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5 Ways to Keep Presentation Simple and to the Point

Jibril

  • Published on January 25, 2020

Keep Presentation Simple and to the Point

Table of Contents

To keep the presentation simple and to the point, most people learn about KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) early in their careers.

So how can you do it?

Creating a simple design is a little more complicated than you might think.

According to Tabhita emma , there is a quote from Steve Jobs that says “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.”At first, when you look at a simple design, you may assume it was easy to create.

While it may be easy to copy due to its simplicity, the process behind it is often far more complex than we realize.

KISS maintains that most systems work best if they are simple, rather than complicated. The same is true of pretty much any design project as well.

 HERE ARE OUR PRESENTATION TIPS: 5 WAYS TO KEEP PRESENTATION SIMPLE AND TO THE POINT. 

Set one goal per page

The beginning of a simple design starts with a goal for the project and specific goals for each page of your slides.

Plan the design so that each page leads the audience to a single goal. This consistency helps users understand why they are on your presentation and what they are supposed to do; the simplicity of those choices makes the design easy and engaging.

According to Power Presentations , keep your design slides interesting for the virtual format, and make the following adjustments:

Use more slides

For a webinar, spread out the information that would have been on one slide for a live presentation over two or four slides. 

In this way, you will be changing slides more frequently, capturing the attention of your audience.

Put less on each slide

Make sure you only have 1-2 key points per slide. 

In this way, your audience will be able to focus and recognize the most important information more easily.

Use bullet points and a minimum font size of 24

By doing this, you will be able to present your slides in a clean, simple, and easy-to-understand manner, highlighting your main points as well.

On each slide, use four bullet points with six words per bullet point, or six bullet points with four words per bullet point.  As a result, your slides will not appear cluttered or confusing.

See also: 5 Tips for a Fabulous Academic Presentation

Stick to two types of families.

There are so many design guidelines that recommend three typefaces for a project. You can streamline that even more with two robust type families.

It is best to look for a family with multiple weights and contrasting bold and black options.

The result will be a highly readable, easy-to-use, and visually consistent typography palette.

Here are some ways to create typographic connections, to help keep your design engaging and inventive.

  • Choose complementary fonts
  • Establish a visual hierarchy
  • Consider context
  • Mix serifs and sans serifs
  • Create contrast
  • Steer clear of conflict
  • Avoid pairing fonts that are too similar

According to Sketcdeck , while good typefaces have prodigious families of carefully related styles, some of the best typography builds unexpected relationships between unrelated fonts.

See also: Data Presentation: Best Ways to Display Data Visually in 2022

Use consistent alignment.

Left, center, or even to the right – whatever alignment you like, stick to it throughout the design.

C onsistency is key.

Here are some things we should pay attention to in the consistency of alignment:

Your design will be constraint-driven by using a grid. You will be able to design your content according to an invisible structure if you use a grid.

Alignment and consistency are naturally enhanced by grids.

Make it easier to read

Having consistent alignment allows users to become comfortable with the alignment more quickly.

Your users will be able to read easier if you maintain this consistency.

Keep similar patterns consistent

You can see a bad example on the left side of my example at the top of the page.

Some designers make the mistake of aligning the buttons differently when there was no reason to do so. Some feel compelled to make their UI patterns different because they have similar UI patterns.

See also: Best Colors for Presentation Slides That Will Dominate Today’s Trends

Give elements plenty of space.

If you don’t know it by now, commit this to memory: White space is your friend.

According to creatopy , white space is a very important design element, just like all the other elements: pictures,  fonts , graphics, etc.

It was created intentionally to emphasize other elements of the layout and/or to convey a specific mood.

Give every element in the design plenty of room. Space will help draw attention to individual elements, take up “space” so you aren’t tempted to clutter the canvas, and help create an overall design that has focus.

Use consistent icons and elements

According to Tubig blog , Consistency is one of 10 fundamental  usability heuristics , which are core principles for interaction design defined by Jakob Nielsen back in 1994.

Consistency in this list is based on the principle that users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. It’s one of those things that gets forgotten way too often as design projects are littered with multiple button styles or social media icons that just don’t match the rest of the website’s iconography.

It’s important to create an icon and user interface element set and rules and use them throughout the project in the same manner.

(You can even buy or download an icon font or user interface element kit if you don’t want to create these from scratch.)

Luckily if you won’t waste your time downloading icons and more elements, because we include them in every product package we have!

See also: 20+ Awe-inspiring Icon Sites for Presentation Design

The closure.

A simple design does not have to be completely minimal or lack fun elements or user interface goodies.

A simple design is one that is highly usable and intuitive, allowing users to engage without question or complicated instructions. Importantly, keep the presentation simple and to the point.

Simple designs have certain advantages over more complicated ones. Making them is cheaper, easier to understand, and easier to fix in case something goes wrong.

By keeping things short and simple, you ensure that your audience isn’t unnecessarily overwhelmed and distracted from the message you want to convey.

Some of your designs are complicated because they are a result of your understanding, not something your customers would love. So, keep the presentation simple and to the point with the five above. 

Let’s visit  RRSlide  to  download free PowerPoint templates . But wait, don’t go anywhere and stay here with our  RRGraph Design  Blog  to keep up-to-date on the  best pitch deck template  collections and design advice from our  PowerPoint experts .

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

How to make a good presentation

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

keep presentation simple

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

keep presentation simple

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

keep presentation simple

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Peloton Pitch Deck - Conclusion

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

keep presentation simple

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

Venngage Real Time Collaboration

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

keep presentation simple

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

keep presentation simple

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

keep presentation simple

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

keep presentation simple

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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Less is More: 15+ Brilliantly Simple Presentation Examples to Nail Every Event

Leah Nguyen • 08 April, 2024 • 8 min read

While spending time making a beautiful, well-crafted slide design that makes your audience's jaws drop to the floor is a good idea, in reality, we often don't have that much time.

Making a presentation and presenting it to the team, the client, or the boss is just one of the countless tasks we'll have to juggle for a day, and if you're doing it on a daily basis, you'd want the presentation to be simple and concise.

In this blog, we'll give you simple presentation examples plus tips and trips to help you rock the talk in style.

Table of Contents

Simple powerpoint presentation example, simple pitch deck template example, simple business plan presentation sample, simple powerpoint presentation examples for students, tips for giving a simple presentation, frequently asked questions, more tips on interactive presentation.

  • Presentation Format: How To Make An Outstanding Presentation
  • 220++ Easy Topics for Presentation of all Ages
  • Complete Guide to Interactive Presentations
  • Ted Talks Presentation
  • Presentations examples in powerpoint

Alternative Text

Looking for a better engagement tool?

Add more funs with best live poll, quizzes and games, all available on AhaSlides presentations, ready to share with your crowd!

Simple presentation example - How-to guide

PowerPoint presentations are so versatile in applications that you can use them in almost any scenario, from university lectures to business pitching, the possibilities are endless. Here are some simple PowerPoint presentation examples that require minimal slides and design elements:

Introduction - 3-5 slides with your name, topic overview, agenda. Use simple slide layouts, and large titles.

  • Informational - 5-10 slides conveying facts through bullet points, images. Stick to 1 idea per slide in headlines and subheads.
  • How-To Guide - 5+ slides demonstrating steps visually. Use screenshots and keep the text concise per slide.
  • Meeting Recap - 3-5 slides summarising discussions, next steps, assignments. Bullet points work best.

Simple presentation example - Meeting recap

  • Job Interview - 5-10 slides highlighting your qualifications, backgrounds, referrals. Customise the template with your photo.
  • Announcement - 2-3 slides alerting others to news, deadlines, events. Large font, minimal clip art if any.
  • Photo Report - 5-10 slides of images telling a story. 1-2 sentences of context beneath each.
  • Progress Update - 3-5 slides tracking work to date through metrics, graphs, screenshots against goals.

Simple presentation example - Progress update

Thank You - 1-2 slides expressing gratitude for an opportunity or event. Personalised the template.

When you're pitching your project to investors, a simple presentation will win the heart of these busy businessmen. An example of a simple pitch deck template that could be used for early-stage startups would be like this:

keep presentation simple

  • Slide 1 - Title, company name, tagline.
  • Slide 2 - Problem & solution: Clearly define the problem your product/service solves & explain your proposed solution concisely.
  • Slide 3 - Product/Service: Describe the core features and benefits of your offering, illustrate usability through screenshots or diagrams.
  • Slide 4 - Market: Define your target customer and the size of the potential market, highlight trends and tailwinds in the industry.

keep presentation simple

  • Slide 5 - Business model: Describe your revenue model and projections, explain how you will acquire and retain customers.
  • Slide 6 - Competition: Note top competitors and how you differentiate, highlight any competitive advantages.
  • Slide 7 - Traction: Provide metrics showing early progress or pilot results, share customer testimonials or case studies if possible.

keep presentation simple

  • Slide 8 - Team: Introduce co-founders and advisory board members, highlight relevant experience and expertise.
  • Slide 9 - Milestones & Use of Funds: List key milestones and timeline for product launch, detail how funds from investors will be allocated.
  • Slide 10 - Financials: Provide basic 3-5 year financial projections, summarise your fundraising request and offering terms.
  • Slide 11 - Closing: Thank the investors for their time and consideration. Reiterate your solution, market opportunity, and team.

For the business plan, the goal is to clearly present the opportunity and gain investors' support. Here is a simple presentation example that captures all the essence of the business aspects:

Simple presentation example - Business plan

  • Slide 1 - Introduction: Introduce yourself/team briefly.
  • Slide 2 - Business Overview: State the name and purpose of the business, briefly describe the product/service, capture the market opportunity and target customers.
  • Slide 3+4 - Operations Plan: Describe how the business will operate on a day-to-day basis, summarise the production/delivery process, highlight any competitive advantages in operations.
  • Slide 5+6 - Marketing Plan: Outline the marketing strategy, describe how customers will be reached and acquired, detail promotional activities planned.

keep presentation simple

  • Slide 7+8 - Financial Projections: Share projected financial numbers (revenue, expenses, profits), highlight key assumptions used, show the expected return on investment.
  • Slide 9+10 - Future Plans: Discuss plans for growth and expansion, outline capital needed and intended use of funds, invite questions and next steps.
  • Slide 11 - Close: Thank the audience for their time and consideration, provide contact details for the next steps.

As a student, you will have to make presentations and present them regularly in class. These simple PowerPoint presentation examples will work well for student projects:

  • Book Report - Include title, author, summary of plot/characters, and your opinion on a few slides.

Simple presentation example - Book report

  • Science Experiment - Introduction, hypothesis, method, results, conclusion each on their own slide. Include photos if possible.
  • History Report - Pick 3-5 important dates/events, have a slide for each with 2-3 bullet points summarising what happened.
  • Compare/Contrast - Choose 2-3 topics, have a slide for each with bullet points comparing the similarities and differences.

keep presentation simple

  • Movie Review - Title, genre, director, short summary, your review and rating on a 1-5 scale slide.
  • Biographical Presentation - Title slide, 3-5 slides each on important dates, accomplishments, and life events in order.
  • How-To Presentation - Demonstrate instructions for something step-by-step over 4-6 slides using images and text.

Simple presentation example - How-to presentation

Keep the language simple, utilise visuals when possible, and limit each slide to 5-7 bullet points or less for ease of following along.

Delivering an outstanding presentation is no easy feat, but here are the best tips for you to get down to it quickly:

  • A sweet start with icebreaker games , or general knowledge quiz questions , choosing randomly by spinner wheel !
  • Keep it concise. Limit your presentation to 10 slides or less.
  • Have crisp, well-formatted slides with ample whitespace and few words per slide.
  • Use headers to clearly separate different sections.
  • Supplement your points with relevant graphics/images.
  • Bullet point your content rather than long paragraphs of text.
  • Limit each bullet point to 1 short idea/sentence and 5-7 lines max per slide.
  • Rehearse your presentation until you can discuss without reading slides verbatim.
  • Don't cram too much info into slides, present key highlights concisely.
  • Practice your timing to evenly pace yourself within any time constraints.
  • State conclusions clearly and leave slides visible as you answer questions.
  • Bring a paper handout if further detail is needed but not crucial to your talk.
  • Consider interactive elements like online quiz , a poll , mock debate or audience Q&A to involve them.
  • Gather feedback live from audience, with brainstorm tool , live word clouds or an idea board !

