How to Prepare Slides for a Business Presentation

Advanced Business Writing Assignment: The Progress Report

Start with a title slide

Identify yourself and the aim of your presentation.

Plan for uniformity

Use the same background for all the slides:
Same Color Same Design

Plan (contd)
Consider using one of the software templates to help you organize your information.

TIP
The project status template in PowerPoint is helpful for this assignment.

Prepare Your Slides

Choose words carefully. Aim for:
No more than seven words per line.
No more than seven total lines. No more than 7x7=49 words per slide.

Use Visual Elements When Appropriate

Charts

Graphs
Pictures Clip art

Lists

Visual Elements (contd)

Use only one dominant visual per slide. Keep it simple.

TIP
Go to Insert--Picture to find the Microsoft clip art choices. .

Visuals (contd)
Be sure to document borrowed images.
Use footnotes if appropriate.

Get written permission for public presentations.

Proofread Carefully
Use a spell checker. Double-check proper name spellings.

Use punctuation correctly.

Make sure lists are parallel.

Use Animation for Online Presentations

Use the effect feature for movement of text lines onto screen.

Use the transition feature for movement between slides.

Note: You can find these features in View--Slide Sorter in Office 2000. In XP, find them under Slide Show.