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Improve Your PowerPoint, Part 2

Published November 8, 2016

Clarks Summit University Professor Shows Before and After Examples for Improving Your PowerPoint Presentations 

In a previous article, I shared about using Microsoft PowerPoint as a TOOL, not a CRUTCH. In that article, you learned how to use the program to effectively engage your audience.

Let’s look at a real-life example of a PowerPoint slide makeover showing additional tips for improving your presentations.

Example 1: Get Rid of Floaters

Before: Photos float on the page, and text is not aligned. This creates a non-cohesive slide.

After: First, use different typefaces (bold, italics) of the same font to create interest. Secondly, align lines of type (one is left aligned; the other right aligned) for a strong presence.

Third, photos are more appealing when they “bleed” off the page rather than floating on the page with margins all around. Bleed means any image or element that touches the edge of the page, leaving no margin. Bleeding is visually pleasing to the eye because in real life we don’t see margins; we see complete images. Your eye completes the rest of the photo as it leaves the page.

Example 2: Go Big or Go Home.

Before: Photo is harder to see and packs less punch.

After: Emphasize a visually powerful photo such as this one by making it as large as possible. The emotional pull of this photo is much greater when your audience can see it in larger scale. Using a transparent bar allows the photo to be full-screen while the text is still readable.

Example 3: Call the Reinforcements

Before: Uh-oh. In this example, the slides are delivering content instead of merely reinforcing the presenter’s message. At this point, listeners could possibly disengage from the presenter and read the slides instead.After: Rework the slides to include a strong image and one major point. This allows your audience to continue to engage with you, the speaker, while reinforcing your thought through a strong visual. (Notice, we’re also using the principle from Example 2 of using photos in a larger size to create better impact.) On the third side, see how ONE strong visual is more powerful than two or more smaller images.

Example 4: Become a Master of Disguise

Before: Although slides with less text are preferred, sometimes more text is necessary. In this example, the text looks like it was dumped on the page. Margins are inconsistent, and it all blends together with the same typeface and similar size throughout.After: Even with much text, it’s possible to make slides visually appealing. The key is to disguise your text as a graphic by using creative typefaces and placement. Create a hierarchy with emphasis on the most important information. A solid bar across the top establishes the main point for each slide and can be used with either a graphic or text to keep consistency throughout the presentation.

Simple Take-Aways:

Bleed photos and elements to the edge of the slide.

Increase the size of powerful photos.

Use varying type sizes and typefaces to create a hierarchy.

Align lines of text to one another.

Use a consistent layout throughout the presentation.

Vary text size and color for interest and emphasis. Dawn Jacobs (’77, ’11), M.Ed., is senior graphic designer at Clarks Summit University. She teaches Graphic Design, a core class in the Office Professionals program. When she’s not helping people make their presentations and print materials more effective and aesthetic, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two adorable toy poodles Calibri and Cambria (yes, they are named after fonts!).

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