Avoiding Boring Presentations

The last thing that anyone wants is a boring presentation. There’s a reason people use the phrase “death by PowerPoint.” But you can avoid dull presentations.

Presentations are common whether they’re for work or school. You want the audience to remember the information you’re presenting, and there are effective strategies to ensure they do.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you ten tips on how to make your presentation more interesting.

10 Tips on How to Make Your PowerPoint Presentation More Interesting

When giving a presentation, the last thing you want is to have a boring presentation. So, if you want to know how to make a boring presentation interesting, keep reading. I’ll use the Deep Multipurpose template to show some points, but you can also download your own template and follow along.

Now let’s get to our tips on how to avoid death by PowerPoint:

1. Stick to One Message Per Slide

When you’re presenting, it’s best to have only one core message on a slide. Having multiple messages can cause your audience to lose focus. It’s crucial to keep their attention; therefore, stick to a simple one- or two-word main point on each slide, accompanied by an image that supports your message.

2. Involve the Audience

Make your presentation engaging by involving your audience. Here are some effective methods to encourage participation:

• Ask questions throughout your presentation.
• Poll the audience by having them raise their hands.
• Host a Q&A session at the end.

Consider administering a quiz and offering a prize to create excitement and improve retention.

3. Beware of the Redundancy Effect

Avoid displaying the same text on your slides that you are narrating. This redundancy can diminish learning. Instead, place key information in the slide notes and keep your slides minimal with just a few words or relevant images. This approach encourages the audience to focus on your spoken words.

4. Don’t Print Your Presentation

Incorporating printed handouts can dilute your presentation’s impact. If handouts are necessary, create unique designs that stand apart from your slides. This allows you to maintain the necessary focus on your presentation without distractions.

5. Draw Attention with Size and Movement

Make sure the most important information stands out by enlarging it more than the slide title or other text. Additionally, use animations to create movement when presenting bullet points. This not only captures attention but also keeps the audience engaged.

How to Animate a Bullet Point

1. Highlight the text you wish to animate.
2. Click on the Animations tab and select an entry effect.
3. Confirm the animation by checking that a number appears next to the bullet point.

6. Use Contrast in Your Slide Design

Contrast is essential for an engaging presentation. Use a dark background with light text to ensure the focus remains on you rather than the slides. This technique helps guide audience attention toward key points.

How to Grey Out Previous Bullet Points

1. Highlight text to grey out.
2. Click on the Animations tab and choose the Fade option.
3. Edit the color in the After Animation field to create a faded effect.

7. Declutter Your Slide Design

Avoid overcrowding your slides with too many design elements. Keep your design simple to ensure that the key messages remain clear and prominent. Excessive design can overwhelm your audience and distract from your message.

8. Limit Design Elements

When creating slides, limit the number of objects and words to about six. If you have more, reveal bullet points one at a time and grey out previous points. This keeps the audience focused on your current discussion.

9. Use the Fade to Black Feature

To emphasize important points, consider fading your presentation screen to black. This forces the audience to pay attention to your words rather than reading the slides.

How to Make Your Screen Fade to Black

1. Click on the Transitions tab.
2. Select the Fade option, then choose Through Black in the Effect Options menu.
3. Adjust the Duration to customize the fade effect.

10. Ensure Visibility for All Audience Members

It’s vital that every audience member can see your presentation. Test visibility by standing in a spot where the farthest audience member would sit and ensure they can read your slides.

To learn more about how to avoid death by PowerPoint, consider watching the TEDxTalk by David JP Phillips on the subject.

Where to Find Interesting Presentation Templates

Envato Elements is a subscription service offering unlimited downloads of digital assets for a low monthly price. This includes high-quality PowerPoint templates, stock images, and audio files designed by professionals.

Each template is crafted to be stylish and high-quality, ensuring you can start with a professional presentation before adding your content and customizations. For those looking to purchase a single template, Envato Market on GraphicRiver provides a variety of professionally-designed options.

Avoid Death by PowerPoint in Your Next Presentation

Creating a memorable presentation requires thinking about the audience’s experience. With these ten tips, you can enhance your presentation skills and avoid the pitfalls of a boring PowerPoint.