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Blog > 10 creative Ideas for your Title- and End-Slides in Presentations

10 creative Ideas for your Title- and End-Slides in Presentations

11.13.19   •  #powerpointtips #presentation.

Of all the slides in a PowerPoint presentation, the ones that are without a doubt the most important ones are the first and the last one. It makes perfect sense – the title slide sets the general tone. Make it boring and you’ll loose your audience’s attention within the first few minutes. If you’re making it exciting and innovative on the other hand, you’re taking a big step towards giving an amazing presentation and having an engaged audience. It is very similar with the final slide. It will be the one that people are going to remember most, the one that is supposed to make people leave the room thinking ‘Wow! What a great presentation!’ A bad ending could even mess up what would otherwise be a good performance overall (just think of a good TV show with a bad ending…).

The most common mistakes for title and final slides

If you asked 100 people what belongs on your PowerPoint’s title slide, the majority would answer ‘The title, maybe a subtitle, the presenter’s name and company, the date’. That kind of title slide is alright, but you usually say all of these things in the beginning of a presentation anyway. Also, it is very likely that most of your attendees know these things – they usually signed up for it after all. So what’s the point in listing all of that information on your title slide, when you could also use it for making a stunning first impression? Not only the title slide is commonly designed in an uncreative and conventional way. Too often, you can see PowerPoint presentations ending with the ‘Any Questions?’ or even worse – the ‘Thank you for your attention’ slide. ‘Thank you for your attention’ is a set phrase that has been said so many times it can’t possibly be delivered in an authentic way anymore. Therefore, it’s better to think of something else for your grand final. Finding an unconventional ending that suits your presentation style makes you seem much more charismatic and authentic than using an empty phrase.

1. An inspiring quote

An inspiring quote on your slide is a perfect way to both start and finish your presentation. Well, it does not have to be inspiring. It could be any quote that is somehow connected to your presented topic. Just have fun looking through books and the internet to find interesting quotes that you want your audience to hear. Good pages to look at for inspiration are goodreads and brainyquotes.com .

2. A blank slide

This might seem strange to some people, but a blank slide can be really powerful if you want to have your audience’s full attention. You can use the advantage of blank slides by incorporating them at the beginning, in the end or even in between your regular slides. You can either use a blank slide of your regular template (so there will still be some design elements on it) or go all in and make the slide completely black (or white).

3. A call to action

If the goal of your presentation is to really make your audience act in some kind of way, there is no better way to start – or better yet end your presentation than with a call to action. This can be literally anything from little trivial things like “Drink enough water during the presentation so your brain stays intact!” – which will lighten up the mood – to more serious calls like “Help reducing waste by recycling whenever possible!”.

4. A question

Usually, it is the audience that asks questions after a presentation. However, you can also turn that around and ask your attendees instead. However, it’s important to ask a question that can be answered easily and individually – the best questions involve previous experiences and personal opinions (asking about facts or questions that are hard to understand can often lead to silence and no one wanting to answer).

5. An interactive poll

Nothing engages the audience like a live poll. Conduct one right at the beginning to get everybody envolved, and/or wait until the end to get your audience’s opinion on something. Icebreaker polls are the perfect way to start, as they lighten the mood. You can easily create polls for free with interactive software tools such as SlideLizard .

6. A funny picture, meme, or quote

I’m pretty sure that every student nowadays has that teacher that just tries a little too hard to be cool by throwing in a meme on literally every single slide. That may be a bit too much. But just a little comedy at the beginning or in the end can make you seem very charismatic and entertaining and catch the attention of your listeners. Open (or close) with a joke, a funny picture or a quote – whichever you feel comfortable with. It is usually best if it has something to do with the topic you’re presenting.

7. An interesting fact

Catch the audience’s attention by putting an interesting fact concerning the topic on one of your slides – ideally at the beginning, but maybe also in the end (to keep up the audience’s interest even after the presentation is done).

8. The title, but with a twist

If you feel like you need to put the presentations name/topic on the front slide, but still want that little creative twist, just change the title slightly. According to what I’m proposing, rather dull presentation titles like e.g. “Marine Biology – An Introduction to Organisms in the sea” can be transformed to “Marine Biology – Diving Deep” (or something less cheesy if you prefer). Make it either funny or over-the-top spectacular and catch the audience’s attention!

9. A bold statement, opinion, or piece of information

This is probably the best way to capture your audience from the beginning on. Start with a radical, crazy opinion or statement and then get your attendees hooked by telling them that during the presentation, they will learn why you’re right. It could be anything, really, as long as it goes well with your presented topic – from the statement “Everybody has the time to read 5 books a month” to “Going to college is a waste of time” or “The human species is not the most intelligent on earth” – Take whatever crazy, unpopular theory or opinion you have, throw it out there and (very important!) explain why you’re right. You’ll have your audience’s attention for sure and might even change some of their opinions about certain things.

10. No title and end slide at all

Yes, that’s a possibility as well. If you absolutely can’t think of any creative or otherwise good way to start and end your presentation – even after reading the tips mentioned above – then simply don’t. That’s right - no title and end slide at all. You can pull that of by simply introducing yourself in the beginning, then getting right into the topic (which makes a good impression, long introductions are usually rather tedious) and when you’re at your last slide just saying a simple ‘Goodbye, thank you and feel free to ask questions’.

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About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

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A ppsx file is a presentation file. When you open the file the slide show opens and not the editing mode like in ppt files.

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas Writing Catchy Presentation Titles: Proven Techniques You Should Know

Writing Catchy Presentation Titles: Proven Techniques You Should Know

It’s easy to overlook or give less attention to presentation titles, especially if you have limited time to assemble your material. You may rather prioritize other aspects, such as gathering information, creating slides, or rehearsing the delivery. Yet, hastily choosing the headline for your presentation is a blunder you wouldn’t want to commit.

First impressions – last, and that also applies when presenting. Engaging presentations begin with engaging titles and opening slides. If your title is sloppy, your audience will think your presentation is your best. This article will discuss what makes a good presentation title and how you can create it.

Table of Contents

The Anatomy of a Good Presentation Title

Presentation titles styles, tips for creating catchy presentation title, frequently asked questions on presentation titles.

A good presentation headline or title serves two purposes: practical and creative.

The practical purpose of a presentation title is to provide a clear and concise description of the content. It helps set the expectations of your audience, allowing them to anticipate what they will learn or gain from the presentation.

On the other hand, the creative aspect is one thing that charms your audience. An intriguing or thought-provoking title can pique the audience’s curiosity and motivate them to attend the presentation through and through. It generates interest and makes them eager to learn more.

As the presenter, you should strive to find a title that strikes the right balance between informative and engaging. It must go beyond mere description, as a descriptive title may fail to stand out or engage your audience. On the flip side, an overly clever title may sacrifice clarity and fail to encapsulate the content of your presentation accurately.

1. Surprise

Using startling statements or unexpected facts can effectively capture the audience’s attention. When something unexpected is presented, it naturally piques curiosity and leaves a lasting impression.

So, if you come across a fact, statistic, or quote about a topic that truly surprised you, work on it and make it your headline. Chances are, such information will likewise come as a surprise to your audience. Of course, you must ensure that the surprise element is relevant and contributes to the overall message you aim to deliver.

Example: Neil Patel, an online marketing expert, delivered a compelling piece titled “90% Of Startups Fail: What You Need To Know About The 10%”. The title contains an element of surprise, which suggests that most startup companies don’t survive. Within the article, Patel presented advice for startups to avert failure.

2. Intrigue

Ever wonder why you can’t seem to resist Buzzfeed headlines? That’s right; they are often intriguing and clickbaity. This technique also works on presentation titles.

Intrigue headlines capture attention and generate interest in presentations. They can create curiosity, engage the audience, and make your presentation stand out.

When crafting an intriguing headline, you may use thought-provoking questions or vague statements that spark the audience’s interest and, at the same time, clearly convey the topic of your presentation.

Example: Susan Colantuono’s Ted Talk, entitled “The career advice you probably didn’t get,” exhibits intrigue. The title immediately piques curiosity by suggesting that the presentation will provide unconventional or lesser-known career advice that the audience may not have received. This creates a sense of anticipation and motivates individuals to attend the presentation to discover what unique insights or perspectives will be shared.

3. Benefit or Value

Presentation titles that make clear claims about something’s worth may be more engaging than just stating it. When your audience knows exactly what’s in the presentation, they will likely lean in and listen.

The idea is to communicate right off the headline the main advantage the audience will gain from engaging with the content. You don’t have to include the entire proposition, but you may convey the essence of the value proposition to generate interest among the audience.

Example: Lawrence Ong’s “Break The Cycle: How To Gain Financial Freedom” clearly states the benefits of attending the presentation in the headline. It positions itself as a source of knowledge for building wealth and suggests that listening to the talk will equip the audience with the lessons they need to achieve their desired financial independence.

