creating impactful powerpoint presentations course

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Impactful Presentations

Why do presentations often fail to have the impact we desire? One reason is that information alone will never move people. In this course, you’ll go beyond presenting just the facts and figures to craft compelling presentations that will motivate others, inspire action, and enable buy-in. By surfacing what matters to your audience, you’ll learn to create presentations that are both meaningful and memorable. Gain the confidence and skills it takes to shift the way people think, feel, and behave.

Note: While this course is not focused on the visual design of presentations, it does cover a few quick tips to get you started.

Course Outcomes

• Deliver presentations that spark a shift in beliefs, behaviors, and mindsets.
• Sequence and convey your information in a way that will create a meaningful journey for your audience.
• Open hearts and minds by developing a trusted relationship with your audience.
• Apply techniques to help people pay attention and remember the information you share.
• Practice with unique presentation methods in order to create an engaging experience for your audience.

Part of Certificate Programs

• Communicating for Impact Certificate
• Collaborative Leadership Certificate

Skills You’ll Gain

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Go Deeper with Certificate Programs

Impactful Presentations is part of two certificate programs:

What You'll Learn

Week 1: introduction - move your audience, 2 video lessons.

• Messages That Spark Change—It’s not what you say, but how you say it
• Mentor Moment—Try something new

1 Assignment

Choose Your Presentation—Choose the 10-15 minute presentation you’ll be workshopping throughout the course. Use an existing presentation or choose from one of our sample presentation prompts. Identify your audience, your starting assumptions for what you must do or include in this presentation, and the skills you most want to grow.

Note: For course assignments, you’ll need access to either Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint. There will be multiple opportunities to get feedback on your drafts along the way, though you are not required to give your presentation live to the class.

Week 2: Plan the Journey

4 video lessons.

• What’s the Point?—Identify the goal of your presentation
• It’s Not About You—Empathize with your audience
• Shape Your Story—Build emotional appeal and interest
• Mentor Moment—Start with emotion

Crafting Story Arcs—Identify the beats, or key moments, of your presentation. Build four potential sequences to determine the strongest organization of your content. Use your learnings from this exercise to iterate your Big Idea and the shift you want the audience to make.

Week 3: Become the Guide

3 video lessons.

• Create a Connection—Bridge the divide between you and the audience
• Establish Your Credibility—Inspire trust and belief
• Keep It Human—Present as your authentic self

Design for Connection, Credibility, and Authenticity—Select different methods for building a connection, establishing credibility, and presenting authentically, and brainstorm how you might bring them to life. Think through the details of implementing these methods by experimenting.

Week 4: Make it Memorable

• Best Intentions; Bad Presentations—Avoid common presentation mistakes
• Make Patterns—Encourage understanding and retention
• Break Patterns—Shake things up to capture their attention
• Mentor Moment—Find the medium that fits your message

2 Assignments

Create Pattern Breaks—Brainstorm ways to break patterns using physical space, the senses, and audience interactivity. Build experiments to further explore your ideas.

Build a Storyboard—Use the feedback and insights from the first three assignments to create a storyboard for your presentation. Identify opportunities to engage, or re-engage, the audience, and consider the holistic journey through your content. Start a visual mood board to guide design decisions.

Week 5: Conclusion - Look Ahead

• Bringing It All Together—A Presentation Case Study
• Mentor Moment—Encouragement to explore
• The End Is The Beginning—Evolve your story and yourself

Presentation Finale—Design a meaningful ending and evolve the structure and flow of your presentation using insights from the feedback you’ve received. Craft a full second draft, diving more deeply into visual decisions and scripting key moments. Reflect on your experience over these five weeks to understand the skills and techniques you’ve gained and areas to continue growing.

Meet Your Instructors

Former Director of Health & Well-Being at IDEO

Ann is a design researcher with roots in anthropology and journalism. Prior to IDEO, she made documentaries for public television. Filmmaking taught her how to visually tell stories as well as how to find, edit, and shape them. At IDEO, she does the same thing, taking the raw materials—interviews, data, observations—and crafting them into stories that inspire.

Ann is a design researcher with roots in anthropology and journalism. Her portfolio spans the design of HIV prevention products, digital tools to help kids build emotional strength, and the re-design of the US digital immigration experience. Prior to IDEO, she worked for over a decade as a filmmaker and journalist; her latest documentary, “Lovesick,” is about matchmaking for HIV+ singles in India. Filmmaking taught her how to visually tell stories as well as how to find, edit, and shape them. At IDEO, she does the same thing, taking the raw materials—interviews, data, observations—and crafting them into stories that inspire.

From 2016 to 2017, she served as the Chief Design Officer for U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Ann holds a joint degree in Anthropology and the Study of Religion from Harvard College. She’s a board member of Noora Health and the Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship, and a past fellow of the Sundance Institute. Ann is an avid traveler, with the Okavango Delta and Tibet among her favorite spots, and an obsessive photographer.

Alex Gallafent

Senior design director at ideo.

Alex is a designer, theater artist, and journalist. Throughout his career, Alex has been figuring out the things audiences need and how best to bring them to life. He’s presented stories on theater stages in London and New York, in broadcast journalism for the BBC, and across the world with IDEO.

Alex currently leads the New York wing of IDEO’s Design for Food studio. He’s worked with major clients in hospitality, media, government, financial services, and beyond. He’s also taught design thinking, storytelling, and research at New York University, The School of Visual Arts, and The New School. A former correspondent for US public radio and the BBC World Service, he’s a past Fellow at the International Reporting Project at Johns Hopkins. Alex studied philosophy at Oxford University and trained in classical acting at LAMDA. He’s performed Shakespeare in Tokyo and written music for plays in London’s West End. In New York, Alex performs improv, plays drums for the city's only improvised rock'n'roll storytelling band, and hosts as many dinner parties as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do ideo u cohort courses work does my time zone matter.

We offer three types of courses: self-paced courses, cohort courses, and certificate programs. Cohort courses run on a set calendar, with fixed start and end dates. Course learning is self-paced within those dates and requires approximately 4-5 hours per week over 5 weeks. Courses consist of videos, activities, assignments, access to course teaching teams, and feedback from a global community of learners. There are also optional 1-hour video Community Conversations, held weekly by the teaching team. 

All of our cohort courses are fully online, so you can take them from any time zone, anywhere in the world. With our cohort course experience , while you'll be learning alongside other learners, you'll still have the flexibility to work at the pace that fits your own schedule. There aren’t mandatory live components, so you don't have to worry about having to log in at a specific time. At the same time, you'll have access to a teaching team, which is composed of experts in the field who are there to provide you feedback, and there are also plenty of options to connect with your fellow learners.

What is the role of the instructor and teaching team? Will learners be able to get feedback?

Course instructors have a strong presence in the courses through the course videos, but they're not actively providing feedback or holding direct conversations with our learners. We have a teaching team to ensure that you have the feedback, guidance, and support you need to learn successfully in your course. Our teaching team members are design practitioners that have experience applying course methods and mindsets in a wide variety of contexts around the world.

Our teaching team consists of teaching leads and teaching assistants, who are experts in their fields. Many of them have been with IDEO U for many years, and we have selected those who have direct experience with applying the course methods and mindsets in all sorts of contexts around the world. They all go through multiple training sessions by our instructional designers on not only on the subject matter, but also on how to create safe and collaborative learning experiences and environments.

What are Community Conversations, and how are they related to the course material?

