first slide powerpoint presentation

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

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation

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

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

How to open presentations

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

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

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

What should be the first slide of a presentation?

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

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

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

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

Strong Opening Slide Ideas

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

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

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

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

Idea 1: Introduction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Idea 2: Quiz

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

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

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

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

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

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

Idea 3: Stimulation of Imagination

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

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

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

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

For example: Think about a dancing monkey.

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

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

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

Idea 4: Video

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

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

Idea 5: Image

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

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

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

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

Idea 6: Quote

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Idea 7: Story

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Idea 8: Examples

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

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

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

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

Idea 9: Hard Facts

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

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

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

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

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

Idea 10: Controversial Statements

Who doesn’t love controversies?

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

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How to easily make an AWESOME first slide in PowerPoint?

By: Author Shrot Katewa

A good first impression can have a lasting impact. Thus, having a good design for your first slide is important. We’ve seen that people often simply put the title of the presentation as a first slide. I personally dislike this the most. It just shows that the person creating the presentation was simply not interested in it (even though that may not necessarily be true).

Thus, knowing how to create a good first slide is as important if not more as knowing how to create the rest of the presentation. The best part is – you can easily create an awesome first slide for your presentation in minutes in a few quick and easy steps. Obviously, if you have the time at hand, you can easily spend an hour or two making that perfect first slide! In this post, we take a look at how to easily create a first slide with a few examples of actual designs that we have created for our clients.

1. What is the first slide of a PPT presentation called?

The first slide of a presentation is called a “Title slide” or a “Cover slide” . This slide often contains the title of the presentation and hence the name title slide. It is also often referred to as the “Opening slide” of the presentation. The title slide is often the slide that is displayed on the screen before you start your presentation. Thus, it is important to have a title slide that not only looks good but also shares relevant information about your presentation.

2. What content should be included on the first slide of the PPT presentation?

A title slide or the cover slide does not need too much content. The purpose of the title slide is really to give an indication of what the presentation is all about. Thus, an ideal title slide should contain nothing more than –

• Presentation title
• Date of the presentation
• Presenter’s name and designation

It is not necessary to have all the above three pieces of information on a cover slide. Do keep in mind that not all cover slides are the same and what content is displayed on the cover slide can be organisation specific. An organisation may have a preference or a fixed structure for the content that needs to be put on a cover slide. This may vary from the above structure.

3. How to easily design a beautiful first slide in minutes?

As I mentioned earlier, having a good first slide can have a lasting positive impact on your audience. Thus, it is important to create a good design for your first slide. There are several ways you can design the cover slide. Let’s look at some of the easiest ways you can create a beautiful cover slide –

Method 1 – Using PowerPoint’s “Design Ideas” functionality (for beginners)

I must admit, PowerPoint’s “Design Ideas” functionality has great potential. In fact, we at OwlScape were planning on creating a similar plugin for PowerPoint users before Microsoft introduced this feature. This functionality is not just great for beginners, but also at least a must try for intermediate level users too. Designers from OwlScape also at least check out the functionality every once in a while especially when we hit a creative bloq.

It is really easy to work with. In just a couple of clicks and a few minutes, you can make your title slide look completely different –

To do this, all you need to do is put some text on your cover slide and use the “Design Ideas” functionality of PowerPoint. For example, you can write the title and subtitle of your presentation.

Next, click on the “Design” tab on your Menu bar. On the ribbon under the design tab, look for “Design Ideas” feature. It is normally on the far right of the screen on the ribbon. Click on it, and wait for a bit.

In a few seconds, PowerPoint will automatically throw a few ways in which you can design your title slide. You can choose the design you like, and repeat the process to get more results.

If you are unable to see any design ideas or you get an error, you could close the error result by clicking on the close button marked with “X” next to Design Ideas. Then, try clicking in any of the text box on the slide and click on “Design Ideas” again. A few attempts will surely give you some interesting results.

There are a few drawbacks though. These are as follows –

• The results are not consistent . If you happen to delete the slide and try to recreate using the exact same process, the result may be different. This can be both good and bad 🙂
• Editing the design of the suggested slide may not be easy for beginners – when you need to make some changes to the chosen design option, it doesn’t happen directly. You will need to work with the master slides in order to make the design changes. This may seem daunting especially if you are a beginner.
• Sometimes, it just doesn’t work – Even though you may have created a slide using the same content before, sometimes when you try to recreate using the same content, it may simply fail to showcase any ideas. In such an event, we would advise you to click on the text box or an image on your slide and try again by clicking on the Design Ideas option.
• Available for Office 2016 onwards – If you are a PowerPoint user using an older version of Microsoft Office, you may not be able to easily access this functionality. Having the latest PowerPoint version can be of great help!

One thing to note is that the “Design Ideas” option can be used not just for the cover slide, but also for other slides. However, I would advise resisting the temptation of using it for every single slide. 🙂

Method 2 – Using shapes to create an interesting cover slide (for intermediate users)

One other way of having an interesting cover slide is by using the shapes in PowerPoint. Let’s look at the following example –

If you look at the above example carefully, you’ll notice that we’ve only added a shape to the already existing title and the subtitle in the “After” slide. Simply adding a shape, a logo and aligning the text can alter the look of the slide drastically.

There are many ways you can add a shape to the slide. My favourite method is to add a horizontal or a vertical “Trapezoid/ trapezium” (a quadrilateral shape with one pair of parallel sides). A trapezoid shape allows me to have enough space to write the title of the slide and some more content.

To create this shape, you can follow the below steps –

On the menu bar, click on “Insert” and then click on “Shapes”. Under the basic shapes option, select the trapezium shape. Next, create the shape on your slide.

Make sure that the size of the trapezium is good enough to cover about ⅔ parts of the slide. Also ensure that the parallel sides of the trapezium touch the top and bottom part of the slide. Now all you need to do is add the title and subtitle, along with the logo to create your cover slide.

Similarly, you can also use the trapezium vertically. You can also use various types of shapes on your cover slide. The possibilities are literally endless!

Method 3 – Using shapes with images to create an awesome cover slide! (for advanced users)

If you are still not satisfied with your cover slide, there are several other ways you can make it look even more impressive. The easiest way to take it to the next level is to use images in combination with the shapes.

Let’s look at a few examples –

Combination cover slide design example – 1

In the above design, a shape has been created in the background using a freeform tool. Next, two appropriate images have been identified and put in front of the shape. All this has been kept predominantly to the right side of the slide allowing space to write the title, subtitle and the other relevant information on the left.

Combination cover slide design example – 2

In this example, we’ve used one corner of curved rectangle shape to create an interesting design. Two copies of the same shape have been considered. The one below is filled with a colour and tilted at a slight angle. The one above has an image inserted in the shape.

Combination cover slide design example – 3

In the above example, a combination of several shapes and images are used to create a visually pleasing design. Obviously, this may not be something that a beginner can create right of the bat. But the reason we put this design as an example is because barring the design skills (knowing what shape to include and where), creating this slide is not as advanced as you might think. This slide has been created by only using shapes and image elements along with the logo and text. The purpose of using this as an example was to showcase the endless possibilities on how a seemingly complex cover slide can be made by merely using basic shapes and images.

4. How to find images for the first slide of your presentation?

Whether you are using a combination of images and shapes or simply using an image on your title slide, it is important to identify a good image that resembles the topic of your presentation. Consider the following example –

If you’ve been following along, I’m sure you would have noticed by now that the above title slide has been created using a combination of images and shapes. Again, the design can be easily created using shapes and image elements. However, part of the reason that makes this slide look good and relevant to the presentation is the choice of image. Since the presentation is for a corporate organisation, choosing an image that resembles a corporate environment would be relevant.

Take a moment to scroll up and notice the other cover slide examples that I shared above.

The cover slide example 1 was designed for a presentation on education. Thus, choosing an image that represents education effectively communicates to the audience that the presentation is something to do with education even without the word “education” in the title or the subtitle or anywhere on the slide (Don’t resist, go ahead and have a look at the slide again! 🙂 )

Likewise, example 3 uses a mobile device in the title slide giving an indication that the product being talked about in the presentation is likely going to be an app.

Thus, choosing an appropriate image is important as it subtly communicates the message to the audience.

Finding the images for your presentation can take some time. You can use Google to see a few references on what type of images can be used. Avoid the temptation of using Google images directly on your presentation as this can violate copyright laws. We wrote a detailed post on where to find and how to use images for your presentation (link – https://owlscape.in/can-i-use-google-images-for-my-presentation/ ). Be sure to check it out!

I’m sure by now you’ve noticed a few different ways you can create a good title slide for your presentation. I hope this post helps you to think out of the box while creating the title slide of your next presentation. I also hope that going forward you will surely give enough focus on creating an impressive first slide even if you only have a few minutes.

If you’re struggling while creating your next title slide or your presentation, simply drop us an email on [email protected]

First Slide of Presentation (Templates That Pull People In)

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What should be the first slide of a presentation?

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

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

What is the best ppt first-page design?

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

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

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22 Ways to Open a Presentation

Getting your first presentation slide right can be a tricky task. It sets the tone of your whole presentation, and can make or break you in terms of confidence.

