All Power to PowerPoint

Being asked to give a presentation can strike fear into the heart of many a businessman or woman, however inspired and passionate he or she may be about the subject.  The lucky few take speaking in public in their stride - they speak fluently and eloquently, adding a touch of humour here and there.  Many more of us just about get away with it...  Using PowerPoint slides to aid your presentation will normally help in three critical ways.  Firstly, it gives your audience a focus - they'll be looking at the screen rather than you.  Secondly, your message is reinforced by the words on screen and your audience is therefore more likely to remember what you say.  Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, the act of preparing slides will help you structure your presentation, making your message more coherent and logical.

Here are my top tips for delivering a successful PowerPoint presentation:

• Keep the slides short and sweet.  Go for simple bullet points rather than long sentences, and don't have more than 4 or 5 points per slide.  Better to have more slides!
• Never read your presentation to your audience either from a script or from what's on the slide.  A presentation should be a conversation between you and the audience.  Keep it natural.
• Make sure your slides are readable.  Take particular care with images in the background or light coloured text - these can often make the words unreadable.  Be careful too not to use italics for more than the odd word for emphasis as onscreen italics are notoriously difficult to read.
• Look at your audience, not your slides!  A quick glance to refresh your mind about what's on the slide is OK, but your voice and your message will project much more successfully if you look at your audience (and smile!).
• Rehearse your presentation - ideally with an audience even if it's only the kids and the dog.  This will not only help with timing, it will also make you much more relaxed on the day.
• Stick to your allotted time.  If you've been asked to speak for 20 minutes, don't go on for an hour, just because you can!  Leave time for questions at the end.