Creating an Attractive Presentation
[dropcap background=”” color=”” circle=”0″]C[/dropcap]reating an attractive presentation is a great way to force yourself, as the speaker, to consistently stay on point and successfully drive your argument home to your audience. Many great speakers don’t use PowerPoint or other visuals, and are still compelling presenters because of their confidence and body language.
Creating an attractive presentation is one main pillars of a successful speech. But what exactly does this include?
Short and Concise Information
Just as with the speech, visual presentations should be short and concise. They should also be easily understandable. If you’re using a PowerPoint deck and loading your slides with multiple paragraphs, expect your audience to quickly lose focus. Slides that are brief and to the point allow you to present an idea that can be instantly understood by the audience and then can be elaborated on further as you speak.
Exciting the Audience
Nothing is less exciting to an audience than watching a presenter read off his or her slides. While this may seem obvious, many presenters end up falling into this trap once their presentation begins. The excitement of your visuals comes from your passion for teaching the audience about the points you’re making. Work to convey one message per slide and then passionately and confidently speak about it.
Creating excitement does NOT mean creating fancy slides or fonts. This can distract from the message that you’re trying to deliver and tends to make your slides look sloppy.
People Love Charts and Statistics
Charts and statistics can convince audiences in a way that words simply can’t. Providing charts and statistics in your visual presentation allows you to combine the pillars of having a strong argument and creating an attractive presentation.
Using Props
Another great way to keep an audience’s attention is by using props. Notice the way Hans Rosling is able to amuse the crowd and tell a mesmerizing story while using a laundry machine in this speech. The speech is about industrial growth throughout the world, which wouldn’t seem to be associated with a laundry machine, but Hans is incredibly creative. Note how he uses the prop to create a very entertaining speech.
Catering to Both Auditory and Visual Learners
Most people would concede that there are two main ways of learning, auditorily or visually. Addressing both of them gives you the best chance of ensuring that your audience is fully understanding what they’re listening to and seeing. Creating an attractive presentation is essential to engage all audience members, regardless of how they take in information.
Remember, however, that how you act and what you say is much more important than what your viewers are seeing. You are your speech, not the visuals that you provide.