4. Wordplay 

Using wordplay in presentation titles can be a clever way to add flair to your presentation title. Playing with words can evoke emotions like humor and curiosity, which engages the audience from the start. It stands out from more specific titles, making people pause and take notice.

There are several types of word plays that you can incorporate into your presentation title, like puns, double-meaning words, metaphors , and rhymes. The idea is to strike the right balance so that the playfulness doesn’t overshadow the clarity and relevance of the title. The wordplay should align with the topic and purpose of your presentation while adding a touch of creativity.

Example: Steve Jobs’s keynote speech 2001 introducing the original iPod with the title “1000 songs in your pocket” is an excellent example of wordplay used in a presentation headline.

The wordplay in this example contrasts the figure “1000”, a substantial quantity, and the phrase “in your pocket,” representing portable space. By combining these elements, the presentation title effectively communicated the storage capacity and convenience of the device playfully and memorably.

1. Keep It Short

A strong presentation title conveys the main topic using a few words. Short statements are more likely to impact the audience immediately, and their brevity makes them easily understood and remembered, leaving a lasting impression.

How short is short? The ideal length for headlines on PowerPoint slides is 6-14 words, and this range helps ensure that the title of your presentation carries the message you want to get across without wordiness.

2. Use Concrete Language

Using concrete language in your presentation title is an effective way to make it more compelling. Concrete language has persuasive power as it clarifies your presentation title and makes it relatable to the audience.

Some powerful words you can inject into your headlines are adjectives, action words, and actual figures. So, instead of “Optimizing Business Processes,” you can say “Cut Costs by 20%: Streamlining Operational Efficiency”.

3. Use Technology or AI

Crafting a catchy presentation headline is hard enough – all the more when you have to fit it into little words. If you find yourself stuck in this task, there are available technologies that can help you generate title ideas for your presentations.

SEMRUSH, in particular, has an AI title generator that suggests headlines for content based on your prompts. You may also use ChatGPT for your presentations in a similar way.

However, we only suggest using these tools to speed up your brainstorming process, as repurposing those presentations into blog posts implies the risk of a site penalty for AI-generated content by Google. Reviewing and refining the generated headline to ensure it aligns with your specific presentation and captures the essence of your message is important.

4. Use Proven Formulas

Another way to speed up the process of generating title ideas presentation is to use proven formulas. Like your typical math equation, these formulas provide a framework to adapt to your specific presentation and audience. You can use them as a starting point to experiment with different combinations of words to create a headline that captures the gist of your piece,

Here are some presentation title formulas you can use:

• How to [Desirable Outcome] in [Specific Time Frame]
• Discover the [Number One] Secret to [Desirable Outcome]
• The [Adjective] Way to [Desirable Outcome]: [Unique Approach/Method]
• Are You [blank]?
• Unlocking the Secrets of [Topic]: [Key Insight/Strategy]”

Q1: What is the purpose of a catchy title in a presentation?

A: The purpose of a catchy title in a presentation is to grab the audience’s attention and, at the same time, communicate the main idea or focus of the talk.

Q2: How do I create a catchy title for my presentation?

A: Creating a catchy title involves balancing creativity, clarity, and relevance. Finding the right balance between description and creativity allows you to create a catchy title that generates interest without sacrificing clarity.

Q3: What are some tips for making a title stand out?

A: To make a title stand out, clearly describe the content while engaging the audience’s curiosity. Additionally, use concrete language and keep it short.

Q4: Can a title be too long for a presentation?

A: Yes. Keep presentation titles concise and to the point, as longer titles can be harder to read, remember, and fit on slides effectively.

Q5: How does a title affect the overall success of a presentation?

A: The title serves as a hook that entices people to attend the presentation and creates a positive first impression. It may be the first and last chance to convince your audience to lend their ears.

Q6: Are there any specific formats for presentation titles?

A: No, there is no specific format for presentation titles, but there are approaches that can make it more effective. You can use descriptive words, wordplay, figures, or surprising facts.

There are infinite ways to make your presentation title catchy, and this article presented some of the proven techniques that work. In creating an attention-grabbing title, ensure your main message is not overshadowed or lost. Keep it relevant, concise, and clear!

Once your compelling headline is ready, designing your opening slide will be next.

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10 Strong Opening Slides to Start A Presentation (With Examples!)

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation

It is weird how now that we all live on our laptops and depend on them for entertainment and livelihood, things that shock us aren’t that many. This is a big itchy spot when it comes to engaging audiences and having a killer opening.

Lets focus on getting that perfect first slide in your presentation to help you kick off on the right foot.

How to open presentations

Opening presentations is an extremely daunting task. The worry of putting your best foot forward but at the same time not coming across as arrogant and the whole issue with fanning your armpits just before you step on the stage.

Yeah, I know. I relate, I think most of us do. We have braved those sweat patches and we have conquered.

It is time to up our opening game and while I will be getting to the ways we can do that, you can also check out this video for a quick idea.

What should be the first slide of a presentation?

Your first slide, needs to be impactful, with minimal content. An extremely difficult balance to maintain, but! Not impossible.

Your first slide, traditionally, is your name, the topic you are going to speak on and maybe on or two other details with MAYBE an image or some other graphics.

Gone are the days when we open speeches or presentations the traditional way, nothing wrong with it, but doing something “not normal” often helps us get people’s attention and that is the easiest way to get your points across and have them received positively.

Let’s check out a few ways you can open slides for a strong opening!

Strong Opening Slide Ideas

We’ve got our thinking cap on, let’s get cracking!

There are so many ways we can have a strong opening, even when you think presentations limit you.

Think of it this way, because people know you’re going to presenting something, they are going to give you full control of a projector. A big ass screen for all to see. If that isn’t filled with potential, I don’t know what is.

Well, with great power comes great responsibility, so let’s check out a few ways we can have killer opening slides , while of course being responsible… ish.

Idea 1: Introduction

There is no better way to get the audience to remember you than putting a giant photo of yourself on the screen and going, this is me, – an extremely edited version of me, but still, me. 🙂

Buddy. No. That was an attempt at being the funny – clever person. Clearly it didn’t work.

Don’t get me wrong, talking about yourself is good, important even to some extent, but that is it you see, it isn’t the fact that you’re talking about yourself that is the problem but what are you talking about that is.

The usual go to is to list out your biodata for the audience to read on the screen, while you speak the exact same thing off of the presentation. This is where we go wrong, no one wants to know about all your seven Ph.Ds. Bruce. (get the reference please)

Be proud of your qualifications, you earned them, but know when and where which qualification might be useful.

For example, you are a certified chartered accountant and have written plays that were on Broadway. In a screenwriting workshop / panel / seminar, as great as getting your chartered accountancy is, your experience as a writer holds way more value and is what will help you get the audience’s attention.

Let’s create an opening slide with the above example.

I used these polaroid photo ideas because for a play on Broadway, we’d love to see pictures! You can use tasteful pictures and even stock photos to help your audience get the right idea of your background.

Of course, I used these random paper elements to give it a more “writer” feel and also because this is my aesthetic, but you need to remember that this is your presentation and no cookie cutter mould will work. Even templates are meant to be edited to suit your needs.

Idea 2: Quiz

Is this to make your audience feel dumb? As much as that chaotic evil side of you may want to. Never do that. Respect their experiences as much as you would want them to respect yours.

Starting off with a quiz is a great way to warm up the crowd and get them involved in your presentation. Give them something to think about and it honestly doesn’t matter if they get it right or wrong, what matters is that they are trying to answer and interact!

Quizzes are a great ice breaker and also a great tool to get the audience going, you can also try to have a one off question or a series of questions.

Lets take the slide as an example, it could be for a presentation on a film industry and the question could be, guess the film from these three pictures, or they could be three different questions.

Remember as an opening slide, it should neither be text nor image heavy, just the right amount.

You could even create a game out of those quizzes and have checked off your list and even use these as a starting off point and come back to the topics (which could be your answers) while using this quiz as a reference point. The possibilities are endless!

Idea 3: Stimulation of Imagination

It always great to know what your audience is thinking, or in the least get them thinking!

You see, once they start thinking, they begin forming an opinion about the topic, which gets them invested and since you are the person addressing the topic, they will begin comparing their point of view / opinion with what they are saying.

There will always be different perspectives, what matters here is that they are invested enough to pay attention to you.

A really easy way to help them get started with forming an opinion is, asking them to take a minute to think about something.

For example: Think about a dancing monkey.

Can some of you describe the monkey you imagined, in the comment section? Was it wearing tap shoes and a top hat? Was it wearing a marching band uniform? Did it have your best friend’s face on it? Mine did!

