how to make presentations more engaging

20 Presentation Tips to Keep Your Audience Engaged from Start to Finish

Business | Marketing | Nonprofits | Students | Teachers

By kai tomboc - january 14, 2020.

Losing the audience’s attention is one of the most painful challenges for anyone making a presentation.

Halfway through your presentation, you notice that a couple of audience members are getting restless. The people at the back seem bored as they look down on their phones, and one of them just yawned (ugh!).

You start to feel that you failed to engage your audience. You wonder if you’re the problem. Are you a boring presenter? Perhaps you’re stuffing too much information in your slides.

Master audience engagement with these presentation best practices

From engaging product demos to presentation decks that stand out, read on for 20 valuable tips to keep your audience excited to hear more from you.

What makes a great presentation?

Before you get started, it pays to know what makes an excellent presentation.

1. It informs your audience by providing reliable information.

People want to be informed. They want to learn something new. For this reason, you should look for reputable links. The information should be as recent as possible, and at least less than a year old.

Your research work doesn’t need to be from online sources. You could also cite printed sources from the library. Double-check all of your sources and make sure they have substantial research and statistics to back them up.

2. It persuades your audience to take action.

A presentation should be persuasive. This is especially true for business presentations and product demos. You might also want to appeal to your readers through emotions.

3. It educates your audience and empowers them to make informed decisions.

Presentations are, by nature, educational. You might be introducing your audience to a new idea, product, or service.

4. It instructs your audience in a clear, compelling way.

A presentation should be instructional. Organize your presentation as clear and concise as possible, so your audience will be able to digest your information more effectively.

5. It inspires your audience by being memorable.

A good presentation motivates an audience to act on things that they’ve been meaning to do after hearing you speak or present.

20 best pactices for visually-appealing, convincing presentations

With all that in mind, here’s a list of useful best practices and tips for presentations that stick.

1. Know your target audience.

Your target audience is the demographic that you’re aiming to convince, educate, or inspire with your presentation. This crucial step helps you craft a presentation that resonates with your intended audience.

For instance, if you’d like to educate teens, create a presentation that appeals to their age group. Make your presentation more upbeat, and use pop culture references and images that they can relate to.

On the other hand, if your target audience spans middle-aged professionals, your presentation should be straight-to-the-point and based on facts. These professionals are typically results-oriented, and they want to get to the heart of the matter right away.

By and large, getting to know your target audience enables you to create a presentation without wasting time on uninterested demographics.

2. Create an outline.

Your next step is to create an outline of your presentation. It will help ensure order in your presentation and present facts and sources as effectively and efficiently possible.

It’ll also help if you assign a subtopic for each slide. Let’s say your main topic is the American Civil War. The war lasted roughly four years, and if you delve into it without any organizational structure, your audience will end up confused. Sort your slides according to year and the important events that took place. The same applies to any topic.

3. Start with a memorable introduction.

Opening a presentation with “My name is .. ” or “I’m here to talk about..” are less likely to make your presentation memorable and engaging to your audience.

So how do you keep everyone glued to your presentation with a powerful, memorable opener?

Share an anecdote, ask an intriguing question, or get people’s energy up with a short activity.

Next, make your opening slides as eye-catching as possible. In your opening slide, use bold fonts. Add visuals like gifs or an animated infographic.

Finally, provide an overview of your presentation in the introduction slide. An overview that meets your audience’s expectations of your presentation helps keep an audience absorbed and attentive from start to finish.

4. Eliminate clutter in your slides.

Avoid overcrowding your slides with images or graphics. Although it’s fine to use visuals to complement your slides, the keyword here is “complement.”

Too many photos will make your slides look cramped. Take a minimalist approach to your slides. For images and graphics, use them sparingly and thoughtfully.

Don’t be afraid of white space in your slides. Consider readability first, visual appeal second.

5. Use pictograms.

Lengthy presentations could get boring in the long run. So if you want to keep your audience’s attention, you will need to make your presentation attractive and easier to understand.

Enter pictograms !

Pictograms express information, ideas, or messages through images, signs, or symbols. Also, they can help simplify complicated concepts.

6. Be thoughtful of your color scheme.  

Your choice of colors can have an impact on your audience’s mood and perception of your presentation. It may not be evident at first glance, but your presentation colors can draw a particular set of feelings from your audience. Orange looks more carefree than beige, right?

Here are some quick tips to help you pick the right color combination for your presentation:

• Choose a color scheme that matches your presentation’s theme. For example, if you’re about to present a serious topic, consider somber, dignified colors like white, black, or brown. But if you want your presentation to be more upbeat, use lighter hues like yellow and orange. 
•  Use your brand colors to raise brand awareness and recognition. 
• Stick to 2-3 colors. Joint research by Adobe and the University of Toronto revealed that most people prefer a combination of 2-3 colors. A good rule of thumb is not to use more than four colors. When using more than 3-4 colors, go for shades, tones, and tints of your original colors like the example below.

7. Focus your audience’s attention using data visualization.

Presenting statistics and percentages in writing can be a challenge to use in your presentation. For this reason, consider data visualization.

For example, graphs and charts are often used to highlight comparisons in data. You can also use them to inform your audience of a specific data point.

It’s worth noting that a poorly-designed graph or chart could ruin your presentation if proven false or shabbily done. Make sure that your data are correct, and your diagrams or charts are correctly labeled. Don’t just use pie charts because they look hip and smart. You have to learn how to choose the right chart or graph to visualize your data.

8. Use presentation templates.

Templates often take a bad rap because they’re perceived as limiting, sapping one of creative freedom. However, templates shouldn’t be perceived this way.

Think of templates as frameworks or a set of building blocks that you can tinker with as you create your presentation. Without a templated structure, you’ll likely waste a lot of time and resources making your presentation from scratch.

For example, use infographic templates as a way to make your presentation more engaging (minus the time-consuming task of making a presentation from scratch. The process infographic template below is perfect if you’re explaining a process in one of your presentations.

9. Try the duotone effect in your presentations.

The duotone effect is the use of two contrasting colors to create dramatic, visually pleasing results. Thus the name duotone.

This design style is gaining popularity with designers and non-designers alike. Learn more from this quick duotone tutorial via Adobe .

10. Show, don’t tell.

Stories are a powerful medium to get your audience to sit up and listen to you. For this reason, aim to “show” rather than “tell” your audience about a topic, insight, or idea.

For example, don’t just state facts or figures about the dangers of not investing in their retirement. Instead, share the story of someone you know who failed to plan for their retirement, nudging your audience towards making their own conclusions or insights.

Don’t bombard your audience with too much information all at once. Avoid jargon or complex concepts without sharing a story that’ll resonate with them. With compelling storytelling, you can create anticipation and then slowly build up to your key points.

11. Incorporate infographics into your presentation.

Infographics are valuable presentation tools because they combine visuals and text. As a result, you can communicate with impact.

Furthermore, infographics make your presentation more memorable. How?

A relevant image paired with informative text helps people retain 65 percent of the information three days later — a stark contrast to presenting text-only content where someone’s likely to remember only 10 percent of the information.

Here are a few guides and tutorials when creating infographics for your next presentation:

• Guide to Making Infographics from Scratch (guide)
• 5 Ways to Use Call to Action in Your Infographic to Boost Audience Engagement (video)
• How to Write Sharp, Compelling Infographic Copy (guide)

Easelly Pro Tip: Divide long infographics into smaller segments. Add an infographic section for each presentation slide. If you’d like to raise the bar further for your presentation, try animated infographics to make your slides come to life.

12. Avoid using bullet points.

Bullet points are great tools to emphasize tips, features, or steps in lists. However, it’s best to avoid them in presentations because they don’t help your audience retain information.

Research even supports this recommendation. In 2014, the International Journal of Business Communication published the results of their research —   The Use of Visualization in the Communication of Business Strategies: An Experimental Evaluation .

The researchers wanted to learn whether the use of visuals is superior to text (a bulleted list to be specific) in communicating the strategy of the financial services branch of an international car manufacturer.

The researchers concluded the following:

“Subjects who were exposed to a graphic representation of the strategy paid significantly more attention to, agreed more with, and better recalled the strategy than did subjects who saw a (textually identical) bulleted list version.”

Instead of using bullet points, consider using icons or visuals.

Take a look at the example below. Which do you think will likely get the audience’s attention and be more memorable after the presentation?

13. Choose fonts that are easier to read.

The quality of your font could affect your audience’s reaction to your presentation. Don’t just use the first standard font that pops up in your presentation editor.

Your font should match the mood and intent of your presentation. If you want your presentation to appear casual, choose a font that gives off a similar feeling.

14. Use contrast in your presentation.

Check for contrast between your texts and presentation background to ensure readability. Make it a point to distinguish one from the other.

It’s also worth noting that you are going to show your presentation to a group of people. Depending on the seating arrangement, viewers at the back may find it hard to read your presentation. Make sure that your fonts are of the appropriate size. That way, none of your audience members will have to struggle reading your slides.

15. Consider gifs and memes

Gifs and memes are popular media tools for a good reason. You could incorporate them into your presentation, and they could add a sense of humor to your topic or pitch.

When using gifs and memes, avoid those that could be misinterpreted as politically incorrect or culturally insensitive.

16. Create a consistent look and feel in your slides.

Choose a theme for your presentation templates, and stick with it ’til the end.

This doesn’t mean that you should be boring or dull with your presentation. You can add images and infographics, but there should be a sense of consistency in your slides.

Consistency leads to familiarity, which in turn encourages learning and engagement.

17. Ask intriguing questions.

Asking intriguing questions enables you to draw your audience’s attention and highlight key points at the same time.

For example, you are conducting a presentation on the Roman empire. You want to get your audience’s attention, so you raise questions such as what they know about the Roman empire, and how did the Roman empire impact modern society?

The audience may or may not get the right answers, but they will most likely try their best to answer your questions. The resulting exchange of ideas will make your presentation more spontaneous and engaging.

18. Limit to one visual per slide.

Using too many visuals at once will make your presentation appear cluttered. Limit to one visual per slide to help your audience engage more with your text and information.

19. Embrace white space.

White space , also known as negative space, is the space between the lines of texts and visuals in your presentation.  It doesn’t have to be  white  as it can also take the color of your presentation’s background. Think of white space as “empty space”. 

It helps improves readability and ensures that your graphics and texts are clear and legible in your presentation. 

20. End your presentation with an excellent call-to-action.

Call-to-action statements are an integral part of any presentation. They compel your audience to take action, and it makes your presentation more interactive.

Here’s a short video explaining how to use call-to-action in infographics (the same principles apply for presentations!):

Say you’re designing a presentation for a new gym you’re managing. You want people to try out the gym and the services you offer. You could incorporate the call to action at the end of your presentation.

“See you at the gym next week?” or “Level up in the New Year by signing up for our free gym membership for a month!” are good call-to-action statements that you can use.

Ready to start creating your presentation?

We’ve got your back if you need help with your visuals and infographics for your next presentation.

Use our simple infographic maker tool or hire one of our infographic design pros for custom infographics and animated infographics .

Here’s to a stellar presentation – we’re rooting for you!

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas 23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

PowerPoint presentations are not usually known for being engaging or interactive. That’s often because most people treat their slides as if they are notes to read off  and not a tool to help empower their message.

Your presentation slides are there to help bring to life the story you are telling. They are there to provide visuals and empower your speech.

So how do you go about avoiding a presentation “snoozefest” and instead ensure you have an engaging and interactive presentation?  By making sure that you use your slides to help YOU tell your story, instead of using them as note cards to read off of.

The key thing to remember is that your presentation is there to compliment your speech, not be its focus.

In this article, we will review several presentation tips and tricks on how to become a storytelling powerhouse by building a powerful and engaging PowerPoint presentation.

Start with writing your speech outline, not with putting together slides

Use more images and less text, use high-quality images, keep the focus on you and your presentation, not the powerpoint, your presentation should be legible from anywhere in the room, use a consistent presentation design, one topic per slide, avoid information overwhelm by using the “rule of three”.

• Display one bullet at a time

Avoid unnecessary animations

• Only add content that supports your main points
• Do not use PowerPoint as a teleprompter
• Never Give Out Copies of the Presentation

Re-focus the attention on you by fading into blackness

Change the tone of your voice when presenting, host an expert discussion panel, ask questions, embed videos, use live polling to get instant feedback and engage the audience.

• He kept his slides uncluttered and always strived for simplicity
• He was known to use large font size, the bigger, the better.
• He found made the complex sound simple.

He was known to practice, practice, and keep on practicing.

Summary – how to make your presentation engaging & interactive, fundamental rules to build powerful & engaging presentation slides.

Before we go into tips and tricks on how to add flair to your presentations and create effective presentations, it’s essential to get the fundamentals of your presentation right.

Your PowerPoint presentation is there to compliment your message, and the story you are telling. Before you can even put together slides, you need to identify the goal of your speech, and the key takeaways you want your audience to remember.

YOU and your speech are the focus of this presentation, not the slides – use your PowerPoint to complement your story.

Keep in mind that your slides are there to add to your speech, not distract from it.  Using too much text in your slides can be distracting and confusing to your audience. Instead, use a relevant picture with minimal text, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

This slide is not unusual, but is not a visual aid, it is more like an “eye chart”.

Aim for something simpler, easy to remember and concise, like the slides below.

Keep in mind your audience when designing your presentation, their background and aesthetics sense. You will want to avoid the default clip art and cheesy graphics on your slides.

While presenting make sure to control the presentation and the room by walking around, drawing attention to you and what you are saying.  You should occasionally stand still when referencing a slide, but never turn your back to your audience to read your slide.

You and your speech are the presentations; the slides are just there to aid you.

Most season presenters don’t use anything less than twenty-eight point font size, and even Steve Jobs was known to use nothing smaller than forty-point text fonts.

If you can’t comfortably fit all the text on your slide using 28 font size than you’re trying to say and cram too much into the slide, remember tip #1.4 – Use relevant images instead and accompany it with bullets.

Best Practice PowerPoint Presentation Tips

The job of your presentation is to help convey information as efficiently and clearly as possible. By keeping the theme and design consistent, you’re allowing the information and pictures to stand out.

However, by varying the design from slide to slide, you will be causing confusion and distraction from the focus, which is you and the information to be conveyed on the slide.

Technology can also help us in creating a consistent presentation design just by picking a topic and selecting a sample template style. This is possible thanks to the SlideModel’s AI slideshow maker .

Each slide should try to represent one topic or talking point. The goal is to keep the attention focused on your speech, and by using one slide per talking point, you make it easy for you to prepare, as well as easy for your audience to follow along with your speech.

Sometimes when creating our presentation, we can often get in our heads and try to over-explain. A simple way to avoid this is to follow the “Rule of Three,” a concept coined by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle.

The idea is to stick to only 3 main ideas that will help deliver your point.  Each of the ideas can be further broken into 3 parts to explain further. The best modern example of this “Rule of Three” can be derived from the great Apple presentations given by Steve Jobs – they were always structured around the “Rule of Three.”

Display one sentence at a time

If you are planning to include text in your slides, try to avoid bullet lists, and use one slide per sentence. Be short and concise. This best practice focuses on the idea that simple messages are easy to retain in memory. Also, each slide can follow your storytelling path, introducing the audience to each concept while you speak, instead of listing everything beforehand.

Presentation Blunders To Avoid

In reality, there is no need for animations or transitions in your slides.

It’s great to know how to turn your text into fires or how to create a transition with sparkle effects, but the reality is the focus should be on the message. Using basic or no transitions lets the content of your presentation stand out, rather than the graphics.

If you plan to use animations, make sure to use modern and professional animations that helps the audience follow the story you are telling, for example when explaining time series or changing events over time.

Only add engaging content that supports your main points

You might have a great chart, picture or even phrase you want to add, but when creating every slide, it’s crucial to ask yourself the following question.

“Does this slide help support my main point?”

If the answer is no, then remove it.  Remember, less is more.

Do not use PowerPoint as a Teleprompter

A common crutch for rookie presenters is to use slides as their teleprompter.

First of all, you shouldn’t have that much text on your slides. If you have to read off something, prepare some index cards that fit in your hand but at all costs do not turn your back on your audience and read off of your PowerPoint.  The moment you do that, you make the presentation the focus, and lose the audience as the presenter.

Avoid Giving Out Copies of the Presentation

At least not before you deliver a killer presentation; providing copies of your presentation gives your audience a possible distraction where they can flip through the copy and ignore what you are saying.

It’s also easy for them to take your slides out of context without understanding the meaning behind each slide.  It’s OK to give a copy of the presentation, but generally it is better to give the copies AFTER you have delivered your speech. If you decide to share a copy of your presentation, the best way to do it is by  generating a QR code  for it and placing it at the end of your presentation. Those who want a copy can simply scan and download it onto their phones.

Tips To Making Your Presentation More Engaging

The point of your presentation is to help deliver a message.

When expanding on a particularly important topic that requires a lengthy explanation it’s best to fade the slide into black.  This removes any distraction from the screen and re-focuses it on you, the present speaker. Some presentation devices have a built-in black screen button, but if they don’t, you can always prepare for this by adding a black side to your presentation at the right moment.

“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”

Part of making your presentation engaging is to use all the tools at your disposal to get your point across. Changing the inflection and tone of your voice as you present helps make the content and the points more memorable and engaging.

One easy and powerful way to make your presentation interactive is experts to discuss a particular topic during your presentation. This helps create a more engaging presentation and gives you the ability to facilitate and lead a discussion around your topic.

It’s best to prepare some questions for your panel but to also field questions from the audience in a question and answer format.

How To Make Your Presentation More Interactive

What happens if I ask you to think about a pink elephant?  You probably briefly think about a pink elephant, right?

Asking questions when presenting helps engage the audience, and arouse interest and curiosity.  It also has the added benefit of making people pay closer attention, in case they get called on.

So don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if rhetorical; asking a question engages a different part of our brain. It causes us to reflect rather than merely take in the information one way. So ask many of them.

Asking questions can also be an excellent way to build suspense for the next slide.

(Steve Jobs was known to ask questions during his presentations, in this slide he built suspense by asking the audience “Is there space for a device between a cell phone and a laptop?” before revealing the iPad) Source: MacWorld SF 2018

Remember the point of your presentation is to get a message across and although you are the presenter, it is completely fine to use video in your PowerPoint to enhance your presentation.  A relevant video can give you some breathing time to prepare the next slides while equally informing the audience on a particular point.

CAUTION: Be sure to test the video beforehand, and that your audience can hear it in the room.

A trending engagement tool among presenters is to use a live polling tool to allow the audience to participate and collect immediate feedback.

Using a live polling tool is a fun and interactive way to engage your audience in real-time and allow them to participate in part of your presentation.

Google Slides has a built-in Q&A feature that allows presenters to make the slide deck more interactive by providing answers to the audience’s questions. By using the Q&A feature in Google Slides, presenters can start a live Q&A session and people can ask questions directly from their devices including mobile and smartphones.

Key Takeaways from one of the best presenters, Steve Jobs

He kept his slides uncluttered and always strove for simplicity.

In this slide, you can easily see he is talking about the battery life, and it uses a simple image and a few words. Learning from Jobs, you can also make a great presentation too. Focus on the core benefit of your product and incorporate great visuals.

Source: Macworld 2008

SlideModel.com can help to reproduce high-impact slides like these, keeping your audience engagement.

He was known to use large font sizes, the bigger, the better

A big font makes it hard to miss the message on the slide, and allows the audience to focus on the presenter while clearing the understanding what the point of the slide is.

He found made the complex sound simple

When explaining a list of features, he used a simple image and lines or simple tables to provide visual cues to his talking points.

What made Steve Jobs the master of presentation, was the ritual of practicing with his team, and this is simple yet often overlooked by many presenters.  It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking you don’t need to practice because you know the material so well.

While all these tips will help you create a truly powerful presentation , it can only achieve if applied correctly.

It’s important to remember when trying to deliver an amazing experience, you should be thoroughly prepared. This way, you can elevate your content presentation, convey your message effectively and captivate your audience.

This includes having your research cited, your presentation rehearsed.  Don’t just rehearse your slides, also take time to practice your delivery, and your tone.  The more you rehearse, the more relaxed you will be when delivering. The more confident you will feel.

While we can’t help you with the practice of your next presentation, we can help you by making sure you look good, and that you have a great design and cohesiveness.

You focus on the message and content; we’ll focus on making you look good.

Have a tip you would like to include?  Be sure to mention it in the comments!

Like this article? Please share

Audience, Engaging, Feedback, Interactive, Poll, Rule of Three, Steve Jobs Filed under Presentation Ideas

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• Communication

10 Top Tips: How to Make More Engaging PowerPoint Presentations

When you make your presentation, you want the audience to pay attention. One way to do that is to have an engaging presentation. 

There are tips to follow to make your presentation more engaging. An engaging presentation is a more memorable one.

Keep reading to find out how to make engaging PowerPoint presentations. You’ll also learn how to save time when making your presentation.

10 Tips to Make a More Engaging PowerPoint Presentation

Here are ten tips to make a more engaging PowerPoint Presentation:

1. Create an Outline

Before you start considering your presentation design, create an outline. They're a big help if you’re wondering how to make engaging PowerPoint presentations.

Outlines give you the opportunity to plan out your slide contents. This means that you can plan the flow of your story and slides. You can also choose where your images will have the highest impact with an outline.

2. Use a Template

One of the most essential tips for making engaging PowerPoint presentations is using a premium template. Premium templates make creating engaging presentations quick and easy.

Envato Elements has thousands of premium templates to choose for your project. They even have themed presentation templates. For example, if your presentation topic is about health, they even have templates with a medical theme.

3. Add Animation

Use animation to make engaging presentations. You can add animation to text, objects, and images. Some premium presentation templates come with animations already built in.

4. Use Text Creatively

Envato Elements has more than presentation templates. They also have premium fonts that to use in your presentation. This means you can use a unique font that doesn't come with PowerPoint.

When you add fonts to your presentation, be consistent. For example, you should use the same font for the title for every slide. When you aren’t consistent, it makes your presentation look sloppy.

5. Use More Images, Less Text

You want your slides to add to your speech, not distract the audience. This is why it’s best not to have too much text.

When you've got too much text, your audience will be reading the slides instead of listening to your speech. When creating your engaging presentation, the goal is to have your slides serve as a visual aid.

6. Make It Interactive

A tip on how to make a presentation engaging is to make your presentation interactive. When you interact with your audience, they're more likely to remember the information you’re presenting and pay attention.

For example, make your presentation interactive by having a Q&A, telling a personal or funny story, or having your audience vote.

7. Add Humor

Before you consider adding humor to your presentation, you need to know your audience. You don’t want to offend your audience with your humor accidentally.

There are different ways to add humor to your presentation. Tell a joke at the start, use an anecdote, or use a funny image or audio.

8. Ask Questions

Asking questions makes presentations engaging because it allows your audience to be a part of your presentation. There are several ways to incorporate questions into your presentation.

• A rhetorical question builds intrigue and prompt the audience to think about your presentation topic.
• Poll questions engage your audience because the audience answers them and sees the results.
• What if questions don’t need a literal response but makes your audience focus on a specific topic.

9. Use Visuals

Images give the audience a mental picture of your topic or provoke an emotional response. When you use visuals, use high-quality photos and videos.

Besides engaging your audience, visuals benefit you. Pictures can help you not to go off-topic or even jog your memory.

Video can also be used to give you a break from talking. If you've got a short video that discusses one of your talking points, it can engage the audience and help you.

10. Use Smooth Transitions

Transitions inform your audience that you're moving on to the next topic. If you decide to use transitions, keep them between 0.5 to 3 seconds.

If a transition is too long, it can confuse the audience. You may not want to use visual transitions if you already have animations in your presentation. Instead, use verbal transitions. These are usually words used to connect one slide to another.

Top Source for Premium PowerPoint Presentation Templates (With Unlimited Use)

Envato Elements is the best source to find premium PowerPoint templates. It's a subscription service where you pay a low monthly fee and gain access to thousands of premium digital assets. These digital assets include Premium PowerPoint templates, fonts, images, and more.

If you’re thinking, why can’t I use a free template? Free templates aren’t as robust as premium templates. Professionals make every premium template look professional and stylish. When you use a premium template, you save time because all you need to do is add text and images to the template.

Explore Envato Elements

Frequently Asked PowerPoint Questions (FAQ)

Here are some frequently asked PowerPoint questions:

1. How Do I Make a Final Q&A Slide?

Adding a Questions and Answers slide is a way to engage your audience. It’s also easy to create this slide. Add the slide after an important section or at the end of your presentation.

Here's a tutorial on how to add a Questions Final PowerPoint Slide:

2. How Do I Customize My Fonts?

To add a personal touch to your presentation without going overboard, a great way to do that is to add a custom font to your presentation.