The goal is to thoughtfully entertain as much as educate through an engaging style and dynamic delivery. Questions mean you succeeded, so smile at the chaos you created. End on a high note that’ll have them buzzing like bees for weeks to come!

Host Interactive Presentations for Free!

Make your whole event memorable for any audience, anywhere, with AhaSlides.

What are the examples of presentation?

Some examples of simple presentation topics you could do:

  • How to care for a new pet (include different animal types)
  • Safety tips for social media use
  • Comparing breakfast foods from around the world
  • Instructions for a simple science experiment
  • Book or movie review and recommendation
  • How to play a popular sport or game

What is a good 5 minute presentation?

Here are some ideas for effective 5-minute presentations:

  • Book Review - Introduce the book, discuss the main characters and plot, and give your opinion in 4-5 slides.
  • News Update - Summarise 3-5 current events or news stories in 1-2 slides each with images.
  • Profile of an Inspirational Person - Introduce their background and accomplishments in 4 well-crafted slides.
  • Product Demonstration - Showcase the features and benefits of a product in 5 engaging slides.

What is the easiest topic for presentation?

The easiest topics for a simple presentation could be about:

  • Yourself - Give a brief introduction and background about who you are.
  • Your favourite hobby or interests - Share what you enjoy doing in your spare time.
  • Your hometown/country - Highlight a few interesting facts and places.
  • Your education/career goals - Outline what you want to study or do.
  • A past class project - Recap what you learned from something you've already done.

Leah Nguyen

Leah Nguyen

Words that convert, stories that stick. I turn complex ideas into engaging narratives - helping audiences learn, remember, and take action.

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How can you make a good presentation even more effective?

This page draws on published advice from expert presenters around the world, which will help to take your presentations from merely ‘good’ to ‘great’.

By bringing together advice from a wide range of people, the aim is to cover a whole range of areas.

Whether you are an experienced presenter, or just starting out, there should be ideas here to help you to improve.

1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience

It’s hard to be relaxed and be yourself when you’re nervous.

But time and again, the great presenters say that the most important thing is to connect with your audience, and the best way to do that is to let your passion for the subject shine through.

Be honest with the audience about what is important to you and why it matters.

Be enthusiastic and honest, and the audience will respond.

2. Focus on your Audience’s Needs

Your presentation needs to be built around what your audience is going to get out of the presentation.

As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can tell them.

While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to remain focused on your audience’s response, and react to that.

You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and respond.

3. Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message

When planning your presentation, you should always keep in mind the question:

What is the key message (or three key points) for my audience to take away?

You should be able to communicate that key message very briefly.

Some experts recommend a 30-second ‘elevator summary’, others that you can write it on the back of a business card, or say it in no more than 15 words.

Whichever rule you choose, the important thing is to keep your core message focused and brief.

And if what you are planning to say doesn’t contribute to that core message, don’t say it.

4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience

This sounds very easy, but a surprisingly large number of presenters fail to do it.

If you smile and make eye contact, you are building rapport , which helps the audience to connect with you and your subject. It also helps you to feel less nervous, because you are talking to individuals, not to a great mass of unknown people.

To help you with this, make sure that you don’t turn down all the lights so that only the slide screen is visible. Your audience needs to see you as well as your slides.

5. Start Strongly

The beginning of your presentation is crucial. You need to grab your audience’s attention and hold it.

They will give you a few minutes’ grace in which to entertain them, before they start to switch off if you’re dull. So don’t waste that on explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.

Try a story (see tip 7 below), or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide.

6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

This is a tip from Guy Kawasaki of Apple. He suggests that slideshows should:

  • Contain no more than 10 slides;
  • Last no more than 20 minutes; and
  • Use a font size of no less than 30 point.

This last is particularly important as it stops you trying to put too much information on any one slide. This whole approach avoids the dreaded ‘Death by PowerPoint’.

As a general rule, slides should be the sideshow to you, the presenter. A good set of slides should be no use without the presenter, and they should definitely contain less, rather than more, information, expressed simply.

If you need to provide more information, create a bespoke handout and give it out after your presentation.

7. Tell Stories

Human beings are programmed to respond to stories.

Stories help us to pay attention, and also to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. It is a good idea to start with a story, but there is a wider point too: you need your presentation to act like a story.

Think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation to tell it.

Finding The Story Behind Your Presentation

To effectively tell a story, focus on using at least one of the two most basic storytelling mechanics in your presentation:

Focusing On Characters – People have stories; things, data, and objects do not. So ask yourself “who” is directly involved in your topic that you can use as the focal point of your story.

For example, instead of talking about cars (your company’s products), you could focus on specific characters like:

  • The drivers the car is intended for – people looking for speed and adventure
  • The engineers who went out of their way to design the most cost-effective car imaginable

A Changing Dynamic – A story needs something to change along the way. So ask yourself “What is not as it should be?” and answer with what you are going to do about it (or what you did about it).

For example…

  • Did hazardous road conditions inspire you to build a rugged, all-terrain jeep that any family could afford?
  • Did a complicated and confusing food labelling system lead you to establish a colour-coded nutritional index so that anybody could easily understand it?

To see 15 more actionable storytelling tips, see Nuts & Bolts Speed Training’s post on Storytelling Tips .

8. Use your Voice Effectively

The spoken word is actually a pretty inefficient means of communication, because it uses only one of your audience’s five senses. That’s why presenters tend to use visual aids, too. But you can help to make the spoken word better by using your voice effectively.

Varying the speed at which you talk, and emphasising changes in pitch and tone all help to make your voice more interesting and hold your audience’s attention.

For more about this, see our page on Effective Speaking .

9. Use your Body Too

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of communication is non-verbal.

That means that as well as your tone of voice, your body language is crucial to getting your message across. Make sure that you are giving the right messages: body language to avoid includes crossed arms, hands held behind your back or in your pockets, and pacing the stage.

Make your gestures open and confident, and move naturally around the stage, and among the audience too, if possible.

10. Relax, Breathe and Enjoy

If you find presenting difficult, it can be hard to be calm and relaxed about doing it.

One option is to start by concentrating on your breathing. Slow it down, and make sure that you’re breathing fully. Make sure that you continue to pause for breath occasionally during your presentation too.

For more ideas, see our page on Coping with Presentation Nerves .

If you can bring yourself to relax, you will almost certainly present better. If you can actually start to enjoy yourself, your audience will respond to that, and engage better. Your presentations will improve exponentially, and so will your confidence. It’s well worth a try.

Improve your Presentation Skills

Follow our guide to boost your presentation skills learning about preparation, delivery, questions and all other aspects of giving effective presentations.

Start with: What is a Presentation?

Continue to: How to Give a Speech Self Presentation

See also: Five Ways You Can Do Visual Marketing on a Budget Can Presentation Science Improve Your Presentation? Typography – It’s All About the Message in Your Slides

Presentation Training Institute

Presentation Training Institute

A division of bold new directions training, four reasons why you need to keep it simple when presenting.

There is nothing worse than sitting through a presentation that is too complex, cluttered, and difficult to understand. Many presenters find it difficult to convey their message in a simple, clear manner. All too often their slides are cluttered and packed tight with text, their information sounds like an advanced Calculus course, and their PowerPoint is filled with distracting animation and videos. No matter how much time you spend preparing your presentation, it is meaningless to the audience if it is poorly executed. When it comes to delivering a successful presentation, simple is better. Here are a few reasons why you should strive for simplicity when preparing your presentation. 

Complexity Leads to Disconnect

Overcrowded slides and confusing information is a major factor in causing disconnect between the speaker and the audience. The minute you begin speaking in technical terms that no one understands is the minute you lose your audience. Likewise, your audience will not be able to follow along with confusing infographics and text heavy slides. The secret to a successful presentation is engagement with the audience and this is nearly impossible if your presentation is too complex. Focus on your core message and think of the easiest way possible to deliver this message. Keep your language, format, and content simple and on point. 

Complexity is Boring

Think back to that class in high school or college where the content was so complicated that it appeared as if your teacher was speaking a foreign language. You probably drowned them out within minutes and spent the remainder of class doodling in your notebook or checking emails on your phone. Why? Because complexity is boring. People like simple and they won’t pay attention to something that is too complicated. When preparing your presentation, think of how our audience will perceive it. You can even test it out by practicing your presentation with friends and family. Ask them if they understood it and to explain it back to you. If not, you will need to seek ways to simplify your message to better accommodate your audience. 

It is Difficult to Follow Along

Presenters often think they can wow the audience with fancy slides, flashy animations, and colorful images. However, this approach often backfires. It becomes difficult for audiences to follow along if there is too much going on. These fancy slides actually become a distraction. Your audience might be too busy reading your text heavy slides to hear what you are saying. Your slides should act as a basic outline and support what you are speaking. The majority of the content should come from YOU, not your slides. When preparing a presentation slideshow, simple is always better. 

Your Audience Won’t Remember the Content

Great presenters don’t use fancy jargon or formal speech. Their slideshows aren’t packed with animations, colorful graphics, and funny videos. Rather, the presentations that people remember are often the ones that are basic and simple, where the presentation was neatly delivered to them on a silver platter. If you fill your presentation with too much text, fluff, and fancy jargon, your audience won’t remember any of it. Simplifying your presentation is the best way to share information in a way that will be meaningful to your audience. A short and sweet message will win over your audience and stick in their minds.

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  • Presentations

How to Make Short 5-Minute Presentations With Quick Ideas & Tips (+Video)

Laura Spencer

  • Bahasa Indonesia
  • العربية/عربي

Need to learn how to make a short presentation? A quick presentation has unique challenges. In this article, we'll look at tips and ideas for 3 to 5 minute presentations. We'll also check out some 5-minute presentation samples, and other tips and tricks for planning your mini presentation. 

Presenting a quick 5 minute presentation

There are many situations where you may need to give a short presentation. For example, you may need to give a 5-minute presentation for job interview criteria. Or you may need to give a mini presentation in 5 minutes to brief your team, at work. 5-minute presentation topics can vary, but have a few key things in common:

  • A quick presentation should be concise and to the point.
  • 5-minute presentation topics should be strategic, but not too complex.
  • A short presentation, like 3 to 5 minute presentations, doesn't need too many slides.

Need Help? Download Our eBook on Making Great Presentations (Free)

We also have a useful complement to this tutorial. Download our FREE eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations. It'll help you write, design, and deliver the perfect presentation. Quickly grab it before you read on. 

Free eBook PDF Download Make a Great Presentation

Make Amazing 5-Minute Presentations (Quickstart Video)

Step 1. know your audience well, step 2. choose the right 5-minute presentation topics, step 3. use a professional presentation template for your mini presentation, step 4. start your quick presentation with a powerful attention grabber, step 5. practice makes perfect, plan your short presentation length, 5-minute presentation samples, make your presentation scalable, download our ebook on making great presentations (free pdf), make a great 5-minute presentation today.

Do you need to make a 5-minute PowerPoint presentation quickly? Get started right now with this video:

keep presentation simple

Learn even more about short, mini-presentations in the tutorial below: 

With only five minutes for your presentation, you don't want to waste time covering information your audience already knows. To make sure that you reach your audience with material that they can understand and relate too, you need to know as much about them as you can.

If you don't understand your audience, it's unlikely that you'll be able to hold their interest. Research your audience to find out as much as you can about them. A quick way to find out more about your audience is to ask the organization or person who invited you to give the presentation for more information about who you'll be addressing.

Now that you've learned about your audience, it's time to choose a topic.

For short presentations, your topic selection is very important. Some topics just do not lend themselves well to presentations because they're too complex.