Always alter your presentation openings, depending on your audience. Remember that what might work for you in a boardroom would likely turn a room of millennials into a bored room . But don’t worry. Our advice isn’t to start telling jokes at any available opportunity. Instead, we’ve collated the many various ways you can start a speech, to inspire you to choose a presentation slide that’s right for you, and your audience.

22. Welcome!

Use a welcoming presentation slide when people have come specifically to see you present.

Don’t use this if you’re presenting in the middle of other presentations, or when the audience have already seen something to do with your product or service that day.

21. Use a Physical Object

Bring an object along to your presentation that you think could be useful in your presentation, and start with explaining what it is, and why it is significant.

It could be a red ball, which you promise to toss at people who look like they’re going to fall asleep, or a product which you’re trying to sell. Either way, having an object in your opening is an unusual way of starting a presentation, and can get you some important points when presenting.

Use this if you’re presenting to a lively young audience instead of an opening presentation slide.

20. What If…

A good TED talk tactic. Use an imaginary scenario to get the audience to pay attention, and tickle their own abstract ideas about your subject.

Use this presentation slide if you have a hypothetical focus of your presentation, and you’re looking for input from the audience.

19. Show of Hands

Ask the audience their opinion on something.

Often, this can break the ice between you and the audience, and get you feeling a little more comfortable before you start with your first presentation slide.

18.  A Wise Man Once Said… (Or indeed woman!)

Use a famous quote as a point of reference.

This can be a good way to start a presentation if you think the audience need some context before your presentation, and can be an easy way in if you’re about to explain something complicated.

17. A Prelude.

Instead of starting off your presentation with an  about me  or  history slide,  try and tell the audience who you are, and what you’re about before you make the presentation.

One short story about what makes you a real person, and why they should listen to you speak can make a big difference in your confidence, and in the audiences’ faith in you.

16. Dramatic Pause…

You don’t need to use a presentation slide to kick off your speech.

Instead, start your presentation with 10 seconds of silence, and a blank powerpoint slide to heighten the audience anticipation.

15. Add some Glitz

Quote a movie or a song in your first presentation slide to build rapport with your audience.

As long as it’s something that most of the audience will know, you’ll have them listening intently right from the get go!

This is especially important to consider when presenting to millenials.

14. A Number.

Open your speech with a statistical presentation slide.

A number can start your presentation right by giving your audience something tangible to understand.

If your presentation includes an interesting statistic, or you have an interesting point inside your presentation, show it off right at the start to keep your audience curious about how you arrived at that fact.

13.  Make a Bold Claim

Controversial or elaborate hypotheses are often approached in presentations in an apologetic way, with a build up to the claim.

This is mostly due to nervous presenters to whom the idea of seeming silly at the start of a presentation puts them off using this as a tactic. Don’t be one of them!

12. Thank you

Another effective presentation slide opener is to thank the audience for being there.

Make them feel part of the presentation, and appreciated to get the best reaction from them later in your presentation.

11. Ask a Question

Start by asking your audience a difficult question about the topic to get a feel for the room.

Don’t ask them for a show of hands, but instead just ask them to think about it.

10. State their Problem

If you’re pitching to investors, focus on their problem. Try and relate your product or service to how their lives would be improved on your first presentation slide.

If they’re not the right audience, try and relate it their son, their daughter or their mother. Make it personal.

9. Grab their Attention

Do you have a shocking piece of information you’re going to present? Maybe you have an impressive statistic, or fact which you discovered or achieved.

Lead with something bold and colorful to grab their attention from the start.

8. Make Fun of Yourself

Be humble and approachable right from your first slide if you want to make a fantastic impression.

By showing the audience that you can make fun of yourself, and that you’re honest, you will knock down a little of the fourth wall between you and the people in front of you.

7. Use Curiosity

Using curiosity as a way to grab your audience’s attention is a good way to make you feel some power if you get nervous in presentations. Try something along the lines of: “I have the most exciting job in the world. No really, I do. Everyone I meet says “Wow, how do have the energy to do such a thing every day” , as i shrug, and take the compliment. Can you guess what i do? That’s right. I’m an accountant. ”

6. Look Back

Refer to the past in your first presentation slide, and make a comparison of what humans thought the future would look like related to your presentation topic.

This can be a great way of getting the audience to feel like they already knew something about a difficult subject. It can also help to build  connection between you and your audience by relating to a common belief.

5. Look Forward

Open your presentation by referring to the future, and what you hope to achieve with your research, data, or pitch.

This is an impressive first presentation slide if you are trying to convince your audience to believe in something, whether that be a product, or a cause.

4. Use a Foreign Proverb

Using an english proverb might be a bit old hat in this day and age. Unless of course you’re going with the ‘dad joke’ ideal to millenials, in which case, press on!

Instead, use a proverb from a different language. There are some  real gems  out there, and can impress your audience that you’ve gone to the research trouble.

3.  Refer to Current Events

If, on the day you’re due to present you read about an interesting current events story, or news article which links to your presentation, use it as your opening!

Discussing a current events article will show the audience your intellect and also get them understanding you from the get go.

2. Refer to a Historical Event

If you’re presenting something really fantastic, comparing your presentation to something significant in the past can be a good way of building some hype.

Of course, if you’re building something which isn’t that revolutionary, try adapting this opening into a humorous comparison instead, and build some rapport with your audience.

1. Tell a Story

The best way to start a powerpoint presentation is to start is with a story.

A thoughtful story along with a link to your presentation will get you off on the right foot

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How to Start a Presentation: 5 Templates and 90 Example Phrases

Starting a presentation effectively means capturing your audience’s attention from the very beginning. It’s important because it sets the tone for the entire presentation and establishes your credibility as a speaker.

Effective Openers: 5 Templates

Your presentation’s beginning sets the stage for everything that follows. So, it’s important to capture your audience’s attention right from the start. Here are some tried-and-true techniques to do just that.

1. Storytelling Approach

When you start with a story, you tap into the natural human love for narratives. It can be a personal experience, a historical event, or a fictional tale that ties back to your main point.

Example Introduction Template 1:

“Let me tell you a story about…”

Example : “Let me tell you a story about how a small idea in a garage blossomed into the global brand we know today.”

2. Quotation Strategy

Using a relevant quote can lend authority and thematic flavor to your presentation. Choose a quote that is provocative, enlightening, or humorous to resonate with your audience.

Example Introduction Template 2:

“As [Famous Person] once said…”

Example : “As Steve Jobs once said, ‘Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.'”

3. Questioning Technique

Engage your audience directly by opening with a thoughtful question. This encourages them to think and become active participants.

Example Introduction Template 3:

“Have you ever wondered…”

Example : “Have you ever wondered what it would take to reduce your carbon footprint to zero?”

4. Statistical Hook

Kick off with a startling statistic that presents a fresh perspective or underscores the importance of your topic.

Example Introduction Template 4:

“Did you know that…”

Example : “Did you know that 90% of the world’s data was generated in the last two years alone?”

5. Anecdotal Method

Share a brief, relatable incident that highlights the human aspect of your topic. It paves the way for empathy and connection.

Example Introduction Template 5:

“I want to share a quick anecdote…”

Example : “I want to share a quick anecdote about a time I experienced the customer service that went above and beyond what anyone would expect.”

How to Start a Powerpoint Presentation: 45 Example Phrases

Starting a PowerPoint presentation effectively can captivate your audience and set the tone for your message. The opening phrases you choose are important in establishing rapport and commanding attention. Whether you’re presenting to colleagues, at a conference, or in an academic setting, these phrases will help you begin with confidence and poise:

• 1. “Good morning/afternoon/evening, everyone. Thank you for joining me today.”
• 2. “Welcome, and thank you for being here. Let’s dive into our topic.”
• 3. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to present to you all about…”
• 4. “Thank you all for coming. Today, we’re going to explore…”
• 5. “Let’s begin by looking at the most important question: Why are we here today?”
• 6. “I appreciate your time today, and I promise it will be well spent as we discuss…”
• 7. “Before we get started, I want to express my gratitude for your presence here today.”
• 8. “It’s a pleasure to see so many familiar faces as we gather to talk about…”
• 9. “I’m thrilled to kick off today’s presentation on a topic that I am passionate about—…”
• 10. “Welcome to our session. I’m confident you’ll find the next few minutes informative as we cover…”
• 11. “Let’s embark on a journey through our discussion on…”
• 12. “I’m delighted to have the chance to share my insights on…”
• 13. “Thank you for the opportunity to present to such an esteemed audience on…”
• 14. “Let’s set the stage for an engaging discussion about…”
• 15. “As we begin, I’d like you to consider this:…”
• 16. “Today marks an important discussion on a subject that affects us all:…”
• 17. “Good day, and welcome to what promises to be an enlightening presentation on…”
• 18. “Hello and welcome! We’re here to delve into something truly exciting today…”
• 19. “I’m honored to present to you this comprehensive look into…”
• 20. “Without further ado, let’s get started on a journey through…”
• 21. “Thank you for carving time out of your day to join me for this presentation on…”
• 22. “It’s wonderful to see such an engaged audience ready to tackle the topic of…”
• 23. “I invite you to join me as we unpack the complexities of…”
• 24. “Today’s presentation will take us through some groundbreaking ideas about…”
• 25. “Welcome aboard! Prepare to set sail into the vast sea of knowledge on…”
• 26. “I’d like to extend a warm welcome to everyone as we focus our attention on…”
• 27. “Let’s ignite our curiosity as we begin to explore…”
• 28. “Thank you for your interest and attention as we dive into the heart of…”
• 29. “As we look ahead to the next hour, we’ll uncover the secrets of…”
• 30. “I’m eager to share with you some fascinating insights on…”
• 31. “Welcome to what I believe will be a transformative discussion on…”
• 32. “This morning/afternoon, we’ll be venturing into the world of…”
• 33. “Thank you for joining me on this exploration of…”
• 34. “I’m delighted by the turnout today as we embark on this exploration of…”
• 35. “Together, let’s navigate the intricacies of…”
• 36. “I’m looking forward to engaging with you all on the subject of…”
• 37. “Let’s kick things off with a critical look at…”
• 38. “Thank you for your presence today as we shine a light on…”
• 39. “Welcome to a comprehensive overview of…”
• 40. “It’s a privilege to discuss with you the impact of…”
• 41. “I’m glad you could join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking presentation on…”
• 42. “Today, we’re going to break down the concept of…”
• 43. “As we get started, let’s consider the significance of our topic:…”
• 44. “I’m thrilled to lead you through today’s discussion, which centers around…”
• 45. “Let’s launch into our session with an eye-opening look at…”

