Despite its near-ubiquity in the world of presentation-making (having been around for almost thirty-four years!), PowerPoint can still be a confusing, daunting prospect for anyone unfamiliar with it.
That needn’t be the case, however, as with these five simple hacks you can take your presentation from drab to fab.
1. Use themes and templates
If you’re a PowerPoint beginner it’s unlikely you’re also a graphic designer, so let the experts do the heavy lifting for you. Browse themes and templates before starting your presentation to see a huge selection of designs available to suit all topics. Even if those within PowerPoint don’t quite suit there are countless others online to download. Armed with a professional-looking design and you’ll already be halfway there.
2. Use the right font
More than just a means of getting your words across, fonts really do make a huge impact on the look (not to mention readability) of a presentation. Think of how big the screen will be and how far away your audience is – you’ll want to make sure everything is legible.
3. Don’t use too much text
You’ve got the font right, but now don’t overdo it. Presentations should be visual aids, with the speaker and their delivery still key. Large swathes of text on a presentation are not only unlikely to be read, but could also make people switch off, so be a brave editor.
4. Limit your design
It’s not just on the text you should be sparing – do the same with your design. One good trick is to limit colours to no more than four that go together. This keeps a unified aesthetic whilst also ensuring your finished piece looks professional and mature.
5. Plan ahead
You’ll only waste time if you start creating slides only to delete them later on. Outline your plan from the offset and you’ll be more likely to use your time effectively – ensuring you can dedicate more to getting the images, colours and fonts spot on.
