by Bob Johnson

Created on: April 07, 2009

Microsoft PowerPoint is a very powerful presentation tool used to display information in a neat and professional manner. But to use it you must have some basic knowledge of which features are used for fun and finesse and which are actually used for business presentations. This article will address the animations that will help make your presentation look more professional.

Tip #1 The first animation that i think is most important to include in your presentation is to include a subtle transition between slides. These transitions should be between one and two seconds. I personally find that slide ins or fades work well, while spins or checkers look unprofessional and some just plain silly.

Tip #2 Try to use more complex sentence structure. The correct structuring can help make writing easier to read and flow better when you say it. An example of simple sentence structure is: The dog is big. The dog is mean. The dog bit me. We can make this flow better by combining these sentences: The big, mean dog bit me. This sentence is shorter, while conveying the same idea.

Tip #3 Try using the built in color schemes. Believe it or not, there are mathematic formulas to find colors and shapes that are appealing to the eye. The publishers of PowerPoint have spent a large sum of money on people with long names starting with Dr. to study these equations and make templates. If your going to pay for them then you should USE THEM!

Tip #4 Try representing your information in data in more presentable viewings. PowerPoint has an abundance of easy to make graphs, tables, charts, and smart art. Combining these strategies with coloring that makes the more important points pop is a highly effective strategy, and can really make your presentation stand out in a crowd.

Tip #5 Don't let your presentation get boring! Change up your fonts and sizing, so that people dont get as easily distracted from your presentation. If you have ever noticed on magazines, there are all different fonts and sizes for different stories. some magazines will even change the coloring of the text.

Tip #6 Record your main narrations, but give yourself spaces to talk in between slides. PowerPoint has the option to record your narration. This is especially important for people who have trouble with public speaking. Record your basic information for play back using good language and pace, you can record as many times as you need to. Then leaves spaces in between slides for additional information or to answer questions.

These are my suggestions for making a professional PowerPoint presentation, hope they help!

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