Custom fonts allow you to add a unique touch to your presentation. Envato Elements makes it easy to try out fonts since they come with a subscription.

Here's an in-depth tutorial on how to add a custom font to your presentation:

3.  What Is a Morph Transition? How Do I Add It To My Presentation?

A Morph Transition allows you to move from one slide to another smoothly. You can add this transition effect to more than slides. Add it to text, shapes, pictures, and graphics.

Read this article to learn more about morph transitions:

4. How Do I Download a Premium PowerPoint Template?

Downloading a premium template is simple. To access the premium PowerPoint template, you’ll need to be an Envato Elements subscriber. Here’s an in-depth tutorial on premium PowerPoint templates:

5. How Do I Create a Magnifying Effect on an Image?

Use a magnifying glass effect if you want the audience to focus on a part of your presentation. This effect works well with graphics like maps. Read this article for a tutorial on how to create a magnifying effect in PowerPoint:

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You've just learned how to create an engaging PowerPoint presentation.

To review, one way to have an engaging presentation is to have well-designed and visually pleasing slides. An easy way to get a well-designed slide is to use a premium PowerPoint template.

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17 PowerPoint Presentation Tips From Pro Presenters [+ Templates]

Published: April 26, 2024

PowerPoint presentations can be professional, attractive, and really help your audience remember your message.

If you don’t have much experience, that’s okay — I’m going to arm you with PowerPoint design tips from pro presenters, the steps you need to build an engaging deck, and templates to help you nail great slide design.

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Buckle up for a variety of step-by-step explanations as well as tips and tricks to help you start mastering this program. There are additional resources woven in, and you’ll find expert perspectives from other HubSpotters along the way.

Table of Contents

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

Powerpoint presentation tips.

Microsoft PowerPoint is like a test of basic professional skills, and each PowerPoint is basically a presentation made of multiple slides.

Successful PowerPoints depend on three main factors: your command of PowerPoint's design tools, your attention to presentation processes, and being consistent with your style.

Keep those in mind as we jump into PowerPoint's capabilities.

Getting Started

1. open powerpoint and click ‘new.’.

A page with templates will usually open automatically, but if not, go to the top left pane of your screen and click New . If you’ve already created a presentation, select Open and then double-click the icon to open the existing file.

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Creating PowerPoint Slides

3. insert a slide..

Insert a new slide by clicking on the Home tab and then the New Slide button. Consider what content you want to put on the slide, including heading, text, and imagery.

• Finally, PowerPoint Live is a new tool that enables you to do more seamless presentations during video calls and may be a better overall match for doing presentations remotely. Check out this video:

11. Try Using GIFs.

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• Google Slides

15. Embed multimedia.

PowerPoint allows you to either link to video/audio files externally or to embed the media directly in your presentation. For PCs, two great reasons for embedding are:

• Embedding allows you to play media directly in your presentation. It will look much more professional than switching between windows.
• Embedding also means that the file stays within the PowerPoint presentation, so it should play normally without extra work (except on a Mac).

If you use PowerPoint for Mac it gets a bit complicated, but it can be done:

• Always bring the video and/or audio file with you in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation.
• Only insert video or audio files once the presentation and the containing folder have been saved on a portable drive in their permanent folder.
• If the presentation will be played on a Windows computer, then Mac users need to make sure their multimedia files are in WMV format.
• Consider using the same operating system for designing and presenting, no matter what.

16. Bring your own hardware.

Between operating systems, PowerPoint is still a bit jumpy. Even between differing PPT versions, things can change. The easiest fix? Just bring along your own laptop when you're presenting.

The next easiest fix is to upload your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides as a backup option — just make sure there is a good internet connection and a browser available where you plan to present.

Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation software that will show up the same way on all operating systems.

To import your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides:

• Navigate to slides.google.com . Make sure you’re signed in to a Google account (preferably your own).
• Under Start a new presentation , click the empty box with a plus sign. This will open up a blank presentation.
• Go to File , then Import slides .
• A dialog box will come up. Tap Upload.
• Click Select a file from your device .
• Select your presentation and click Open .
• Select the slides you’d like to import. If you want to import all of them, click All in the upper right-hand corner of the dialog box.
• Click Import slides.

When I tested this out, Google Slides imported everything perfectly, including a shape whose points I had manipulated. This is a good backup option to have if you’ll be presenting across different operating systems.

17. Use Presenter View.

In most presentation situations, there will be both a presenter’s screen and the main projected display for your presentation.

PowerPoint has a great tool called Presenter View, which can be found in the Slide Show tab of PowerPoint. Included in the Presenter View is an area for notes, a timer/clock, and a presentation display.

For many presenters, this tool can help unify their spoken presentation and their visual aid. You never want to make the PowerPoint seem like a stack of notes that you’re reading off of.

Use the Presenter View option to help create a more natural presentation.

Pro Tip: At the start of the presentation, you should also hit CTRL + H to make the cursor disappear. Hitting the “A” key will bring it back if you need it.

Your Next Great PowerPoint Presentation Starts Here

Now that you have these style, design, and presentation tips under your belt, you should feel confident to create your PowerPoint presentation.

But if you can explore other resources to make sure your content hits the mark. After all, you need a strong presentation to land your point and make an impression.

With several templates to choose from — both in PowerPoint and available for free download — you can swiftly be on your way to creating presentations that wow your audiences.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in September 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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18 Ways to Make Your Presentation More Interactive

November 10, 2017 - Dom Barnard

It can be difficult to hold your audience’s attention for the entire presentation. According to a  Prezi study , half of the respondents said they did something other than listen during a co-worker’s presentation, including:

• Sending a text message (28%)
• Checking emails (27%)
• Falling asleep (17%)

An interactive presentation is much more likely to keep your audience’s attention and build rapport with them, and there are a few simple ways to achieve this, from live polling to asking questions throughout.

This article explores several different effective strategies for making the audience feel fully involved in your presentation and keeping your audience’s eyes away from their smartphones.

Why involve your audience?

Listening to a presentation for any length of time can be a difficult process. If you don’t involve the audience, they’ll start to play with their phones, talk to colleagues and generally lose track of what you are saying. Once this happens and you start seeing that the audience would rather be somewhere else, you’ll start feeling anxious and might try to speed up the presentation.

To engage a  large audience  fully, the presentation needs to be energetic, purposeful and staged, as if it is a direct conversation between both you and your audience. That way, they’ll absorb your ideas and insights and they’ll have learnt something in an enjoyable way.

1. Plan from the audience’s perspective

Before you start  writing your presentation , think about these points:

• What are the most interesting parts in my topic?
• How much will the audience know about my topic? What level do I target it at?
• Which members of the audience will most likely be disinterested?
• How can I help them learn and understand my topic?
• What is the size of the audience?

You can do this by researching the event or conference, investigating other speakers at the event and even contacting the organisers to find out more about the demographic.

By asking these questions about your audience and identifying answers, you are starting to think about your audience’s interests and needs. Remember, the aim is to give the impression that your presentation has been planned according to your audience’s specific interests.

2. Use an easy-to-follow structure

When building your presentation, focus on giving it a structure which people can easily follow. Start by introducing the core concepts and goals, then elaborate on the various points in a bit more detail, draw logical conclusions and leave your audience with a clear takeaway message. You want to flow naturally from one part to the next like you are telling a big story chapter by chapter.

3. Get the audience immediately involved

You audience will come to your presentation in a range of different moods. Try using a simple ice-breaker to re-energise them and get them focussed on your presentation.

For example, ask people to stand up and introduce themselves to their neighbours, or have them identify two or three questions they would like to hear addressed during your presentation. By starting with an ice-breaker, you show your audience that your talk will be interactive and require their participation.

4. Ask the audience questions during your presentation

The audience’s attention drops to zero after just 10-15 minutes of your presentation. To get their attention back, take a break from your presentation from time to time and interact with your audience. Ask for their questions and answer them during your presentation. This will help clear up any confusion the audience might have.

When planning your presentation, identify opportunities in your material for your audience to ask questions. If you’re not comfortable breaking the flow of your presentation, mention that you’ll be taking  questions at the end  so the audience can prepare some questions.

Asking rhetorical questions as you move through your presentation involves your audience by stimulating their own thought processes. This technique also helps move between sections of your presentation as it establishes a clear transition from one point to another.

If you’re comfortable with taking questions throughout your presentation, use a tools such as  Slido , which allows your audience to ask questions anonymously at any time, so even shy people can participate in the discussion.

Example of what can go wrong with audience interaction

Audience interaction:

Watch how the presenter tries but initially fails to get the audience to interact with the presentation. Notice how he encourages them to get involved and eventually they do join in.

5. Use storytelling to make it more memorable

Since our early ancestors, stories have always been a huge part of human culture and civilisation. Storytelling is the most universal way to captivate your audience’s attention, no matter where they are from or what they do for a living.

Stories are much more engaging and memorable than lists of facts and figures, but you wouldn’t think so looking at the majority of presentations (particularly academic ones).

People automatically tune in when you  start telling your story  because they want to know what happens next. A popular storytelling technique is when you present the status quo and then reveal an improved path to that end goal.

Think of your presentation as one arching narrative. As we mentioned earlier, give it the proper structure with a clear beginning, middle and end. Introduce conflict and provide a powerful resolution that reinforces your key messages.

6. Use non-linear presentation software

Instead of flipping through slide after slide, you can show the relationships between your ideas and give your audience the “big picture” view of your topic. Try letting your audience drive the presentation by laying out all of your main points, and then let them choose which topics they want to go to. Your audience will get a truly custom presentation based on their interests, which they will appreciate and more easily remember.

Prezi, shown above, is a popular non-linear presentation tool.

7. Add in a short video

Billions of hours of YouTube are consumed each month and advertisers have identified videos as having a high  retention rate  for users. However very few presentations ever use videos to engage with their audience.

Find a short video clip that reinforces your story or explains a concept better than words can. You can either embed the video directly into your presentation software or include a link to an external website. Just make sure you test your method on the day of the presentation and have a backup on a USB just in case you need it.

8. Invite people onto the stage

If you’re preparing a particularly long presentation, consider having other people to come on stage and talk for a bit. This will help you narrate the story and make the whole presentation more interactive.

Steve Jobs never pulled off the entire presentation by himself; he always invited several speakers, including designers, partners, and other executives, to help him introduce their latest product. Of course, this technique should always be arranged with your colleagues in advance.

9. Poll the audience

Polls are similar to quizzes in that they engage the audience during the presentation. Polls encourage participants to think not only about your questions but also about their answers. Moreover, live polls help create mental breaks, so your audience can regain attention and stay focused throughout your presentation.

By including everyone in answering the question, you also create a group experience that leaves the audience feeling like they all have been part your presentation.

10. Use (appropriate) humour

Some of the best speeches and presentations in the world feature plenty of humour. No matter the subject, a great speaker will use natural charisma, humour and language to convey their points and get the crowd excited about what they are saying.

A great example of building rapport with the audience through the use of humour is Barrack Obama talking about the government building Iron Man.

Another example is when  Morgan Spurlock  offers individuals the opportunity to buy the rights to name his TED talk—which he refers to again at the end, where he reveals the title. He peppers the entire presentation with humorous commentary that nonetheless supports his point.

Create relevant jokes or find a way to bring out the humour in your subject, and your audience will be much more engaged and more likely to remember your words.

11. Practice your delivery, again and again

Practicing is the most important part of delivering an interactive presentation. You’ll need to practice where to use live quizzes, when to accept questions, which points to emphasise with body language and many more. There are several options for practicing:

Practice Presentation Skills

Improve your public speaking and presentation skills by practicing them in realistic environments, with automated feedback on performance. Learn More

• In front of a mirror  – great for seeing and improving your body language, however it can be distracting to what you are saying.
• To friends or colleagues  – a useful way to get feedback on your presentation, try and action the feedback straight away to improve on it. You can also give the person some key areas to focus their feedback on if you believe you are weaker in those areas.
• Virtual reality  – practice in realistic  public speaking environments , whether it be in a virtual conference room or boardroom. Receive feedback on your speech with voice analysis technology.

With all three of these, you’ll want to work on your tone of voice, accent, pauses between sentences and facial expressions. The most important thing is to talk slowly and loudly enough to be heard and understood clearly.

A list of the best presentation skills courses you can practice with:

• Presentation Skills Training Courses

12. Try and relate to the audience

Make comparisons to events from everyday life that most people are more than familiar with. By making things look simple, not only will you help your audience get a better understanding of the subject by enabling them to visualize the information more clearly, you will also draw a connection between you.

After all, you are all just regular people with similar experience, you just happen to be performing different roles at the moment.

13. Strong body language (position, posture and gesture)

Non-verbal communication plays a large part in how we construct meaning, so it makes sense to consider how to use it in your presentation. You can make things more interesting for your audience by using  your body language  to enhance what you’re saying.

Body language goes beyond reinforcing your messaging – it’s useful from a biological standpoint. As discussed in her  body language TED talk , Amy Cuddy’s research found that using ‘assertive’ body language released testosterone and reduced cortisol in both men and women, thereby increasing confidence and decreasing stress.

An effective presenter pays close attention to the physical relationship with her/his audience. If you stand hidden behind an overhead projector or stand too far away from your audience, they will not develop a bond with you and this will limit the effectiveness of your presentation.

Your posture will also dictate levels of audience involvement. If you’re too relaxed and sit slumped in a chair to deliver your talk, the audience might drift away. Find a comfortable but purposeful position in relation to your audience and adopt an upright sitting or standing posture that allows for movement and gesture.

Audiences respond well to the physical energy and enthusiasm being conveyed by a presenter, and thus the use of clear and controlled gestures will greatly enhance your presentation. Gestures that are open and reach out to your audience serve to extend your presentation to them and thus help them feel more involved.

Examples of good body language:

• Use hand gestures when delivering key points
• Use calm, deliberate movements when highlighting certain information
• Keep arms and legs uncrossed

14. Maintain eye contact with all sections of the audience

Making eye contact is one of the most  powerful techniques  for involving your audience. If used well, eye contact can serve to make your address much more personal and thus more effective. If eye contact is avoided, the presenter can appear to be nervous and unconvincing.

It is important to share eye contact with all members of a small audience or all sections of a large audience. Avoid making eye contact with just the people you know, taking particular care not to deliver your entire presentation to the person who’s assessing your work. Remember that you will need to involve the whole audience if you are to make an effective presentation.

If you are nervous, eye contact can be very difficult to establish and maintain. Remember that some eye contact is better than none and that you should try to build your confidence over time.

15. Use live quizzes to better understand your audience

Live quizzes are a great way to understanding your audience better get them engaging with the material.

For example, if you’re giving a presentation on autonomous vehicles, you could ask questions such as:

• When do you think autonomous vehicles will become mainstream?
• Are you concerned by safety issues?
• If someone is injured or killed by the car, who is to blame?

These will surely create some interesting results which you, as the presenter, can talk about and discuss.

16. Use physical props if possible

You don’t need to be giving a product demo to use props during your presentation. Props are a great way to help the audience visually picture what you are talking about. While talking through your presentation, you can refer to the prop at certain points to highlight your point or make it clear to the audience.

Kenny Nguyen  does this will in his TEDx talk on ‘The Art of Saying No’. He refers to the “sword of yes” and “shield of no.” Naturally he picks up a sword and shield from the table to help demonstrate his points.

Another great example is when  Jill Bolte Taylor  brings a real human brain on stage during her TED talk to explain to what happened to her when she had a stroke. She touched the audience with this demonstration and left the audience in complete awe.

17. Extend your usual vocal range

Your tone of voice, your volume, and other vocal aspects affect how people listen and hear your message.

Julian Treasure’s  TED talk on ‘How to speak so that people want to listen’ is all about this, and at the end offers several tips ‘in our toolbox’ for how to master the use of voice, from changing your speaking pace to speaking in a different pitch.

Get feedback from a friend or colleague to see what works best for you.

18. Use language and literary techniques

Your use of language has a huge influence on the way you engage your audience. It’s important to use language your audience understands and is familiar with.

Avoid using language that is too formal or informal, too technical or too simplistic depending upon the nature of your talk and the knowledge base of your audience. Pitching your presentation at the right level can be a challenge but it is very effective for making the audience feel involved.

There are various  literary techniques  you can use, such as the Power or Three, to give greater impact to your message.

Involving your audience is essential to making an impact. Your presentation should pull them in, get their attention and stimulate their thoughts and understanding. This can be done in a number of ways.

The way that you plan your presentation will be critical in terms of using language and ideas that your audience will understand. You must also ensure that there is sufficient time for questions and discussion. The way that you deliver your presentation should create a bond with your audience.

Your use of eye contact, body language, spoken words and energy should  communicate effectively  and enthusiastically with all areas of the room, thus ensuring that the audience receives positive messages about you and your material.

10 Expert Tips to Make Your PowerPoint Presentations More Engaging and Effective!

• Sathish Shanmugam
• January 8, 2023
• No Comments

PowerPoint presentations are an essential part of many business meetings, conferences, and even online classes. However, while PowerPoint can be a great tool to get your message across, it can also easily become boring and unengaging if not done right. Luckily, you can use plenty of tips and tricks to make your presentations more effective and engaging. 

Here are ten expert tips to help you create powerful and engaging PowerPoint presentations.

Table of Contents

1. Organize your content for maximum impact

Use 10-20-30 rule, use colors, shapes, and images effectively to draw attention, ensure design consistency, use visuals to support the narrative, benefits of using animation, things to consider when using animation, incorporate audio, video, and interactive elements, balance multimedia content with other elements, use charts and graphs to illustrate data points, understand the audience, utilize a logical structure, incorporate design templates and slideshows, prepare a script to help you stay on track, 8. consider using presentation platforms, 9. encourage audience participation, ask for feedback, review the notes, check the presentation, follow up with the audience.

Organizing content for PowerPoint presentations is important as it helps to keep the presentation focused and engaging. When organizing content, it is important to create an introduction, body, and conclusion that flow logically. Additionally, it is important to use visual cues such as headings and images to help the audience follow the presentation. Finally, it is important to use a consistent color palette, font, and style to help create a cohesive presentation that is visually appealing and easy to understand.

2. Choose an engaging visual design

When it comes to making a PowerPoint presentation engaging, visuals are key. Visual designs can help set the tone of your presentation and get your message across. Here are some tips on choosing an engaging visual design for your PowerPoint presentations .

The 10-20-30 rule for slideshows suggests that you should have no more than ten slides, 20 minutes of content, and 30-point font size. This is important because too many words or slides can be overwhelming and distracting. Instead, focus on the most important points and let visual elements do the work.

Consider using abstract shapes, large-high-quality photos, and vibrant colors to ensure that the visuals you choose are appealing and draw attention. Additionally, make sure that the visuals you choose are relevant to your message. For example, use visuals to show off its features if you’re discussing a product. You can also embed attractive QR codes with logos to provide more information on that product by linking to external resources.

To ensure that you keep your design consistent throughout the presentation, you must use similar colors and font sizes throughout. To make this easier, you can use dynamic presentation software or a template with hundreds of example slides that all follow the same design theme.

Visual design is an incredibly powerful tool for enhancing the narrative of a PowerPoint presentation. With the right elements, visuals can help to make a presentation more interesting and memorable for the audience. Visuals should be used strategically to support the narrative. Using visuals that reflect the presentation’s theme will help create a cohesive story that resonates with the audience.

Check out the video to learn about the core prinicple of visual design:

3. Enhance the presentation with animation

Animation can enhance a PowerPoint presentation by making it more visually engaging and helping control information flow.

•   Animation can add energy to static images and text and can also be used to add surprise elements that help make the content more memorable.
• Animations can help to draw your audience’s attention, making it easier for them to stay focused and remember the key points of your presentation. 
• It is important to use animations sparingly, as too many animations can detract from the main message of your presentation. So, make sure to use animation to control the presentation’s pace and keep the audience engaged.
• When adding animations, wait until you have added all the information and objects to the slides.
• Ensure that animations are visible and clear in a PowerPoint presentation to help the audience follow the content.
• Animations should also be used to keep the audience on track and help them to jump back into the topic at any time.

How to make animated powerpoint slide?

4. Include multimedia components

Including multimedia components in PowerPoint presentations is an effective way to make them more engaging. Multimedia combines different types of media, such as audio, video, animation, and images, which can help capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Including multimedia components in Powerpoint presentations is quite easy. For example, you can crop images to fit shapes, play music in the background, embed YouTube videos , insert screenshots or screen clippings, remove background from pictures, combine shapes to create a custom shape, add sound effects to animations, etc.

Multimedia content can be a great way to bring your presentation to life, but it should not be the only element you use. While multimedia content can be eye-catching, too much of it can distract from the message you are trying to convey.

 Instead, try to use a mix of multimedia content, text, images, and diagrams that will help ensure that your presentation is visually appealing and informative. For example, if you have a video clip, don’t just rely on it to convey the message, but rather provide some additional information in the form of a text block or image that summarises the key points of the clip. This will provide context and help support the message you are trying to get across.

 Additionally, consider using multimedia content and other elements such as text, images, and diagrams to create a more interactive presentation. This will help keep the audience engaged and allow them to better understand the message you are trying to communicate.

5. Utilize data visualization and infographics

Utilizing data visualization and infographics in PowerPoint presentations can be beneficial for a few reasons. First, data visualization and infographics can help to illustrate complex concepts in an easy-to-understand way. Additionally, data visualization and infographics can help to make the content more engaging and visually appealing. Furthermore, data visualization and infographics can help ensure the audience can retain the information presented. Finally, data visualization and infographics can help to add a professional look to the presentation.

Charts and graphs are powerful tools to make your PowerPoint presentations more engaging and effective. Not only do they help to break up the presentation to make it easier for the viewers to digest, but they also allow you to provide a visual representation of complex data that is easy to understand.

Here are some tips on how to use charts and graphs effectively in your PowerPoint presentations:

• Choose the right type of chart or graph: You have to choose the right charts or graphs depending on your data. For example, bar graphs are better suited for categorical data, while pie charts are better for numerical data.
• Keep it simple: Avoid overloading your charts and graphs with too much information, as this can make them difficult to read. Stick to just one or two key points you want to illustrate, and choose colors and fonts that are easy to read.
• Label your axes: Make sure your x and y axes are clearly labeled so audiences can easily follow the data points.
• Make sure your data is accurate: Before you present it, double-check to ensure it is accurate and up-to-date. This will ensure that your conclusions are reliable.
• Use the right scale: When creating your chart or graph, make sure that the scale is appropriate. If the scale is too large or small, it can be difficult to interpret the data.

How to make good infographic?

 6. Create an effective structure and flow

Creating an effective structure and flow to make your PowerPoint presentation more engaging is key to captivating your audience. Here are a few ways to create a flow and structure for your PowerPoint presentation .

The first step is understanding your audience and what their needs are. Knowing your audience’s interests can help you tailor your presentation to be more engaging and interactive. Once you have a good idea of who you’re speaking to, create an outline that will focus on the important points of your presentation. You can use the best AI presentation maker to help you with this.

A logical structure helps to organize the information clearly and logically, making it easier for the audience to follow and understand. It also helps to keep the presentation focused and on track, preventing it from becoming disorganized or tangential. A logical structure can be achieved through the use of clear headings and subheadings and visual aids such as charts and diagrams to illustrate key points.

Use design templates and slideshows to keep the look of your presentation consistent and visually appealing. Ensure to align all objects with the grid to ensure your visuals are perfectly in line.

7. Rehearse and practice

Preparing and rehearsing your presentation allows you to get comfortable with the material and will help you convey your message in a more confident and engaging way.

Having a script for your PowerPoint presentation can be an invaluable tool to ensure that you stay on track and keep to the main points you want to make. In addition, by preparing a script, you can ensure that your presentation runs smoothly and is more engaging and effective.

Here are some tips to help you write an effective script:

• Start with an outline of your presentation. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure you don’t forget any important points.
• Write down the main points you want to make. Think about what information you want to convey in each section and decide how to present it.
• Include visuals. Think about how visuals or diagrams can help illustrate your points.
• Make sure your language is clear and concise. Avoid jargon and long sentences.
• Keep it conversational. Speak to your audience as if you are having a conversation with them.
• Become familiar with it and make sure you don’t forget any important points
• Timing yourself is an important factor in creating a good PowerPoint presentation. It is important to allocate enough time to cover all the necessary information but not so much time that the presentation becomes tedious for the audience. When practicing, note how long it takes to go through each slide. This will allow you to adjust the length of the presentation as needed and ensure that it flows smoothly.

Presentation platforms offer a wide range of features to help you create an interactive, visually appealing experience for your viewers. Many of these platforms have built-in templates and tools that make it easy to customize the look and feel of your slides. They also provide interactive elements such as quizzes, videos, audio clips, and animations that can add life to your presentation and keep your viewers engaged.