Community Conversations are one-hour live video conversations hosted by the teaching team on Zoom. These happen once per week, with each one having two to three time options to accommodate different time zones. Each week focuses on the lesson that you’ve just gone through, so the output and the content depend on the specific lessons. You'll have the opportunity if you work together with your peers on the tools and mindsets from the course, reflect on what you’ve learned, and also address any challenges that you might be going through.

What will I have access to during and after my course?

All course materials, including videos, activities, and assignments will be available while you are enrolled in a course. During the 5 weeks of the course, you will have full access to our learning platform and can refer back to it any time. You will only have access to the course materials while you are enrolled. 

Assignments must be submitted during the 5-week course duration in order for you to receive a certificate of completion.

Can I take the course with my team?

Absolutely! We have had many teams go through our courses together. For those taking our courses as a team, we provide a number of additional benefits:

1. A Team Learning Guide, developed to provide your team with resources to facilitate offline discussions that complement the in-course experience.

2. A Manage Learners function, which provides visibility into your team's progress within the course.

3. The ability to create a private Learning Circle, which is a closed space for discussion on the learning platform specifically for your team.

For more information, visit our Team Learning page.

Do you offer discounts?

We offer a discount when you enroll in multiple courses at the same time through some of our certificate programs, including Foundations in Design Thinking , Business Innovation , Human-Centered Strategy , and Communicating for Impact . 

You can also enter your email address at the bottom of this page in order to receive updates on future offers or possible discounts. 

Will I get a certificate after completing a course?

After completing a cohort course, you will be able to add it to your “licenses and certifications” on LinkedIn.

We also have certificate programs that consist of multiple courses. After completing a certificate, you will receive a certificate of completion via email as a downloadable PDF within 1-2 weeks of completing the final required course. Certificates are configured for uploading and sharing on LinkedIn.

How do I purchase a cohort course?

You can purchase a course on our website using a credit card, PayPal, or Shop Pay. For US customers, we also offer installment plans at checkout if you use the Shop Pay method of payment.

We typically are not able to accommodate bank transfer or invoicing. However, if your order includes 10 seats or more, please contact [email protected] and our team will be happy to review your request. 

Collaborate with a Global Community

Work with expert coaches.

Our teaching team has extensive applied industry knowledge. They'll help deepen your understanding and application of the course content by facilitating written discussions, live video moments, and assignment feedback.

Expand Your Network

Join virtual live discussion groups for deeper conversation, reflection, and connection led by teaching team members and available multiple times a week across time zones.

Receive Feedback

Gain tips, techniques, and a downloadable feedback guide; and share and receive feedback on assignments from peers.

What Others Are Saying

“I've been delivering presentations my whole career, this course is game-changing for everything I knew. This course made me realize there are more creative ways to deliver a message.”

“I had an aha moment when I realized that you need to focus on the shift you want your audience to make versus the content you want to say.”

“Wonderful course on key elements that anyone should use to have a more memorable presentation prepared!”

“Having spent my career presenting to varied audiences, there is no doubt that most presentations are too data-heavy and the audience is lost early on. There is no one better than IDEO colleagues Ann and Alex to provide novel and impactful skills to those who present for a living….or for anyone who just wants to get better at presentation. Not only will you learn great new skills, but you will have fun doing so!”

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Enroll As a Team

The practice and application of design thinking, innovation, and creativity is highly collaborative and team based—which is why we believe that learning is better together. Take a course as a team and develop new skills and mindsets, have deeper discussion during course kickoff and debrief sessions, and build a shared understanding.

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6 Ways to Make the Perfect and Impactful PowerPoint Presentations

Creating a PowerPoint presentation might seem easy. Learning the nuances of sharing content through this medium can reinforce your message correctly. PowerPoint Presentations are a mode of communication where you can share information regarding your company, USPs, Mission, Vision, etc. You need to be careful with minute details, as even something like a wrong color scheme can make the whole thing can go south. A professional PowerPoint presentation can help you put your message across the table clearly and effectively. Check out six presentation secrets that will help place your audience’s trust in you. These small secrets go a long way!

• Less Is Always More
• Design Influence
• Creativity Is Everything
• Master The Basics
• Explore The In-Built Features
• Visualize Your Presentation

1. Less Is Always More

Customer Journey

Source: Customer Journey Template by SlideUpLift

A PowerPoint presentation is a mixture of text, images, and graphs. However, using too much text and highlighting the features through bullet points might fade the essence of the presentation. The textual content makes the audience lose interest and makes the presentation seem boring. On the other hand, graphs and images will help you communicate better and keep the focus on what you want to share. Remember, content is the key. If you do not highlight the right content in a presentation, you may be unable to anchor the audience’s focus, interest, and time.

2. Design Influence

30 60 90 Day Template

Source: 30 60 90 Day Template by SlideUpLift

PowerPoint designs speak for themselves. Choose a font that is easily readable by your audience. When choosing a designer font, pick a classic one the audience can relate to. The PowerPoint will leave its mark only when the size of the slides is of appropriate length. Remember, you do not want your design to have content that looks too small or too big. For headers, you can use 20pt; for the body text, it should be around 18 pt. This content size is acceptable for phones, TVs, banners, and laptops. And classic fonts are fortunately available on every desktop and laptop. Also, the color contrast matters; if there is text on the picture, ensure to use either shadow or highlight it by putting it inside a border.

3. Creativity Is Everything

Lamp Business Strategy Template

Source: Business Strategy Template by SlideUpLift

Undoubtedly, creativity is the foundation of exceptional PowerPoint presentation design. No one likes boring presentations, especially with more content and fewer images to convey the message. A plethora of designers up their game of creativity by learning and trying something new each day. Color schemes can be a tricky thing in presentation. Therefore, look for presentations that are approved by others. Maybe the same layout and color palette will work for you. Also, you can use the Moodboard template mechanism at Slideuplift to create a draft of how your presentation will look after putting in all the relevant information.

4. Master The Basics

16 Piece Puzzle PowerPoint

Source: 16 Piece Puzzle PowerPoint by SlideUpLift

In the designing field, it is paramount to master the basics of creativity. Your PowerPoint templates will stand out once you conquer the nuances of designing. Remember, advanced designing only helps when the basics are cleared. Mastering alignment, adjustment, and arrangement can make or break your PowerPoint presentation. Another important aspect of paying attention to while preparing a presentation is the apt usage of negative space.

5. Explore The In-Built Features

The best part of PowerPoint Presentations is that you do not require any special software or buy new features to make your presentations look spectacular. PowerPoint is easily available in the market and is loaded with a plethora of game-changers features compared to any basic design software. Explore the shortcut tool so you do not have to go back and forth. However, it is the hardware you need to invest in. If you are working on a laptop, you need to buy a good quality external mouse as the detailing may not be easy to manage with the touchpad. So, if you wish to invest less time and create a presentation that speaks for itself, this is a must.

6. Visualize Your Presentation

Project Kickoff

Source: Project KickOff by SlideUpLift

Before investing time in creating a mind-blowing presentation, you need to visualize its look. From basic color combinations that appeal to the eyes to simplifying the tables and using the doughnut graphs appropriately, all are a part of the visualization. Just putting in content is not enough, and you need to know how and where to put it. Google Slides Templates can create presentations that communicate the message loud and clear. Also, Google Slides Templates are compatible with PowerPoint presentations, so you do not need a separate tool.

To sum it up

Creating a PowerPoint presentation masterpiece is all about knowing skills, practice, and patience. However, if you feel you are short on time and lack those skills, it’s best left to experts, Slideuplift has it all covered. We will add a creative tinge to your PPT presentations and help you deliver the right message in the right way.

