So, you’ve got Fathom ; ) to give your PowerPoint design the WOW factor – what now?
There’s been a lot of research into the ways in which audiences ‘take in’ the information presented to them – but we think as long as you abide by these 5 rules and prepare well, you’ll do just fine!!
Attitude
Standing up a presenting to a group of people is not everyone’s cup of tea – but showing you enthusiasm for YOUR time ahead, and perhaps even break the ice before you begin with a comment about this being your first time or how nervous you feel…
Alternatively, if you are used to presenting, remember to make them feel welcome and glad that they attended. You might not know if they were convince to attend or if they are happy to be there in the first instance.
People like to feel relaxed – and if they are, they’ll tend to endear themselves to you.
Above all, remember you have a great looking and flowing presention and it’s working harder for you than ever – show confidence in it and your audience will respond positively.
Timetable
By now you should have a rough idea how long your presention will run for – including your narrative. If you slides are quite descriptive, try and narrate what’s not already displayed – you don’t want to keeo on repeating yourself and let time drag on unnecessarily because once they start looking at their watches you’ve lost them. If circumstances cause you to start late, assure your audience you understand the value of their time and that the presentation will end on time. Then speed up, or edit your talk accordingly.
Comfort
The environment you present in is an important factor – you don’t want the room being too cool, hot, noisy, crowded or uncomfortable in any way. If you have the ability to change the room space for the better, we would advise doing it. If not, mention the mutual discomfort early in the presentation – it will help get the your audience on your side and create a personal connection with them.
Age
Generally, younger audiences require more visual stimulation. Older audiences may have difficulty hearing or seeing small images, particularly if the slide-show isn’t being shown on the projector. Remember who your audience is, and adjust the presentation accordingly each time you present. With this in mind, you might want to think about how your slides interact / animate / and partculalry the speed in which information is displayed, finding a balcance between the two if your audience is varied in age.
Language
When preparing your professional PowerPoint presentations choose the type of language you want to use throughout and stick to it. For example, if you are presenting to a group of people ‘technically minded’ or have ‘in-depth knowledge’ about their information displayed, don’t shy away from industry jargon that they will undertand (as long as you know what you’re talking about!!). Likewise, if your giving a general overview on a topic that is more light-hearted, then keep the language punchy and simple.