Encouraging audience participation is key to making a PowerPoint presentation more engaging. There are several techniques that can be used to foster engagement with the audience during a PowerPoint presentation.

• Firstly, maintaining eye contact, smiling, and using dynamic gestures and facial expressions will help make your message more memorable and engaging.
• Secondly, hosting an expert discussion panel or inviting guest appearances on stage can add an extra layer of engagement for the audience.
• Thirdly, you can use props or tangible objects to demonstrate ideas and allow the audience to engage with them.
• You can ask questions to keep your audience engaged with your PowerPoint presentations. Questions help to build suspense for the next slide, engage the audience in real time, and make people pay closer attention. It also causes people to reflect rather than merely take in the information one way.
• You can use live polling tools to get real-time feedback.

Effective methods to engage an audience in a presentation

10. Follow-up and review

Following up and reviewing a PowerPoint presentation is important in ensuring that the presentation is effective and that the audience understands the main points. There are several ways to follow up and review a presentation:

Ask the audience for feedback on the presentation, including what they found most useful or interesting and what they would like to see more of in the future.

Go over the notes you made during the presentation to see if there are any areas you may have missed or could have explained more clearly.

Review the presentation and make any necessary edits or updates based on the feedback you received.

Follow up with the audience after the presentation to see if they have any additional questions or concerns and to address any issues that may have come up during the presentation.

Creating engaging and powerful presentations with PowerPoint doesn’t have to be daunting. With the right tips and tricks, you can create presentations that will grab and hold your audience’s attention. Try out some expert tips to take your PowerPoint presentations from boring to brilliant! You can also take the help of professional designers to help you out with the visual aspect of  your presentation.

At Graphically.io , we are your go-to for all your creative needs! Our global network of customers can enjoy unlimited, custom-designed graphics and illustrations for one flat rate. We are committed to delivering exceptional and affordable designs, always ready for when you need them, no matter how soon. We also offer video creation in our standard package at no extra cost that can capture and captivate the attention of your clients and potential customers.

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A step-by-step guide to captivating PowerPoint presentation design

november 20, 2023

by Corporate PowerPoint Girl

Do you often find yourself stuck with a lackluster PowerPoint presentation, desperately seeking ways to make it more engaging and visually appealing? If your boss has ever told you to "please fix" a presentation and you didn't know where to start, you're not alone. In this article, we'll walk you through a straightforward method to transform your PowerPoint slides into a visually captivating masterpiece. 

Let's dive right in! 

Clean up your slides 

The first step in this journey to presentation excellence is all about decluttering your slides and elevating their impact. Say goodbye to those uninspiring bullet points that often dominate presentations. Instead, focus on what truly matters – the key call-out numbers. By increasing the font size of these numbers, you ensure they take center stage, immediately drawing your audience's attention. 

To make those numbers pop, consider breaking the text after the numbers into the next line and adding a touch of color. The contrast created by pairing a dark color with a lighter shade, like dark teal and light teal or burnt orange with peach, can work wonders. This simple adjustment makes your data more engaging , enhancing the overall impact of your presentation. 

Add dimension with boxes 

Now, let's introduce an element of depth and organization to your slides. By adding boxes, you'll create a visually pleasing structure that guides your audience through the content. In the "Insert" menu, select "Table" and opt for a one-by-one table. Change the table color to a light gray shade, elongate it, and position it neatly to the left of your text. 

To improve readability and aesthetics, increase the spacing between text phrases. A small adjustment in the before spacing setting (setting it to 48) significantly enhances the visual appeal of your slides. 

Insert circles 

To further enhance the visual appeal and engagement of your slides, let's introduce circles. In the Insert menu, navigate to Shapes and choose the circle. Adjust the circle's height and width to 1.2, ensuring it complements your content seamlessly. Match the circle's shape fill color with the corresponding text color for a harmonious look. 

Avoid using colored outlines for the circles, as they may distract from the overall aesthetic. This simple addition of circles adds an element of visual interest to your presentation, making it more captivating. 

Choose icons 

Now, it's time for a touch of creativity. Selecting icons to complement your text can elevate the clarity and appeal of your slides. In the "Insert" menu, you can search for relevant keywords to find the perfect icon from PowerPoint's extensive library . 

For instance, if your text discusses investment portfolio yield, search for "growth" and choose an upward arrow growth icon. These icons add an extra layer of visual appeal and clarity to your content, making it more engaging and informative. 

Final touches 

To wrap up the transformation process, we come to the final touches that give your presentation a polished, professional finish. Align your icons with their corresponding circles and change the shape fill color to white. This simple adjustment creates a crisp, cohesive look that ties everything together seamlessly. 

In conclusion, by following these steps, you've embarked on a journey to enhance your PowerPoint presentation . These initial steps are just the beginning of your exploration into the world of design elements and styles that can cater to your specific presentation needs. The key to a stunning PowerPoint presentation lies in the details. By following these steps, you can turn a lackluster set of slides into a visually engaging and dynamic presentation that will captivate your audience. So, the next time your boss says, "Please fix," you'll know exactly where to start. Happy presenting! 

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14 effective presentation tips to impress your audience

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera July 15, 2022

An effective presentation can communicate key ideas and opinions, save time, and contribute to your overall success as a business, but good presentation skills don’t come naturally to everyone. In this blog post, you’ll find 14 effective presentation tips you can implement in your next presentation to make it a success. 

Whether you’re preparing for an important presentation at work or school, or you’re looking for ways to generally improve your presentation skills, you’ll find these presentation tips useful. We’ve gathered a list to help you impress your audience from the get-go. You’ll find tips for creating and presenting your slides, talking in front of an audience, and other effective presentation techniques to help you stand out. 

Most common presentation mistakes

Before we list our top effective presentation tips, let’s explore the most common presentation mistakes. If you’ve made one or more mistakes in this list, you’re not alone. Most people have made at least one mistake. However, what’s important is to be aware of these errors and try avoiding them next time.

#1 A poor start

One of the most common mistakes people make is undermining the importance of the first few minutes or seconds of their presentation. 

Let’s say you’ve practiced your key talking points meticulously and gone over your slides a million times, but when you’re in the spotlight and need to say your first line, do you know exactly what to say to wow the audience? 

The start of your presentation is crucial. Not only because how you start sets the tone for the rest of your presentation, but also because people generally require around 8 seconds to decide whether they find the subject interesting enough to keep listening. Starting your presentation with a captivating intro is even more important than you think. To ensure you start off right, read our guide on how to start your presentation . 

#2 Lack of preparation

Yes, even though it’s clear that you should prepare before giving a presentation, it’s still a common mistake amongst presenters. Preparing content and talking points is an obvious start, but there are other steps that you might be overlooking.

Before you even join a meeting or walk into a room where you’re going to present, consider the technical requirements and get familiar with the equipment. If you’re presenting online, make sure to test-run your presentation and the visual aids you’re going to use. The last thing you want is a broken video link, poor audio, or a weak connection when you’re presenting. 

Also, consider the questions your audience might want to ask you about the topic. Think about how you’d answer those questions, or do even further research to really impress the audience with your answers. 

Explore other ways to prepare for a presentation to feel even more confident when presenting.

#3 Losing track of time

It’s great to feel passionate about your topic. However, you’ll have to consider your audience’s level of interest and knowledge. Some details might seem fascinating to you, and you’d like to talk about them for hours, but for your audience, too much information will drain their energy and lose their attention. 

Therefore, make sure to keep track of time. Also, consider your audience’s interests. A concise presentation is always better than a long one with a ton of information. Plus, you’ll have a higher chance of keeping your audience’s attention throughout the presentation. 

Effective presentation tips

Now that we’ve looked at some of the most common presentation mistakes – let’s dive into effective presentation tips that’ll help you excel in future presentations. 

#1 Tell a story

Stories connect, inspire, and empower people. Telling a story can entice action, help understand an idea, and make people feel connected to the storyteller. It’s also one of the most effective presentation tips. A study by organizational psychologist Peg Neuhauser found that a well-told story is easier to remember than facts, which makes it a highly effective learning technique. 

With that in mind, telling a story when you’re presenting can engage your audience and make it a more memorable experience. You can either share a personal story or a historical event, just make sure to have a clear connection between the story and the topic you’re presenting. 

#2 Work on your body language

Body language can make a huge difference in how your presentation is perceived. It’s one of the presentation tips you definitely shouldn’t overlook. 

Body language says a lot about a person’s confidence level, emotions, state of mind, and even credibility. For the audience, it’s a way to understand what the person is saying and how interested they are in the topic. 

Therefore, work on your body language to better convey the message you’re trying to communicate. Practice in front of a mirror before your presentation and be conscious of your hand gestures and facial expressions. 

#3 Understand your audience

Before crafting your presentation, you must know who you’re speaking to. Understanding the interests, demographics, professional background, and other valuable information of your audience is crucial in making your speech successful. 

If you’re speaking at an event, contact the organizers to get more information about other speakers and the audience. If you’re presenting at work, you may already know your audience fairly well. Use this information to your advantage and create content you know they’ll resonate with.

#4 Use high-quality visuals

What’s one of the most effective presentation techniques? Use of visuals. They play a crucial role in your presentation. However, only high-quality visuals will make a good impression and effectively communicate your message. Use high-quality visuals like images, videos, graphs, maps, and others to really land your point. 

Using visuals is a great way to convey your ideas as they’re easier to process than text. If you’re not sure where to find great visuals, check out our blog post on presentation visuals for five free resources.

P.S. the Prezi library holds a variety of images, videos, GIFs, stickers, and other visuals, including different charts and maps to spice up your presentation. It’s all available in your dashboard .

#5 Use data visualizations

Do you want to showcase statistics or other datasets in your presentation? Use data visualizations to make your data stand out and impress your audience. 

There’s nothing more boring than a bunch of data presented in a flat way. If you want to tell a story with your data, use interactive infographics or slides enriched with eye-catching visuals. Showcasing data will make your ideas appear more trustworthy and credible. 

Prezi Design offers a range of templates to choose from. You can start creating data visualizations from scratch or choose a template and edit the data there. 

#6 Make it engaging with interactive elements

It’s not easy to deliver an engaging presentation. People can easily get distracted or try to multitask, especially in the virtual environment. Sometimes, it’s difficult to focus on the speaker and the written text. Other times, the content just isn’t impressive enough to hold the audience’s attention. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

You can make your presentation more engaging for everyone by including interactive content like graphs and charts. With interactive data visualizations, you’ll make the data discovery process more engaging and exciting for your audience. 

Your audience will be able to hover over data points and click on certain icons or datasets to discover information on their own. Interactive visualizations will make the presentation more memorable and impressive. 

As you can see in the example below, you can discover different data by engaging with the infographic. 

#7 Stay consistent with fonts and color styles

You want your presentation to look visually appealing and highlight essential information. To make that happen, stay consistent with font styles and color schemes throughout your presentation. 

Use one or two fonts max to make the text easy to read and understand. Also, use a carefully selected color scheme that’s not too distracting. If you’re using Prezi Design, you can easily copy and paste styles by right-clicking on your data visualizations and selecting “copy styles.” This makes it easier to stay consistent and saves time when picking matching colors. 

#8 Structure your presentation properly

Before creating your presentation, think about its structure. What’s the main idea you want to convey? Use that as your starting point, and only include information that adds value to the narrative. 

Plan out the first topics carefully to properly introduce your argument. Add the essential information in the middle part of your presentation. Lastly, close your presentation with a summary of the main points and leave your audience with an afterthought. Also, plan when you’re taking questions and for how long. 

For more insight, watch this tutorial on how to structure your presentation:

#9 Practice your public speaking skills

Public speaking may not be your forte, but you can get better with practice. Don’t decline a great opportunity to share your ideas with a larger audience just because you feel nervous speaking in front of a group of people. 

One of the best ways to improve your public speaking skills is to practice in front of your family or friends – people you feel comfortable with. Also, focus on the topic you’re presenting and get excited about the idea you want to convey. This way you’ll appear more confident and feel less nervous about public speaking. 

Explore other public speaking tips from Jessica Chen, the founder, and CEO of Soulcast Media: 

#10 Show your slides next to you on-screen

If you’re presenting on Zoom or in a virtual meeting , think twice before you share your screen. The days of hiding behind slides are over. People want to see and connect with other people, not sit through another run-of-the-mill screen share. To do that, use Prezi Video to showcase all your content right next to you in your video feed. 

As a result, your presentation will look more engaging than a traditional virtual presentation . Also, your audience will have the chance to read your body language and follow along with what you’re saying even better. 

If you already have your slides prepared, don’t worry – you can easily integrate them into Prezi. 

See Prezi Video in action and check out our video templates to get started.

#11 Calm down before presenting

Being in front of an audience can feel nerve-racking. However, there are ways to calm down before presenting that will make you feel more centered and confident. The last thing you want is all your hard work to go to waste just because of stress. 

Try breathing exercises or a five-minute guided meditation before presenting. The trick is to remove all distractions and focus on the present moment so you’re not overthinking right before starting your presentation. Also, be fully prepared and know exactly what to say and when which will help you feel more collected. If you want to discover other ways to feel and look more confident, read how not to be nervous before a presentation . 

#12 Use transitions and animations 

Add movement to your slides with transitions and animations. You’ll make your presentation more visually appealing and engaging. However, be careful not to overwhelm your audience with your choice of transitions and animations. 

Choose a transition that matches your presentation visually and use it throughout your presentation. Consider what animations will be relevant to your audience and select a few to add to your slides. Don’t overdo it. Keep the focus on the message you’re trying to convey, and use animations to only support that message. 

#13 Be enthusiastic 

When you’re in a room with a positive and enthusiastic person, you can’t help but feel uplifted as well. High-energy people have this effect on others. Most importantly, a lot of people tend to mimic people’s behavior and mirror their energy when they feel a connection or relate to them. That’s called the chameleon effect . 

When you’re presenting, you want your audience to feel curious about what you’re presenting. You may also want to leave your audience feeling uplifted, interested to know more, or inspired. To have that effect on others, try to convey those emotions when presenting. Practice your speech, slow down your narration at times, or take a pause after you’ve delivered a statement, and use different presentation techniques to present your project and really drive your points home. 

#14 End your presentation in a memorable way

The first few minutes of your presentation are crucial for captivating your audience’s attention. However, don’t underestimate the importance of ending your presentation as powerfully as you started it. 

The way you end your presentation will play a crucial part in how your audience will remember it. You want to make a memorable impression by closing your presentation with a summarizing statement, a rhetorical question, a call to action, or another impactful way. Discover 10 ways you can end your presentation in our guide.  

There are a lot of factors to consider when creating and delivering a presentation. You want your slides to look professional and visually appealing while conveying your main points. You also want to look and sound confident even if you’re nervous about public speaking. Whatever your concerns may be, remember that preparation is essential. Practice and dedication are the keys to giving a successful presentation . Make sure to follow these effective presentation tips to excel in your future presentations. If you’re interested in creating a captivating presentation with Prezi, contact us to learn more or try it for free . 

Elevating presentations with Prezi AI

Embrace the innovation of Prezi to bring your presentations to life. With its unique platform, Prezi AI offers more than just visually appealing templates; it provides an immersive narrative experience, engaging your audience with a story-driven approach. By integrating Prezi AI , our platform’s capabilities are further enhanced, offering intelligent design suggestions and optimizing content layouts to ensure your presentations are not only beautiful but impactful. This integration is a perfect example of effective presentation techniques in action, using technology to create a more engaging presentation.

Interactive elements: transforming passive listening into active engagement

Prezi revolutionizes the way information is presented by incorporating interactive elements that invite audience participation. With Prezi AI, these features become even more accessible, suggesting ways to make your presentation more engaging through clickable areas, zoomable images, and dynamic visualizations. This level of interaction encourages exploration, making your message more memorable and transforming a standard presentation into an effective presentation.

Adding a personal touch in digital presentation with video

Prezi Video stands out by seamlessly integrating your content alongside your video feed, bridging the gap between traditional presentations and personal engagement. This feature is crucial for those looking to follow presentation tips that emphasize the importance of connecting with your audience on a more personal level. Prezi AI enhances this experience, ensuring your content is displayed in the most effective way possible, making your virtual presentations feel as though you’re directly conversing with your audience.

Mastering presentation artistry with Prezi

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18 Ways to Make Presentations More Interactive and Engaging

Table of Contents

People are 22 times more likely to remember facts when they’re presented in a story framework.

Additionally, studies have confirmed that the human brain understands and remembers images much better than words.

When you present the content in the form of a story and pair your ideas with visual elements, it’s much easier to achieve the presentation goal — to communicate a message that engages the audience and persuades them to take action.

So, if you want to learn how to make an interactive and engaging presentation that will help you stand out as a presenter and make an impact, we have your back.

In this blog post, you’ll learn more about:

• How an interactive and engaging presentation makes a significant difference,
• What the greatest benefits of an interactive presentation are,
• What the most effective ways for incorporating interactive elements into a presentation are, and
• What experts say about how to make a presentation more engaging.

So, let’s rock your next presentation!

What is an interactive presentation?

As the name suggests, an interactive presentation is a dynamic type of presentation the audience can interact with. 

If you’ve wondered how to modify your audience experience from passive to active and engaging, incorporating interactive elements into a presentation is a key answer. 

To support greater interactivity and engagement, you can rely on various ways of presenting information such as using:

• Video or audio material, 
• Charts, and

Along with leveraging these elements, the storytelling framework is the most powerful tool for making a presentation interactive and keeping the audience engaged .

But, before we dive into the most compelling ways of making interactive and engaging presentations, let’s clarify why an interactive presentation makes a difference and highlight the greatest benefits that shape your audience’s experience. 

4 Main benefits of interactive presentations

Most presenters focus primarily on themselves in order to stand out with their presentational skills and seem confident of what they are presenting.

However, as with all communication modes, presentation is a two-way process where the audience is involved and should be a priority.

By using interactive elements and making your audience included and connected to the presentation content, you ensure your presentation delivers a message effectively.

Here are the most important benefits that you should keep in mind when making your presentation next time:

• Interactive presentations resonate more deeply with the audience,
• Interactive presentations boost the audience’s engagement and increase their attention span,
• Interactive presentations help the audience understand and retain the content better, and
• Interactive presentations help presenters to get valid feedback.

So, let’s dig deeper into each of these benefits. 

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Benefit #1: Interactive presentations resonate more deeply with the audience

In her influential work Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences , Nancy Duarte emphasizes the importance of making a presentation resonate with the audience. This is the key step for making an impact and moving them to action.

According to her, a presentation is a powerful persuasive tool for transforming the audience, but only if it’s packaged in storytelling — the most powerful tool for delivering information . 

Using a story framework is much more than entertaining the listeners. 

Duarte says: 

“ Information is static; stories are dynamic — they help an audience visualize what you do or what you believe. Tell a story, and people will be more engaged and receptive to the ideas you are communicating. “

With a compelling story, a presenter can easily arouse the audience’s emotions and vivid imagination, which certainly helps them understand and memorize the message. 

Benefit #2: Interactive presentations boost the audience’s engagement and increase their attention span 

An effective presentation is a two-way process ― it communicates a message that engages listeners, so both sides should be involved. 

To achieve so, successful presenters leverage interactive elements and include stories in the presentation content to:

• Get the audience to listen actively,
• Increase their attention span, and
• Keep them interested.

Furthermore, researchers are confident that storytelling is the best engagement tool. 

Based on neuroscience evidence , people react differently to descriptive and non-descriptive information. 

Namely, descriptive information presented in story frameworks engages with the whole brain — it triggers the sensory cortex, which is responsible for perceiving sensory experience. 

On the other hand, non-descriptive information activates the part of the brain that is responsible for language processing. Thus, we simply process non-descriptive information but do not experience it. 

Furthermore, keeping your audience engaged is an effective way for holding their attention. 

Benefit #3: Interactive presentations help the audience understand and retain the content better

When building a presentation, we should keep in mind our primary goal — to get the point across. 

Thus, we need to ensure that listeners understand and memorize the content. To accomplish that, making an interactive presentation is a key step. 

As we previously mentioned, conceptualizing the topic in the form of a story is a far more effective way to present information, than relying on raw data. 

According to the Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning article : 

“ Storytelling helps with learning because stories are easy to remember. Organizational psychologist Peg Neuhauser found that learning that stems from a well-told story is remembered more accurately, and for far longer, than learning derived from facts and figures. ” 

Therefore, storytellers are more influential presenters — along with entertaining their audience, they make a lasting impact by helping their listeners understand information better and remember it.

Moreover, studies have confirmed the positive impact of interactive digital presentations on the student’s learning process, which consequently improved their memorization.

Our contributors and experienced professionals believe better retention is the greatest benefit of the interactive presentation. 

Here is what Edoardo Binda Zane , a communication and leadership expert, says about the power of interactive presentation: 

“ Think of any presentation you have been given that has not involved you, and that was just a person blaring information at you. After a while, your attention fades away because you are not feeling involved or part of the presentation itself — you might as well be watching a video or listening to a podcast on the topic. Interaction turns the whole event into a dialogue where you also feel heard, and with that comes a stronger drive to pay attention and retain information. ”

Thus, an interactive presentation is an effective tool for making the audience involved, which consequently helps them to stay focused and remember important information.  

Benefit #4: Interactive presentations help presenters to get valid feedback

Interactive presentations might also bring value to presenters. When you involve your audience and allow them to be heard, you learn more about their needs and points of view, so you can improve your presentation skills in the future. 

Here’s what Trish Nitschke , a communication professional, said: 

“ From a speaker perspective, it’s much easier to get buy-in and support from your audience when the live results validate the points you are making .”

Similarly, Dr. Raffaello Antonino , a senior lecturer in counseling psychology, is aware of the influence of interactive presentations on establishing a strong relationship between the presenter and listeners:

“ A less known benefit of interactive presentations is that they can also help to build trust between the presenter and the audience. By encouraging the audience to participate and share their thoughts and opinions, the presenter demonstrates that they value the audience’s input and are open to feedback. This can help to establish a strong relationship between the presenter and the audience, which can be useful in a variety of settings — from sales presentations to educational lectures. ”

💡 Pumble Pro tip 

Public speaking anxiety is one of the most common social fears. To learn how to deal with anxiety before a presentation, make sure to read our blog post:

• How not to be nervous for a presentation

18 Ways for making interactive and engaging presentations

Considering all this evidence that explains the power of interactive and engaging presentations, we can modify the presentation skills that will bring us better results. 

So, let’s see what the best ways for making an interactive and engaging presentation are.

Way #1: Research the audience and the topic 

Research is an essential step in creating an effective presentation. To make it interactive, it’s crucial to understand your audience — how they think and what they want to know. 

Try to answer these questions:

• Why is your audience here?
• What are their expectations?
• What are their motivations?
• What do they want to know?
• What will keep them engaged?

Once you’ve had these answers, making a good presentation is much easier than you thought. 

Here is what Steve Gamlin , a speaker, author, and visualization coach, had to say on this topic: 

“ Prior to an event, have conversations with them (or the event planners). Understand their biggest pains/challenges. Ask for examples of successes they have enjoyed, or awards they have achieved. Learn some of their ‘industry lingo’ and use it properly. Be aware of their city/town and insert local references when possible (local sports teams, big events, etc). ”  

A human resource generalist at COING, Ena Popovic , is also well aware that researching a topic is essential: 

“ Behind every good presentation is time invested in detailed research about the topic. ”

Thus, aside from getting familiar with the audience’s expectations and point of view, giving a great presentation means that you’re the expert in the topic.  

Way #2: Use icebreakers or a round of creative personal introductions to start 

An icebreaker has a role to break the ice between the presenter and the audience — it helps both sides to feel comfortable and get connected. 

Ena Popovic adds:

“ The objective here is to get your audience’s undivided attention. By using an icebreaker or creative personal introductions at the very beginning, you set the tone for the rest of the presentation. ”

To break the ice effectively, you should know your audience and be aware of their similarities and differences. Also, bear in mind the audience size. 

If you present to a small audience of 2-10 people, you can start with a word game or introduction with a twist, so everyone has to say something unusual about them. 

However, when presenting to a large group of people, you should consider other types of icebreakers, such as brainstorming sessions or splitting them into smaller groups and playing a game.

To learn more about how to run effective virtual ice breaker sessions, check out our blog post:

• 150 Ice breaker questions for virtual meetings

Way #3: Follow the 10/20/30 rule of PowerPoint

A popular speaker and a best-seller author, Guy Kawasaki, suggested a method of the 10/20/30 rule of PowerPoint. It implies 3 main rules for making an effective presentation .

• The optimal number of presentation slides is 10 : He explained: “ This is because a normal human being cannot comprehend more than 10 concepts in a meeting .”
• Presentations shouldn’t last more than 20 minutes : If a presentation lasts longer, the audience will more likely feel daunted, which leads to less focus and motivation to follow the presentation flow.
• Good presenters use no less than 30-point font : Firstly, this way, you ensure you don’t include too much text on a slide. Secondly, fewer words force presenters to know the content deeply. Kawasaki believed the worst mistake a presenter can make is not being prepared sufficiently.