Here some crucial points to consider when selecting a presentation topic for a 5-minute presentation:

  • Choose a topic you're already familiar with. This will cut the time you spend researching your topic.
  • Keep it simple. Avoid complex topics that need lots of explanation. If a topic is complex, pick a single, simple aspect of it to present on, rather than trying to cover it all.
  • Stick to one or two main points. Also limit yourself to a minimal number of sub-points. Because your presentation length is limited, it's unlikely you'll have time for more than that.
  • Remember your audience's background. I can't say this enough—to create an engaging presentation you must know your audience.

Now, write your draft:

keep presentation simple

After your draft is ready, it's time to start thinking about how your presentation is going to look.

Even short presentations need to look nice. Since this is a quick presentation, you'll save lots of time by using a template.

Templates give your presentation a professional look without you needing to spend the money to hire a professional designer or the time to design your own template. For most presentation templates, just insert your own information in the appropriate places and add your own images. Then, remove the slides from the template that you do not need.

You can find a wide variety of professional templates available on  Envato Elements . To get an idea of the difference that a professional template can make for your presentation, here's a look at this stylish PowerPoint presentation template from Envato Elements.

powerpoint presentation template

This PowerPoint template has over 125 slides to choose from, so there's a wealth of content to work with. It's easy to complete your presentation with a professionally designed template on your side.

Discover more PowerPoint template designs with powerful features on Envato Elements. The right premium PPT template  will help you make a great presentation quickly. 

You'll find even more excellent professional Microsoft PowerPoint template options in these curated articles. They're a great resource if you're looking for even more 5-minute presentation ideas: 

keep presentation simple

Since your presentation is so short, you'll want to pay some extra attention to the opening. You probably don't have time to show a video or play complex animations. You may not even have time to play a soundtrack.

That's okay. There are other ways to grab your audience's attention. These quick attention grabbers are great for short presentations:

  • storytelling
  • poll the audience
  • mention a startling statistic
  • show a compelling image

In a short presentation, it's also a good idea to organize your material so that your most important point is discussed first. This insures that you've covered your most important point in case either of the following happens:

  • You run out of time.
  • Your audience loses interest.

Your short presentation should be starting to come together now, but you're not ready to give your presentation until you complete the next step.

For a short speech, practice is critical. Timing your presentation is also the only way to know for sure how long it'll take. The shorter the presentation the more crucial it is that you time your speech. For example, if you're giving a 5-minute presentation for a job interview, you'll really want to stay within the required time frame! 

Practice gives you a chance to really polish your presentation. Focus on sounding comfortable and confident. Work on eliminating or reducing any distracting personal habits. Many speakers benefit from having a third party listen as they practice.

Practice giving your 5 minute presentation with colleagues or friends

Ideally, you want to be able to present your material without reading it verbatim (which can sound stilted and unnatural). So, you'll be learning your material as you practice.

Once you feel confident about your presentation, time it. Have a colleague or friend help you keep track of how long you speak. Or use a recording device or other electronic timer.

If you find that your presentation runs over the five-minute mark, remove some of your less important points from the end. Be cautious about doing this, though. Nerves can cause many speakers to speak more quickly during the actual presentation than they normally would.

If your presentation falls short of the five-minute mark, add another short point or summarize what you've discussed to make up the time difference.

You're basically ready to give your 5-minute presentation. But there are a few more things you should know.

When creating a timed, quick presentation, a common question is "how many PowerPoint slides do I need for a presentation that lasts X minutes?"

The answer is ... it depends. There are many variables that determine the number of slides required to fill a specific time slot.

Not all slides are created equal. You'll want to discuss the information on some in more detail because it's more complex. Other slides, such as images, may require no discussion on your part. Also, every speaker speaks at a different pace. So, someone who speaks quickly will probably require more slides than someone who speaks more slowly.

These variables are why it's so important to time your presentation before you give it.

Its important to time your presentation delivery with your slides

Remember, though, being nervous can make you speak more quickly than you normally would. So, try to keep your pace normal. A short pause between points can help you get your bearings, even if you're giving a presentation in 5 minutes.

The most common presentation mistake is to have too many slides. Having too many slides poses a problem in several ways:

  • It's harder for you, as a speaker to keep up with all that material. You're more likely to have to read your presentation.
  • Your audience is unlikely to remember all that material anyway. Your main point is likely to get lost.
  • In a shorter presentation, you're more likely to run out of time.

While I can't tell you exactly how many PowerPoint slides for a five minute presentation, I can provide you with some overall guidelines that'll work for many speakers. Use these guidelines to plan your presentation and adapt them as needed.

Slide Guidelines for Various Presentation Lengths

Even the experts disagree on how much time you should spend on a single slide. And not all slides in your slide presentation require the same amount of time to present. Still, there are some steps you can use to figure out how many slides you'll need.

Start by dividing your presentation into two types of slides:

  • Simple. A simple slide requires very little explanation on your part. Examples of this type of slide would be your title slide or a graphic that speaks for itself. Aside from your title slide, most experts agree that you should try to spend less than 30 seconds on a simple slide.
  • Complex. This slide requires some explanation on your part. These are the slides that you'll use to convey your message. Most experts agree that you should spend between one and no more than three minutes on this type of slide. When you're timing your presentation if you find that a slide takes more than three minutes to present, divide it into two slides.

During your practice session, pay attention to how long each type of slide takes you to present. If you've given lots of presentations already, you may already know. If you're new to giving presentations, you'll have to get this figure when you time your presentation as you practice.

Here's how these guidelines might play out when planning different length presentations:

  • 1-Minute Presentation . Stick to one main idea. Keep it simple. A single slide may be enough. But use no more than two slides--one of which is a title slide with the company name and presentation title that won't require discussion. If you can, have the title slide on the screen before your presentation starts. Leave it up as you introduce the presentation (about 15 seconds). The second slide covers a very simple main point (plan on 45 seconds to discuss it). You may have no sub-points and no discussion, as this is a very short talk.
  • 3-Minute Presentation. Again, stick to one or two simple, main ideas. You may have several simple sub-points. Use the company name slide to open your presentation (15 seconds). If your topic is complex, you may spend nearly the entire three minutes on a single slide. For simple topics that require less than a minute per slide, you may need up to six slides.
  • 5-Minute Presentation. For this slightly longer presentation you can cover four very simple points or one complex point with several sub-points. Plan on a title slide (up to 30 seconds), and you can insert some opening humor or other attention grabber. With a complex topic slide you may find yourself spending three minutes on it, which would leave about a minute and a half for two sub-points--so four slides in that scenario. You may need up to ten slides if your topics are very simple.
  • 15-Minute Presentation. With a longer presentation like this, plan on a pause of several minutes after about seven minutes. You could use this time as a question-and-answer period. Or just allow your audience to stretch. Following the break, you'll need another attention grabber. You also have time to include more complex attention grabbers such as short videos and animations. You could need between five and 20 slides, depending on the complexity of your material.
  • 30-Minute or Longer Presentations. Longer presentations allow you to present more material that's more complex. You're also likely to include more slides. When creating a longer presentation, don't forget to allow for your audience's human needs. You'll need to include more planned pauses. Also, most experts agree that you should plan on a bathroom break at least once an hour. After the bathroom break, you'll need to recapture your audience's attention again. For very long presentations you may need to plan for a snack or a meal.

You won't know for sure how closely to follow these guidelines unless you time your speech. After practicing, you may find that you need to tweak the guidelines by adding or subtracting a slide. Or if you're spending too much time on a single slide, you may need to narrow down your material.

Below I've included slides that I created using this professional PowerPoint template from Envato Elements. A simple professional PowerPoint template offers a great starting point to work from. These slides are made quickly for a short presentation.

From practicing, I know that this presentation takes approximately two minutes to give. Here's the first slide, which is my title:

A 15 second presentation title slide

For this slide, all the presenter would need to say is their name, the title of the presentation, and the name of the company. Note that not everything the presenter says is on the slide. This title slide took me 15 seconds to present. Your results could vary.

Here's the next slide:

A simple 30 second presentation slide

This slide basically introduces the company. Again, not everything I'm going to say is on the slide. This simple slide took me 30 seconds to present.

Here's a second example of a 30 second slide:

Another simple presentation slide

The final slide in this very short presentation is a little more complex, but it still only took 45 seconds for me to present:

45 second presentation slide

Many professionals are asked to do variations of the same presentation over and over. Sales professionals, for example, may need to have long and short versions of the same presentation topic. This would mean giving your presentation in 5 minutes or 30 minutes. But how do you scale a large or mini presentation? 

If this is what you need to do, keep in mind the points above. It's best to create and save the long version presentation first. Then edit the material down and re-save it as a shorter, more focused version of the presentation. Be careful not to overwrite your original presentation though.

Once you've done this several times, it'll get easier.

We've got the perfect complement to this tutorial, which will walk you through the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully. 

Download our eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It's available for free with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter. 

Free eBook PDF Download Make a Great Presentation

Now you know how to make a short presentation of your own. You can create an effective slide presentation for any amount of time, if you know how. With the right planning, you can quickly create snappy 5-minute presentations with just the right number of slides.

When creating a short presentation, remember that it's important to know your audience well. It's also crucial that you pick a simple topic that's right for them. Most importantly, remember to practice and time your presentation. Timing is the only way to know for sure how long it'll take you to give a presentation. Keep in mind that you may speed up your delivery during the actual presentation, so aim to account for that.

Also, don't forget how important your slide design is to making an effective presentation. Remember to check out the PowerPoint presentation templates on Envato Elements. One low monthly price gets you unlimited access to the entire library of templates!

Now, that you know what to do, you're ready to create your own 5-minute presentation. Good luck!

Editorial Note: This tutorial was originally published in July of 2017. It's been updated to make sure it's completely relevant and a video has been added by Daisy Ein .

Laura Spencer

.css-1qrtm5m{display:block;margin-bottom:8px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5714285714285714;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.35px;letter-spacing:-0.35px;font-weight:300;color:#606F7B;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-1qrtm5m{font-size:16px;line-height:1.625;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.5px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;}} Best Practices The #1 rule for improving your presentation slides

by Tom Rielly • May 12, 2020

keep presentation simple

When giving presentations, either on a video conference call or in person, your slides, videos and graphics (or lack of them) can be an important element in helping you tell your story or express your idea. This is the first of a series of blog posts that will give you tips and tricks on how to perfect your visual presentations.

Your job as a presenter is to build your idea -- step-by-step -- in the minds of your audience members. One tool to do that is presentation graphics, such as slides and videos.

Why graphics for your presentation?

A common mistake is using slides or videos as a crutch, even if they don’t actually add anything to your presentation. Not all presentations need graphics. Lots of presentations work wonderfully with just one person standing on a stage telling a story, as demonstrated by many TED Talks.

You should only use slides if they serve a purpose: conveying scientific information, art, and things that are hard to explain without pictures. Once you have decided on using slides, you will have a number of decisions to make. We’ll help you with the basics of making a presentation that is, above all, clear and easy to understand. The most important thing to remember here is: less is more.

Less is so much more

You want to aim for the fewest number of slides, the fewest number of photos, the fewest words per slide, the least cluttered slides and the most white space on your slides. This is the most violated slide rule, but it is the secret to success. Take a look at these examples.

Example slides showing how a short title is easier to grasp than a long one

As you can see in the above example, you don’t need fancy backgrounds or extra words to convey a simple concept. If you take “Everything you need to know about Turtles”, and delete “everything you need to know about” leaving just “turtles”, the slide has become much easier for your audience to read, and tells the story with economy.

Example slides showing how a single image is more powerful than a cluttered slide

The above example demonstrates that a single image that fills the entire screen is far more powerful than a slide cluttered with images. A slide with too many images may be detrimental to your presentation. The audience will spend more mental energy trying to sort through the clutter than listening to your presentation. If you need multiple images, then put each one on its own slide. Make each image high-resolution and have it fill the entire screen. If the photos are not the same dimensions as the screen, put them on a black background. Don’t use other colors, especially white.