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Creating High-Impact PowerPoint Presentations: A Comprehensive Course

This course covers the essential features of MS PowerPoint.

• Duration 2 days
• Click To Contact Us

Course Info

What will i learn from this course, understand the presentation concepts, create cover slide, text slides, graphs, organization chart, insert picture/clipart, animation, movies and sounds to enhance presentations, use wordart to create creative text, create speaker’s notes, setup, run and control slides for presentation, print audience handouts, add your own presentation to the auto content wizard, customise slide master layout, import text and table from word, import charts and data from excel, use pack and go features, create hyperlinks, create summary slides, pre-requisite.

Knowledge of Microsoft Windows

Course Outline for This Programme

Day 1: high impact power point basic & intermediate.

1. Module: The Basics • Getting Started • Signing In • Saving a Presentation • Opening a Presentation • Creating a New Presentation

2. Module: Your First Presentation • Adding Content • Adding Notes • Selecting Text and Objects • Using Cut, Copy, and Paste • Using Undo and Redo • Checking Your Spelling

3. Module: Creating Slides • Adding Slides to a Presentation • Selecting, Moving, and Deleting Slides • Changing and Resetting the Layout • Working with Sections • Viewing the Slide Show

4. Module: Formatting Text • Changing the Font Face, Size, and Colour • Changing Character Spacing • Applying Text Effects • Working with the Font Dialog • Using the Format Painter • Clearing Formatting

5. Module: Working with Text • Using Find and Replace • Applying Bullets and Numbers • Changing Text Alignment • Formatting Text as Columns • Changing Line Spacing • Changing Text Direction

6. Module: Formatting the Presentation • Choosing a Theme • Choosing a Variant • Changing the Slide Size • Formatting the Slide Background • Adding Headers and Footers to Slides

7. Module: Inserting Art and Objects, Part One • Inserting Tables • Inserting Charts • Inserting SmartArt • Inserting Equations • Drawing Shapes • Inserting Text Boxes

8. Module: Inserting Art and Objects, Part Two • Creating Photo Albums • Inserting Pictures • Inserting Videos • Inserting Screenshots • Inserting Audio

9. Module: Advanced Slide Tasks • Creating a Basic Animation • Customizing Animations • Using the Animation Painter • Adding a Transition • Customizing Transitions

10. Module: Viewing and Printing Your Presentation • Viewing the Slide Show • Using Views • Using Zoom • Using Presenter View • Printing a Presentation • Printing Notes and Handouts

11. Module: Saving and Sharing Your Presentation • Saving a Presentation as PDF or XPS • Packaging a Presentation for CD • 3E-Mailing a Presentation • Sharing Your Presentation on SkyDrive • Publishing Your Slides to a SharePoint Site • Presenting Online

12. Module: Customizing the Interface • Changing Ribbon Display Options • Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar • Hiding and Showing Ribbon Tabs • Creating Custom Ribbon Tabs • Resetting Interface Changes

Day 2: High Impact Power Point Advanced

1. Module: Using Slide Masters, Part One • Opening Slide Master View • Creating Slide Layouts • Working with Placeholders • Changing the Slide Layout

2. Module: Using Slide Masters, Part Two • Preserving Slide Masters • Updating Master Slides • Using Multiple Slide Masters in a Presentation • Removing Masters from a Presentation

3. Module: Working with Templates • Creating a Template • Saving a Template • Using a Template • Editing a Template

4. Module: Using Handout Masters • Opening Handout Master View • Editing the Handout Master • Setting Layout Options • Creating Handouts in Microsoft Word

5. Module: Using Notes Masters • Opening Notes Master View • Editing the Notes Master • Setting Layout Options • Printing Notes Pages

6. Module: Working with Comments • Inserting Comments • Viewing Comments • Navigating Through Comments • Replying to Comments • Deleting Comments

7. Module: Reviewing a Presentation • Sending a Presentation for Review • Comparing Presentations • Navigating Through Markup • Accepting and Rejecting Markup • Ending the Review

8. Module: Advanced Animation Techniques, Part One • Choosing a Basic Effect • Setting Effect Options • Customizing the Trigger • Editing the Motion Path • Setting Start Options • Modifying Duration and Delay

9. Module: Advanced Animation Techniques, Part Two • Setting Animation Options • Changing the Order of Animations • Using the Animation Painter • Using the Animation Pane

10. Module: Advanced Presentation Techniques • Recording and Narrating a Show • Setting Narration Options • Using Presenter View • Creating a Video from a Presentation • Creating a Show-Only File • Presenting Your Slides Online

11. Module: Creating a Custom Show • Hiding a Single Slide • Creating a Custom Show • Editing a Custom Show • Presenting a Custom Show • Deleting a Custom Show

12. Module: Managing PowerPoint Files • Optimizing Media Compatibility • Compressing Media • Working with Versions • Recovering Unsaved Files • Protecting a Presentation with a Password

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BUILDING IMPACTFUL PRESENTATION WITH POWERPOINT

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Power Up Your Skills with the PowerPoint Course

Looking to supercharge your presentation skills? The ‘Building Impactful Presentation With PowerPoint’ course is your ticket to creating persuasive and memorable slides that captivate any audience. This PowerPoint course is a game-changer, tailored for trainers, educators, sales professionals, managers, marketers, and anyone who wants to convey complex information with finesse.

Elevate Your Career

In today’s competitive corporate landscape, being able to deliver compelling presentations is a skill that can set you apart. Whether you’re aiming to educate, persuade, or simply inform, this course equips you with the power of PowerPoint. From designing visually stunning slides to mastering animations and interactivity, you’ll gain the tools to excel in your career. Elevate your professional journey and be the presenter everyone remembers.

Unleash Your Potential

Unlock the potential of PowerPoint like never before. This course isn’t just about learning the basics; it’s about harnessing the full potential of this dynamic tool. Take your ideas, strategies, and messages to the next level. With a focus on engaging storytelling and practical exercises, you’ll leave with the confidence to deliver presentations that leave a lasting impact. Join us on a journey of empowerment, and let your presentations shine like never before.

Are you ready to transform your PowerPoint skills and leave a lasting impression? Enroll in the ‘Building Impactful Presentation With PowerPoint’ course today and unleash your potential in the world of presentations.

Course Details

Course Code: BIPP; Instructor-led

This program is a must-attend training for anyone who needs to create convincing presentation slides to communicate ideas, message, and strategies before groups of any size:

• Trainers and speakers who deliver educational material
• Teachers who must both educate and entertain
• Sales representatives who pitch proposals to potential clients
• Managers who must routinely prepare presentations and who want to enthuse workers and upper management about project plans
• Advertising associates and marketing professionals whose high-powered proposals must stand out among stiff competition
• Anyone who must explain fact, figures, or other complex information to the general public

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of Windows is essential with the following:

• Have attended Microsoft PowerPoint – Foundation & Intermediate Level, OR
• Able to switch between task applications
• Create and Save Presentation
• Print a Presentation with Headers and Footers
• Create different types of Printout
• Create Graph and Table into a Presentation
• Create an Organization Chart and SmartArt
• Navigate within a Presentation
• Apply Animation

Methodology

This program will be conducted with interactive lectures, PowerPoint presentations, discussions, and practical exercises

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to :

• Enhance your productivity using ribbons in PowerPoint
• Move beyond default PowerPoint templates
• Create impressive presentations using templates

Module 1: Plan - What To Present?

