How to Create Engaging Presentation Slides

We all hate being presented to... unless the presentations are stunning and easy to follow. Learn how to use AI to create stunning presentations Like everyone in business, I need to create presentations. Potential clients, existing clients, internal status meetings, stages, quarterly reviews... We all would like to have unique, and engaging graphics for our presentations. Because it is captivating to the audience and it keeps your audience engaged. Just look at the posts from people like Rory Flynn or Tianyu Xu and see how much engagement they get, and you'll understand what I mean. I know what you are thinking - yes, this is true, but to create amazing graphics is a lot of work and am a busy business person. And also, I do not have the talent or the skills to create this kind of graphics. Well, you do not need a lot of time or skill to get there, just use the process below: - If you do not have any presentation yet, start by asking your favorite LLM to create the outline for you. I am currently using GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini Advanced. Make sure to define: - The goal of the presentation - The target audience - The tone you want to use - and how much text you would like on each slide for advanced presenters - you can also ask for the presenter notes with more information and references Then, you can either use this outline, or if you already have a presentation - just upload it to ChatGPT, and ask it to help you with graphics. I ask for a coherent style across all the created images, and a list of 3 ideas for graphics for each of the slides Then I pick one idea, add or fine-tune it based on my taste, and ask the model to generate the graphics for me Depending on the graphics, and the background of my presentation, I will sometimes remove the background in Canva or an online background remover, before using it. A 15 slide presentation should take you no more than 10 minutes, and you dramatically increase the chances of keeping your audience engaged. If you want the exact prompts I am using in each of the steps please comment - I want it, and share what kind of presentations you usually create.

Pitching and Deck Creation. Half Art & Half Science. Most get the psychology game wrong. I’ve researched and tested a lot on this topic... Let’s say you nailed the creative on the pitch, it’s fucking perfect. You know it, the team knows it, it’s a win. But it’s not yet. Because now is the part that you haven’t spent 1000’s of hours honing your skill with immense passion. The presentation. Financial deal makers have, you haven’t. ↗ 1st mistake - assuming an in-person, zoom, and a leave behind are the same thing. They are different and should be thought about differently. You should probably be doing at least two alt versions, a Live and Leave Behind. - For an in-person you want almost no copy on your slides. Just headers and key points so people can follow along. Think about a Ted talk, are they reading the screen? Are they asking the audience to read along like school children? No, the focus is on the speaker so that they understand the concepts and are in conversation. That’s you. - For leave behind - should be thought of as a sales tool for who you just spoke with. Because guess what, unfortunately you probably didn’t talk to the ultimate decision maker. You just provided a tool for that person to passionately sell the work up the chain. Make sure you provide them with what they need. ↗ 2nd mistake - you rush through the presentation in order to get to the end. What you ideally want to do is engage in a dynamic conversation. Get them talking, asking questions, make it light, get live feedback, solve problems on the spot, and laugh y’all. - Second best - deliver in 20mins and engage in a Q&A. Why 20? That’s the max attention span of people for this type of thing. If 20 is impossible, make sure you tell the story in a way where you're aware you will probably lose them. Side convo’s are even easier during virtual. ↗ 3rd mistake - you aren't actually answering what they need to make a decision. Make sure you FULLY understand what they need. Working this process is often the difference maker, and shouldn't be left up to only the producers. For the advanced class read Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff. It’s made for billion dollar deal makers but the principles work for creatives as well. For the ultra advanced, the goal is to win the job before anyone pitches, but I'll save that for another post;) Hope this was helpful. Will try to give more learnings on this topic if so.

Feeling embarrassed about your slides? I've been there. Trust me. But before you give up, try these 3 quick fixes: 1. Reduce text. Then reduce again. - Slides aren't meant to be documents. - Rule of thumb: 1 message per slide. - Less text = better engagement. 2. Add contrast. - No one wants to sit through 10 slides of all white. - Use contrasting colors -- they're easier on the eyes. - If the background is dark, use light text. 3. Use visuals. - It's hard to speak to a slide full of text. - Incorporate images and videos -- they'll help you tell your story. - Even a few simple icons can help break up the monotony. So, next time you're designing a slide deck, remember these quick and easy fixes. Your audience will thank you.

