What are the best tools and tips for creating effective slides?

If you have been asked to present, or have an area of expertise that people are interested in hearing from and learning more about, then you probably have a tool of choice already. What is your go-to? Sometimes, it's more important to get your content down on paper and formulated into the story, prior to you wanting to learn a new application and needing to "fancy up" the expertise you already have.

For creating effective slides, I highly recommend using Prezi. It’s not only a user-friendly tool but also excellent for structuring your talk. Prezi allows you to zoom in on specific points and zoom out to the core message, keeping your presentation cohesive and engaging. This dynamic flow enhances audience understanding and retention. Additionally, I emphasize using as many pictures as possible instead of text. Visuals make your slides more appealing and help convey your message more effectively without overwhelming your audience with too much information. This combination of Prezi’s features and visual storytelling ensures impactful and memorable presentations.

Choosing the right tool is essential for creating effective slides. Here are some options: -PowerPoint: A classic choice, PowerPoint offers a wide range of features and templates, making it versatile for various presentation styles. -Google Slides: Ideal for collaboration, Google Slides allows multiple users to work on the same presentation simultaneously, with easy sharing and cloud storage. -Keynote: Perfect for Apple users, Keynote provides sleek design options and seamless integration with other Apple products. -Canva: Great for visually appealing slides, Canva offers user-friendly design tools and a vast library of templates and graphics. Consider your needs, such as collaboration, design flexibility, or platform compatibility.

Make it interesting. Add some humor. This is not, tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, tell them what you told them... as we all learned so many years ago. It is a new day and there are so many things capturing people's attention, the time you have to pull them in and engage is short. Don't follow a predetermined script, instead, think out of the box about how you can relate to your audience, and in turn, have them relate to you.

-Outline Your Key Points: Start by outlining the main points you want to convey. This helps ensure your presentation has a clear and logical flow. -Prioritize Information: Decide which information is most important and should be highlighted. Focus on the key messages you want your audience to remember. -Storyboard Your Slides: Create a rough draft of your slides, sketching out where each piece of content will go. This helps you visualize the overall structure and flow. -Keep It Simple: Aim for clarity and simplicity. Avoid overcrowding slides with too much text or too many images. Each slide should focus on a single idea or message.

Think about accessibility. In this day in age, beautiful slides are one thing, but if you haven't considered the ride range of diverse members who can digest your slides, then you are limiting your reach.

One of the best ways to do this is to practice for when things go wrong. There have been presentations that I have botched but still received good grades on because I knew how to get past it. The majority of the time, your audience is sympathetic to you - most people hate public speaking, and are used to technology giving them issues. For example, one I use when I realize that I am rambling is when I pass it to the other presenter or end, I'll make a joke about it - thanking them for not falling asleep, or that I am no longer keeping them hostage. The BEST ones are the ones that hype up the following speaker

The best advice I was given once was to "talk with your hands." During an on-stage delivery, this makes the audience feel there is action happening and something to follow along with. I use LARGE gestures to make a point, and my tone and voice fluctuates just the right amount to either make a GRAND deliver, or something seem small, fragile, insignificant. Visuals and the actual presentation itself are secondary to your ability to make each person in the audience feel you are specifically speaking to them.

-Proofread for Errors: Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors to ensure professionalism. -Seek Feedback: Share your slides with colleagues or friends to get their input and perspectives. They may spot issues you missed. -Test for Clarity: Make sure each slide clearly conveys its intended message. If something is confusing, simplify it. -Ensure Consistency: Verify that fonts, colors, and design elements are consistent across all slides for a cohesive look. -Rehearse Your Presentation: Practice delivering your presentation to identify any awkward transitions or slides that need improvement. -Optimize Visuals: Ensure that images and graphics are high-quality and relevant. Remove any unnecessary elements that don’t add value.