Module 2: design - slide structure.

• Slide layout – arrange all the items such as title, images or text boxes that helps to make up the slides
• Slide design – choose slide themes as a package of slide background and formatting to get attractive and consistent design of slides in a presentation
• Master slide – modify and use slide masters to make universal style changes to every slide in your presentation

Module 3: Develop - Content

• Infographics – Rewrite report details into presentation points to create impactful visual delivery content
• Table – Organize data in table by rows and columns to compare content details by sections
• Charts – Choose the one that best fits your data; Create and edit charts that allows to see meaning behind the numbers which makes it easy to visualize comparisons and trends
• Diagram – Convert information or process in to visually pleasant 2d diagrams for more understandable, efficient, and memorable content
• Image – use, design, and style images to convey the emotion or to illustrate key points

Module 4: Enhance - Interactive Slide

Transition & Animations – Add animation using appropriate effect, trigger, timing and arrangement which helps to control the flow of information on a particular slide and hold the audience’s attention

• Video – Insert video to express more on the content; including edit, trim and bookmark the video
• Audio – Insert audio as background music for more supportive element to an automatic show.

Module 5: Deliver Presentation

• Share Presentation – Create package for your presentation which helps to ensure that any linked files such as reports from another file are included and the correct fonts are embedded
• Notes – Create and hide speaker notes with presenter view during slide show which can be as reference to deliver more detailed about the content
• Shortcuts to present – Present like a Pro with more keyboard shortcut

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How To Create Impactful Presentation Slides

Proven tips and strategies for slide success. Tailor your presentation for any audience.

Impactful Presentations Depend on Slides that Make Impact

Creating high-impact presentation slides requires an understanding of core design principles and communication techniques. This comprehensive guide will provide you with the framework for developing memorable slides that captivate viewers and convert them to your message .

You’ll learn proven tips and strategies to blueprint slide success, leverage aesthetics for maximum effect, craft concise and powerful narratives, and tailor your presentation for any audience . Whether you’re an experienced presenter or just starting out, follow this guide to gain the knowledge and tools to design presentation slides that motivate and influence .

Let’s begin the journey towards developing the skills and resources to create presentation slides that leave a lasting impact on your audience. 

The Anatomy of Impactful Presentation Slides

Crafting presentation slides that captivate audiences starts with understanding a few key elements that set impactful slides apart.

Blueprinting Slide Success

The foundation is setting clear objectives for each slide. Define specific purposes upfront – is the goal to educate, inspire, persuade or prompt action? With defined objectives, you can shape content and visuals precisely tailored to achieve maximum impact.

Be brief but brilliant. Impactful slides artfully distil the core message using succinct titles, captions and bullet points. Avoid overloading slides with walls of text or complex charts.

Sequencing your slides to progressively build on each other boosts engagement and impact . Numbering creates intuitive wayfinding. And grab attention from the start with an opening slide that encapsulates your central message .

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Captivating from the First Click

Make your opening slide shine by summarising the key message in a bold, succinct title with ample white space.

Then, introduce your topic with a high-quality visual – perhaps an infographic, photo or illustration – selected to resonate with your specific audience.

For virtual presentations, include identifying details like your name, presentation title, organisation and date. This provides context if slides are viewed later.

An impactful opening slide paves the way, mapping out key information ahead.

The Art and Science of Slide Aesthetics

Colour and contrast – the dynamic duo.

Thoughtful colour choices directly impact the look, feel and effectiveness of your slides. Vibrant accent colours like orange, green and blue attract the viewer’s eye, highlighting key text or graphical elements. Yet it’s wise to limit your palette to just 2-3 colours total to maintain overall visual clarity and focus.

Ensure high contrast between text colours and background colours for maximum readability and impact. Dark-coloured text on light backgrounds provides the clearest contrast and is easiest to read. Maintain a single muted background colour like beige, grey or white throughout all slides to provide visual cohesion. Avoid loud, distracting backgrounds.

Typography That Talks

Font style and size have a big influence on the tone and clarity of your message. For slide titles, use large, bold sans-serif fonts like Arial or Verdana set in 44 points or higher to grab attention.

For body text, standard sans-serif fonts like Arial, Calibri or Helvetica remain crisp and readable even on screens. Use a minimum font size of 30 points for easy viewing by audience members. Allow ample white space around text blocks to reduce crowding and increase emphasis.

Visuals with a Vision

Relevant images, infographics, and illustrations make your presentation slides much more visually impactful while also conveying or emphasising key information. High-quality stock photos should look authentic , not staged or generic. Infographics neatly synthesise data, statistics, relationships, processes or concepts into an easy-to-digest graphical format. Only use custom illustrations if they meaningfully contribute to your narrative – avoid bland clipart.

If you are looking for In-House Presentation Skills Training for a group or teams, please see our

Crafting Your Slide’s Story

Brevity with brilliance.

Being concise is vital when crafting your slide content. Carefully curate information to only the 3-5 most essential facts, statistics and concise statements that advance your central theme. Avoid lengthy paragraphs or blocks of text that will quickly overwhelm your audience.

The wise 10/20/30 rule provides helpful constraints to distil your story down to its very essence – no more than 10 slides total, 20 minutes maximum length, and minimum 30-point font size used consistently throughout. Remove any non-critical information.

Narrating with Numbers

Leverage the power of visuals to efficiently communicate vital supporting data and statistics. Well-designed charts, graphs and tables allow audiences to absorb key information and relationships at a glance.

Keep visuals as simple and clean as possible for maximum clarity – use no more than 3-5 readable data sets. Include clear, descriptive labels and legends. Only use elaborate chart designs if you know your target viewers can easily decipher them.

Crafting Action-Driving Closures

Conclude by succinctly crystallising your core message takeaway in 1-2 sentences. Then, issue a clear call-to-action, directing your audience to relevant contact details, further resources or explicit next-step instructions. This energises and equips them to act based on your presentation. A strong close ties together key elements into a cohesive, memorable package. Send them away educated and motivated.

Tailored Design for Targeted Delivery

Designing for the digital divide.

Your audience’s location will determine the optimal design for your impactful presentation slides. For in-person events, use sufficiently large text and visual elements that the entire room can see clearly. Attendees in the back need legibility too. Sans-serif fonts at 30pt and higher work well.

But for virtual presentations, even larger components are essential. On screens, go for bold sans-serif fonts sized 45pt or greater with generous whitespace. This ensures clarity even on small laptop screens. High-contrast colours also help digitally.

Shorter virtual talks, about 15-20 minutes max, tend to hold attention best. Break detailed info into bitesize chunks over more slides. Actively engage remote viewers through discussions, polls and chat interactions. Keep them focused.

Global Appeal in Slide Design

When presenting to international audiences , research any cultural references or idioms that may be inappropriate or confusing across geographic borders. Avoid locale-specific metaphors and terminology.

Instead, rely more heavily on visuals, statistics and data to transcend language barriers. Icons and images can convey universal concepts. But even colours can have different cultural meanings.

Careful customisation results in presentation slides that resonate with audiences worldwide. Do your homework to get it right.

Mastering the Slide Lifecycle

Implementing standardised templates and curating an extensive library of reusable assets can greatly amplify efficiency and consistency in the slide design process. Let’s do a deeper dive into systemising your slide creation.

