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Creative Presentation templates

Use these free creative google slides themes and ppt templates to give a new twist to conventional slide designs while following the latest trends. your presentation will definetely impress your audience, related collections.

1260 templates

Food Guide Pyramid Lesson for Elementary to Celebrate Global Food Day Infographics

Now that you about the vegan diet or the paleo diet, you're more aware about the different kinds of foods available. Remember a certain colorful template for teaching about the food pyramid? We have designed its complementary infographics with, of course, more wonderful illustrations of different kinds of food. Now...

Pastel Portfolio

Having a very creative portfolio opens a lot of doors, more than you think. We've created this template for those who want to showcase their work and skills. As always, the Memphis graphic style will help you grab attention, and the pastel colors too! Mention your studies, add images of...

My Creative Resume

A good CV is the key to unlock the doors to the best job interviews. For this reason, here at Slidesgo we go beyond the limits of the conventional design, offering you a modern colorful template whose main focus is no one else but you!

Multiplication and Division Facts - Mathematics - 3rd Grade

Ignite a love for math in the minds of your third-grade students with this fun and unique Google Slides and PowerPoint template geared towards multiplication and division facts. The slides come alive with vibrant, creative doodles, making learning a joyous experience for little learners. With engaging illustrations which cater to...

Meet Our Professors

The beginning of the school year is always synonymous with nerves for teachers and students. To break the ice, why not introduce your professors in a different way? We propose you this original template with a dark background and abstract and colorful shapes. It features doodle-style illustrations related to teaching,...

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Creative Writing Newsletter

Creative writing is an art form that can be enjoyed by anyone. Whether you're a budding author or a seasoned pro, having a newsletter template to help create content can take off some of the pressure and give you the creative spark you need to write compelling stories. With this...

Watercolor Aromatherapy Wellness Center

This gorgeous watercolor template is perfect for crafting the perfect presentation for your Aromatherapy Wellness Center. With its soft pastel colors, it will evoke feelings of contentment and relaxation. Easily editable in Google Slides and PowerPoint, this template includes high-quality graphics, icons and lists, making sure your presentation looks professional...

Pathology - Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)

Pathology is the study of disease, no less, no more. From the microscopic changes that occur in cells to the ways that diseases affect whole systems within the body, pathology gives us a deep understanding of these processes. Soon, we will call you doctor, are we right? Yeah, because you're...

Beautiful Spring Pattern

Spring is a time of beauty and renewal. There's no better way to capture this season than through vibrant, colorful flowers! This beautiful spring pattern template for multi purpose gives you the opportunity to create artwork that captures the sentiment of spring with ease. No matter which topic you have,...

Societal Issues and Cultural Perspectives - Spanish - Foreign Language - 11th Grade

Addressing societal issues and understanding cultural perspectives is crucial. Foster thoughtful dialogues and discussions in your Spanish lessons with this visually creative presentation in Google Slides PowerPoint. It encompasses a multitude of cool design elements that instantly hold the audience's attention. Engage everyone in insightful conversations about pressing societal matters...

Lettering Grid MK Plan

Do you know what lettering is? It’s the art of turning writing into a masterpiece. Use this beautiful template to explain how to master this beautiful art or to present your marketing plan in an original way. We have included infographics, maps, charts, and lots of letterings to decorate the...

Spring Night Party

After the cold winter, some people love to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather. You can do something smaller, for friends and family, or a big party for guests, with drinks, food and music. In this new template it's nighttime, so these nice slides can work as a tie-in regarding...

In Search of the Pirate King's Treasure

Our treasure? Yeah, we left it all there. We hope it makes whoever finds it happy! Wait, that didn't sound very pirate-like. Yarrrr, matey!... Too cliché. How about wearing a straw hat and having a Canarian crewmate? Yeah, that will do! Are you going to join us in the search...

Guess the Song!

Party games can be such fun! But instead of charades or karaoke, how about we play something else, like… guess the song! There are different ways to do it, you could play the first few bars of the song in question, or you could show the song title in emojis!...

Greek God: Poseidon

Poseidon, the god of the sea and earthquakes, was known for his powerful presence and unpredictable nature. With his trident in hand, he ruled the waters and was the protector of all sea creatures. Neptune is his Roman equivalent, but wouldn't it sound more menacing to have a planet called...

My First Letters - R, RR - Spanish Class

The “R” is one of the hardest letters to master in any foreign language — it sounds different in all of them, and particularly the rolling Spanish R is a challenge for learners. But no worries, because once again the cute letters have come to your aid! This adorable, ready-to-use...

Notebook Lesson

These are the last days before the Summer break! We know that there are some pending lessons that you need to prepare for your students. As they may be thinking about their friends and their holidays, catch their attention with this cool template!

Team Building Class for Elementary

Your students spend most of their days at school, so building a good atmosphere in the class is vital for their happiness. Why don’t you dedicate a day to team building activities? This will help new students make friends and older students create deeper relationships with their classmates. It that...

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Find the perfect PowerPoint presentation template

Bring your next presentation to life with customizable powerpoint design templates. whether you're wowing with stats via charts and graphs or putting your latest and greatest ideas on display, you'll find a powerpoint presentation template to make your ideas pop., presentations.

Help your data, insights, and recommendations make a statement with beautiful and easily customizable presentation templates.

Certificates

Celebrate accomplishments big and small with customizable certificate templates. From gift certificates to awards for finishing a course or training, find a template that highlights their accolades.

Boost visibility for your show, project, or business with easily customizable poster templates. Find templates for all your promotion needs and make them uniquely yours in a flash.

Keep track of whatever you need to in style. From personal planning to promotional calendars, find templates for every kind of project and aesthetic.

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Say more with less using helpful and easily customizable infographic templates. Add clarity to business presentations, school projects, and more with these helpful templates.

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A quick way to create beautiful, powerful PowerPoint presentations

Create captivating, informative content for PowerPoint in just a few minutes—no graphic design experience needed. Here's how:

1. Find the perfect PowerPoint template

2. Customize your creation

3. Show it off

Let's create a powerpoint design, frequently asked questions, where can i find slide templates and themes that i can customize.

To find customizable slide templates and themes, you can explore the business presentations templates or search by PowerPoint templates . Once you find a template that resonates with you, customize it by changing its color scheme, add in your own photos, and swap out the font.

How do I use pre-made PowerPoint templates?

After you've chosen a PowerPoint template to use, customize it. Explore [design tips] on how to customize a deck that resonates with your brand while putting emphasis on the topic at hand. Play with other design elements, like photo shapes, to make each slide unique.

How can I make or edit my own custom PowerPoint templates?

Start from scratch by creating your own PowerPoint template . Follow tips for designs and business presentations so that your unique template is cohesive and relevant to your brand. Incorporate your brand's color scheme and graphics so that all your slides aren't text only.

What kinds templates can I get online for PowerPoint?

You can get PowerPoint templates that have modern designs, animated ones, or even hand-drawn art in each slide. The color schemes range from bold to subtle. Each template's slides are also organized based on what you may want to include in your presentation . You can use the template as a starting point and customize its specific details from theme.

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20+ Best Innovative, Creative + Inspiring PowerPoint Templates

Creative PowerPoint templates can be hard to come by, and even harder to put together from scratch! So what are you supposed to do when it comes time to prepare an important presentation for school, work, or business, and creating unique PowerPoint slides seems to be a near-impossible task?

You’ve come to the right place – in this article, you’ll find a list of amazing PowerPoint templates and creative PowerPoint themes for all kinds of uses, from investor pitches and company briefings to kids’ presentations and creative portfolios. Whatever you’re in the market for, there’s a whole collection of nice PowerPoint templates just waiting for you to download, customize, and deliver to a stunned audience!

Read on for our carefully curated selection of creative PowerPoint templates for your next project.

2 Million+ PowerPoint Templates, Themes, Graphics + More

Download thousands of PowerPoint templates, and many other design elements, with a monthly Envato Elements membership. It starts at $16 per month, and gives you unlimited access to a growing library of over 2,000,000 presentation templates, fonts, photos, graphics, and more.

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Mix & Match PowerPoint Template

First up, we have the Mix & Match theme, one of the most unique PowerPoint templates in our collection! This multipurpose set of slides features a funky yet professional-looking design with bold color choices, modern graphic elements, and a range of fully editable design features such as charts, text styles, and mockup devices.

Ezora – Unique PowerPoint Theme

Ezora is a creative PowerPoint theme specifically designed for hotel industry presentation needs but is versatile enough to be put to use for virtually any business or company under the sun. If you are looking for modern and innovative PowerPoint templates that help you stand out in your next presentation, Ezora is your sure-fire bet.

Talaran – Amazing PowerPoint Template

The next option in our roundup of the most creative PowerPoint templates is Talaran, a ppt design that is perfect for pitch decks, business presentations, and much more. It offers a unique aesthetic, a range of slides, and three pre-made multicolor schemes. A gold standard when it comes to beautiful PowerPoint templates!

Webinar – Cool PowerPoint Theme

Wanting an inspiring PowerPoint template that not just looks mindblowing but also gives you a lot of creative freedom and saves you ample time? Webinar is a professional, modern, and unique ppt template offering 35 stunning slide designs, creative timelines, and infographics, and breathtaking photo and project galleries. One of the best sleek PowerPoint templates out there!

Shaper PowerPoint Template

The next in our lineup of amazing PowerPoint templates is Shaper, a funky set of 87 unique slides featuring creative shapes, an elegant color scheme of 40 curated hues, and charming infographics that can be fully customized to suit your needs. It’s a great choice for an educational presentation.

Velvety PowerPoint Template

If you’re looking for sophisticated and cool PowerPoint themes that are suitable for a kid-friendly project, look no further than the funky Velvety template, which features stylish graphic elements and bold colors for a playful yet professional vibe that can easily be adapted for different purposes.

Meeti PowerPoint Template

If you’re searching for unique PPT templates that can be suitable for an investor pitch deck, consider the Meeti template – it contains 30 impressive slides that are sure to get your message across! The fun color scheme combined with the modern typography and graphics makes it a simple yet creative option.

Artrip PowerPoint Template

Next in our lineup of unique PowerPoint templates is Artrip, which will impress you with its minimal and elegant layout across 75 unique slides, and 20 custom color choices to ensure a cohesive and professional look. It also comes in two-size formats and includes animations and infographics for extra pizzazz!

Loarah PowerPoint Template

In the market for amazing PowerPoint templates that are ready to use for a fashion or beauty presentation? Laorah is a sure winner – a versatile and modern collection of 40 unique slides featuring drag and drop placeholders, customizable charts, free fonts, and editable colors and shapes.

Braze PowerPoint Template

Braze is an innovative and stylish set of 35 slides, and is one of the most amazing PowerPoint templates we’ve seen! It comes with a bold, modern color scheme that helps your content stand out, and is fully editable to allow your own creative flair to shine through.

Unique PowerPoint Template

One of the more unique PPT templates in our list, this option features interesting graphics throughout each of the 30 slides with a creative circular theme, as well as a beautiful neutral color scheme and strong, bold font choices. It includes fully editable vector icons and image placeholders for easy customization.

BLNKS PowerPoint Template

Next in our search for cool PowerPoint themes is the BLNKS template, a portfolio style presentation theme that’s perfect for business projects and company profiles. It offers clean, modern slides with elegant serif fonts, strategically placed image placeholders, and predefined text styles, plus a high definition resolution for a polished finish.