"Ever sat through a presentation drowning in content, feeling like the presenter turned it into a thesis on PowerPoint? 📊 Or witnessed someone reading each point from the slide, leaving the audience more interested in their phones? 📱 I've learned from my mentor, Craig Valentine, that 'When you Squeeze information in, You Squeeze your audience out.' To keep your audience captivated: 1️⃣ Embrace visuals over content overload. 2️⃣ Weave in personal stories to make it relatable. 3️⃣ Use Analogies to simplify complex points. 4️⃣ Deploy metaphors for memorable takeaways. 5️⃣ Engage them with interactive activities. The goal? Keep them on the edge of their seats, involved and evolving throughout your presentation. Because when you involve them, they will evolve! 🚀 #PresentationTips #EngagementMatters" #letsgrowtogether #publicspeaking

Stop memorizing words on a slide. There's a more effective and easy way to convey ideas in your presentation: Tell a story. I recall several instances where I sat in front of my computer, meticulously flipping through slides in preparation for an upcoming presentation. The slides were filled with smart-sounding words, interesting images, and convincing data points. I reviewed the material, slide by slide, carefully stringing together the perfect words to accompany them. I rehearsed the talk track diligently, starting over whenever I forgot a key phrase or missed a transition sentence. What I had failed to realize then was that it wasn’t the exact words I chose to say, but rather the story I was telling that made the biggest impact. Storytelling has a way of bringing clarity to your thoughts that no combination of words, data, or pictures on a slide can. There's a level of vulnerability and honesty that comes with telling a personal story. This builds a connection between the storyteller and the audience. Last week, I did a product demo where I tied in my chronic use of German Curry Ketchup. Does our product have anything to do with ketchup or Germany? No, but it helped me drive home the value of a new feature we launched. Next time you're presenting, weave in a story. You'll find it transforms passive listeners into active participants, doubters into advocates, and skeptics into customers, far better than any slide ever could. #productmanagement #storytelling #communication #leadership

Let’s say you want to propose a new project to your team. Or maybe you’re heading into your performance review and want to show up looking ~prepared~. Every company has their format, but as an ex-consultant, I’ve spent quite some time building decks for client projects, proposals, and even my own performance reviews. If I’m ever trying to put thoughts together in my current job as a content creator, I’ll first pull up blank slides (my teammate Annie V. has a love-hate relationship with my deck obsession🥲). I utilize slides for pitches to brands, advising strategies, internal performance reviews, training modules for my team, and post-mortems following partnerships. Here are four tips that I think make every deck better: 1. Identify the problem. Get to the point within the first two slides of your presentation in the form of a problem statement. Why should someone spend their precious time looking at this deck? If you’re proposing getting allocated more funds to support a team happy hour, the problem statement could be something witty like “We do good work, but we don’t celebrate that enough.” Pro tip: keep this problem statement to one or two simple sentences. The more you elaborate on the problem, the trickier it becomes to solve. 2. Use icons. Wow…I’m SUCH a consultant. Icons make a boring slide interactive and easy to follow. 3. Provide data to substantiate your proposal. Why should your audience believe in your plan of action? Do you have examples from the past or case studies that you can reference? I recently pitched integrating a brand sponsorship into my Gen Z series. I built a slide that included statistics from both the series on my channels (link clicks, engagement, etc.) and Gen Z consumer behaviors as they related to the brand’s industry / product. 4. List your next steps. A proposal is not of value unless you’ve provided actionable steps for all stakeholders. I always make next steps attributional by listing them in a 2-column table format (action item on the left, the person responsible on the right). Is this similar to how you organize your pitch decks? I’d love to hear some additional tips in the comments below!

As a speaker I want you to envision that your content is a plate of food you are handing to your audience. Is it a loaded down buffet plate? Filled with SO much content there is a little of this and a little of that. Quotes, research, humor, stories, ideas, lists, points, rabbit trails, too many words on the slide, and a lot of competing ideas. Everyone who listens has to pick through your message to find something they like. Ask five people what was on the plate and they will all say something different. Or is it a plate they would receive at a fine dining restaurant? Where every item was intentionally chosen to leave an impression. Simple. Elevated. Beautiful. Memorable. Clear in its presentation. Complex in its flavor. Ask five people what was on the plate and they will all say the same thing. You get to choose which content plate you are handing your audience. More than likely you are trying to cram too many items on the plate. 🎯 You probably need to ruthlessly eliminate some content.🎯 Most people I work with struggle having too much content. They try to cover too many things. I do to. How to fix it: ✅Have one clear point everything else you share drives to and supports. ✅ Kill your darlings and cut anything that doesn't support your point. ✅ Intentionally make your speech at least 5 minutes shorter than the allotted time (if it's 45-60 minutes) to let it breathe. ✅ Practice (and time) your content in front of real people for feedback. Have you ever faced this problem? How have you solved it? What about you? Do you struggle with trying to say too much? In presentations? In life? #publicspeakingtips #publicspeaking #speaking #contentcreation #writing

