Chantal

If you read my blog post on Wedneseday (30 June) you?ll have seen that I?m a big fan of PowerPoint, when it?s used properly. If you?re not yet convinced, here are three more tips to help you create professional presentations to promote your business.

When I arrived at the networking event where I?d been asked to speak, I went straight to the room to check the set up and make sure the presentation was working. There was a laptop and projector on a table to the side of the screen. This was ideal (and I would have rearranged the equipment it if hadn?t been that way.) Why? Tip four is that you should be able to see your presentation without having to look at the screen and ever have to turn your back on your audience. Make sure you can see your slides on a computer, or have notes on a table in front of you.

Tip five is that you should create a summary of your presentation for your audience. Don?t print out all the slides ? no one will remember what the images meant after the event (and anyway it uses up too much paper). Create a one page summary of the key points (mine is a list of the 10 things you can do to integrate your online marketing). And don?t give the summary to anyone before the presentation, because they?ll spend more time reading it than listening to you. Instead, offer it afterwards in return for a business card; or offer to email to anyone who wants it. Both are a great way to collect contact details and keep in touch with people!

My final slide showed details of how the attendees at the lunch could get in touch with me and what was on offer. Three bullet points and my website address. This final slide stayed up during the questions at the end of the presentation and while people finished lunch and networking. So tip six is that your final slide says on view and has a clear call to action.

If you?re still not convinced that you can use PowerPoint to present your business then it is best if you keep away from it. If, however, I?ve given you a few ideas about how you could make PowerPoint work for you, then give it a go and let me know how you get on!