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I’ve always felt a degree of mixed emotions towards PowerPoint presentations. Despite their effectiveness, many people still perceive them to be cumbersome and old fashioned. I have just read a book by Cliff Atkinson, writer of ‘Beyond Bullet Points’, who believes PowerPoint to be the software device that’s insipid rather than inspiring. Yet they seem like such a necessary part of education and learning. So, in order to avoid death by PowerPoint, let’s take a look at a few things you can do to keep your presentations fresh, vibrant and above all alive!

Think of each of your presentations as if it was a website.

Design the layout of your PowerPoint presentation just like a website. Everyone pays enormous attention to detail concerning the branding of their website - your presentation should be the same. Aesthetic concerns are of the utmost of importance, and your presentation should appear flawless and carefully designed. Utilise a theme running throughout the presentation, and refrain from using bright contrasting colours, as they will distract your audience from the information which you’re endeavouring to teach.

Stay away from the ClipArt!

Always use high grade graphics from top notch stock image sites to add a unique quality to your slides. There are several sites where you can buy photos for as little as $1 - a sound investment! Some personal favourites of mine include Stockxpert, Shutterstock and iStockPhoto, however there are lots more out there, so if you are curious, do a search on Google for “Royalty Free Stock Photography”.

Less is More

Don’t crowd your slides with irrelevant text - make them succinct and uncomplicated. Sometimes actions speak louder than words. With PowerPoint, your primary goals is to convey these actions through your images. Your presentation is a visual representation of what you are talking about - not an alternative to the presenter. Even if it’s a simple line or quote, less is often more.

Use 3D

Give your diagrams extra character by making them three dimensional, and they will grab hold your viewers attention much more than any flat, boring diagrams. This works amazingly well with pyramids, as it will make these objects practically leap off the page, instead of being static and lifeless.

And Finally… Don’t Over Animate

Going animation crazy and overdoing the movement on your presentation is definitely not a good idea. Having items popping in and out from all over, moving side to side and bouncing around everywhere - will only confuse people. If you really want to use animation in your presentations, stay with simple and elegant fading in and out. Leave the flying about to your favourite cartoon characters!

Follow these simple steps and your presentation should be a pleasure to watch, rather than an uncomfortable coffee break, and if you decide that all of this sounds like too much hassle - hire a virtual assistant to do it for you!

Michelle Dale is Chief Executive of Virtual Miss Friday, an adept and highly-proficient Virtual Assistant Service which works closely with enterprising people who really want to succeed in their chosen field. If you’d like to learn more about online business building success strategies that are tailored to your needs, check out the Campaign for FREE Virtual Assistance right away!