Starting a Presentation: 45 Examples

Connecting with the audience.

When starting a presentation, making a genuine connection with your audience sets the stage for a successful exchange of ideas. Examples:

• “I promise, by the end of this presentation, you’ll be as enthusiastic about this as I am because…”
• “The moment I learned about this, I knew it would be a game-changer and I’m thrilled to present it to you…”
• “There’s something special about this topic that I find incredibly invigorating, and I hope you will too…”
• “I get a rush every time I work on this, and I hope to transmit that energy to you today…”
• “I’m thrilled to discuss this breakthrough that could revolutionize…”
• “This project has been a labor of love, and I’m eager to walk you through…”
• “When I first encountered this challenge, I was captivated by the possibilities it presented…”
• “I can’t wait to dive into the details of this innovative approach with you today…”
• “It’s genuinely exhilarating to be at the edge of what’s possible in…”
• “My fascination with [topic] drove me to explore it further, and I’m excited to share…”
• “Nothing excites me more than talking about the future of…”
• “Seeing your faces, I know we’re going to have a lively discussion about…”
• “The potential here is incredible, and I’m looking forward to discussing it with you…”
• “Let’s embark on this journey together and explore why this is such a pivotal moment for…”
• “Your engagement in this discussion is going to make this even more exciting because…”

Building Credibility

You present with credibility when you establish your expertise and experience on the subject matter. Here’s what you can say to accomplish that:

• “With a decade of experience in this field, I’ve come to understand the intricacies of…”
• “Having led multiple successful projects, I’m excited to share my insights on…”
• “Over the years, working closely with industry experts, I’ve gleaned…”
• “I hold a degree in [your field], which has equipped me with a foundation for…”
• “I’m a certified professional in [your certification], which means I bring a certain level of expertise…”
• “Having published research on this topic, my perspective is grounded in…”
• “I’ve been a keynote speaker at several conferences, discussing…”
• “Throughout my career, I’ve contributed to groundbreaking work in…”
• “My experience as a [your previous role] has given me a unique outlook on…”
• “Endorsed by [an authority in your field], I’m here to share what we’ve achieved…”
• “The program I developed was recognized by [award], highlighting its impact in…”
• “I’ve trained professionals nationwide on this subject and witnessed…”
• “Collaborating with renowned teams, we’ve tackled challenges like…”
• “I’ve been at the forefront of this industry, navigating through…”
• “As a panelist, I’ve debated this topic with some of the brightest minds in…”

Projecting Confidence

• “I stand before you today with a deep understanding of…”
• “You can rely on the information I’m about to share, backed by thorough research and analysis…”
• “Rest assured, the strategies we’ll discuss have been tested and proven effective in…”
• “I’m certain you’ll find the data I’ll present both compelling and relevant because…”
• “I’m fully confident in the recommendations I’m providing today due to…”
• “The results speak for themselves, and I’m here to outline them clearly for you…”
• “I invite you to consider the evidence I’ll present; it’s both robust and persuasive…”
• “You’re in good hands today; I’ve navigated these waters many times and have the insights to prove it…”
• “I assure you, the journey we’ll take during this presentation will be enlightening because…”
• “Your success is important to me, which is why I’ve prepared diligently for our time together…”
• “Let’s look at the facts; they’ll show you why this approach is solid and dependable…”
• “Today, I present to you a clear path forward, grounded in solid experience and knowledge…”
• “I’m confident that what we’ll uncover today will not only inform but also inspire you because…”
• “You’ll leave here equipped with practical, proven solutions that you can trust because…”
• “The solution I’m proposing has been embraced industry-wide, and for good reason…”

Organizational Preview

Starting your presentation with a clear organizational preview can effectively guide your audience through the content. This section helps you prepare to communicate the roadmap of your presentation.

Outlining the Main Points

You should begin by briefly listing the main points you’ll cover. This lets your audience know what to expect and helps them follow along. For example, if you’re presenting on healthy eating, you might say, “Today, I’ll cover the benefits of healthy eating, essential nutrients in your diet, and simple strategies for making healthier choices.”

Setting the Tone

Your introduction sets the tone for the entire presentation. A way to do this is through a relevant story or anecdote that engages the audience. Suppose you’re talking about innovation; you might start with, “When I was a child, I was fascinated by how simple Legos could build complex structures, which is much like the innovation process.”

Explaining the Structure

Explain the structure of your presentation so that your audience can anticipate how you’ll transition from one section to the next. For instance, if your presentation includes an interactive portion, you might say, “I’ll begin with a 15-minute overview, followed by a hands-on demonstration, and we’ll wrap up with a Q&A session, where you can ask any questions.”

Practice and Preparation

Before you step onto the stage, it’s important that your preparation includes not just content research, but also rigorous practice and strategy for dealing with nerves. This approach ensures you present with confidence and clarity.

Rehearsing the Opening

Practicing your introduction aloud gives you the opportunity to refine your opening remarks. You might start by greeting the audience and sharing an interesting quote or a surprising statistic related to your topic. For example, if your presentation is about the importance of renewable energy, you could begin with a recent statistic about the growth in solar energy adoption. Record yourself and listen to the playback, focusing on your tone, pace, and clarity.

Memorizing Key Points

While you don’t need to memorize your entire presentation word for word, you should know the key points by heart. This includes main arguments, data, and any conclusions you’ll be drawing. You can use techniques such as mnemonics or the method of loci, which means associating each key point with a specific location in your mind, to help remember these details. Having them at your fingertips will make you feel more prepared and confident.

Managing Presentation Jitters

Feeling nervous before a presentation is natural, but you can manage these jitters with a few techniques. Practice deep breathing exercises or mindful meditation to calm your mind before going on stage. You can also perform a mock presentation to a group of friends or colleagues to simulate the experience and receive feedback. This will not only help you get used to speaking in front of others but also in adjusting your material based on their reactions.

Engagement Strategies

Starting a presentation on the right foot often depends on how engaged your audience is. Using certain strategies, you can grab their attention early and maintain their interest throughout your talk:

1. Encouraging Audience Participation

Opening your presentation with a question to your audience is a great way to encourage participation. This invites them to think actively about the subject matter. For instance, you might ask, “By a show of hands, how many of you have experienced…?” Additionally, integrating interactive elements like quick polls or requesting volunteers for a demonstration can make the experience more dynamic and memorable.

Using direct questions throughout your presentation ensures the audience stays alert, as they might be called upon to share their views. For example, after covering a key point, you might engage your audience with, “Does anyone have an experience to share related to this?”

2. Utilizing Pacing and Pauses

Mastering the pace of your speech helps keep your presentation lively. Quickening the pace when discussing exciting developments or slowing down when explaining complex ideas can help maintain interest. For example, when introducing a new concept, slow your pace to allow the audience to absorb the information.

Pauses are equally powerful. A well-timed pause after a key point gives the audience a moment to ponder the significance of what you’ve just said. It might feel like this: “The results of this study were groundbreaking. (pause) They completely shifted our understanding of…”. Pauses also give you a moment to collect your thoughts, adding to your overall composure and control of the room.

How should one introduce their group during a presentation?

You might say something like, “Let me introduce my amazing team: Alex, our researcher, Jamie, our designer, and Sam, the developer. Together, we’ve spent the last few months creating something truly special for you.”

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A step-by-step guide to captivating PowerPoint presentation design

november 20, 2023

by Corporate PowerPoint Girl

Do you often find yourself stuck with a lackluster PowerPoint presentation, desperately seeking ways to make it more engaging and visually appealing? If your boss has ever told you to "please fix" a presentation and you didn't know where to start, you're not alone. In this article, we'll walk you through a straightforward method to transform your PowerPoint slides into a visually captivating masterpiece. 

Let's dive right in! 

