Create a presentation

A good presentation begins with questions to yourself. The most important part you can do in notepad, even without turning on the computer. First, you choose a topic, define a goal, and distribute the arguments in the right order. And only now you can open the program and search for pictures for the presentation.

1. Formulate a topic

It is difficult to listen to the interlocutor who jumps from one to another, so the presentation should have only one topic. Otherwise, it will be a long story about nothing. The topic should be narrow enough to offer a solution to the problem at the end. Narrow down the topic until the presentation cannot be presented in ten short paragraphs.

It is easy to identify a good topic — it suggests the structure of the speech itself.

A broad topic, thought jumps

Public appearances

What is public speaking

When we speak publicly

How to prepare

How to work with an audience

A narrow topic, the story pours

How to cope with the fear of public speaking

Why are we afraid

How to stop being afraid

What to do if you perform for the first time

2. Define the goal

A good presentation changes the current picture of the world. For example, people are starting to take more care of the environment or are running for a new smartphone. The goal does not have to be ambitious, the main thing is specific.

A good presentation goal starts with a question: what I want to change in the behavior of listeners.

Abstract goal

It’s good to perform

Sell the product

Show that the product is good

Specific purpose

Convince that the new model consumes 20% less gasoline

Prove that sales are falling, but that’s OK

Convince the owners to take their animals to the annual vaccination

3. Think over the scenario

The purpose of the presentation is what you want to change in the listener’s head, and the script is how you will come to these changes.

Imagine that you are making up a story. The listener should be intrigued, come up with an interesting hero, lead him through difficulties to a successful ending. This is the basic structure of any text and presentation. Fairy tales, movie scripts and product advertisements are based on such a structure

4. Rule of thirds

This rule of creating presentations helps to arrange objects on the slide so that the eye immediately highlights the most important. Divide the slide into thirds lengthwise and across. Place significant objects at intersections. Significant objects are titles and illustrations.

5. The texts are shorter

One slide is one thought. This slide is easy to read and remember. If you speak publicly, it will keep the audience’s attention. Exactly how much text will be on the slide depends on the size of the audience. If a person is reading a presentation on the screen, a paragraph of text will not frighten him. If you are speaking in front of an audience of a hundred people, it will be difficult to read more than ten words on the slide.

6. Add images

Photos and icons help to reveal the content, but should not replace it. If you find a beautiful photo “in the subject” that does not help to reveal the idea, do not use it.

You can use any numbers in the numbered list — it doesn’t matter. When converted to HTML or another format, the numbers will become correct and consistent (1, 2, 3, etc.).