Examples slides showing how it's better to convey a single idea per slide vs a lot of text

Your slides will be much more effective if you use the fewest words, characters, and pictures needed to tell your story. Long paragraphs make the audience strain to read them, which means they are not paying attention to you. Your audience may even get stressed if you move on to your next slide before they’ve finished reading your paragraph. The best way to make sure the attention stays on you is to limit word count to no more than 10 words per slide. As presentation expert Nancy Duarte says “any slide with more than 10 words is a document.” If you really do need a longer explanation of something, handouts or follow-up emails are the way to go.

Following a “less is more” approach is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your presentation visuals and the impact of your presentation overall. Make sure your visuals add to your presentation rather than distract from it and get your message across.

Ready to learn more about how to make your presentation even better? Get TED Masterclass and develop your ideas into TED-style talks.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

SketchBubble Official Blog

10 Tips to Prepare Effective and Easy-to-Understand Presentations

Ashish Arora

Do you have an upcoming presentation that’s giving you jitters? Do you feel overwhelmed with the pressure to make it an impactful experience? Well, you are not alone. You could be an experienced presenter or just starting; the nervousness of delivering the perfect public speech haunts most of us. And what’s more significant, you might have put your best foot forward to create an impeccable presentation, but if the delivery isn’t right, the entire purpose gets lost. It all boils down to how comfortable you are as a presenter and how well your audience was able to connect with you.

This article details a few tips/tricks to help you deliver effective, memorable, and easy-to-understand presentations.

10 Tips to Give Impressive and Easy-to-Understand Presentations

1. spend significant time researching your topic.

Researching your topic well will help you get comfortable with it and have the needed knowledge. And it will be easy for you to explain your thoughts and viewpoints to others when you understand the topic well. You will also be in a better position to resolve queries and interact with your audience, state supporting facts in a memorable manner, and break down complex information. 

2. Make A Short Presentation

A lengthy presentation bears the risk of losing your audience’s interest midway. Your audience might tune you away, and your message might be lost in the process. Keep your presentation short and slides even shorter. As a rule of thumb, try keeping your presentation not more than 20 minutes long.

3. Use the Power of Story

Storytelling works amazingly well when you want to catch hold of someone’s attention. It also helps in getting the messages etched in the long-term memory of the listener. Make your presentation a combination of facts and stories, and you will have your audience’s attention. They will also be able to retain the information more.

4. Keep Your Audience in Mind

Keep your audience in mind when delivering your presentation, i.e., you can tailor your speech accordingly. Learn about the background and knowledge of your audience and use vocab and terms appropriately.

Note – Use relatable stories to connect with your audience . You can try sharing a personal experience that’s relatable for everyone in the audience.

5. Pace Yourself Well

Looking at all those faces might make you nervous in your speech. But be careful with that, as pacing yourself too slowly or fast might cost you your presentation. Going too fast or too slow can disorient your audience, and they might struggle to understand the objective of your presentation.

Maintain a moderate and uniform pace during your presentation but don’t go into a robotic monotone. You can try animating your speech in between to emphasize points.

6. Try Humor

Humor is a great way to connect to someone and take the edge off. It will help you build a bond with your audience and give them the space to relax and lighten up. Humour also invokes a positive image of the speaker and helps people retain information better.

You can initiate your presentation with a punchline or tell relatable stories or humorous situations to explain points eventually.

7. Go for More Visuals Over Texts

Think of a spreadsheet sharing numbers and a bar/graph sharing that same information in a more visually catchy way. What will catch your attention more? Nobody is going to read the big blocks of text in your presentation. And it is unwise for you to read the content of your presentation. So, big chunks of text are a no-no in every situation.

Try including high-definition graphics and visuals to engage your audience. However, be wise while using visuals. You will not want long videos or unwanted images to distract your audience.

8. Keep Your Presentation Simple

The thumb rule is to keep it simple always. Overdoing graphics, visuals, or texts will distract your audience from taking in the intended message of your presentation. There are a lot of numbers/rules to dictate the number of words in your slides and the number of slides in total. You can choose whichever you like to keep the word count and visuals minimal and concise. Unnecessary long texts or confusing/complicated words can clutter your slides and puzzle your audience.

Note – State your idea with a clear statement and create your presentation around that thought (every message and data should reinforce the principal concept). This way, you can refrain from adding unnecessary facts and figures.

9. Let Your Audience Interact with You

Imagine sitting through an hour-long monologue. No matter how interesting, you will have more than a few moments of drifting away. Your audience might have questions and queries along the way, and not giving them the space to interact can turn out to be a real downer.

You can allot a Q&A space along each slide so that your audience has the space to interact when needed. It will help you resolve queries and build a rapport with people.

 Note – Address everyone with their names and make it a genuine interaction.

10. Be Organized

There is a saying that sweat more in practice, and you will bleed less in the battleground. Staying organized will help you tackle roadblocks with ease during the presentation. Go for the 10/20/30 rule , i.e., no more than ten slides, max 20 minutes for the presentation, and font size 30. It will help you be organized with your content and create a crisp presentation.

 Note – Use bullets to organize your texts. Do not have more than 3-4 bullets in a slide.

In a Nutshell

Engaging your audience is the best way to keep them interested and attentive to your words during the presentation. If your audience resonates with what you are saying, getting them to reach the result (some information or CTA) of your message would be easier too. You will be likely to have better conversions and make more people resonate with your idea.

You can use icebreakers to connect with your audience (initially). Keep your body language welcoming, look people in the eye, address them with their names and interact during the presentation. And you will have a smooth path to tread while delivering your presentation.

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The Essential 5 Rules of Effective PowerPoint Presentations

keep presentation simple

PowerPoint presentations have become a cornerstone of modern communication, whether in the boardroom, the classroom, or the conference hall. When PowerPoint is used effectively, it can elevate your message, making your message engaging, clear, and memorable. There are 5 simple rules to follow to ensure your presentation doesn’t become a dreaded “death by PowerPoint” experience. In this blog, we’ll quickly explore these five essential rules of creating compelling and impactful PowerPoint presentations.

Rule 1: Keep It Simple

One of the cardinal sins in PowerPoint presentations is overcrowding your slides with text, bullet points, and too many visuals. The first rule is to keep it simple. Each slide should have a single, clear message. Use concise language, bullet points, and minimal text to convey your points. Visuals should be clean and uncluttered. Simplicity enhances comprehension and retention.

Rule 2: Visualize Your Data

Data is a critical element in many presentations, but raw numbers can be overwhelming. Rule number two is to visualize your data. Use charts, graphs, and diagrams to represent your data in a visually engaging way. Choose the right type of visualization for your information, ensuring it’s easy to understand at a glance. Well-crafted visuals make your data more accessible and memorable.

Rule 3: Tell a Story

The most compelling presentations are those that tell a story. Rule three is all about storytelling. Structure your presentation like a narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start with an attention-grabbing introduction, build your narrative with supporting points, and conclude with a memorable takeaway or call to action. A well-structured story captivates your audience and helps them connect with your message.

Rule 4: Design Matters

Effective design is crucial to a successful PowerPoint presentation. Rule four is all about design. Choose a consistent, visually appealing template. Use fonts, colors, and imagery that align with your message and branding. Ensure that text is legible and that visuals are high-quality and relevant. Good design enhances professionalism and keeps your audience engaged.

Rule 5: Practice and Rehearse

No matter how well your slides are designed, the delivery is equally important. Rule five emphasizes practice and rehearsal. Familiarize yourself with the content, so you can present confidently and naturally. Rehearse your timing, transitions, and any interactive elements. Anticipate questions and prepare for them. Practice helps you connect with your audience and come across as a confident, knowledgeable speaker.

Mastering the art of PowerPoint presentations requires following these five fundamental rules: simplicity, data visualization, storytelling, design, and practice. These rules can transform your presentations from dull and forgettable to compelling and impactful. By keeping your slides clear and uncluttered, visually representing data, weaving a narrative, paying attention to design, and practicing your delivery, you can create presentations that inform, engage, and leave a lasting impression on your audience. The next time you create a PowerPoint presentation, remember these rules to ensure your message shines.

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Presentation 101: How to Make a Simple Presentation

Albert Einstein once said “Smart people simplify things.” It is these wise words that we should live by; perhaps, it is time we walk away from complex structures, thoughts, processes and embrace all that is simple.

What's Inside?

Here are a couple phrases I’ll bet you hear at least once a day: “Keep it simple”, “Make it fast”, “don’t complicate things”, “keep things light”... What is all this rush about simplifying processes? Well, it is only a concept that has existed since the beginning of human history.

It is the one thing driving innovation, technological advancement, new scientific discoveries… Getting to places was hard and time consuming, so humans invented the wheels. Communicating to people far away was difficult and effortful, so humans invented the telephone. Connecting to others in the age of globalization was complex, so humans invented the internet. Our history is filled with examples of how human beings have fought to simplify processes.

The Complexity Bias and Why It is Wrong

Conficius once said: “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” In that respect, not everyone seems to view simplification from a positive light. Have you heard of a concept called the complexity bias? The complexity bias is a logical fallacy that pushes us to think that complex means credible. We might favor the complex formula because it looks smarter. It might be because we are keen to take on challenges, to prove our worth, to be able to say we accomplished something despite the difficulties. But, we are wrong. Albert Einstein once said “Smart people simplify things.” It is these wise words that we should live by; perhaps, it is time we walk away from complex structures, thoughts, processes and embrace all that is simple.

keep presentation simple

Why an Elevator Pitch Works

Think about how startups get their investment. In most cases, it is through an elevator pitch. A simple half minute pitch presentation that will be memorable and get the investor interested. When introduced to the idea of an elevator pitch, a lot of people say their great startup idea cannot be reduced to a couple of sentences. But, trust me; I wrote a 3000 word personal statement for my college application and noticed it was supposed to be 3000 characters, not words. If I managed to shorten that, you can reduce your pitch to a couple sentences.

Simple is Better

A Wharton Business research found that 74% of executives believe complexity inhibits growth strategies and initiatives. All of them favor simplification and so should you. Let’s keep building on the example of a pitch presentation. How do we make it simple, but powerful? How do we make an effective, yet simple presentation? Here are some tips and tricks:

Less is more; keep things short and to the point.

People hate slides filled with text. People hate having to read out of the slides. The slide is not meant to speak on your behalf. It should be a visual aid that supports your main message. That is all you should have in mind when putting together a presentation. What is your main message and what do you want your audience to take away from it. When I was preparing my CV, I was trying to explain every single one of my responsibilities in a job with multiple bullet points. My advisor had said that it would be much more attractive to a recruiter if I outlined 1 or 2 key responsibilities instead of mentioning everything. The same goes for a slide. Ask yourself if you can explain your message in 10 slides instead of 30. There are presentation tools to help you stay to the point in your slide content. For instance, Decktopus offers character limits on slide texts to help you stick to your main message.

paperclip simple

Make it Minimalist, yet attractive.

Visuals matter. But an attractive visual does not need to be complex. Think of current design and architecture standards. Perhaps 200 years ago, complexity resembled richness. For a queen, it might have been important to fill their chambers with gold ornaments, extravagant wallpapers, countless Renaissance portraits. But, now modernity translates to simplicity. Minimalist designs are far more favoured to complexity and extravagance. When it comes to presentations, find themes and designs that are visually stunning but do not take away from the slide content. Find themes that, instead, make the content shine through brighter.

minimalist desk

Content First, Design Later

Many people try to hide inadequate content behind abundant visuals. But, when the content is ineffective, so will your presentation. Approach the presentation with a content-first strategy. How are you going to deliver the main message and what do you want your audience to remember after the presentation? Don’t let the design distract you or the audience. For this reason, finding appropriate templates may be key. There are good presentation tools that offer designs and templates specifically tiered to your presentation content. For sample presentation templates, check out the templates Decktopus offers here .

