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Create a PowerPoint Presentation That Nobody Will Forget in 3 Simple Steps

Your PowerPoint doesn’t tell the story – you do

Team Nas Academy

17 Sep · 10 mins read

Preparing a work pitch is no simple task, especially if you’re wanting make a good impression. Even after all this time spent in Zoom meetings, many people still struggle to create an engaging PowerPoint presentation that goes beyond reading key points off a slide. 

But don’t worry – we’ve got you covered, in just three simple steps.

And these presentation tips will help you fully utilize your storytelling skills so that your presentation will linger in the minds of your audience – long after you’ve left the room – and even buy yourself negotiating power.

While PowerPoints are all about the visuals, you still have to focus on how to best deliver your message if you want to keep people interested from start to finish.

Step 1: Structure Your Presentation

Before you start creating your powerpoint presentation, you need to know what you’re going to talk about, and how you are going to structure it. Pick a good topic, that you know enough about, and find the best angle that others will want to hear about. Then, reveal your information in order by structuring your presentation like a story. 

Writing your presentation from the perspective of a storyteller is what is going to hold the attention of your listeners from beginning to the end (because it won’t feel like you are just relaying facts and information).

Rather, you’ll get them investing in what you have to say and take them on a journey with you, to teach them exactly what you need them to know.

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A. Learn how to write a good hook

Arguably, the most important part of your entire presentation is your introduction. How you start your presentation and what you lead with is going to determine how interested your audience will be throughout the rest of your presentation.

After all, your first words immediately introduce your audience to who you are and what your style is – and it sets the tone going forward. It’s the point where audiences will choose to tune in or tune out.

A solid hook instantly makes a commitment to your audience that what you have to say is going to be interesting, and it keeps them wanting more. It helps you stand out as a speaker. 

So, focus on creating an attention-grabbing introduction, just like you would find in the first page of a book or the opening scene of a movie. Consider starting with:

  • An interesting, mind-blowing fun fact,
  • A unique image or video,
  • Asking an engaging question, or 
  • Creating a scenario involving your audience: “Imagine…”

Depending on the environment, goal, and subject of your talk, you could do a poll and ask people to raise their hands or stand up – or get physically involved with their senses by putting something interesting under their chairs or on the tables in front of them, and ask them to engage with it.

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Pulling on that human connection and encouraging active participation with your audience is an amazing way to come off as confident and experienced.

Don’t forget to bring people into the world you’re about to explore. It’s been proven that people learn and are more receptive to information when they feel involved (rather than feeling like passive viewers who are doomed to sit through, yet again, another boring PowerPoint presentation).

As inaccurate as it might be, people do make assumptions. And they will continue to make decisions based on first impressions – so make that first impression count. 

B. Build your mystery box

Famous Hollywood director JJ Abrams (creator of Lost and director of the most recent Star Wars films) gave his own TedTalk presentation that was based around a “mystery box” that he got from a magic store when he was a kid. 

It was a sealed box, with a question mark printed on it. There was no indication of what was inside when he bought it – and even as an adult with kids of his own now, he still doesn’t know. It remains sealed to this day. Never opening it and admiring the mystery within this box is what inspired him to go on and create so many successful, enticing stories – by focusing on always including an element of mystery.

Your PowerPoint presentation is your story, so build it like a mystery box.

Humans love solving mysteries – we are constantly looking to uncover things and make sense of the world around us. So, if you introduce a mystery to your audience at the beginning of a story, it can be a great way to get people to stick around until the end.

You could try asking a question, and refusing to answer it until the end. Allude to something intriguing, but don’t give it away. Try thinking of creative ways that make sense for your specific presentation, where you can keep the mystery alive – and, ultimately, keep your audience engaged.

C. End your talk with a bang

If you want to know how to end a presentation, it’s all about making yourself memorable and bringing your point to a strong close. In order to do this, you have to wrap up loose ends like any other story arc, and find some way of continuing the conversation beyond your pitch.

How can you leave a long-lasting impression, and let people get the most out of your presentation? This is why you should always leave a call-to-action (CTA).

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Your CTA will depend on what your goals are as a presenter.

You might want to encourage discussion around a topic – so it might be good to end by asking a question and leaving the floor open for answers, as many do. But if you want readers to do something, give them actionable steps they can take today or provide them with resources and encourage them by telling them why doing this work is necessary.

Whatever it is you are hoping to get from this talk, make sure you are clear on it and then end your presentation accordingly.

Step 2: Create Your Presentation

A. Pick a PowerPoint template or theme

Now that you have your story, it’s time to start building a visually effective deck to go along with it.

The first step in creating your slides is to customize a theme – this is what will make each and every slide of your presentation feel cohesive, and give the entire slide deck a natural flow. 