Lelelike PowerPoint Template

Lelelike is a beautiful, vintage-inspired collection of 41 unique slides that can be adapted to suit a wide range of business and personal purposes, but is perfect as a professional portfolio. It offers drag and drop placeholders, fully editable graphics, and master slides to make customization super easy.

Burgundy Fashion PowerPoint Template

One of the best unique PowerPoint templates for a fashion portfolio or beauty profile, the Burgundy template features 36 trendy slides with a beautiful warm brown color scheme, fully resizable and editable graphics, and drag and drop placeholders for easy customization.

Space PowerPoint Template

Here we have a set of 100 cool PowerPoint slides that are perfect if you want a minimal yet powerfully engaging presentation template for your next business project. It offers a palette of 40 carefully curated colors, coupled with elegant serif fonts and beautifully crafted infographics for a classy look.

Ravi PowerPoint Template

Next up is Ravi, a bright and cheerful series of 100 slides that’s sure to make an impact on any audience! It includes a wide range of infographics, maps, photo layouts, and text fields that can all be fully customized, plus a high-resolution widescreen format and a perfect selection of colors to choose from.

Cool PowerPoint Template

True to its name, this modern presentation layout is a perfect example of the cool PowerPoint templates we’ve found for this list! It offers five color variations for you to choose from, and every element is fully editable. Pixel perfect illustrations and high-quality graphics give it a professional feel.

Bonus: Free Creative PowerPoint Templates

Here we have some of the most amazing, and coolest PowerPoint templates for you to download absolutely free. Let’s take a look:

Dealova – Free Creative PowerPoint Template

Here we have Dealova, a flexible, and elegant option that will help you create cool PowerPoint slides in just a couple of minutes. Whether you want to create a pitch deck or brand guidelines presentation, Dealova is one of the most unique ppt templates that come in very handy.

Free Branding PowerPoint Template

Wanting to get your hands on a cool PowerPoint theme that meets the latest design trends? Look no further than this pastel-colored branding presentation template that will make you fall in love at the first sight. It’s one of the most amazing PowerPoint templates, and up for grabs!

Notch Free Cool PowerPoint Template

For a chic and trendy design that’s sure to impress, the Notch presentation template is the perfect choice for a fashion, beauty or lifestyle-themed project, and offers 13 unique slide layouts with modern and elegant graphic elements. You can download this template for free from PowerPointify.

By now, you’ll have seen a whole range of amazing, unique, and cool PowerPoint templates that are available for instant download, and hopefully, you’re feeling much more confident about being able to create the perfect slide deck for your upcoming presentation, whether it’s for school, work or just for fun!

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Blog Data Visualization

120+ Presentation Ideas, Topics & Example

By Ryan McCready , May 08, 2023

Did you know that  46% of people can’t sit through a presentation without losing focus? 

That’s why I wanted to learn how to make a presentation that will captivate an audience. After looking at hundreds of different authors, topics, and designs, I’ve assembled over 100 presentation ideas and tips on how to design a compelling presentation for:

• Social media
• Online courses
• Pitch decks
• Lead generation

In this blog, you’ll find 120+ presentation ideas, design tips and examples to help you create an awesome slide deck for your next presentation.

To start off, here’s a video on the 10 essential presentation design tips to make sure that your presentations don’t fall under the YAWN category.

1. Use A Minimalist Presentation Theme

CREATE THIS PRESENTATION TEMPLATE

The best designs can also be some of the simplest you see. In the Airbnb pitch deck below, they use a minimalist color scheme and font selection.

A minimalist design is sleek, organized and places the most important thing in focus: your information. There are no distracting stock images, icons, or content. Everything on this unique presentation feels like it belongs and works together perfectly. 

Learn how to customize this template:

2. Use a Consistent Design Motif Throughout Your Presentation

Here’s a go-to tip to for a cohesive presentation design: use a design motif. The motif could be a recurring shape (like circles, lines or arrows) or symbol (like a leaf for “growth” or a mountain for “goals”). For more ideas, check out our guide to common symbols and meanings used in design .

For example, this  presentation template uses circles as a design motif. The same circle icon is used in three different colors to add a bubbly touch to the design. The team photos are also incorporated using circle frames:

3. Use an Eye-Catching Presentation Background Image

Like with any type of design work, you should want to catch the eye of your audience. In a presentation, this should be done from the beginning with a  compelling background image or a color gradient.

In this presentation template, the creators were able to do just that with a landscape photo. When a presentation like this is seen on social media, during a webinar or in person, your audience will definitely listen up.

4. Visualize Your Points With Icons

Icons are the perfect visuals to include in presentations. They’re compact and can convey a concept to your audience at a glance. You can even combine multiple icons to create custom illustrations for your slides. 

Use the Icon Search in Venngage to find illustrated and flat icons:

5. Use A Black & White Color Scheme For A Corporate Presentation Design

In the presentation below there are only two colors used: black and white. Now, you might be worried that only using two colors is boring, but it all comes down to balance.

Playing off the ideas of classic minimalism, the designer made this presentation look sleek and professional. And now your content can be the main attraction of your presentation as well!

6. Repurpose Your Slide Deck Into An Infographic 

Different types of presentations serve different purposes and sometimes it helps to work smarter, not harder when you are creating a unique presentation. In fact, the spacing, layout, and style used in this presentation makes it easy to repurpose the same images into an infographic.

This allows you to create two unique pieces of content from one idea!  Which is exactly what  Officevibe did .

Join Venngage’s CEO, Eugene Woo, to learn how you can design impactful infographics that will help maintain trust, increase productivity and inspire action in your team.

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7. Break Your Genre Mold For A Fun Presentation Idea

When I first clicked on this creative presentation from SEMrush, I was not expecting to be transported into a comic book. I’m glad I clicked because it may be the most unique slide deck I have ever seen. Going this extreme with your presentation ideas may seem a bit risky, but to be able to break the mold in this age of cookie-cutter presentations is worth it.

To leave a lasting impression on your audience, consider transforming your slides into an interactive presentation. Here are 15  interactive presentation ideas  to enhance interactivity and engagement.

8. Make Your Presentation Cover Slide Count

As I was scrolling through all of the presentations, this one made me stop in my tracks. It could be that I have a life-long love of Star Wars, or it could be that their presentation cover slide was designed to do just that: grab your attention. That’s why you should not stick with a boring, text-only title slide. Don’t be afraid to use icons and illustrations to make a statement.

9.  Alternate Slide Layouts to Keep Your Presentation Engaging

Keeping your audience engaged throughout an entire presentation is hard, even if you have been working on your presentation skills . No one wants to look at slides that look exactly the same for an hour. But on the other hand, you can’t create a unique masterpiece for each slide.

That’s why I’m very impressed with what the designers did in the presentation example above. They use a consistent visual theme on each slide, but alternate between vertical and horizontal orientations.

The swapping of orientations will show people that the presentation is progressing nicely. It can help you make a strong, almost physical, distinction between ideas, sections or topics.  

10. Make Your Audience Laugh, Or At Least Chuckle

Sometimes you need to not take your business presentations too seriously. Not sure what I mean? Go check out slide number 10 on this slide deck below.

If you did not actually laugh out loud, then I don’t know what to tell you. Small illustrated embellishments can be very powerful because they evoke an emotional response and to gain your audience’s trust.

Did you know 70% of employees think that giving a good presentation is an essential workplace skill? Check out the top qualities of awesome presentations and learn all about how to make a good presentation to help you nail that captivating delivery.

11. Supplement Your Presentation with Printed Materials

Printed takeaways (such as brochures and business cards ) give audience members a chance to take home the most important elements of your presentation in a format they can easily access without using a computer. Make sure you brand these materials in a way that’s visually consistent with your slide deck, with the same color scheme, icons, and other iconic features; otherwise, your recipients will just end up scratching their heads.

If you’re giving people multiple materials, try packaging them all into one convenient presentation folder. There are over 100 styles with a wide range of custom options, so feel free to get creative and make your folder stand out. Sometimes a unique die cut or an unusual stock is all you need to make something truly memorable. Here are some brochure templates to get you started.

12. Only Use One Chart Or Graphic Per Slide 

Having too much information on a slide is the easiest way to lose the focus of your audience. This is especially common when people are using graphs, charts or tables .

In this creative slide deck, the author made sure to only include one focal point per slide, and I applaud them for it. I know this may sound like a simple presentation tip, but I have seen many people lose their audience because the slides are too complex.

13. Keep Your Employee Engagement Presentations Light   

Sometimes you need to get away from stuffy, professional presentation ideas to capture your audience’s attention. In this case, Officevibe used some very colorful and playful illustrations to stand out from the crowd.

I mean, who could not love the plant with a face on slide number 9? And if you want to see some more icons and illustrations like this, be sure to check out our article on how to tell a story with icons.

14.  Feature a Map When Talking About Locations

Including a map in your creative presentations is a fantastic idea! Not only do they make an interesting focal point for your slide layout, they also make location-based information easier to understand.

This cool presentation example by our pro designers at Venngage uses maps to visualize information. This map both dominates the screen, and also displays all the locations being covered.

15. Use a Font That Is Large and In Charge 

If you are presenting to a small group or a packed stadium, make sure your audience can see your text! Use a large and in charge font that can be read from even the nosebleed seats. 

Honestly, you really never know where your unique presentation will be seen. It could be seen in a conference room or conference hall, and everything in between. Be ready to present almost anywhere with a bold and easy to read font.

16. Use Pop Culture References To Build A Fun Presentation 

Using a meme or pop culture reference is another way that you can jive with your audience. It can be used to quickly get a point across without saying a word or create a moment that you can connect with the room. For example in this presentation, they used Napoleon Dynamite to give the audience feelings of nostalgia.

17. Use More Than One Font Weight On Your Presentation Cover Slide

Just like you would never use one font on an infographic, you should never use just one font on your presentation (for more tips, read our guide on how to choose fonts ). In this presentation example from HubSpot, they use a bunch of different font weights to add emphasis to key words and ideas.

As you can see, they use a bold font on the presentation cover to bring attention to Steve Jobs name. This makes it easy for the audience to know what your presentation is going to be about from the beginning as well. 

18. Use A Color Theme For Each Idea 

Color is another extremely powerful nonverbal tool that you can use to guide your audience. By using a different color for each section of your creative presentation, Dell is able to clearly indicate when they are switching points or ideas.  Going from green to orange, and even red almost effortlessly.

This is a great way to design a list, guide, or a  how-to presentation as well. And each color can be assigned to a different step or number with ease. 

Need help picking the perfect color palette? Start here !

19. use illustrations instead of pictures .

An easy way to keep your design consistent throughout your unique presentation is to use illustrations like in this slide deck by Domo.

They used illustrations instead of pictures to show off their subject on slide numbers 4-10 and it looks fantastic. This will ensure that the audience focuses on the content, instead of just the photo they could have used.

It also helps that illustrations are a top design trend for 2020 .

20. Use Contrasting Colors to Compare Two Perspectives or Sides of an Argument 

Contrasting colors can be used to quickly show each side of topic or an argument. For example in this presentation, they use this trick to show the difference between their company and the competition.

They use color very effectively in this example to show their company is better, in a nonverbal way. With a lighter color and illustrated icons, the company is able to position them as the better choice. All without saying a word.  

Now if they would have used similar colors, or a single color the effect wouldn’t have been as strong or noticeable.

21. Include Your Own Personal Interests

This example is one of the most interesting and cool presentations I have seen in awhile, so I suggest checking out the entire thing. The creator inserts a bunch of his personal interests into the slide to make his presentation about education fun and relatable. And they even use a Super Mario Bros inspired presentation cover, so you know it has to be fantastic! 