All this is to say that simple is better, especially when it comes to creating presentations. Don’t fall into the complexity bias trap; we prefer simpler in the contemporary age.

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Some articles for inspiration:

What Makes for a Good Presentation?

An Effective Presentation, Why Does it Matter?

Early Stage Entrepreneur Hack: Talking to Users

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Why Keeping PowerPoint Slides Simple is an Effective Strategy

Yousef "yoyo" abu ghaidah.

  • June 12, 2017
  • One Comment

Let’s be clear: the best PowerPoint designs are often those that are simple.

PowerPoint has given us access to a number of design features and components (i.e. color, font choice, sizing, positioning, shapes, images, animations, etc.) that we, as communicators, can take advantage of. The goal with PowerPoint is to use a combination of these features and components to really bring out our message. Doing so will make sure the message is thoroughly and concisely communicated to our audience.

But there’s a problem. With so many design options available, too many presenters keep adding unnecessary clutter to their slides. That’s why it’s important for us to keep things as simple as possible when it comes to PowerPoint design.

What Do Netflix, IKEA, and Google Have in Common?

When was the last time you went on Netflix and looked around for a show to binge on?

What about that time you bought a piece of furniture from IKEA and looked at the manual?

Or that time you went to Google’s and used only thing there: A search bar?

What do all of these brands have in common?

A simple way to give a product to a customer.

No clutter, no crap, no BS. The customer knows exactly what she’s getting and how to get it. It’s a strategy that is so simple that it affects the choices and livelihood of the customers involved. As expressed by Margarest Molloy , the Chief Marketing Officer of Siegel+Gale, “the greatest brands tend to make life simple for their customers.”

Keeping It Simple in PowerPoint

In PowerPoint, your product is your message, and your customer is your audience.

By adopting a design approach that is simple you’ll have the ability to create slides that are clear, concise, and above all, understandable. In layman’s terms: You’ll be able to get your main point(s) across with ease.

keep presentation simple

Get Through to Those That Matter

With all the crap that people have to go through today, it really makes sense to go simple. Just like you, members of your audience are exposed to what I like to call ‘information overload.’ People are bombarded with advertisements, e-mails, texts, pitches, bad PowerPoint presentations, and so on. They get this information all day and night and have to process all of that information every waking minute. It just makes sense to design simple slides that cut through all that crap to get through to your audience.

Remove all the senseless clutter from your slides . I know it can be hard, but if you want to create slides that win, then it’s time to opt for a simpler approach.

Yousef "Yoyo" Abu Ghaidah

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KISS your presentation: Keep it simple for impactful presentations

bbs-communications-KISS your presentation_ Keep it simple for impactful presentations

We’ve all been to a presentation that’s been a flop. A speech that was too quiet, or poorly articulated, a deluge of jargon , or a ‘style-over-substance’ bore. Delivering quality presentations is important, with a survey by Prezi of American workers finding 70% of people think presentations are important to their career success.

But what’s the best way to avoid making the sort of mistakes that send your audience into a slumber, or worse have them talking down your performance after they’ve left the room?

The answer may lie in that age-old adage – ‘Keep it Simple Stupid’. By KISSing your presentation, you can avoid some classic presentation mistakes – too confusing, too many slides, too many bells and whistles and, too boring.

Keep your premise simple

The first key to a successful presentation is having a clear and simple aim. What specific point, or points are you trying to get across to your audience?

Not only will your audience find it difficult to follow a presentation that isn’t constructed on simple, clear points, it’ll be even harder for you to deliver. Use your introduction to summarise your key arguments, signpost and refer to your key points throughout. This will help you keep your audience engaged and your presentation on track.

While it’s useful to be able to improvise as you speak, having a well-defined structure will give your points clarity and your arguments fluidity.

If you need to be reminded of what not to do, try to recall that wedding speech by the proverbial Uncle Cyril’s…a 45-minute recitation of your cousin’s life from birth to 32, with details offered in no particular order. No one in their right mind would be lining up for a rerun of that unruly and unpredictable speech

Keep your language simple

It’s easy to forget that your listeners are probably not as expert in the topic that you are presenting as you are. Undoubtedly that’s why they are in the audience, but many presenters lose their audiences through unnecessary jargon, or overly complicated language.

Whether you’re delivering a simple presentation to a public audience or talking to industry experts, you should still choose the most straightforward language through which to deliver your message. By eliminating overly embellished language and technical talk, you will be able to convey more information, more easily to your audience.

Keep your slides simple

Multimedia presentation aids are more responsive, more interactive and more engaging than ever before. However, while these tools can be a powerful aid to your presentation, it’s important to remember that the whizz-bangery should never, ever overpower your message and your ideas.

Use simple multimedia tools to reinforce your key points and aid your storytelling or argument making. Don’t crowd your presentation with text or load your audience up with slides. Remember that you want the audience to concentrate on what you’re saying, not what’s happening behind you.

Keep it Simple Stupid

Presentations can be daunting, but by keeping your presentation simple, clear and direct, you can KISS your fears goodbye.

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  • Public Speaking
  • Confident Presenter

Three Ways To Simplify Your Presentations

by Andrea Pacini — Tuesday 2 August 2022

Many business owners, leaders and professionals give presentations that are too complex. The consequence is that the audience fails to grasp the message and will not take the desired action.

I believe that the more you say, the less your audience will remember. So you need to keep your presentations short, simple and to the point.

Keeping it simple is one of the five key factors behind any powerful presentation. If you are interested in learning more about the others, I have written about them here .

In 1996 Guinness released their slightly surreal ‘Fish on a Bicycle’ advert. It finished with the slogan “a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle” over a shot of a fish riding a bike.

That image has always stuck with me. The point is that fish do not need bicycles. And maybe women don’t need us men! It’s the same with your presentations. The audience doesn’t need everything you think they might.

Whilst it might seem counterintuitive, taking away details from your presentation will make it stronger and more impactful.

Eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary can flourish. This will make it more likely that your audience will understand you, remember you, and act upon your ideas.

So how do you put all this into practice? Here are three tips to make your presentations simple yet effective.

Tip 1: Simplify Your Message

At Ideas on Stage we previously worked with Luc Bretones, a former Executive Vice President at Orange. He once said: “I only remember one thing from a pitch, just tell me what I need to know.”

Think about your next presentation: what’s your one thing? If you were to summarise the core idea behind your next presentation in one message, what would you say?

A useful exercise is to distil what you want to say down to 70 words (or to a 30-second pitch) using the following guidelines:

  • WHAT: What exactly do you want to tell your audience?
  • SO WHAT: Why should they care?
  • WHAT NEXT: What action do you want the audience to take afterwards?

If you cannot edit your message down to 70 words then your message is not simple enough.

Tip 2: Simplify Your Visuals

Research shows that the information we receive orally has to compete for our attention with the information we receive in written form. In other words, people can’t read and listen at the same time. So it’s counterproductive to echo what you are saying in your slides.

With this in mind, keep your slides simple. One idea per slide is sufficient. There is no point creating slides which replicate what you are saying (especially if they are cluttered with bullet points).

Billboard adverts rarely contain many words. The best are usually just a big image and a few words.

Take the same ideas and adapt them for your slides. Instead of using lots of words, try these suggestions:

  • Show an image or an icon that illustrates your point
  • Combine an image with a few words
  • Show just a few words or a big number

Another way to think about it is to apply the three-second rule. Every time you show a slide, it should be so intuitive that your audience is able to understand the message in no more than three seconds.

Think of your slides as visual aids to support, reinforce and amplify your message. You are the presentation, not your slides.

Tip 3: Simplify Your Delivery

The next area to consider is the language you use. There are two golden rules:

Use simple words

Avoid verbal fillers

Great communicators use simple words, simple sentences and simple language. Some professionals use complex language because they think it makes them sound smarter. They fall into the trap of using jargon and acronyms. They use long, confusing sentences.

The best presenters replace complex language with simple words. This doesn’t mean the ideas have to be simplistic . No one is suggesting you dumb down the ideas or the content. Just make the language simple .

Carmine Gallo, one of the world’s top experts in communication, did an interesting exercise. He took Steve Jobs’ presentation when he launched the first iPhone in 2007 and passed the words through the Hemingway App (which analyses language). The first 1,000 words came back as language appropriate for third-grade students — who are aged 8 and 9.

That iPhone launch was considered a historic moment for Apple and is still remembered to this day. The technology he was launching was revolutionary but the language was simple.

Verbal fillers, or filler words, are those phrases people throw in to buy themselves time. These are words and sounds like ‘you know’, ‘like’, ‘actually’, ‘um’, ‘ah’ and ‘er’.

These ‘unwords’ add zero meaning to your message and reduce your credibility. They make you look unprepared, uncomfortable and less credible.

There are two effective ways to eliminate verbal fillers from your vocabulary:

  • Awareness. Work out whether you use verbal fillers and, if so, which ones. Try recording yourself and then count how many times you use filler words. Alternatively, work with a presentation coach who will pick up on this for you.
  • Preparation. Once you are aware of your own verbal fillers, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! The more you practise, the easier it will be.

Putting Simplicity into Practice

I previously worked with Jessie and Sebastian Wölke from NO PLANET B, an upcycling beauty brand that makes natural, vegan and microplastic-free cosmetics, with no animal testing.

They knew they were confident speakers but their presentations were too long and lacked focus. By their own admission, they used to spend hours tweaking slides on PowerPoint.

After learning the tools and techniques to simplify their message and style, they revised their working methods. After introducing the new tactics, they said that things flowed better from the outset, it was easier to remember what they wanted to say and their ideas carried more weight.

Jessie and Sebastian later told me they had used the tools for two big presentations soon after we met. They were able to create more impactful messaging and visuals and improved their delivery which helped them to win new business.

The simpler you can make your presentation, the stronger and more impactful it will be.

There are three key areas to work on:

  • Simplify your message. Start by summing up the key idea in 70 words or less.
  • Simplify your visuals. Every slide should be digestible in three seconds. Don’t use lots of words. All you need is a key image and a few words.
  • Simply your delivery. Use simple words and avoid verbal fillers.

Please comment, get in touch or share the article with any colleagues or friends who might benefit from the ideas. If this article has helped you, please let me know and give me some feedback.

If you want to become a more confident presenter, take the Confident Presenter Scorecard . Answer simple Yes/No questions, get an instant score plus suggestions for improvement. It takes less than 3 minutes. Once you complete the scorecard, you’ll receive a free pdf copy of my best-selling book Confident Presenter .

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FAQs About Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates

What is so special about minimal & simple presentation templates.

Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates are designed for individuals who want to present their information in a clear and straight-forward manner. These templates are free of distracting elements and focus on your content, making sure it stands out and delivers the message effectively. They allow the audiences to focus on the core message without being distracted by complex graphics or overwhelming colors.

Their simple and clean designs are usually very visually appealing and professional. Since they emphasize content, they're perfect for serious topics, business meetings, or academic presentations. They're also highly flexible, as they can be easily customized to fit any brand or personal style.

Are Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates easy to use?

Yes, Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates are designed to be user-friendly. They're usually built in a way that allows you to easily insert your own text, images, and other content. With inbuilt customization tools, you can modify colors, fonts, and other design elements to meet your specific needs. That task requires significantly less time compared to building a presentation from scratch.

The providers usually offer quick and easy-to-understand instructions or guidelines on how to use each template. Some even offer customer support to help you make the most out of your chosen template. In most cases, they require minimal technical knowledge, so even beginners can use them efficiently.

Can I use Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates for both formal and informal presentations?

Absolutely! The beauty of Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates is their versatility. Their clean and professional look makes them ideal for formal presentations, such as business meetings, academic lectures, or corporate pitches. Since their designs are not distracting, they let your content shine, which inevitably makes your presentation look more compelling and authoritative.

At the same time, their simplicity and customizability make them a great choice for informal presentations as well. You can easily add images, animations, or other elements to make them more casual and personal. Ultimately, it all depends on the way you customize and utilize these templates.

Is it expensive to buy Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates?

