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Is That PowerPoint Slide a Risk You Should Take?

By Bonnie Budzowski
President, InCredible Messages, LP

Some professional presenters refuse to use PowerPoint. These speakers know PowerPoint slides can act like a magnet, drawing audience attention away from the speaker. Other professional speakers use PowerPoint with care, exploiting the strengths and minimizing the dangers of this tool.

As business professional, you might not have a choice about PowerPoint. Use of this medium may be an expected part of your professional culture. Next time you use PowerPoint in a presentation, remember the following guidelines. Adhering to these rules will help you maximize the strengths and minimize the dangers of this tool.

Use PowerPoint for a Purpose

Since each visual you use has the potential to take attention away from you as the speaker, consider each PowerPoint slide a risk that must be justified. You can justify a slide in one of the following ways:

The slide visually reinforces a key point. Audience members are able to retain only a small portion of what you say. Research shows that people are more likely to remember information they both see and hear than information they merely hear. If you use a slide for each piece of information you present, audience members might not notice the distinction between key points and supporting information. Design slides to reinforce the key points of your presentation.

A word of caution: words on a slide don’t count as visual reinforcement. For the retention factor (of both seeing and hearing) to work, choose an image, not a screen full of words.

The slide clarifies complex material. A slide is justified when it visually represents or simplifies complex material. Here are some examples:

• A chart or graph that clearly depicts a business trend
• A flow chart of a process
• A picture that puts a human face on a problem or statistic

A word of caution is in order here, too. Visual images are powerful—when used sparingly. For example, a few statistical charts will be convincing, but an hour’s worth will leave audience members numb and bored. The same is true for any type of visual. Think of each slide as a risk, and avoid being overly predictable. Predictability easily turns into tedium.

The slide adds variety or interest. As a general rule, choose “less is more” as your guideline in adding slides. Sometimes, however, you’ll realize that a slide can add interest, variety, or humor.

For example, Rick Jakle, President-elect of the National Speakers Association, was scheduled as the keynote speaker at a management meeting for Lands End. While Jakle is a seasoned executive with deep business content, he chose to begin his talk with a heartwarming photo. The photo showed Jakle’s 4-year-old granddaughters, wearing their Lands End yellow slickers and matching ducky boots. The image created instant rapport and set a positive tone that lasted throughout the meeting. With PowerPoint, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Mix PowerPoint with Other Presentation Tools

We live in a fast-paced world, and the attention spans of audience members reflect this. Our brains and our bodies need variety to concentrate. An occupational therapist will tell you that this is literally true.

PowerPoint is only one tool in your presentation tool kit. Mix PowerPoint with examples and personal stories. Share expert opinions on your topic. Use handouts to guide participants through detailed information. Share startling or surprising quotes.

When in PowerPoint mode, your lap top is equipped with a command for a black screen (by pressing “b” or a function key, depending on the model). Use the black screen to add variety and to draw attention to you as the speaker. Use eye contact as you share that personal example. Memorize the inspiring quote and deliver it with conviction. Your audience members will certainly notice the difference.

PowerPoint is a wonderful tool. It is, unfortunately, overused and abused in most business environments. Before you add another slide, evaluate it as a risk. Use PowerPoint sparingly. Use it wisely. Only then will PowerPoint serve you well.
 

Permission is granted to reprint this article when the following contact information is included: © 2008 by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. For more free articles, go to www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com.

Imagine yourself in a situation in which one professional shows you how to incorporate the insights of three perspectives into your business communication:  marketing, persuasion, and visual design. 

Imagine an interactive session with an entertaining and inspiring speaker.  Do you like what you see?  You’ve just envisioned working with Bonnie Budzowski, President of inCredible Messages, LP.

Contact Bonnie to learn more about how she can guide you and your team to create compelling business messages or call 412-828-1629 . 

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