If you want to learn more about how to prepare for a presentation and stand out with your presentation skills, check out our guide:

• How to prepare for a presentation: Your 9-step guide to a successful presentation

Way #4: Use the non-linear flow of your interactive presentation

The non-linear flow of presentation allows navigation through the content without following a fixed path. 

By adding hyperlinks or action buttons, you can quickly jump over the slides and make a presentation more interactive. 

The non-linear style of presentation goes beyond regular structure in more ways:

• It increases audience engagement,
• It encourages participation, and
• It enables following directions of the audience’s interests and questions.

Way #5: Incorporate multimedia elements

Leveraging multimedia elements is a powerful method for making interactive presentations that make your audience engaged and focused. 

You can make multimedia experience using various forms such as:

• Interactive slides,
• Images, and
• Infographics.

As we mentioned earlier, it’s easier to remember pictures than words. Thus, make sure to take advantage of visual aids to help your listeners better understand and remember important information.

Visual data can efficiently convey a message to your audience. This is especially important when you need to explain complex concepts.

Moreover, according to research , visual aids are a powerful persuasion tool. Namely, presentations with visual elements have a greater impact on audience response. 

Simply put, if you want to motivate your audience to take action, make sure to add visuals. 

Additionally, we can use visual metaphors to take greater advantage of visual aids and make our messages more understandable and memorable. 

So, let’s consider the following steps that make this process successful:

Step #1: Make a list of a few key messages in advance

First of all, ponder over the main ideas you want your audience to pay attention to and remember. Jot them down, and make sure to focus on them when presenting. 

For instance, if you present your SEO results to the team, you probably want to outline the growth of your website on the search engine results pages for the last quarter.  

Step #2: Find relevant images that fit your keyword(s)

Try to figure out what image is relevant to represent your key ideas. 

In our previous example about SEO results, it could be a rocketship taking off or a man climbing stairs. 

Way #6: Add something funny

Ena Popovic usually takes advantage of incorporating funny images into presentations: 

“They help to make your talk not so boring. Images, videos, and even GIFs can add a visual element that will help draw attention back to your slides and give people something else to focus on.”

Thus, visual cues go beyond better retention — they can easily entertain your audience and hold their attention.  

Also, Ena highlights the importance of making a positive atmosphere by using humor:

“ Showing your personality and sense of humor can lighten the mood and build good rapport with the crowd. The participants are more likely to remember you if you make them laugh and in turn remember your ideas and key points. ”

Humor ensures your presentation is memorable, so make sure to use relevant funny quotes or analogies that will engage your listeners. 

Way #7: Include interactive charts or graphs to show numbers or statistics

In some presentations, numbers and statistics are the key points that the audience has to pay attention to. 

Instead of presenting the raw data, try to convert them into charts or graphs that people will understand and remember better. 

This way, they digest information much more easily. 

Way #8: Be aware of the F-shaped pattern

A key step in creating an engaging presentation is getting familiar with what engages the brain. 

Fortunately, the eye-tracking study has revealed how people typically read and consume content, which is a great help for all presenters to organize their content on slides wisely. 

Namely, the evidence has shown that people read web pages in an F-shaped pattern, so they favor the top and left sides. 

Therefore, presenters should avoid using bullet points, since they don’t support scanning behavior. Making things worse, bullet points may lead to your audience feeling cognitively overwhelmed and distracted from what you’re saying.

According to the Harvard Business Review article : 

“ Bullet points are the least effective way to get your point across. Take Steve Jobs, considered to be one of the most extraordinary presenters of his time. He rarely showed slides with just text and bullets. He used photos and text instead. ”

So, instead of bullet points, try to deliver important information according to the F-shaped pattern.

Way #9: Turn the presentation into a story

Now that we’re confident storytelling is a powerful tool for engaging the audience, the question is: How do we incorporate it into a presentation?

First of all, no matter whether your presentation covers data-heavy content or not, it can be turned into an inspiring story. 

You just need to follow the next steps that ensure your story is a good fit for your presentation:

• Know your audience : We’ve already concluded that knowing your audience well is critical to connecting with them. But, aside from understanding their interests and motivations, it’s important to understand whether and how much they are familiar with the topic. Duarte says: “ It’s important to know your audience so that you can understand how your views are both similar to and different from theirs ”.
• Clarify your objective: Secondly, getting clear on your presentation goals is equally important as understanding your listeners. This way, you ensure that your presentation objective aligns with your audience’s goal. For example, if you’re making a sales presentation, your goal here is clear: you want to motivate prospects to become paying customers. On the other hand, their goal is to get relevant information and grasp whether your service/product can help them solve a problem. 
• Set the basic structure: Once you’re familiar with your audience’s goal and your presentation objective, it’s time to set the basic structure that defines the beginning, middle, and end of the presentation.
• Add details: Finally, don’t forget to add details that vividly present your ideas. This is a key step for making your story compelling and enticing.

Way #10: Set the basic structure of your story 

If you’re creating an educational presentation, at the beginning of your story, make your listeners aware of the importance of the topic, and motivate them to learn more about it. On the other hand, in sales presentations, you should discuss pain points that can be solved by the product/service you’re offering. 

Nancy Duarte calls the beginning of the story a “call to adventure” , because you call your listeners to leave their comfort zone. 

She states: 

“ The first turning point to occur in a presentation is the call to adventure, which triggers a significant shift in the content. The call to adventure asks the audience to jump into a situation that, unbeknownst to them, requires their attention and action. This moment sets the presentation in motion. ”

She also added: 

“You can use historical information about what has been or the current state of what is, which often includes the problem you’re currently facing. You should deliver a concise formulation of what everyone agrees is true .” 

When creating a compelling beginning of the story , the goal is to make your audience see the contrast between what is and what could be.

According to Nancy, in the middle of the story , the focus is on contrast. This is because a presenter has a role to make and resolve a problem through contrast. That way, the audience pays attention and stays interested. 

Even though presenters typically end with a call to action , a more inspirational way to do so is to include “the picture of the potential reward”.

Way #11: Give it a personal touch 

Ena Popovic pointed out that storytelling should include personal touch:

“ Personal stories have the power to connect us with others. If you are able to find a link between the information presented and your day-to-day life or experiences, take advantage of the pull that this resource can generate .”

Thus, adding a personal touch helps presenters to appear more relatable — this way, you can show your vulnerability, which helps your listeners get emotionally involved.

Way #12: Make the presentation more conversational 

To encourage the presentation to be more of a dialogue, ask whether your listeners have a question before you move to the next slide. 

In addition, Ena suggests encouraging your audience to participate and surprising your audience in the following way:

“Hide small pieces of interesting information within the presentation itself. It could be a video, audio, or new information. Hide it and let the audience track them.”

That way, you encourage the participants to think actively and find the answers by themselves. This practice is a good option for turning passive audiences into active participants. 

Way #13: Encourage the audience to participate 

You can use different strategies to make your audience participate, but Ena suggests dividing into small groups:

“ Try dividing your participants into small groups to conduct a short task, then feed back their findings into your key presentation points. This makes them feel important, builds trust, and radically increases engagement levels. ”

This way, you also encourage your audience to collaborate and exchange their ideas and thoughts.

Way #14: Add a Q&As and discussion session

According to Edoardo Binda Zane, asking questions is a powerful technique to engage the audience: 

“ By far, the most effective tactic is to ask questions to the audience or involve them. Even something as simple as ‘Raise your hand if…’ can make a world of a difference. In remote communication, you can also do something similar.” 

If you need to present remotely, you can take advantage of your business communication software’s video conferencing option and share your screen to communicate complex ideas clearly, so everyone is on the same page.

Way #15: Listen to feedback

Aside from engaging the participants and making them feel heard, asking questions is a great method to get feedback.  This can dramatically improve the quality of your speech and presentations in the future.

Therefore, listen to the audience’s questions and comments well, and use this data when creating your next presentation.

For example, if you notice that the participants don’t understand some concepts from your presentation well, in the future, incorporate examples that will fill the gap.

Way #16: Make an eye contact 

The great importance of eye contact is usually overlooked. However, this is a powerful tool for making connections with your listeners and conveying your confidence. 

Plus, it helps you deliver your message effectively and facilitate your audience’s engagement.

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Way #17: End on a more serious tone 

Presenters have to end a presentation effectively. 

Ena advises considering the two following practices:

• End on a more serious tone, and
• Add a reflection at the very end. 

She elaborates:

“When all is said and done, you will want the audience to remember the core concepts and keep thinking about what you have said after the presentation is over. This is why you should let things naturally calm down and end with an important idea, quote or even a question.”

Way #18: Add a reflection at the very end

A good way to end your presentation is asking reflective questions, which help your audience to think about what they just learned and how they can take advantage of that knowledge. 

Here’s what Ena says about this practice:

“ Reflective questions make sure the presentation receives a good ending. A reflective question gives you an idea of the audience’s take-away from the presentation while encouraging them to share their feedback and inputs.”

You can ask your listeners the following questions:

• “What did you learn from the presentation that you didn’t know before?” , or
• “ How will you use that knowledge in the future?”

Hold your amazing presentations over Pumble

If you work remotely but still have to hold a presentation or have remote coworkers who can’t make it for your in-person presentation, Pumble is the perfect solution. 

Thanks to the video conferencing feature, you can gather all your colleagues in one place and hold a presentation for them. 

Furthermore, the screen-sharing option allows you to share the presentation slides with other participants in the call, making your presentation more engaging. 

If timing is particularly important, Pumble offers reminders that can pop up in your personal chat at specific times to remind you to say or do something during your presentation. 

Finally, since prompting participants to actually participate during a presentation seems to be the hardest job, you can utilize Pumble’s in-call chat to invite people to join in on the discussion, share their opinions, or ask questions. 

With Pumble, your presentations will be more interactive, engaging, and successful! So send that DM or channel message and invite everyone to come and see your presentation!

Visnja is a communication author and researcher at Pumble, applying her knowledge about psychology to writing blog posts on business communication and remote work. She is passionate about understanding the ways communication influences organizational behavior, employee satisfaction, and productivity. When she's not writing, she's probably researching various industrial-organizational psychology topics.

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105+ Creative Presentation Ideas to Engage Your Audience

Written by: Orana Velarde

With most people tuning out of a PowerPoint presentation within the first 10 minutes , developing engaging slide show presentation ideas that keep your audience hooked till the end can be a challenge.

This is why we've created this post with 105+ creative presentation ideas to help you put together exciting presentations that don't put your audience to sleep. You can use these presentation ideas for business meetings, webinars, classrooms, online courses, pitch decks and more.

Here are some of the ideas we’re covering:

• Use neon colors and duotones
• Unify transitions horizontally
• Use a monochrome palette
• Tell a personal story
• Use isometric illustrations

In this article, you'll find unique slide examples, templates, designs and more. Put these slide show presentation ideas to practice using our presentation maker and create your own presentation in minutes.

Here's a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit Presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more below:

• Add bright and bold colors to make your presentation stand out and grab your audience's attention. Create a vibrant and dynamic look by using neon colors and duotones.
• Instead of using different transitions for each slide, use the same transition horizontally throughout your presentation. This creates a cohesive and visually pleasing flow.
• To create a sophisticated, minimalist look, limit your color choices to shades of a single color.
• Connect with your audience and make your message more relatable by incorporating personal anecdotes or stories into your presentation.
• Add depth and dimension to your presentation with isometric illustrations, which can be a fun and engaging way to present complex information.
• Sign up for Visme’s presentation software to start applying these creative presentation ideas.

105+ Creative Presentation Ideas

The ideas we've shared cut across various design concepts, industries and use cases. We've also sprinkled presentation design ideas from Visme's template library.  If you're running out of creative steam, you can use these templates to jumpstart your designs.

And if you're running out of time, consider using Visme's AI presentation maker to bring these 100 creative presentation ideas to life. It's a user-friendly tool that effortlessly transforms your ideas into visually stunning presentations.

Now, let's jump into the creative presentation design ideas.

1 Use Neon Colors

Neon colors will give your presentation enough color kick to keep the viewer’s attention. Use neon colors either as the background, as specific elements or as details inside the slides. The trick with neon is to not go overboard with the contrasts. Instead of using a neon rainbow, think more along the lines of neon accents.

2 Be Minimal

Using a minimal design composition is one of the unique presentation ideas. The trick is to have just enough information and visual details for the viewer to feel comfortable seeing the slides. A minimal design can instill calm and awe in your audience when done right. The trick with minimalism is to know when enough is enough, you wouldn’t want to be boring instead of minimal.

RELATED:  20+ Examples of Minimalist Design to Inspire Your Own Creations

3 Use all caps

Another creative presentation idea is using all caps when you feel like the topic of your presentation can be delivered with few words. Using all capitals in your slides will give the message importance. This design might not be suited for a text-heavy presentation but maybe one with an audio narrative that goes along with it or bullet points.

Also, this kind of presentation design is suitable for captivating introduction slide ideas.

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4 Go vertical

Rectangular presentations are definitely the norm, but with the rise of Instagram Stories, this might be starting to change. This shift introduces a unique opportunity for those looking for ideas for presentation styles that stand out. Now that we can put archived stories into Highlights, why not publish vertical presentations there? Going vertical is just one idea. Along with that, you can add any other design technique.

5  Use duotones

Duotone doesn’t exactly mean “two colors,” it actually means “two tones.” The idea behind this design angle is to use two contrasting tonalities which can have different shades. The difference between duotone and two colors is that it has a more edgy look. Depending on what two tonalities you choose, it can be subtle or very powerful. The photos used in the design also need to be customized to the duotone color you chose.

6 Add a video in different shapes or snippets

Videos can be a powerful tool in your arsenal for engaging your audience during a presentation. Not only do they help to break up the monotony of a lecture-style presentation, but they can also help to explain complex concepts, add visual interest, and evoke emotions.

One way to make your videos stand out is by using different shapes or snippets. Rather than presenting a standard rectangular video, consider incorporating shapes such as circles, triangles or diamonds. These shapes can add a unique and visually appealing element to your presentation.

Another way to incorporate video snippets is by breaking up a longer video into smaller, bite-sized pieces. This can be particularly useful if you have a lengthy video that you want to show but don't want to lose your audience's attention. By breaking it up into smaller segments, you can keep your audience engaged and prevent them from losing interest.

Don’t worry about the design complexity. If you create your presentation in Visme, you can resize your videos instantly and turn them into any shape you want.

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7  Unify transitions horizontally

Unifying the transitions between slides is always a great idea, but doing it horizontally is especially effective. By keeping all the movements going in one direction, it's both easy to follow and will look great. You don’t need to just apply horizontal transitions to the switch between slides, you can also apply animation to the titles and images. As long as they all go in the same direction, you are gold.

Create a slide deck like this in minutes.

• Search for the exact slides you need from a library of 900+ layouts
• Choose a classic or modern style
• Create automatically animated presentations

8  Black and white + spot of bright color

This presentation design idea is highly effective if you're looking for a creative way to present information.

Adding a bright color to a black and white scheme can add just the right amount of attention-grabbing detail to your presentation. Try choosing a powerful color so that it’s really noticeable and pops visually. You can use the color in small amounts or in large sections. Up to you, just remember to maintain a balance throughout.

9 Use a color theme

A cohesive color theme throughout your presentation can engage your audience and create a more visually appealing experience.

To start, consider the overall tone of your presentation and what emotions you want to evoke in your audience. Are you presenting on a serious topic, such as healthcare or finance, where a more subdued color palette may be appropriate?

Or are you presenting on a more lighthearted topic, such as creativity or innovation, where bright and bold colors can help to capture your audience's attention?

Once you have a general idea of your color palette, try to use it consistently throughout your slides. This means using the same background, font and accent colors for headings and graphics– like the presentation template below.

Visme's presentation templates offer a wide range of professionally designed themes with 300+ slides in 20+ different categories, making it the best choice for exploring creative presentation ideas without PowerPoint. You can create visually stunning slides with our carefully curated color schemes and stylish designs.

Read this article about 25 free presentation themes in Visme and find the perfect one.

Visme's presentation maker and branded presentation templates have been helping businesses create impactful presentations while saving them time and money. That's why many businesses choose Visme over other tools.

But don't just take it for word. Here's what one of our satisfied customers has to say about Visme.

"Previously we were using PowerPoint, which is fine, but the interactivity you can get with Visme is so much more robust that we've all steered away from PowerPoint."

"PowerPoint templates are plain and boring, and we want to create more fun and engaging content. Visme has multiple slide templates to choose from, which makes this so much easier."

"I just made a deck recently and it took me about 15-20 minutes. I found a template I really liked and tweaked it and put it in our brand colors. In PowerPoint, it would take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half."

- Kendra Bradley, Graphic Content Developer at WOW!

10  Add full-screen videos

The use of full-screen video in your slides can have a big impact on your storytelling. There’s a catch though. The wrong video will be detrimental to your message, be mindful of the videos you chose to grace the background of your slides. The video should either tell your story without words or be a complement that won’t interfere. The wrong video will confuse your viewers and it will be hard to get their undivided attention back.

If you’re looking for quick idea inspiration, check out our YouTube video where Mike shares 30 of our favorite presentation ideas at a glance.

11  Use an 80’s visual style

If looking for a unique design style, why not try an 80’s style for a change. Neon graffiti writing, disco balls, and brightly colored shapes might go well with your presentation’s topic. You can use 80’s visuals as small complementary elements or as the entirety of the presentation style. Nevertheless, if your presentation is about something quite serious then maybe you should try another style.

All you have to do is provide a text prompt, choose your preferred template style and the tool will generate text, images and icons and prepare a ready-to-use presentation within seconds. 

The flexibility to customize these presentations in the Visme editor adds the perfect finishing touches to your visual storytelling journey.

12  Go vintage

Another creative presentation idea is the vintage look. This could work really well with a history-themed presentation or anything to do with recuperating old traditions. When we say “vintage” we mean sepia-toned photos, intricate picture frames, bold fonts which look like they came out of old posters.

A vintage color palette is usually pastel turquoise green, ochre yellow and washed out blue and orange. You could consider using vintage mockup sets to create scenes for your slides, or use vintage style fonts, and old photographs as backgrounds.

13  Use a monochrome palette

A monochrome palette is one that maintains a single tonality in different strengths. For example, you can create a presentation in shades of blue, or in shades of orange. Use the palest shade for the background and a stronger shade for the titles and decorative shapes. Try doing it the opposite way as well. You can even use photos with a bit of a filter effect in the chosen color by adding a color filter.

14  Tell a personal story

Telling stories from your own life—whether those stories are deeply moving, humorous tales, or just little snippets that allow someone to look into your history—can be a great way to make a presentation more meaningful.

Colin Stokes uses this to his advantage in his TED talk. He begins by talking about the movies he watches with his daughter and what she likes, and then moving into watching a movie with his son, and wondering how it has affected him, allowing him to move seamlessly into his actual points.

Watch the video below to learn how Colin Stokes did it

Choose a relevant story from your past, and tell it with all the honesty that you can. Your audience will feel that, sympathize, and therefore connect more with your message.

15  Creative photo crops

The photos in your presentations can be cropped hundreds of different ways. From simple circles or rectangles to more elaborate triangles, polygons, letter shapes or even a brushstroke. Analyze the message of your presentation to know which shape to use for the cropping of your photos. You can also create a collage with the shapes as long as they don’t distract from the information being presented.

16 Add fun illustrations

Adding fun illustrations is a great idea to engage your audience during a presentation. They can help break up text-heavy slides, make your presentation more visually attractive and reinforce your message, making it one of the best fun presentation ideas.

Hand-drawn doodles, icons and graphics and animated GIFs are all illustrations you can use. To maximize the visual impact of your illustrations, you can use them in 3D.

With Visme, you can enhance your presentation by adding 3D objects that allow you to customize their colors, size and alignment. Additionally, you can add 3D animated graphics to take things to the next level.

When using illustrations, it's important to remember to use them sparingly to avoid overwhelming your audience. Less is more when it comes to adding graphics to your slides. Remember to match the illustrations with your theme and color scheme to keep things consistent.

17  Thick and bold fonts

Huge chunky fonts are a great way to call attention to titles on slides. You could even try making the letters bleed over the edges or place the words vertical along the side. The best thick and bold fonts are the ones with minimal decorations. Try using fonts that have strong corners or the opposite, extreme rounded terminals. It will also work best if the title is short and sweet.

18 Go with nature

Freshen up your presentation with some natural elements around the edges or as a background. You could use full-screen background photos of leaves or palm fronds coming in from the sides of the slides.

Another presentation idea would be to use nature-related photography along with other design ideas like interesting photo crops. This technique could be used for presentations that relate to nature or natural topics, but also for a home decor proposal or creative direction pitch for a TV ad.

Integrating nature into your slides is a beautiful presentation example of how to connect with your audience on a different level. This technique could be used for presentations about environmental topics or even about home decoration.

19 Use circles

Circles represent wholeness and a natural sense of completion. They can signify eternity and constant movement. They can also make your presentation more friendly and emotionally accessible. You can try using circles as decorative elements or as the shape for cropping images and as backgrounds for illustrations.

20 Add some sparkle (glitter backgrounds)

Give your presentations a little bit of a festive feel with some glittery details. This PowerPoint idea can work great if you are presenting a creative proposal for a fashion label or clothing catalog. It can even work really well for holiday-themed pitches or products. There are different types of glittery graphics you can use, like a glitter texture, a glittering rain or even just a dash of glitter. You can find some great glitter backgrounds and textures over at Freepik .

21 Get crafty (ripped paper details)

Sometimes to tell a story, visual details can really help get a mood across. Ripped paper shapes and edges can give a presentation a special feel, almost as if it was done by hand. This visual technique works for any type of presentation except maybe in a corporate setting. Ripped paper can be found on creative graphics resource sites or you can do it yourself and take a photo.

22 Cut-out paper illustrations

Another crafty idea to design your slides is by using cut paper illustrations. This technique could look really crafty or quite elegant if done well. Cut paper can be used as an elaborate background, as the letters in titles or as decorative elements. There are some great cut paper bundles online to use as PNG files which can be uploaded to the Visme editor.

23  Pathway transitions

Create interesting transitions by designing scenes or pathways instead of just sliding them in one unified direction. By doing this, you can use a storytelling technique that will keep the audience’s attention throughout the presentation and information relay. You can find out how to do it in our free guide to creating captivating presentations .

Create an automatically animated presentation in minutes.

24  use isometric illustrations.

If you are looking for a different way to illustrate your slides, why not consider using isometric illustrations? This style of illustration is great for explaining things that can be separated into parts. The parts can be animated as well. An isometric illustration can work for any kind of presentation, from technology to corporate. It will give your presentation a modern edge and a professional look.

25  Use motion graphics

Motion graphics are a great way to illustrate an idea with animated objects . They don’t tell stories on their own, they support the context and illustrate the content.

For example, if your presentation is about travel, you could have flying airplanes across the slides or bags on a luggage conveyor belt. For something more abstract, you can use moving shapes and add effects to the titles. Your Visme editor has a variety of design tools to help you create all sorts of content with motion graphics.

Here’s what one of Visme’s satisfied customers Jessica L. | Small-Business Owner, has to say about Visme’s presentation tool:

"No need to go back to PowerPoint. Visme makes project presentations easy and fast. Lots of useful templates and excellent graphics. I enjoy the features they continue to add and update often. They make project work easy".

26  Add GIFs to your slides

GIFs can be fun, entertaining and humorous. They can also be informational. GIFs be sourced from sites like Giphy , where you can also create your own! Choosing to include a GIF in your presentation slide or a few different GIFs will depend on what message you want to send with your story. The theme and topic of your presentation will help you decide if you need a clip from a blockbuster movie or a quick representation of the process of your systems.

RELATED:  Everything You Need to Know About Using Cool GIFs in Your Marketing

27  Use quotes between slides

Quotes can be good breathers between a bunch of informative slides. You can either use them to separate ideas inside your presentation or to start new sections of information. It’s important that your quotes represent the topic of your presentation so that they make sense and not confuse the viewer.

28  Start with “once upon a time”

One of the most effective and engaging ways to present a presentation is by incorporating creative storytelling techniques.

If a presentation can be created as a story, then why not go all the way and start the presentation with a classic story opening? Using the “once upon a time” phrase will instantly grab the viewer’s attention because it will be out of the ordinary. Make a slide especially for it with a visual that matches the topic of your presentation.

29  Turn the slides into a scrolling infographic instead of a presentation

To showcase your content in a unique and engaging way, consider using creative slide ideas that break away from the traditional slide-by-slide approach. For instance, you can arrange your slides vertically to create a scrolling infographic instead of a classic slide-by-slide transition presentation.