Not at all! The cost of Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates usually depends on the provider, the features included, and the level of customization allowed. Some high-quality templates can be purchased for a reasonable and affordable price. Keep in mind that investing in a professional template can actually save you time and effort in the long run, enhancing the effectiveness of your presentations.

However, there are also numerous free templates available online that are still functional and visually appealing. While they might have fewer features or lesser customization options, they can still be a great choice for individuals on a tight budget or those who don't need very complex designs.

What types of venues are best suited for presentations using Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates?

Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates can suit a variety of venues due to their versatile design. Any environment that requires information to be presented in a clear and concise manner can benefit from these templates. This includes corporate boardrooms, academic classrooms, online webinars, seminars, conferences, or even informal gatherings where a presentation is required.

The light and clean aesthetic of these templates allows them to blend seamlessly into any setting, without the design overpowering the content of the presentation. Whether you have a large projector screen in an auditorium or a smaller display for a boardroom meeting, a minimal and simple template will ensure your content is easily visible and engaging for your audience.

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Speak Up For Success

Public Speaking Tip 63: Keep Your PowerPoint Short, Sweet, and Simple

by Jezra on January 20, 2015

powerpoint

This has become a kind of business meme in the last few years, but come on, folks: Why hate on PowerPoint just because people  use it badly. (And by “PowerPoint,” I mean Keynote and Prezi, too.)

PowerPoint is just a tool.  I mean, would you hate on a hammer because you saw somebody drive a crooked nail?

Let PowerPoint Show You How to Keep It “Short”

Many people are surprised to learn that PowerPoint will actually coach you to notice when you’re putting too much text on a slide.

Don’t believe me?

Next time you create a PowerPoint slide that has text bullets, notice that, when you get past what the program thinks is critical mass, everything suddenly shifts:

  • The text font (typeface) becomes smaller.
  • The space between individual bullets gets smaller.
  • Everything pulls closer together, and looks more cramped.

This is a clear signal that you’ve gone too far and put too much text on your slide.

So what do many people do when this happens? Instead of choosing the few words or image that best represent their thoughts — or turning one slide into two —  they add even more text, until the typeface is tiny and the space between lines almost disappears.

Is it  PowerPoint’s  fault that no one understands their slide?

Pictures Make Your PowerPoint Slides “Sweet”

Remember that old expression about a picture being worth 1000 words? That’s particularly true of PowerPoint.

Internet influencer Seth Godin wrote about this in  2007,  is his classic post on “ Really Bad PowerPoint. ” In it, he said,

[M]ake slides that reinforce your words, not repeat them. Create slides that demonstrate, with emotional proof, that what you’re saying is true not just accurate. Talking about pollution in Houston? Instead of giving me four bullet points of EPA data, why not read me the stats but show me a photo of a bunch of dead birds, some smog and even a diseased lung? “This is cheating! It’s unfair!” But it works.

Notice that you can  give the stats  to your audience  without putting them on your slide!  You can read them while they’re looking at your picture, and put them in handouts or an email that’s distributed after your talk.

No one will remember the numbers; and no one will forget the birds.

Instead of Telling Everything  You Know, Keep It “Simple”

How much do you remember after hearing a speech?

  • The big idea?
  • The general thrust of its argument?
  • A striking story?
  • What the presenter wants you to do?

As audience members, we’re very clear that most of what we’re hearing isn’t going to live in our memories for long. But when  we’re  preparing to deliver a talk, the pull to forget that truth and  tell the audience as much as possible  can be very strong.

That’s why it’s important to resist temptation and not load your talk up with slide after slide, point after point, fact after fact. Doing that makes it harder for your audience to choose what to pay attention to.

In a famous social science experiment, Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper showed that people are more likely to buy jam if you give them 6 choices instead of 24 choices. Here’s Iyengar talking about “choice overload”; notice how simple and clear her slides are!

What’s True for Jam is True for PowerPoint

Just as it becomes harder to distinguish between jams when there are 24 kinds, it also becomes harder to distinguish between facts and ideas when you hear too many.

If you load up a presentation with dozens of slides and hundreds of bullets, it will be difficult for your audience to distinguish what’s really  worth remembering.

It’s better to give them less information  and be clear about  which pieces  are the most important.

When you keep your slides

  • short (with fewer lines, and fewer words on them),
  • sweet (with eye-catching pictures) and
  • simple (by focusing on your main point and offering only crucial details),

the truly  important  ideas will stand out.

And, as in the jam experiment, it’s more likely that your audience will buy them!

powerpoint

You May Also Want to Read...

  • Public Speaking Tip 70: Use Pictures In Your Slides (Even Simple, Silly Ones are Worth Way More than 1000 Words!)
  • Two Ways to Hide with PowerPoint

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  • Presentation Fun Facts

Your Presentations Should Be Simple – Not Simplistic

  • By: Leslie Belknap

Jason Fried is quoted as saying, It’s simple until you make it complicated.

This quote has become one of my favorite personal mantras, especially since I have a knack for overcomplicating simple tasks in an effort to go above and beyond , or as a result of foolishly aiming for perfection in all things I do. If you also frequently find yourself spending more time than you would prefer on projects, you might also be guilty of overcomplicating your life. If you find that this tendency impacts the production of your professional presentations, you should aim to keep your presentations simple as a method for maintaining your own sanity, as well as a method for keeping your audience engaged.

Complicated visuals, charts, and word selections can be appropriate some of the time, however, most people would prefer to learn from presentations that require minimal time to view, and minimal effort to understand. In essence, they want presentations that keep it simple.

If you can simplify your presentation content and design so that only the important elements are featured, and the excess material has been removed, you will be on the right track to presentation success.

In honor of simplicity, review the presentation slides below, and also check out the additional resources at the bottom for advice on how to create presentations that are simple, but not simplistic.

presentation design

Conclusion: Remember to create presentations that require minimal effort from your audience. Simplify your message so that it is easy to understand, and therefore also simple repeat to other people. The more simple your message, the more likely it is to spread beyond your sphere of influence. Also, simplify your presentations so that you don’t get bogged down every time you need to produce a presentation. In summary – simplify your presentations for your audience, as well as for yourself! You will thank me later.

Additional Resources:

The Shocking Secret To Awesome Presentations

Minimize The Extraneous Load of Your Presentations

How-To Conquer Short Attention Spans

The Science of Memorable Presentations

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Leslie Belknap

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How to Create PowerPoint Slides Faster

How to Create PowerPoint Slides Faster

Creating PowerPoint slides can sometimes take a lot of time. Especially if you’re new to creating presentations, or if you’re trying to create visually impressive and creative slides. But if you know how to speed up process, you can save a lot of time. With the right strategies and tools, you can significantly speed up the process. Here are some tips to help you make PowerPoint slides faster.

Your manager might think standing over your shoulders and staring at your screen might help speed up the process. Or even sending you texts every 2 minutes asking if it is done yet. Don’t worry, in this article, I’ve mentioned some actual tips that you can use starting from today!

Using PowerPoint Designer

If you’re using Microsoft 365, you can use Designer to create your slides faster. This is a feature that uses AI to suggest design ideas based on the content you’ve added to your slides. Designer can automatically suggest layouts, and slide designs that you can apply with just a click. Simply start by adding text and images to your slides and Designer will start showing you design suggestions in the right sidebar. You can also manually access Designer by going to Design > Designer.

Microsoft Designer suggesting design options for slides in PowerPoint

If you have Microsoft 365 and you can’t find Designer, you might need to turn it on in the settings:

How to turn Designer on in PowerPoint:

Click File, and then on Options.

In the General Tab, scroll till you see the PowerPoint Designer section.

Enable/disable PowerPoint Designer using the checkbox.

Option in PowerPoint to switch on the Designer features.

Use PowerPoint Templates

Another way you can make slides faster in PowerPoint, is by making use of PowerPoint templates. Instead of creating your slides from scratch, you can save a lot of time and effort by just using a pre-made slide template, and then customizing it to your needs.

Using templates also gives you another advantage, your slides end up looking much more impressive. But it’s not just for looks. A well-designed presentation slide can also boost your confidence, improve your presentation, and can make your message much more impactful.

If you’re curious about PowerPoint presentation templates, and want to know more, click here to check out some templates.

Some slide examples before and after using a template on SlideBazaar

Using PowerPoint Add-ins

There are plenty of add-ins available for free that you can use to make slides faster in PowerPoint. Our recommendation is that you try out SlideBazaar’s free PowerPoint add-in.

What this add-in does is that it gives you access to a library of templates, themes, charts, illustrations, icons and so much more, right inside PowerPoint. You get all the resources you need to quickly create slides, without having to search for them on different websites.

A preview of how SlideBazaar's free PowerPoint add-in looks within PowerPoint

Check out the add-in here .

Get Inspired

If you regularly create presentation slides, it’s always a good idea to find sources of inspiration. For this, you could follow social media pages, or blogs that regularly showcase slide design ideas and tutorials. Whenever you get time, scroll through a few posts and you might find an idea or a tutorial for a simple but impressive slide design.

I recommend you check out SlideBazaar’s Instagram, or YouTube channel. It’s free! And you’re sure to get design inspiration, or at least learn a few design tricks.

Keep Things Simple : Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 Rule

Next time you’re creating a presentation, remember to keep things simple. You don’t need 30 extravagantly designed slides full of content. Nobody wants that. Presentations like those are the reason why the term “death by PowerPoint” exists.

A simple way to create slides for your presentation, is to follow Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule/. What the rule says is that: your PowerPoint presentation should have 10 slides, your presentation should last not more than 20 minutes, and the font you use on your slides should not be smaller than 30 points.

Creating a process – so that you don’t get stuck or have mental block.

You could spend your downtime learning and improving your graphic design skills. But if you want to save time, you can always use pre-made presentation templates as I’ve mentioned before. But however you choose to work on your slides, you should always have a process for creating slides. This ensures that you always know what you need to do, and never get stuck.

If you don’t have a process for creating slides, here’s one that you can use:

  • Create a presentation outline .
  • Write notes on what each slide will have.
  • Sketch out your slides, to get an idea of layouts and design.
  • Now find a template that works for your presentation (or build your own if you have the time).
  • Create the slides.

Build a habit of creating templates for your own work.

Every time you create a good slide, remove all the client info (and other confidential information if any) and then save it in a templates folder, so that you access the slide again whenever you want.

An easy way to do this is by using SlideBazaar’s free PowerPoint add-in . It has a feature called My Slides, that lets you save your custom slide designs. Every time you’re working on a presentation, simply insert your custom slide again by choosing it from the My Slides library.

By following these tips, you can create stunning PowerPoint slides in less time, leaving you more time to prepare for your presentation. Happy designing!

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Presentation Skills And Simple Slides

Keep your slides simple.

When you deliver an online presentation, you want your slides to be captivating.  To achieve this, don’t simply take your existing slides from live presentations and put them into your webinar—it won’t work!  On a webinar, your audience is more easily distracted, has a shorter attention span, and can’t see you giving the information.  So to keep your slides interesting for the virtual format, make the following adjustments:

1. Use more slides.   Take the information that may have been on one slide for a live presentation, and spread it out over two or four slides for your webinar.  That way, you will be changing slides more frequently, capturing your audience’s attention.

2. Put less on each slide.   Make sure you only have 1-2 key points per slide.  This will help your audience focus and recognize the important information more easily.

3. Use bullet points and a minimum font size of 24.   This will help your slides look clean, simple, and easy to read, and it will highlight your key points.

4. 4×6 Rule.   On each slide, try to use only four bullet points with six words per bullet point, or six bullet points with four words per bullet point.  This way, your slides won’t look busy or confusing.

These guidelines will help you develop slides that are attractive and concise to help maintain your audience’s attention.

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Design tips for PowerPoint

keep presentation simple

2. Keep it Simple

Nothing in your slide should be superfluous, ever.

Your slides should have plenty of “white space” or “negative space.” Do not feel compelled to fill empty areas on your slide with your logo or other unnecessary graphics or text boxes that do not contribute to better understanding. The less clutter you have on your slide, the more powerful your visual message will become.