22. Try To Stick To Groups Of Three 

How many major ideas should be present on your presentation aid? Never break your  presentation layout down into anything more than thirds. This means there should be at most three columns, three icons, three ideas and so on.  A great example of this idea starts on slide number 9 in this slide deck and continues throughout the rest of the presentation.

 Here is a great three columned slide template to get started with.

23. add a timeline to help visualize ideas .

One of the best ways to visualize a complex process or historical event is to use a timeline presentation. A list of all the steps or events is just not going to cut it in a professional setting. You need to find an engaging way to visualize the information.

Take the presentation example above, where they outline the rise and fall of Athens in a visually stimulating way.

24. Label Your Graphs & Charts 

If the people at Pollen VC had not added those annotations to the graphs on slide number 5, I would have definitely not known what to make of that graph.

But when you combine the visuals on a graph with descriptive text, the graph is able to paint a picture for your audience. So make your graphs easy to understand by annotating them (this is a chart design best practice ).

Create a free graph right here, right now !

25. white font over pictures just works .

There is a reason that you see so many quotes or sayings in a white font that are then overlaid on an image. That it is because it just works in so many situations and the text is very easy to read on any image.

If you do not believe me, look at the slide deck example above where they use a white font with a few different fonts and about 100 images. Plus the presentation template is chocked full of other tips on how to create a winning slideshow.

26. Color Code Your Points Across The Whole Presentation 

Here is another example of a presentation that uses color to keep their points organized. In this case, they use 10 different pastel colors to match the 10 different tips for employee engagement.

Check out our guide for how to pick the best colors for your visuals .

27.  Use a Simple Flow Chart to Break Down a Process

If you’re a fan of the movie Step Brothers , you may have heard of Prestige Worldwide before. In this fun presentation example they are back to sell you on their business model and growth plans.

This time, the presentation will be effective because it actually talks about what the business does.

Instead of making a music video, they use a helpful flowchart template to explain their business model. I would recommend following their lead and creating a dynamic flow chart to visually break down any process.  Try making your own flowchart  with Venngage.

28. Make Your Slide Deck Mobile Friendly 

As more people move to mobile as their main device each year, making your presentations mobile-friendly is becoming increasingly important. This means that the text is large and there aren’t too many small details, so everything can scale down. Just like in this presentation example from the creators at Globoforce.

29. Don’t Be Afraid To Include Too Many Examples 

If you are presenting a complex idea to a group, especially a large audience, I would recommend having a ton of good examples. Now, I would try not to overdo it, but having too many it is better than having too few.

In this creative presentation, the people at With Company spend about 20 slides just giving great examples of prototyping. It doesn’t feel too repetitive because they all are useful and informative examples.

30.  Use Consistent Visual Styles For an Elegant Presentation Design

I have already written extensively about using icons in all of your design projects . I haven’t talked as much about matching icons to your presentation template.

But that’s just as important, especially if you want to create a professional presentation for your audience.

As you can see in the example above, the designer used minimalist icons that fit the slide designs. All of the other graphics, charts and visual elements fit together nicely as well.

Plus the icons don’t distract from the content, which could ruin a stellar presentation.

31. Use A Consistent Presentation Layout 

In this example from Bannersnack, they use a consistent layout on each of their slides to help with the flow by using the same margins and text layout.

It’s a solid presentation example because they help the user know where to look immediately. It may seem like they are playing it safe, but anything that can speed up the time it takes for a user to read the content of the slides, the better.

32. Use Loud Colors As Much As Possible 

This is one of my favorite presentations because of the highlighter yellow they chose to use as their main color. It is actually very similar to one that I saw presented live a few years ago and I have used this same approach in a few presentations ideas of my own.

33. Pull Your Design Motif From Your Content 

If you are talking about an interesting topic, why not use the topic as the main design motif in your creative slide deck? For example, in this presentation about sketchbooks, the creator uses a sketchy, handwritten motif. It is something simple that helps the audience connect with the topic. Plus, it allows you to include a ton of great examples.

34. Utilize A Call & Answer Cadence

In this SlideShare about how to create a presentation, Peter Zvirinsky uses a two-step process to present a point. First, he presents the header presentation tip in a speech bubble. Then he shows a supporting point in a responding speech bubble. This gives the presentation a conversational flow.

35. Repurpose Ebook Content Into A Creative Presentation

This slide deck was adapted perfectly from a Seth Godin ebook into the presentation example you see above. In the slide deck, they take a piece of content that would usually take a while to read and cut it down to a few minutes. Just remember to include only the most important ideas, and try to present them in a fresh way.

36. Add A Timed Outline To Your Presentation

We have already covered how important it is to have a table of contents in your slides but this takes it a bit further. On the second slide of the presentation below, the creator added how long each of the slides should take.

This is great because it helps your audience know the pace the presentation will take and will help keep them engaged. It also will help them identify the most important and in-depth parts of the presentation from the beginning.

37. Use A “Next Steps” Slide To Direct Your Audience

One of the worst things you can do as a presenter is to leave your audience without any idea of what to do next. A presentation should never just end because you ran out of slides.

Instead, use a conclusion or “next steps” slide like in the example above to finish your presentation. Sum up some of your main points, tell your audience where they can get more information, and push them to take action.

38. Go A Bit Crazy With The Design 

Sometimes you need to throw convention to the wind to create something unforgettable. This presentation from Velocity Partners does just that, and I think it is one of my favorite ones from this entire roundup.

They use unconventional typography, quirky icons, and unusual presentation layout to make each slide surprising.

39. Make Your Slide Deck Easy To Share  

If you are looking to get a lot of eyes on your presentation I would make sure people will want to share it on social media. How do you do that? By presenting new and interesting value. This means your content needs to answer a common question and your design needs to be clutter-free. For example, look at this very social media-friendly. The slides are simple and answer questions directly.

40.  Use Shapes to Integrate Your Photos Into the Slides

Want to include a bunch of images in your presentation? I say do it!

Now most of the time you would add a raw image directly to your slide. However, if you want to present images in a professional way I would recommend using an image frame .

Like in the example above, you can use these frame to create a collage of images almost instantly. Or provide a similar visual theme to all of your slides.  

Overall, I believe it’s a great way to add a new visual component to your presentation.

41. Hijack Someone’s Influence In Your Marketing Slides

If you are stuck in the brainstorming phase of your presentation, focusing on a brand or influencer is a great place to start. It could be a case study, a collection of ideas or just some quotes from the influencer. But what makes it effective is that the audience knows the influencer and trusts them. And you are able to hijack their awareness or influence.

42. Put Your Logo On Every Slide 

Whether you have a brand as powerful as Moz, or you are just getting started, you should always have your logo on each slide. You really never know where a presentation is going to end up–or what parts of it will! In this presentation template, Moz does a good job of including their branding and such to get others interested in Moz Local. Don’t have a logo yet? Our logo design tips will help you create a logo that’s iconic and will stand the test of time.

43. Lead Your Audience To It 

In this example, the creator uses something very similar to the call and answer approach I mentioned above, but with a little twist. Instead of just throwing all the info up at once, they use three slides to build to a particular point and include a subtle call to action in the third slide.

44. Make Visuals the Focal Point of Your Presentation Slides

If you haven’t noticed, illustrated icons are having a revival in 2020 and beyond. This is likely because minimalist icons dominated the design world for the past decade. And now people want something new.

Brands also like using illustrated icons because they are seen as genuine and fun.

And because they are so eye-catching you can use them as focal points in your presentation slides. Just like they did in the creative presentation example above.

Picking the perfect icon is tough, I would recommend starting here !

45. use a quirky presentation theme .

In this slide deck, the authors show you how to become an Animation Ninja…and they use ninja graphics and icons extensively. This caught my eye immediately because of the amount of work that I knew was behind this. It takes a lot of time and effort to line all of the content and graphic up to create a cohesive theme, but the payoff can be massively worth it.

46. Use A Consistent Background Image 

I am a big fan of the way that Aleyda Solís uses only a single presentation background image throughout her presentation.

By using this tactic the audience is able to focus on what is happening in the foreground. Plus it gives the whole presentation a different feel than all the other ones I have looked at.

47. Summarize Your Points At The End

It’s a good idea to summarize your points before you end your presentation , especially if you’ve covered a lot of information. In this presentation example, Deanta summarizes exactly what they do on slide numbers 16-18. They also provide their contact information in case their audience has any more questions. I think that every presentation should use this same approach, especially the ones you are presenting outside of your company.

48. Use A Minimalist Presentation Template

This slide deck from QuickBooks uses a minimalist theme to help the audience focus on what is important, the content.

There were only five colors used in the entire presentation and the graphics were simple line drawings. This made it easy to read and very pleasing to the eyes.

49. Split Your Slides Length-Wise 

Here is a simple template you can use to separate your headers, or main points, from your body text in a presentation.

Instead of using a solid presentation background, split the slide in half like Sequoia did in their slide deck. They used their brand color for the title portion and a neutral white for the supporting content.

Use this template to create a very similar slide right now !

50.  embrace a bold color scheme throughout your presentation.

My favorite part of the creative presentation example above is the use of complementary colors in each slide. As you can see, not one of the slides use the same color scheme but they all feel related connected.

This approach can be used to make your presentation visually unique, without abandoning a cohesive theme or idea.

51. Put Text In the Top Left Corner 

English speakers will instinctively try to read text from a top to bottom, left to right orientation. I would recommend using a left alignment for your text and adding additional things from top to bottom, just like Aaron Irizarry did in this presentation layout.

52. Break Up Your Tables 

A plain table with a white background with black or gray lines are difficult to read on a computer screen, so why would you create one for viewing on a large presentation screen? You shouldn’t!

Instead, follow Intuit’s lead and break up the rows with a bit of color. This applies to data visualization in general , but think it is even more important when it comes to presentations.

53.  Present Connected Information in a Visually Similar Way

In this startup pitch presentation example, they have a ton of information to get through. But they present their most important slides, the problem and solution, in a visually similar way.

By using a similar layout on each slide, the audience will be able to quickly make a connection. If you want to present two connected pieces of information, use this tactic.

From the font to the layout, it’s all basically the same. The main message they’re trying to impart is a lot more impactful to the reader.

If they would have used two wildly different presentation layouts, the message may have been lost.

54. Roundup Expert Tips Into One Presentation 

If you are looking for useful insights into the topic of your presentation, talk to some influencers in your niche. These are called “expert roundups” in the content marketing world and they are incredibly shareable.

Plus, they are pretty easy to create and have a great shelf life. In the example above, we talked to a gaggle of marketing experts about what makes a SlideShare great.

55. Use Bold & Brash Colors Throughout 

B old colors usually make your presentation template a lot easier to read and remember. Like at this slide deck made by our talented designers, which doesn’t shy away from bright, bold colors.

Want to pick a perfect color palette for your presentation? We can help!

56. make yo ur graphs easy to read & interpret .

It should not require a Master’s degree in statistics to understand the graphs that someone uses in a presentation. Instead, the axis should be easy to read, the colors should enforce the point, and the data should be clearly plotted.

For example, in this presentation on slide numbers 14 and 25, the graphs nail all of those tips perfectly.

57. Condense Your Presentation Into a Memorable Line 

If you can, try condensing your information into a simple one-liner to help the message stick with your audience. In slide number 36 of this presentation, Mika Aldaba does just that and shows that “Facts + Feelings = Data Storytelling.”

