ProfessionalWriting:Presentations

Introduction:
Presentationsareinevitableforthesmallbusinessprofessional.Theyareauniquewaytoacquire
morebusinessandimpresspotentialinvestors.PowerPointpresentationsarethemostcommon
andcanbeveryeffective.

Dynamics:
Rememberthepresentationdoesnottaketheplaceofyourvoice.Youshouldhaveminimal
slides,aboutoneperminute.Thetextshouldbelarge.Thegraphicsandphotosshouldbelarge
andclear.Youshouldbeabletoreadclearlyandseewithclaritytheslidefromthebackofthe
room.Yourcolorsshouldcontrast,thetextbeinglighterandthebackgroundbeingdarker.A
solidbackgroundisbest.Useminimaltext.

Plan:
Yourpresentationshouldhavethesamethemethroughout.Coordinateyourslidestofollowthe
logicalthoughtofyourspeech.Youshouldknowyourslideswellenoughthatyoudonothaveto
guesstheorderorwhatisonthem.Proofyourpresentationwithsomeonewithacriticaleye.
Althoughyouarehavingminimaltextandgraphics,yourpresentationshouldtellastory,it
shouldhaveabeginning.

Profile:
Yourcompanylogoandcolorsshouldbeimplementedintothepresentation.Donotsavethelast
slideforthisvitalinformation.Bytheendofthepresentationyouraudienceshouldknowwho
yourcompanyisandwhattheystandfor.

CommonMistakes:

Donotuseanimated,musicorflyintransitions.Thesemakeyourpresentationlasttoo
longandaredistracting.
Donotoverusepunctuation.Youcanmakestatementswithoutperiodsandexclamation
marks.
Donotuseallcapitalsinaword.Thisisdistractingandlacksetiquette.
Donotreadyourslides.Youshouldhavebriefstatementsthatyoucanexpandon.
Memorizeyourspeechandusetheslidesascuecards.
Donotassumethetechnologywillwork.Comepreparedtowingit,youcanevenbring
somehandoutsjustincase.

Bibliography
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10tipsforpreparingaprofessionalpresentation/
http://designshack.net/articles/graphics/howtodesignaprofessionalpowerpointpresentatio
n/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngreathouse/2012/09/24/9easywaystocreatepowerpointsl
idesthatsuckless/
http://www.ncsl.org/legislatorsstaff/legislativestaff/legislativestaffcoordinatingcommittee
/tipsformakingeffectivepowerpointpresentations.aspx