Don’t overdesign

  • Your slides should be simple and clear. Eliminate unnecessary information and clutter.
  • Make use of white space and don’t cram too much on each slide. For each addition, ask yourself ‘is this necessary; what does it add to the message?’
  • Avoid busy backgrounds that make text hard to read.

Don't go overboard with technology

  • Aim to communicate, not to win an Oscar for special effects.
  • Use animations sparingly. Effects like flying or flashing text can distract your audience. What value do they really add to your talk or your topic?
  • Only include elements like sound and video if they are the best way to convey particular information.
  • The sound effects that accompany PowerPoint animations are best avoided altogether.

More From Forbes

5 simple ways to 10x results from chatgpt prompts (say scientists).

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5 simple ways to 10x results from ChatGPT prompts (say scientists)

Even if you’ve been using ChatGPT for a while, you’re probably making mistakes. Plenty of people to do. Falling into the common pitfalls of prompting , generating content that sounds far too ChatGPT , or ignoring the essential components of the perfect prompt ; even for the smartest entrepreneurs don’t get it right every time. Go back to basics with prompting with these five simple tips, for maximum output in minimal time.

Research paper Plan-and-Solve Prompting: Improving Zero-Shot Chain-of-Thought Reasoning by Large Language Models was created by multiple academics from Singapore Management University and others. As well as specific prompt additions that will create superprompts , the paper shares five simple tips that no one should overlook.

Applying these tips will help large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini tackle multi-step reasoning tasks more effectively, so entrepreneurs can use them more effectively.

ChatGPT tips for better results from prompts: 5 science-backed methods

Tailor prompts for different tasks.

Just as you would instruct different members of your team in different ways, depending on the task at hand, you should customize your prompts to fit different tasks by adjusting the level of detail and specific instructions. You wouldn’t record someone a Loom to discuss a critical and urgent business decision. You wouldn’t call a meeting for a simple accounting question. Apply the same thinking to prompting ChatGPT.

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You don’t need a superprompt for every request. Adjust the prompt to fit the specific business task at hand. Don’t overcomplicate it when you don’t need to. If you want ChatGPT to critique your landing page, for example, include best practice, explain your target audience, ask it to adopt a role and specify the feedback you want. For a simple “find a synonym” task, on the other hand, a one-line instruction might suffice.

Include real-world examples

ChatGPT doesn’t live in the real world. It processes over 300 billion words in its training data to make predictions, and sometimes gets it wrong. Give your enthusiastic AI co star a helping hand. Use real-world business scenarios in your prompts to make the answers more relevant and practical. Help it understand what you’re trying to achieve.

Use real-world business examples to illustrate the problem, so ChatGPT gets the vibe you’re going for, whatever the ask. Include square brackets with the context it needs to know, such as “my business offers [explain your offer] for [explain your audience] and I am facing challenges including [describe them].” Get closer to the perfect response first time.

Break down tasks

You wouldn’t give a human team member a bunch of messy instructions for their week without any context or sense of priority. You wouldn’t request they do everything at once. Apply the same thinking to ChatGPT. Rather than sending a giant prompt with lots of sections and convoluted instructions, go one step at a time. Prompt for the first outcome then take the output and ask for more.

Dividing complex tasks into smaller stages, each with its own instructions and goals, helps ChatGPT manage them better. For example, when asking for a blog post, ask for headline options first, before choosing the best and asking for a summary. Provide your summary edits before asking for section titles, refining those before asking it to write each section. This is superior to asking for a blog post all in one go, and means you have greater control over the output.

Combine human and ChatGPT efforts

Contrary to what AI hype will tell you, ChatGPT cannot solve all your problems. At least not yet. It hallucinates, it exaggerates. It comes out with some random stuff that isn’t client-ready and would do your business more harm than good. Don’t forget the human touch. Use ChatGPT for the initial steps and have humans review and validate the final results. This combines the best of both worlds.

The paper recommends you generate an initial solution and have it reviewed by a human expert. Don’t go from prompt to publish without this step. If you publish ChatGPT-generated content without proper scrutiny, it will harm your brand. Understand the giveaway signs , scrutinize every word, and only include phrases you would actually say. Fact check, sense check and preserve your integrity.

Keep improving

The paper acknowledges that ChatGPT is developing all the time. Even between model numbers, results will be wildly different a few weeks apart. Keep learning as the platform progresses. Read the studies, be hyper critical of the outputs, and continuously refine your prompts based on feedback and performance.

Get the best results from ChatGPT with the same approach you take to business. What once worked like a charm might now be way off the mark. Experiment, learn, iterate, improve. Even try the same prompts with alternative LLMs . Don’t settle for your tried-and-tested prompts; revisit them on a regular basis.

Back to basics with ChatGPT: prompt improvements for better results

By following these simple tips, entrepreneurs can get better results from ChatGPT, especially for complex tasks. Tailor prompts depending on the desired outcome, include real-world examples, break down tasks, combine machines and humans and keep improving. Simple steps that help ChatGPT understand and solve problems more accurately, for smarter decisions and better business outcomes. Stop wasting time with suboptimal prompts. Develop this skill and keep improving. You’re going to need it.

Jodie Cook

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  • Outdoor Gardening

These Are the Pros and Cons of Mulching Your Garden

This low-maintenance landscaping option can be great, but there are some potential problems to consider, too.

Debove Sophie/Getty Images

There’s a lot to consider before adding mulch to a garden. Mulch is a layer of material that covers soil, and it can be both advantageous and potentially harmful for your plants. It can encourage water retention, but it could also attract unwanted pests. Before purchasing mulch in bulk, here are some pros and cons of mulching your garden, according to landscaping experts.

Types of Mulch

Mulch can broadly be categorized into two types: organic and inorganic. Organic mulch options include wood chips, bark, straw, compost, and even grass clippings. Inorganic mulches, on the other hand, include rocks, stone, gravel, rubber mulch, and landscape fabric.

“Each type offers unique benefits,” says Joe Gerrior, owner of Gerrior Masonry & Landscape Construction in Massachusetts. “Wood chips and bark for durability, straw and compost for enriching the soil, and rocks for decorative, low-maintenance areas,” he says.

Different mulches work best in certain climates. Organic mulches work well in temperate regions because they provide insulation and encourage moisture retention, says Samuel Davis, horticulturist and CEO of London Gardeners . In contrast, inorganic mulches like stone and gravel are better for hotter climates because they reflect heat and reduce evaporation. So, before deciding on a mulch based on looks, also consider the climate and its impact on your garden.

Pros of Mulching Your Garden

Mulch can be a low-maintenance garden or lawn solution, improving plant health and the overall aesthetic. Here are some of the main benefits of mulch:

Retains soil moisture

Mulch encourages soil moisture retention. Davis says allowing soil to be moist for longer periods of time leads to less frequent watering. This moisture retention helps plants survive extended periods of drought. Mulch can also be beneficial in instances where there are watering restrictions placed on neighborhoods.

Suppresses weeds

Not only does mulch keep water in, but it also keeps unwanted weeds out. So, to reduce how much attention and time you spent plucking weeds or spraying herbicides, lay down mulch instead.

Regulates soil temperature

It can be beneficial for a garden year-round, not just in the warmer months. “Mulch also regulates soil temperature, keeping it cooler in summer and warmer in winter,” says Gerrior. Mulch shades the soil, preventing it from getting too warm from the sun in the summer. Alternatively, it acts as an insulating blanket during cooler periods, giving the roots a stable soil environment.

Adds nutrients

There are many different types of mulch, including organic mulch which can eventually turn into a nutritional benefit for your garden. Over time, organic mulches decompose and enrich the underlying soil with nutrients. This decomposition adds organic matter to the soil, which benefits the long-term health of your plants.

Enhances aesthetic appeal

Mulch can impact not just how your plants grow but also how the garden looks. Gerrior notes that mulch enhances the aesthetic appeal of your garden. It offers a neat, tidy, well-maintained look that dirt just doesn't match. Also, mulch can come in different colors to suit whichever look you're going for.

Cons of Mulching Your Garden

There are also some potential problems that come along with adding mulch to your garden or lawn. Here are some cons to consider:

Suffocates the plant roots

Be careful not to apply too much mulch, as it can suffocate plant roots. Too thick of a layer can deprive roots of the necessary oxygen they need to thrive. To avoid cutting off the air supply, add at most 2-3 inches of mulch, and don't pack the mulch too tightly.

Attracts pests & disease

Mulch can create a supportive living environment for plants, but it can also support other unwanted garden companions. "It provides an excellent and moist habitat for pests and diseases,” Davis warns. As the perfect shelter, mulch can attract pests like roaches, ants, and termites, which could cause problems beyond the garden bed.

Thankfully, not all mulches attract these pests. Gerrior suggests cypress and cedar mulches that deter insects.

Impacts water absorption

While mulch can lock in moisture, too much mulch can impede water from getting to the roots. “Over time, mulch may form a crust, repelling water rather than allowing it to soak into the soil,” Gerrior adds. That’s why, even low-maintenance mulching may require occasional attention to ensure garden health.

Increases soil temperature

When it comes to regulating the temperature, certain types of mulch work better than others. "Inorganic mulches, though long-lasting, can increase soil temperatures and stress plants during hot weather," says Gerrior. Keep an eye out for hints that your plants are wilting or need more light and water than normal.  

Composting mulch is kept ideally between 110 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful to water and cool your garden bed if you live in an area prone to high heat and desert temperatures. Mulch can spontaneously ignite.  

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  • Home Internet

Simple Ways to Keep Your Internet On During Power Outages

A power outage doesn't have to take your internet connection with it. Here's how to get back and stay online when your power is out.

keep presentation simple

Stay online during a power outage by using a mobile hotspot or connecting your modem and router to a backup power source.

Extreme weather can strike anywhere, anytime, and this summer may be one of the worst on record . Heat waves in particular can wreak havoc on already strained power grids , resulting in temporary blackouts.

When bad weather knocks your power out, it could disrupt your internet . There are a few ways, however, to restore and maintain your online connection, even if the power is still out.

If you’re reading this, your power may be out and you need to restore your internet connection quickly. In that case, I’ll get right to it: Here’s how to stay connected to the internet when you lose power.

Locating local internet providers

Quick fix: Mobile hotspot and tethering

Activating a mobile hotspot on your phone essentially turns the device into a router, broadcasting its mobile internet connection for other devices to use. It’s not the same as your home Wi-Fi -- speeds are likely to be much slower and will only support a limited number of devices -- but it should get you by.

Read more: How to Use Your iPhone or Android Phone as a Mobile Hotspot .

Tethering is similar in that it shares your phone’s internet data with other devices, but it does so via a wired (USB or Ethernet ) or Bluetooth connection rather than Wi-Fi.

A few things to keep in mind when using a mobile hotspot or tethering:

  • The connection only works until your phone dies. Consider charging it in your car (if you can safely access it) if your battery starts to run low before the power comes back on. 
  • Having the mobile hotspot function on your phone doesn’t necessarily mean the service is included with your cellular plan. 
  • You’ll be using your phone’s data. If you have a cap, using a mobile hotspot can put you over the limit, which can result in added fees or throttled speeds. Even if your cellular plan offers “unlimited” data, there may be a soft cap or a limit specific to mobile hotspot use. 

Contact your cellular service provider to find out if mobile hotspot use is included in your plan and if any data limits apply. If you have a data cap, check out CNET’s guide to managing your data use .

Automatic fix: Cellular internet backup

Select internet providers offer a separate cellular plan or service add-on to keep you online. Xfinity’s Storm-Ready Wi-Fi and T-Mobile’s new Home Internet Backup plan provide equipment and a cellular connection, for example, when your standard connection goes down.

Storm-Ready Wi-Fi is available to Xfinity Internet customers for $7 a month for 36 months or a one-time fee of $252 for the rechargeable 4-hour battery backup. When the power goes out or your cable internet connection is lost, internet service automatically switches to a 4G LTE cellular connection with unlimited data.