He does this again a few times throughout the presentation with other memorable one-liners.

58.  Bring attention to important figures with colorful icons

If you’re including a figure or number on your slides, I’m guessing you want the audience to actually see it.

That’s why I would recommend using an icon or graphic to highlight that figure. Maybe use a color or icon that isn’t used anywhere else in the presentation to make sure it really jumps off the screen.

In the presentation example above, all that’s used is a simple circle to make each figure a focal point. It’s really that easy, but many people leave it out of their presentations.

59. Anchor Your Text With Icons 

Having your text or content floating out in the white space of your presentation is not a good look.

Instead, you should use anchor icons to give the text something to hold onto and draw the audience’s eye. If you need some examples of good anchor icons, check out slide numbers 4, 7 and 9 in this presentation example.

60. Add Semi-Opaque Lettering As a Presentation Background 

A neat way to keep your slide deck organized is to number your slides or points using semi-opaque lettering in the background.

Then, place your slide content on top of the opaque lettering. This helps your audience know that you are on the same point or idea, plus it just looks really good when done right.

61. Use Simple Or Minimalist Borders

An easy way to class up your slides is to put a border around your text. Take this presentation from Venngage that uses a couple of different types of borders to make their slides look professional.

Plus it helps keep all of your content contained on the slide!

62. Feature One Idea Per Slide

Nothing is worse than a confusing, cluttered slide. Instead of trying to pack a bunch of ideas into one slide, focus on one core idea on each slide. If you need to flesh the idea out, just make another slide. 

Having trouble condensing your slides? Our presentation design guide can help you summarize your presentations and convey a singular idea with a clear focus.

63. Keep Your Style Consistent With Your Brand 

You might be tempted to switch up the style of your creative presentations each time, but think again. If your brand is known for fun and lighthearted content, like Officevibe, let that be your style throughout all of the presentations you publish under that brand. This will make your slide decks recognizable and will enforce your brand’s message .

64. Use Accent Fonts to Emphasize Important Numbers

Some people hate pie charts with a passion, but I think they are perfect for presentations. Especially if you want to bring attention to a figure or percentage point .

In this simple example, the pie charts are used to visualize each figure in an interesting way. Plus the pie charts fit the circular and fun theme of the rest of the presentation very well.

65. Use Patterned and Textured Presentation Backgrounds

Source  

Adding some subtle textures, icons or shapes to the presentation background can help make your slides more interesting. This is especially effective when you are only showing one point per slide, because it makes the slide design less sparse.

You can even switch up the colors on your shapes or textures to match the theme of the slide like DesignMantic did in this presentation.

66. Illustrate Complex Or Confusing Concepts With Icons 

Ideally, you don’t want every slide in your deck to just be text. Instead, switch things up every few slides by using just pictures.

This slide deck by Gluwa uses icons to create little diagrams to illustrate their presentation ideas. Their slides still communicate concepts to the audience, but in a new way.

67. Overlay Stock Photos With Color 

One problem many people encounter when creating a presentation or slide decks are finding photos with a consistent style. An easy way to edit photos to make them consistent is to add a transparent color overlay. In this example, Change Sciences uses a blue overlay on all of their photos. Plus, the color you choose can also help convey a particular mood.

68. Use Black and White Blocks 

An easy way to make your text pop, particularly on a photo background, is to use white font on a black blog background (and vise-versa). Check out this slide deck by Abhishek Shah, which uses this trick in an effective way.  

Now if you want to become a better leader this year, check out some of our favorite leadership infographics .

69. Use Photos With Similar Filters 

Using a bunch of photos with wildly different filters can be jarring in a business presentation. To maintain a consistent flow, use photos with a similar filter and color saturation.

Take a look at this example from HubSpot across slide numbers 1-6 and you can see what I mean.

70. Visualize Your Points With Diagrams 

Sometimes the best way to get your point across is to throw some diagrams into the presentation mix. But be sure to make is something that the audience can pick up on in three to five seconds tops.

For example, Jan Rezab uses a diagram to illustrate what takes up time in our lives on slide numbers 4, 5, 7 and 9!

71. Get Experts To Share Tips

If you want to provide even more value to your audience than you can offer yourself, why not call in some expert reinforcement? See what experts in your field have to say on the topic of your presentation and include their tips and insights. Plus you can hijack their influence and expand your audience fairly quickly. 

72. Mimic a Popular Presentation Style 

Uber’s pitch deck helped them raise millions of dollars in venture capital eventually leading to the glorious moment when they IPOed this year.

Aside from our sleek design upgrade (hey, we love good design!), this pitch deck template is the exact same one that Uber used to go from Idea to IPO.

And who knows? Maybe you might start the next Uber. But to raise money, you will need to create flawless business pitch decks to impress investors and raise those dollars.

73. Plan Your Presentation Idea Ahead of Time

I know that minimalist designs are all the rage this year, but there is a big difference between a well-thought-out minimalist design and a lazy design without the finish touches. The same goes for a cluttered design with too many things going on at once.

That’s why it’s worth it to take the time to really plan out your presentation ideas and design concepts. Take this slide deck about storytelling by HighSpark. A quick glance will tell you that they put a lot of thought into designing their slides.

74.  Use Tables to Compare Your Brand to the Competition in Sales Presentations/Pitch Decks

There are a lot of ways to visually compare similar things in this day and age. You could use a comparison infographic , or even a venn diagram!

However, when it comes to presentations I think that the simple table is best. Especially if you are comparing more than two things, like in this presentation example.

With a table, you can clearly lay out all the pros and cons of each idea, brand or topic without it being overwhelming to the audience. Plus, virtually everyone knows how to follow a table, so your information will be easy to consume.  

See more examples of the best pitch decks .

75. Blend Icons & Content Effortlessly

Usually, icons are used as eye-catching objects detectors or anchors for text in a slideshow. But they can be used for so much more than that!

Like in this marketing presentation from Constant Contact they are very large but do not distract from the content.

76. Make Your Audience Want More 

This tactic has been used by everyone since the idea of marketing was invented (or close to that). In this presentation example called “100 Growth Hacks, 100 Days” the creator only shows the audience the first 10 days of it and then uses a call to action at the end of the presentation to encourage them to seek out the rest.

The only risk with these kinds of presentation ideas is if your initial content is not great, you can’t expect your audience to seek out more information.

77. Use Memes (For Real, Though) 

Usually, memes do not have a place in a serious business setting, so maybe don’t use them for formal presentations. But if you’re covering a lighter topic, or if you’re going for a fun presentation that will connect with your audience, don’t be afraid to throw a meme or two into the mix.

The audience immediately knows what you are trying to say when you use a popular meme in your presentation. For example, on slide number 7, the creator uses a meme to show that it will be hard to create great content

78.  Include a Slide that Introduces Your Team in Pitch Decks

In this presentation example, the creators decided to include their team on a slide. I think it’s a great gesture.

Showing your team can help the audience put a face to your brand and make the whole company feel more genuine. So if there is a team that has helped you get where you are today, give them some recognition!

79. Feature A Complementary Color Palette

Even though I am not a formally trained designer, I still understand that proper color usage is the base of any good design. Although not all of the tenets of color theory work great for presentations, complementary colors are always a great pick.

Take a look at the color usage in this business presentation from Gary Vaynerchuk below . The purple and Snapchat yellow, which are complementary colors, look fantastic and the content jumps off the screen.

80. Use A Heavy Or Bold Font 

The very back of the room should be able to read your content if you are giving a group presentation. To ensure that your entire audience can read the slides I would not only use a large font, but also use a heavy font.  If you are confused by what I mean by a heavy font take a look at this unique presentation example by Slides That Rock.

81. Do The Math For Your Audience

If you are going to use a graph in your presentation to compare data you should do the match for your audience. Do not make them do the calculations in their head because you will quickly lose their attention. For example, on slide number 5 the people at Sickweather lay out exactly what figures they want the audience to take from the slide.  

82. Use Unique Colors For Different Sections

The example below has 145 slides but it does not feel overwhelming or confusing.

That’s because each section has a different corresponding color, which makes it easier to flip through the slide deck and find a particular part.

83.  Give Your Presentation a Catchy Title that Anyone Can Remember

What I really love about the presentation example above is that it features a catchy tagline on the second slide–“The 3S Framework.” It’s simple but it works!

This motto helps outline the structure of the presentation, and each slide referring back to it. Plus, the tagline will give the audience something to latch onto and remember from the presentation.

84. White Backgrounds Are Not Always Bad 

A lot of people think that plain white background is a boring presentation faux pas. So the first thing they do is add color or image, which is not a bad thing at all.

But I also think that when used correctly, like in this example, plain white backgrounds can lead to beautiful presentations.

85. Split The Header Text From The Body Text

This idea is very similar to the one-two punch tactic that I talked about above, but it spreads the content over two slides as opposed to a single slide.

Use this design choice when you have fairly easy to follow presentations, like the one below from Steve Young. I know that this is effective because it allows the audience to focus on the main point before he drives it home with the supporting details.

86. Feature Circle Image Frames  

I am a big fan of the design choices that Frank Delmelle uses in this slide deck about content strategy. He uses circles as his main design motif and frames his images in circles as well.

87. Talk Directly To Your Audience 

This slideshow tops out at 70 slides but it’s a breeze to flip through. That’s because the creator, Ian Lurie, decided to present it in the form of a conversation instead of a classic slide deck.

While each slide only has one or two sentences, it flows just like a friendly chat. He also includes the necessary pauses, breaks and other conversational tics that helps make it even more convincing.

88. Illustrated Icons Are Key This Year 

Icons add a fun and functional element to your designs. In this presentation by Iryna Nezhynska, they use illustrated icons to make a potentially intimidating topic seem manageable.

89. Highlight Key Numbers and Percentages 

Surprising percentages have the ability to excite and shock an audience. To make the percentages on your slides even more impactful, present them in a different color or font than the rest of the text.

In the presentation example above, Contently uses that exact tactic to bring more attention to key numbers.

90. Use a Gradient as Your Presentation Background 

Just like bold color schemes, gradients are a current social media graphic design trend . They may feel retro to some, but I believe they will be around well into the future.  

Gradients are perfect for presentation backgrounds because they are so versatile and eye-catching. I mean, you can literally create a gradient with any colors you can think of! And they look a lot more interesting than a simple flat background.

So embrace the future and use a gradient in your next presentation!

91. Track The Steps In a Process 

In this example, the creators from O.C. Tanner add a very interesting feature to their slides, starting on slide number 6. If you take a look at this business presentation template, you will see that they number the steps in a process and track which step they’re on at the bottom of the slides.

92. Use Mind Blowing Font Pairings 

The creator of this slide deck uses at least 10 different types of fonts. And it looks fantastic because they know that one font choice is boring. But this does not mean that you should use a bunch of random fonts–pick font pairs that play well together and keep your font choices for different types of information consistent throughout the presentation.

93. Make Your Ideas As Obvious As Possible 

Your audience shouldn’t be guessing at what you mean. That is why I think that this presentation example from In a Rocket is so powerful because they make the information easy to digest.

Learning to code can be challenging, but they break the information down with simple diagrams and clear examples. Heck, I have not touched CSS in a few years and I could still follow what they were instructing.

94. Use Images That Will Actually Scale 

A large mistake that you can make in your slide deck is using low-quality images. They may look great on your computer, but as soon as the slides are put up on a screen, the low quality will show. In this example by ThoughtWorks, all of their presentation background images look great and will scale well to a bigger screen. And that is even after the image compression that LinkedIn most likely does!

