PowerPoint Crafting Effective Presentations: Avoiding Common Pitfalls

One student once shared, “I learned a few tricks from Mifeng,” but the results were not as impressive as expected. Why might this be the case? While Mifeng adheres to two primary rules when creating PowerPoint presentations:

1. Complete the content of the presentation first, then refine it by adding images and animations.
2. Keep it simple.

However, the interpretation of “keep it simple” can vary widely. What does “simple” mean to you when you create a presentation (e.g., the 10/20/30 rule, fewer words)? In this article, rather than focusing on the techniques themselves, Mifeng will highlight common mistakes found in ineffective PowerPoint presentations. Let’s take a look:

1. Different Backgrounds on Every Slide
   Each slide has a unique background, which can be distracting and make the presentation appear inconsistent.

2. Using Different Fonts and Overly Flashy Styles
   Mixing multiple fonts and choosing styles that are too flashy can make the presentation look unprofessional and hard to read.

3. Small Font Size
   Using a font size that is too small makes it difficult for the audience to read the text, especially from a distance.

4. Background Clashes with Text
   Choosing a background that blends with the text makes the content unreadable and diminishes the impact of the presentation.

5. Irrelevant Images and Audio Files
   Including images or audio files that have no connection to the topic can confuse the audience and detract from the message.

6. Unrelated Templates
   Using templates that do not match the theme or subject of the presentation can make it seem uncoordinated and unprofessional.

7. Not Checking for Spelling Errors
   Misspellings and grammatical errors can make the presenter appear careless and undermine the credibility of the presentation. As Mifeng always says, “If it’s hard to understand, it’s not worth looking at.”

8. Lack of Logical Flow
   Jumping between unrelated topics, such as discussing the benefits of a product before explaining what it is, can confuse the audience and disrupt the flow of the presentation.

9. Rushing Through Slides with Minimal Content
   Even if slides contain very little information, rushing through them can make it difficult for the audience to absorb the content.

10. Hiding Key Points
    Presenting large blocks of text can discourage the audience from reading them. Remember, the more text you put on a slide, the more likely you are to read it aloud, and your audience will read faster than you speak. The main point is that we come to hear you speak, not to watch you read your slides.

11. Memorizing the Speech
    Reciting a memorized speech verbatim can make the presentation feel robotic and impersonal, losing the natural flow and engagement with the audience.

12. Overuse of Animations
    While PowerPoint offers many dazzling animation options, overusing them can distract from the content and make the presentation seem amateurish.

13. Starting to Speak Before Animations Finish
    Starting to speak before an animation finishes can cause confusion and may require repeating the content, which can disrupt the flow of the presentation.

14. Splitting Ideas Across Multiple Slides
    Dividing a single idea or piece of content across several slides can break the continuity and make the presentation harder to follow.

15. Failing to Learn from Others’ Strengths
    To improve continuously, it’s essential to learn from the strengths of others and apply those lessons to your own presentations.

By avoiding these pitfalls and focusing on creating clear, concise, and engaging presentations, you’ll be able to deliver more effective and memorable presentations.