Each of you had your own Dancing Monkey, and if thinking about it for a few seconds made it your own, imagine the attachment you can build by just spending a few minutes or even the duration of a presentation on it!

For example, you’re taking a presentation on perspectives or psychology. You can display this image and ask them what they think of it. Some may think about freedom, some loneliness and some people’s thoughts may be so profound that we could’ve never thought of it!

Idea 4: Video

This could work just as marvellous as sharing an image and opening a short discussion on its interpretations. You could even start with a video and use it as a segue into your presentation.

For example this video could be used as a great example for a marketing strategy by the brand and could be a great way to get the audience interested given the emotional quotient and relatable sibling content.

Idea 5: Image

Using an image might not necessarily mean that you can only invite the audience to imagine and think on their own. You can use an image to start your presentation and help get your point across.

You see that how the image is the hero of the slide? There is text, definitely, but much smaller, it looks as a complementary to the image instead of the other way around.

In this slide for example, assume poverty is the topic, a very telling image of poverty could help get the conversation started and make the audience more receptive of the topic.

An image in a way helps them “put a face” to the issue and that makes is easier for you to hold their attention and keep it.

Idea 6: Quote

It is well known and understood how impactful the right quote at the right time can be.

Lets focus on some things that people can often get wrong when using quotes.

Firstly, using long quotes, this is a no no when it comes to presentations because, then the audience will be in a rush to read the whole quote and if your point is made before then, well, we won’t get the desired effect will we?

Another thing to keep in mind is to not have a quote just to use it as a quote, pretty cryptic, honestly it is simple, if you are giving a presentation on a person and using their quote or you are using a random quote, make sure to have something to add to it.

It could be something simple. For example when talking about a person’s life:

“When this person said this, they were on their death bed, but they had lead a vivacious life until then to say the least, let’s start at the very beginning…”

Notice how despite there being a background picture, a text box, a bird in the corner, and all that, the text is what is the hero of the slide. You could even add a picture of the person whom you are quoting if it seems relevant.

Remember to always give credit where it is due. It never hurts.

Idea 7: Story

Who doesn’t love a good story? Storytelling is a major part of public speaking where animation, emotion and gestures and tones play a huge role in delivering your point.

With presentations, you need to remember to not just select any story, you need find / write a story that connects well to your topic, for example, if we are speaking about technology, a story about Alice and her looking glass don’t really give you much room to work in a segue.

Storytelling is a whole other conversation, check out this article to learn more about public speaking and how storytelling factors into it: Public Speech Into Story: 3 Steps To Telling A Captivating Story

Here the pictures are the heroes, and while words are important, make them complementary to what you are speaking.

Starting off with a joke is also a very popular trick and I think why should it be this or that, why should it be a joke or a story, why can’t it be a humorous story?

Now don’t go fretting about because it doesn’t have to be fictional, it could even be an anecdote from your experiences or maybe one comic strip you found online.

When it comes to humorous speeches, it can be quite intimidating, but here is an article I think will help you wade through these waters: A Guide To Using Humour In Your Speech

Idea 8: Examples

This is a great way to introduce your topic to a crowd that doesn’t know your topic well. Create examples or situations to help your audience gain a smooth entry into your presentation.

It is like math, it is fun when you understand, and that means you care and give attention to it.

You can also use case studies or make your examples into stories to make it more subtle and seamless.

Here is where a traditional topic, sentence and image layout of an opening slide is best suggested. You can build this in any direction and still be able to relate to your slide.

Idea 9: Hard Facts

Facing facts instances that are always either pleasantly welcomed or hard to swallow. Hitting the audience with hard facts works really well, especially if what you are going to talk about is a difficult or sensitive issue.

An astonishing fact is bound to catch people’s attention and you can always use it to your advantage!

According to Femme International, over the last 20 years, the sanitary pad sector has bloomed and advanced; they have taken over the industry and 85% of menstruating women in the country use napkins. As society progressed and the taboo on periods were lifted from many regions, a new problem came up. One which is really harmful. We all know that the blood that comes out during our periods is harmful and full of bacteria. Now include this bacteria filled blood with a pad which takes 500-800 years to decompose. That’s right, 500-800 years of a used sanitary napkin breeding bacteria in rivers, drains, soil and the sea. A menstruating woman uses 15-20 pads for one cycle. Which sums up to 7,200-9,600 pads over an average period of 40 years. This is just for one woman. According to UNICEF roughly 26% of the world’s population are menstruating women. This means that 2.28 BILLION women are going to use over 9,000 pads EACH during their menstruating years.

Always try to not keep your introductory slides text heavy, but when starting with facts, try to highlight them, notice how the topic and the image are not very prominent but play their part in bringing together the entire slide while the first thing you read is the fact, underlined and set in the middle.

Try to play around with the layouts, figure out what suits your needs the best.

Idea 10: Controversial Statements

Who doesn’t love controversies?

Even if we know something is clickbait, it still catches our eye. Even if we know something to not be possible, when someone says it – with conviction, our ears do perk up.

It doesn’t have to be something extraordinary, just not ordinary enough that it catches people’s attention and in the end, you can always use it to connect your conclusion to your introduction.

Here is a great TEDTalk that would help you understand what I am talking about.

If you plan to use this method, it is easier to dive into your slides after you’ve made the statement and start elaborating on it instead of right at the beginning, it could start with your topic or some proof or where ever your presentation takes you!

Final Thoughts

A presentation carries as much personality as its maker, if you want the right impact you need to use the templates, infographics and tools available to you to the fullest, but remember, there is a thing called “too much” as well.

The easiest way to kill it with your presentations is to keep it neat, in your aesthetic and to the point. Make it engaging, make it colourful, make it black and white. It would work perfectly if it bounces off your personality on stage.

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First Slide of Presentation (Templates That Pull People In)

Templates for the first slide of the presentation - made for modern professionals. Grab & hold attention with slides beyond the same-old first page of ppt .

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What should be the first slide of a presentation?

The first page of ppt should act like the cover of a book. It should give the would-be reader or audience a clear idea of what’s inside.

A PowerPoint first slide is commonly called a title slide or a cover slide, and it should include 3 main elements: (1) a title detailing the topic of the presentation, (2) An image that visually supports the title by adding more clarity to the topic, and (3) the reading time required to consume the presentation.

What is the best ppt first-page design?

The best first-page design for a ppt presentation or other more modern presentations is a mix of text and visuals that work together to provide the audience with a clear sense that the presentation is relevant, interesting, and worth reading. The best design choice is using a video with a short title text and tagline. A video will be effective in grabbing attention and a well-crafted title will make clear what the benefit of reading the presentation will be.

If you want to create an effective presentation, consider reading our guide on how to create an effective presentation .

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How To Create A Captivating Title Slide For A Presentation?

Discover the secrets to crafting a mesmerizing title slide that leaves your audience spellbound! Delve into the purpose and importance of a title slide, unraveling the key elements that make it truly captivating. Learn invaluable tips on creating an attention-grabbing title slide for your presentations, and explore the art of titling slides using PowerPoint.

When designing your PowerPoint presentation, there is no doubt that the most crucial slide is the one at the beginning of your presentation and the one that concludes it. A crisp title slide can amp up your presentation game and instantly get your audience’s attention.

This blog provides a detailed step-by-step guide to help you create captivating title slides.

What Is The Purpose Of A Title Slide?

A title slide for a presentation has to be interesting to stand out, and one has to be very cautious while making a title slide. If you make it dull, you will lose your audience’s attention within minutes. An  excellent first slide  is not only a reflection of professionalism but also a great way of triggering that much-needed initial interest. If you want to know how to create a title slide, this PowerPoint tutorial is for you. This step-by-step tutorial will help you make a beautiful title slide for your presentation. Let’s dive into the recipe for creating the first slide in a few steps.

Title Slide: Definition And Importance

As the name suggests, a title slide is the first slide of a PowerPoint presentation. Usually, a title slide’s content is the presentation’s title and subtitles.

What Should Be In The Title Slide?

A title slide contains

• the title of the presentation.
• At times, a preface of a presentation
• Author’s name.
• At times, background relevant to the topic of the presentation
• Branding of the company

How To Create A Title Slide For Presentation?

Method 1: choosing a template from the powerpoint library for creating a title slide.

Your title slide is ready. Make sure to play around with more tools and options to find out more features you can do to make it more attractive and presentable.

Method 2: Create a title slide design using the ‘Design’ tab

Method 3: Create a title slide using Slideuplift’s PowerPoint Add-In

Slideuplift provides a plethora of templates that can assist you in making a title slide. These templates are accessible through their PowerPoint Plugin.

Follow the steps given below to make a title slide using  Slideuplift PowerPoint Add-In .

And you are done!