Clean up your slides 

The first step in this journey to presentation excellence is all about decluttering your slides and elevating their impact. Say goodbye to those uninspiring bullet points that often dominate presentations. Instead, focus on what truly matters – the key call-out numbers. By increasing the font size of these numbers, you ensure they take center stage, immediately drawing your audience's attention. 

To make those numbers pop, consider breaking the text after the numbers into the next line and adding a touch of color. The contrast created by pairing a dark color with a lighter shade, like dark teal and light teal or burnt orange with peach, can work wonders. This simple adjustment makes your data more engaging , enhancing the overall impact of your presentation. 

Add dimension with boxes 

Now, let's introduce an element of depth and organization to your slides. By adding boxes, you'll create a visually pleasing structure that guides your audience through the content. In the "Insert" menu, select "Table" and opt for a one-by-one table. Change the table color to a light gray shade, elongate it, and position it neatly to the left of your text. 

To improve readability and aesthetics, increase the spacing between text phrases. A small adjustment in the before spacing setting (setting it to 48) significantly enhances the visual appeal of your slides. 

Insert circles 

To further enhance the visual appeal and engagement of your slides, let's introduce circles. In the Insert menu, navigate to Shapes and choose the circle. Adjust the circle's height and width to 1.2, ensuring it complements your content seamlessly. Match the circle's shape fill color with the corresponding text color for a harmonious look. 

Avoid using colored outlines for the circles, as they may distract from the overall aesthetic. This simple addition of circles adds an element of visual interest to your presentation, making it more captivating. 

Choose icons 

Now, it's time for a touch of creativity. Selecting icons to complement your text can elevate the clarity and appeal of your slides. In the "Insert" menu, you can search for relevant keywords to find the perfect icon from PowerPoint's extensive library . 

For instance, if your text discusses investment portfolio yield, search for "growth" and choose an upward arrow growth icon. These icons add an extra layer of visual appeal and clarity to your content, making it more engaging and informative. 

Final touches 

To wrap up the transformation process, we come to the final touches that give your presentation a polished, professional finish. Align your icons with their corresponding circles and change the shape fill color to white. This simple adjustment creates a crisp, cohesive look that ties everything together seamlessly. 

In conclusion, by following these steps, you've embarked on a journey to enhance your PowerPoint presentation . These initial steps are just the beginning of your exploration into the world of design elements and styles that can cater to your specific presentation needs. The key to a stunning PowerPoint presentation lies in the details. By following these steps, you can turn a lackluster set of slides into a visually engaging and dynamic presentation that will captivate your audience. So, the next time your boss says, "Please fix," you'll know exactly where to start. Happy presenting! 

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Simple Steps to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

Last Updated: July 23, 2024 Fact Checked

Creating a New PowerPoint

Creating the title slide, adding a new slide, adding content to slides, adding transitions, testing and saving your presentation.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA . Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 4,342,704 times. Learn more...

Do you want to have your data in a slide show? If you have Microsoft 365, you can use PowerPoint! PowerPoint is a program that's part of the Microsoft Office suite (which you have to pay for) and is available for both Windows and Mac computers. This wikiHow teaches you how to create your own Microsoft PowerPoint presentation on a computer.

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

• Open the PowerPoint app, select a template and theme, then like “Create.”
• Click the text box to add your title and subtitle to create your title slide.
• Click the “Insert” tab, then “New Slide” to add another slide.
• Choose the type of slide you want to add, then add text and pictures.
• Rearrange slides by dragging them up or down in the preview box.

Things You Should Know

• Templates make it easy to create vibrant presentations no matter your skill level.
• When adding photos, you can adjust their sizes by clicking and dragging in or out from their corners.
• You can add animated transitions between slides or to individual elements like bullet points and blocks of text.

• If you don't have a Microsoft Office 365 subscription, you can use the website instead of the desktop app. Go to https://powerpoint.office.com/ to use the website version.
• You can also use the mobile app to make presentations, though it's easier to do this on a computer, which has a larger screen, a mouse, and a keyboard.

• If you don't want to use a template, just click the Blank option in the upper-left side of the page and skip to the next part.

• Skip this step if your selected template has no themes available.

• If you're creating a PowerPoint presentation for which an elaborate title slide has been requested, ignore this step.

• You can change the font and size of text used from the Home tab that's in the orange ribbon at the top of the window.

• You can also just leave this box blank if you like.

• You can also click and drag in or out one of a text box's corners to shrink or enlarge the text box.

• On a Mac, you'll click the Home tab instead. [1] X Research source

• Clicking the white slide-shaped box above this option will result in a new text slide being inserted.

• Title Slide
• Title and Content
• Section Header
• Two Content
• Content with Caption
• Picture with Caption

• Naturally, the title slide should be the first slide in your presentation, meaning that it should be the top slide in the left-hand column.

• Skip this step and the next two steps if your selected slide uses a template that doesn't have text boxes in it.

• Text boxes in PowerPoint will automatically format the bulk of your text for you (e.g., adding bullet points) based on the context of the content itself.
• You can add notes that the Presentation will not include (but you'll still be able to see them on your screen) by clicking Notes at the bottom of the slide.

• You can change the font of the selected text by clicking the current font's name and then clicking your preferred font.
• If you want to change the size of the text, click the numbered drop-down box and then click a larger or smaller number based on whether you want to enlarge or shrink the text.
• You can also change the color, bolding, italicization, underlining, and so on from here.

• Photos in particular can be enlarged or shrunk by clicking and dragging out or in one of their corners.

• Remember to keep slides uncluttered and relatively free of distractions. It's best to keep the amount of text per slide to around 33 words or less. [2] X Research source

• Slide content will animate in the order in which you assign transitions. For example, if you animate a photo on the slide and then animate the title, the photo will appear before the title.
• Make your slideshow progress automatically by setting the speed of every transition to align with your speech as well as setting each slide to Advance . [3] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source

• If you need to exit the presentation, press Esc .

• Windows - Click File , click Save , double-click This PC , select a save location, enter a name for your presentation, and click Save .
• Mac - Click File , click Save As... , enter the presentation's name in the "Save As" field, select a save location by clicking the "Where" box and clicking a folder, and click Save .

Community Q&A

• If you save your PowerPoint presentation in .pps format instead of the default .ppt format, double-clicking your PowerPoint presentation file will prompt the presentation to open directly into the slideshow view. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 0
• If you don't have Microsoft Office, you can still use Apple's Keynote program or Google Slides to create a PowerPoint presentation. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Your PowerPoint presentation (or some features in it) may not open in significantly older versions of PowerPoint. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 2
• Great PowerPoint presentations avoid placing too much text on one slide. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=DBDCE00C929AA5D8!252&ithint=file%2cpptx&app=PowerPoint&authkey=!AH4O9NxcbehqzIg
• ↑ https://www.virtualsalt.com/powerpoint.htm
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/set-the-timing-and-speed-of-a-transition-c3c3c66f-4cca-4821-b8b9-7de0f3f6ead1#:~:text=To%20make%20the%20slide%20advance,effect%20on%20the%20slide%20finishes .

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How to easily make an AWESOME first slide in PowerPoint?

• January 5, 2023

A first impression is important and creating one should never be taken lightly. It’s no surprise then, that people often simply put their title on the slides as an attention-grabbing feature for viewers – but I am personally opposed to this most common method because it just shows a lack of interest in what you’re presenting (even though again maybe not necessarily true).

First, you’ll need to decide what your presentation will be about. Do we want it to focus on one subject or do a wide-ranging overview of many topics? Once that’s clear in mind then the next step is choosing an appropriate design for each slide – don’t worry though because this can easily happen all at once using our quick and easy steps! So let’s get started by deciding how big should my slideshows be. Should they only contain pictures OR videos too?! Lastly, put together everything into actually creating these amazing.

Table of Contents

What is the first slide of a PPT presentation?

The first slide of any presentation is called a “Title Slide” or sometimes just simply referred to as the cover. This main title often contains key information about what you will be presenting and how it pertains back to our topic at hand, making this crucial for getting started on time!

How to easily design a beautiful first slide in minutes?

Now that you’ve seen some of the simplest ways to create a great-looking first slide, let’s dive into more detail. There are plenty out there for designers who want their work looked at by as many people as possible – but these will only get your audience so far! To really wow ’em and leave an impression on them long after they’ve finished scrolling through all available information online or reading through this article…you need something special: A killer design made just for them with personalization built right in from start to finish.

Method 1 – Using PowerPoint’s “Design Ideas” functionality 

PowerPoint’s “Design Ideas” functionality offers great potential for creativity and design, with many possibilities. This feature is not just good enough to try out on beginners; intermediates will also benefit from using this tool in their work too! We at OwlScape like getting inspired by creative blogs when we need some fresh ideas—so it’s always worth checking yours out if you have access or time.”

To give your presentation an edge, all you need to do is put some text on the cover slide and use PowerPoint’s “Design Ideas” feature. For example, You can write titles or subtitles for each section of information that they are presenting

Why not set out what belongs where with these simple steps? This will help keep viewers organized while giving them more clarity about how much time has passed since beginning watching!

Next, click on the “Design” tab located in your Menu bar. On this menu’s ribbon under Design Ideas, you will find a feature called “design ideas.” Click it and wait for just about 2 minutes before seeing anything!