This innovative format expands the types of presentations you can create, offering a fresh perspective on information delivery.

An added bonus to this presentation style is to add parallax scrolling or interaction animation. As the viewer scrolls down, the information fills each slide progressively. It doesn’t continue until the viewer scrolls again. This technique is best for displaying online slide show presentation ideas.

Create a scrolling presentation in minutes.

30  engage your audience.

What’s one of the best ways to make your presentations more interesting? Make the audience a part of them.

Regardless if you’re presenting in person to a room full of people or via Zoom to viewers around the world, there are a number of techniques to engage your audience with both your content and yourself. The trick is to make them feel connected somehow, like they can relate. You can achieve this with humor, storytelling, asking questions and inviting them to leave comments in the webinar chat window.

Take this speech by Donovan Livingston. He delivers a commencement speech in spoken word poetry, and specifically encourages the audience to take part, saying they should clap, throw their hands in the air, or otherwise participate if they feel so moved. While not seen, several people are heard cheering and clapping throughout the video.

Participation can also be accomplished through things such as games, posing questions or something as simple as asking participants to raise their hands.

31 Use a scrunched paper background

Give your presentation a laid-back and grunge feel by designing it with a scrunched paper background. It can be any kind of paper really, depending on your topic. It could be notebook paper, or printer paper, it could even be recycled paper. Try a few different types of paper until you find the one that suits your story.

32 Add interactive pop-ups

Adding interactive pop-ups is a game-changer when it comes to creative ways of presenting. These pop-ups allow you to go beyond the traditional approach, giving your audience a more dynamic and engaging experience.

Interactive pop-ups can take many forms, from quizzes and polls to clickable infographics and interactive timelines. With Visme, you can access various interactive features that can help you create engaging and effective presentations.

For example, you can create clickable icons or buttons that allow your audience to explore additional information or resources. You can also create interactive timelines that enable your audience to explore different events or milestones.

One of the most powerful interactive features of Visme is the ability to create quizzes and polls. You can make interactive questions and answer options that allow your audience to engage with your presentation on a deeper level.

You can also use this feature to gather feedback from your audience, allowing you to tailor your presentation to their needs and interests.

Watch the video below or read this article to learn how to create an interactive presentation .

33  Use a back-to-school theme

A back-to-school theme can make your presentation look like a lot of fun. This is a great technique for teachers and educators welcoming their students back to a new school year. The background can be a sheet of notebook paper, an open notebook, or a blackboard. The edges could be decorated with pencils and paperclips, maybe an eraser or sharpener. The back-to-school theme has lots of possibilities.

34  Use a billboard-inspired theme

Use billboard mockups to create slides which look like billboards. This could look interesting and quite unique.  You could use the same billboard for all the slides, or different ones for a more varied approach. This technique would work great with a pitch for an election or a local spot in a government office.  

35  Use black-and-white photography

Black and white photography is a classic design technique. They import elegance and sophistication to any design by providing a minimalistic approach to the visuals. The photos can either be desaturated from color photos or given an artistic flair with extra contrast and fewer grey tones.

36  Explain your reasons

What people really want to know is why you’re giving the presentation you’re giving. This is especially true if you’re pitching to investors or potential new clients. When you share your why with the audience using storytelling and body language, you make meaningful connections and lasting relationships

Simon Sinek explains quite well why this is so important—the greatest leaders, the ones who inspire the most people, understand why they do the things they do, rather than just what or how.

When it comes to explaining your reasons, one tool that can significantly improve your presentations is Visme's AI writer . This advanced feature helps you write your presentation copy, break down complex ideas and edit or improve your existing words. With Visme's AI writer, you can make sure your "why" is clear and easy to understand alongside your visuals.

37  Add an audio narrative

Your presentation doesn’t need to be silent, especially if you won’t be standing by it to tell the story yourself. Adding an audio narrative can turn a viewable presentation into an experience. You can either set it up as a video that runs on its own and the viewer looks and listens, or it can be triggered by arrows that are clicked on.

RELATED:  How to Create a Narrated Presentation With Voice Over Using Visme

38 Follow a space theme with photography

Most of the photos from Nasa are labeled as public domain. Meaning that you can give your presentation a space theme quite easily. Choose images of astronauts in space or more abstract and colorful images like distant galaxies and nebulas. The latter can make great backgrounds behind content without the topic necessarily being about space.

39 Do a space theme with illustration

An illustrated space theme can be either colorful and whimsical or sober and elegant. By choosing the style of illustration you use, you can either use this technique for presentations related to children or scientists. Cartoon astronauts can be lots of fun, line illustration planets can be educational and data-driven drawings can be informational.

40  Include music

Sometimes, when listening to someone talk for long periods of time, it helps to have something else to draw your attention. While images are great, including music can really help stimulate an audience and set the mood.

Dean Burnett talks about why this happens: “[Music] provides non-invasive noise and pleasurable feelings, to effectively neutralize the unconscious attention system’s ability to distract us.” Essentially, music is entertaining enough that, when in the background, can keep us focused on otherwise un-entertaining things.

Take, for example, this valedictorian’s speech. While peppered with humor and stories of his time through high school, he uses background music to help keep people’s attention—in fact, this is specifically stated to be his reason for including music, humorously quipping about giving the audience something to listen to while they “zone out” of his speech.

Whether incorporated into individual slides, in a video, done live, or with a music-playing device nearby, this creative presentation idea can be a great way to enhance the quality of your speech or talk.

41  Graffiti photography backgrounds and details

Using colorful backgrounds like photos of urban graffiti can give your presentation a bit of an edge. There are lots of free photographs of graffiti on sites like Unsplash which you can use straight away. Apart from graffiti murals, you can also incorporate graffiti letterings in your titles and quotes. You can find graffiti style fonts online quite easily.

42  Stop-motion

The stop-motion technique can take time but it can also make your presentation unforgettable. There are lots of ways to use stop-motion, either with characters doing actions or objects that move around and create a scene. Stop-motion can also be used to create titles that move into place. What the title is written with can be anything, from toys to plants. The theme and topic of your presentation will ultimately be the driving point to what kind of stop-motion can be used. But be sure that it works from educational to promotional to corporate.

43  Claymation

Very similar to stop-motion, claymation is the animation of things created with clay or play-doh. Anything can be created with clay, so the possibilities really are endless about what can be achieved. This technique really does take a lot of time, you can source it out to a professional or buy some already created footage. The claymation can be just a decorative element in the background or it could also be the center of the presentation.

44  Color blocking

The color blocking technique is another creative presentation idea that entails using color in large sections and in contrasting tones. The idea is that the color blocks will be strong and colorful. The color blocks can either be the shapes that determine where the information goes or just a way to separate the slides in specific sections.

Any type of presentation can benefit from color blocking. Just make sure you use colors that go together and don’t clash. Explore this technique for different presentation slide ideas, especially when aiming for a bold and visually striking effect.

45  Get surreal

Surrealism is an avant-garde movement from the 20th century which was meant to tap into subconscious creativity. This might not be the kind of design technique for any sort of presentation but it can work for one that is about art, or literature or other creative outlets. There are plenty of surrealist artworks in the public domain sector or the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These can be used as subtle backgrounds or visual complements to the text.

Designing a presentation for an organization requires input from different stakeholders. However, when collaborating with others on a presentation design, keeping track of all the moving parts can be difficult.

That's where Visme's workflow management feature comes in. It helps organize roles, tasks, progress, deadlines and corrections all in one place to make your presentation design process efficient and smooth.

46  Polaroids

Polaroids, often a photography favorite, can inspire creative photography presentation ideas. The original Polaroids from the 70’s could be used as vintage polaroids that have been kept in a box for years. The newest Instamatic photographs, which are the new kind of polaroids, can be used for a fun way to show photos and visuals in presentation slides. You could either use one polaroid per slide or a collection of polaroids on a table or corkboard.

There are many topics that can work with Polaroid photography backgrounds and details in your slide show presentation ideas.

47  Use a Handwriting Font

Fonts come in all shapes and sizes, including lots of handwriting fonts. Handwritten fonts can be used for any type of presentation as long as the style matches the topic of the information. There are kid-style handwriting, calligraphy style handwriting, hand lettering, and novelty fonts as well. The options are wide and varied for this design technique. Creative Bloq has a great collection of handwritten fonts.

48  Use a geometric background

A geometric background can look really nice on any presentation. Geometric backgrounds can be tiled polygons or more abstract compositions of different size polygons. The decision to choose between tiled shapes and more creative compositions will depend on your creative angle and disposition. You can use these types of designs with any colors, so you can match the theme or your brand.

49 Coffee style design

Using a coffee-style design can work for any PowerPoint presentation idea, from office-related topics to digital nomads to anything or anyone who loves coffee. If the background is subtle, it can fit a more serious topic or data report. It can make a boring presentation just a bit more visually entertaining than the rest. Of course, it can also be perfect for a small coffee brewer pitching their company to investors.

50  Include memes

You’ve seen them everywhere by this point. You might be pretty sick of them. However, that doesn’t mean memes can’t be useful—in fact, using a couple strategically can surprise the audience and make them laugh.

The presentation " Memes, Memes Everywhere" focuses on, unsurprisingly, memes, and explains their purpose while using examples on every slide, which help support their points and add some humor to a very text-heavy presentation.

Choosing relevant memes and using them sparingly can really help add some personality to your presentation, without distracting from the work.

RELATED: 85+ Best Free Presentation Templates

51  Polka dots

Using a polka-dot background is suitable for various types of presentations. It can give your presentation a whimsical look or simply give it a subtle texture. The polka dots could be small and soft or big and punchy. A strong polka-dot background can work great in a creative setting or even boring data analysis. The style of polka dots will depend on the general topic of your presentation. You can use the polka-dot design as a full background or as a decorative section on the slide.

52  Metaphors

Visual metaphors can be useful in a similar manner; they can spice up your presentation, illustrate your point, and make your work far more entertaining. James Geary speaks about just how important metaphors are.

His presentation provides several examples of metaphors--such as the phrase “some jobs are jails”--and explains just how hard it is to ignore the lasting power of a well-used metaphor. Because of the connotations a metaphor can bring to the table, their use is an excellent way to imbue added meaning to your words.

53  Use timelines in your slides

Timelines can be used in lots of different ways inside a PowerPoint presentation, and the ideas are limitless. A timeline can either be inside one slide, or it can be connected between various slides. You can make a timeline with icons, connected shapes, or an inclined line. The timeline can be a visual way of explaining a chronological event or a plan of action that needs to be taken care of. Make sure the timeline fits the rest of the theme.

54  Use a comic book style

Comic books are a source of inspiration for many people. The visual aspect of a comic style composition can really make your presentation shine. There are a few ways you can use this technique. You could set up the slides as if they were snippets of a comic book, place the text in speech and thought bubbles and apply a background with a pointillist texture. If using characters, make sure the characters fit the theme of your presentation. For a perfect fit, hire a designer to create a comic book presentation just for your company.

55  Use a manga style

Looking for creative PowerPoint slide ideas that stand out? Consider taking inspiration from the Japanese art of Manga. Manga can give your presentation a distinct and eye-catching look, much like comic books.

It isn’t as versatile as a comic book because it has a more specific look, so it might not work for all topics. It can work for more creative outlets like fashion, art, and photography. Manga has a specific style for the atmosphere around the unique characters as well. They are more common in black and white and look very photographic.

56  Use psychedelic visuals

Psychedelia was a big part of the design world in the 60’s and 70’s. Music and creative event posters were so intricate and colorful that they took an important place in the design history books. This design style can be used for a unique visual approach in your presentations. Just like many other techniques we have mentioned, they can be used as a background in slides or as decorative elements. The swirly shapes and contrasting colors can call attention to the viewer in a positive way.

Create professional and engaging presentations online!

• Choose from hundreds of fully designed templates
• Align colors, fonts and images with your brand
• Add custom charts, timelines, icons, animations and more

57  Use neon lights

Neon lights are a great way to give your presentation some life when it’s otherwise visually bland. There are plenty of neon light fonts available online to choose from, from classic style neon tubing on a wall to a neon style given to a font to make it look like neon. Presentations of any topic can be given an additional visual with a bit of neon brightness.

58  Cinemagraph backgrounds

A cinemagraph is like a GIF loaded with elegance. The idea behind a cinemagraph is a photo with a moving section which makes it look cinematic. This kind of background can keep your viewers happily hypnotized while listening to your audio narrative or keep them on the slide longer to truly grasp the information being given. There are cinemagraphs available for all sorts of themes and topics. You can definitely find one that suits your needs.

59  Full-screen video backgrounds

A full-screen background can be really appealing. But just like other design ideas, the video you choose needs to match the theme and topic of your presentation. Your best bet is to have a video which is directly related to what your presentation is about. Videos can be created especially for your purpose, sourced with permission from YouTube or bought from a stock video site.

60  Visualize data

Staring at a large amount of numbers on screen can be overwhelming for most people, even if the realities of those numbers enforce your point. What’s the best way to avoid scaring your crowd? Put the data into easily understandable visualizations.

If you want to take this a step further, you can use illustrations or create infographics to make these data visualizations even more engaging.

61  Use a wild west theme

The wild west is not a very versatile theme but can work for a history project or a proposal for a wild west themed party or event. What entails a wild west theme? Brown sandy tones, horses, cowboys, and tumbleweeds. If the full-on wild west theme is too much, you can also take a cue from the era and be inspired by the color scheme. Another approach would be to use photography from the actual west of the United States, mountains and deserts and so on.

62 Use mind maps

Mind maps are great visual tools for explaining concepts easily. By including mind maps in your slides, you can relay complicated information visually and creatively. There are eight types of mind maps, the most common being bubble maps, the tree map, and flow map. Each one has a different purpose and you can learn all about this in our guide about mind maps in the Visual Learning Center.

63  Use interactive geographic maps

The difference between a static map and an interactive map will define how much attention your slides get. Regions can switch colors according to a change in data over time, making the map more into a chart. With Visme, you can make your maps interactive with live data . All you need to do is sync your data from a Google Sheets file and when your presentation is published online, your map will always be synchronized to that data.

Want to create your own interactive map?

• Create a color-coded map to visualize geographical data
• Choose either the entire world map, a continent or a country
• Enable feature to have data values appear on hover

64  Color contrasts

Using contrasting colors in your slides will make the information pop out of the screen in a positive way. The trick to using contrasting colors is to know how colors match together. Contrasting doesn’t mean they need to clash. Try using a color palette generator like Adobe Color to find great palettes that will make this technique your new best friend. You can learn more about how color works in our guide about color perception in the Visme Learning Center.

65  Live data graphs

Adding live data to a presentation can turn your slides into evergreen content in a flash. You can use any type of chart and populate it with live data such as bar graphs, line graphs, pie graphs, and more. You can add live data graphs to one or two slides in your presentation or have a series of them. Creating a live data graph is easy with the Visme editor.

66  Color fade transitions

Transitions come in lots of different styles. We have mentioned horizontal transitions, animated transitions, and pathway transitions. This particular technique involves color as the ruling factor.

A color-fade transition makes each slide connected to each other through color. This can be achieved with gradients, color blocks, or colored photo filters. Make your PowerPoint presentation ideas stand out with color fade transitions.

67  “Grow” your presentation so it looks like one animated slide

This creative PowerPoint idea is quite interesting as it really only uses one slide that grows upon itself. The practical way to do this is to create the final slide with all the parts and information set up like a finished puzzle. Once you have the completed slide, duplicate it as many times as you need and systematically take off a bit of information until you’ve reached the first title slide. Once you have all the slides, make sure they are in order before downloading the entire thing.

RELATED:  A Non-Designer’s Guide to Creating Memorable Visual Presentations [Free E-Book]

68  Use humor

Want a great way to connect with your audience and make a memorable, more engaging presentation? Be funny. When used strategically, this is a great way to capture attention. In fact, infusing humor into your talk is one of the most effective fun presentation ideas you can use.

Morgan Spurlock makes wonderful use of this in his TED talk. For example, in one of his earliest statements, he offered individuals the opportunity to buy the rights to name his TED talk—which he refers to again at the end, where he reveals the title. He peppers the entire presentation with humorous commentary that nonetheless supports his point.

Create relevant jokes or find a way to bring out the humor in your subject, and your audience will be much more engaged and more likely to remember your words.

69  Tree diagram transitions

A tree diagram is one of the eight thinking maps which help visualize idea and concepts. The purpose of a tree diagram is to classify and organize information. This map can help build a presentation by making sure each slide is a continuation of the one before. They might need to be grouped into sections so that all the information is relayed easily.

Want to create your own tree diagram?

• Get a head start with pre-made flowchart blocks
• Easily snap lines and objects together
• Dozens of shapes and lines styles to choose from

70  Journal style (with hand-drawn illustrations on the margins)

One creative presentation idea is to make your talk just a little bit different than the rest is to use a journal style. The general visual idea for this technique is to make your slides look like the pages of a journal. The style of the journal will depend on what your presentation topic is. It can be a whimsical bullet journal or an intricate botany journal. You could even consider handwriting on paper as a background.

71  Ink splatters

Use ink splatters to decorate your slides any way you like. They can be big and impressive behind the content, or they can be small and subtle like drops from a pen. An ink splatter can give your presentation a bit of an artistic flair and if done right, can make your slides look elegant and clean. Any style of presentation can benefit from some ink splatters as a decorative element.

If you're looking for fresh presentation slide ideas, why not experiment with ink splatters and see how they can enhance your next presentation?

72  Passport with stamps

Using travel stamps as a decorative element can work for a presentation with a travel-theme or a creative design proposal for a department store or airport mall. The stamps can be used as a background on a passport page or on their own around the content. A photo of a real passport page can be used for this technique but there are plenty of graphics available in this style on sites like Freepik .

73  Express your emotions

We can sometimes be afraid of expressing how we feel, even to those we’re close to, much less in front of a crowd. However, showing them makes your words more authentic and can generate compassion or excitement in your audience.

Take this TED talk by Thordis Elva and Tom Stranger , for example. While the two talk about their experiences, their voices break and crack. The emotional turmoil they went through is clearly heard, and viewers can clearly understand their pain.

This can take some getting used to, and some courage. However, the results are well worth the effort.

74  Use a video game theme

Video games come in all shapes and sizes. From kids' games to arcade games to car games. Each one has their own style, just like presentations do. If you think a video game visual style is good for your project, consider all the different kinds until you find the one that fits best. You can use game screenshots as backgrounds or infuse the entire design of the presentation with the video game style you chose.

75  Use postcards

One of the least-used creative presentation ideas is to turn your content inside slides into postcards which have been sent from around the world. They can be new postcards which could be used from either front or back sides. The back part would make a great text block for the content you need to display, the photo side can be on the sides or as a background. This design technique can work for presentations about literature, family connections, history or travel. There are postcard templates available on sites like Creative Market .

76  Incorporate robots in the design

Using robots in your slides can be a creative approach to visually elevate your presentation. There are different styles of robots you can add to your presentation design; realistic photography of anamorphic robots, cute illustrated robots, or robotic parts from factories. These visuals might only apply for technology-themed presentations or about robots themselves. Cute illustrations of robots can be great backgrounds for whimsical topics or other styles of storytelling presentations.

77  Chalk on blackboard

Looking for creative slides presentation ideas? Consider using a chalkboard design to add a unique and nostalgic touch to your presentation.

Writing on a chalkboard is not limited to a school setting or a bar menu. These two might be the most common yet they are not the only possibilities for using chalk on a blackboard. A good handwriting font is the best companion to a chalkboard design. Some of these fonts are already available with a chalky texture and others might need some professional tweaking to get the right texture.

78  Get inspired by a specific location

Even if the PowerPoint presentation ideas you are designing are not about a specific place in the world, you can be inspired by one to set up the color scheme and feel of the slides. For example, if you get inspired by Greece, you can use white and light blue hues or even photos of Greek islands. If you get inspired by Brazil, you can use photos of the beach, the texture of the boardwalk tiles or green, blue, and yellow color schemes.

79  Use props

Using props can quickly turn a run-of-the-mill presentation into a unique, interactive experience. Kenny Nguyen demonstrates this well. In his talk he often refers to the “sword of yes” and “shield of no.” Naturally he picks up a sword and shield from the table to help demonstrate his points.

Choosing similar props can help you really illustrate your points—and make it that much more entertaining, too.

80  Use hashtags as titles

In the age of social media, hashtags are used every day. They appear regularly on social media, in spoken and written conversations, and of course in content marketing. Why not include some hashtags as titles? This technique will work great in a presentation for a social media content management pitch, or an in an influencer marketing strategy. On another note, hashtag titles can even be used for any type of presentation geared at the digital generation.

81  Black background, white letters, and color accents

When you use a black background, the colors that you place on top will usually look brighter than if they were on a white background. When creating this kind of color palette, make sure the colors you use don’t clash with each other or with the black. Along with the bright colors, make sure you use white to make the composition pop! Neon colors or pastel tones are what will work best.

82  Vintage film edges

Even though we are used to taking photos with our phones, the classic nostalgia of film is still prevalent in the world of visuals and design. The graphic representation of a film negative is as recognizable as an envelope representing an email. Use a vintage film edge along the horizontal edges of your slides to give your visuals a cinematic feel. Even better if you make the edges animated so that it looks like it’s rolling along on a projector.

83 Adult coloring book inspired design

Using a coloring book design can be really creative. Practically anything can be turned into a coloring book style illustration. A great way to use this technique is to have the first slide with the un-colored illustration and then progressively color in the illustration as the slides progress. Furthermore, if the illustration is depictive of the information, the visuals can be even more engaging.

84  Stripes

A stripes design is as classic as it gets. From pinstripes to artistic colorful lines, you can use them as a subtle background or a powerful striped theme intertwined with text boxes. Stripes are the kind of design technique that can work for any type of presentation, from corporate to educational.

85  Make each slide look like a social media post

Just like postcards and polaroids, you could try a creative approach and use social media templates to put the content in. The most notorious social media visual channel is Instagram. It has been known to inspire offline events as well. Make your slides look like social media posts or social media pages. For this technique, you can either use screenshots or templates.

86  Ink in water

Dropping ink in water creates beautiful colorful bubbly designs which can be photographed at high speed. These images can be used as backgrounds for any type of creative theme presentations. Choose the color and thickness of the ink design to match the theme of your presentation. There are also animated versions of this effect which can be bought like video stock.

87  Lego bricks

Use lego bricks as inspiration to fill your presentation slides with color and fun. Use the bricks to create slide frames, letters or even charts. The best approach to a lego inspired presentation is to be creative. There are lots of things you can do with lego, you could go as far as using the legos to write the titles of the slides. Don’t use the Lego logo though unless you are specifically designing a presentation about lego.

88  Use classic storytelling techniques

A presentation is, in a way, like a story—you’re talking about your chosen subject and leading viewers on a journey to discover what that subject means. Moreover, stories hold an intrinsic interest for us. Therefore, you can easily use several storytelling techniques to help improve your presentation.

Alex Blinkoff  goes into this in great detail, examining things such as “The Hero’s Journey” and provides several examples of ways to use storytelling techniques in your presentations. Check them out, and decide what might work best for your subject.

Click on image to view interactive slide show created with Visme

89  Jigsaw puzzles

Pieces of a jigsaw puzzle can be used to make charts, infographic diagrams, or interlocking frames. The idea behind puzzle pieces is that things come together to form a whole and this concept can be used for any slide and any kind of presentation. Make sure to use a suitable color palette that matches your theme and the rest of the presentation.

90  Headlines coming in animated on boats/trains/airplane

Headlines or titles can be given a life of their own inside the slides. One interesting and creative approach would be to make the titles enter the slide on top of some kind of vehicle. The vehicle could be anything, from a train to a boat, to an airplane. Depending on the type of vehicle, this animated technique can be used for child-themed topics, transportation themes, travel ideas, or even about a corporate sales report.

91  Use a camouflage design

Camo doesn’t necessarily need to convey a sense of military, although it does carry a strong connection. Thankfully, camouflage comes in different styles, from jungle greens to desert browns. Other out of the box camouflage styles are the ones where the colors are completely off the charts, like pinks and blues. Camouflage designs are better used as backgrounds or small subtle sections.

92  Use unique novelty fonts for headers

There are so many novelty fonts to choose from out there these days! Using a unique novelty font for the titles and headers is a great way to add some visual pizzazz to your slides. Try looking for some really special fonts that carry personality. Once you have selected the font, add some color and texture to make it look even better.

93  Use a city skyline

Using a background of a city skyline can work great for a presentation related to business or corporate topics. It can also be perfect for an urban travel related theme or educational presentation. You can choose to use photography as a background or with the buildings cut out from the sky. Another choice is to find an illustrated city skyline and use it as a border on the slides.