Each slide should have some type of variation for visual interest, but should also incorporate the same, main design. This makes it easier for your audience to follow along, and feel as though you are taking them through a journey. They will feel like they can keep up and won’t be overwhelmed and confused by too many different styles, tones, and mixed brand messages. Use variation as a tool, but be mindful not to overdo it.

Picking a PowerPoint template can be as easy as using a free one in the PowerPoint library, purchasing one, or even creating your own. When preparing themes, try and customize the look as much as possible to fit your brand or messaging.

It’s a simple but effective way of making yourself look more professional and dedicated and it helps you stand out.

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You can create your own themes in Photoshop or in free design software like Canva, and then import them into PowerPoint. Or, you can purchase stock images online from Shutterstock, Envato Elements, or any other online store.

Whatever route you take when choosing a powerpoint theme, make sure it is functional, on brand, clean-looking, and not too distracting. The most important part is that your theme reflects the story you are trying to tell.

B. Focus more on the visuals

When crafting your PowerPoint presentation and organizing how you will display your information on your slides, remember to focus more on visuals, and less on text.

Trying to talk while showing a wall of text at the same time is ineffective in many ways. When people see text, they naturally start to read it. And as soon as people start to read your slides, they stop listening to the story you’re trying to tell.

Audiences will focus on what’s written rather than what’s being said (and they might even try to write down what’s on your slides).

Both of these things draw too much time and attention away from you, as the person behind the presentation that will help them connect to the story and make a lasting impression. It reduces your impact and it forces audiences into playing a game of “catch-up.”

Some recommended best practices are to not go beyond 6-8 lines of text, or 30 words, per slide. Keep the font no smaller than 24 pts. You could also just use the “old-school Twitter rule” of using no more than 140 characters on a slide.

But remember: the best results often come from using the least amount of words possible – challenge yourself to only focus on placing keywords or terms that you really want to emphasize. 

And for the rest, use your voice.

C. Add custom infographics

PowerPoint templates can be relatively simple, and the options for shapes and designs on Microsoft PowerPoint aren’t plentiful – although it’s a good starting point, they are not customized to your specific brand or the story you are trying to tell. 

If you are going to be referring a lot to your slides throughout your presentation or sharing graphics to display information, consider creating some custom design infographics. You can either get creative and combine shapes in PowerPoint to create a new design or shape, or get an affordable designer on a marketplace like Fiverr to help you.

Making customized infographics to deliver your message is what will make your information stand out. Sometimes, adding personal touches like this can really help emphasize what you’re trying to teach, and make you look committed.

D. Use mixed media in your slides

Varying up the kind of media can also help make a more interesting and engaging PowerPoint presentation – when done tastefully, of course. While you should use images and designs and infographics, try also including videos, sound effects, or subtle animations to see if it adds more visual appeal to your static slides. 

These tools can be very effective in making your slides more attention-grabbing, but remember to use them sparingly. Always make sure they support your message and aren’t distracting from it.

Relying on mixed media is not a way to make your presentation better. It shouldn’t be used to try and hide the fact that your story isn’t strong or that you lack confidence.

It’s supposed to elevate your already stunning performance; it’s supposed to enhance your audience’s experience, and capture their eye to draw them deeper into what you’re already saying. 

E. Simplify, simplify, simplify

When it comes to everything about your presentation – the text, images, videos, slides, design, and even your story – the most important thing you can do is keep it simple.

Don’t make elaborate designs all piled onto one slide as this will overwhelm and confuse people. Don’t take too many approaches and angles to your story, just pick one. Don’t make your slides squished to the edges with text so people get overloaded with information and can’t read, and don’t throw too many numbers or complicated statements at your audience.

Remember: your listeners are only human.

People can only take in so much information at a time before they start to get lost. Keep this in mind, and keep things simple. Focus on your story, and focus on the goal of your presentation before anything else. 

Above all, understand that your deck is not your presentation. It’s simply a visual supplement to your presentation. Relying on your PowerPoint too much will only make you appear less certain and less prepared, and in order to make a lasting impression, you need to be both of these things.

You should speak more than your slides, as they are only a simple crutch. Your deck doesn’t tell the story – you do.

Step 3: Prepare for Your Presentation

Once you’ve finished crafting your PowerPoint presentation, now it’s time to prepare how you are going to present with your slides. Here’s some beginner tips on how to best deliver a presentation and get the most out of your slide deck:

A. Know exactly who you’re talking to

You should always know your audience and keep them top of mind. Understand their mindset and know what they are going to be looking for. You should endeavour to know what they expect, and how they see you – even before they’ve met you. 

Part of this preparation process is doing proper research. Research all there is to know about who you will be talking to, and what the best way is for you to speak to them, and design your slides.

