Happy “Just Say No to PowerPoint” Week!
Steve Jobs was the ultimate presenter, engaging the audience with his stories and often projecting only a single image or number on the screen. He was quoted as saying, “People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint.”
We have all sat through a dreadfully long presentation that triggered a 1980s flashback trance akin to Ben Stein’s monotonous roll call for “Bueller, Bueller.” And while you don’t have to give up PowerPoint completely as Jobs would suggest, be careful not to become overly dependent on its addictive qualities.
For nervous presenters, a PowerPoint presentation helps ease the stress of standing completely alone on a stage. Fight the urge to use the visual aide as a script. A single image on the screen is much more effective than five slides with multiple bullets outlining every point you intend to make. If an attendee can understand your presentation by reading the slides without you, it’s time to slice and dice.
The only way to feel comfortable with minimal information on the screen is to know your stuff. Study your content inside and out. Know it, understand it – but don’t memorize it! Otherwise, you’ll get brain freeze while searching your memory for specific words instead of overall key messages.
Don’t feel tied to the screen. Add a transition slide and “leave” the PowerPoint presentation so you can tell a story or hold a discussion.
Just remember, PowerPoint should only be a visual aide. Don’t rely on it to carry you through a presentation.
Related Article:
10 PowerPoint Design Tips for Non-Designers
