concepts more relatable. Focus on clarity, conciseness, and engagement.
PowerPoint slides are crucial for effective presentations. They captivate audiences and communicate ideas. Professional slides go beyond text and images, conveying messages clearly. Well-designed slides improve presentation quality. It’s essential to choose slides that align with the presentation’s message. Easier to structure your presentation with content, sequence, and narrative. Choose layout and begin slides. Follow planned sequence and maintain continuity. Engage audience and deliver message effectively. Keep consistent look while making some slides stand out. Ensure all slides align with presentation flow.
A slide presentation effectively conveys information visually. Plan content carefully for a smooth flow and clear message. Choose graphics, fonts, and colors thoughtfully. Include engaging visuals and concise text. Seek help from experts for a professional presentation. Professional PowerPoint design includes creating visually appealing presentations to effectively communicate information. A designer formats slides, selects images, and maintains an engaging flow. Well-designed templates enhance presentation impact and leave a lasting impression. Designers create customized templates aligning with branding. With expertise in visual communication, designers play a crucial role in successful presentations.
1. 7 X 7 rule: The 7×7 Rule in PowerPoint: each slide should have 7 lines or bullets with 7 words or less. This helps keep your presentation concise and clear for the audience.
2. 6 x 6 rule: To avoid overcrowding, use the 6 x 6 rule. Each slide should have 1 main idea with up to 6 bullet points. Keep bullet points concise to engage audience.
3. 5/5/5 rule: To improve presentations, follow the 5/5/5 rule: limit words per line to five, lines per slide to five, and avoid overloading slides. This keeps presentations concise, visually appealing, and easy to follow.
4. 10 20 30 rule: The 10/20/30 rule for presentations: 10 slides, max of twenty minutes, minimum font size thirty points; prevents death-by-PowerPoint.
5. 2 4 8 rule: The 2-4-8 rule guides effective presentations. Each slide: 2 minutes, 4 points, 8 words/point. Ensures concise, focused, engaging presentations.
6. 3 second rule: In PowerPoint, follow the three-second rule. Slides should convey the main point quickly, similar to billboards for drivers. Be concise and clear.
7. Thumb rule of making PPT: When making a PowerPoint, try one slide per minute. For a 15-minute speech, aim for 15 slides. If lots to share, focus on key points.
PowerPoint services are essential for businesses and professionals to communicate effectively. The demand for visually appealing presentations has increased with virtual work. Professional services offer expertise in creating dynamic presentations. They design templates and include multimedia elements to elevate presentations. Skilled designers ensure each presentation meets client needs. Designing slides professionals, often asked best ways make slides effective. Here are a few tips:
Structuring a PowerPoint Presentation – 6 Tips To Improve Presentation Design
1. Alignments: The key to a successful presentation is alignment. Your audience’s perception depends on the quality of alignment. Misaligned elements make your PowerPoint appear unprofessional.
2. Readability: When designing a presentation, prioritize readability over trendy fonts. Ensure fonts are legible and large for audience comprehension. Font choice reflects professionalism and credibility. A good font conveys trustworthiness, while a bad one may make you appear unprofessional and untrustworthy. Using a sans-serif font (Arial or Helvetica) and a dark color on a light background, or vice versa.
So, how do you choose the right font for your PowerPoint presentation? There are a few things to consider:
If you keep these things in mind, you should be able to find the perfect font for your PowerPoint presentation. To discover the best fonts you can use in a presentation, check out Compelling Fonts for Impactful Presentations .
3. Use Minimal Text: Text on slide overwhelms audience. Focus on key phrases & bullet points.
4. Use Slide Transitions sparingly: Stick to basic transitions like fades or wipes, and avoid using too many different types of transitions in one presentation.
5. Use Images of various shapes: Square and rectangle pics are dull for a presentation. To make yours stand out, use various shape images, remove backgrounds, or cut images into desired shapes. Ditch unnecessary elements for striking images. Avoid stock photos, use relevant, high-resolution pictures.
6. Use Maps & Charts: Maps & Charts play a vital role in improving slide designs.
Let us see in brief, the uses of Maps & Charts in improving slide design process:
1. Visualize Data: Charts are an excellent method of displaying data visually for easy comprehension. They assist in conveying sales, survey data, or any information efficiently.
2. Highlight Trends: Charts show trends in data. A bar or line chart can display trend direction and magnitude, helping audience interpretation.
3. Compare Data: Charts great for comparing data. Whether sales for products or department performance, charts help identify similarities, differences, and trends.
4. Summarize Complex Information: Charts simplify complex info by condensing it visually. Instead of overwhelming with text or numbers, a chart offers a concise summary that’s easier to remember.
5. Enhance Visual Appeal: Let’s face it, PowerPoint with just text is boring. Charts add visual interest and make presentations engaging. They break up slides and keep audience attention.
6. Facilitate Decision Making: Charts help decision making by offering a clear data overview. They assist in presenting options for strategies or assessing project success, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions.
