Ten Rules for Presenters

We don’t use a lot of PowerPoint here at Filament because there are usually better methods to convey information and engage an audience. However, if you’ve got a presentation to give, keep these Ten Rules in mind. Your audience will thank you.

1. The greatest gift you can give your audience is a passion for your material. If you don’t care for it, they won’t care for you.

2. Your audience’s attention is a lot like your virginity. You only get to lose it once.

3. PowerPoint is always optional. A bad speech doesn’t improve when accompanied by slides in a dark room.

4. If PowerPoint makes it easy to do, you probably shouldn’t do it. Avoid bullet points, clip art and cheesy animated transitions at all cost.

5. The number of words on a slide is inversely proportional to the attention your audience will pay to them.

6. Your slides are not your script. The purpose of PowerPoint is to help others understand your material, not to help you remember it.

7. Never read your slides. When you do, it suggests to your audience you think they’re incapable of doing so themselves.

8. The average person remembers just three things from your presentation. Great speakers make certain everyone remembers the same three things.

9. Unless your presentation tells a story, the audience won’t care about the ending. They’ll just pray for it.

10. Never underestimate the impact a great presentation can have on your audience or your career. Being well prepared serves both of them well.

Originally published at www.thefilament.com.