3. Use animations and transitions sparingly
Use animations and transitions between slides sparingly. The animations, such as the appearance of the chips should not appear on all the slides. A little animation can be a good thing, but adhere to the approaches more professional, more subtle (similar to what you see during the news bulletin on television). An animation from left to right is correct for a bulleted list, but a trip or a flight, for example, is too boring and slow (and unfortunately, it is still used in a lot of presentations).
4. Use high-quality images
Use of graphics and high-quality photographs. You can take your own pictures using your digital camera, buy professional photos, or use the plethora of high-quality images available on the Web (make sure you respect the authors ' rights, however). There never enlarge a small image of low resolution in order to adapt it to your layout, as this will lead to further degradation of the resolution.
Avoid the use of clip art images included in PowerPoint or any other design-looking comic. If the image comes with the software, your audience has already seen a million times. It may be interesting in 1993, but today, the use of such images undermines the professionalism of the presenter. Of course, there are exceptions. All clip art in PowerPoint are not all awful. That said, use them wisely.
I often use photos of people in my slides in order to promote a more emotional response from the audience. If the photograph is of lesser importance, then I reduce its opacity. Conversely, if the photograph is what I want the audience sees in the first (for example, the image of a product), then the image is highlighted, and little or no text is required.
5. Adopt-a visual theme, but avoid using PowerPoint templates
You must maintain a visual theme consistent throughout your presentation. That said, most templates included in PowerPoint have been repeatedly seen by your audience (what's more, these templates are not all beautiful). Your audience expects a unique presentation with new content (at least in their eyes), otherwise why would they want to attend your presentation ? So avoid the use of common templates PowerPoint giving the impression that your presentation is " prefabricated ".
You can design your own templates that will definitely be most suited to your needs. You save those indicating that the file type is a template.POT). You can also buy templates look professional on the Web.
6. Use appropriate graphics
Ask yourself the question : "what level of detail do I need ? "The presenters often make the mistake of including too many details in their charts. There are several ways to present data in graphic form. Here are a few considerations to this effect :
Chart spikes of pie. Used to illustrate percentages. Limit the number of spikes 4-6, and highlight the tip of the most importance in the coloring, or pointing out of the diagram.
Histogram. Used to illustrate the volume changes in time. Better if you limit the number of bars 4-8.
Horizontal bar chart. Used to compare quantities. For example, comparing sales figures between the four regions of a company.
Curve. Used to illustrate a trend. For example, here is a curve demonstrating that our sales have increased each year. The trend is good. The arrow comes in last to highlight the point : the future looks promising !
As a general rule, the tables are adequate for the comparison of quantitative data side-by-side. However, the tables are not very " attractive ". For example, if you want to demonstrate that your amount of contributions to a charitable organization is much higher than that of other sectors, the use of a horizontal bar chart would be more appropriate. That said, if you do not want to insist on this, a table will illustrate the all the way more neutral.
7. Make a good use of color
The colors evoke emotions. The right color can help you to persuade and motivate your audience. Studies have shown that the use of color increases the interest and facilitates the learning and retention of a message.
You don't have to be an expert in color theory, but it is good to know even a little about it. Grosso modo, the colors are divided into two main categories : cool colors, such as blue and green, and warm colors like orange and red. The cool colors are best for backgrounds as they give the impression of retreat. The warm colors are best suited for objects in the foreground (such as text) because they give the illusion of progress. This is not surprising, therefore, that the combination of colors, the most common is a background in blue with the text in yellow. You do not need to use this color combination. However, you can choose a variation.
If you plan to submit in a dark room, then a dark background (dark blue, grey, etc) with white text will work well. In rooms with quite a lot of ambient light, a slide with a dark background and a light text has a tendency to fade. In this situation, I would recommend the use of a background pale with dark text.
8. Choose your fonts wisely
The fonts used in the presentation should not be chosen lightly, as they have an impact on the message conveyed. Always use the same font in your presentation. Do not use more than two fonts on a complementary basis (e.g. Arial and Arial Bold). Know the difference between a font with serifs (e.g. Times New Roman) and a sans serif (e.g. Arial). Fonts with serifs were designed to be used in documents containing a lot of text (e.g. a journal, a report, a book). Fonts with serifs are easier to read in small sizes. However, in a presentation, the serifs tend to be lost because of the poor resolution of the projectors. Fonts without serifs are often the most appropriate for PowerPoint presentations, , avoid the Helvetica or Arial which are overused. I often picked the fonte Gill Sans because it is somewhere between a cast iron with and without serifs, and that it has a professional look while being " friendly ". Regardless of the font you choose, make sure that the text is legible from the back of the room.
9. Use the video or audio when appropriate
Use the video and the audio, when appropriate. The use of video clips to show concrete examples promotes the process of human learning. You can use video clips directly in PowerPoint without leaving the application. Not only the use of a video clip you can better illustrate your points, it also allows you to change the pace of the presentation, which increases the interest of your audience. You can also use audio clips (e.g. interviews). Note, however, that the use of sound effects included with PowerPoint, linked in particular to transitions (e.g. applause), is to be avoided since this can affect your credibility.
10. Spend time in the slide sorter
In passing mode "Slide" to " slide Sorter ", you can see at a glance the sequence of your presentation. This is so that you can decide whether to fragment a slide into two or three slides so that your presentation follows a sequence more natural, more logical. Also, it is in this mode that you will be able to identify what is too much and remove it in order to improve your speech.