94  Use a connected dots background

One of the design trends of the last few years is the connected dots visual. It’s used on websites and on printed flyers. It’s so versatile that it can be added to any kind of presentation in a heartbeat. The lines can be short or long between the dots and the composition can be tight or spread out. You can find connected dot visuals easily on sites like Freepik, in lots of different colors. If you can manage vector graphics , you can also change the composition of the dots quite easily yourself.

95  Use a bokeh background

Bokeh is a photography and light technique which turns dots of light into bright shiny spheres. With a bit of creativity, the lights can be turned into shapes, like hearts or stars. This design style is great for backgrounds since it’s mostly abstract. It works best as a complement to the content instead of an important visual aspect. You can find bokeh backgrounds in stock photo sites or make it yourself.

96  Use watercolor designs

The use of watercolor designs is an easy way of infusing some lively color into a presentation. Watercolors can be a splash on the background, shapes around the content, or colorful strokes intertwined with text boxes. Depending on the color of the paint used, the watercolor technique can be used for any type of presentation. A soft watercolor brushed background can work for a feminine theme and a deep intense splash can add visual creativity to an otherwise boring corporate presentation.

Just like watercolor graphics, paint can add a dose of creativity to any presentation. Different to watercolors though, paint is more intense. Paint based graphics come in all shapes and sizes, from thick brush strokes to paint drips. Digital paint compositions can also make great backgrounds for colorful and creative presentations.

98  Use bright fun colors

Why create a bland presentation when you can make it fun and colorful instead? Creative color palettes can include up to six different colors which look great together. Use shapes, cut-outs, color blocks, swashes, anything your heart desires. This technique is for letting go and being creatively free with color. Just make sure the colors go together by trying out some palettes first.

99  Use arrow graphics

Arrows symbolize direction. They can be a great addition to your charts, infographic visuals and slide sections. You could even do the entire presentation using arrows. According to their size, color, and thickness, they have different temperaments. Look for different styles of arrows and see if they fit your topic and theme. Freepik has some great arrow visuals and the Visme editor also has arrow icons and infographic visuals.

100  Use electronic visuals

Another great idea for a background visual is the inside of a computer system. The intricate details of a motherboard or a close up of a memory chip can make a great visual impact. Apart from using an electronic background image, little pieces of electronic devices can be placed around the slide as decoration. This technique is generally limited to electronic or computer theme topics.

101  Metaphors

Visual metaphors can be useful in a similar manner. They can spice up your presentation, illustrate your point, and make your work far more entertaining. James Geary speaks about just how important metaphors are.

102  Keep it feminine

A feminine style design can work for your presentation if your company makes products for women or if your targeted audience is women. By feminine design, we mean light and soft colors, subtle shapes and a general airy feeling to the composition. Feminine design can be minimal but it can also be decadent and full of style. Whichever you chose, make sure it fits with your audience.

103  Go futuristic

A futuristic style can fit any theme as long as the concept of the future depicted, fits the topic of the presentation. Futuristic design can be of many different styles; from spaceship driving controls to cosmos related atmospheres, to flying cars, and artificial intelligence. Even color palettes can look futuristic if you add some metallic tones.

104  Add a music background

A music soundtrack can be added to any presentation that doesn’t have any other sort of audio already. The best music for a presentation is one without lyrics, in other words, an instrumental track. A good track will accompany the content in a positive way and not interfere with the message. You can find audio tracks easily online.

105  Communicate with images

A picture can speak a thousand words. Naturally, they can be used to communicate concepts that, for the sake of space or time, you might not be able to include in the presentation itself. This slide deck  uses this strategy to its advantage.

The presentation includes many images as backgrounds and minimal text. The images used always either enhance what’s being said or, in some cases, provide the answer for viewers. For example, the second slide states “The Landscape Today,” and includes a bleak background with a broken, tilted picture frame, emphasizing the idea that the following slides (which describe the landscape) offer some pretty disheartening information.

Using images in a related fashion can help express your views and emphasize your message.

Harness the power of Visme's AI image edit tools in your toolkit. These advanced yet easy-to-use tools let you effortlessly edit, touch up, unblur and upscale your images using simple prompts. It's an incredibly convenient way to add extra polish and clarity to your pictures to make your presentations more impactful.

106  Include artsy data visualization

Data visualization is a way of showing data and information in a way that is visually expressive. Creative data analysts can make some really beautiful creations and you can hire them to make them for you. If you haven’t seen any creative data visualizations, take a look at our collection of the best of 2018 and get inspired. You can either make the whole presentation into a data viz or add them to some of the slides.

By Beyond Words Studio

RELATED:  The 25 Best Data Visualizations of 2018

107  Stay branded

This creative tip is a simple yet effective way to spark good presentation ideas. When creating your presentation, do your best to stay on brand. This, of course, will work only if you are creating a presentation for your own brand. If creating one for a client, then you should stay on brand with their own brand style guide. This means only use the brand colors and fonts, use photos, textures, and shapes that match the brand.

Use Visme's brand design tool to ensure your presentations perfectly reflect your brand personality. Just copy and paste your website URL, and the tool will automatically extract your branding assets, such as brand colors, brand fonts and company logo.

108 Ask questions

A great tip to make your PowerPoint presentations ideas more interactive is to ask questions from your audience.  Like the example below, you can display only your question on the slide. Once the audience has pitched in their opinions and answers, you can click to reveal the actual answer. You can enable this type of interactivity on click when making a presentation in Visme .

109 Replace boring bullet points with visuals

While adding bullet points in your slides might be better than adding walls of text, they're still not the most effective way to get your message across and engage your audience. Take things up a notch and replace boring bullets with visuals, such as photos and even icons. Here's an example of how you can use icons to add a creative twist to the plain ol' bullet points.

110 Share your slide deck

Downloading your slide deck and presenting in front of an audience is not the only way to use your presentation. Make the most of your slides by sharing your presentation online.

Add interactive elements, such as clickable buttons, links, hover effects, popups, embedded videos and more so your audience can view and engage with your slides on their own.

If you've created your presentation in Visme, you can share your presentation publicly or privately using a link, or embed it anywhere you like.

Start Using These Creative Presentation Ideas

Ready to start creating your own presentation after over 100 pieces of inspiration? Choose your favorite creative presentation ideas and incorporate them into your own presentation.

You can add interactivity, animation, visuals and all kinds of creative elements to your presentations when you design them in Visme's online presentation maker. With our Dynamic Field feature , you can automatically update key information in real-time across all your slides or multiple projects. Customize existing dynamic fields or create new ones and format them to maintain design consistency.

Create a free account with Visme to start building a presentation your audience will love.

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About the Author

Orana is a multi-faceted creative. She is a content writer, artist, and designer. She travels the world with her family and is currently in Istanbul. Find out more about her work at oranavelarde.com

10 Secrets of Making Every Presentation Fun, Engaging, and Enjoyable

Not a lot of people are good at public speaking. You could even say that virtually everyone needs to get some practice, and preferably good guidance, before they can learn to stay calm when facing a room full of people. Having all eyes on you is an uncomfortable experience and it takes time to get used to. However, even if you can manage to control your stage fright and stay focused, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your presentation won’t put people to sleep. This is usually the case with long presentations on a very dull subject, with the presenter speaking in a monotone voice and dimming the lights to play a PowerPoint presentation.

You have to work hard to develop the right skills

If you want to be remembered and actually get people engaged, you need to make your presentation fun and enjoyable, without coming off as corny or desperate to please. I know, it doesn’t sound that easy at all! A good presentation during a promotional event or given to an important client can be a game changer for your business, so it is easy to get stressed out and fail to perform all that well. Luckily, giving an interesting lecture is something that can be practiced and perfected. There is plenty of advice out there on the topic, but let’s look at the most important aspects of giving a memorable and fun presentation.

1. Make your presentation short and sweet

With very long, meandering speeches you tend to lose the audience pretty early on, and from then on out it’s just a test of endurance for the few bravest listeners. Not only will people’s attention start to drop rapidly after sitting and listening to you talk for 30 minutes, but you also risk watering down your core ideas and leaving your audience with little in the way of key phrases and important bits of information to take away from the whole ordeal. Famous speakers throughout history have known the importance of condensing the information by using well thought out sentences and short phrases loaded with meaning.

JFK’s famous: ”It’s not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” expresses so much in very few words and gets the audience thinking. Ancient Spartans, for example were famous for their quick, dry wit, often demolishing their opponent’s argument with a single word or phrase . You’ll want to channel that ancient spirit and be as concise as possible when preparing your presentation.

2. Open up with a good ice breaker

At the beginning, you are new to the audience. There is no rapport, no trust and the atmosphere is fairly neutral. Even if some of the people there know you personally, the concept of you as an authority on a particular matter giving a speech will be foreign to them. The best way to encourage a warm and friendly atmosphere is to get some kind of emotional response out of the audience right at the beginning. It doesn’t matter what emotion it is, you just need to connect with them on a more personal level. It can be shock, curiosity, laughter, knowing smirks, nervousness – whatever gets them out of that initial feeling of indifference. There are different kinds of effective ice-breakers, but generally speaking, the most successful ones utilize one of these tactics:

• Tugging on their heart strings
• Dropping a bombastic statement
• Telling an interesting and relevant anecdote
• Using a metaphor or drawing comparisons

You can make a small, self-deprecating comment, stir the presentation one way and then suddenly surprise the audience, use sarcasm, open up with a short childhood story that taught you a lesson, quote a famous person and elaborate on it from personal experience, use an inspirational anecdote or hit them with a bit of nostalgia. Just remember to keep it short and move on once you’ve gotten a reaction.

3. Keep things simple and to the point

Once you’re done warming up the crowd you can ease them into the core concepts and important ideas that you will be presenting. Keep the same presentation style thoughout. If you’ve started off a bit ironic, using dry wit, you can’t just jump into a boring monologue. If you’ve started off with a bang, telling a couple of great little jokes and getting the crowd riled up, you have to keep them happy by throwing in little jokes here and there and being generally positive and energetic during the presentation. You need a certain structure that you won’t deviate too far from at any point. A good game plan consists of several important points that need to be addressed efficiently. This means moving on from one point to another in a logical manner, coming to a sound conclusion and making sure to accentuate the key information.

4. Use a healthy dose of humor

Some of the best speeches and presentations in the world, which have been heard and viewed by millions, all feature plenty of humor . No matter the subject, a great speaker will use natural charisma, humor and beautiful language to convey their points and get the crowd excited about what they are saying. A great example of building rapport with the audience through the use of humor is Barrack Obama talking about the government building Iron Man.

It is silly and fun, and absolutely not something that you would expect from a man in a position of power speaking in such a serious setting – and it’s exactly why it works. The more serious the situation and the bigger the accent on proper social behavior, the harder your jokes will hit.

5. Try to tell a story instead of ranting

Some people can do all of the above things right and still manage to turn their short and fun little presentation into a chaotic mess of information. You don’t want your speech to look like you just threw a bunch of information in a blender in no particular order. To avoid rambling, create a strong structure. Start with the ice breaker, introduce the core concepts and your goals briefly, elaborate on the various points in a bit more detail, draw logical conclusions and leave your audience with a clear takeaway message. You want to flow naturally from one part to the next like you are telling a big story chapter by chapter.

6. Practice your delivery

Standing in front of the mirror and practicing a speech or presentation is a technique as old as mirrors – well, come to think of it, as old as human speech, since you can see yourself reflected in any clear and calm body of water – and that means that it is tried and true. The theory is incredibly simple, yet the real problem is actually putting in the effort day in and day out. Work on your posture, your tone of voice, accent, pauses between sentences and facial expressions. The most important thing is to talk slowly and loudly enough to be heard and understood clearly. Many famous speakers, such as Demosthenes and King George VI , overcame speech impediments through hard work.

7. Move around and use your hands

Although you won’t instill confidence in your project if you are very jittery, moving around erratically, not knowing what to do with your hands and making fast movements, standing dead still can be just as bad. You shouldn’t be afraid to use your arms and hands when talking as it makes you seem more passionate and confident. The same goes for moving around and taking up some space. However, try to make slower, calculated and deliberate movements. You want your movements to seem powerful, yet effortless. You can achieve this through practice.

8. Engage the audience by making them relate

Sometimes you will lose the audience somewhat in techno-babble, numbers, graphs and abstract ideas. At that point it is important to reel them back in using some good, old-fashioned storytelling. Make comparisons to events from everyday life that most people are more than familiar with. By making things look simple, not only will you help your audience get a better understanding of the subject by enabling them to visualize the information more clearly, you will also draw a connection between you. After all, you are all just regular people with similar experience, you just happen to be performing different roles at the moment.

9. Use funny images in your slides

Although slides are not really necessary at all times, if you do need them to make your point and present your information more effectively, it’s best to liven them up. They say that facts aren’t always black and white, and your presentation should reflect this. Add a bit of color, make the information stand out and use an interesting animation to switch from slide to slide. You can use the slides to add some more humor, both in terms of the text and the images. An image that is used to elicit a positive response needs to be funny within the context of what you are discussing. For example, if you are discussing the topic of authority, an image of Eric Cartman from South Park in a police uniform, demanding that you respect his “authoritah,” is a nice way to have a bit of fun and lighten things up.

10. End on a more serious note

When all is said and done you will want the audience to remember the core concepts and keep thinking about what you have said after the presentation is over. This is why you should let things naturally calm down and end with an important idea, quote or even a question. Plant a seed in their mind and make them think. Let us turn to Patrick Henry for a great way to end a speech: “Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”

As you can see, there is quite a bit to learn when it comes to giving a good presentation, one that is both memorable and fun. Be sure to work on your skills tirelessly and follow in the footsteps of great orators.

Featured photo credit: Austin Distel via unsplash.com

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• Storytelling

9 Ways To Turn a Boring Topic Into An Engaging Presentation

Hey! Wake up!

Do you have to present on a boring topic?

Let’s do something about that!

The first thing you need to know is that your topic is fine!

Initially, almost all my client’s say that their subjects are boring, and other people have more interesting topics. Whether they are presenting about Marketing, Economics, Biotechnology, Big Data, Quality Assurance, Deep Learning Algorithms, or Sales, they always point outside to other fields and departments and say that others have more interesting topics.

If I buy into their premises, then there will be no interesting topics on this whole earth.

That’s why I share the belief of the English philosopher, G.K. Chesterton, that there are not any dull topics out there; there are only disinterested audiences.

That’s closer to the truth. So, instead of blaming your subject for being boring, you can start to look for ways to stir your audience’s interest (and awaken their minds.)

If your topic is not perceived as hot and sexy enough, then you need to speak about it with more confidence, authority, and conviction and soon people will be interested. Think about it like this: if Tobacco Companies sold smoking cigarettes as sexy, I am very sure you can sell your topic too.

Here are some ways to help you get your audience interested in your topic:

1- Start with why

How you start your presentation will determine if people listen to you or not. Two of the big questions your audience members have when they are in the room with you is “Why am I here?” “Why is this is important to me?”

If you don’t quickly tell them why they should care about the topic; then the audience will focus on other items they deem more important.

Simon Sink started a whole movement based on the idea that companies that explain the why of their product end up on top of the food chain. He stated in his famous Ted talk that the fundamental difference between the “Apples” of the world and everyone else is that Apple always starts with “why.”

Sinek based his idea on the fact that people are starving for meaning and relevance. I add that we live in a busy and noisy world, and your audience is careful with their time and attention. If you don’t show them the reason they should listen, then they will tune you out.

Now, starting with why does not mean that you forget about the why throughout the presentation. You have to keep connecting your topic to your audience’s interests throughout the talk.

Remember, your audience is always listening to one radio station: WIFM . What’s In it For Me. And to keep them interested in the topic, you have to keep tying your topic back to their interests.

2- Be interested in your topic

If you think your topic is boring, then how can you expect anyone else to like it when you present.

It’s impossible.

People will detect your lack of passion, disinterest, and insecurities about the topic. Your disinterest is like a virus that spreads and infects everyone around you.

Besides, even if you hint that your topic is boring, you will be missing out on an enormous influence phenomena: It’s called Social Curiosity Driver.

The Social Curiosity Driver tells us that if other people show interest in something in front of you, then we will get curious too.

Example, you are walking down the street, and you see ten people staring and pointing at the sky with amazed looks on their faces.

Would you be interested in finding out what they are looking at?

Of course, it’s human nature.

Now imagine leveraging that same phenomenon in your presentations.

Next time you present get interested in your topic and don’t fake it; just tap into real interest , and you will see how this will peak the curiosity of your audience. They will be sitting there, saying to themselves, “I don’t know what she sees in the topic, but there must be something interesting here.”

Social Curiosity Driver is a biologically hardwired phenomena. Don’t miss out on it.

Remember, if you can’t get yourself interested in what you are talking about, there is no way you will get your audience to be interested.

3- Let your personality shine through

Even, if you topic is boring – which is not.

Don’t be a boring person yourself.

Nearly every day, people ask you what you do for a living, you engage in conversation about your work, and maybe tell work-related anecdotes.

Sometimes our preconceived notions about how to put together and give a presentation can interfere with the important and simple goal of being interesting.

Don’t be constricted by a particular telling of the story on the slides. Be yourself. Interject anecdotes that support your talk. Add context with interesting “did you know” facts.Look your topic up on Wikipedia, and you might find out something you never knew before.

For example, if you’re talking about cash vs. accrual accounting, did you know that U.S. tax authorities started accepting accrual methods in 1916? That means 2016 is the 100th anniversary of accrual! Pretty exciting stuff! I am not in accounting, and I find that fascinating as an entrepreneur.

Your topic is not boring, and you are not boring.

Personal Confession:

Somehow, when I was an engineer, I bought into the misleading cultural premise that engineers are not exciting; that they are boring people. Honestly, I bought into it because it allowed me to be lazy and not have to try too hard to make my topic interesting to my audience.

Please don’t make the same mistake. Whatever you do for a living can be fascinating. You just have to put some effort into it.

Nowadays, I work with so many professionals, directors, and C-level executives from many industries, and when I see them put just a little bit of effort, they turn into superstar presenters and the go to people in their organization to represent the whole company.

4- There is no such thing as a boring topic, only boring angles

When you talk to reporters, they always use the word “angle.” The angle is how you approach and present about a subject. Reporters know the power of the angle, and that’s how they get you interested in reading their stories.

So instead of complaining about your boring topic, think, what angle should I use to get people interested in this topic.

A computer science client of mine was presenting in front of neuroscientists. Instead of jumping into his algorithms right away, he started talking about some problems neuroscientists are facing and then presented his work as a possible interesting solution to those problems. The audience was riveted instead of bored to death with algorithms. That’s an example of a good angle.

Let’s say for example your topic is doodling. Or what happens when you encounter a broken web page and get a “404” error message. Hard to imagine less interesting subjects isn’t it? Somehow “Doodlers Unite” and “404, The Story of a Page Not Found” are among a list of the 22 best TED Talks ever !

That’s an example of how Renny Gleeson found a great angle to present on the topic of 404 error messages.

TED Talks can be great examples of making any subject interesting.

Sure, many TED speakers speak on what we might think of as interesting topics like business, information technology, and public policy.

But there are hundreds and hundreds of speakers who give interesting talks on how to be a better grocery shopper, how painting a house led to a better community, and the physics of pizza.

Notice that all good Ted talks have good angles.

5- Break up the flow of the presentation

Maybe your presentation topic requires information dense, flat and “uninteresting” (or difficult to absorb) slides. One way to make this type of presentation more interesting is to break up the flow.

At appropriate points in the story, you could stop, insert an audience poll, a video, a graphic of a recent news item, or a quote relevant to the topic.

Some free or inexpensive audience polling tools work well with PowerPoint, such as Poll Everywhere , and ParticiPoll . The Tech Republic has some suggestions on others.

If a poll is not appropriate, you can utilize a variety of interactive games to make your presentation more interesting. Use interactive techniques that work with your personality.

6- Include something entirely irrelevant in your presentation

Can you guess what the image above means?

It means nothing 🙂 Just wanted to add a break to demonstrate the point below:

If your audience has a sense of humor and the occasion is appropriate, some speakers like to break up a presentation by inserting something entirely irrelevant to re-engage the audience.

For example, if the time of year/timing is right you could pick one of your favorite holiday photos and put it on the slide and speak to it. Some people add a photo of their family or a picture of their car. You could even acknowledge, “Hey I know this material is a little demanding so I thought we’d take a break and talk about Thanksgiving dinner. Ir will be a quick break to help you digest the material better.”

In the Science of Influence, this is called, “breaking state.” If people get in a bored state, the best way to get them out of it is to break that state. One of the best ways to do so is to do something completely off topic.

While this does briefly interrupt your story, it can be an effective way to rekindle the participation of audience members who may have started checking email or are otherwise losing their focus on your presentation.

It’s a great technique especially late in the afternoon when people are sleepy from lunch.

Always give a reason for the break, or when you talk about irrelevant things, otherwise, some of your audience will think you are wasting their time.

Here are some examples of reasons you can use for introducing something irrelevant to the topic:

1- “Just to give you a little break from the material, I wanted to ….”

2- “To help you compartmentalize the previous information and separate it from the rest of the talk, I would like to introduce a quick visual break….”

3- “Just to break this dense material up a little bit, I wanted to give a quick break…”

7- Take a different approach to slide design

You can make a “seemingly” flat topic more lively by taking an innovative approach to slide design.

Who doesn’t have a hard time looking at spreadsheets and bullet points for 45 minutes or an hour? What if instead, you use a historical theme for your presentation, supporting it with memorable images from the past that help supports your speaking point?

If you want to consider using images from the past, the National History Education Clearinghouse offers some great resources for finding memorable images online. And of course, there’s ever faithful Google Image Search. But with all of these, you’ll want to consider copyright implications if you give your presentation publicly or publish it.

You can even change up the color palette of your theme. The popularity of various colors has changed over the years. Here’s a blog post on historical color themes you can use to give your presentation a retro look that might fit the story you’re trying to tell. Don’t settle for the generic templates all the people in your department use. Think outside the box and use more interesting templates.

It’s a general rule of presentation design that form follows function. In other words, the data you are presenting and the concepts that you’re trying to get across are more important than the graphics. But you can use an unusual graphical concept if it does not interfere with getting your message across, and it can help give your presentation some variety and make it more interesting to your audience.

8- Offer people an Easter egg

Easter eggs are something children hunt for on Easter. But it’s also a term from the world of movies. An Easter egg is a little something the director or producer has hidden in the scene with perhaps secret or additional meaning. You could put one or more Easter eggs in your presentation.

Let me explain how you would do that. Let’s continue with the accounting example. You could start your presentation by telling people that there are three references to famous economists hidden throughout your presentation, and at the end of your talk, you’ll ask your audience if anyone found all three.

If you’re an author, you can even offer a free copy of your book to the first person to correctly identify all three references. You’d be surprised at how closely people pay attention when they are challenged to be competitive.

9- Create the illusion of a conversation to hook your audience

Your audience doesn’t want you to “speak at” them. They want you to engage them in a conversation. Since the presentation format is restrictive, you sometimes have to create the illusion of a conversation.

The best way to do that is to use rhetorical questions. These are questions that you ask and then answer on stage. Rhetorical questions create the illusion of dialog when presenting and instinctively interest your audience.

Here is a formula to use when applying rhetorical questions:

1- Make a point

2- Ask a question about the point

3 – Answer

Here is an example that I use:

1- Make a point: Public Speaking is hard.

2- Ask a question about the point: So why is public speaking hard?

3 – Answer: The answer is not because we are stupid. It’s because we are conditioned all our lives to think that it’s hard. Since childhood, we have been conditioned not to speak up in class, not to challenge authority and not to make eye contact with strangers.

And after all, that, as adults we are expected to drop years of conditioning, stand up, make eye contact, and speak up to give presentations in front of groups of strangers.

Using rhetorical questions along with open ended and closed ended questions will turn your topic into an engaging presentation. When your audience feels that they are active participants in your presentation they will get a sense of ownership in the topic and that alone will keep them interested.

Conclusion:

How to Make a “Boring Topic” Interesting? Leverage available tools and practices to interest people in your topic. After all, there are no boring subjects only disinterested minds. Figure out how to re-interest those minds and you can become a fascinating person in your peer group at work.

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10 Ways To Make Your PowerPoint Slideshow More Engaging

Can be used for any kind of presentation

Delivering presentations via PowerPoint doesn’t have to be boring. No matter who your audience is, you can create slides that are engaging, effective, and to the point. PowerPoint Slideshows can incorporate video, be converted to DVD, PDF and more .

Before you create the first slide, identify the goal of your presentation. What do you want your audience to learn, understand, and do at the end?

Create an outline, do your research, and consider your audience. Map out the main points you want to deliver, include supporting details, and determine where visuals will have the most impact.