Just type cover slides on the search console and get various title slides for your presentation. You can choose the one per your liking and make edits.

So these are three ways you can create a title page on PowerPoint.

How To Title A Slide In PowerPoint?

Writing a catchy title is very important. A catchy title triggers the viewers’ interest and shows that you have made some effort to make the presentation.

A title also sets the tone for a presentation; for instance, a Business presentation title slide. A title slide for informal events will have a formal tone and a casual or neutral tone.

The following tips can help you write catchy presentation titles.

• Make it easy to understand.
• The title should be directly related to the presentation.
• Add an element of emotion  to the title (keep it neutral during formal meetings and try to add humor if the occasion allows)
• Match other elements of the title slide, like background image, font, etc, with the title.
• Keep it concise and to the point.

Where Is The Layout Of The Title Slide Present In PowerPoint?

The layout of the title slide is present under the ‘home’ tab. You can change the title slide’s layout with this tool’s help.

Having a beautiful and functional title page is very important if you want to catch the attention of the viewer. A bland title page is not only boring but also shows your lack of effort, which can be a deal breaker. At the same time, keep the title slide minimalistic, only  use animations and effects  which add value and look interesting.

It’s time to buckle up for your next presentation now that you know how to create an interesting title slide.

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6 Tips to Create an Eye-Catching Presentation Cover Page

Table of Contents

• What Is a Presentation Cover Page? 

6 Tips to Create a Winning Presentation Cover Page

• Key Takeaways 
• Conclusion 

A good presentation cover page is just as important as the content inside it, but a great one will also draw attention and give your presentation an extra lift. By drawing attention to your presentation’s topic upfront, you can compel your audience to want to know more about what you have to say.

The cover page is one of the first things the audience will notice about your presentation. So, you must make a good first impression, and immediately. An effective PowerPoint cover page can set the tone for your entire presentation, and engage the audience from the get-go. And to get better at creating presentation cover page designs , you need to understand what an ideal presentation cover page is. 

What Is a Presentation Cover Page?

When it comes to presentations, don’t underestimate the value of a powerful and captivating title slide. It’s one of the easiest and quickest ways to get people’s attention. A sound presentation cover page design helps achieve two crucial goals. 

• Clarity in terms of the topic
• A strong introduction to your brand

In a nutshell, your PowerPoint cover page (or any other presentation cover page for that matter) exposes your viewers to the main points of your presentation. It should also pique their interest and make them want to hear more. Now, let’s move on and understand the steps involved in creating a stunning cover page .

The cover page of the presentation is often the first clue that people get about what you are going to speak about. Therefore, you need to make sure that it’s clear, concise, and compelling. To ensure this, we have put together a few easy tips for you. 

1. Come up with a catchy title

It’s ideal to come up with a title that’s plain, descriptive, and easy if you’re delivering a presentation to a bunch of people who don’t know much of what you’re going to say. If you’re having trouble cutting down a long title, you can include a subtitle underneath that explains what you’ll be delivering information on.

You can get away with anything more intriguing or artistic, depending on the topic of your presentation, but make sure your title is not too obscure or incomprehensible. For example, the title in the below-mentioned slide is easy to understand and captivating as well. Notice how the word “Conference” has been highlighted and is followed by supplementary text underneath. 

2. Check the overall tone

Why does the tone of your presentation, specifically the cover page, matter so much?  

The cover page paves the way for the rest of your presentation, and audiences are quick enough to decide whether they want to continue watching the presentation judging by its tone. But what do we mean by tone? In this context, tone means the overall style of the presentation.

A presentation cover page must dictate the objective in a professional yet quirky manner to attract and retain your audience’s attention. It should represent the worthiness and quality of your overall content. 

Apart from that, recently, aesthetics have become the topmost priority for many marketers. We, as humans, find aesthetics in everything, and easily get attracted to it. That’s why having an informative yet aesthetic cover page can set you apart from your competitors. 

Here’s an example of how tone and aesthetics should go together in a presentation cover page design. 

3. Humanize your cover page

Humans are emotional beings. A good presentation page can do more than just present the work; it can set an emotional tone for the rest of the site. 

You want to be able to wow people with your presentation, but that doesn’t mean you need to be flashy, unemotional, or insensitive. On the contrary, if you create a cover page that uses emotions to get people excited about your work, nothing like it. They will not only know what to expect but will also be able to connect with your presentation on a deeper level.

Let’s look at an example of an emotion-driven approach for presentation cover pages.

4. Shed some light on your brand

While it’s great to illustrate your objective on the cover page, it is also equally crucial to throw some light on your brand. In general, the opening page of your deck should convey what your company does. After all, it’s the first impression people will have of your company or project.

While you may be tempted to include your own photo and contact information on the cover page, it may be more appropriate to emphasize your team or brand instead. 

Here’s a brilliant example. 

5. Keep it simple

As a content creator, you must make presentation cover page designs that educate and inform your audiences. You can do so effectively by going minimalistic.

Having too many pictures and words can distract the audience and confuse them. That is why having a minimal background is extremely important. It also lends professional and clarity to your presentation.

Check out this example to get a sense of what a minimalistic cover page should look like. 

6. Use bold fonts

Last but not least, you should use bold fonts to display your ideas perfectly on the cover page. Strong fonts that include letters and numbers will attract eyeballs immediately.

Therefore, whenever you’re preparing a presentation cover page design, make sure you’re using bold and simple fonts, and not complex and thin fonts. 

Here’s an example of a presentation cover page that has a bold font. 

Key Takeaways

• A presentation cover page is a basis on which your audience decides whether to give their attention to the rest of the deck. 
• To create a stunning cover page for your presentation, you need to ensure it has a catchy and short title.
• The cover page should go well with your brand’s tonality.
• Ensure you add emotions to attract your readers.
• Add a little about your brand/business as well. 
• Follow a coherent tone for the cover page, which can be carried forward to the rest of the presentation.
• Smartly use bold fonts to capture the audience’s attention.

The cover page of your presentation is the first thing your audience will see. So, it’s important to make a great first impression with it. A well-designed presentation cover page can highlight the topics of your presentation and pique the interest of your audience. You’ll want to keep the design simple and clean.

In order to create a stunning cover page for your presentation, there are certain things you need to take care of and implement. For starters, you can keep your title short, and if there’s something more you want to add to the title, you can insert it as a subhead. Next, you should add some emotion to your cover page to gain your viewer’s attention. Apart from this, you should try and experiment with bold fonts, as they catch the viewer’s attention immediately. 

You must also add a minimalistic background to your cover pages, as too much information and pictures can confuse the viewers. And lastly, do not forget to add information about your brand or business to get your viewers acquainted with it. Remember, a great cover page can win half of your viewer’s heart, so make sure to make it as stunning as possible. 

A presentation cover page is the first thing your viewer gets to see. Basically, it is the first slide that informs your viewers about the presentation and its objectives.

An ideal PowerPoint cover page should have a captivating title, engaging imagery, and details about the company.

For the cover page, you should use bold fonts to attract the viewer’s attention and make a lasting impact. 

Yes, infographics help give viewers a clearer picture of your message. They may make them proactive listeners as well as responders.

Numbers attract viewers. So if you have statistics to back your claims, and if they’re relevant or fit the title, you should definitely go ahead and use them. 

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Catchy Presentation Titles Are the Start of a Great Presentation

A Catchy Presentation Title is Important for Audience Satisfaction

Think about the last time you went to a conference that has multiple breakout sessions going at the same time. If you are like most people, you first scanned the list of titles. Almost instantly, you eliminated a few based solely on the topic or title. The titles that you looked at created an impression of the speech. Once you narrowed down your choices, only then do you move on to the description, etc. In that instant where you were scanning the titles, though, you probably had this inner monologue going. “Hhhmmmm… Nope. Not worth my time. Nope. Sounds boring. Nope. That one is unrelated to anything of interest to me. Aaahhh… That one might be okay.”

One of the real, closely-held, public speaking secrets is that every audience member has this inner monologue . This inner monologue occurs before every single meeting and every single presentation that we attend. In most cases, just as when we looked at the breakout session list, the answer we receive is, “Nope. This seems like a waste of my time.”

Examples of Presentation Titles that Make People Yawn

Here are a few titles that tell the audience that your presentation will be a snoozefest.

• Quarterly Financial Report
• Software Update
• Project Report
• Goals for 20__ [Fill in Your Own Year]
• Why We Need to Make Changes in Our Internal Processes

It is our job as the presentation designer (or deliverer) to make people want to pay attention to us. If you start with a great title, you are more likely to accomplish this task.

Presentation Title Generator

Follow this step-by-step approach, and your audience will want to hear you speak.

Create a One-Sentence Statement of What Your Topic is About.