Tools of the Trade: Slide Creation Simplified

Leverage time-saving capabilities built into leading presentation tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides , and Prezi . Take the time to learn keyboard shortcuts for efficiently duplicating, rearranging, and formatting slide content, images, and text boxes. This keeps you focused on content rather than mechanics.

Take full advantage of the suite of professionally designed themes and layout templates included in the software to effortlessly apply polished, branded colour schemes, font packages, and master slide frameworks. Consistent templated formatting reinforces brand identity and amplifies your core message.

The Reusable Slide Arsenal

Maintaining an extensive, well-organized library of impactful presentation slides, section templates, icons, logos, imagery, and graphs allows seamless reuse of compliant, high-quality assets across presentations.

Tag each asset with multiple descriptive keywords based on usage scenarios like “Title Slides,” “Agenda,” “Infographics,” “Company History,” or “Statistics” for easy search and retrieval later. Routinely review and add fresh material to your slide bank to keep content engaging for repeat audiences over time.

Elevate Your Presentation Skills With Impact Factory

Now that you’re armed with strategies for delivering high-impact presentations , it’s time to put these into practice. 

Impact Factory offers personalised coaching, interactive workshops and corporate training programs tailored to the specific needs of each presenter and organisation. Our experienced coaches help unlock your full potential as an impactful, engaging speaker .

Start by exploring their website for free presentation resources. Articles and tips from industry veterans provide insights on captivating storytelling techniques , enhancing your stage presence, building confidence in front of audiences and more.

When you’re ready for in-depth skill building , reach out to Impact Factory’s team via email or phone. Our experts will listen closely and devise a custom training plan suited to your individual goals as a presenter . Private coaching provides the personalised attention required to hone advanced techniques. Or gather your whole team for an immersive workshop or tailored corporate training program.

Invest in developing your presentation abilities for maximum impact. With the right training and dedication, you can inspire audiences and achieve presentation greatness .

What makes an impactful presentation?

An impactful presentation is all about telling a compelling story that educates, inspires, and persuades your audience . It requires clearly defined objectives, strategic use of visuals, concise and vivid messaging, customisation for the specific audience, and smooth delivery . When all these core elements come together, you get a presentation that motivates and sticks with viewers long after it ends.

How do you start an impactful slide presentation?

Grab their attention immediately by opening with a slide that captures interest right away. Minimise text, use high-impact visuals, and have a bold but succinct title that summarises your core message. Establish the relevance to this particular audience. Set the stage for an engaging narrative to unfold. Those critical opening moments set the tone for your entire impactful presentation.

How do you give praise for a good presentation?

If someone has delivered an especially polished, engaging presentation, there are a few ways to express praise:

• “Your presentation was so well organised and professional.”
• “You made the information easy to absorb – nice work!”
• “Your slides perfectly supported your talk without being distracting.”
• “You kept me engaged from start to finish. Great job!”

A bit of authentic praise goes a long way.

What is the 5/5/5 rule for presentations?

The 5/5/5 rule provides guidance for slide text:

• No more than 5 words per line of text
• No more than 5 lines of text per slide
• No more than 5 text-heavy slides in a row without visuals

This improves readability and audience engagement.

What is the 10/20/30 rule for presentations?

The handy 10/20/30 rule recommends 10 slides maximum, 20-minute duration, and 30 points minimum font size. This keeps presentations focused, impactful, and easy to digest. The large 30-point text ensures readability.

Related Articles:

Would you like to learn more about growing your presentation skills? Here are resources that could help you along your journey:

• PowerPoint Presentation Course – This course is perfect for those who are ready to perfect their slides and learn how to craft a compelling story. Find out what you can expect from the course and how we can help you.
• Writing PowerPoint Presentations – Preparing your slides isn’t only about making them look pretty. You also need to think about your message and how to deliver it in the most impactful way possible.
• PowerPoint Presentation Tips And Tricks – Are you looking for immediate advice? Here are tips and tricks you can include in your next PowerPoint presentation.

Related Articles

What Tools and Software to Use to Create the Best Work Presentations

• Presentation

Explore popular tools for different experience levels and budgets.

Mastering a Virtual Stage: How to Give Career Boosting Virtual Presentations

• Remote Working

Stay ahead of the crowd by mastering the art of virtual presentation.

Choosing a Presentation Skills Training Provider

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How to Create Impactful PowerPoint Presentations

Creating a PowerPoint presentation is as important as presenting it in front of your target audience. The slides should not only be clear and concise but also narrate a story. Effective use of colors, images, graphics, theme, animations, etc. can keep your audience engaged!

To know more about the dos and don’ts of creating impressive PowerPoint presentations, click here .

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How To Make More Impactful PowerPoint Presentations

Last week I received an email that pained me to read. The sender had just shared what she hoped had been an impactful PowerPoint presentation during a networking event we both attended and had asked me for my opinion. After trading emails, she finally sent this:

I 1,000% need help, especially as we move into this next phase. I know we are creating something revolutionary, but I do not know how to communicate it clearly. I am giving this presentation next week, and I am nervous that it will flop because it is so much.

I could feel her pain. You can feel her pain. We all can feel her pain because until someone teaches you the scientifically-based PowerPoint slide design techniques that instantly improve message clarity, information retention, and effectiveness to ensure every presentation you deliver is pitch perfect, you're stuck hoping instead of knowing. 

The 8 Biggest Powerpoint Presentation Challenges 

Based on a thorough analysis of surveys, focus groups, and firsthand research on PowerPoint presentation hurdles, it's clear that when giving presentations to colleagues, bosses, and clients, many presenters face a common set of challenges. These range from the prep work and delivery to the nuts and bolts of crafting and sharing their PowerPoint slides.

See if any of the eight challenges below sound like pain points you experience when preparing and presenting a deck . If so, stick around till the end of this post, and I'll share five tips to overcome many of these challenges.  

• Audience Engagement and Retention . One of the most frequently cited challenges is capturing and maintaining the audience's attention throughout the presentation. With varying attention spans and the ever-present temptation of mobile devices, keeping an audience engaged and ensuring the information presented is memorable poses a significant hurdle. The challenge is compounded when data-heavy or complex presentations make retention even more difficult.
• Message Clarity and Conciseness . Just like my friend, many presenters struggle with distilling complex ideas or vast amounts of data into clear, concise, and impactful messages. The challenge here is not just about reduction but also about prioritization and structuring information in a way that is logical and compelling to the audience. Honestly, this is easily the number one issue we address and fix during every Perfect Pitch engagement we work on regardless of the clients' presentation experience level. 
• Design and Aesthetic Appeal. Let's face it: Few of us are gifted designers who understand how to leverage color, fonts, and design structure to craft visually compelling slides that enhance rather than detract from the story we're attempting to communicate. And let's not even start on the whole "show up and throw up slide" favored by too many presenters who fearing they'll leave something out, put everything in — ONE SLIDE. You know who you are 😊 
• Dealing with Anxiety and Delivery Skills . Presentation anxiety is real, affecting both novice and experienced speakers. It can lead to issues such as speaking too quickly, losing place, or failing to engage effectively with the audience. Moreover, the skills needed to deliver a presentation confidently, such as pacing, tone modulation, and body language, are areas where many feel they need more expertise. And why shouldn't they when most will tell you they have never received any meaningful presentation skills training beyond a basic "Here's how to use PowerPoint" class.
• Technical Proficiency and Software Limitations. There is a reason I work exclusively in Keynote when building my own presentations. Every time I help a Perfect Pitch client rebuild their PowerPoint presentation, I say a short prayer of thanks to Steve Jobs and his merry band of Apple UI designers for freeing me from PowerPoint's design constraints that make executing even basic design principles (to direct and hold an audience's attention for instance) more difficult than it should be for a non-PowerPoint junkie.
• Time Constraints and Resource Limitations.  Why every company doesn't invest in hiring an expert PowerPoint design agency to create a basic best-in-class PowerPoint template for their employees to use when building standard presentations makes no sense to me. Dollar for dollar, it is the highest ROI investment the company will ever make. Why? Because, the time required to create a high-quality presentation is another significant challenge. Employees often juggle multiple responsibilities, and finding the time to design, refine, and practice a presentation can be difficult.
• Adapting to Different Audiences. Tailoring a presentation to suit different audiences — whether for colleagues, senior management, or external clients — requires a deep understanding of the audience's needs and expectations and the flexibility to adjust the tone, depth of content, and delivery style. Employees often find this customization challenging, particularly when transitioning between different audiences. Worse, younger workers are never taught to present at "different levels" within the organization, resulting in text/info-heavy slides that senior managers and C-level execs tune out before the first transition.
• Feedback and Continuous Improvement. Lastly, the lack of constructive feedback on presentation delivery and content can hinder an employee's ability to improve over time. Last week, I was invited to judge a Shark Tank-like pitch competition for casino marketing directors. It was the first time many of the presenters had ever had anyone constructively critique their presentations. They LOVED it. One energetic team spent almost 30 minutes after the competition asking me for additional detailed feedback, which they enthusiastically wrote down and committed to implementing in the next version of their deck. 