Designing a logo is all about finding your unique style. It’s not always easy, but with some creativity and elbow grease, you can turn those generic designs into something that will befit any company or business!

that has an idea for how they would like their brand identity represented in terms of colors/fonts used on social media platforms such as Twitter etc., then it might help them if we started there first instead of trying to come up propose abstract ideas from scratch which could lead nowhere fast due lack meaningful input.

• Don’t let PowerPoint decide how you use PowerPoint.

With all these features, it can be hard to decide what is worth using and when. But don’t worry! We’ve got your back with this list of must-haves for any PowerPoint user and those on the fence (or looking forward) will want to see them too.

Make sure to check out our pre-made themes before you adopt them. You can try different typefaces and formatting from other programs like Adobe Illustrator or Apple Pages if Calibri & Cambria aren’t cutting it for your needs! Try making the presentation more interesting by changing up colors too – this will help keep attention on what’s important in any given moment rather than being distracted constantly by something blue (like their default tone).

• Create custom slide sizes.

When you’re creating a presentation, keep in mind that the default slide size may not work well on weirdly sized displays. If your screen is too small or large for what’s expected of it and needs to be resized accordingly before printing out copies so they’ll fit properly onto sheets of paper – here’s how!

• Edit your slide template design.

It’s common to design each slide by hand, but it can be easier and faster if you edit your PowerPoint template beforehand. Here are some tips for getting started with this process!

To start editing a pre-made presentation or charting out new ideas on what will ultimately become an empty canvas – let’s take advantage of our free time while still being mindful about saving every last minute possible during these busy work days so we don’t end up feeling overwhelmed at the end o the week wondering where everything went wrong because there wasn”t enough hours in one day (or weeks) spent putting together correctly aligned content across various medium.

• Make sure all of your objects are properly aligned.

The key to making a presentation look polished and professional is having properly aligned objects on your slide. You can manually try aligning them yourself, but we all know how that typically works out – you’re trying hard enough as it is without throwing some guesswork into the mix! Get rid of those worries by letting PowerPoint do its magic for you with this trick-it’ll line up everything perfectly every time so there’s nothing left guessing when viewers go through minutes or hours worth of content at one time over several days/weeks.

• Use “Format Object” to better control your objects’ designs.

When you right-click on an object and select ‘format’, the menu will pop up with all sorts of options to adjust it just how your heart desires. You can change shadows, and measurements or even create reflections–whatever looks best!

• Take advantage of PowerPoint’s shapes.

With the release of Microsoft’s expanded format options, PowerPoint provides more design potential with shapes. The user can now create better designs by using their flexible toolkit and incorporating different types or patterns into each slide’s layout!

PowerPoint is the ultimate tool for making presentations that get your message across. With Smart shapes, you can create diagrams and flow charts in no time! The best part? You don’t even need creativity because they’re pre-made – just choose what kind of shape it should be then fill out any borders or titles as desired to make them look interesting enough until next month’s meeting.

The new version has some cool features including one where users can apply different typesets based on their needs at every stage throughout the production process so there won’t ever again.

presentation design services

With our  presentation design services , we can help you create an amazing visual representation of your business. They are designed by professional strategists and designers who understand how important it is to have visuals that communicate clearly and effectively while still being aesthetically pleasing. They’re also created using the most up-to-date data so they won’t become obsolete quickly like other types of marketing material might be.

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Tips to Start an Incredible Presentation

You’ll probably agree with us: first impressions count. Starting off on the right foot when giving a presentation means that your audience will be interested in listening to what you have to say right from the beginning. 

Whether you are presenting for your own teammates or in front of an audience, getting their attention right off the bat is what matters—and then, the rest of the presentation will be much easier for you!

In this article, we’ll give you 6 tips on how to start your slides presentation like a pro !

Create a great introduction

Surprise your audience, tell an anecdote about yourself, make it dynamic, ask questions, use the right slides for the right theme.

It might sound obvious, but yeah: introductions usually have a spot in the beginning of a slideshow, and you can use one that should go straight to the point. Perhaps a short sentence that states something directly to your audience. 

Tell it to everyone: your product is the best and you are not afraid to prove it. This combination of a big word (nothing is more universal than a simple “Yes!”) and a statement, next to a picture (if possible, try using one that can be related to what you want to talk about) sets the mood instantly: you’ve come prepared and you are confident! This is one of the best ways to start a presentation!

This might be similar to the previous tip, although depending on what your idea is, it can be the total opposite, and it works! Our suggestion is to try and greet them with something that could be unexpected , something that might not make sense at first.

Look at this (fictional) example. Some eyebrows will be raised, for sure, but this is best achieved if you make it so that the audience laughs instead. Using over-the-top statements, perhaps comical, will work even better. After that, you can continue with your speech and make things clear by explaining the actual meaning.

If you want to connect with your audience, you can introduce yourself and then tell an interesting or funny anecdote. What happened to you that made you be right here, presenting today? What made you found your company?

Again, depending on your audience, you should adjust the tone of the anecdote. Be funny if the atmosphere feels relaxed, as in the example shown. Be more serious if you are trying to tell a story that changed your life after an accident, for example.

Sometimes, even though you are the speaker, there can be another way of starting your presentation than appearing yourself on stage. How about letting a video introducing the topic? Or some motion graphics? It’s like trying something different and, at the same time, more visual to the eye.

Another possibility is to play that video as the audience arrives at the place. While they wait for your speech to begin, they are already being treated with some footage that will leave them wondering and thinking about it.

This one is interesting because you can bring this up in two ways. You can include some rhetorical questions that actually don’t need any answer (but can also surprise your audience or be unexpected to them).

Conversely, you can ask directly to the audience, either by speaking to them or with a slide. This makes them feel involved and part of the presentation. You can even let them actually answer to you (and this could be vital information for later stages of your speech, where you show your product and how it can be perfect for everyone, for example).

The “what if…?” questions are a variant of this. It provides some context and builds expectation, so the audience will have to listen to you if they want to find out the answer. It might seem clichéd, but it’s one of the best ways to start a presentation too.

As a general rule, try to avoid plain-looking slides without colors or devoid of elements. A slideshow is a vital aid during your speech, it’s the visual part of the presentation , the one that complements you, talking in front of the audience.

Also, try to match the design of the slides to the theme or the topic you are going to talk about. It can be a bit difficult if you are not familiar with presentation software such as Google Slides or PowerPoint.

Why don’t you use a template? Slidesgo has thousands (literally, thousands) of free templates that you can download with a few clicks. The best thing is that there’s a huge variety, either by color, topic, style, or kind of graphics used. 

There are templates for business, marketing, education, healthcare and even multi-purpose ones. Does your brand have a main color, or you want to convey a specific meaning or sensation with your slideshow? Just browse by color! If you want to know more about how colors can have an effect on your audience, here’s an article that might help you. 

Our last suggestion is simple: practice, practice and practice! 

Download some templates on Slidesgo, customize them and then do a mock presentation in front of some friends or colleagues and see their reaction. It’s best if they don’t know what your presentation is about, as their reaction will be more natural!

Now that you have some ideas on how to start your presentation, you might also want to know how to end your presentation as best as possible! Great, because we have just the perfect article for you !

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Master Slides 101: How to Create and Use Master Slides in PowerPoint

Get a complete overview of one of PowerPoint’s best tools: Slide Master!

The Slide Master in PowerPoint is, in short, an option that allows you to standardize specific visual aspects of your presentation .

It’s a feature that not many people are aware of. However, it can truly make a difference when you constantly work with presentation decks. If you like working with templates in PowerPoint , you’d love Slide Master!

In this article, we’ll explain what exactly the Slide Master feature is and how you can use it to create outstanding presentations.

We’ll go over the following topics:

• Master Slides 101: What is a Master Slide in PowerPoint?
• Why is Master Slide used? And most importantly: Why Slide Master is used for businesses
• Let’s go step-by-step: How to use slide master in PowerPoint

How to create master slides in PowerPoint

How to edit master slide in powerpoint.

• Ready to start? Get professional PowerPoint Master Slides!

What is a Master Slide in PowerPoint?

Slide Master is a PowerPoint feature you can find in the View tab . It allows you to create master templates (or master slides). It’s a way to automatically add elements that you want to be repeated throughout your slides, like a font or a theme.

Why is Master Slide used?

The Slide Master feature in PowerPoint is extremely useful for making your presentation design process more efficient . The main reason it’s used is because it helps you customize all of your PowerPoint elements at once.

That’s right, there is no reason to change slide by slide anymore . With master slides, you can change the typography, logo, and colors and even add your logo and watermark by changing these elements on one single slide. When you adjust one of the elements in the Master Slide, all of those elements will change in all the slides.

Why Slide Master is used for businesses

The slide master is not only a really efficient tool, it also can be great for your business. For example:

• It helps you standardize the design of your presentation : Instead of having a disparate array of different slide designs in your presentations, the Slide Master allows you to establish a consistent and professional look throughout. This consistency can enhance the professionalism of your brand and the clarity of your message.
• Or even better, it helps you brand your presentations : Something as simple as using your brand’s color scheme can make all the difference in creating truly unique slides. It can even help you convey values and ideas you want to be associated with your brand.