95. Take Risks With Your Presentation Layout

I honestly was blown away the first time I saw this presentation because it capitalized on such a risky design idea. The creators from Weekdone literally turned their presentation into an 8-Bit video game. A nd if you are looking for something that will stick with your audience, I would take a few creative cues from them!

96. Seriously, You Better Use Memes 

In this day and age memes are mainstream, so why wouldn’t you use them in a creative presentation? These do not have to be the coolest meme that all the hip kids are sharing, they can be some of the classics. Like the one that Dana DiTomaso uses on slide 16 to emphasize that it’s a trap!

97. Follow a Clear Design Rhythm

I really like how this presentation introduced each new point in three or four steps, using the same design. It gave the presentation a rhythm that flowed almost like a song!

I would recommend using this approach if you have to introduce multiple points per slide.

98. Use LOTS Of Icons

If you have made it this far in the list you have already probably seen how effective icons are in presentations. They are the perfect way to support your ideas and make your presentation more pleasing to the eyes.

For example, take a look at all the icons SlideShop uses in this presentation. Almost every slide has at least one icon and a few have more than ten!

99. Give Each Slide Its Own Spark

I know this goes against earlier points I had about creating a cohesive theme in your presentation layout, but everyone knows that rules are made to be broken (if you can do it better)!

In this slide deck, the team at Officevibe literally created different designs for all 27 of their slides. And to top it off, each of the designs fit the quotes they used extremely well.

100. Use LARGE Header Cards 

An easy way to stick to that “one piece of content on each slide rule” is to use header cards. They are basically the header that you would normally use in a blog post or article, but it gets is own slide before the content. Here is an example of that idea in the real world in this presentation from Brian Downard.

101. Ask Your Audience Questions 

I think one of the most common elements I saw in all the slide decks was that they asked the audience questions. You can use questions to engage with your audience and get them thinking a bit harder about the topic. The Site By Norex team did an exceptional job of this when they explored what the topic of what makes up a brand.

Need some more info about creating a memorable brand? Check out some of the best branding stats for 2020 and beyond!

102. Introduce Yourself and Your Brand 

I would say that a majority of presentations that I looked at in this list just jumped right into the content without an introduction to the author or brand in the actual slide deck.

This introduction is very important because it establishes your credentials from the beginning, especially if someone is just reading the slide deck. In this example from Losant, they do just that by spending the first few slides telling the audience who they are.

103. Mix Up Your Mediums 

Finally, this slide deck effectively marries two very distinct content forms together: digital images and hand-drawn illustrations. In this example, Freshdesk uses the timeless classic of a comic strip, Calvin & Hobbes, in something so modern to inform the audience in a fun way.

104. Show Off Your Credentials 

Just like with any piece of content, people are more likely to believe what you are saying if they know what your company does. That is why I really like when people insert their qualifications right into the presentation slides. Just like Andreas von der Heydt, from Amazon, did at the beginning of this presentation about thinking big.  

105. Highlight Key Data Points 

If you are presenting a chart or graph on a dry topic, I would recommend using a single color to highlight the most important data point. For example, the investment firm a16z uses orange to highlight the data points they want their audience to focus on in each of their charts.

Check out some examples of how to highlight your key information in bar charts .

106. Show Your Audience Where To Find More Information 

A lot of people end their presentations by literally just running out of slides, and that is the wrong way to do it. Instead, CBInsights consistently pushes their readers towards another piece of content at the end. This is also where you can insert a call to action!

107. Tell Your Origin Story

  Source

This idea is kinda similar to showing off your company qualifications at the beginning of your presentation. But with this approach, you are trying to make an emotional connection with your audience instead of just showing off accolades.

And Rand from Moz does this extremely well in the presentation example above.

108. Use One Focused Visual 

This presentation uses a central visual of a structure, with each slide moving down the levels of the structure. This is incredibly powerful because the entire presentation is about sinking your company, and the visual they designed mirrors that idea perfectly. Using one focus visual also makes your slide deck design cohesive.

109. Don’t Take Presentation Design Too Seriously

Sometimes we get caught up trying to make the perfect presentation and it ends up making us crazy!

But in this presentation example, Jesse Desjardins uses a mix of wit and hilarious retro images to create a memorable and light-hearted presentation.

110. Use Size To Your Advantage 

I am a big fan of using bubble charts and other charts that use size to compare two pieces of data. That is why I like this pitch deck from the ShearShare team that utilizes a size-based chart on slide number 9. The chart is used to illustrate the massive growth potential in their industry.

111. Split Section Headers From The Main Content With Different Background Colors 

In this presentation, Seth Familian uses alternating colors in a very interesting way. For each of the title slides, he uses a black color background, but for the content slides he uses a white background.

This helped the readers follow along and comprehend what was on the page even faster. And when you are presenting to hundreds of different types of people, this can make or break your presentation.  

112.  Have A Conversation With Your Audience 

Take a conversational tone in your presentation is a great way to encourage your audience to participate.

In this slide deck example, we presented a simple storyline and use questions to engage with the audience throughout. And it helped create a flow throughout the  presentation template  that is easy to follow.

113.  Include Your Branding Throughout Your Presentation Ideas

Another thing that people seem to forget when they are working on a presentation is to include their business’s branding. You honestly never know where your work is going to be shared, so it is important to make sure people know it’s yours. HubSpot does an outstanding job of this on all their presentations, as you can see in the bottom left corner of each slide.

Plus you have spent a ton of time creating your  brand guidelines , might as well use them.

114.  Include Multiple Slides To Build To Your Main Point

Try using multiple slides to build to your main point. This helps you walk through the components of one overarching point while also building suspense. In this slide deck, the creator uses 6 slides to build up to one main point, adding a new illustration to the diagram on each slide.

115.  Split The Difference 

Use either the left or right side of the slide to hold your text and the opposite to display an image. If you are using a photo or graphic as the main background in your slides, this is a great way to keep things organized. 

116. There Are Millions Of Fonts Out There…Use Them

Hey, I love simple fonts just as much as the next guy, but sometimes you need to step up your font game to stand out. For example, WebVisions uses a very gritty, probably custom font in their unique presentation that fits the topic extremely well. Take a look!

117.  Build Your Presentation Content Around Icons 

Try using icons as the focal points of your presentation layout. This example from Omer Hameed  uses icons to draw the audience’s eyes  right to the middle of the presentation, where the main points and headers are located.  

118.  Mix Up Font Style To Emphasize Important Points

If you would like to draw some extra attention to a certain word or idea,  switch up the font  to one that is bolder. For example, in this oldie but goodie presentation from HubSpot they use a heavy sans-serif font to highlight ideas, as opposed to the serif font for the other text.

119.  Add Personal Touches To Your Presentation

If you want to create a truly unique presentation, add personal touches. In the slide numbers 6-13 from this presentation, the creator adds something to their design that no one else could ever have: they use original drawings they did themselves.

120.  Harness the Power of Your Own Brand Colors

Sometimes people forget that they already have a battle-tested color palette that they can use in their  brand colors . I try to incorporate one of our brand colors in most of my designs and it makes so much easier to choose colors.

In this simple presentation example, Spitfire Creative used a palette that had both of their brand colors throughout the slideshow.

121.  Used Dark-Colored Blocks to Highlight Words

I have seen this trick used in a lot of presentations and it works well. Highlight certain words or phrases by laying them overtop a colored rectangle. Take slide number 7 in this presentation example as a great guide. Use it to bring attention to a saying or idea you really want your audience to remember.

122.  Show The Audience Your Mug 

This presentation example comes from the same presentation as a previous one, but it was too good not to share. Throughout the slides, you will see Rand from Moz pop up to add a human element to the design. Using an image of your team or yourself can put the audience at ease and make it easier to connect with the presenter.

123.  Include A Helpful Table Of Contents 

I only saw this presentation idea used a few times throughout my research, but I believe it should be used a lot more. A table of contents will help the audience know what to expect and keep their focus throughout. Especially if you are creating a presentation that is a bit longer than normal.

124.  Do Not Post Just Screenshots, Do More

Screenshots of a program or app are very common in any blog post, but I think you can do a little better when it comes to presentations.

So instead of just posting a boring screenshot, add a little more to the slide by using illustrations and product shots. If you are not sure what I am talking about, just check out how great the screenshots look at slide numbers 7 and 8 in this presentation.

125. Highlight Keywords Using BOLD Color 

Here’s another slide deck that uses different colors and blocks to highlight keywords. If you are going to use text-heavy slides, then make sure the key points are easy to pick out. Take this slide deck: starting in slide number 4, they highlight exactly what they want you to take away from the text on each slide!

Enough Presentation Ideas For You?

You made it! I applaud you for making it through all those presentations. Hopefully, now you have a few nifty presentation ideas ready for when you need them.

The next step is to create a presentation that will captivate a meeting room, an amphitheater, and even the world (hey, it doesn’t hurt to dream big).

How-To Geek

8 tips to make the best powerpoint presentations.

Want to make your PowerPoint presentations really shine? Here's how to impress and engage your audience.

Quick Links

Table of contents, start with a goal, less is more, consider your typeface, make bullet points count, limit the use of transitions, skip text where possible, think in color, take a look from the top down, bonus: start with templates.

Slideshows are an intuitive way to share complex ideas with an audience, although they're dull and frustrating when poorly executed. Here are some tips to make your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations sing while avoiding common pitfalls.

It all starts with identifying what we're trying to achieve with the presentation. Is it informative, a showcase of data in an easy-to-understand medium? Or is it more of a pitch, something meant to persuade and convince an audience and lead them to a particular outcome?

It's here where the majority of these presentations go wrong with the inability to identify the talking points that best support our goal. Always start with a goal in mind: to entertain, to inform, or to share data in a way that's easy to understand. Use facts, figures, and images to support your conclusion while keeping structure in mind (Where are we now and where are we going?).

I've found that it's helpful to start with the ending. Once I know how to end a presentation, I know how best to get to that point. I start by identifying the takeaway---that one nugget that I want to implant before thanking everyone for their time---and I work in reverse to figure out how best to get there.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it's always going to be a good idea to put in the time in the beginning stages so that you aren't reworking large portions of the presentation later. And that starts with a defined goal.

A slideshow isn't supposed to include everything. It's an introduction to a topic, one that we can elaborate on with speech. Anything unnecessary is a distraction. It makes the presentation less visually appealing and less interesting, and it makes you look bad as a presenter.

This goes for text as well as images. There's nothing worse, in fact, than a series of slides where the presenter just reads them as they appear. Your audience is capable of reading, and chances are they'll be done with the slide, and browsing Reddit, long before you finish. Avoid putting the literal text on the screen, and your audience will thank you.

Related: How to Burn Your PowerPoint to DVD

Right off the bat, we're just going to come out and say that Papyrus and Comic Sans should be banned from all PowerPoint presentations, permanently. Beyond that, it's worth considering the typeface you're using and what it's saying about you, the presenter, and the presentation itself.

Consider choosing readability over aesthetics, and avoid fancy fonts that could prove to be more of a distraction than anything else. A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.

There reaches a point where bullet points become less of a visual aid and more of a visual examination.

Bullet points should support the speaker, not overwhelm his audience. The best slides have little or no text at all, in fact. As a presenter, it's our job to talk through complex issues, but that doesn't mean that we need to highlight every talking point.