7. Support Persuasive Arguments: If you’re convincing your audience of a point, charts are powerful. By presenting visual data, evidence and support are provided for your claims, making your argument compelling.
8. Track Progress: Charts track progress over time, for sales growth, project milestones, or any progress. They help visualize the journey and celebrate achievements.
9. Simplify Complex Concepts: Sometimes, concepts or processes are hard to explain with words only. Using charts simplifies complex ideas and aids in comprehension. Flowcharts and diagrams are examples of simplifying information.
10. Improve Retention: Visual aids such as charts improve retention. They help in recalling key details. Charts enhance PowerPoint presentations by visualizing data, highlighting trends, simplifying concepts, and improving appeal. They engage and persuade audiences effectively.
1. Visual Aid: One primary purpose of map slide is as visual aid. Maps visually represent data, locations, trends, helping audience understand PowerPoint.
2. Geographic Information: A Map slide provides geographic information to the audience. It shows specific place locations, highlights regions, or displays routes in a clear and concise manner.
3. Data Visualization: Maps visualize data using various colors, symbols, or shading to represent data points, aiding interpretation and analysis.
4. Comparison and Analysis: Map slides help compare and analyze regions. Showing maps side by side highlights differences or similarities, aiding in a thorough analysis and topic comprehension.
5. Storytelling: Maps in PowerPoint are a great storytelling tool. They guide the audience through events and key locations in the story.
6. Planning and Strategy: Maps show planning and strategy in presentations like business plans, marketing strategies, or project timelines. They help visualize steps, locations, and goals, making it easier for the audience to understand the plan in a PowerPoint.
7. Engaging the Audience: Map slides engage audience & make presentation interactive. Ask audience to identify locations, trace routes, or analyze data to encourage participation.
Knowing how to structure a PowerPoint presentation well is crucial for impactful delivery. Confidence stems from a flawless flow. While organizing and aligning slides is doable, nailing the design is tougher. Design pros like Visual Sculptors infuse creativity that boosts visual impact. Mastery of impactful presentation structuring is vital for success. An organized presentation aids confident error-free delivery. While slide alignment is manageable, design finesse is challenging.
Structuring a PowerPoint Presentation – Professional Presentation Design
Having an impactful structure for your presentation is crucial for success. A well-organized PowerPoint ensures confident delivery without errors. While you can align and structure slides well, mastering the design aspect is more challenging. Freelancing platforms like Upwork , Fiverr , and Guru provide the options to explore the best design talents online that best suit your budget delivering top-quality designs. Professional presentation designers like Visual Sculptors can introduce creative design elements that enhance your presentation’s look and empower its visual impact.
1. What are the five rules of PowerPoint?
The five rules of PowerPoint presentations are: keep it simple, use high-quality images, limit text on each slide, use consistent formatting, and practice your delivery. By following these rules, you can create effective and engaging presentations that will keep your audience interested and focused.
2. What is PowerPoint and How is it Used?
PowerPoint is a software program developed by Microsoft that allows users to create visual presentations. It is commonly used in business and educational settings to present information in a clear and organized manner. PowerPoint presentations can include text, images, videos, and other multimedia elements to enhance the message being conveyed. They are often used for training sessions, sales pitches, and academic lectures.
3. What are the features of PowerPoint?
Some of the top features of Microsoft PowerPoint include slide templates, animations and transitions, multimedia integration, collaboration tools, presenter view, and the ability to add notes and comments. Other features include the ability to create charts and graphs, use SmartArt graphics, and customize the design and layout of your slides.
4. What are the 4 types of presentation?
The four types of presentations are informative, persuasive, instructional, and entertaining. An informative presentation provides information on a specific topic, a persuasive presentation aims to convince the audience to take a certain action, an instructional presentation teaches the audience how to do something, and an entertaining presentation is meant to be enjoyable and engaging.
5. What are the 5 parts of a presentation?
The 5 parts of a presentation are the introduction, agenda, main content, summary, and conclusion. The introduction should grab the audience’s attention, the agenda should outline what will be covered, the main content should provide the bulk of the information, the summary should recap the main points, and the conclusion should leave a lasting impression.
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Home Blog Presentation Ideas How to Write a Presentation Script
Delivering a successful presentation is a combination of a confident speech and professional-quality graphics. The first element is sometimes neglected, as presenters rely mostly on the slides and add an improvisation element to the speech. Truth is, if you aim to hone your presentation skills, you need to work on the speech. And for that to be a powerful asset, the answer is to learn how to write an effective presentation script.
This article will detail how to create a presentation script, which elements it should contain, how to relate the script to the presenter’s notes, and much more.
Table of Contents
How do you start a presentation script, how do you write a presentation script, how to connect a presentation script with presenter notes, recommended ppt templates to write a presentation script, final words.
A presentation script is a written guide that outlines what a speaker will say during a presentation. It includes the key points, transitions, and supporting details needed to communicate the message clearly and effectively. The script helps the speaker stay on track, ensuring the presentation is organized, concise, and delivered within the allotted time. It often integrates cues for visual aids and other presentation elements.
