Presentation Tips and Articles

The following is a collection of articles and tips written by Spoken Impact. There are tips for how to create better content, better PowerPoint slides as well as how to be more effective in your delivery. You will also find stories and examples that you can use in your next speech to make it more interesting and memorable. Scroll down the page to find the more than 100 different topics.

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	Reader Questions How can I become more comfortable delivering my speech? How to use charts and graphs more effectively The best way to rehearse a talk Is it best not to eat much before giving a speech? Avoid information overload Prepare for a team sales presentation Vocal variety in a presentation Use gestures more effectively Create a speech that is relevant to your audience Get comfortable with your speech Speak with authenticity Remember key messages during a Q & A How to introduce a speaker Grab the attention of your audience Using handouts when giving a presentation Ways to introduce humor into a presentation How much to rehearse How to conclude a speech Create a speech on short notice Ideal length for a presentation		Polished Delivery Create Common Ground with Humor Tap into the curiosity of your audience Experience is the best teacher Use a prop to make an abstract idea concrete Create insight with audience involvement Make it memorable with a prop Making it Concrete with Cookies Use The Movies To Make Your Point Using a prop to help persuade a resistant audience Use an activity to break the ice Use a prop to help you deliver your message What group are you in? Experience is the best teacher There's money to be made if you listen Get buy-in by asking your audience to participate Insert a short movie clip at just the right time Leave them with a lasting visual impression Make your key message stand out in lights Lighten up your presentation Grab Attention with a Strong Opening Leave your listeners with a visual image Looking for a way to engage your audience?

	Memorable Content Paint a Picture that Sticks Teaching a dog to whistle Use a creative acronym to make your point stick Leadership Requires a Particular Focus How important is one vote? All new ideas are worth hearing about What does it really mean to commit? Create A Story To Engage Your Audience Using a humorous story to introduce a key message Open with a seasonal reference Use a bit of humor to help your message hit home What's in it for your audience? Focus your audience on a key message Nothing sells like a story How valuable is your time? Make the complex easy to understand Innovation comes from small beginnings Inspire your listeners by sharing a personal experience Make an abstract concept come alive Overcome Resistance with the Right Story Create enthusiasm for new ideas Convince employees to embrace a new vision		Exciting Visuals The step-by-step instructions in this section were all done with PowerPoint 2003. The concepts behind the ideas and designs are still relevant even if you are using PowerPoint 2007. More Design Tricks Use gradients to add flair to your design The Dos and Don'ts of WordArt Get your images out of the "box" Give the audience an agenda Are your animations cool, but not meaningful? Explain your thoughts and ideas with pictures instead of words Do most of your slides contain bullet-point lists? Don't use PowerPoint as a teleprompter Take the PowerPoint Toxicity Test! Give your PowerPoint need a facelift Customize your presentation's color scheme It's all in the colors you choose (and use) Take the next step toward more creative slides Let's get Visual A Picture...Worth a 1,000 (less) Words Clip Art...You have Options Your Presentation Template Makes The Difference Between Dull And Dynamic