5 Tips to Help You Create Impactful PowerPoint Presentations

Research shows audiences forget 90% of what they see and hear during a presentation . I can spend all day walking you through the various scientifically based ways you can change that stat, and if you're interested in that sort of thing, let's hop on a Zoom Call and I'll explain our Perfect Pitch workshop options. In the meantime, here are five simple changes you can make immediately. 

• First, understand the purpose of your presentation . While there are many types of presentations, they all boil down to one of five macro goals: to make your audience question something they currently believe, believe something you believe, approve taking action, take action themselves, or teach them how to do something. Understand that goal and then build your PowerPoint presentation message plan accordingly. 
• Second, define your 10%. If the audience will forget 90% of what you share , design your presentation to emphasize the most crucial information you need the audience to remember to achieve your presentation goal. I'll be honest with you: This is the single hardest part of creating effective PowerPoint presentations. But once done, it makes crafting a tight deck a breeze. 
• Third, direct and hold your audience's attention . Color and animation are your friends. Most presenters don't understand the complicated attention dance PowerPoint presentations require. Your audience cannot simultaneously read the words on your slide AND hear the words you speak. It's biologically impossible because the same part of your brain that processes visual text also processes spoken words. That's why you never want to just put a bunch of words on a slide and start talking. Instead, use animations to bring up a point and then explain it. Rinse and repeat until you're ready to move to the next slide. It's a small thing, but it makes a HUGE difference. 
• Fourth, group your graphs. Presenting data is the single most challenging presentation, in my opinion. One big part of the challenge is the innocent chart legend. We all use them, but most of the time, you shouldn't because the legend increases the cognitive workload on your audience's brain. They must visually match the color coding (especially difficult if you're using shaded color vs. distinct color schemes) to the appropriate data point on the chart, then link that to the actual data point, and process all of this while trying to listen to you explain the chart.  Wherever possible, avoid legends and directly code the data point information (X and Y coordinates) into the chart. 
• Fifth, use related objects to improve understanding and retention . For instance, if you're presenting two options and you want the audience to understand that they are each completely unique, you might show them visually and verbally as "apples and oranges" to make it clear that they share nothing in common. 

There are stories, and there are stories well told...

We remember the latter while allowing the former to fade into the cacophony of noise we're all subjected to daily.

The primary job of any presentation deck is to create recall of the critical information required to agree to, believe in, or approve the presenter's reason for presenting. Science says the deck (pun intended) is stacked against you. But, with the right training, you can flip the script and become the presenter everyone loves to emulate.

Speaking of PowerPoint presentation training... did you know we do that here at Converse Digital? From helping you rebuild a key sales pitch deck to training entire teams to build better PowerPoint decks to presentation training, if you or your team needs to up your presentation game, check out our Perfect Pitch page to learn more about the science of persuasion by PowerPoint. 

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Is there something we could help you with? Maybe a topic you wish we'd cover or maybe you have a specific challenge you'd like us help you with? 

Are Your Slides Costing You opportunities?

If your slides suffer from these common persuasion hurdles, we can help. 

• Lack of a clear presentation goal
• Text-heavy slides
• Confusing use of visuals
• Lack of logical color coordination
• Inconsistent Charts & Graphs
• Poorly applied animations
• Fail to clearly demonstrate your idea, solution, or service

PERFECT pitch

PowerPoint Presentations That Will Blow Your Audience Away

How to Make Effective Impactful Presentations (Tips & Tools)

Learn how to make a good presentation great - step-by-step with examples. Learn the principles, guidelines & qualities needed to prepare captivating slides.

Dominika Krukowska

12 minute read

Short answer

Short answer: how to make a good presentation.

Start with a surprising statement, a bold promise, or a mystery

Provide context with a bit of background information

Structure your presentation within a story framework

Make every word count, and use as few as possible

Use visuals only to support your presentation text

Use interactive design to make your audience active participants

End by telling your audience what they can do with what they’ve learned

Boring presentations are instantly forgotten. How’s yours?

Lifeless presentations can spell doom for your message, leaving your audience disengaged and your goals unreached.

The price of a mediocre presentation is steep; missed opportunities, unimpressed prospects, and a bad rep.

In a world where everyone has grown to expect a good story, a boring presentation will be instantly forgotten. Like a drop in the ocean.

But not all is lost.

This post will teach you how presentation pros create compelling narratives and leverage the latest tech tools to command attention, drive a powerful message, and get shared like gossip.

Let’s get started!

How to prepare a presentation?

The successful presenter understands the value of small details and thorough preparation like the seasoned chef knows the importance of quality ingredients and careful technique for serving a 5 star dish

But where do you start?

Step-by-step guide for preparing a presentation:

1. Define your objective

Every presentation needs a clear goal. Are you looking to persuade, educate, or motivate? Perhaps you aim to showcase a product, or share insights about a recent project.

Defining your objective early on will guide your content creation process, helping you to focus your message and structure your presentation effectively. Think of your objective as the North Star guiding your presentation journey.

2. Analyze your audience

Next up, who are you talking to? Your audience should shape your presentation as much as your objective does. Understanding their needs, interests, and background will enable you to tailor your message to resonate with them.

Are they experts in your field, or are they novices looking for an introduction? What questions might they have? The more you know about your audience, the more compelling your presentation will be.

3. Research your topic

Once you've defined your objective and analyzed your audience, it's time to delve deep into your topic. Comprehensive research lays the groundwork for a robust, credible presentation.

Don't just scratch the surface – explore different perspectives, recent developments, and key statistics. This will not only enhance your understanding but also equip you with a wealth of information to answer any questions your audience might have.

4. Choose the right delivery format

Finally, consider the best format to deliver your message.

The right format can make all the difference in how your message is received, so choose wisely!

PowerPoint presentations are classic and easy to work with. But PowerPoint and Google slides are not so versatile in terms of their content experience. They're static, packed with information, and all look alike.

Our own presentation maker offers interactive, personalized, and multimedia content experience.

