Whether you are creating an assignment for your class or the new job that you were hired for, you can agree that it can be an overwhelming experience. Among several challenging aspects of presenting in front of people, one of the most overwhelming things can be ensuring that your presentation is creative.
Creating a presentation that educates and entertains can be a daunting task, but it is not impossible. Your problems will resolve as you focus in the right direction.
This article discusses some of the best tips for instantly making your presentation more attractive to your audience.
Choose the Right Colors
A presentation appeals to the audience’s visual senses before anything else. When you create a mockup of your great ideas, you must keep the bigger picture in mind. As soon as your presentation pops up on the projector screen, it must interact with the viewers.
The right colors in your presentation can help you set the tone of what you are going to talk about. Will you be discussing something informative, or is it a critique of the norms in the industry? The colors can tell the viewers all they need to know in one glance.
Create a color scheme of 3-4 colors that complement each other. If you use more colors than that, you may overwhelm and even confuse the readers regarding what to expect from your presentation.
Take a Strong Start
Although all parts of a presentation are important, everyone can agree that the first few slides hold the most importance. The start section of a presentation gets the most attention from the audience. Hence, you must put your best efforts into ensuring that you engage them right from the beginning.
Start with a shocking fact or a revelation to stand out among other presenters. This will make your audience want to hear more instead of becoming bored and zoned out.
To grab their attention, you can start your presentation with a question or a surprising fact that makes the audience want to learn more about what lies ahead. Of course, you must also remember the importance of using the right colors to make your hook more attractive and eye-catching.
Ensure Consistency
Issues such as different formatting on every slide or an unsteady diagram can undermine the impact of your presentation. Your presentation must be consistent on every slide to ensure that your audience remains engaged throughout.
One of the best ways to maintain the integrity of your presentation is to cover it in PDF. Tools such as Sodapdf can convert your file into PDF in minutes and lock the elements of your presentation.
PDF format locks colors in your assignment, fixes the positioning of infographics, and manes the data in the exact position where you want it.
You can also password-protect the PDF so that only you can access the sensitive information in it.
Add Visual Elements
Presentations are meant to be engaging and interactive. However, using blocks of text can become boring for the audience. Adding visual elements to your presentations can make them more interactive.
Visual aids such as diagrams, charts, and images can enhance the appeal of your presentation. They can prevent the viewers from being overwhelmed and ensure the interactivity of your hard work. In addition, they can also be a great tool for you to share complex information with the viewers in a creative manner.
You can also use color theory to your advantage and highlight the parts that you want to stand out. Just by using the right colors, you can tell the viewer what your views are even before you talk to them. The right words and the right colors, along with amazing visual elements, can set your presentation apart from other presenters.
Practice Beforehand
If you are having cold feet and jitters before your presentation, you are not alone. Many people share the same fear of stuttering in front of their audience or instantly losing their interest. The best way to avoid any unfortunate incidents on the day of your presentation is to prepare early.
Practice makes perfect is more than a phrase. It is a truth that has proven itself over time. Of course, there is no way to tell for sure whether your presentation will be completely seamless. However, practicing can help you increase the chances of ensuring the success of your presentation.
Practicing your presentation several times will increase your confidence and professionalism when delivering it. Hence, there will be fewer chances of mistakes and more chances of unanimous applause from your audience.
Avoid Neon Colors
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is thinking that bright and neon colors can make your presentation stand out and become more attractive. The truth can be quite the contrary, as neon colors are never recommended in a presentation.
Neon colors can be harsh on the eyes and cause strain or distraction for the audience. Even if you are presenting a topic that interests them, they will likely not be able to look at the screen for long.
For example, consider neon blue on a bright red background. Even the thought of this color combination can be discomforting for some people. It can cause visual vibrations and make text difficult to read. To ensure readability, you must avoid pairing bright red text with a blue background or vice versa.
It is better to pick a color palette that is easy for the readers to see for extended periods. Soft colors with a contrast of complementing colors can make it easy for the audience to look at and focus on.
Keep Cultural Sensitivity in Mind
If you are presenting your presentation to someone from a different culture, you must always keep the concept of cultural sensitivity in mind. Something that may be a norm for you could be a trigger for your audience and vice versa.
Take cultural associations into account when choosing colors for your presentation. Colors can have different meanings in different cultures. It is crucial to consider your audience’s background and avoid words, concepts, and colors that could be misinterpreted.
For example, in Western cultures, black color is often connected with elegance, particularly when it comes to formal attire. However, in certain regions of Africa and Asia, black is a symbol of mourning and can be associated with negative emotions.
Looking at the way every single layer of your presentation can have on your audience, it is important to keep every factor in mind.
Limit the Text
A lot of text is not a sign of a good presentation. In fact, crowded slides can overwhelm viewers and undermine the presentation’s impact. When you use words strategically, you can say a lot more with fewer words.
Instead of stating paragraphs about your views and research, try using bullet points and key phrases to emphasize important information. Do not rely on your presentation presenting itself. You are the presenter, and you have a crucial role to play.
When you write key phrases and bullet points in your presentation, it is easier for the audience to understand its crux. Meanwhile, you can verbally clarify these factors.
Break the Monotony
Every presentation should be consistent but not to a point where it starts looking monotonous. No one will be interested in a visually boring presentation. You must always look for ways to boost the attention span of your audience with the right strategies.
You can vary the pace and format of your presentation to maintain the interest of your audience. Pair a varying yet consistent presentation with the art of storytelling to ensure that every new slide remains dynamic and engaging.
If you are concerned about the white space around your text, do not fret. Instead, use it to draw your audience’s attention to your presentation’s message.
Sidestep Busy Patterns
Many people add busy patterns to their presentations to make them look more unique and engaging. Unfortunately, such patterns can overwhelm the audience, distract them, and undermine the message of your presentation.
Just because you cannot use patterns as a background does not mean that there is no room for creativity. You can use a good color scheme that sets the tone of your presentation and maintains its focus on every slide.
Clean and simple backgrounds can boost the impact of your presentation and draw the attention of your audience to the right spot instead of making them feel lost in intricate patterns. You can also use high-quality images to help you add life to your presentation.
Work with Engaging Fonts
Among several other ways to boost the readability of your content, you must always remember the importance of the right font in making your presentation stand out. Even the best content can seem valueless if it is not easily readable by the target audience.
You may think that different and unique fonts can do wonders for your presentation, but it is easy to blur the line between readable and creative.