• We Exceeded Our Corporate Goals and Increased Profit Last Quarter.
• The New Software Update Closed a Few Security Risks for Our Customers.
• The ABC Building Project is Behind Schedule.
• This Year, We Will Increase Revenue by $200,000 by Focusing on Repeat Business.
• Department Heads Need to Communicate Team Activities Better.

Just by forcing yourself to make your title into a complete sentence, you will narrow the topic down dramatically. If you look at the difference between the first list and the second, the second is more interesting already.

Identify Why the Audience Would Care About this Topic?

• Your Quarterly Bonus Has Increased.
• Your Customers are Less Likely to Experience a Data Breach.
• If We Adjust Our Plan, We Can Get Back on Schedule without Incurring Overruns.
• Your Commissions Will Also Increase.
• You Can Reduce Your Overall Department Costs.

Although we like to think that department heads care deeply about company revenue and profit, in reality, most of us are pretty self-centered. However, the department heads care very deeply about their bonuses. Outside of the tech folks, no one really cares about website security. However, if a company has a data breach, the entire company will have new challenges to deal with.

Combine the Sentence in Step #1 With the Benefit in Step #2.

Now that you have the two pieces, just put them together. When you do, you will create a series of catchy presentation titles .

• We Exceeded Our Corporate Goals and Increased Profit Last Quarter, So Your Quarterly Bonus Has Also Increased.
• Your Customers are Less Likely to Experience a Data Breach Because We Closed a Few Security Risks in the Recent Update.
• If We Adjust the Project Plan on the ABC Building, We Can Get Back on Schedule without Incurring Overruns.
• This Year, We Will Increase Revenue by $200,000 (And Commissions by $25,000) by Focusing on Repeat Business.
• If We as Department Heads Can Communicate Our Team’s Activities Better, We Should Be Able to Reduce Department Cost Significantly.

Maybe these presentation titles aren’t perfect, but you have to admit, they are dramatically better, now.

Compare the Two Titles

Originally, we had, “Quarterly Financial Report.” We ended up with, We Exceeded Our Corporate Goals and Increased Profit Last Quarter, So Your Quarterly Bonus Has Also Increased.” Which would you rather sit through? Guess what? Your audience thinks the same way. So, if you want to catch the attention of your audience right away, realize that catch presentation titles can help.

By the way, once you have a great title, the post called How to Design a Presentation Quickly is a good second step. In addition, we have a free Online Speech Creator that walks you through the entire process step-by-step. Also, make sure to visit our 101 public speaking tips blog post.

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How to Name Slides in PowerPoint [A Step-by-Step Guide!]

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Giving a name to a slide in PowerPoint is one of those things that will not make or break your presentation. However, naming slides in PowerPoint can be really helpful in streamlining your process of presentation design and it will optimize things for you!

To name slides in PowerPoint, click on the “View” tab in PowerPoint. Then, click on the “Outline View” option from the ribbon. Now, in the slide preview section, click on the slide to add the name and start typing. This will add a title name to the slide.

In this article, we shall do a deep-dive in naming slides in PowerPoint. I’ll also share with you a trick wherein you can name all slides together. Plus, we shall also take a look at how naming a slide is different from naming a slide layout!

So, let’s get started!

1. Why Do You Need to Name Slides in PowerPoint?

Let’s begin with the basics. You may wonder, why do you even need to name slides in PowerPoint?

Naming slides in PowerPoint can help you structure your presentation better. It can help you re-organize your slides when using the slide sorter view . Moreover, the slide name helps you know the type of information present on the slide even without opening it.

So yes, naming slides won’t make your presentation look pretty. But, it will surely make it look more organized and help you save quite some time while designing it!

Plus, when creating a hyperlink within the presentation, it is easier to link to the specific slide when the slides have a name assigned to them.

1. How to Name a Slide in PowerPoint? 

Now that we have established that naming slides in PowerPoint can be helpful, let us take a look at the process of how to name a slide in PowerPoint.

To name a slide in PowerPoint, you have to go to the “ Outline view ” option and add the name of the slides in the slide navigation sidebar. The whole process is described in easy steps below.

Step-1: Click on the “View” tab

The first step of the process is to click on the “ View ” tab which is located in the ribbon of your PowerPoint presentation. It is the second to last tab.

Step-2: Select a Slide to Name from the “Outline view”

After you have clicked on the “ View ” tab, click on the “ Outline View ” option which is located in the “ Presentation Views ” section of the “ View ” tab.

Then, choose a slide to which you want to add a name.

Step-3: Add a name to the slide

After you select the “ Outline View ” option in the “ View ” tab, the slide navigation sidebar to the left of your screen will change and the outline of the PowerPoint presentation will appear instead.

Simply type in the name of the slide in the “ Outline view ”, and the slide will be named accordingly.

To go back to the default view of your presentation, click on the “ Normal View ” option under the “ View ” tab.

2. How to Rename a Slide in PowerPoint? 

If you want to rename a slide in PowerPoint, all you have to do is go back to the “Outline view” and change the name of the slide in the slide navigation bar as described in the previous section.

Follow the steps described in the above section and rewrite the name of your preferred slide.

One thing to remember is that when you name a slide, by default a slide title will be added to the slide. You can also edit the text in the “ Slide Title ” of the slide, and it will automatically rename the name of the slide.

3. How to Name All Slides in PowerPoint? 

With the help of the “ Outline view ” option in PowerPoint, you can name all the slides in PowerPoint.

In fact, you can make an entire presentation (content only) using only the slide navigation sidebar of the “ Outline view ” option!

4. How to Name a Slide Layout in PowerPoint? 

A slide layout is different from a simple slide. Slide layouts in PowerPoint are basically preformatted layouts or containers that determine the design of the slide.

Slides layouts are used to create a design template and make it easier for the user to maintain design consistency when adding content.

That said, you can always create your own slide layouts or even rename a layout at your convenience.

This section is going to focus on how to name a slide layout. If you are interested in learning more about slide layouts, check out this article that I wrote earlier.

To name a slide layout in your PowerPoint presentation, you have to go to the “ Slide Master ” view option from the “ View ” tab and change the name of the slide.

The entire process is described step-by-step below.

Step-1: Go to the “Slide Master” view

The first step of this process is to select the “ Slide Master ” view, which is located in the “ Master Views ” section of the “ View ” tab.

The “ Slide Master ” view is the first option in the “ Master Views ” section of the “ View ” tab.

Step-2: Click on the “Rename” option

In this step, select the layout that you want to rename and then click on the “ Rename ” button in the “ Edit master ” section of the “ Slide Master ” tab.

The “ Edit Master ” section is the first section of the “ Slide Master ” view.

Step-3: Give a name to the layout

After you click on the “ Rename ” button, a pop-up window called “ Rename Layout ” will appear at the center of your screen.

Simply type in the preferred name for the layout and then hit the “ Rename ” button and the layout will be named accordingly.

5. How to Display the Slide Name during Slideshow?

Unfortunately, there is no direct way to display the slide name of the slide while in the presentation mode.

However, you can use a simple VBA code to make sure all the slides are displayed with their respective slide name. The whole process is described in simple steps below.

Step-1: Place the footers in the slides

The VBA code that you will be using during this method will cycle through the entire slide and insert the name of the slide in any shape that starts with the word ‘footer’.

So, the first step of this process is to add a footer to the slides that you want the slide name to be displayed in.

If you are not familiar with adding footers in PowerPoint, check out this article where I go in-depth into this topic. You will be able to learn everything about adding and editing a footer.

Once you’re done, you can come back to reading this article.

Step-2: Enable the Developer Mode

As a next step, you want to make sure that you have the developer tab enabled as we will need to use the visual basic editor in the remaining steps and then run the macros.

If you don’t know what it is or whether it is enabled, check out my complete guide on how to enable developer tab in PowerPoint .

Follow the process in that article, enable the developer tab, and come back to this article to continue with the next steps.

Step-3: Open the Visual Basic Editor in PowerPoint

Once you have enabled the developer tab, click on the “ Developer ” tab, and then click on the “Visual Basic” button.

You can also press the “ Alt+F11 ” keys simultaneously. This will open the visual basic editor window directly.

Step-4: Click on the “Module” option

From the Visual Basics Editor window, click on the “ Module ” option which is located in the “ Insert ” tab.

Step-5: Paste the Macro code

Once you’ve opened the pop-up window that appears when you click on the “ Module ” option, simply paste the code given below in that window.

Sub SlideShowName()   ‘Add a text box to display name of slide show.   Dim sld As Slide   Dim shp As Shape   For Each sld In ActivePresentation.Slides     For Each shp In sld.Shapes       If Left(shp.Name, 6) = “Footer” Then          shp.TextFrame.TextRange.Text = ActivePresentation.FullName       End If     Next   Next End Sub

Step-6: Save the presentation

After you have inserted the code for the slide name, simply save the presentation from the “ File ” tab.