What language is best to use? How can your structure fit their optimal learning style?

how-to-create-a-good-visual

If your audience is elderly, you might want to focus on visibility and simplicity even more. If it’s younger people, maybe focus on using references, mixed media, or trending elements to help your speech resonate with them.

Doing this level of in-depth research will help you relate better with your audience, create an emotional connection, and encourage them to stay interested in what you have to say.

B. Practice, practice, practice

You must practice – out loud – before you present. Even the most experienced speakers out there practice their presentations.

Know your script and everything down to a tee, this way you can improvise if needed, and you can pivot if things go wrong. Another great tip is to try rehearsing your PowerPoint presentation in front of some family members, friends, or colleagues.

Having real people to interact with as you run through your speech can considerably help your confidence and personality for when you actually have to get up in front of a crowd – especially if you’re less experienced.

Practice making eye contact with those in the room and get used to ignoring distractions. Not only this, but practicing with an audience helps you get used to being under pressure.

Ask your audience for detailed and constructive feedback: what did they think of the presentation? What could be improved? What was good? Did your slides take away from your message or distract them? What would have been a more useful way of using your PowerPoint slides? 

(Pro tip: Take Susan Cain’s advice, an author who delivered a presentation that gained over 24 million views online.)

By practicing your presentation under similar circumstances and with higher stakes involved, it will feel more familiar, and you’ll be less likely to choke on the big day. Or, you’ll discover where you struggle and where you could potentially choke, and can therefore prepare some tactics in advance to help avoid it.

Another great tip when practicing is to record yourself!

See how you will appear in front of your audience – are your slides distracting, even to you? Are you referencing them or looking at them too much? Look at your natural movements, vocal quality, and behavioral tendencies, and try to modify them before the real thing. 

C. Make it a two-way conversation

If you want to stand out and really engage your audience, focus on turning your presentation into a conversation. Focus on natural flow, and be prepared for people to ask questions or steer your conversation elsewhere. 

As you talk, don’t focus on your slides too much, focus more on your story and be intuitive to how your audience is responding.

You want your audience to feel like they are part of this journey you are bringing them on, and, sometimes, being too strict or formal in your presentation can take them away from that. 

Be personable. Read your audience and adjust. Skip over some slides if you think they’re going to slow down the pace too much. In other words: read the room and listen. It’s all about being ready to adapt to your audience’s needs. And while this takes practice, it is sure to help people remember you and make your story even more impactful.

D. Move around and use gestures

No one likes to watch a brick wall deliver a speech. 

Be natural and allow yourself the opportunity to move around, instead of standing on the spot. Use your slides to your advantage and point at important keywords or images, walk around the stage – use hand gestures.

Not only will this feel more engaging and emphasize important points to make your story stronger, but it makes your speech come across as natural and professional.

Specifically when pointing at slides, make sure that you use it as a way to explain and help people understand what you’re sharing. This can be a great asset to bring relevance to your PowerPoint presentation, and help deepen and clarify your audience’s understanding of what you’re trying to say.

With that said, don’t just use it as a way to get attention off of yourself – and the same goes for any movements or gestures. They should be done mindfully, and not out of nervousness. 

E. Focus on all aspects of timing

When using visual presentations, timing is key. The way that you talk and how your slides appear, with what information, when, significantly impacts your effectiveness as a speaker.

You can create some really powerful effects by timing your slides to pop up right when you speak specific words, or make specific references. Pauses in between slides as you try and use the clicker, or scattering because you forgot to change the slide and went too far ahead, is what diverts people’s attention and makes you look unprofessional. 

This is where preparation comes in. Preplan how you are going to time your slides with what you are saying, and pace yourself accordingly.

Go a step further and plan some bold visuals that you are going to time with certain strong points you want to make – this is what can create an experience, and tell your story in a compelling way. It can make the difference between an extremely effective talk where your PowerPoint is an asset, versus a mediocre talk with an unnecessary slide deck.

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Do some research on this.

Watch some famous speakers present, and note how they use their slide decks. Watching other successful presenters and seeing what they do, how they craft their PowerPoint or Google Slides – or whether they even have one at all – can help inspire you to find different ways of approaching your presentation. And watch how their audience responds to their storytelling at different moments, and learn from them.

After all, learning from others is one of the best ways to improve.

Sometimes, presentations can be riddled with anxiety and self-doubt. You might even start to experience a bit of imposter syndrome as you’re putting together your powerpoint presentation – but that’s all very normal.

What’s important (and what is also great about PowerPoints) is that the slides are simply a guide – for your audience, but also for you. Having a PowerPoint means you always have a reference, should you get nervous. It can help remind you of where you are in your story, and help you gain the confidence to keep going.

Because as long as you focus on approaching your talk as exactly that, a story, you’re going to have all that you need to make a powerful PowerPoint presentation that will last in your audience’s mind, long after you walk off the stage.

Learn How To Become a Better Storyteller

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