This article will outline ten tips to design a presentation to deliver an engaging PowerPoint slideshow presentation.

• Tell a story.
• Don’t use too much text.
• Represent your content visually with images.
• Use bullet points effectively.
• Font style and size.
• Add some humor.
• Include some metaphors.
• Don’t tell them, show them.
• Present date using SmartArt.
• Transitions and animations.

Tell a Story

When you are planning and preparing your outline, think about the content as a continuous story.

Structure your presentation the same way you would a speech or essay. Start with an introduction, add supporting points, and then conclude with a summary and call-to-action (CTA).

Don’t Use Too Much Text

PowerPoint is a visual aid for your PowerPoint presentation. Your slides should add to your speech, not replace it. Too much text can be confusing and distracting to your audience.

In the example above, the audience will be reading the slide and won’t hear what you are saying.

Break up the text into multiple slides and elaborate on them while you are presenting. Try something more straightforward and more concise such as the slide below:

The slide above is your title slide. The colors and font size draw your eye to the short text. It’s easy to read quickly so that your audience can turn their attention to what you are saying rather than reading a slide.

For subsequent slides, use the most salient point of what you will be discussing and make it visually appealing as in the example below.

You should use the text as a summary to emphasize your talking points.

The human brain processes images faster than text. Use images or other visuals in your presentation to help get your point across, enhance what you are saying, and elicit emotions from your audience.

To illustrate this point, we can replace the first slide above with too much text while staying with the same content about how businesses can target their B2B audience.

When you move onto the slide below in your PowerPoint presentation, it tells the audience that a businessman is happy and has hit the target.

There is no need to use words on the screen to relay this message as the image tells the story itself. The audience will see it, understand what it means instantly, and then focus their attention on what you are saying.

Use Bullet Points Effectively

Bullet points are useful in PowerPoint when trying to break up chunks of text that will cause your audience to read your presentation rather than listen to you speak.

Use bullet points to simplify content and list key information. Limit the number of bullet points to no more than five per slide. You can also add a little creativity by using a different icon for the bullet point concept. See the screenshot below.

During your PowerPoint presentation, have one bullet appear at a time. Discuss the content related to each bullet point before moving on to the next one.

Avoid using full sentences as this will defeat the purpose which is to convey only the key point.

Font Style & Size

The font you choose must be legible and easy to read on a screen. If you’re planning to import it into Visme for a business presentation or saving it for a Google Slideshow, be sure to use a large enough font size so that everyone in the room can see it. It’s fine to use exciting, eccentric, or fun fonts but do so in moderation.

Highlight headlines and focus words by using larger fonts and different colors to make them stand out from the other text. Be consistent throughout your PowerPoint presentation to not distract your audience.

Add Some Humor

Using humor during your presentation will help build rapport with your audience, put them at ease, and make them more receptive to your content.

Tell personal stories based on your real-life experience or use a funny analogy. Make sure your humor is relevant to your audience and your overall objective.

Use humor wisely, sparingly, and with discretion. Avoid anything offensive. If you have any doubt that your joke or story might offend someone, don’t use it.

Below are a few ways to add humor to your PowerPoint presentation:

• If you can think of a movie that is relevant to the topic of your presentation, find a clip of it and embed it into your PowerPoint.
• Use a funny meme that captures your point.
• Insert an animated GIF into your presentation.

When used sparingly and in good taste, humor can add a little levity to your presentation.

The image above is an animated GIF. When you are playing your slideshow, it will show the animation.

Include Some Metaphors

Metaphors bring a conversation to life. They keep your audience engaged when used in a presentation. A metaphor is a figure of speech that is representative or symbolic of something else.

For example, if you want to want to talk about a business journey or roadmap, use an image of an actual road with street signs like in the slide below.

Using metaphors adds some creativity to your PowerPoint presentation.

Don’t Tell Them, Show Them

PowerPoint presentations are visual aids. Rather than speak about and use text to describe something, include it on your slides. For example, if you are pitching a new website design, add visual elements of the site on your slides to show the new design to your audience.

Using the same example of a new website, if the site is live online in a beta or sandbox environment, link to it from the presentation to show it in action.

Present Data Using SmartArt

PowerPoint includes a diagramming tool called SmartArt. Use it to visually present information and data and creatively communicate your ideas. Convert bullet points into SmartArt for a more unique design option when you want to turn them into information and explainer videos.

Transitions & Animations

Animations affect how the elements on your slide move during a slideshow. They can enhance the appearance of your slides and help you control the delivery pace of your presentation.

Subtle and simple animations are most effective because they are not overwhelming. For example, for bullet points, use a wipe left-to-right or top-to-bottom instead of having them fly in and out.

Don’t bore your audience and make them wait for too many animations on one slide. Transitions refer to the type of animation between slides. Don’t use a different transition for every slide. Stick to two or three different transition effects.

Using too many of either will make your PowerPoint presentation chaotic, confusing, and annoying.

Practice Makes Perfect

After you have created your PowerPoint presentation, go through your slides and rehearse how you will present them in front of an audience. Also, practice your tone, delivery and timings.

Follow the suggestions above to make your presentation more engaging. Run through it as often as you need. You want to be confident and prepared when you deliver it to your audience.

David has a background in small business and lives in Australia. He is a WordPress and Ubuntu Developer who enjoys design, CSS and tech tool integration. Read David's Full Bio

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Presentation Structure: Structure Your Presentation for Success

• By Judhajit Sen
• August 8, 2024

Creating a well-structured ppt is crucial to effectively communicate your message and engage your audience. Like academic writing, a ppt should have a clear introduction, a detailed body, and a compelling conclusion. The introduction sets the stage by establishing the purpose and framework of your talk. The body delves into the important points, supported by data and anecdotes, while the conclusion summarizes your key messages and emphasizes their significance.

Before structuring your ppt, consider the aim, audience, and key takeaways. Determine whether your audience is knowledgeable about the topic, how much interaction you desire, and any time constraints. Understanding these factors will help you in choosing an appropriate format. For instance, if your audience is new to the topic, start with the basics and use clear visual aids. If presenting to experts, demonstrate your expertise early on.

Additionally, think about the venue and setting. Whether you’re in a small room or a large auditorium, the environment can impact your slide ppt. Consider the technical setup, the size of your audience, and the mode of delivery—whether in-person, virtual, or pre-recorded.

Finally, ensure your format and presentation flow logically. Even the best presentation format can confuse your audience if it’s disorganized. A well-organized framework helps maintain their attention and enhances their understanding. Tailor your content presentation example to the audience’s needs and the presentation’s goals, and conclude with a clear call to action, ensuring your message resonates and inspires your audience to take the next steps.

In this article, we will explore how to structure a presentation, how to write a presentation, important things in doing a presentation, how to start a presentation example, and PowerPoint samples.

Key Takeaways

• Clear Format is Crucial: A slide ppt needs a clear introduction, detailed body, and compelling conclusion to effectively communicate and engage the audience.
• Know Your Audience: Tailor your ppt based on the audience’s familiarity with the topic, desired level of interaction, and any time constraints to enhance understanding.
• Environment Matters: Consider the venue and technical setup, as these factors can influence your presentation’s delivery and effectiveness.
• Logical Flow Enhances Retention: A well-organized ppt helps the audience retain information better and keeps the speaker on track, avoiding confusion and missed opportunities.

Why You Should Structure Your Presentation

A well-structured ppt is key to delivering a clear and impactful message. If you’ve ever left a slideshow feeling inspired or informed, it’s likely because the speaker organized their content in a logical and simple way. This framework helps the audience follow along and remember the key points.

Research shows that people remember structured information 40% better than unstructured information. This means that a good ppt template framework not only benefits the audience but also helps the presenter. It keeps you calm, on topic, and prevents awkward silences.

Without a clear format, your audience might struggle to follow your slide ppt. This can lead to missed opportunities, failed communication, and even damage to your reputation. Different ppt goals require different ways. For instance, persuading an audience needs a different approach than demonstrating a product.

Consider your presentation’s purpose and your audience’s needs when deciding on a framework. If your audience is unfamiliar with the topic, provide more background information. For more experienced listeners, focus on reinforcing your primary points. By tailoring your format to your goals and audience, you’ll make a more effective and engaging slide ppt.

Elements of a Winning Presentation Structure

The Introduction

Creative introduction slides are vital for capturing your audience’s attention and setting the stage for what’s to come. Begin by introducing yourself and explaining your expertise in brief. This helps establish credibility and builds a connection with your audience.

Next, aim to grab your audience’s interest. You can do this by telling a story, using humor, or sharing a surprising fact. You might also comment on a current event related to your topic, ask a rhetorical question, or use a quotation. The goal is to engage your audience from the very beginning.

Once you have their attention, provide some context or background information on your topic. This helps frame your slide ppt and prepares the audience for your key message. Examples of the introduction slides for PowerPoint include clearly stating the purpose of your talk with phrases like, “Today I would like to discuss…” or “I will argue that…”. If necessary, limit the scope of your ppt to keep it focused.

Frame the skeleton of your talk to guide your audience. One good example of a PowerPoint presentation would be to say, “My slide ppt is based on three main points. First, I will discuss… Second, I will cover… Finally, I will address…”. This helps the audience follow your argument and understand the flow of a presentation.

Additionally, explain the practical details such as the length of your talk, whether you prefer questions during or after the slide ppt, and if you’ll provide handouts. 

The first slides of a presentation should capture interest, provide context, clearly state your purpose, and detail the framework of your ppt. By doing this, you set the stage for a compelling and well-organized talk.

The body of your ppt is where you support your main message with clear and logical points. Each key point should be discussed in an organized manner, making sure to explain how they relate to one another and to your overall message. 

Start by defining and explaining any necessary concepts and terms before using them. This ensures your audience can follow along without confusion. Use examples to illustrate your points effectively.

The body needs to fulfill the promises you made in your introduction. Clearly segment your topics and address them one by one. Organize your points in a way that makes sense for your slide ppt—whether by priority, theme, or chronology. Each point should be backed by evidence, such as data, facts, statistics, images, diagrams, stories, or quotes from experts.

Remember to provide mini summaries before moving to the next point. This helps reinforce your message and ensures your audience can follow your logic. Use verbal cues to signal transitions, like “Turning to the next point…” or “Another important consideration is…”. This keeps your ppt clear and easy to follow.

Limit the number of main points to three to five, as too many can overwhelm your audience. Use the chunking principle to group related information, making it easier to understand and remember. Always stick to your prepared topics and avoid straying off-topic.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create a coherent and engaging body for your slide ppt, helping your audience grasp and retain your key messages.

In conclusion, it’s essential to signal that you’ve reached the end of your presentation. You might say, “In conclusion,” or “I’d like to finish by…”. This lets your audience know the end is near and helps them refocus.

Summarize the salient points you covered. Remind your audience of the significance of the topic and the aims of your talk, showing how you have met these aims. For example, restate the topic and purpose, such as, “In this speech, I aimed to compare…”.

Reinforce your messages by summarizing the main points and their implications. This helps clarify the overall purpose of your talk. Highlight what you want your audience to take away or the actions you hope they will take next. A compelling story, quote, or call to action can be very effective here.

Thank your audience for their attention and invite them to comment or ask questions. This shows appreciation and encourages engagement, making your conclusion memorable and impactful.

More Great Presentation Examples

Demonstration.

A demonstration format is perfect when you have something valuable to show, such as a new product or service. This approach is commonly used to illustrate how a product works, famously employed by Steve Jobs in his presentations.

Start by explaining why your product is valuable. What makes it stand out? Highlight the problem it solves and why it’s necessary for your audience. This establishes the product’s relevance and piques interest.

Next, move on to the demonstration. Show your product in action, emphasizing its key features and benefits. Ensure your demonstration is clear and that everything works smoothly. Point out important aspects and provide tips that can help your audience assimilate the product better. Show them the results to reinforce your points.

Keep your sample presentation outline template simple. Focus on a few crucial features rather than overwhelming your audience with too many details. This approach makes your ppt more powerful and memorable. Leave your audience with a good understanding of your product and a desire to learn more.

End with useful information that solidifies their understanding and curiosity. By demonstrating the product effectively, you support your initial claims and leave a lasting impression.

The Hero’s Journey

Organizing your ppt as a story can be powerful, and one popular framework is “The Hero’s Journey.” This storytelling framework, developed by Joseph Campbell and adapted by Christopher Vogler, guides the audience through an adventure, crisis, and transformation. Here’s how you can use it:

Act 1 — The Ordinary World

Start by setting the stage. Introduce your audience to a familiar world where everything seems average, but a problem is brewing beneath the surface. The goal here is to make the audience aware of an issue they hadn’t noticed before. They might be skeptical at first, but this is crucial for engaging them.

Act 2 — The Special World

Now, dive into the challenge. Present the problem that needs solving, and share your insights and tools. This is where the confrontation happens. The audience faces obstacles and setbacks, but through your guidance, they start to see glimmers of hope and new ways to tackle the issue.

Act 3 — Return to the Ordinary World

In the final act, bring the audience back to their world, transformed by the journey. They’ve gained new knowledge and skills, and they’re ready to apply these insights to their own lives. This is the resolution, where you wrap up with an unforgettable lesson that leaves the audience inspired and equipped to move forward.

Using “The Hero’s Journey” in your slide ppt not only keeps the audience engaged but also makes your message more memorable. By framing them as the hero of the story, you ensure they feel involved and invested in the outcome. This storytelling method is ideal for any ppt, whether it’s about a company’s growth, a personal story, or a broader inspirational message.

Wrap-up: Presentation Formats

In structuring a successful ppt, clarity and organization are key. A slide ppt should start with a clear introduction that sets the stage, outlining the purpose and main points. This is followed by a detailed body where the main ideas are supported with data and anecdotes. Finally, a compelling conclusion summarizes the key messages and underscores their importance.

Understanding your audience is crucial. Tailor your presentation checklist based on their familiarity with the topic, desired level of interaction, and any time constraints. If your audience is new to the topic, use simple explanations and visual aids. For more knowledgeable audiences, establish your expertise early on. Consider the setting as well, whether it’s a small room or a large auditorium, as this can affect the delivery.

A well-structured ppt not only keeps the audience engaged but also helps them retain the information. Research indicates that structured information is remembered 40% better than unstructured information. This organization also benefits the speaker, ensuring a smooth flow and reducing the chances of awkward pauses.

In conclusion, always aim for a logical flow in your ppt. Summarize key points and end with a clear call to action. This approach ensures your message resonates with your audience and inspires them to take the next steps. A structured layout of a presentation, tailored to your audience, is a powerful tool for effective communication.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is a well-structured ppt important?

A well-structured ppt is crucial because it helps you convey your message with clarity and keeps your audience engaged. It starts with a clear introduction to set the stage, followed by a detailed body that explores your main points, and ends with a compelling conclusion. This framework ensures your audience understands and remembers your key messages.

2. How should I start structuring my presentation?

Begin by understanding your audience and their knowledge level on the topic. Tailor your content accordingly and decide on the level of interaction you want. Lay out the objective and format of your talk clearly in the introduction. This helps your audience follow along and prepares them for what’s to come.

3. What should I consider about the venue and setting?

Consider the venue size, technical setup, and mode of delivery—whether it’s in-person, virtual, or pre-recorded. Tweak the style and contents of the presentation to fit the environment to ensure effective communication with your audience.

4. How can a structured presentation benefit both the audience and the speaker?

Structured information is easier for the audience to remember—research shows they retain it 40% better. For the speaker, it reduces confusion, keeps the ppt on track, and enhances overall delivery. A clear framework ensures your message resonates and encourages action from your audience.

Elevate Your Presentations with Prezentium

Unlock the full potential of your presentations with Prezentium’s AI-powered services. Whether you need a stunning overnight ppt, expert-crafted designs, or immersive training workshops, Prezentium is here to help. Our team combines business acumen, visual design, and data science to craft presentations that not only inform but inspire.

A well-structured presentation is crucial for success. At Prezentium, we understand the importance of a clear introduction, an engaging body, and a compelling conclusion. Our services ensure your ppt flows logically, keeping your audience engaged and enhancing their understanding. With Prezentium, you can tailor your content to your audience’s needs and deliver your message with confidence.

Don’t let a poorly structured presentation hold you back. Partner with Prezentium to transform your ideas into powerful presentations that resonate and drive action. Contact us today to see how we can help you achieve ppt success.

Why wait? Avail a complimentary 1-on-1 session with our presentation expert. See how other enterprise leaders are creating impactful presentations with us.

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How to Speak More Clearly: 7 Tips for Effective Communication

• The Speaker Lab
• August 6, 2024

Table of Contents

If you want to be a professional speaker, then clear communication is vital. Whether you’re captivating a packed auditorium or simply having a one-on-one conversation, knowing how to speak more clearly can make all the difference. This is about much more than just enunciating; it’s about connecting with your audience on a deeper level and ensuring your message is heard. Let’s explore some powerful strategies and techniques to help you master the art of speaking clearly and confidently.

Understanding the Power of Clear Speech

There’s a certain magic in being able to articulate your thoughts and ideas in a way that truly resonates with others. Not only does clear speech boost your credibility, but it also reduces the risk of miscommunication, misunderstandings, and awkward moments. Speaking clearly helps create a more positive and productive experience for both you and your audience, whether that “audience” is a single person or a packed room.

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Mastering the Basics of How to Speak More Clearly

Speaking more clearly can be boiled down to a few basic techniques. Let’s take a look at the fundamentals.

Taking Control of Your Breath

Mastering your breath is paramount to speaking clearly and confidently. Most of us are actually shallow breathers without even realizing it. Breathing deeply from the diaphragm ensures your lungs are getting a full supply of oxygen. This translates into having more air to power your voice and control its delivery, making it richer, clearer, and more resonant.

Slowing Down Your Speech

Speaking too quickly often leads to mumbled words and a jumbled message, making it difficult for people to understand what you’re saying. Slowing down your speech allows time for your words to land, making them far easier for others to process and understand. It also conveys a sense of confidence and control, further captivating your audience’s attention.

In addition to speaking slowly, you can also pause to reign in your audience’s attention. Take these strategic pauses after key points or whenever you want to emphasize an important thought.

Articulating Clearly

Proper articulation, or the clear and distinct pronunciation of words, is another key element of speaking clearly. Practice exaggerating the sounds of each syllable to refine this important skill. Pay close attention to the way you move your lips, tongue, and teeth to see how you can speak more clearly.

As you’ll notice in this Indeed article , learning how to articulate involves much more than just improving your pronunciation. It also involves elements like pitch and volume, which speakers use to engage their audience and emphasize certain points. For some this will take time and focused practice, while for others, it may come more naturally.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Techniques for Speaking Clearly

In addition to basic elements like articulation, there’s always more we can explore to fine-tune your speaking voice for greater clarity. Let’s look beyond the fundamentals.

Using Voice Modulation to Engage Your Audience

Monotone presentations often lose their audience’s attention no matter how valuable the message is. That’s because humans naturally respond to vocal variety.

As you grow as a speaker, experiment with vocal modulation. Emphasize key words, but avoid doing it randomly as this will sound inauthentic and actually work against your goal. For additional impact and to help highlight subtle meaning or even humor, consider pausing before or after a word or phrase. This is known as an “elocutionary pause.”

Emphasizing Words Naturally

When speakers are uncomfortable, they tend to put emphasis on unimportant words. This reduces their power and makes it appear as though they lack confidence in what they have to say. As a result, audiences struggle to fully engage and grasp the core message.

When you’re giving a speech, resist placing emphasis randomly or placing too much importance on weaker words. You can plan ahead by marking up your speaker notes beforehand. As you build confidence as a speaker, you’ll soon be able to emphasize important words naturally.

Practicing Effective Body Language

People are often more perceptive to what they’re seeing than what they’re hearing. That’s why practicing consistent body language is important for anyone wishing to improve speaking clarity and confidence.

Practice using body language to further emphasize your points, express emotions, and captivate your audience’s attention. Even simple exercises such as maintaining eye contact and using hand gestures will make a big difference in your overall message.

Embracing Ongoing Practice

Practice makes progress. To improve your speaking voice, incorporate exercises like tongue twisters into your daily routine. For “B” words, you might try: “Bill had a billboard. Bill also had a board bill. The board bill bored Bill, so Bill sold his billboard and paid his board bill. Then the board bill no longer bored Bill, but though he had no board bill, neither did he have his billboard.”

Record yourself reading tongue twisters or giving one of your speeches, then play back the recording. This allows you to notice any areas that need improvement and helps you celebrate small wins along your journey.

Knowing how to speak more clearly is an invaluable life skill that can greatly enhance every part of your life, both professional and personal. Focus on practicing the basic principles of clear articulation, breath control, appropriate pacing, and remember to embrace those strategic pauses for emphasis. By consistently implementing these tips and strategies, you’ll boost your confidence , allowing you to more easily connect with others and achieve amazing things.

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FAQs on How to Speak More Clearly

How can i train my mouth to speak clearly.

Just as an athlete conditions their body for their chosen sport, practice strengthening and exercising your mouth muscles. You can train your mouth to speak more clearly by practicing various tongue and lip exercises, consistently engaging in focused articulation exercises, as well as maintaining good oral hygiene.

How can I improve my clear speaking?

Focus on proper articulation and pronunciation of your words. Ensure you are getting enough sleep to allow your brain the rest it needs to function at its peak. Stay well hydrated.

Why do I struggle to speak clearly?

There are several contributing factors ranging from shyness and low self-esteem to lack of sleep, proper hydration, or even medical reasons. A physician will be able to pinpoint the issue with testing.

Whether you’re delivering a business presentation, networking with potential clients, recording a podcast, or enjoying conversations with friends and family, mastering the art of speaking clearly is essential to achieving any goal involving communication. While mastering these tips will take dedication and practice, they’re essential to anyone’s personal and professional speaking journey. Now that you have some techniques for speaking more clearly and concisely, there is nothing stopping you from getting started today.

• Last Updated: July 26, 2024

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More From Forbes

How to deliver impactful virtual presentations.

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Delivering presentations is a powerful way to stand out at work. While presenting, especially via Zoom, can be daunting, mastering this skill can be a game-changer for your career. By delivering compelling presentations, you not only get noticed but also make a significant deposit in your personal brand bank. Here are eight tips to help you create presentations that are magnetic, mesmerizing, and memorable.

1. Grab ’Em From The Get-Go

First impressions are crucial due to a cognitive bias known as primacy, which means we form lasting opinions based on initial experiences. Start your presentation with something unexpected, interesting, and fun—like a riddle, quiz, inspiring video, or special guest. This sets the tone and signals to your audience that this presentation will be unique and engaging. Remember, if you don’t capture their attention from the start, you may lose them entirely.

2. Profit From The Power Of Three

Renowned keynote speakers and marketers often use the psychological power of three because it's a potent tool for making information memorable and easy to digest. Structure your content into three key themes or segments. One effective approach is Aristotle's triptych: tell your audience what you're going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them. This repetition reinforces your message and ensures it sticks.

3. Increase Interaction

In virtual presentations, multitasking by the audience is your biggest nemesis. To combat this, incorporate interactive elements like word clouds, hand-raising, chats, whiteboards, or contests. Tools like PollEverywhere , Slido , and Mentimeter can help keep your audience engaged and focused, reducing the temptation to multitask.

4. Supersize Your Slides

For online presentations, it's crucial to ensure your slides are easily readable on all devices, including mobile phones. Use large font sizes (32 pt. or higher) and limit your text to 12 words or fewer per slide. Prioritize visuals and videos, which are more engaging than text alone. Platforms like Unsplash and Pexels offer a wealth of free images to enhance your slides.

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5. Vivify With Video

Incorporate short, impactful videos to add energy and reinforce your message. YouTube has a vast array of content on almost any topic. Choose videos that are both entertaining and relevant, keeping them brief (1-2 minutes) to maintain engagement without distracting from your presentation.

6. Make Mixed Media Your Mantra

Avoid monotony to keep your audience attentive. Vary the content, format, and medium of your presentation. Use pattern interrupts like animated GIFs or sound effects to re-engage your audience and prevent them from zoning out.

7. Say It With Stories

Stories are an incredibly effective tool for engagement. Neuroscience shows that storytelling can boost audience retention by up to 65-70%, compared to just 5-10% for facts alone. Personal stories, in particular, help build a connection with your audience, making your message more meaningful and memorable.

8. Exude Emotion

While facts and data lend credibility to your presentation, emotions create lasting impressions. As Maya Angelou famously said, "People will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel." Infuse your presentation with emotion to add a personal touch and foster a stronger connection with your audience. Before you start, ask yourself: How do I want my audience to feel after my presentation?

By incorporating these fun and engaging techniques, you can transform your online presentations into magnetic, mesmerizing and memorable experiences, enhancing your personal brand along the way.