Step-7: Click on the “Macros” option

After you have saved the presentation as a ‘.pptm’ file, go to the “ Developer ” tab and select the “ Macros ” option in the “ Code ” section.

Step-8: Click on the “SlideShowName” option

In the last step, all you have to do is to select the “ SlideShowName ” option in the pop-up window and then hit the “ Run ” button. After that, the slide name will be displayed during the presentation mode.

6. How to Name a PowerPoint Presentation? 

To name a PowerPoint presentation, you have to go to the “ Save as ” option in the “ File ” tab. The whole process is described in 2 easy steps below.

Step-1: Go to the “File” tab

The first step of the process is to select the “ File ” tab, which is the first tab in the ribbon of your PowerPoint presentation.

Step-2: Type in the name of the presentation

After you have clicked on the “ File ” tab, you will be taken to a new window. Click on the “ Save As ” option and type in the name of the presentation in the top dialogue box.

After that just hit the “ Save ” button to the right of the dialogue box and the name of the presentation will be saved accordingly.

7. How to Add Your Name as an Author to a PowerPoint Presentation?

The process of adding your name as an author to a PowerPoint presentation is explained in easy steps below.

Step-1: Click on the “File” Tab

The first step of the process is to go to the “ File ” tab as explained in the previous section

Step-2: Type your name in the “Author” box in the “Info” section

In the “ Info ” tab, you will find an option to the right of the screen that says “ Author ” with a box written, “ Add an author ” on it.

Simply type in your name in the “ Author ” box and hit “ Enter ” on your keyboard. After that, your name will be added as an author in that PowerPoint presentation.

More Related Articles

• Working with Slides in PowerPoint! [A Complete Guide!]
• How to Save a Slide as an Image in PowerPoint? [A Quick Tip!]
• Design Ideas Feature in PowerPoint [You Need to Know This Feature!]
• Notes Master in PowerPoint [Know How to Use It Properly!]
• PowerPoint vs Google Slides: Which is Better? [The Ultimate Guide! ]

Credit to benzoix (on Freepik) for the featured image of the article (further edited).

How to Start a Presentation: Engage your Audience from the First Slide to the Last

I’ve been there: your presentation is due soon . 

Probably your boss is awaiting an update on an important project. Maybe your client is eager for your update. You might even need to sell something to someone through a presentation. 

Today I want to layout your game plan. It’s my winning strategy. My playbook . 

It has been my reliable go-to plan each time I get faced with a new presentation. And today, I will guide you step by step. 

These are not easy times. Our presentations used to happen in person; now, they are remote. We used to shake hands with our audiences; sometimes now we don’t see them at all. 

Today you can’t just create presentations. You need to plan for a production . Our medium is not only slides anymore but video calls. And to create excellent video content, you need to put up a show . 

I am Matteo , by the way, and I have a thing for presentations . This led me to study the art of storytelling . I studied this complex topic to make it easy for you.

Now it is time for me to share all this knowledge with you! Here you will learn the basics on how to create and deliver a presentation , or more accurately your show. 

This article is organized into three sections :

1. The First Slide & How to Start your Presentation

The beginning of a presentation is critical because it is in this fraction of time that your audience will decide whether you are worth the time or not . 

So it is imperative to make an excellent first impression and capture their attention. A few tricks and tips can help you do that. In the following paragraphs, I will show the wisdom I collected over time !

Crafting the Perfect First Slide 

How to start a presentation ? That’s the central question when it comes to presentations. It’s challenging to create a first slide to get your audience’s attention and convey your presentation’s message. I want to show you how to make the best out of it and use it to deliver your message effectively.

You have lived this scenario a thousand times : you enter a conference or meeting room, unsure if it’s the right one, glance at the screen to see if the slide that is being projected aligns with the topic of the presentation that you are expecting. Based on that, you take a seat.

Or maybe you’ve been on the internet a few times and have seen the first slide of presentations being used as a “ preview image ” on social media, inviting you to click and see the whole presentation.

You may even know (and love) Slideshare , the most popular slide hosting site on the web: here, the first slide is used to invite you to click, like, and download a presentation deck.

You have spent time waiting for a presentation to start looking at a first slide, wondering if the presenter would be any good, wondering who they were and what to expect.

From the cases that I just outlined, it’s easy to understand that the first slide has many jobs, functions, and purposes . First of all, it needs to convey clearly the message of your presentation. It can do that – in the traditional template – with a Title and Subtitle. At least this is how PowerPoint displays a “title slide”. But those are not fields that you must fill in.

There are more critical objectives that a first slide can help you accomplish: depending on the setting, you should have your name or your Twitter (Linkedin or Instagram) handle in the first slide. In some environments, it would be better to have both.

Sometimes it helps to display a 3-word bio . Often you also represent a company, so your logo also belongs somewhere on this first slide.

Some people even feature the location and the date of the presentation. Is this information really useful or just filler?

It’s easy to have an overcrowded first slide that fails miserably at conveying any useful message while trying to accomplish all the objectives.

My solution is to focus on one objective first . The most important one is usually the title of the talk. It’s great if your title goes well with an image . Image and title are then the core element of your first slide.

Once you have a powerful title with a powerful visual you can think about the output format of your slides . When I’m presenting at a conference I always display my Twitter handle and a website as part of the first slide .

If your output format is paper or a slide sharing platform, you can have a super clean title slide with just a title and visual and devote a second slide to you, your contacts, and your bio.

If you are presenting in a more formal environment, you may want to skip the social contacts and focus on your name and bio a bit more. But we will talk about this more accurately in the next chapter.

The important thing is that your core message comes across clearly.

Not Only the First Slide: Start your Presentation by Telling your Audience Who you Are

Your presentation is just starting. How do you start your presentation? What is the first thing you need to do? Should you focus immediately on your topic and start providing your audience your wisdom?

Hold your horses. Before you let your knowledge shine, you have an essential job to do. You need to convince your audience that you’re worthy of their time and attention. 

How would you then capture this attention ? My top tip is to start from yourself . Start by showing your humanity. How? By revealing something as simple as your name . 

Even if most everyone knows you in the call or the room, there might be someone who still doesn’t know your name. Even if someone introduced you by name, it doesn’t hurt to repeat it so that everyone will know who you are and how to address you later on for questions. 

Right after telling your name, give your audience some helpful hints about yourself. I am not talking about reciting a full bio, about hearing about your academic accomplishments and essential role. To understand who you are, I need to place you on a map . 

In my case, I would say “My name is Matteo, I teach people how to craft amazing stories.” I know this phrase doesn’t capture the essence of Matteo. But it’s sufficient for my audience to understand roughly what I am about. 

My tip for you: keep your bio between 5 and 20 words . Remember: you’re not on stage to gloat or recite your curriculum. You’re there to convince your audience that you’re worth listening to. 

By telling your name and revealing your bio you will make yourself more relatable for your audience. The closer they feel to you, they will be more inclined to listen to you and to follow your advice.

How to Start Your Presentation with Energy: Share your Motivation for Presenting with your Audience

So you made a few things clear: who you are, your bio. Now your audience feels like they know you. And that’s exactly what you wanted to achieve. 

The second thing you need to do before starting your actual presentation is to share your motivation for presenting . Why? In order to convince them to listen to what you will say.  

But how do you do that? And what do I mean exactly by “motivation”? It is the reason why you chose to make a presentation about that particular topic. 

Let’s analyze this accurately: you chose to study a topic and now you want to share what you have learned with the public. 

Now ask yourself “ why ”:

• why are you interested in that topic? Do you have a new perspective on the matter? Do you have a particular relationship with it? What is new and interesting about your presentation? Have you invested a lot in the topic?
• why do you want to share that particular knowledge with the public? This is simple: you want to help others. You want to help others answer a question, find a new key to an old problem, reach a new perspective. Maybe you have studied the topic in advance so that I don’t need to.

If you show them why you’re interested in the topic of the presentation, they will automatically be more eager to listen to you. Your motivation will therefore be contagious .

I could say something like: “I will talk about presentations because I care about helping people speak up and get heard”. This is a good example of contagious motivation because the audience will think: “oh, you can help me get heard? How? I am interested!

Tell them that you want to help them and what you want to help them with. If they see a point , a final destination , they will want to know more. 

So my tip is: show your passion and care for the topic, because they are contagious. If you care, your audience will care as well. This way they will be eager to listen to you.

Did you ever have trouble following a presentation because you didn’t know how much it would last ? Yeah I know, I have been there too. But you don’t want that to happen to your presentation, right?

This issue occurs because the audience doesn’t feel in control of what is going on .