Instead, think about how you can break up large lists into three or four bullet points. Carefully consider whether you need to use more bullet points, or if you can combine multiple topics into a single point instead. And if you can't, remember that there's no one limiting the number of slides you can have in a presentation. It's always possible to break a list of 12 points down into three pages of four points each.

Animation, when used correctly, is a good idea. It breaks up slow-moving parts of a presentation and adds action to elements that require it. But it should be used judiciously.

Adding a transition that wipes left to right between every slide or that animates each bullet point in a list, for example, starts to grow taxing on those forced to endure the presentation. Viewers get bored quickly, and animations that are meant to highlight specific elements quickly become taxing.

That's not to say that you can't use animations and transitions, just that you need to pick your spots. Aim for no more than a handful of these transitions for each presentation. And use them in spots where they'll add to the demonstration, not detract from it.

Sometimes images tell a better story than text can. And as a presenter, your goal is to describe points in detail without making users do a lot of reading. In these cases, a well-designed visual, like a chart, might better convey the information you're trying to share.

The right image adds visual appeal and serves to break up longer, text-heavy sections of the presentation---but only if you're using the right images. A single high-quality image can make all the difference between a success and a dud when you're driving a specific point home.

When considering text, don't think solely in terms of bullet points and paragraphs. Tables, for example, are often unnecessary. Ask yourself whether you could present the same data in a bar or line chart instead.

Color is interesting. It evokes certain feelings and adds visual appeal to your presentation as a whole. Studies show that color also improves interest, comprehension, and retention. It should be a careful consideration, not an afterthought.

You don't have to be a graphic designer to use color well in a presentation. What I do is look for palettes I like, and then find ways to use them in the presentation. There are a number of tools for this, like Adobe Color , Coolors , and ColorHunt , just to name a few. After finding a palette you enjoy, consider how it works with the presentation you're about to give. Pastels, for example, evoke feelings of freedom and light, so they probably aren't the best choice when you're presenting quarterly earnings that missed the mark.

It's also worth mentioning that you don't need to use every color in the palette. Often, you can get by with just two or three, though you should really think through how they all work together and how readable they'll be when layered. A simple rule of thumb here is that contrast is your friend. Dark colors work well on light backgrounds, and light colors work best on dark backgrounds.

Spend some time in the Slide Sorter before you finish your presentation. By clicking the four squares at the bottom left of the presentation, you can take a look at multiple slides at once and consider how each works together. Alternatively, you can click "View" on the ribbon and select "Slide Sorter."

Are you presenting too much text at once? Move an image in. Could a series of slides benefit from a chart or summary before you move on to another point?

It's here that we have the opportunity to view the presentation from beyond the single-slide viewpoint and think in terms of how each slide fits, or if it fits at all. From this view, you can rearrange slides, add additional ones, or delete them entirely if you find that they don't advance the presentation.

The difference between a good presentation and a bad one is really all about preparation and execution. Those that respect the process and plan carefully---not only the presentation as a whole, but each slide within it---are the ones who will succeed.

This brings me to my last (half) point: When in doubt, just buy a template and use it. You can find these all over the web, though Creative Market and GraphicRiver are probably the two most popular marketplaces for this kind of thing. Not all of us are blessed with the skills needed to design and deliver an effective presentation. And while a pre-made PowerPoint template isn't going to make you a better presenter, it will ease the anxiety of creating a visually appealing slide deck.

17 PowerPoint Presentation Tips to Make More Creative Slideshows [+ Templates]

Published: August 16, 2023

Creating a great PowerPoint presentation is a skill that any professional can benefit from. The problem? It’s really easy to get it wrong. From poor color choices to confusing slides, a bad PowerPoint slideshow can distract from the fantastic content you’re sharing with stakeholders on your team.

That’s why it’s so important to learn how to create a PowerPoint presentation from the ground up, starting with your slides. Even if you’re familiar with PowerPoint, a refresher will help you make a more attractive, professional slideshow. Let’s get started.

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

• Presentation Tips

PowerPoint Design

I like to think of Microsoft PowerPoint as a test of basic professional skills. To create a passing presentation, I need to demonstrate design skills, technical literacy, and a sense of personal style.

If the presentation has a problem (like an unintended font, a broken link, or unreadable text), then I’ve probably failed the test. Even if my spoken presentation is well rehearsed, a bad visual experience can ruin it for the audience.

Expertise means nothing without a good PowerPoint presentation to back it up. For starters, grab your collection of free PowerPoint templates below.

10 Free PowerPoint Templates

Download ten free PowerPoint templates for a better presentation.

• Creative templates.
• Data-driven templates.
• Professional templates.

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Tell us a little about yourself below to gain access today.

No matter your topic, successful PowerPoints depend on three main factors: your command of PowerPoint's design tools, your attention to presentation processes, and your devotion to consistent style. Here are some simple tips to help you start mastering each of those factors, and don't forget to check out the additional resources at the bottom of this post.

A presentation is made up of multiple slides, let's delve deeper into PowerPoint's capabilities.

Getting Started

1. open powerpoint and click ‘new.’.

If a page with templates doesn‘t automatically open, go to the top left pane of your screen and click New. If you’ve already created a presentation, select Open then double-click the icon to open the existing file.

That said, you can still use fun and eccentric fonts — in moderation. Offsetting a fun font or large letters with something more professional can create an engaging presentation.

Above all, be sure you're consistent so your presentation looks the same throughout each slide. That way, your audience doesn't become distracted by too many disparate fonts. Check out this example from HubSpot’s company profile templates:

Interested in this presentation template? Download it for free here.

5. Make sure all of your objects are properly aligned.

Having properly aligned objects on your slide is the key to making it look polished and professional. You can manually try to line up your images ... but we all know how that typically works out. You're trying to make sure all of your objects hang out in the middle of your slide, but when you drag them there, it still doesn't look quite right. Get rid of your guessing game and let PowerPoint work its magic with this trick.

Here’s how to align multiple objects:

• Select all objects by holding down Shift and clicking on all of them.
• Select Arrange in the top options bar, then choose Align or Distribute .
• Choose the type of alignment you'd like.

Here’s how to align objects to the slide:

• Select Align to Slide .
• Select Arrange in the top options bar again, then choose Align or Distribute .

6. Use "Format Object" to better control your objects' designs.

Format menus allow you to do fine adjustments that otherwise seem impossible. To do this, right-click on an object and select the Format Object option. Here, you can fine-tune shadows, adjust shape measurements, create reflections, and much more. The menu that will pop up looks like this:

Although the main options can be found on PowerPoint’s format toolbars, look for complete control in the format window menu. Other examples of options available include:

• Adjusting text inside a shape.
• Creating a natural perspective shadow behind an object.
• Recoloring photos manually and with automatic options.

7. Take advantage of PowerPoint's shapes.

Many users don’t realize how flexible PowerPoint’s shape tools have become. In combination with the expanded format options released by Microsoft, the potential for good design with shapes is readily available. PowerPoint provides the user with a bunch of great shape options beyond the traditional rectangle, oval, and rounded rectangle patterns.

Today’s shapes include a highly functional Smart Shapes function, which enables you to create diagrams and flow charts in no time. These tools are especially valuable when you consider that PowerPoint is a visual medium. Paragraphing and bullet lists are boring — you can use shapes to help express your message more clearly.

8. Create custom shapes.

When you create a shape, right click and press Edit Points . By editing points, you can create custom shapes that fit your specific need. For instance, you can reshape arrows to fit the dimensions you like.

Another option is to combine two shapes together. To do so, select the two shapes you’d like to work with, then click Shape Format in the top ribbon. Tap Merge Shapes .

You’ll see a variety of options.

• Combine creates a custom shape that has overlapping portions of the two previous shapes cut out.
• Union makes one completely merged shape.
• Intersect builds a shape of only the overlapping sections of the two previous shapes.
• Subtract cuts out the overlapping portion of one shape from the other.
• Fragment will split your shape into different parts depending on where they overlap.

By using these tools rather than trying to edit points precisely, you can create accurately measured custom shapes.

9. Crop images into custom shapes.

Besides creating custom shapes in your presentation, you can also use PowerPoint to crop existing images into new shapes. Here's how you do that:

• Click on the image and select Picture Format in the options bar.
• Choose Crop , then Crop to Shape , and then choose your desired shape. Ta-da! Custom-shaped photos.

10. Present websites within PowerPoint.

Tradition says that if you want to show a website in a PowerPoint, you should just create a link to the page and prompt a browser to open. For PC users, there’s a better option.

Third party software that integrates fully into PowerPoint’s developer tab can be used to embed a website directly into your PowerPoint using a normal HTML iframe. One of the best tools is LiveWeb , a third-party software that you can install on your PowerPoint program.

By using LiveWeb, you don’t have to interrupt your PowerPoint, and your presentation will remain fluid and natural. Whether you embed a whole webpage or just a YouTube video, this can be a high-quality third party improvement. To install the add-on, simple head to the LiveWeb website and follow the instructions.

Unfortunately, Mac users don’t have a similar option. A good second choice is to take screenshots of the website, link in through a browser, or embed media (such as a YouTube video) by downloading it directly to your computer.

11. Try Using GIFs.

GIFs are looped animated images used to communicate a mood, idea, information, and much more. Users add GIFs to PowerPoints to be funny or quickly demo a process. It's easy to add GIFs to your slides. To do so, simply follow these steps:

• Download and save the GIF you want.
• Go to the slide you want the GIF on.
• Go to the Home tab, and click either Insert or Picture .
• From the Picture drop-down menu, choose Picture from File .
• Navigate to where you saved your GIF and select it. Then, choose Insert .
• It will play automatically the moment you insert it.

PowerPoint Process

12. keep it simple..

PowerPoint is an excellent tool to support your presentation with visual information, graphics, and supplemental points. This means that your PowerPoint should not be your entire presentation. Your slides — no matter how creative and beautiful — shouldn't be the star of the show. Keep your text and images clear and concise, using them only to supplement your message and authority.

If your slides have dense and cluttered information, it will both distract your audience and make it much more likely that you will lose their attention. Nothing in your slides should be superfluous! Keep your presentation persuasive by keeping it clean. There are a few ways to do this:

• Limit bullet points and text.
• Avoid paragraphs and long quotes.
• Maintain "white space" or "negative space".
• Keep percentages, graphs, and data super basic.

13. Embed your font files.

One constant problem presenters have with PowerPoint is that fonts seem to change when presenters move from one computer to another. In reality, the fonts are not changing — the presentation computer just doesn’t have the same font files installed . If you’re using a PC and presenting on a PC, then there is a smooth workaround for this issue.

Here’s the trick: When you save your PowerPoint file (only on a PC), you should click File , then Options, then open up the Save tab. Then, select the Embed fonts in the file check box under Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation . Now, your presentation will keep the font file and your fonts will not change when you move computers.

The macOS PowerPoint version has a similar function. To embed your fonts on a Mac, do the following:

• Open up your presentation.
• On the top bar, click PowerPoint , then click Preferences .
• Under Output and Sharing , click Save .
• Under Font Embedding , click Embed fonts in the file.

14. Save your slides as a PDF file for backup purposes.

If you’re still scared of your presentation showing up differently when it’s time to present, you should create a PDF version just in case. This is a good option if you’ll be presenting on a different computer. If you also run into an issue where the presenting computer doesn’t have PowerPoint installed, you can also use the system viewer to open up the PDF. No laptop will ever give you trouble with this file type.

The only caveat is that your GIFs, animations, and transitions won’t transfer over. But since the PDF will only work as a backup, not as your primary copy, this should be okay.