William Arruda is a keynote speaker, author, and personal branding pioneer. Join him as he discusses strategies for delivering powerful presentations alongside Executive Coach Deborah Grayson Riegel in Maven’s complimentary Lightning Lesson on August 16th.

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7 powerful ways to avoid anxiety for public speaking and presentations

• By Health IQ digital
• Aug 09, 2024

Public speaking is a common source of anxiety for many people. The thought of standing in front of a crowd, delivering a presentatin and being the center of attention can be overwhelming. This fear can hold people back from reaching their full potential in both personal and professional settings. However, the good news is that there are several effective strategies to manage and reduce this anxiety. By understanding and implementing these techniques, you can transform your fear into confidence and become a more effective speaker.

1. Understand the root cause of your anxiety

Anxiety about public speaking often stems from a fear of judgment or making mistakes in front of others. This fear is deeply rooted in the human desire to be accepted and respected by our peers. Recognizing that this fear is a natural response can be the first step in overcoming it. Reflect on what specifically triggers your anxiety. Is it the fear of forgetting your words, being judged or the anticipation of a negative reaction? By identifying the exact cause, you can take targeted steps to address it.

Moreover, understanding that everyone experiences some level of anxiety before speaking in public can be reassuring. Even seasoned speakers feel nervous; the difference is that they’ve learned how to manage it effectively. This knowledge can help you approach your anxiety with compassion and self-awareness, rather than letting it control you.

2. Prepare thoroughly and rehearse regularly

One of the most effective ways to combat anxiety is through thorough preparation. Knowing your material inside and out will give you a sense of control and reduce the fear of the unknown. Start by organizing your content logically, ensuring that your main points flow naturally from one to the next. Use visual aids like slides or handouts to reinforce your message and keep your audience engaged.

Rehearsal is key to building confidence. Practice your speech multiple times in a variety of settings — alone, in front of a mirror and in front of a small, supportive audience. This will help you become more familiar with your content and delivery, making it easier to stay on track during the actual presentation. Additionally, rehearsing in different environments can help you adapt to various settings, reducing the likelihood of being thrown off by unexpected changes.

3. Focus on your breathing and relaxation techniques

Anxiety often manifests physically through symptoms like rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath and muscle tension. Learning to control your breathing can significantly reduce these symptoms. Practice deep breathing exercises, such as inhaling slowly through your nose, holding your breath for a few seconds and exhaling slowly through your mouth. This simple technique can help calm your nerves and center your thoughts before and during your presentation.

Progressive muscle relaxation is another useful tool. This involves tensing and then slowly releasing each muscle group in your body, starting from your toes and working your way up to your head. This exercise not only helps reduce physical tension but also refocuses your mind, making it easier to concentrate on your presentation rather than your anxiety.

4. Visualize success and use positive affirmations

Visualization is a powerful technique that can help you manage public speaking anxiety. Before your presentation, take a few moments to imagine yourself speaking confidently, engaging with your audience and delivering your message effectively. Picture the audience reacting positively — nodding in agreement, smiling and applauding. This mental rehearsal can boost your confidence and prepare your mind for a successful outcome.

In addition to visualization, use positive affirmations to counter negative thoughts. Replace self-doubt with empowering statements like, “I am well-prepared and capable of delivering this presentation,” or “My audience is interested in what I have to say.” Repeating these affirmations can help reframe your mindset and reduce anxiety.

5. Engage with your audience early on

Connecting with your audience from the start can help reduce your anxiety. Begin your presentation with a smile, make eye contact and greet your audience warmly. You can also ask a question or share a relatable story to create an immediate connection. This interaction not only breaks the ice but also shifts your focus from your anxiety to the needs and interests of your audience.

As you speak, continue to engage with your audience by making eye contact with different individuals, pausing to gauge their reactions and adjusting your delivery based on their feedback. This dynamic interaction can make you feel more connected and less isolated, reducing the pressure and anxiety associated with public speaking.

6. Accept imperfection and embrace vulnerability

One of the biggest sources of anxiety in public speaking is the fear of making mistakes. However, it’s important to remember that no one expects you to be perfect. Even the most experienced speakers make errors, and it’s how you handle these moments that truly matters. Embrace the possibility of imperfection and view it as an opportunity to connect with your audience on a human level.

If you stumble over a word or forget a point, don’t panic. Take a deep breath, acknowledge the mistake with grace and move on. Your audience is likely to be forgiving, and your ability to recover smoothly will leave a lasting positive impression. By accepting vulnerability and letting go of the need for perfection, you can reduce the pressure on yourself and speak more naturally.

7. Reflect and learn from each experience

After each public speaking engagement, take time to reflect on what went well and what could be improved. This reflection process is crucial for continuous improvement and helps you build on your strengths while addressing areas of concern. Consider recording your presentation if possible, so you can review your performance and identify specific moments where anxiety may have affected your delivery.

Use this feedback to adjust your preparation and strategies for future presentations. Over time, you’ll notice that your confidence grows, and your anxiety decreases with each experience. Remember, public speaking is a skill that improves with practice, and each opportunity is a chance to learn and grow.

Transforming anxiety into confidence

Public speaking doesn’t have to be a source of dread. By understanding the root causes of your anxiety, preparing thoroughly and using techniques like visualization, relaxation and audience engagement, you can transform your fear into confidence. Accepting imperfection and learning from each experience will further empower you to become a more effective and confident speaker.

Remember, the journey to overcoming public speaking anxiety is a personal one, and it’s okay to take small steps toward improvement. With time, practice and the right strategies, you can conquer your fear and use your voice to make a meaningful impact in any setting. Embrace the challenge, trust in your abilities and know that you have the power to speak with confidence and clarity .

This story was created using AI technology.

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• audience engagement , breathing exercises , confidence building , effective communication , overcoming fear , positive visualization , presentation techniques , public speaking anxiety , speech preparation , stress management

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35 Workplace safety topics for meetings

Workplace safety is a critical aspect of any organization, ensuring the well-being of employees and the smooth operation of daily activities. Regular safety meetings and tabletop exercises are essential for reinforcing safety protocols and keeping everyone informed about the latest guidelines and best practices. Here are 35 comprehensive workplace safety topics for meetings, designed to enhance your team’s knowledge and commitment to safety. 

How to make your safety talks more engaging

Ensuring that workplace safety talks are interactive and relevant with day-to-day examples will make them engaging and effective. Some of the most memorable safety talks are short, focused, and relevant so that workers can easily apply the advice immediately and recall it in the long term. 

Interactive approach

Move beyond monologues. Encourage participation through quizzes, case studies, or role-playing. Engage employees by asking questions and involving them in discussions. Make sure no one is left out and reward engagement (for example, snacks and gift cards). 

Real-life examples

Share relatable stories or past incidents within your organization. Personal anecdotes resonate with employees and make safety concepts more tangible. Ask employees to share their experiences within the organization or previous roles. Discuss what safety procedures could have changed these outcomes.

Visual Aids

Use infographics, videos, or images to illustrate safety points. Visual content captures attention and enhances understanding. Share these visual aids after safety talks via email and other communication channels so people can revisit them to keep the knowledge fresh.

Change the format of safety talks. Sometimes, a short video works better than a lengthy presentation. Mix it up to maintain interest.  Survey employees to ask them what their preferred formats are, and what could be done to make your workplace safety talks more engaging.

35 Workplace safety topics  

Here are a variety of safety topics you can use to keep safety at the forefront of everyday operations. Remember to tailor your safety talks to the specific work objectives and conditions that are most relevant to your employees.

Health Hazards

1. Chemical safety and hazards 

Discuss proper handling, storage, and disposal of chemicals. Emphasize the importance of using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and understanding Safety Data Sheets (SDS). 

2. Carbon monoxide 

Educate employees on the dangers of carbon monoxide, symptoms of exposure, and preventive measures. 

3. Heat stress 

Discuss the risks of heat stress, including symptoms and prevention strategies such as hydration and acclimatization. 

4. Cold stress 

Discuss the risks associated with cold stress and how to mitigate them, including proper clothing and work/rest cycles. 

5. Fatigue 

Highlight the dangers of fatigue and its impact on safety. Discuss ways to manage fatigue through adequate rest, hydration, and workload management. 

6. Noise and hearing loss prevention 

Review noise control measures, such as PPE and engineering controls, to prevent hearing loss. 

7. Respiratory protection and infection 

Cover the proper use of respiratory protection to prevent inhalation of harmful substances and reduce the spread of infections. 

8. Burn prevention and treatment 

Discuss ways to prevent burns in the workplace and how to provide immediate treatment if burns occur. 

Physical Safety

9. Emergency exits 

Ensure everyone knows the location of emergency exits and understands the importance of keeping them unobstructed. 

10. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)  

Discuss the types of PPE required for different tasks and ensure employees know how to use them correctly. 

11. Electrical safety 

Review electrical safety practices, including proper equipment use and what to do in an electrical emergency. 

12. Machine safety 

Ensure all machinery is used safely by discussing operating procedures, regular maintenance, and the importance of safety guards. 

13. Vehicle safety 

For employees who drive as part of their job, discuss safe driving practices, including severe weather driving and vehicle maintenance. 

14. Confined spaces 

Discuss entry procedures, monitoring, and rescue plans for working in confined spaces. 

15. Ladder safety 

Discuss safe ladder practices, including proper setup, use, and storage. 

16. Slip, trips, and falls prevention  

Review housekeeping practices, proper footwear, and hazard identification to prevent slips, trips, and falls. 

17. Ergonomics 

Promote ergonomic practices to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. Discuss the importance of proper posture, equipment positioning, and taking breaks to reduce strain. 

Environmental Safety

18. Emergency preparedness and response  

Outline the procedures for various emergencies, including evacuation routes, assembly points, and communication plans . 

19. Hurricane and tornado protocol and response  

Review the specific protocols for severe weather events, including shelter-in-place procedures and emergency kits. 

20. Storm and flood response 

Prepare for natural disasters by discussing response plans, emergency kits, and communication strategies. 

21. Fire response  

Review fire prevention measures, the use of fire extinguishers, and evacuation procedures. 

22. Wildfire response  

For areas prone to wildfires, discuss evacuation plans, air quality monitoring, and personal safety measures. 

23. Winter weather 

Prepare for winter weather by discussing safe practices for snow and ice removal, proper clothing, and driving in winter conditions. 

24. Waste management and recycling 

Discuss proper disposal and recycling methods to maintain a safe and clean work environment. 

25. Ventilation 

Ensure proper ventilation to reduce the risk of respiratory issues and improve overall air quality. 

Physical Wellbeing

26. Physical wellbeing 

Promote healthy practices, including proper lifting techniques, stretching exercises, and maintaining physical fitness. 

27. Mental health 

Address the importance of mental health in the workplace. Discuss stress management techniques, available resources, and creating a supportive environment. 

28. Stress management 

Discuss techniques for managing stress, including time management, relaxation techniques, and available support resources. 

29. Substance abuse 

Address the impact of substance abuse on workplace safety and the importance of a drug-free environment. 

30. Medical and first aid  

Review basic first aid procedures and ensure employees know the location of first aid kits and how to use them.

31. Hand hygiene and protection 

Emphasize the importance of hand hygiene to prevent the spread of illness and discuss the proper use of hand protection for various tasks. 

Workplace culture and Compliance

32. Workplace violence 

Implement strategies to prevent workplace violence . Discuss warning signs, reporting procedures, and ways to de-escalate situations.

33. Active assailant  

Prepare employees for the unthinkable with active assailant drills . Discuss run, hide, fight strategies and emergency communication plans.

34. Bullying and harassment 

Address bullying and harassment in the workplace by discussing company policies, reporting procedures, and creating a respectful work environment. 

35. Reporting accidents and hazards 

Encourage prompt reporting of incidents and near-misses to help identify patterns and prevent future occurrences. Explain the reporting process and the importance of transparency. 

For more workplace safety topics, check out the OSHA site . 

Creating a safer workplace

Workplace safety is an ongoing process that requires regular attention and continuous improvement. By addressing relevant topics in your safety meetings, you can create a safer workplace environment and ensure that all employees are informed and prepared to handle various safety concerns.

When employees actively participate in discussions, share experiences, and learn from one another, they collectively foster a safety-first mindset. A strong safety culture leads to fewer accidents and better overall well-being.

To further enhance your workplace safety measures, join us for our next customer webinar on workplace safety, where we will be joined by industry experts, as they outline strategies to safeguard your organization and employees from modern-day risks.  

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10 Presentation Tips That Make Sharing Your Best Ideas Easy

Ever have that recurring dream where you’re standing naked in front of a crowd?

You’re not alone. In fact, 77% of people have some anxiety or fear of public speaking . And one of the best ways to alleviate some of that stress and anxiety is to prepare for the presentation and practice ahead of time.

We’ve put together some presentation tips to help you give a great presentation, no matter what topic or venue.

What makes a great presentation

The difference between a good presentation and a great presentation comes down to a few different factors:

• Content . When it comes to content, you want to make sure that you’re providing value for your audience and using language and examples that appeal to them.
• Delivery . A clear and confident delivery can go a long way in keeping the audience interested and helping them retain the information.
• Engagement . Keeping your audience engaged is essential to holding their attention and gauging their understanding and interest.
• Materials . Are you using PowerPoint? Worksheets? Video? Choose the best materials based on the audience, topic, and venue.
• Takeaways . Great presentations give the audience some important takeaways that they can think about or apply long after the presentation is over.

Now that you know the elements of a great presentation, let’s jump into some presentation tips you can use to up-level your next presentation.

10 presentation tips that will help you knock it out of the park

Whether you give presentations regularly or you’re just preparing for a big one, it helps to prepare and practice. Here are 10 presentation tips you can use to improve your presentation skills:

1. Tell stories

People love stories. Not only are they interesting, but they have a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end, which make them easy to remember. Stories will help your audience better connect to and understand the presentation topic.

Use relevant and engaging stories to your advantage during your presentation. For example, you might open with a story about a client who had a problem related to the topic. This is a great way to introduce your audience to what you’re about.

If the people in your audience have the same problem, they’ll be able to relate to the client in your story, so they’ll be more likely to pay attention.

2. Keep the presentation materials simple

When it comes to presentation materials, the simpler, the better. There’s a fine line between engaging and busy. You want to design presentation materials that will capture and hold your audience’s attention without distracting them from the presentation itself.

Here are some easy ways to make sure your presentation materials are simple:

• Don’t write everything you’re going to say in the presentation . Use bullet points with short statements that help the audience follow along and stay on track without having to read a bunch of text.
• Use relevant visuals when you can . Visuals help keep the presentation interesting and they also help visual learners retain more of the information.
• Stick to a few colors and fonts . You don’t want the presentation to be in black and white, but using too many colors or fonts can make it feel too busy.

Remember, simple doesn’t have to mean boring or ugly. Here’s an example of a PowerPoint presentation that’s interesting and stylish, yet simple:

There isn’t an overload of distracting visuals or so many colors that it’s hard to concentrate on anything else. It’s limited to 3 fonts and a few colors. It may be simple, but it’s still beautiful and professional.

3. Use high-quality and engaging visuals

While you want to keep your presentation simple and accessible, certain concepts may be best explained with visual aids. Use infographics, charts, tables, videos, and drawings to explain complex concepts when necessary. You can also use these visual aids to share examples or provide proof of your talking points.

4. Make it interactive

Humans have short attention spans. If you want to keep them engaged in a presentation that’s longer than 5 minutes, you’re going to need to add interactive elements. Choosing the right interactive elements will depend on the presentation topic and goals.

For example, if you are trying to teach the audience something that they will be able to apply to their lives, then you might have them do an exercise during the presentation. That could be to jot down some ideas on a topic or speak with the person next to them. This will help them better grasp the topic and make them more likely to actually apply it when they leave.

If your presentation doesn’t lend well to exercises, you can still make it interactive by asking the audience questions or inviting them to consider a certain perspective. For instance, you might ask them to close their eyes and think about a time that something specific happened. This gets them to interact with the material and understand it on a deeper level.

5. Check for understanding

Checking for understanding is a classic teaching strategy that lends well to presentations, especially those focused on informing or educating. Throughout your presentation, add checks for understanding. These are basically questions you ask the audience to make sure they understand what’s going on.

This doesn’t necessarily have to be an open-ended question. If you’re presenting to a larger crowd where asking a comprehension question might be logistically difficult, you can instead gauge the comprehension and engagement of the whole crowd. For instance, you might ask them to raise their hand if they’ve experienced what you’re talking about or ask them to give you a thumbs up if they’re with you so far.

The thumbs up/thumbs down model of checking for understanding is one that’s easy to use with a large crowd because you’ll be able to quickly discern if your audience understands. You can then adjust on the fly to accommodate those who might need more explanation or examples.

6. Summarize throughout the presentation

Immediately after hearing someone talk, the average person only remembers about 50% of what they heard . That’s why it helps to summarize important information after you’ve presented it.

At the end of each presentation section or after about 10 minutes of talking, provide a quick summary of the most important points you’ve just covered. You can also list those important points at the end of each section on your presentation slides as you reiterate.

7. Smile and make eye contact

Making a personal connection with your audience goes a long way in earning their trust and attention. One of the best ways to do that is to make eye contact while presenting. This makes the presentation feel more like a conversation between you and the audience.

Also, don’t forget to smile! It’s an easy thing to forget, especially if you’re nervous or have anxiety about public speaking. But smiling shows your audience that you actually enjoy what you're talking about and you're approachable. They’ll be more likely to pay attention and ask questions.

8. Use your hands and body language

Now it’s time to answer the age-old question… what do I do with my hands?

Using your hands and body language to match the flow of the presentation helps keep people engaged and listening. It also allows you to show your passion and enthusiasm for the topic, which will make people more likely to listen.

Here are some ways you can use your body to make your presentation more engaging:

• Avoid standing behind a podium or laptop. Instead of staying in one place, use the space to your advantage by calmly moving around the floor or stage.
• Use your facial expressions to match the material. When you’re really excited about a topic, let your face show it.
• Stand up straight with your arms unfolded. This makes the audience feel welcome and communicates confidence.

While Steve Jobs may not have been the pinnacle of fashion, he was certainly a confident and engaging presenter. Notice how his presentation stances always communicate excitement and confidence:

9. Practice your delivery.

It might feel a little silly in the moment, but practicing your delivery is one of the most important things you can do to prepare yourself for a presentation. Don’t just read through your notes. Pull up the presentation and go slide by slide through the entire thing, adding any stories or tips that you plan to add during the actual presentation.

As you’re practicing, make sure that you’re speaking out loud and not just thinking through your presentation in your head or reading silently. When you present out loud, you can hear where things may sound awkward or not quite make sense. The time to iron out these details is during the practice period, not the actual presentation.

10. Time yourself

Most presentations will have some kind of time limit. When you’re practicing your presentation delivery, time yourself. This will help you pace the presentation effectively so you’re not moving too fast or too slow. It will also help you make sure you’re sticking to the time limits.

Practice makes “progress”

While there’s no such thing as the “perfect” presentation, you can definitely up-level your presentation skills and become more comfortable with presenting. All it takes is a little effort and practice. And this list is a great place to start for kicking your presentations up a notch!

Need design, copy, or other resources to create better presentations? Keep an eye out for deals on killer presentation tools on AppSumo Deals .

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Master Public Speaking with These Tips for Engaging Presentations

Learn effective communication strategies to connect with your audience and improve your marketing efforts.

As an introvert, my ability to communicate didn’t come naturally. I consider this apparent flaw one of my greatest strengths, as it forced me to learn how to strategically present information. This led to a lifelong study of the art of communication .

Regardless of what you do for a living, your ability to communicate effectively is crucial to your personal and professional success. While entire books could be dedicated to this art, I am confident that these few insights will assist you in becoming the master communicator you wish to be.

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Utilize Various Communication Methods

There are two key aspects to communication:

• What you say (the message)
• How you say it (the presentation)

The way you present your message does not have to be verbal; in fact, relying solely on verbal communication is one of the most common mistakes when trying to convey information.

Your message can be delivered through various mediums such as videos, dramas, pictures, or graphs. Choosing the right method requires careful thought and planning .

Attention to Presentation Details

My favorite form of communication is design; it truly is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Imagine a poorly designed business website that is unorganized, cluttered, and clearly hasn’t been updated in close to a decade.

At the bottom of the site, you read words like “professional, informed, expert, care, and value.” The greatest writer in the world couldn’t redeem that website using words alone — its message is flawed based on its presentation .

Whatever methods you use, it is always essential to look at every single aspect of your presentation and ask yourself, “Does this communicate my message effectively?”

Full-form Delivery

Even when you speak, only 10% of your communication is verbal. What you wear, your body language, your expressions, and your tone of voice are just as important as the words you say. This principle is incredibly important to understand, as it changes your entire approach to how you present your message.

For example, studies have shown that within the first 12 seconds of an interview, the interviewer has gathered enough information about you to decide whether or not they want to hire you — a crucial thing to know if you are looking for a job right now.

Communicate Clearly and Directly

The same applies to TV commercials, conference listeners, and people viewing advertisements. You have a very short time to communicate your points, so don’t bury your message too deep . The first thing someone hears or sees should clearly present your message to your audience just as much as your closing statement.

Preparation Time is Never Wasted Time

People’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. We have moved from books to papers, to emails, and texts, and now we even have to communicate using only 140 characters! This can make getting your point across very difficult if you don’t plan your message carefully.

Some people like stories and details ; others just want the highlights and headlines . Some people prefer just listening ; others need something to help them visualize . Regardless, you should be prepared to present your message effectively whether you have 5 minutes or 50.

Research what you are saying, and whom you are saying it to. I can’t stress enough how important preparation time is to effective communication. Taking the time to understand your audience’s mindset can completely change how you present your message, so before you do anything — study.

Focus on Your Audience

I used to be a nervous speaker because my mind was focused on me. I was so concerned with what the audience thought about me that I got caught up in self-absorbed criticism , resulting in terrible presentations. What I discovered after years of public speaking is that the opposite is true — your audience wants you to succeed .

No one wants to listen to a nervous speaker; it’s awkward for everyone . People want to learn, they want the information you have, and they want you to ‘wow’ them with a great presentation — so give them exactly what they want.

Encourage Questions

You have two ears and one mouth for a reason — to listen twice as much as you speak. Unless you are giving a lecture or speech, you should always allow the listener to ask questions or give input. When the other person is speaking, listen carefully and repeat parts of what they said back to them to show you are paying attention .

Engage with Your Audience

When it comes to general conversation, everyone’s favorite subject is themselves. Asking people questions about themselves is incredibly useful for several reasons:

• They don’t need to think very much when talking about themselves. This reduces tension and creates a more friendly atmosphere .
• They feel you are genuinely interested. Nothing makes someone feel more valued than when you sincerely want to know about them.
• This takes the pressure off of you. Keep asking questions until you have something of real substance to contribute. This gives you a persona of intelligence.

Ultimately, your message and presentation revolve around your audience, not you. Always think from their perspective , focusing all your efforts on packaging your message to fit your audience.

Project Confidence as an Expert

Whatever you say, say it confidently. When conveying any information, you should be perceived as an expert on the subject (if you spent adequate time preparing, this shouldn’t be a problem). By portraying the confidence of an expert, you reassure those listening that you know what you’re talking about and are worth listening to.

This is especially important when speaking to people in authority, such as in a successful job interview techniques or sales pitch. If you want the listener to take you seriously, you need to take yourself seriously.

Eliminate Bad Habits

People will pick up on the subtle things you do when you communicate (avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, stuttering, or saying ‘umm’). When practicing your presentation, try to eliminate your bad habits and distracting mannerisms .

Always Be Honest

Even experts can admit they don’t know something. Try to anticipate questions about what you’re presenting as best you can, and come prepared to answer them. If you don’t know the answer to something asked, say, “I am unsure about that” or even better, “I don’t know, but I will find out for you.” It’s always better to admit you don’t know than to lie to your audience.

Get to the Point

There is a saying in public speaking: “tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them .” This saying emphasizes the heart of any good presentation: get to the point and repeat your point .

Whether you’re communicating through a speech, a book, a design, or some other means, you should have a clearly summarized objective of what you want to communicate. The objective for this article, for example, is ‘to teach someone how to communicate better.’ From that simple sentence, I was able to expand the article into different key truths, then add specific examples and details — but all of it is meant to reinforce my main point.

Planning to Communicate

The first thing you should do when planning any communication is to write out in as few words as possible what you want to say. A great question to ask is, “If my audience only remembers three things from my presentation, what should they be?” When you know your key points, you can strategically plan your presentation to highlight those points . Using repetition and emphasis is the best way to ensure a message sticks.

Finally, and most importantly: find your voice. Your ‘voice’ is a term used to describe your unique and authentic perspective , which you should nurture and cherish. Apply the principles mentioned in this article along with your unique voice, and you will become a great communicator.