Data from our research of over 100K presentation sessions shows that audiences engage with Storydoc presentations 103% better than PowerPoint.

How to create an effective presentation?

There’s part art and part science in creating high-engagement high-impact presentations.

An effective presentation is the painstaking result of well-organized content, visuals that support and elevate your message, simplifying complex information, and personalizing wherever possible.

I wrote this post to teach you how to do all these, and a few things more.

Ready to learn? Let's dive in!

How to organize your presentation content?

Crafting a compelling presentation is like writing a page-turner.

You need to captivate your audience, maintain their interest, and guide them effortlessly through your narrative.

But how do you transform a heap of information into a well-structured presentation you can’t stop reading? There’s a structure you can follow.

3-step process for organizing a magnetic presentation:

1. Prioritize content

Your presentation should immediately capture interest and demonstrate relevance before moving on to establish understanding .

A) Build interest:

Begin with a strong hook that grabs your audience's attention. This could be an intriguing statistic, a powerful image , or an engaging question. It should stir curiosity and make your audience eager to hear more.

B) Establish relevance:

Once you have their attention it's time to establish why your presentation matters to your audience.

Address your audience's main concerns. Make sure your content directly speaks to these pain points, and address them in order of importance.

2. Build anticipation

A great presentation is like getting a new car – it builds anticipation, takes you on a thrilling ride, and ends with you wanting to share the experience with all your friends.

Start with a compelling problem your audience relates to and follow up with a promise of an amazing way they can solve it. This problem-solution dynamic creates a suspense that keeps your audience glued to your presentation.

3. Use a story framework

Finally, use a story framework to give your presentation structure and flow.

Begin with a big idea that underpins your presentation. Then delve into the problem, showcasing why it needs attention. Present your solution, painting a vision of a better future for your audience.

Weave in concrete examples of how your solution changes lives.

Tell the story of WHO you helped, WHAT the situation was before and after your solution, WHERE and WHEN it happened, WHY it worked and HOW it made them feel.

If you’re writing a business presentation you should follow this with an execution plan that outlines how the solution will be implemented.

Finally, close with clear next steps, guiding your audience on what they should do after the presentation to bring meaningful change into their lives.

Our recommended story framework:

How to design your presentation?

A good presentation is more than just making it look pretty ; it's about communicating your message effectively and creating a lasting impression.

Good presentation design grabs attention, and leads it to where it’s needed most. It takes your hand and leads you through the easiest and most pleasant path to understanding.

Good presentation design supports your message rather than steals the spotlight. Good design is narrated design.

What is narrated design (Scrollytelling)?

Scrollytelling, where "scroll" meets "storytelling", is an interactive content experience that guides readers through a narrative journey with a simple scroll. It connects text, images, videos, and animations into integrated “scenes” where content is both shown and narrated.

Scrollytelling breaks complex content into digestible chunks and gives the reader control over pace. It has been scientifically shown to enhance engagement, understandability and memorability.

Scrollytelling came up as a central thing when Itai Amoza, our Founder and CEO was building the foundations for Storydoc.

He partnered with one of the world’s leading visualization scientists , prof. Steven Franconeri , to help him bring to Storydoc the means to reduce the complexity, friction, and information overload so characteristic of business presentations.

Scrollytelling is part of the solutions that came up, which led to specialized storytelling slides like our narrator slide (in the example below).

An example of Storydoc scrollytelling:

How to design presentation visuals to support your story

Presentation visuals can be unsung heroes or sloppy distractions.

Visuals can bring your message to life, make complex concepts easy to understand, and engage your audience in ways that words alone cannot. Or… they can sit there looking all pretty and distract you from what’s really going on.

4 elements of great presentation visuals:

Support your message: Your visuals should support your text, highlight your main message, and align with your objective. They should reinforce your points and help your audience understand your message.

Represent your audience: The best visuals are relatable. They should resonate with your target audience and reflect their world of associations. Use images and graphics that your audience can identify with – this can enhance their engagement and make your presentation more memorable. Equally important is using clean images - an effective way to do this is by using tools that allow you to remove your image backgrounds . By eliminating distractions and focusing on your subject, you create images that are more impactful and, therefore, can potentially increase audience engagement.

Introduce your product, outcomes, and clients: Wherever possible, use visuals to demonstrate your product, illustrate outcomes, and represent your clients. This can remove doubt and misunderstanding by letting your audience see (and make obvious) what words sometimes struggle to describe.

Follow your branding guidelines: Your presentation is an extension of your brand, so your visuals should conform to your branding guidelines. Consistent use of colors, fonts, and styles not only enhances brand recognition but also creates a cohesive, professional look.

Here’s an example of a well-designed presentation:

How to communicate complex information?

Did you ever have to read a presentation where you felt like you're lost in a maze of jargon, data, and complex concepts?

Are you giving others this same experience?

Communicating complex information is a common challenge in presentations. But there are ways you can simplify your presentation and reengage your audience.

Here’s how you can get complex information across:

1. Use interactive content

Interactive content is your best friend when it comes to simplifying complex information and getting deeply engaged with your content.

It gets the readers more involved in your presentation by letting them play an active part; like choosing the content route they wish to take and controlling the pace.

It keeps your presentation textually lean - giving readers the choice to expand more details on demand (in tabs, live graphs, sliders, accordions, and calculators).

Beyond that, live graphs can illustrate trends, animations can demonstrate processes, and videos can bring concepts to life.

Calculators, questionnaires, and chatbots provide personalized and specific answers to readers as part of your presentation, without them having to get in touch with you or your team.

Elavating your presentations from static to interactive has been tied to increasing the number of people who read your presentation in full by 41% !

Making interactive used to be hard, but now you can just use Storydoc. Go make your first interactive presentation. It’s easy as pie.

2. Show don’t tell

A picture is worth a thousand words. Because no one will read a presentation with a thousand words, do everyone a favor and use images.

Images can be super effective at communicating complex information and save you a lot of needless text.

In fact, visual representation of data and concepts can often convey what words cannot. Use diagrams, infographics, and images to illustrate your points and simplify the complex.

The goal is to create a visual narrative that complements your verbal one.

3. Narrate your content

Storytelling is another powerful tool for communicating complex concepts.

Whether it's through text to speech AI, video bubbles, or a scrollytelling narrator slide, narrating your content can help guide your audience through the complexity.

By giving your information a narrative structure, you can make it more digestible, engaging, and memorable.

According to Sales Hacker’s data, people remember up to 10% of numbers and 25% of images they see. When you center your presentation around a story, this rises to 60-70% .

4. Use examples and allegories

Examples and allegories help unravel the complexity of ideas.

They scaffold your message with concepts we already know and understand, and can easily imagine in our mind. This makes them less new and intimidating and more familiar.

Critically, the real secret lies in selecting examples that are not just familiar but also deeply relevant—those are the ones that will truly ring with your listeners.

If you tailor the allegory to your audience's world, it is guaranteed to lead to an “aha” moment.

5. Open a line of communication

Finally, invite dialogue. This could be through a chatbot or an option to book a meeting for further discussion. This not only helps clarify any confusion but also encourages engagement and deepens understanding.

For example, finishing your presentation with an interactive calendar to book a meeting instead of a generic “Thank you” slide has proven to boost conversion rate by 27% !

How to personalize your presentation?

Imagine attending a party where the host doesn't remember your name or anything about you. Not a great experience, right? The same holds true for presentations.