To save your presentation as a PDF file, take the following steps:

• Go to File , then click Save as …
• In the pop-up window, click File Format.
• A drop-down menu will appear. Select PDF .
• Click Export .

You can also go to File , then Export , then select PDF from the file format menu.

15. Embed multimedia.

PowerPoint allows you to either link to video/audio files externally or to embed the media directly in your presentation. You should embed these files if you can, but if you use a Mac, you cannot actually embed the video (see note below). For PCs, two great reasons for embedding are:

• Embedding allows you to play media directly in your presentation. It will look much more professional than switching between windows.
• Embedding also means that the file stays within the PowerPoint presentation, so it should play normally without extra work (except on a Mac).

Note: macOS users of PowerPoint should be extra careful about using multimedia files.

If you use PowerPoint for Mac, then you will always need to bring the video and/or audio file with you in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation. It’s best to only insert video or audio files once the presentation and the containing folder have been saved on a portable drive in their permanent folder. Also, if the presentation will be played on a Windows computer, then Mac users need to make sure their multimedia files are in WMV format. This tip gets a bit complicated, so if you want to use PowerPoint effectively, consider using the same operating system for designing and presenting, no matter what.

16. Bring your own hardware.

Between operating systems, PowerPoint is still a bit jumpy. Even between differing PPT versions, things can change. One way to fix these problems is to make sure that you have the right hardware — so just bring along your own laptop when you're presenting.

If you’re super concerned about the different systems you might have to use, then upload your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides as a backup option. Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation software that will show up the same way on all operating systems. The only thing you need is an internet connection and a browser.

To import your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides, take the following steps:

• Navigate to slides.google.com . Make sure you’re signed in to a Google account, preferably your own.
• Under Start a new presentation , click the empty box with a plus sign. This will open up a blank presentation.
• Go to File , then Import slides .
• A dialog box will come up. Tap Upload , then click Select a file from your device .
• Select your presentation and click Open .
• Select the slides you’d like to import. If you want to import all of them, click All in the upper right-hand corner of the dialog box.
• Click Import slides.

When I tested this out, Google Slides imported everything perfectly, including a shape whose points I had manipulated. This is a good backup option to have if you’ll be presenting across different operating systems.

17. Use Presenter View.

In most presentation situations, there will be both a presenter’s screen and the main projected display for your presentation. PowerPoint has a great tool called Presenter View, which can be found in the Slide Show tab of PowerPoint. Included in the Presenter View is an area for notes, a timer/clock, and a presentation display.

For many presenters, this tool can help unify their spoken presentation and their visual aid. You never want to make the PowerPoint seem like a stack of notes that you’re reading off of. Use the Presenter View option to help create a more natural presentation.

Pro Tip: At the start of the presentation, you should also hit CTRL + H to make the cursor disappear. Hitting the "A" key will bring it back if you need it!

Your Next Great PowerPoint Presentation Starts Here

With style, design, and presentation processes under your belt, you can do a lot more with PowerPoint than just presentations for your clients. PowerPoint and similar slide applications are flexible tools that should not be forgotten. With a great template, you can be on your way to creating presentations that wow your audience.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in September 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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StoryTelling Presentations

Creative PowerPoint Presentation Ideas

Are you looking for help to create a presentation? Don’t worry as it is easier than you think but you do need to put a bit of effort into it if you want to get good results.

PowerPoint presentations are a fantastic tool for sharing information and motivating people into taking action, whether in the boardroom, classroom, or during a public speaking event they can create a really positive atmosphere. Most people want to create really engaging presentations but many people just don’t know where to start so they just go with basic slides and paste loads of text into them, they then stand up and read the text out to the audience and wonder why the crowd switch off. If you want to capture your audience’s attention and leave a lasting impression, it’s essential to infuse creativity into your slides. In this guide, we will explore the best ideas for creating a creative PowerPoint presentation that captivates and engages your audience.

Start with a Solid Foundation: Content and Storyline

Before diving into the creative aspects, you have to start with a solid foundation. Your content and storyline should be well-structured, logical, and interesting. Here’s how to build that base:

Define Clear Objectives: Before you even start you have to decide what you want to achieve with your presentation, presentations usually have one of three objectives

• You need to inform your audience about key information
• You need to persuade your audience to take some sort of action
• You want to entertain your audience

Once you figure out which one of the above objectives you want to achieve then you already have an idea of what sort of presentation it needs to be and this will also guide you as you start creating content

Audience-Focused Approach : Next you have to think about who your audience is, what are they looking for and what do they already know. You need to consider what they will need and want to hear and you need to tailor your content to deliver this

Create a Story line : Develop a logical order that brings your content together, a well laid out story line will make your presentation more interesting and memorable

Have a Strong Opening : Start with an attention grabber such as a thought provoking question or an outlandish statistic or statement to get your audiences attention right at the start.

Visual Attention: Design and Layout

Your content is where you build substance but your design is what makes everything pleaseing on the eye, if you have a good design your presentation will really seem professional, you need to pay attention to the details such as layout and aesthetics as small things make a big difference visually 

Minimalist Design:  If you want your audience to be able to understand what you are presenting and not be completely distracted by what is on screen then you need to embrace minimalism. Clean, uncluttered space, harmonized color schemes and standard fonts will make your slides easy to absorb and that way your audience will be able to focus on what you are presenting to them 

Consistency : Maintain a consistent design throughout your presentation. This includes fonts, colors, and slide layouts. It is amazing but most people don’t realize how much inconsistent slides distract the audience

Use Images : We have all heard the phrase that a picture is worth a 1000 words, this is because a good relevant image can communicate and support a message better and faster than any amount of text. Using relevant well placed images can really add to a presentation but please DO NOT use stock images with watermarks across them

Font Styles :  Experiment with fonts and typography styles to make key points stand out, bold, creative fonts can be used to draw attention to headings but please be consistent with where you use them

Use Infographics : Charts and graphs are the the simplest and best way to illustrate data and information so that it can be understood quickly, use ready made infographics as there is no need to create your own nowadays. See my post on Infograpia or Expert Slides for some really easy to use infographics 

Dynamic Elements:

Powerpoint has constantly improved over the years and now it is really easy to add dynamic elements that used to be limited to presenters with really high skill levels. They look good, showcase your skills and will keep your audience paying attention to your presentation.

Subtle Animations : Use animations sparingly to add a dynamic touch to your slides. Transitions and some standard animations can make your presentation more interesting without overwhelming your audience.

Interactive Elements : Audience interaction is a gauranteed way to get your audience engaged and make sure they are paying attention. you can use interactice quizzes by simply having questions on a slide or live tools such as Mentimeter so really get your audience involved and let them see their feedback in real time

Adding Videos : Adding short video clips into your presentation are a great way to keep your audiences happy, these are really good at the start to grab the attention, in the middle to give them a break or at the end to give them a takeaway moment. Videos are really good for providing additional relevance and understanding. You can check out my post on embedding videos in presentations to see how to do this. Make sure your videos are relevant though and don’t just add them for the sake of it

Creative Slide Transitions : PowerPoint has a whole new range of transitions that can really add to the delivery, don’t over complicate it though and try to be consistent rather than swapping between different types of transition as this will just be a distraction

Deliver in Style

Too many people think that presentations are all about the content and they focus completely on their slides, in reality the most important element of any presentation is how you deliver your content:

Tell a Story : Delivering your presentation as if it was a story is the best way to get your audience involved, make it easier for them to follow and ensure they remember your message. Check out my post on StoryTelling if you want to improve your StoryTelling skills

Metaphors and Analogies : If you have any sort of complex message to deliver use metaphors or analogies to make them relevant and easier to understand, a good analogy is a great way to get your audience involved, especially if it is relevant to them

Powerful Quotes : Using quotes has become a bit of a cliche but a relevant quote used at the right time can still be quite thought provoking, the best time to have a strong quote is after you have delivered some important informatioon or at the end of your presentation to finish with a strong message

Final Points to Ensure Your Presentation Goes Smoothly

Incorporating the above tips will help you to create and deliver a really creative, engaging and fun presentation but it is important to remember that any creative ideas you add in should only be used if they are relevant and add to your presentation. Don’t just add them because they look good.

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind : Practice, Practice, Practice : No matter how creative your slides are it won’t matter if you cannot deliver them, practice your presentation multiple times to ensure you know it really well. Time it too so you know how long it will take and be prepared to know what you can expand or remove if your time available changes.

Keep It Concise : Avoid bombarding your audience with information, even if it is good. Remember that your audience will only remember approx 10% of what you tell them so make sure the emphasis is on the 10% that you want them to recall. Using the interactive elements and getting them involved will help to increase what they remember significantly

Get Feedback : Speak to peers and colleagues and ask for feedback, even if this presentation doesn’t go as well as you hoped you can get feedback to learn and make sure the next one is better. Make sure you ask them to be honest, consider giving out a feedback survey after the presentation 

Remember, the goal of a creative PowerPoint presentation is not to impress your audience with your PowerPoint skills but to effectively deliver your message and engage your audience. Creativity should enhance, not distract. When used well, these creative presentation ideas can take your slides to the next level and leave a lasting impact on your audience.

I hope this post has helped you to create and deliver better presentations and if you have a Presentation coming please feel free to check out some of my other posts such as equipment needed for presentations to help avoid potential issues.

If you have any feedback or ideas please let me know in the comments below as I love to hear what you think

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Tips for Creating an Engaging All-Hands Meeting Presentation in PowerPoint

Have you been wondering how you can make your company’s business update presentation more engaging for your employees? You can find a solution in an all-hands meeting presentation. All-hands meetings are a valuable opportunity for employees to learn about the latest company news, updates, and initiatives. They also provide a chance for employees to connect and build relationships. 

Let me show you a few examples of inspiring and engaging slides for an effective all-hands meeting presentation:

• starting an all-hands meeting and introducing the rules of conduct for effective teamwork
• presenting the best employers’ ranking
• visualizing the initiatives of the new project
• presenting the employee of a month
• sharing relevant business updates
• illustrating company strategy and transformation processes

Get all the graphics presented here – click on the slide pictures to see and download the source illustration. Check the full All-Hands Company Meeting PPT Template .

What is the all-hands meeting and why do you need it in your company?

An all-hands meeting is a company-wide meeting where employees from all levels and departments come together to learn about the latest company news and updates, hear from leadership, and celebrate successes. All-hand meetings are typically held regularly, such as monthly or quarterly.

Effective all-hands meeting presentations are informative, engaging, and inspiring. They should provide employees with a clear understanding of the company’s progress, goals, and direction. They should also be an opportunity for employees to connect with their colleagues and feel inspired about their work.

In the next section, we will discuss some tips for creating an effective all-hands meeting presentation.

Introducing the Rules of Conducts Visually on PPT slide

Presenting the rules of the meeting is important for many reasons:

• It sets the tone for the presentation and lets the audience know what to expect.
• It helps to prevent disruptive behavior.
• It creates a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.

So let’s have a look at the slide below which presents a few rules to follow during the meeting. It’s a short list but the bullet points or numbers were replaced with a graphical representation. Each rule is visualized with an adequate icon and color-coded.

Examples of such visual representation by a graphical symbol can be:

• icon of a crossed-out mobile phone for a rule: Focus and turn off your mobile phones
• icon of a head with a heart shape inside for a rule: Listen and be respectful to participants
• icon of a palm for a rule: Raise your hand if you want to ask a question

Rules presented in that way are much easier to remember by the audience than a typical hard-to-read bullet point list. Check our ultimate ideas list for abstract business concepts if you’re looking for inspiration on illustrating such abstract ideas.

