2. When preparing for
your PowerPoint
presentation to do you
feel like Steve Jobs?
“People who know what
they’re talking about
don’t need PowerPoint.”
-Steve Jobs
From Walter Isaacson’s book
Steve Jobs

3. !!!
But then the
unthinkable
happens…

5. What happened to your
inspiring presentation?
Possible diagnosis…
• Audience was tired
• Audience was too
immature to understand
your awesomeness
• Audience was
simultaneously
hypnotized
• Audience drank the
Kool-Aid…
In reality…
None of the above.
You just really suck at
PowerPoint!

6. 
This isn’t the end
though…

7. You can still
save your
presentation
with these
three tips.

8. 1
The Good:
Tell A
Story

9. Nancy Duarte, a well
known writer and
presentation guru,
found that “the most
effective presenters use
the same techniques as
great story tellers.”

10. “By reminding people of the status quo and then revealing the path
to a better way, they set up a conflict that needs to be resolved.
That tension helps them persuade the audience to adopt a new
mindset or behave differently — to move from what is to what could
be. And by following Aristotle’s three-part story structure
(beginning, middle, end), they create a message that’s easy to digest,
remember, and retell.” –Nancy Duarte

11. Grab their attention
by showing you know
where they’re at in
life, or the situation.
Life as
we
know
it
What
life
could
be
Then knock them out of
their complacency by
introducing your vision
or point of what could be

12. Now that you have their attention keep developing
the contrast between what is and what could be.
2. Develop the Middle

14. The Bad:
TMI:
Too Much
Information
2

16. YOU’RE NOT GIVING
A DOCUMENT.
YOU’RE GIVING A
PRESENTATION
If your audience is reading what you’re
saying, then what’s the point of you being
there?

17. A good trick is
to keep it to
one
main point per
slide.

18. AAABBBCCCDDDEEEFFF
GGGHHHIIIJJJKKKLLLM
MMNNNOOOPPPQQQR
RRSSSTTTUUUVVVWW
WXXXYYYZZZ11122233
3444555666777888999

20. The Ugly:
Visual
Vomit
3

21. Whitespace is a good thing

22. Pay
ATTENTION
to your spacing and
alignment.

23. Always keep things neat and tidy.

24. Having a consistent use
of color, images, and
alignment gives a
cohesive look to your
presentation.
It also helps to separate
your presentation into
recognizable sections.

25. One more thing
Always stick to a
color theme.

26. Now just to reiterate
The Good:
Tell a Story
The Bad:
Too Much Information
The Ugly:
Visual Vomit

27. Incorporate these tips
and you avoid
death by PowerPoint!

28. Now create a PowerPoint
presentation that doesn’t
suck.
Go knock it outta
the park!

29. Thanks for reading this
presentation
Website references:
• Pictures from:
• Creativecommons.com
• Istockphotos.com
• Flickr.com
• Info from:
• Nancy Duarte
• “Structure your presentation
like a story”, HBR blog, 2012
• Jesse Desjardins
• “Steal this Presentation”,
slideshare.net, 2010