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What are the principles of creating great presentations ?

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Question added by Rana ElBehery , Acting as HR Business Partner , MBC Group
Date Posted: 2013/02/23
Rana ElBehery
by Rana ElBehery , Acting as HR Business Partner , MBC Group

FIGURE OUT YOUR GOAL What is the point of your presentation? You should be able to distill this down to a single, concise statement.
If you find you have multiple goals consider making them into separate presentations.
MAKE AN OUTLINE This can be a hand-written list, a series of title slides in Powerpoint or Keynote, a mind-map, or a collection of post-its with the main points you want to make.
This is where you break down your goal into sub-headings that detail and support your main point.
Don’t think of this as a rigid plan you must follow, but a tool for figuring out how to make your point before you being creating detailed visuals.
START WITH A TITLE Creating a catchy but descriptive title is an important way to anchor your presentation.
You want your audience to be able to attach this label to everything you are about to tell them.
INJECT SOME EXCITEMENT This is often when people use a pithy quote that illustrates their point.
Consider using a short vignette or a compelling anecdote to make your point instead.
This is what the storyteller refers to as “the promise” — your goal here is to connect with the audience and make them want to pay attention to the rest of your awesome presentation.
TELL THEM WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO TELL THEM This is where you tell the audience what your presentation is about.
You’ve captured their attention, now repeat what you are trying to say and how you are going to say it.
State your goal and then give a brief overview of how you’ll be making your point.
KEEP IT VISUAL Use pictures, diagrams and good typography principles to support your points and keep your audience engaged while you explain the finer points in more detail.
Hierarchy of information is key here — use larger fonts, all caps or colour differentiation to emphasize words or short statements that are particularly important.
BUT KEEP IT SIMPLE, TOO Don’t overload your slides with too much information.
It can be tempting to include complex graphics and lots of information in the body of your presentation.
If you’re presenting a complex subject with a lot of supporting information, consider showing a summary or graphic representation, distributing supporting data as a handout instead of a showing it on slide.
ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE Make them work for their information! Set up question slides and ask the audience to supply the answers before revealing the answer on the next slide.
These can be rhetorical (Don’t you agree?) or literal (How many points do you think are in this guide? Answer: 10, because that is meaty enough to contain new information but not so long that people lose interest).
Even if you don’t ask for audience participation at this point, the question-and-answer structure is a useful technique for shifting the nature of your presentation away from passive instruction to active learning.
REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT Using repeated statements or elements can help drive home your point.
For example, using words or phases from your title and goal to reinforce the different points you’re making.
People are often reluctant to repeat themselves but as every great marketer knows, people absorb repeated messages subconsciously without even trying.
Be selective and pick just a few key messages to repeat using this method.
WRAP IT UP WITH A CALL TO ACTION Connect your point to current events.
Re-state your goal (again) and suggest ways your audience can apply this principle or information to the project at hand.
Be specific, but don’t be afraid to make the audience participate in generating new ideas for how to put this principle into action.

By using visuals, avoiding jargon, and keeping them as clear, short and concise as possible.

Amira El Sadek
by Amira El Sadek , Sales Manager , Real Estate Development

1 - Reduce the number of slides 2 - the size of the line makes it easier for viewers to read 3 - Maintaining the simplicity of text slides 4 - Use visualization to help in the expression of the message 5 - Use understandable labels for charts and graphics 6 - Apply thin slices and backgrounds inconsistent 7 - spelling and grammar

1.
Keep it short and to the point.
2.
visualization shouldn't be over so it don't take away from the main point 3.
slides shouldn't be stuffed with so much info, no one wants to read much 4.
Make the audience involve with u by asking them some questions 5.
Dont point ur fingers on the display neither step next to it.
6.
keep ur voice clear and refer the main titles from the presentation or when displaying a graph or comparison

Thomas Coleman
by Thomas Coleman , Course Director/Project Manager , Self Employed

Think about some great presenters...e.g.
Steve Jobs.
You must develop your own style while keeping the key principles in mind.
Every teacher is different yet one style may not be more "correct" than others.
The first and most important key principle is Effective Communication.
Other areas to work on are as follows: Grab them from the start Structure Timing Visuals Non-Verbal Communication Engagement Using your Voice Its easy to find principles and advice etc.
Think about the most amazing lesson you have ever had in your life.
This is the impact you want to have.
Think outside the box, always going back to one question "Is this communicating my idea effectively"? I hope this helps.

Amit Amberker
by Amit Amberker , Looking for Creative Designing Projects which needs to be Done on Photoshop, Illustrator, CorelDRAW , Freelancer and Self Employed

Hello Rana ElBehery, Interesting Topic! When we are asked to do a Presentation for a New Strategy, Training Materials, or any New Ideas, we should bear the following Principles in our Mind: Principle 1: Less is More.
Excessive Visuals and Slides will Weaken from your Message.
When it comes to Presentations, we should try to be as Brief as Possible while still Communicating all we need to.
Principle 2: We should be the Primary Source of the Presentation.
Most presenters use PowerPoint slides as their Primary Source of Information.
But our Slides should really only be there to Support the things We say and do.
Principle 3: Visuals are Key! Use data charts to Plot Financial Figures, Use FlowCharts to Illustrate Processes or maybe few Simple Photographs to Illustrate more Abstract Points.
People are much more likely to Remember and Understand what you have to Say if you Combine your Spoken Words with an Effective Visuals.
Principle 4: Think carefully about the Sequence of Slides.
Ensure that Presentation Flows Effectively and if We have a Single Slide that Contains a lot of Information, please consider Sequencing that Information using Animation.

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