PowerPoint tip #4:

PowerPoint tip #4:  Why avoid bullets? Our brain accepts information using an audio channel and a visual channel.  When we read words, we are using the AUDIO channel to convert the words to sound. If your audience is listening to you speak and trying to read bullet points, the audio channel becomes crowded and the visual channel is not being used at all, substantially diluting their attention.

PowerPoint tip # 3:

PowerPoint tip # 3: There are many reasons to avoid bullet points, here is only one; the human brain recognizes and remembers "gist" before "detail". So when you presentation is full of bullet points, you are using detail to build gist, completely opposite to how the brain works. Use large pictures and less text and retention jumps from 10% to 65% (see page 234 Brain Rules by Dr. John Medina).

PowerPoint Tip # 2

PowerPoint tip #2: The text on your slides should never be less than 36 points in size. Any smaller and your slides may not be readable any more than a few rows from the front. Some say 32 is OK, but I have seen 32 point font get lost. When it comes to the text on your PPT slides, go big or go home. Also, make every effort to avoid the use of bullet points. I’ll tell you why soon.

I think I might actually be getting the hang of this blogging thing! except for the fonts...I'm not sure yet how to manage those, they keep changing on me. O'well...I'll figure it out!

well, I guess I better get a little more serious about this whole blogging thing...so here's what I'm going to do...I'll be posting tips every few days or so to help you become a more powerful presenter...so let's start with PowerPoint...since everyone seems to love using visuals in their presentations, we might as well learn to do it effectively...so here's tip number one...

PowerPoint tip #1: Use PowerPoint or other slides only when it truly enhances your presentation. For each slide ask yourself "does this slide actually fulfill a purpose or is it just duplicating me?" If it's duplicating you, one of you is irrelevant, get rid of it. Watch for some tips and tricks on how to use PPT more effectively over the next few days.