Questions to keep in mind for a successful slide show

The following is a list of questions meant to help you focus on your priorities while creating and presenting your slide show.

1. Establish your purpose

pre00002.gif How much does your audience already know about the subject? What do they expect or want to know?

pre00002.gif What is the audience's education, age, and career objectives?

pre00002.gif Do you want to entertain, motivate, sell, or instruct?

2. Write your objectives for your slide show

pre00002.gif Writing objectives can also serve as a way to evaluate your slide show and guide you in determining the content of your slides.

pre00002.gif Start each objective with a noun or action verb and be specific about the results you expect.

pre00002.gif Are your objectives realistic and attainable by your audience?

pre00002.gif What do you want the audience to learn or be able to do at the conclusion of your slide show?

3. Practice, review, and edit your slide show

pre00002.gif Is the pacing of your slides and speech adequate to hold the attention of your audience?

pre00002.gif Do the slide contents relate to your objectives?

pre00002.gif Does each slide present one concept? Is the concept clear and direct?

pre00002.gif Are the slides in the right order? Use the Slide Sorter if you need to rearrange them.

pre00002.gif Where appropriate, use drawings with your slides to add impact to text or data.

pre00002.gif Anticipate questions that the audience will ask.

4. Present

pre00002.gif When the audience arrives, have the opening title or slide of your slide show displayed on the monitor.

pre00002.gif Be enthusiastic and genuine.

pre00002.gif Keep eye contact with your audience while you speak.

pre00002.gif Vary the tone of your voice to add interest and maintain audience attention.

pre00002.gif Ask for questions from the audience periodically.

pre00002.gif End your slide show on time.

5. Evaluate your presentation

pre00002.gif Evaluating your presentation after it's over can help you refine and improve the objectives, slide content, speech material, and your own effectiveness as a presenter.

pre00002.gif Did you accomplish your objectives? How do you know?

pre00002.gif What were the audience's thoughts and feelings about the slide show?

pre00002.gif What worked well during your slide show? What could be improved?

pre00000.gif Related topics

Creating a slide show

Playing the slide show