How to use slide master in PowerPoint

To create your own Master template, you just need to go to the View tab > Slide Master . This will allow you to access the Slide Master view.

Follow these steps to learn how to create a presentation using master slides in PowerPoint:

#1. Work on your main Slide Master

Once you are on the Master View, it’s time to get to work! Go to the very first slide on the Slides Overview Pane on the left. This is your Master Slide. You’ll recognize it because it’ll have a number 1 at the side, and it’ll be a little bigger than the rest:

Here is where you’ll work on the common elements all your slides will share. This is where you should customize your background, font style, and color . This is also the perfect opportunity to add an element you want to repeat throughout your slides, like a logo. Take into account that anything you do while in this mode will then be reflected in all the rest of your slides.

By clicking on the Master Layout option , you’ll also be able to customize which layout elements you want in your presentation slides.

For example, you can choose to include the date, the slide number, and more.

#2. Work on your Layout slides

Next, it’s time to move to the Layout slides . These are slides that appear below your Master Slide. In other words, these are your actual slides.

You’ll notice that PowerPoint offers 11 different default layout settings for you to start to work with . You can edit and alter these layouts as much as you want. Consider that these are meant to make your life easier when designing your presentation. That’s why it’s important to think through what kind of layouts your presentation will need.

If you don’t find a layout that fits your needs, you can also create a master layout from scratch . Select any of your layouts and click the option Insert Layout in the Edit Master group.

It’ll create a new type of slide you can edit and customize as you see fit. Use the option Insert Placeholder to add different kinds of elements to our new layout.

#3. Adding a new Slide Master if necessary

If you think just one “theme” is not enough for your presentation and want to use several different styles, or segments, in a single presentation, you can do it! You just need to add a second Slide Master. Select Insert Slide Master on the far left, and you’ll get a completely new Master slide in the same presentation.

You’ll be able to see your two different master slides, and the layout slides below each one:

Once you’re happy with how your master template looks, remember to click the option Close Master View so you can see your changes.

If you’ve worked with a presentation that’s already using a master template, you can edit your slides through Master View . Especially if there are common elements you want to eliminate, add, or edit on more than one slide!

#1. Access the Master Slide View

Just like for creating a master template, the first thing is to access the master view. Go to View tab > Slide Master to see exactly all the design guidelines your presentation has at the moment.

#2. Edit the Master Slide

If there’s a common element that you want to change, the Master Slide is the place to do it! It works great for adding and removing logos or changing the background or color scheme.

#3. Edit Specific Layout Slides

If there’s a design element you want to change from a specific layout style, you can do so, too. Pick the slide layout you want to edit and customize as you see fit.

Remember that all the slides below the master slide will have these changes . So, if you are looking for a specific change in one of the slides, it’s better to avoid the Master Slide view and edit your slides as you normally would.

Get professionally customized PowerPoint Master Slides

Master Slides are an outstanding tool to make your presentation creation process more efficient. They can save you precious time and enhance design consistency within your slides.

However, using master slides still requires a steep learning curve . Design skills are a must if you truly want to make the most of your master slides. If you’re going to use PowerPoint Master Slides but don’t feel you have enough experience or time to create your master template, don’t worry! 24Slides professional designers will be happy to help you make the perfect master slides . You can just sit back and relax, and we’ll do all the heavy lifting!

The best thing is that you’ll get a completely customized, professional design that you’ll be able to apply to all your future projects! You’ll no longer have to worry about your slide design or making it reflect your brand! Get an outstanding presentation design that you can apply to your own slides with just one click.

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The First Slide: What It Needs to Be and What It Has to Do

first slide

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May 28, 2014

If you want to maximize your slide presentation to establish better brand recall, start at the very beginning – the first slide. Naturally, it is the first thing that your audience will see even before you say a word. So design it in a way that stands out from the rest of your slides. It will help your logo and company name make an impression on your audience, and retain your brand in their memory long after your presentation ends.

It will help your logo and company name make an impression on your audience, and retain your brand in their memory long after your presentation ends.

What your First Slide Needs to BE

As you prepare you presentation, it’s important that you develop a first slide that will generate interest in support of everything you are about to say. It should have a visual element that features key aspects of your organization that is consistent with the key concept of your presentation.

It could be a photo or graphic image that stimulates people’s curiosity. As this is an excellent opportunity to draw attention to your business, make sure to make the most of it. When people come in the room and see your first slide, they should be compelled to want to be interested in you what you have to say.

However, it doesn’t always have to be flashy to pique the audience’s interests while informing them of your brand. According to business guru Guy Kawasaki, in his famous  10-20-30 rule , your first slide should often be the Title Slide, which contains your company name, address,  your name and position in the company, your email, and work cell number.

Details like these may be straight to the point, but if you’re presenting to a crowd of busy VCs and investors, this is enough visual stimulus to let them in on your brand.

What your First Slide Needs to DO

With the right amount of texts and graphics, your first slide can communicate much more than what it appears to relate to the audience. Your audience should be able to digest the information you are sharing quickly and precisely. They should get an idea about your business even before you start to talk about what you have to offer.

It is important that each slide in your presentation be well-designed and engaging. The first slide, however, is crucial in igniting the spark that will make people want to hear what you have to say and get to know more about your business. Design it right and it can help you set the stage for an awesome and successful presentation.

The Final Word

Ultimately, while the first slide isn’t the entire presentation itself, it’s still an introduction to the rest of your pitch. In the same way that you need to make a good first impression through your physical appearance and speech, you’ll need a deck to match.

Start your pitch right with a winning opening slide. Impress people from the get-go. Don’t let any opportunity pass.

“ The Only 10 Slides You Need in Your Pitch .”  Guy Kawasaki.  Accessed May 28, 2014.

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How to start a powerpoint slideshow.

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Quick Links

Start a slideshow in powerpoint's desktop app, start a slideshow in powerpoint's web app, start a slideshow in powerpoint's mobile app, key takeaways.

To start a PowerPoint slideshow on your desktop, open your slideshow and click "Start Slide Show" in the "Slide Show" tab. If you're using the web app, select "From Beginning" in the "Slide Show" tab. On mobile, simply tap the Monitor icon at the top of your screen.

There's nothing quite like finishing a presentation after spending hours getting it just right. Now, show off your hard work by starting your Microsoft PowerPoint slideshow on desktop, web, and mobile using the methods below.

Related: How (and Why) to Start Microsoft PowerPoint from the Command Prompt

To play a slideshow in PowerPoint's desktop app, all you have to do is click an option or press a shortcut on your keyboard .

Start the process by opening your presentation with PowerPoint. Then, in the app's ribbon at the top, select the "Slide Show" tab.

In the "Slide Show" tab, from the "Start Slide Show" section, choose "From Beginning" (or press F5). Now your presentation will play from the very first slide.

If you'd like to start the slideshow from your current slide, choose the "From Current Slide" option. Alternatively, press Shift+F5 on your keyboard.

While your presentation is playing, you can perform various tasks, like moving to the next slide or ending the show. You can reveal these options by right-clicking anywhere on the slide.

Alternatively, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts while viewing your slideshow:

• Spacebar or Right Arrow Button: Go to the next slide in the presentation.
• Left Arrow Button: Go to the previous slide in the presentation.
• Esc: End the show.
• W: Hide your current slide and display a white screen. Press the same key again to bring back the slide's content.
• B: Hide your current slide and display a black screen. Revert back to the slide's content by pressing the same button.
• Ctrl+Left Mouse Button: Activate the laser point tool to point at things in your slides.
• Ctrl+P: Launch the pen tool to annotate your slide's content during your show. You can choose if you'd like to keep these annotations when you end the show.
• Ctrl+i: Access the highlighter tool to highlight items in your slides.

If you'd like to jump to a specific slide while presenting, press that slide's number on your keyboard and hit Enter. For example, press 12 and hit Enter to access that slide quickly.

To access the Presenter view, where you can see the upcoming slides and other options, right-click anywhere on your slide and choose "Show Presenter View."

With these options, you can start a slideshow and have it play exactly how you want.

To play a slideshow on the web, launch your preferred web browser and access PowerPoint on the web . Then, open your presentation.

From PowerPoint's ribbon at the top, select the "Slide Show" tab.

In the "Slide Show" tab, start your slideshow from the first slide by clicking the "From Beginning" option. To have your show play from your current slide, choose "From Current Slide."

Your presentation is now playing.

To reveal the options for moving slides, annotating items, and using Presenter Coach , bring your cursor to your screen's bottom-left corner. Then, click the appropriate icon.

Related: How to Practice Your Presentations with PowerPoint's Presenter Coach

To start a slideshow in the PowerPoint mobile app , launch the app on your phone and open your presentation.

On the presentation screen, at the top, tap the Monitor icon to play the slideshow.

Your presentation has now begun.

To move to the next slide, swipe left on your screen. To go to the previous slide, swipe right.

You can reveal PowerPoint's presentation options, like annotation and black screen tools, by tapping at the top of your presentation. Then, choose the option you'd like to use.

And that's it. Happy presenting!

Want to learn a few tips to help you make the best PowerPoint presentations ? If so, check out our guide.