Every effective presentation script starts with clearly understanding its purpose and objectives. Defining these elements early ensures your script remains focused, relevant, and aligned with your desired outcomes.
Your core message is the central idea you want your audience to take away from your presentation. It should be clear, concise, and memorable. To define your core message, ask yourself:
Once you have a clear core message, everything in your script for a speech should support and reinforce it. This focus will help you avoid straying into irrelevant topics and ensure your presentation remains cohesive.
Next, the presenter should establish clear objectives for the talk. Objectives must be specific, measurable outcomes you want to achieve with your presentation. They give you a clear direction and help you measure the success of your presentation. Objectives can be:
For example, suppose your core message is about the importance of cybersecurity. In that case, your objectives might include informing the audience about common threats, persuading them to adopt better security practices, and instructing them on implementing them.
Check our article on SMART goal setting for a practical approach to defining measurable goals.
Once you’ve defined your core message and objectives, your script should be structured to achieve these outcomes. This involves:
By defining the purpose and objectives of your presentation script, you set the stage for a focused, effective, and impactful delivery.
In this section, we’ll explore section by section how to write a presentation script. The following image is a guideline of presentation script examples on how to create icebreakers for each section
The introduction is your opportunity to capture the audience’s attention and set the tone for the rest of the presentation. It should be engaging and clearly overview what the audience can expect.
If you are wondering how to start a presentation , key elements of a strong introduction include:
Let’s say your presentation is about digital marketing trends. In that case, you might start with a surprising statistic about the growth of AI technology usage, followed by a statement about the importance of staying ahead of digital trends, and then outline the specific trends you will discuss in an upcoming slide.
The body of your script is where you present your main content. It should be organized logically, with each section building on the previous one to reinforce your core message.
Break down your content into clear, manageable sections. Each section should cover a specific point or idea. Smooth transitions between sections help maintain the flow of your presentation and keep the audience engaged . Phrases like “building on that idea,” “another important factor,” or “let’s now shift our focus to” can help guide the audience through your presentation.
Use data, examples, case studies , and visuals to support your points. This will strengthen your argument and make your presentation more engaging.
For instance, in a presentation about social media’s impact on consumer behavior, you might organize the body into sections on social media usage trends, the psychology of social media influence, and case studies of successful social media campaigns.
One of the most effective ways to make your presentation engaging and relatable is by incorporating stories and examples. These elements help illustrate your points, making them more memorable and impactful.
Consider the following strategies:
You can learn more about this technique with our article on storytelling for presentations .
The conclusion is your final opportunity to reinforce your core message and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
A strong conclusion should:
If your presentation was about the importance of innovation in business, you might conclude by summarizing its key benefits, restating that innovation is crucial for long-term success, and ending with a call to action for the audience to start thinking about how they can innovate in their roles.
Get more insights on how to end a presentation with our article.
Although the presentation script is a fantastic resource for preparing your presentation and also for rehearsal, presenters cannot bring lengthy text pages with them and start reading if they feel lost. This is where presenter notes come in handy, and in this section, we’ll learn how to turn the presentation script into presenter notes.
The first step in this process is to go through the detailed script a couple of times, highlighting the main ideas, data, and messages to convey to the audience. You can follow the process as with meeting notes and apply the strategies explained in that article.
Now, we need to condense the information into simpler sentences, direct phrases, or keywords that trigger memory recall. These phrases will be added to the slides in the format of speaker notes linked to each slide. It’s crucial to mark the transitions from one topic to another in the presentation so we can articulate the speech or remember to emphasize a point.
Remember, if we suddenly need to include last-minute details, we can use visual cues or a printed version of our slides with extra handwritten notes.
Before we conclude this article, we want to recommend some PowerPoint templates that can help the presentation script creation process, especially for team collaboration, where the presentation goes through multiple iterations. Remember these designs also serve as Google Slides templates .
Say you need to create a sample script for a presentation or work with your team for a department presentation: this is where this best PPT template is beneficial. We can summarize processes or points that we intend the presentation to cover into six actionable steps that can be discussed within the team. The icons included help us to connect concepts with the steps we’re describing.
Use This Template
In sales and product presentations, we need to contextualize the dates on which we expect things to happen. By using this timeline PPT template as a visual aid, presenters can carry a printed version or digital version on another device to remind themselves of the milestones that a product or service is due in the near future.
Although this template is tailored to sales presentations, this slide deck is ideal for writing a recap of the presentation script. You can add facts, questions, numeric data, and more.
This diagram template for PowerPoint and Google Slides is a highly visual 3D aid intended for defining the steps to write the script or to present processes. Use this staircase design template to summarize key information about your presentation speech.
Creating a detailed, professional presentation script doesn’t have to be a daunting process. As long as we understand the basis of how to structure what we intend to say, questions and answers about which content to include shall arise.
Follow the steps shown in this article and you will master the process to create your own presentation scripts in no time.
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Learn how to structure a good PowerPoint presentation with tips and examples from SlideLizard, a tool for interactive presentations and quizzes.
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