images and article by Rolando Gomez
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In business presentations, effective communication is key to business success. Communication comes in many forms, and for photographers, verbal and visual are important. It today’s technologically changing world, presentation can be the discriminator separating competitors and the difference between winning and losing clients.
Professional presentations leave lasting impressions providing for future growth and earning potential. Most photographers own a computer, and with a computer, you can create long lasting impressions using Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 —the industry standard for business presentations.
PowerPoint is an effective, visual communication tool designed to supplement business presentation delivery, but not a substitute for verbal communication. Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 comes in PC and Microsoft PowerPoint X for Mac platforms, though PowerPoint presentations are not platform specific. The key to using PowerPoint is keeping the audience focused and interested.
A persuasive presentation is a “call to action,” hoping an intended audience will adopt the idea, product, plan, or solution. Normally it is used to solve problems, recommend improvements or ideas, or to prevent change.
Once the type of presentation is determined to fit a goal, the next step is to story-board, or outline the goal. Use the KISS method—keep it short and simple. An outline should start with an introduction identifying a topic and its relavence. It should preview the main, upcoming points of the presentation.
Second, outline the body of the presentation incorporating statistics, definitions, examples and comparisons. Throughout the presentation follow a strategy to describe, define, and demonstrate the goals. Use tactics such as facts, statistics, quotes from your customers or industry professionals, graphics and vivid language.
Finally the outline, should map out a conclusion or summary, re-stating the subject of the presentation and summarizing the main points covered in the introduction and body.
Once the outline is completed, the next step is to create powerful, PowerPoint slides. A key to PowerPoint is using the right fonts and font size, color schemes, backgrounds, transitions, and features effectively. The physical layout of text and graphics should be clear with no overlapping and the relationship of the message and graphics should be conveyed strongly.
First create a master slide, as the default “look” to use throughout the presentation. PowerPoint looks great on a computer screen, but translates differently when projected on video or television monitors, normally the final output device for PowerPoint.
Keep the background colors dark, like blue, black or dark green. Keep the text yellow, white, or light blue and avoid shadowed fonts or italics. Avoid “hot colors” that tend to bleed and blur, like pink, red, light greens or shades of purple. Don’t use “day-glow” colors, and test the final presentation on the type of delivery device you plan to use.
Fonts should be pleasing, avoiding fonts named after cities, using Arial or Times New Roman whenever possible. Fonts for video or television presentation should never be smaller than 36 points, preferably 40. Leave adequate margins around the slides—keeping text and images away from the edge, as television and video monitors tend to “clip” text and graphics near the edges.
Second, follow the outline, determine what key points to emphasize in seven to eleven slides—PowerPoint is not verbal communication, it is a visual supplement. Time and practice the presentation, it should be five to eight minutes, anything more is considered too long in the business world.
Never overcrowd slides with text, people will read the “sentences” on screen, totally ignoring the presentation. Text on slides should be the highlights, written like key elements on the outline—in bullet format.
The animation feature is PowerPoint’s built-in “audience control.” This “build” feature, allows bullets to drop onto the individual slides as key points are verbally discussed, keeping the audience focused. Bullets or text appearing on screen before they are covered verbally, will keep the audience busy reading and not listening.
Finally, use graphics, such as photography or clip art as a visual aid, but only when it fits the key points. Graphics within PowerPoint slides, are used to reinforce or emphasize missing text or verbal messages and should serve a significant purpose—don’t use a graphic because it looks good.
Keep the presentation short and simple. Spell-check the text and make sure all graphics are included in the final presentation if burned to a CD-Rom. Make adjustments and revisions where needed, keeping the main points. Practice to build confidence. Videotape yourself and play it back, or have someone critique your presentation.
Remember, Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 is an effective, visual communication tool, used to empower verbal communication—it doesn’t replace an orator, but it can be discriminator that sets apart competitors and wins clients.
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©2002 Rolando Gomez