Related: 8 Tips to Make the Best PowerPoint Presentations

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

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

11.13.19   •  #powerpointtips #presentation.

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

The most common mistakes for title and final slides

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

1. An inspiring quote

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

2. A blank slide

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

3. A call to action

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

4. A question

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

5. An interactive poll

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

6. A funny picture, meme, or quote

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

7. An interesting fact

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

8. The title, but with a twist

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

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

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

10. No title and end slide at all

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

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About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

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

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• Start using PowerPoint Video
• Save a PowerPoint presentation Video
• Insert items Video
• Finalize and review Video
• Prepare and run Video

Start using PowerPoint

The best way to learn about PowerPoint 2013 is to start using it. Create a blank presentation and learn the basics of how to work with it.

Basic tasks for creating a PowerPoint 2013 presentation

What's new in PowerPoint 2013

Let's create a PowerPoint presentation.

This is what you see when you first open PowerPoint 2013.

You can open an existing presentation over here, or create a new one from a template.

Since this is our first time, let's start with a Blank Presentation .

This area over here is the slide pane, where you choose the slide you want to work on.

And this is where you work on it.

By default, PowerPoint adds a blank title slide when you first start.

This area, up here, is called the ribbon, which contains the tools for creating your slides and slide show.

Where do we start? Well, how about here, where it says, "Click to add title" .

PowerPoint uses placeholders like this to suggest what to do.

That is it. The first slide is finished.

Now to add the next slide, we'll come up here to the ribbon.

These buttons at the top are called tabs.

When you click a tab, you see the commands and options that are associated with that tab.

And on the HOME tab, there's a group of commands related to slides, including New Slide .

This time, PowerPoint adds a slide with a different layout of placeholders.

Type your slide title at the top. Then, type a list of the things you want to talk about.

PowerPoint automatically formats the text as bullets.

Before we add more slides, let's move down to the status bar, and click this button to open the NOTES pane.

Here you can add notes to use during your presentation.

If you need more room, hold the mouse over the border, until you see a double-headed arrow. Then, drag the border up.

It's usually considered a best practice to keep the amount of text on your slide to a minimum, and fill in all the details with your talk.

Don't worry. The audience can't see the notes. These are just for your reference.

We'll get into the ways to use PowerPoint during your presentation later.

Up next, let's save the presentation file and move on.

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas How to Make a Presentation Longer: 7 Strategies to Master

How to Make a Presentation Longer: 7 Strategies to Master

A common question asked by presenters is how to extend a presentation’s duration. This can be because they feel the topic is covered superficially for the audience’s knowledge level or because they find themselves intimidated by the allocated time slot. Either way, adding filler content without care can lead to losing audience interest and significantly impact the presentation’s effectiveness.

The key to making a presentation longer without compromising quality lies in enhancing content depth, utilizing visual and interactive elements, and effectively managing the timing of the delivery. In this article, we will explore seven different strategies for extending a presentation’s length while preserving its quality and ensuring the additional time is meaningful.

Table of Contents

Strategy 1 – Expanding Content Depth

Strategy 2 – enhancing visuals and multimedia, strategy 3 – interactive elements and audience engagement, strategy 4 – revisiting and recapping, strategy 5 – time management and pacing, strategy 6 – supplementary materials and handouts, strategy 7 – enhancing the introduction and conclusion, final words.

As we previously mentioned, the feeling that the presentation can go much in depth is frequent when presenters have to simplify the complexity of their ideas (check our article on how to present complex concepts for more information) to meet the audience’s knowledge level. This can either work or be a total disaster if the presentation is trimmed without considering if the audience is getting a clear picture of what you’re explaining.

N.B.: If you’re wondering how to simplify explanations in your presentation to speak with a non-technical audience, check our article on applying Feynman’s Technique for presentations . 

Revisiting Core Topics: Adding Depth to Key Points

Start by reviewing the main topics of your presentation. Identify areas where you can provide additional insights or expand on existing points. This could involve discussing the historical context, exploring underlying theories, or addressing potential counterarguments. By doing so, you not only lengthen your presentation but also offer a more thorough exploration of the subject matter. This is a strategy commonly applied in thesis presentations .

For example, if your presentation is on marketing strategies, you could delve into the psychological principles behind consumer behavior or discuss the evolution of marketing trends over the years. This added depth can provide valuable context and make your presentation more compelling.

Providing Additional Examples and Case Studies

Real-world examples and case studies are powerful tools that help illustrate key points and make abstract concepts more relatable. By including more examples and detailed case studies, you can extend the length of your presentation while enhancing its practical value.

Consider breaking down elaborate examples step-by-step, analyzing the outcomes, and discussing lessons learned. You can also compare multiple case studies to highlight different approaches or outcomes, adding depth and duration to your presentation. An ideal tool for such a purpose is a comparison chart .

Integrating Data and Statistics

Data and statistics add credibility and authority to your presentation. More data points, charts, and graphs can help you fill additional time while supporting your arguments with concrete evidence.

When presenting data , take the time to explain its significance, how it was gathered, and what it means in the context of your topic. This will add length and ensure that your audience fully understands the importance of the information presented.

Visual elements and multimedia can significantly contribute to a presentation’s overall length and quality. By thoughtfully incorporating more slides, videos, and interactive media, you can both extend your presentation and make it more visually appealing.

Using More Slides with Detailed Information

One simple way to extend your presentation is by adding more slides. However, it’s essential to ensure that these slides contribute meaningful content. Apply one of the core concepts of the 10-20-30 rule of PowerPoint presentations and deliver one idea per slide.

For instance, if discussing a new software tool, you could dedicate one slide to its features, another to its benefits, and additional slides to real-world applications. This approach allows you to cover more ground without overwhelming your audience with too much information on a single slide.

Adding Videos and Animations

Working with video presentations and adding animations to PowerPoint slide decks can effectively increase the length of your presentation while providing a dynamic change of pace. Videos can serve as powerful visual aids, offering demonstrations, testimonials, or additional context that might be difficult to convey through text alone.

Ensure that any videos or animations used are directly relevant to the content and add value to the presentation. You can also pause after the video to discuss its content in detail, further extending the time. Another tip we can mention from our experience is to test the control buttons for the video, as sometimes presenters lose a lot of time trying to stop or rewind a video if a question arises.

Incorporating Infographics and Diagrams

Presentation infographics and diagrams are valuable tools for summarizing complex information in a visually engaging way. By taking the time to explain each component of an infographic or diagram, you can extend your presentation while helping your audience better understand the material.

For example, if your presentation involves explaining a process, a flowchart or diagram can break down each step. You can then discuss each part in detail, highlighting its significance and how it contributes to the overall process.

Let’s be clear: audience engagement is THE power element to extend your presentation’s length. This can be as simple as incorporating exercises inside your presentations, like questions to let the audience think about an idea. This section will explore three different approaches to boosting engagement through audience interaction.

Including Q&A Sessions

Designating specific times for Q&A sessions throughout the presentation effectively engages your audience and extends the presentation’s length. Encourage your audience to ask questions about the content you’ve covered and provide thorough answers.

If you anticipate questions that require more detailed responses, consider preparing additional slides or materials to support your answers. This lengthens the presentation and ensures that your audience feels their questions are being addressed comprehensively.

Q&A sessions don’t have to be neglected to the final part of your presentation. You can add them in the middle after defining a series of concepts and then engage with the audience to test their understanding until that point.

Utilizing Polls and Surveys

Interactive presentation elements like polls and surveys are great tools for involving your audience and gathering real-time feedback. You can use polling software to ask questions during the presentation, and the results will be displayed instantly on the screen, or work with a traditional method like survey PPT templates .

After each poll, discuss the results. You can compare them to industry data or research and explore what the answers might imply about your audience’s perspectives. This interaction extends the presentation and makes it more engaging for participants.

Encouraging Group Discussions

This strategy is commonly used in motivational presentations when speakers invite their audience to do two—to three-minute exercises in which a question is asked between pairs. 

After the group discussions, bring the audience together to share insights and observations. You can then comment on these points, adding your own perspective and tying the discussion back to the main content of your presentation.

Revisiting key points and providing recaps is a highly effective strategy for increasing content retention while extending the duration of your presentation.

Summarizing Key Points After Each Section

Summarize the key points at the end of each major section of your presentation. This reinforces the material and helps the audience retain the information.

Briefly recapping the content allows you to transition smoothly into the next section, which can naturally lengthen the presentation. This practice not only aids retention but also ensures that your audience stays on track with the flow of the presentation. Additionally, it can be a good strategy if the slide deck is repurposed in PDF format so the audience can revisit each section and remember the concepts.

Providing Multiple Recaps Throughout the Presentation

In addition to summarizing after each section, consider including recaps at various points throughout your presentation. These could be more detailed and involve revisiting earlier content in light of new information presented later.

For instance, if you introduce a concept early in the presentation, you could revisit it in a new context, showing how it applies to a different aspect of your topic. This would extend the presentation and deepen the audience’s understanding of the content.

We’ve spoken in the past about the importance of time management in leadership . For presenters, time management is as clear as understanding which is the adequate pacing for your speech, which areas to prioritize, and where you feel you can add an extra edge for the sake of improving your performance as a presenter.