Presenting the Best Employers Ranking

Employees can be more likely engaged and motivated when they feel proud to work for a company that is recognized as a great employer. Presenting the best employers’ ranking in an all-hands meeting presentation is a great opportunity to show employees that their company is valued and respected.

Below is an example of how you can visualize such a slide.

One of a slide we created for the all-hands meeting presentation shows the list of 8 best companies in the industry. We highlighted here position nr 3 but of course, with editable PowerPoint graphics, one can easily mark other positions – ideally if you make it to nr 1 position. 

The slide is divided into three columns. Those on the left and right sides are dedicated to companies’ names and in the middle, among the lists is located the big ribbon with a title and a year. Each company is presented by the number in ranking and a score and our company is marked with a vivid color to make it easy to identify by the audience.

Visualizing the New Projects Initiatives

By visualizing new projects and initiatives, you can show your employees how the work they are doing fits into the overall picture. Employees can feel more connected to the company’s mission and see the value of their work.

So let’s see on the slide below how it can be visualized graphically.

We created a slide with a template for the 4 new projects. Each of them is placed on a chevron with a special place for the name, lists of goals, and representative icons. To make the slide more attractive, each project has its own color. It makes the slide readable at a glance.

If you want to focus more on the upcoming initiatives, check our project planning decks list .

Presenting an Employee of the Month

Publicly recognizing and rewarding employee achievements is a great way to boost morale and motivation in a company. When employees see that their hard work is appreciated, they might be more likely to continue to go the extra mile.

We created an example of a slide with an employee of the month.

It includes the frame for the personal presentation: name, surname, picture, job position, a short introduction of a person, and email address. It’s marked clearly, by a strong color (in our case it’s red). Most of the space on a slide is dedicated to the key achievements. They are marked by more calm colors (like shades of blue) but every achievement has the icon of a ribbon and a number.

How to Create an Effective All-hands Meeting Presentation?

Keep in mind that a well-prepared all-hands meeting presentation can help you capture the attention of employees, make information more memorable, and inspire a sense of excitement and engagement. It’s worth following a few simple rules:

• Have a clear purpose. What do you want your employees to learn or take away from each slide? Once you know your purpose, you can tailor your content and deliver it accordingly.
• Be concise. Set the palette of the colors for your presentation and use it consequently. Too many colors can bring chaos and lead to eyesight’s tired eyes.
• Use visual aids. Visuals help to break up your text, make your presentation more engaging, and help your employees understand and retain information more effectively. It’s a good practice to replace bullet points with shapes and to visualize concepts with simple icons.
• Tell stories. Stories are a great way to connect with your audience and make your presentation more memorable. Share stories about your company, or your team (eg. the employee of the month, or ranking of best employers), to illustrate your points and make your presentation more engaging.

I’m sure that with these tips you can create an inspiring all-hands meeting presentation 🙂 Share your tips in the comments!

Resource: All-Hands Meeting Company Presentation

In the examples above I used the graphics from a PowerPoint template with All-hands Meeting concept visuals. You can find all source slides in the infoDiagram collection of presentation graphics, and many more layout examples here:

All Hands Company Meeting PPT Presentation

You can extend your company meetings with a Town Hall Meeting presentation template right here .

Continue Exploring

Looking for more inspiration? Check our resources:

• How to Keep Online Meetings on Track
• Practical Tips To Give Engaging Virtual Presentations
• Creating Engaging Town Hall Meeting Presentations in PowerPoint

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How to Highlight Your Presentations in PowerPoint

Creating an engaging PowerPoint presentation is an art form, and one of the most effective ways to emphasize key points and draw your audience's attention is by using highlighting techniques. Unfortunately, some users don't know how to highlight presentations through various methods.

This article explores various methods to highlight text, images, and objects in PowerPoint to make their presentation stand out and convey their message effectively.

Part 1: Why is highlighting text in PowerPoint important?

Whether you are a student or a business professional, highlighting is an important part of presenting your presentation. It draws your audience’s attention to the right spots and helps them convey the right information.

Even as a presenter, you can stay on track and focus on the points that need more emphasis. In no time, you may even become the best presenter around. It is a great skill to build an outstanding portfolio for yourself.

There are many ways to highlight the important parts in your presentations that you can understand in this article.

Part 2: 5 Creative ideas to highlight presentations in PowerPoint

Now that the importance of highlighting has been discussed, the next question is how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint. There are many ways to do so but do not get overwhelmed by all these strategies. Here are the top 5 ways you can make meaningful highlights in your content.

Idea 1: Using Animated Circles 

Everyone has been at a point where they want to draw attention to a specific part of the presentation. Animated circles can help you a lot in this context. It can take your viewer’s attention right where you want it to be.

Step 1: Choose the portion of text or image that you want to highlight in your presentation.

Step 2: Go to the shape icons in the Home menu in the toolbar above. You can use the oval shape to cover the portion.

Step 3: Right-click on the oval and go to the Fill option. Choose no fill from the bottom of the menu.

Step 4: Now, you can go to the outline option and choose the color that suits your needs. You must also visit the Weight section and select 3 pt for maximum clarity.

Step 5: Select the oval and go to the Animation section in the toolbar above. Select Add Animation.

Step 6: Click on the Add Animation button to see a drop-down menu. Here, you can find the More Entrance Effects option. Select that to open a new prompt menu.

Step 7: Here, you can select Wheel and press the OK button when done.

Step 8: Check the preview if it meets your needs. You can also try different styles to find out what can suit your needs the best.

Idea 2: By Adding a Glow Effect 

Another effective way to get attention towards your presentations is to add glow to them. A glow effect can draw anyone’s attention and make them drawn towards the important parts of your presentation. Here is how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint with a glow.

Step 1: Add a shape of your choice from the Home section in the menu on the top of PowerPoint.

Step 2:  You can resize the image and add text if needed. After that, you can click on the shape to enable the Format menu above.

Step 3: Once you select the shape, you can go to the Shape Effects menu and select Glow.

Step 4: You can choose the glow options from the given menu or visit the options on the bottom to explore more.

Step 5: You can adjust the glow of a shape by going into the Glow Options… Here, you can use important aspects such as size and transparency to ensure that your presentation matches your vision.

Idea 3: Using Animated Arrow

It cannot be easy to point out something with the tip of your finger, especially when you are presenting. You do not want to hinder the projector light or seem disoriented to the viewers. Here is how you can use animated arrows to draw viewers drawn toward your presentation.

Step 1: Start by choosing a piece of text or an image that you want to highlight. Go to the Home tab and select an arrow shape from the images.

Step 2: You can go to the Fill option to choose the appropriate color for your presentation.

Step 3: Once you feel that your arrow is ready for animation, select it and go to the format tab. You can go to the Add Animation section and visit More Motion Paths.

Step 4: Once you are in the Motion options, select Up to keep the arrow moving continuously. You can also choose the auto-reverse option.

Idea 4: Using Custom Animation

Your presentation may require you to add custom animations to your pictures. It is a great way of doing something out of the ordinary and standing out. Here is how you can use custom animations to meet your audience's expectations.

Step 1: Click a text or shape with animation applied to it. Go to the Animation tab and select Effect Options.

Step 2: You can look into the settings of your chosen animation to make it more well-suited to your needs. Once done, press OK to confirm the changes.

Step 3: Once the layered animations have been made, you can use edit points to make the final adjustments. After that, your presentation will be good to go.

Idea 5: Using Word 

People can find it tricky to work with different shapes and features to learn how to highlight your presentation in PowerPoint. They can also use Word to add their highlights. Here is how you can do it.

Step 1: You can select the part that you want to figure out how to highlight. Right-click on it and choose the Copy option from the menu.

Step 2: Open a Word file and use the pasting options to paste the excerpt.

Step 3: Find the highlight option from the Home menu above. You can choose any color you want that suits your needs.

Step 4: Once highlighted, you can right-click on the text and copy it.

Step 5: Go back to PowerPoint and click the right button. Explore the paste options and look for Keep Source Formatting. Now, you have a height except in your PowerPoint presentation.

Every discussed way to highlight presentations in PowerPoint has its own pros and cons; some ways can be difficult for users, and others may be hassle-free. It is everyone’s own journey to find the right match.

Part 3: Shortcut to highlight text in PowerPoint?

It is commonly believed that there is no shortcut for users to create highlights in PowerPoint. However, you can use Ctrl+I to enable the highlighting tool when in slideshow mode. This way, you can engage your audience as you go and get rid of additional mouse work.

Part 4: Best Excellent Alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint - WPS Presentation

With more than 494 million users, WPS Office is a reliable productivity partner for many individuals and organizations. It is the first priority for many users who want to learn how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint.

If you look into the meaningful features such as user-friendliness and accessibility, you can agree, like many others, that WPS Presentation is a way more reliable tool than many others. It creates an experience that boosts your productivity.

Here are some features of WPS Presentation you must know.

Slide Designs

Presenter Tools

Template Library

File Sharing

Chart Styles

Generative AI

Pros of WPS Presentation

Here are some of the most effective benefits of the WPS Presentation tool that you must consider.

Rich template store

Lightweight

Support online documents

Safe and stable

Here is how you can download the WPS Presentation for use on your computer

Here are the steps you can follow to download WPS presentation software for free on your devices.

Step 1: Visit wps.com and look for the WPS Presentation software in the items listed.

Step 2: You will see two buttons on the page that can help you download the WPS Presentation on your PC. You can use either option to download the right tools of your operating system.

Step 3: Once you click install, you can see the software being downloaded on your PC. You can visit your downloads to see the progress. This can take up to a few minutes. 

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Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint.

Are there any recommended color combinations for highlighting? 

There are no set rules for the colors that you must choose while learning how to highlight your presentations in PowerPoint. You can do your best by keeping the theme and contrast theory in mind.

It is best to ensure that you do not use any colors that undermine each other, like black text on a yellow background or white text on a dark blue background. Instead, use the ones that complement each other.

Can I remove highlights from my presentation if I change my mind? 

You can always have a change of mind during a creative journey. That is why there is always an option for users to remove highlights as per their needs. You can also revert to the automatic settings of PowerPoint whenever needed.

Is it Possible to Highlight in PowerPoint?

Yes, you can easily highlight text in PowerPoint while in SlideShow mode. Just press Ctrl+I in slideshow mode and choose a color. There on, you can use your mouse or touchpad as a cursor to highlight text while presenting.

Best Alternative to Create Highlights – WPS Office

It is not always the easiest thing to learn how to highlight your presentations in Powerpoint. There are so many ways that can overwhelm you. That is why users are always looking for reliable alternatives such as WPS Office.

With more than 1.2 billion downloads and almost 500 million active users, you can also use the WPS Office Presentation feature to create highlights and enjoy many other creative and productive features free of cost.

You can visit wps.com today and download the WPS Presentation for your device today.

• 1. How to Highlight Text in PowerPoint (A Comprehensive Guide)
• 2. How to Make A Beautiful Slideshow in PowerPoint-- Make Your Presentations Better
• 3. Mastering PowerPoint Boost Your Presentations with Quick Slide Sorter View Techniques
• 4. 5 Best Free Fonts That Make Your PowerPoint Presentations Visually Appealing
• 5. Enhance Your Presentations with Top Minimalist Powerpoint Template
• 6. How to Make Your PowerPoint Presentations More Engaging with Interactivity

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