T-Mobile offers a 5G home internet connection (where available) but with a data cap and a slightly higher monthly fee. The Home Internet Backup plan includes 130GB of data and free equipment starting at $30 a month or $20 for T-Mobile voice customers. 

You will need power to the T-Mobile router, however, so if you intend to use your Home Internet Backup service during power outages, you may want to invest in a battery backup or other portable power device .

Long-term fix: Generators or other power sources

Getting power to the modem or router may be all you need to keep your internet going when the power goes out. 

In many cases, a local power outage doesn’t stop internet service from coming to your home. Wireless and fiber internet don't need power to travel, though a power outage at the point of distribution may cause a temporary outage. 

Cable internet requires power to the nodes (connection points that send internet service along), but many ISPs will have a backup power source, enabling them to keep your internet service going.

So the problem isn’t necessarily getting internet service to your home; it’s how to use it. Without power to your modem or ONT device, you can’t connect to the internet and without power to your router, there’s no Wi-Fi.

Portable power stations and generators are ideal for continuously powering things like your refrigerator, heaters, fans or internet equipment. Here are some helpful links to finding the right power device for your home and needs.

  • Home Generator Buying Guide
  • Best Generator Deals
  • How Big of a Home Generator Do You Need?
  • Best Tested Portable Power Stations in 2024

What about battery backups or a UPS?

Rechargeable battery backups will keep your internet equipment running for a few hours at best before needing to be recharged. Without a power source, this can be difficult, but a solar battery may be the solution .

As for a UPS, or uninterruptible power supply, most devices aren’t designed to last more than 15 minutes or so. That's long enough to save your work or send any last-minute emails before losing your connection, but not much more.

Keep connected and stay safe

Maintaining your internet connection is important when the power goes out, particularly if you're using it for information or communication, but safety comes first. Always use caution when dealing with electrical equipment, and avoid tampering with any internet lines coming into your home. 

For more tips on how to make the most of your home internet connection, check out the CNET Home Internet hub page . Be sure to visit the CNET Home Energy and Utilities page for more info related to your home’s power supply.

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IMAGES

  1. Tips to Keep Presentation Simple and to the Point

    keep presentation simple

  2. Keep Your Presentations Simple by Mathew Panyik

    keep presentation simple

  3. Tips to Keep Presentation Simple and to the Point

    keep presentation simple

  4. Keep Your Presentations Simple by Mathew Panyik

    keep presentation simple

  5. Want Beautiful PowerPoint Presentations? It’s Easy, Follow These 7 Rules

    keep presentation simple

  6. 10 Simple Tips for a Great Presentation

    keep presentation simple

VIDEO

  1. Tips and techniques for a successful presentation

  2. How to Stay Connected With Your Presentation (Communication, Presentation, and Public Speaking)

  3. What to do with your hands when you're not sure

  4. HOW TO USE GOOGLE KEEP

  5. Simplicity Creates Confidence!

  6. The Best Google Keep Tips (Desktop)

COMMENTS

  1. 5 Ways to Keep Presentation Simple and to the Point

    HERE ARE OUR PRESENTATION TIPS: 5 WAYS TO KEEP PRESENTATION SIMPLE AND TO THE POINT. Set one goal per page. The beginning of a simple design starts with a goal for the project and specific goals for each page of your slides. Too many things to watch can overwhelm the audience. They can lose sight of what to read or pay attention to.

  2. How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

    Apply the 10-20-30 rule. Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it! 9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule. Simplicity is key.

  3. Less is More: 15+ Brilliantly Simple Presentation Examples to Nail

    Here are some simple PowerPoint presentation examples that require minimal slides and design elements: Introduction - 3-5 slides with your name, topic overview, agenda. Use simple slide layouts, and large titles. Informational - 5-10 slides conveying facts through bullet points, images.

  4. Top Tips for Effective Presentations

    Try a story (see tip 7 below), or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide. 6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows. This is a tip from Guy Kawasaki of Apple. He suggests that slideshows should: Contain no more than 10 slides; Last no more than 20 minutes; and. Use a font size of no less than 30 point.

  5. 10 Tips for Giving a Great Presentation to an Audience

    Follow these tips to help you create a presentation that will engage your audience: 1. Keep your presentation simple. When putting your presentation together, remember that simpler is better. Many presenters follow the "10-20-30" rule, which is to use 10 or fewer slides, keep your presentation under 20 minutes and use at least 30-point font.

  6. Four Reasons Why You Need to Keep it Simple When Presenting

    No matter how much time you spend preparing your presentation, it is meaningless to the audience if it is poorly executed. When it comes to delivering a successful presentation, simple is better. Here are a few reasons why you should strive for simplicity when preparing your presentation.Â. Complexity Leads to Disconnect.

  7. Make Short 5-Minute Presentations (Quick Ideas & Tips +Video)

    1-Minute Presentation. Stick to one main idea. Keep it simple. A single slide may be enough. But use no more than two slides--one of which is a title slide with the company name and presentation title that won't require discussion. If you can, have the title slide on the screen before your presentation starts.

  8. The most important rule for visual presentations is to keep slides

    The best way to make sure the attention stays on you is to limit word count to no more than 10 words per slide. As presentation expert Nancy Duarte says "any slide with more than 10 words is a document.". If you really do need a longer explanation of something, handouts or follow-up emails are the way to go.

  9. 7 Simple Tips for Creating an Effective Presentation

    Make sure your overall presentation has a clear point and that each slide and story helps tell that story. 5. Make it Visual. "A picture is worth a thousand words.". — Frederick R. Barnard ...

  10. 10 Tips to Prepare Effective and Easy-to-Understand Presentations

    8. Keep Your Presentation Simple. The thumb rule is to keep it simple always. Overdoing graphics, visuals, or texts will distract your audience from taking in the intended message of your presentation. There are a lot of numbers/rules to dictate the number of words in your slides and the number of slides in total.

  11. Top 12 PowerPoint Tips and Hacks for Flawless Presentations

    1. Keep it simple. Keep your slides simple. It's the visual backdrop to what you are going to say. The most recommended PowerPoint tip for your productivity is called simplicity. You may be tempted by the graphical razzmatazz of beautiful images, background, and charts. At the end of the day, PowerPoint is a background visual aid for your talk.

  12. The Essential 5 Rules of Effective PowerPoint Presentations

    Rule 1: Keep It Simple. One of the cardinal sins in PowerPoint presentations is overcrowding your slides with text, bullet points, and too many visuals. The first rule is to keep it simple. Each slide should have a single, clear message. Use concise language, bullet points, and minimal text to convey your points.

  13. The Key To Successful Presentations: K.I.S.S. (Keep It Short And Simple)

    Your first objective should not be to strut your expertise, but to create a link with your audience; to present a simplified vision that is the key to understanding your message. And the best way ...

  14. Presentation 101: How to Make a Simple Presentation

    Why an Elevator Pitch Works. Think about how startups get their investment. In most cases, it is through an elevator pitch. A simple half minute pitch presentation that will be memorable and get the investor interested. When introduced to the idea of an elevator pitch, a lot of people say their great startup idea cannot be reduced to a couple of sentences.

  15. Why Keeping PowerPoint Slides Simple is an Effective Strategy

    Keeping It Simple in PowerPoint. In PowerPoint, your product is your message, and your customer is your audience. By adopting a design approach that is simple you'll have the ability to create slides that are clear, concise, and above all, understandable. In layman's terms: You'll be able to get your main point (s) across with ease.

  16. KISS your presentation: Keep it simple for impactful presentations

    The answer may lie in that age-old adage - 'Keep it Simple Stupid'. By KISSing your presentation, you can avoid some classic presentation mistakes - too confusing, too many slides, too many bells and whistles and, too boring. Keep your premise simple. The first key to a successful presentation is having a clear and simple aim.

  17. Three Ways To Simplify Your Presentations

    Many business owners, leaders and professionals give presentations that are too complex. The consequence is that the audience fails to grasp the message and will not take the desired action. I believe that the more you say, the less your audience will remember. So you need to keep your presentations short, simple and to the point.

  18. The 5 Best Ways To Put Together And Deliver A Lousy Presentation

    Lousy Way #1: Start by Creating Your Slides. When I question coaching clients about their typical method of creating a presentation, the most common answer is this: "Well, I start with my slides.

  19. 150+ Best Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates

    150+ Best Minimal & Simple Presentation Templates. Keep it simple and focused with our minimal and simple presentation templates. These tools provide a range of clean, distraction-free designs that can help you present your content in a clear, straightforward way. Presentations › Minimal . Fonts 2330. 3D 17; Aesthetic 29;

  20. Public Speaking Tip 63: Keep Your PowerPoint Short, Sweet, and Simple

    100 Top Public Speaking Tips: The Book. $14.95. Jezra Kaye. 1 rating. In 25 years of speaker coaching, Jezra Kaye has helped her clients develop their strengths and skills to become authentic and effective communicators. Along the way, she has developed tips for everything from small talk to speaking up in meetings, from managing fear to making ...

  21. Keep It Simple

    Create simple and effective presentations: Keep information short and direct. Create visual aids that are clean and easy to read. Use handouts to present detail. Minimize distractions to keep your audience focused. Focus your problem solving: Use root cause analysis techniques to put the problem in the right perspective.

  22. Your Presentations Should Be Simple

    Conclusion: Remember to create presentations that require minimal effort from your audience. Simplify your message so that it is easy to understand, and therefore also simple repeat to other people. The more simple your message, the more likely it is to spread beyond your sphere of influence. Also, simplify your presentations so that you don ...

  23. How to Create PowerPoint Slides Faster

    Next time you're creating a presentation, remember to keep things simple. You don't need 30 extravagantly designed slides full of content. Nobody wants that. Presentations like those are the reason why the term "death by PowerPoint" exists. A simple way to create slides for your presentation, is to follow Guy Kawasaki's 10/20/30 rule/.

  24. Keep Your Slides Simple :: Ask the Expert

    2. Put less on each slide. Make sure you only have 1-2 key points per slide. This will help your audience focus and recognize the important information more easily. 3. Use bullet points and a minimum font size of 24. This will help your slides look clean, simple, and easy to read, and it will highlight your key points. 4. 4×6 Rule.

  25. Design tips for PowerPoint: Keep it Simple

    Design tips for PowerPoint. 2. Keep it Simple. Nothing in your slide should be superfluous, ever. Your slides should have plenty of "white space" or "negative space.". Do not feel compelled to fill empty areas on your slide with your logo or other unnecessary graphics or text boxes that do not contribute to better understanding. The ...

  26. Classroom Rules Poster. Free PPT & Google Slides Template

    Free Google Slides theme, PowerPoint template, and Canva presentation template. Designed for teachers aiming to create a positive learning environment, this vibrant, illustrated poster is perfect for displaying classroom guidelines. Its multicolored design captures students' attention, making rules engaging and easy to remember.

  27. 5 Simple Ways To 10x Results From ChatGPT Prompts (Say Scientists)

    Tailor prompts depending on the desired outcome, include real-world examples, break down tasks, combine machines and humans and keep improving. Simple steps that help ChatGPT understand and solve ...

  28. Welcome Back to School Poster. Poster Template

    Premium Canva presentation template. This vibrant, watercolor-illustrated poster is perfect for teachers ready to kick off the new school year with flair. Ideal for classroom decoration, this eye-catching design will instantly create a welcoming and cheerful atmosphere for students.

  29. These Are the Pros and Cons of Mulching Your Garden

    When it comes to regulating the temperature, certain types of mulch work better than others. "Inorganic mulches, though long-lasting, can increase soil temperatures and stress plants during hot weather," says Gerrior. Keep an eye out for hints that your plants are wilting or need more light and water than normal.

  30. Simple Ways to Keep Your Internet On During Power Outages

    Getting power to the modem or router may be all you need to keep your internet going when the power goes out. In many cases, a local power outage doesn't stop internet service from coming to ...