Storytelling in Presentations For Dummies

Chapter 9

Slide Sense: Using Slides Effectually

IN THIS CHAPTER

Crafting the story with slides

Maximizing the use of each slide

Incorporating titles, statistics, and images

Perfection is attained, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.

—ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPERY, AUTHOR (BEST KNOWN FOR THE LITTLE PRINCE)

Although you may never achieve perfection, if you strip away all that’s unnecessary, you come as close as you can get. The old expression “less is more” couldn’t be more relevant when it comes to slides — less information provides more value. Strive for the following:

• Turn paragraphs into sentences.
• Turn sentences into strong bullet points.
• Use fewer words (and bullets) per slide.
• Show a visual when it will enhance or replace a slide.
• Show fewer slides.

While there’s no magic number when it comes to how many slides to use, the fewer the better. (Discard the archaic rule of one slide per minute.)

You’ve undoubtedly heard of KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid — or as I prefer Keep it Short and Simple). But have you ever heard of a “weight weenie”? ...