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sake of using a photo.</li><li>Think simple. Use simple graphics to communicate your message. Break complex material into small components. For example, don’t show the entire form, report or organizational chart on a slide. Break the document into smaller segments and blow each segment up so people can see the information.</li><li>Limit the amount of information on a slide. Keep words to a minimum. Use key phrases and include only essential information. Empty space will enhance readability.</li><li>Limit written content to 3–5 lines. The fewer lines the better. Use single words or phrases.</li><li>Use 30 to 48 point type. No smaller than 30 point.</li><li>Don’t create any slides that the audience will not be able to read because the type is too small.</li><li>Avoid all caps because words in all capital letters are difficult to read.</li><li>Limit punctuation marks.</li><li>Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.</li><li>Use black type for easier readability. The reason black ink is printed on white paper is that it is easier to read. The same applies with slides.</li></ul><h2 id="a757">Guidelines for Delivering a Speech with a Slide Presentation</h2>Remember you are the boss; the slide show is not. People want to hear what you have to say. The slide show is only there to assist and support you. You are the show.Make eye contact with audience. Do NOT look at the screen. Do NOT stand with your back to the audience. I once attended a presentation where the speaker spent 75% of the time looking at the slides projected on the screen. He did not connect with his audience.Talk to the audience. Expand on the content of your slides. The slides should only be the tip of the iceberg. The in-depth content is yours to deliver. Don’t simply read

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the information on the screen.Your job is to bring the passion, energy, emotion and humor to the presentation through your delivery. You are selling your ideas to the audience. A slide show is cold and unemotional. The audience will buy your sincerity and believability.If you need help remembering your speech, use notes. The PowerPoint should never be used as a crib sheet to help you remember your speech.Test your slides in advance on the big screen. Be sure people can see the printed words from anywhere in the room.Learn to navigate your presentation and practice moving forward and backwards in case people ask to see an earlier slide.As the speaker, you need to position yourself in the light so that people can see your facial expressions. So if you have to choose between people seeing the slides or seeing you, let them see you.Remember that technology will fail at some point. Be prepared to deliver your presentation without slide show. Remember you are the presentation, not the slides. I, unfortunately, was in the audience when the equipment failed and the speaker was unable to proceed with his talk. He was unable to deliver his message without the slides. Be sure that you can deliver your talk without slides because the technology can and will fail.Harley King has been speaking and training professionally for more than 30years before groups ranging from 10 to 600. He has trained more than 7,500 people to speak and train.Originally published at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140613102505-47179051-powerpoint-presentations-enhance-your-speech-with-powerful-visuals/">https://www.linkedin.com</a>.</article></body>

Enhance Your Speech With Powerful Visuals

Conventional wisdom holds that if you are going to give a presentation you should use PowerPoint or some other slide program. This is not true. Most of the best speeches are delivered without the use of PowerPoint.

The key thing to remember is that you as the speaker are the most important part of the speech. You are the boss and the slide show is your assistant.

Unfortunately, many people act like the slide show is the boss and they are the assistant. They spend as much as 75% of their time looking at and reading from the slide show and not talking to the audience. The slide show is in charge and they play a supporting role.

The purpose of a slide show is to add a visual element to your presentation. The key word here is visual.

The question to ask yourself when you are considering whether to use the slide show or not should be: “Is my message dependent upon the audience seeing something I can’t describe in words?” If the answer is yes, then use the slide show. If the answer is no, then do NOT use the slide show.

If you choose to use a slide show, here are some guidelines that will enhance the presentation.

Guidelines for Creating a Visual Presentation

Think visually. Use photos, pictures and graphs to make your point. Visuals are more memorable than words. Remember a picture is worth a thousand words.
Make sure visuals are appropriate to the points you are making. Don’t use a photo for the sake of using a photo.
Think simple. Use simple graphics to communicate your message. Break complex material into small components. For example, don’t show the entire form, report or organizational chart on a slide. Break the document into smaller segments and blow each segment up so people can see the information.
Limit the amount of information on a slide. Keep words to a minimum. Use key phrases and include only essential information. Empty space will enhance readability.
Limit written content to 3–5 lines. The fewer lines the better. Use single words or phrases.
Use 30 to 48 point type. No smaller than 30 point.
Don’t create any slides that the audience will not be able to read because the type is too small.
Avoid all caps because words in all capital letters are difficult to read.
Limit punctuation marks.
Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.
Use black type for easier readability. The reason black ink is printed on white paper is that it is easier to read. The same applies with slides.

Guidelines for Delivering a Speech with a Slide Presentation

Remember you are the boss; the slide show is not. People want to hear what you have to say. The slide show is only there to assist and support you. You are the show.

Make eye contact with audience. Do NOT look at the screen. Do NOT stand with your back to the audience. I once attended a presentation where the speaker spent 75% of the time looking at the slides projected on the screen. He did not connect with his audience.

Talk to the audience. Expand on the content of your slides. The slides should only be the tip of the iceberg. The in-depth content is yours to deliver. Don’t simply read the information on the screen.

Your job is to bring the passion, energy, emotion and humor to the presentation through your delivery. You are selling your ideas to the audience. A slide show is cold and unemotional. The audience will buy your sincerity and believability.

If you need help remembering your speech, use notes. The PowerPoint should never be used as a crib sheet to help you remember your speech.

Test your slides in advance on the big screen. Be sure people can see the printed words from anywhere in the room.

Learn to navigate your presentation and practice moving forward and backwards in case people ask to see an earlier slide.

As the speaker, you need to position yourself in the light so that people can see your facial expressions. So if you have to choose between people seeing the slides or seeing you, let them see you.

Remember that technology will fail at some point. Be prepared to deliver your presentation without slide show. Remember you are the presentation, not the slides. I, unfortunately, was in the audience when the equipment failed and the speaker was unable to proceed with his talk. He was unable to deliver his message without the slides. Be sure that you can deliver your talk without slides because the technology can and will fail.

Harley King has been speaking and training professionally for more than 30years before groups ranging from 10 to 600. He has trained more than 7,500 people to speak and train.

Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.