In order to avoid this, you have to be honest with them. Thus, the best thing you could do is sign a metaphorical agreement with them by revealing the structure and timing of your presentation.

I could say something like: “During this talk I will tell you three stories that will last five minutes each.”

With these few lines, I just made clear a few things: how much the presentation will last and what its structure is like .

By giving this mental map to your public, in every moment of the presentation they will know exactly at which point your presentation is and how much longer it will last.

This knowledge will make them feel in control of what is going on and able to focus more confidently on the topic.

Start your Presentation by Giving your Audience a Sample of the Outcome

Now the third thing to do before starting your actual presentation is giving your audience a reason to listen to you .

I mean, they showed up, and that’s great! The reason to attend the presentations was strong enough and this means that you have already done a terrific job.

But do they have a valid reason to listen to you? I mean, are they eager to find out what you will say?

You want them excited by what they will learn with you and focused on your every word. 

How do you do that? Simple: you have to give them what they want: that is, what they will gain out of this experience. 

As we will say better later, every presentation is about giving something valuable to your audience, a prize that we will call: “transformation”.

Your audience wants to know in advance what the reward is, to be sure that you are worth listening to. 

So that is what you have to do: show them in advance the outcome of your presentation. 

If they take a bite of the transformation they will experience by listening to you, they will want to have more and automatically pay more attention. Because they want to fully experience the transformation you gave them a bite of.

But be careful, you have to show, not tell . Practically speaking, this means giving a little bit of the advantage of the transformation, not talking about that advantage.

2. The Goals of a Presentation

You managed to start your presentation effectively. But it’s not over yet. Now you have to go through with it ! Planning out your presentation stresses you out? I have a few tips about this as well . The best way to plan your presentation is to know exactly what you want to achieve. And I can tell you that every good presentation has two objectives : bringing change and managing conflict. 

Read on to learn more about these concepts.

Presentations Always have One Goal: Change

As stated earlier in the article, the first and most important objective of a presentation is changing, transforming something. 

Transforming mostly the point of view of the audience and therefore giving them a gift . The gift of a new perspective, of a new concept in their mind, of seeing something unusually close.  

You may think, I don’t want to transform anybody, I just want to make my presentation, outline a topic!

But As Seth Godin (international bestselling author) effectively states : “ no change, no point ”. According to him the “real” presentation is only the one with the purpose of change . If there is no change, the presentation is not worth doing. It is just entertainment or a waste of time.

To better understand this concept try and think about this: if there isn’t anything special about your presentation, anything new or personal you want to say, why should your audience listen to you?

It needs to be the seed to a change. This change doesn’t have to be something big, but your presentation needs to be transformative : you may be shifting the point of view about a certain topic, introduce them to a new topic, or change the way they look at a problem.

As you plan everything out, pay attention to that. 

I find Seth Godin’s advice in this regard really helpful: before starting to work on your presentation, ask yourself: who will be changed by this and what kind of change am I looking for? 

Having these concepts very clear in your mind will help you plan out your presentation effectively . And If you don’t find any change, try and rethink your presentation. Why are you doing it?

You want to present in order to transform your audience. Otherwise you may need to prepare a memo or some other kind of document. 

So, try to focus on this concept to figure out the transformation you want to achieve.

Then, build up your presentation on top of your transformative moment. This way, you will be certain that your presentation is worth listening to.

Change is just around the corner.

Managing the Audience’s Reaction to your Presentation

You are finally delivering your presentation and your want your whole audience to like it .

It’s natural to desire that. But it is not what you are looking for ! It’s literally impossible to please everyone. Why?

Simple: your audience is made of individuals and every one reacts in their own unique way at every step of the presentation. 

Instead, try and give something to everyone. What does this mean? You can’t make a presentation that pleases everyone in every single part of your presentation. That presentation doesn’t exist.

All you can do is divide your audience into categories, please each category in a given part of your speech , and then pass on to another category. What do I mean by “category”? 

In every presentation, there are members of the audience whose attitude follows a certain pattern . 

A few examples: there are the “ Confused ”. In their opinion, any information is too much information, and they will always be a little puzzled by what you are saying.

There are the “ Fans ”: to them, everything you say is just amazing. So you shouldn’t  judge your presentation on their reaction.

And there are all sorts of different types of audiences.

Here are a few steps to go through:

• do research about the members of your audience : by doing this you will be able to satisfy each type of person in your audience.
• try to give something to every category .

An effective way of explaining the second point might be the example of the politician . 

Politicians that give a speech have to address the needs of the many categories their electorate is made of. There are many categories: students, young voters, working-class people, etc…

They can’t leave anyone out, otherwise that category will not vote for them. But they also can’t address all these categories at the same time . 

So they divide their speech into sections . In the first section they may address the students, then in the second the persons with disabilities, and so on and so forth.

You have to do the same with your presentation.

If you make sure to address every category , every person in the audience, you will make sure that they listen and get involved, at least partially, in your speech. 

If all your audience gets involved in your speech and react in unison, they become a group .

And this is the secret goal of your presentation: to transform your audience into a group .

Here is the reason why: if they react in unison forming a group, this means that you have done your job correctly, because you managed to involve all the different categories your audience is made of , despite their high number and their different interests.

3. Engage your Audience from the First Slide to the Last

Now it is time for you to learn about a few tools and tricks that will make it easier for you to build your presentation. Everybody should know them because they represent the very essence of presentations. 

To engage your audience from the first slide to the last, you have a few tools.

The Most Important Storytelling Moment of any Presentation

Each presentation has a high point. You get to this high point by building up your argument as we described in the previous chapters: you explain the “context” of your presentation to set your speech’s ground. Ultimately you set up the transformation.

What you reach is a climax . And your audience expects it .

But what is the climax? Well, “climax” is a storytelling term that refers to the part of your speech thatis most transformative . It’s the “ peak ” of the transformation your talk is all about.

So it is pretty safe to say that it is the crucial moment of your presentation. 

The audience can “feel” it when you reach the climax and expect you to give the most insight on the topic you are covering, thus transforming them the most. 

Take advantage of this state of mind because, thanks to this excitement, your audience will better understand what you say and remember it more accurately.

Provide the most critical information, provide them the most data, make this moment special . 

Right after the climax, when the tension is at its highest, it is time for you to end your presentation and leave the stage .

If you make your exit right after a theatrical climax, your core transformation will be a lot more effective .

Presentation Ending Slides: Closing with a Summary

So, you just led your audience through the climax. 

Now, as stated before, you need to leave the stage effectively . That is, you need to accompany your audience back to their life gently, but you also want to make sure that they take with them the new knowledge given by the transformation.

How do you achieve both goals?

My advice is: provide a summary right after the climax. An overview of all the points covered during your speech. 

Why right after the climax?

The level of excitement provided by the climax will make them listen very carefully : what you say now will be remembered more efficiently and will also be understood more accurately.

A summary is the only moment when you are allowed to use bullet points . Recap the main points of your presentation, but be careful! It must be more than a simple bulleted list . 

Take your audience flying above your topic. Flying? 

When you fly, you feel powerful, happy, and exhilarated. You dominate the landscape. You feel like the master of the world. 

You want to give all these sensations to your public in regards to your speech. 

You want them to feel like they finally dominate the topic , like they are masters of the subject .

You want to show them how much you have covered and how much they have learned. You want to make them feel powerful ! 

Moreover, seeing things with some distance is very helpful to understand the subject better.

Show how much ground you have covered. Give them a bird’s eye view of your presentation so that they will remember the very essence of your message . 

How to End a Presentation Assigning Actionable Tasks to your Audience

The final goal of your presentation is to make your audience truly remember your speech .

You spent a lot of time trying to explain something, outline a topic or show a new perspective. And maybe your audience will remember what you said. 

But you want more : you want the concepts you outline to change your audience’s behavior .

It would be fantastic, right? And what if I told you that there is something you can do about that? Something you can do to make sure to transform the life of your audience truly?

Well, here is my tip for you: at the end of your presentation, give your audience something they can actually do .

Practice reinforces the theory . Translate the wisdom from your presentation into something practical.

Sum-up all the wisdom from your presentation in a task : a rule they can follow, a new goal to reach, a new habit, a call-to-action. 

Ideally, your audience can apply it in their daily life: at work, at home, during their fitness routine. It is something that can and should become a habit . It is a gift from you to your audience. 

Doing something practical related to your presentation will help your public cement your speech’s concepts in their mind. 

Doing that every day will make your presentation and insight part of their everyday lives, thus truly transforming them .

You made it! I am so proud ! You just learned how to build up a successful presentation . Thank you, I appreciate you reading this far! So… What’s next? How about having a presentation coach by your side the next time you need to craft a presentation?

The best way for me to understand your needs and provide the best solutions is to have a 30 minutes informal call. Book your slot here.

