Microsoft® PowerPoint® 2010 Bible

Chapter 2. What Makes a Great Presentation?

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Qualities of an effective presentation

• Developing your presentation action plan

• Choosing and arranging the room

• Choosing your attire

• Keeping the audience interested

• Managing stage fright

Wow! What a great presentation! That's what you want your audience to come away thinking, right?

Most people won't be nit-picky enough to pinpoint exactly what they loved about the experience. Nobody is likely to say, "Weren't the colors in that pie chart on slide 43 artfully chosen?" or "Did you see his tie? I wonder where I can buy one just like it." Instead, you'll leave your audience with an overall impression that they gather from a host of little details, from the color scheme on your slides to the anecdotes and jokes you tell.

You can turn off your computer for this chapter, because you won't need it to follow along. In this chapter, I'll present some strategies for planning the best presentation ever. I'll provide an 11-point action plan for building your presentation file, and address some of the "soft" topics that can make or break a show, such as how to arrange a room, what to wear, where to stand, and more.

Qualities of an Effective Presentation

What separates an effective presentation from an ineffective one? No, it's not just a gut feeling; there are proven attributes for which you can strive. The rest of this chapter elaborates on these points, but here's a quick overview of what to work on.

An effective presentation:

• Is designed and ...