In a sea of generic content, personalization can be a lifeline that connects you to your audience on a deeper level. It’s also the single most important predictor of success, getting 68% more people to read your presentation in full .

But how do you add that personal touch?

1. Address reader by name

Just as you wouldn't start a conversation without a greeting, don't start your presentation without acknowledging your audience.

Using your audience's name can make your presentation feel like a personal conversation rather than a generic monologue. It's a simple yet powerful way to engage your audience from the get-go.

2. Use their company logo

Including your audience's company logo in your presentation can make them feel seen and valued. It shows that you've taken the time to tailor your presentation to them, enhancing its relevance and appeal.

Plus, it's a subtle way to reinforce that your message is specifically designed to address their needs and challenges.

3. Add a personal message (video or text)

A personal message can go a long way in building a connection with your audience.

It could be a video message from you, expressing your enthusiasm for the opportunity to present to them, or a text message highlighting why the presentation matters to them.

This personal touch can make your audience feel special and more invested in your presentation.

4. Personalize your Call-to-Action

Finally, cap off your presentation with a call to action that speaks directly to your audience.

Swap out the generic 'Contact us' with something that gets to the heart of their needs, something like, 'Let's roll up our sleeves and tackle your [specific issue] at [their company].'

By tailoring your call to action, you show your audience you've truly got their back, that you're not just here to talk, but to make a real, positive impact on their world.

Here’s an example of a personalized slide:

How to measure the effectiveness of your presentation

Imagine if you could peek into your audience's mind, understand what resonated, what fell flat, and what drove them to action?

Presentation analytics is essential in order to guide you on how to fine-tune it for maximum impact.

But how do you get your hands on presentation analytics?

Any presentation you create with Storydoc comes with an out-of-the-box analytics suite , ready to track and provide insights.

We give you 100% visibility into how people engage with your presentations and send you real-time engagement alerts.

Here’s a video explaining how you can track performance with our analytics panel:

4 critical presentation engagement metrics to keep track of

1. Reading time

Storydoc gives you the precise time prospects spend reading your presentation so you can quickly figure out what's hitting the target and what's not.

Are they soaking up every word or just quickly skimming through? This can help you shape your content to hit the bullseye.

NOTE: Keep in mind that reading time alone might not show you a full picture. A better way is to use a smart engagement score that brings together different metrics like time spent and depth of reading. You can get this kind of total score in Storydoc.

2. Reading completion

Another basic metric we track is how many people read your content from start to finish.

This metric is a strong sign of the prospect’s interest and your content quality. It shows you if they're finding the information relevant, but also worth sticking with till the end.

3. Next step conversion rate

This one tracks how many people take the next step after they check out your presentation. This could be filling out a form, setting up a meeting, or downloading more files.

For business presentations, measuring this can show how well your presentation is pushing people further down the sales funnel.

At the top of your analytics dashboard, you can find a tab that shows you how many people clicked on your CTA divided by presentation, date, and location. If you scroll down to the list of readers, next to each person you can also see whether they clicked on the CTA or not.

Here's what it looks like:

4. Number of shares

This metric is particularly important for B2B sales teams . As more people are getting involved in buying decisions, this measure helps you see if and when your content is being passed around inside your prospect’s company.

On the analytics dashboard, under each presentation version, you can find detailed information on how many people read it. So, the higher the number, the more your presentation has been shared internally.

We'll notify you when your presentation has been shared, and who opened it, so you can time your follow-up perfectly to your buyer’s readiness to advance further.

Here's where you can find this information:

Best tool for making an effective presentation

In the realm of presentation tools, classics like Google Slides and PowerPoint offer simplicity and ease, while Canva and Pitch add a dash of design flair and collaboration.

If you're seeking to elevate your presentations to new heights you’ll need to do better than simple PowerPoints or flashy Canvas. Next-gen AI presentation tools like Storydoc are your game-changer.

They break free from the static concept of slides and offer the creation of interactive, immersive content experiences that sweep us along like a good story.

Grab a template - create your best presentation to date

Ever wished for a secret recipe to whip up a killer presentation? We've got something even better! Our interactive presentation templates are your shortcut to success.

Say goodbye to hours of formatting and hello to captivating, interactive presentations, all with a few clicks.

Grab a template and turn presentation woes into wows!

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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​​Crafting Impactful Presentations​

Topic: Others, Professional Development & Leadership

Course Type: Short & Modular Courses

Course Date:

Registration period:, mode of training:.

*Please note that once the maximum class size is reached, the online registration will be closed. You may register your interest, and would be notified if there is new run. Creating and delivering a clear and effective presentation is an essential skill for employees at all levels to excel in their work and progress in their career path. The ability to communicate effectively is key to one’s career progression and work effectiveness. This can aid the target audience to better understand the impetus for change which can help improve acceptance and success of technology adoption or process change. This small class size (<20pax), interactive 2-day course will allow instructors to coach learners in their learning process.  

Course Objective

• Develop a visually appealing and concise deck of PowerPoint slides to convey key messages. This can aid the target audience to better understand the message in order to help drive digitalisation.  
• Engage with their audience to deliver messages effectively. This can be used to convince stakeholders to adopt digitalisation.

Course Outline

1. Develop your sense of design through observation and critiquing a collection of presentation slides 2. Understand your audience & how to effectively grab audience attention with a story 3. Develop and plan the story flow & organizing content in a clear and focused structure 4. Construct your key messages and information the way you want the audience to understand 5. Keys to creating effective visuals with consistent style, using font, colour scheme and background 6. Conclude effectively with a call for action 7. Develop a presentation with peer and instructor evaluation

Day 2 1. Identifying the “secret sauce” of effective communicators 2. Projecting a clear, confident, and credible voice 3. Engaging with audience through your body language 4. Orchestrating the presentation 5. Delivering in a smooth and natural way 6. Think on your feet to manage Q&A 7. Mock presentations with peer and instructor evaluation

Minimum Requirements

Certification / accreditation, suitable for.

The course fees payable above are inclusive of 9% GST rate.

As per SSG’s policy, the GST payable for all funding-eligible applicants is calculated based on prevailing GST rate after baseline funding subsidy of 70% 

Singaporeans aged 25 years and above may use **SkillsFuture Credit balance to offset respective course fees. 

1Under the SkillsFuture Mid-career Enhanced Subsidy. For more information, visit the SkillsFuture website here .   2 Under the Enhanced Training Support for Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Scheme. For more information of the scheme, click here . To view SP’s list of similar funded courses, click here . Please submit the attached “ Declaration Form for Enhanced Training Support Scheme for SME ” together with your online application. 

Course Trainer(s)

Lim Chee Peng  is an IT and Business consultant who has worked on IT transformation project with several large corporations. His consulting work requires him to present complex ideas in clear and simple terms to secure senior management and stakeholder buy-in. He is also an adjunct lecturer in Supply Chain topics and was awarded the SP teaching excellence award in 2012.

Jocelyn Teo  has over 11 years of experience working with senior executives in Bank of America Merrill Lynch and PwC, specializing in conceptualization and designing of professional PowerPoint presentations for a plethora of global corporations and government sectors in the Asia region. Coupled with her background in Graphics Design and Illustration, she has the knowledge and extensive hands-on skills to transform business messages, ideas and workflow processes into aesthetically engaging presentations.

Application Procedure

1. Application must be made through STEP. 

2. All successful applicants will be notified with a letter of confirmation via email.  

Related Links

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Online theory test of power-assisted bicycle - english (6th registration), managing energy for optimum work performance.

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Last updated: 09 May 2023

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