Tips to Improve Your Presentations
Do you ever struggle with ideas on how to improve your presentations or jazz up your briefings?  If you follow a few basic guidelines, you will find your presentation effective and beneficial.   The following tips are intended to help you with general presentations skills, as well as to provide you with some specific suggestions to make your presentation run more smoothly.
1. Know your audience.
bullet This seems obvious, but it is universally important.  A presentation to fellow cadets should be different than a presentation to instructors, administrators, or the public.
bullet Show the audience that you know who they are; use graphics and text appropriate to them.
2. Keep it simple (K.I.S.S.)
bullet Simple but elegant works best.
bullet Unless it serves an obvious purpose, donít do it!
3. Keep it consistent.
bullet With fonts, formatting, abbreviations, etc., ensure consistency.
4. Keep it accurate.
bullet All the "jazz" in the world wonít make up for inaccurate information.
bullet As with any other documents, never rely solely on spell check to catch errors.
bullet Cite any sources, particularly when making an argument.
5. Donít clutter your presentations with too much text or graphics.
bullet Balance your images with the text.
bullet Stick to one visual dominant element per page or two when appropriate.
6. Use sans serif fonts.
bullet Remember that the default font is usually Times New Roman, a serif font.
bullet Hint: use the "Replace Fonts" function under "Format" to easily change fonts with PowerPoint. The improvement in clarity with sans serif fonts is tremendous. 
7. Use fonts appropriately.
bullet As with print, donít use too many font selection combinations.
bullet Font sizes should be a minimum of 24 point, but preferably 32+.
8. Use colors that are conducive to display (no bright colors, etc.).
bullet Use complimentary colors (i.e. black background, yellow or white fonts).
bullet Only use red and green together if you want people to think of Christmas.
9. Donít use sounds unless they enhance the presentation.
bullet There is nothing more annoying than hearing laser sounds with bullets!
bullet Only use sound if there is a specific reason for its use.
10. Donít use transitions unless they enhance the presentation.
bullet Most novices "over-effect" their presentations with wipes, flying bullets, etc.
bullet Simple dissolves work best.
11.  Experiment with different templates.
bullet People often get into comfort zones with templates, so try something new.
bullet If you like the design of a template, it is easy to manipulate colors, etc.
12.  Use notes view to organize your thoughts for the presentation.
bullet Notes not only help you prepare, but they also help you build confidence during the presentation.
bullet Hint:  Jot down notes of what youíd like to say during your presentation in notes view (it should always be more than on the slides) and know your content.
13. Avoid clip art whenever possible.
bullet People often reuse clip art.  Tired of "screen beans"?  Try something new!
bullet Photos add realism to the presentation.
14. Use pictures and graphics that are appropriate to the presentation.
bullet Invest in a digital camera or scanner, or have photos digitized at the lab.
bullet Hint: start with http://dgl.microsoft.com for copyright cleared photos, graphics, and other media.
15. Add slides to beginning and end of the presentation.
bullet Always have a beginning slide with the presentation title and presenter(s) names.  
bullet Always have a concluding slide with contact information (email, phone, etc.).  
bullet Add a blank slide at the end of the presentation to avoid "end of showî display.  
16. Be prepared and organized.
bullet Rehearse your presentation aloud, in front of others if possible.  
bullet If possible, cue up your presentation before your audience arrives. This helps eliminate some of the stress of having to focus on the details of getting the presentation ready instead of focusing on your content.  
bullet Make eye contact with the audience during your presentation, and never read the slides.  Hint: if possible, place your PC monitor with the screen toward you so you can easily glance at the slides without facing your back to the audience.  
bullet If you are using a machine other than your own laptop, make sure you arrive early to test the presentation, graphics, animation, etc.  Remember that any embedded files such as music or video must be saved separately.  
17. Have a backup plan.
bullet I have a saying, "Technology Happens!"  Even with all the preparation in the world, you should anticipate problems and have a backup plan. For example, you can use overheads or handouts. If the equipment fails, which it inevitably will, be prepared to continue. The presentation is not the message; it should simply enhance your content.  
 
Power Tips for PowerPoint Users during Presentations (in Slide Show view):
 
bullet When taking questions or using other visuals that donít directly relate to the presentation, use "b" or "w" keys to put a black or white screen up. Press the "b" key to get a black screen or "w" for white.  To resume your presentation, press the "b" or "w" key again.
bullet When asked about something in your presentation that is not in sequence, type in your slide number followed by the "enter" key to jump back (or ahead) to that particular slide.  Another method, though not as efficient, is to right click the mouse then click "Go" to display the titles and numbers of slides.  
bullet Use the arrow as a pointer to point at items on the screen.  Be sure to enlarge your arrow ahead of time.  You can also press "Ctrl"+"p" to turn your arrow into a pen to write on the slide (you can even change the color of the pen beforehand). Press "Ctrl"+"a" to go back to the arrow, and press "e" to erase your notations.  
bullet Use "Tab" to move quickly to the first or next hyperlink in a slide, use "Shift"+"Tab" to navigate to the last hyperlink in a slide, and hit "Enter" to activate the selected link.  
  Press F1 in slide show view to see a full list of helpful shortcuts.  As with any other new techniques, always test them out before your presentation!
If you need assistance with this or other instructional technology, or if you have any resources youíd like to share, contact Dr. Gabrielle at gabrielle@gabrielleconsulting.com.
 
Gabrielle of Gabrielle Consulting, © 2007