If you liked what you read, please subscribe to my almost monthly newsletter !

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20 Great Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design [+ Templates]

Published: January 17, 2024

When it comes to PowerPoint presentation design, there's no shortage of avenues you can take.

While all that choice — colors, formats, visuals, fonts — can feel liberating, it‘s important that you’re careful in your selection as not all design combinations add up to success.

In this blog post, I’m sharing some of my favorite PowerPoint tips and templates to help you nail your next presentation.

Table of Contents

What makes a good PowerPoint presentation?

Powerpoint design ideas, best powerpoint presentation slides, good examples of powerpoint presentation design.

In my opinion, a great PowerPoint presentation gets the point across succinctly while using a design that doesn't detract from it.

Here are some of the elements I like to keep in mind when I’m building my own.

1. Minimal Animations and Transitions

Believe it or not, animations and transitions can take away from your PowerPoint presentation. Why? Well, they distract from the content you worked so hard on.

A good PowerPoint presentation keeps the focus on your argument by keeping animations and transitions to a minimum. I suggest using them tastefully and sparingly to emphasize a point or bring attention to a certain part of an image.

2. Cohesive Color Palette

I like to refresh my memory on color theory when creating a new PowerPoint presentation.

A cohesive color palette uses complementary and analogous colors to draw the audience’s attention and help emphasize certain aspects at the right time.

10 Free PowerPoint Templates

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• Creative templates.
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It‘s impossible for me to tell you the specific design ideas you should go after in your next PowerPoint, because, well, I don’t know what the goal of your presentation is.

Luckily, new versions of PowerPoint actually suggest ideas for you based on the content you're presenting. This can help you keep up with the latest trends in presentation design .

PowerPoint is filled with interesting boilerplate designs you can start with. To find these suggestions, open PowerPoint and click the “Design” tab in your top navigation bar. Then, on the far right side, you'll see the following choices:

This simplistic presentation example employs several different colors and font weights, but instead of coming off as disconnected, the varied colors work with one another to create contrast and call out specific concepts.

What I like: The big, bold numbers help set the reader's expectations, as they clearly signify how far along the viewer is in the list of tips.

10. “Pixar's 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling,” Gavin McMahon

This presentation by Gavin McMahon features color in all the right places. While each of the background images boasts a bright, spotlight-like design, all the characters are intentionally blacked out.

What I like: This helps keep the focus on the tips, while still incorporating visuals. Not to mention, it's still easy for me to identify each character without the details. (I found you on slide eight, Nemo.)

11. “Facebook Engagement and Activity Report,” We Are Social

Here's another great example of data visualization in the wild.

What I like: Rather than displaying numbers and statistics straight up, this presentation calls upon interesting, colorful graphs, and charts to present the information in a way that just makes sense.

12. “The GaryVee Content Model,” Gary Vaynerchuk

This wouldn‘t be a true Gary Vaynerchuk presentation if it wasn’t a little loud, am I right?

What I like: Aside from the fact that I love the eye-catching, bright yellow background, Vaynerchuk does a great job of incorporating screenshots on each slide to create a visual tutorial that coincides with the tips. He also does a great job including a visual table of contents that shows your progress as you go .

13. “20 Tweetable Quotes to Inspire Marketing & Design Creative Genius,” IMPACT Branding & Design

We‘ve all seen our fair share of quote-chronicling presentations but that isn’t to say they were all done well. Often the background images are poor quality, the text is too small, or there isn't enough contrast.

Well, this professional presentation from IMPACT Branding & Design suffers from none of said challenges.

What I like: The colorful filters over each background image create just enough contrast for the quotes to stand out.

14. “The Great State of Design,” Stacy Kvernmo

This presentation offers up a lot of information in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming.

What I like: The contrasting colors create visual interest and “pop,” and the comic images (slides 6 through 12) are used to make the information seem less buttoned-up and overwhelming.

15. “Clickbait: A Guide To Writing Un-Ignorable Headlines,” Ethos3

Not going to lie, it was the title that convinced me to click through to this presentation but the awesome design kept me there once I arrived.

What I like: This simple design adheres to a consistent color pattern and leverages bullet points and varied fonts to break up the text nicely.

16. “Digital Transformation in 50 Soundbites,” Julie Dodd

This design highlights a great alternative to the “text-over-image” display we've grown used to seeing.

What I like: By leveraging a split-screen approach to each presentation slide, Julie Dodd was able to serve up a clean, legible quote without sacrificing the power of a strong visual.

17. “Fix Your Really Bad PowerPoint,” Slide Comet

When you‘re creating a PowerPoint about how everyone’s PowerPoints stink, yours had better be terrific. The one above, based on the ebook by Seth Godin, keeps it simple without boring its audience.

What I like: Its clever combinations of fonts, together with consistent color across each slide, ensure you're neither overwhelmed nor unengaged.

18. “How Google Works,” Eric Schmidt

Simple, clever doodles tell the story of Google in a fun and creative way. This presentation reads almost like a storybook, making it easy to move from one slide to the next.

What I like: This uncluttered approach provides viewers with an easy-to-understand explanation of a complicated topic.

19. “What Really Differentiates the Best Content Marketers From The Rest,” Ross Simmonds

Let‘s be honest: These graphics are hard not to love. I especially appreciate the author’s cartoonified self-portrait that closes out the presentation. Well played, Ross Simmonds.

What I like: Rather than employing the same old stock photos, this unique design serves as a refreshing way to present information that's both valuable and fun.

20. “Be A Great Product Leader,” Adam Nash

This presentation by Adam Nash immediately draws attention by putting the company's logo first — a great move if your company is well known.

What I like: He uses popular images, such as ones of Megatron and Pinocchio, to drive his points home. In the same way, you can take advantage of popular images and media to keep your audience engaged.

PowerPoint Presentation Examples for the Best Slide Presentation

Mastering a PowerPoint presentation begins with the design itself.

Get inspired by my ideas above to create a presentation that engages your audience, builds upon your point, and helps you generate leads for your brand.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. This article was written by a human, but our team uses AI in our editorial process. Check out our full disclosure to learn more about how we use AI.

Don't forget to share this post!

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Add slide numbers, page numbers, or the date and time

You can add slide numbers and the date and time to your presentation.

1. Date and time

2. Slide number

To add header and footer information to handouts , see Edit page numbering, footers, and headers for Handouts in PowerPoint .

Add slide numbers or notes page numbers

On the View tab, in the Presentation Views group, click Normal .

On the left of your screen, in the pane that contains the slide thumbnails, click the first slide thumbnail in your presentation.

On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Header & Footer .

In the Header and Footer dialog box, do one of the following:

If you want to add slide numbers, click the Slide tab, and then select the Slide number check box.

If you want to add page numbers to notes, click the Notes and Handouts tab, and then select the Page number check box.

If you want to add page numbers to all of the slides or notes pages in your presentation, click Apply to All .

Change the starting slide number

You can change the starting slide number, number only one slide, or omit the slide number from the first slide. Here's how.

On the Design tab, in the Customize group, click Slide Size > Custom Slide Size.

In the Slide Size box, in the Number Slides from drop-down list, select a starting number.

Number only one slide or number all slides but the first slide

In the Header and Footer dialog box, click the Slide tab.

Do one of the following:

To number the slide that you have selected, select the Slide number check box, and then click Apply . Repeat this step for each individual slide that you want to number.

To number all slides but the first slide, select the Slide number check box, select Don’t show on title slide , and then click Apply to All .

For information about how to rearrange the slides in your presentation, see Change the order of your slides .

Add the date and time

On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Date & Time .

In the Header and Footer box, do one of the following:

If you want to add the date and time to your slides, click the Slide tab.

If you want to add the date and time to your notes pages, click the Notes and Handouts tab.

Select the Date and time check box, and then do one of the following:

If you want the date and time to reflect the current date and time each time you open or print the presentation, click Update automatically , and then select the date and time format that you want .

If you want to set the date and time to a specific date, click Fixed , and then in the Fixed box, type in the date that you want.

By setting the date on your presentation so that it is Fixed , you can easily keep track of the last time you made changes to it.

If you want to add the date and time to all of the slides, notes pages, or handouts in your presentation, click Apply to All .

Insert or remove slide numbers

Go to View > Normal .

Go to Insert > Slide Number .

Select Slide Number and enter the starting slide number. Preview shows the location.

To add or remove the slide number from just the title page, clear or select Don’t show on title slide .

Select Apply to all or Apply .

On the Insert tab, select  Footer > Slide Number .

In the Footer pane, select the Slide Number box.

If you want to avoid having a slide number on the title slide, select Don't show on title slide .

If you want to include additional "footer" text on your slides, select Footer , then enter the info you want in the text box.

Select Apply to All .

Close the Footer pane.

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