Slowing Down Delivery for Emphasis

Presenters can naturally extend their presentation by slowing down their delivery, particularly when emphasizing key points. Speaking more slowly and deliberately can give your audience time to absorb the information and reflect on your words.

This approach also gives you the opportunity to elaborate on important concepts, ask rhetorical questions, and create a more thoughtful, measured pace for your presentation.

Practicing to Ensure Adequate Timing

Practice is essential for acknowledging that your presentation is the correct length. By rehearsing multiple times, you can identify areas where you can slow down, add more detail, or insert pauses for reflection or interaction.

Consider timing yourself during practice runs to see where you might need to extend or shorten sections. This will help you achieve a balanced, well-paced presentation that meets your time goals. 

Providing supplementary materials and handouts can add depth to your presentation and extend its duration by encouraging ongoing engagement with the content.

Preparing Extended Handouts

Create detailed presentation handouts that expand on the content of your talk. These can include additional information, resources for further reading, or detailed explanations of complex topics.

Refer to these handouts during the presentation and walk through them with your audience. This not only extends the presentation but also ensures that the audience has access to valuable take-home materials.

Distributing Reading Materials During the Presentation

If appropriate, you can distribute reading materials during the presentation and give the audience time to read them before continuing. These could be articles, reports, or any other document that adds to the presentation content.

After the reading, take the time to discuss the material with the audience, asking for their thoughts or providing your analysis. This is a well-known method of encouraging active learning in presentations.

Using Post-Presentation Content for Extended Engagement

To extend engagement after the presentation, consider offering additional content or activities. This could include follow-up emails with additional resources, online discussions, or even a webinar that delves deeper into the topic.

The introduction and conclusion of a presentation are critical moments that set the stage and leave a lasting impression. Expanding these sections can effectively lengthen your presentation while ensuring it is impactful from start to finish.

Starting with a Detailed Introduction

Presenters often dwell on the best way to start a presentation . A well-crafted introduction does more than just outline the structure of your presentation—it sets the tone and provides context that can draw in your audience. Take time to introduce the topic comprehensively, explaining why it matters and how it relates to the audience’s interests or challenges.

You might also include a brief overview of what led you to explore the topic, such as personal experiences, research findings, or current industry trends. This adds a narrative element to your presentation, making it more engaging and setting the stage for the detailed content to follow.

Additionally, consider using an anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a surprising statistic to hook your audience from the start. These elements capture attention and allow you to explore the topic from different angles, thus extending the length of your introduction.

Expanding on the Conclusion with Actionable Takeaways

The conclusion of your presentation should do more than simply recap the content—it should also offer actionable takeaways that the audience can apply in their own work or lives. Take the time to clearly articulate these takeaways, explaining why they are important and how they can be implemented.

You can also revisit any questions or challenges posed in the introduction, providing answers or solutions based on the content covered in the presentation. This full-circle approach reinforces the material and adds additional time as you guide the audience through applying what they’ve learned.

Consider ending with a call to action slide , encouraging your audience to take specific steps based on the information presented. Whether it’s implementing a new strategy, conducting further research, or simply reflecting on the insights shared, a strong conclusion with clear next steps can significantly extend the duration of your presentation while leaving a lasting impact.

We’ve explored seven ways of creating more meaningful time in your presentations, several of which encourage active audience participation. Working on your presentation skills is a good idea to optimize your abilities in handling transitions, unexpected pauses, unplanned questions, and any inconvenience that can divert your attention from the planned course. 

Whether you are preparing for a business, academic, or public speaking event, the strategies outlined in this article provide a comprehensive guide to ensuring your presentation is both longer and more impactful.

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How to Create a Timeline in PowerPoint? Step-by-Step Methods?

Now, the timeline in PowerPoint is indeed valuable if you have to organize data quickly and present it in a way that your audience will understand. Whether you are working on a business proposal, following up on a project, or just looking to point out some historical events, it can make things simple by making the data fit into a clear visual image. But how do you do this? Don’t worry, as it’s much easier than you might think. And that is just what I am here to walk you through.

Timelines are always powerful in the corporate world, education, or personal projects. PowerPoint offers you a flexible platform where you can create timeline slides that not only function great but are crafted in a great UI. In this step-by-step guide, learn how to create a timeline in PowerPoint.

Why Have a Timeline in PowerPoint?

Ever tried to describe a series of events without having something visual in front of you? It’s a bit like navigating a new city without a map. Timelines make crystal clear the linearity of events, and therefore, it becomes pretty easy for your audience to follow a timeline. Besides, a brilliant design of the timeline will make your presentation outstanding and keep your audience interested.

Choosing the Right Timeline PPT Template

The other thing you need to consider is choosing the right template before creating your timeline. PowerPoint has thousands of different timeline PPT templates at your service, all serving varied needs. From a very simple and clean template to a more detailed one, picking the right template will save you hours of work in the long run and set a tone for your entire presentation.

Clean Templates: Suitable for professional, clean presentations.

Storytelling Templates: Suitable if you are in a creative industry.

Project Management Templates: Great to represent your project milestones and deadlines.

Step-by-Step on How to Make Timeline

Building a timeline in PowerPoint is easy, seamless, and—without making a tall claim—a lot of fun. Here is what you need to do:

Open PowerPoint and open a new slide where you need to create a timeline

In the toolbar, click “Insert,” and then “SmartArt.”

Click “Process” in SmartArt. Here is where one can select, under “Process,” the style he/she wants or change the order of the elements. There are numerous SmartArt choices in here for processes. Select one you like, keeping in mind you need to create a timeline.

Click in the timeline graphic text placeholders to you enter your information.

Drag timeline elements to size and space the layout as needed.

Customizing Your Timeline

One of the real strengths of PowerPoint is its customizability. You can shape your timeline to suit your brand or taste. Here’s how:

Change Colors: Change to different colors that match your brand or theme by using the “Format” tab.

Change Fonts: Make sure your fonts match other slide content.

Resize shapes: Drag some of your elements to re-size them so that nothing is over-flown from your slide.

Milestones and Events

These are the main activities of the timeline. This can be when your project is due at a significant time in history or even personal accomplishments for that matter.

Click on the timeline to add new milestones or events

Ensure that every milestone is clearly labeled to let the audience know what it represents.

Visualization by icons or symbols will help set different milestones apart.

Adding Visual Elements

Visual elements enhance readability and the feel of a timeline. Follow these steps to add them:

Images: Add images relevant to the events or milestones being represented.

Icons: Add icons that describe what kind of events or actions were made for them.

Shapes: Add shapes to add a background to your timeline or to draw attention to some sections.

Best Practices while building a timeline

While building a timeline, ensure that you adhere to the best practices

Keep it Simple: Don’t put too much on your timeline.

Consistent Spacing: The space between milestones must be consistent

Key Events The key events should pop up. The color or size should be different to help the viewer see what’s what.

Common Mistake

It’s easy to fall into some of the typical pitfalls when working on a timeline. Here are a few to be on the lookout for:

Information Overload: More information is overwhelming to your audience.

Design Inconsistency: Keep a consistent look with color, font, and layout.

Forget Scale: Make sure the timeline represents the timeline intervals between the events.

Animating for Effect

Bring your timeline to life by adding some great animations. This is how you do it:

Animate Your Milestones: In the “Animations” tab you can see how to animate each of your milestones within your timeline.

Chronologize Them: Determine the proper chronology of animations so that your events appear in the chronology in which they happened.

Subtle Animations: They shouldn’t be too flashy, though. They should be subtle to not be overwhelming and take away from the content.

Saving and Sharing Your Timeline

Now that you have composed your timeline, it is time to save and share it. PowerPoint has some options for this:

Save as PDF: This is great for distributing your timeline on its own, like sending it via e-mail or distributing it in a handout.

Export as Image: This will save the timeline as an image so you can use it within another document or on the web.

Share from PowerPoint You can share your file from PowerPoint via email or cloud services.

Who said building a timeline in PowerPoint was supposed to be difficult? With the right template and some basic steps, you can present a timeline that pops up. A student, professional, or anyone who needs to visualize any information truly needs PowerPoint timelines because of just how versatile of a tool it is—you’ll use it over and over again.

1. Can I use a timeline ppt template for personal projects?

Yes. Timeline templates may be used in tracking personal goals, event planning, and anything else.

2. How do I make my timeline more interesting?

Display visuals in the form of images, icons, and subtle animations to serve further the desire of the audience.

3. How do you make a PowerPoint timeline without using a timeline template?

Of course, you could do all that manually with shapes and lines, but this template would let you do it much quicker, and it also makes sure that your timeline will follow a clear structure.

4. How do I share my timeline with others?

Save your timeline as a PDF or image, and then share your file just by sharing your PowerPoint file.

5. How do I update my timeline to include other events?

Just open your PowerPoint file and click on the top of the timeline to add or edit any milestones you would like back.

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Jerom is a presentation content strategist with over three years of experience writing engaging content and has worked in different niches. He has a strong background in PowerPoint and Excel, so he has learned how to compact complex ideas into simple, clean design visuals in slides. He loves teaching and is always ready to share his tips and ideas on mastering PowerPoint.

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