Here are the top PowerPoint Mistakes to Avoid:

#1  If it looks great on the monitor you are sitting six inches from your desk it doesn’t mean it is going to look great on an 8 or 12 foot screen with people 70 feet away. If possible test your presentation on an LCD in a large room so you can see how colors react, text reads, etc. when it is enlarged.  After you pick the font size for your presentation double it!  Remember less is more and you don’t want people to spend their time reading when they should be listening anyway.

#2  Just because PowerPoint comes with a ton of cool bells and whistles it doesn’t mean you have to use them all.  Text flying in an out, changes in font from page to page, using every color on the toolbar just distract from your presentation.  Remember, it is the information YOU PROVIDE that is the most important, what is on the screen is just there to support the message.

#3  If your PowerPoint gives all of your information about your topic why are you there?  The number one complaint we see on evaluations is “the speaker just read us his/her PowerPoint.”  Your PowerPoint presentation should clarify ideas, emphasize key points, show relationships and provide visual information to ensure the audience understands your message. Again, less is more!

#4  The more advanced the technology the more likely there are to be “technical problems.”  We never have technical problems with a flip chart!   Too often we have seen speakers come in at the last minute and be completely flustered when their PowerPoint or DVDs won’t work.  It sets of a sheer panic for everyone.  We highly suggest you always send a copy of your presentation, in advance of the conference to the conference office so we can open it and load it on one of our on-site laptop. Arrive early and bring back up!!!

Here are a few suggestions in designing your presentation:

• Keep visuals CLEAR and SIMPLE. Abbreviate your message.
  
• Simple graphs, charts and diagrams are much more meaningful to an audience than complex, cluttered ones.
  
• Avoid the overuse of too many colors, patterns and graphics in one frame.
  
• Use a minimum of words for text and title frames. Five to eight lines per frame and five to seven words per line are the maximum - less is better.
  
• Upper and lower case lettering is more legible than all capital letters.
  
• Vary the size of lettering to emphasize headings and subheadings - but avoid using more than three font sizes per frame.
  
• A sans serif typeface projects better and is easier to read. (Example: Arial.)
  
• Try to maintain the same or similar font size from frame to frame - even if some frames have less copy -avoid a "lonely" word on a screen.
  
• Try to keep all type horizontal to the page…even with charts.
  
• Contrasting colors work best. A good rule of thumb: use a dark background color with lighter color for text and graphics.
  
• Highlight your main point or heading with a dominant color (example: yellow heading, white body copy).
  
• Avoid intensely bright or saturated colors that compete with the text.
  
• Keep color scheme consistent throughout your presentation. Changing colors and type styles can be very confusing and distract from your message.

Some general options to consider are as follows:

COOL COLORS: (most effective background colors - blue, turquoise, purple, magenta, etc.) These colors appear to recede or draw away from the eye - allowing the text to appear more readable. In one study, it was found that the most effective background color for projection is blue.

GRADUATED BACKGROUNDS: A background that transitions smoothly from lighter to darker shades of the same hue can also be an effective background. Some software packages will even allow the gradation from one color to another.

TEXTURED BACKGROUNDS: In some cases, a textured background can be combined to create an interesting image, but remember that you want the background to be just that - a background. It shouldn't call attention to itself or cause clutter or confusion…it should enhance the foreground data.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS: In addition to the use of graphics, photographs can provide an excellent means for communication- "one picture is worth…" Combined with simple, straightforward graphics, illustrations, cartoons and artwork - the photos will bring another dimension to your presentation.

The Bottom Line:

• Plan a template
  
• Use colors consistently
  
• Use light colored fonts on a dark colored background
  
• Use fewer colors rather than more – no more than six