PowerPoint Presentation Tips

We design and create original and effective PowerPoint presentations with dynamic graphics. Our presentation design services are cost efficient and custom tailored to your exact needs and target audience.

The following information is supplied as a guide to help motivated individuals create effective PowerPoint presentations.

Audio & Video Equipment:

• Standards:
  • Data Projectors are either XGA (1024x768) or a higher resolution model
• Making your presentation run smoothly
  • Load all speakers’ presentations onto hard drive of one computer
  • Have a back-up disk or CD-ROM of all presentations

Power Point Layout and Design:

• Avoid an illegible projection
  • View your presentation on your computer screen from a distance of 10 feet. If you are having trouble reading your monitor, the effect will be the same when projected.
• Text placement should be consistent
• Make sure there is good contrast between the text and background

Power Point Background

• Stick with a single and simple background. Too many "busy" items detracts from the content

Power Point Colors:

• Select colors that are easy on the eye for several minutes of viewing
• Keep intense colors to a minimum

Power Point Text Size:

• Projected text should be large enough to be read by all viewers (even the people in the back of the room).
  • Headline text: 36-44
  • Sub text: 34-36
  • Second level text: 24-28
• 24 point is a minimum for most situations.
• Remember, as text size decreases, it becomes more difficult to read
• For individual playback, text size can be reduced to no smaller than 12-14 points
• Try to keep sub text to 7 lines

Font Style:

• Select simple bold styles
• Select a standard system font. This helps ensure visual consistency when the presentation is displayed from a different computer than the one it was created on.
• Choose “Sans serif” fonts, such as: Arial, Comic Sans MS, Microsoft Sans-Serif, Tahoma, Verdana, Trebuchet MS
• Delicate “Serif” fonts, such as Times New Roman may be more difficult to read when projected or used on the web.
• Sentence case (use of upper and lower letters) is recommended.
• ALL CAPITALIZED LETTERS ARE DIFFICULT TO READ AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

Bullets:

• Do not center bullet points. It makes the text ragged, hard to read, and hard to follow with your eyes.
• Keep bullet point left justified.

Power Point Images:

• DO use images to supplement your message
• DO use images to emphasize your point
• DO NOT use an image as a space filler
• DO NOT use redundant images
• Image File Size:
  • Save Image as
  • JPEG, GIF, Bitmap, PICT, TIFF
  • 72 –300 dpi
  • Hint: Save image to desired size prior to inserting in presentation. Decreasing image size in Power Point does not shrink actual file size.

Power Point Animation:

Animation can help focus the viewers attention. But it should be kept simple and used sparingly. It's very easy to get carried away and use too many animated effects which may result in a viewer confusion.

Power Point Sound:

Sound can be used to enhance or detract from a presentation. Rule of thumb - unless the sound is integral to communicating an important item in your presentation - it should not be used.

Additional Presenter Tips:

• Arrive early
• Check out the equipment, lights, and set-up
• Get oriented to rooms, lighting, and A/V
• Brush up on giving your presentation
• Give yourself time to feel prepared and confident