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 Building an extraordinary relationship with your audience is vital for the success of your presentation. This relationship hinges on two crucial elements: intellectual and emotional connections. While logic engages your audience’s thinking, it is emotion that motivates them to take action. The intellectual connection stems from the content you present and the logical reasoning you employ to make your case. When you utilize charts, statistics, and survey results, you establish an intellectual bond with your audience. To establish an emotional connection, on the other hand, is relatively easier. The most effective way to achieve this is by using “you-focused” language, creating a balanced “I-You ratio.” Pay attention to how frequently you say “I” compared to “you” or “us.” “You” is your ultimate advantage—a single word that can work Wonders. To enhance your presentations, eliminate certain phrases such as: “I am going to talk about...” “What I would like to talk about...” “What I am going to do first is...” Instead, replace them with more captivating and engaging alternatives like: “Great news! You are about to learn ten techniques guaranteed to make your presentations memorable.” Compile a list of you-focused phrases that resonate with your presentations. Here are a few examples that I personally use to kick-start interactions. Feel free to incorporate them if they suit your style: “In your experience...” “If I were to ask you...” “You can feel confident...” “How often have you felt, seen, experienced...” “When was the first/last time you...” “It might interest/surprise/amaze you to know/learn/discover...” “Do you remember a time when...” “What advice did your dad/parents/mother/first boss give you?” “Think back to when you... frustrated/upset/happy/enthusiastic/disappointed?” Allow me to share a success story to emphasize the impact of a you-focused approach. Recently, I assisted a sales executive from a renowned hotel with a concise presentation aiming to secure a $500,000 convention in San Francisco. With two other cities competing fiercely, a compelling presentation was crucial. I recommended an opening that focused on the audience. “In the next 8 minutes, you will decide that the best decision you can make for your association and your members is to bring your convention to San Francisco and the Fairmont Hotel.” In this statement, I used “you” or “yours” five times and “Fairmont” once. This created a potent emotional connection. This was not the only element to successfully secure the sale. However, together we creative a compelling message that combined intellectual and emotional connection. Best of luck in forging strong connections with your audiences. If you require any assistance, I’m here to help. Let’s have a conversation. #presentationskillsexpert #keynotespeaker #publicspeaking #frippvt #patriciafripp

I recently made 4 big changes to how I present. #3 made such a huge difference! 1️⃣ I speak ahead of my slides. ► Andy Churchill, PhD is right. ► Instead of "click, then speak," try "speak, then click." ► Feels weird at first, but then it feels natural. ► You should be leading the talk, not your slides. 2️⃣ I keep slides very minimal. ► Something not totally necessary? Delete it. ► Have an image that just looks cool? Delete it? ► Seriously, delete things that doesn't add anything. ► When I speak, I want as much focus on me as possible. ► The first rule of UI Design: direct the viewer's attention. ► Same goes for a presentation: keep focus on what matters (you). Example: I'm including my slides from my West Chester University of Pennsylvania keynote yesterday. These slides are somewhat meaningless without my presence. That's my goal! 3️⃣ I do mini Q&As along the way. ► I know...I'm a broken record at this point. ► Don't do a huge 20-minute Q&A at the end. ► Split it up into small 5-minute Q&As along the way. ► No one wants to hold onto their question for 30 minutes! 4️⃣ Bonus: I Include Blank Slides ► It's a small change. ► If you want open discussion, give a blank slide. ► As long as content is on screen, people are in passive mode. ► The discussion is the content. So, it deserves its own PP slide. --------------- I've been speaking with so many colleges and organizations this year. I'm talking about: Union College York University Amarillo College Arcadia University Five Towns College Seton Hall University Baldwin School District West Chester University Sacramento City College Zurich International School Association of Private Colleges Hudson County Community College Montana Colleges Summer Conference New Jersey Distance Education Conference That's just a few of them. And there's more to come. In fact, my Fall speaking gigs are filling up. Colleges around the country are implementing AI strategies. And I love weighing on on what they are doing. If you need someone to talk to your faculty, hit me up. Here's are some blurbs from a presentation I did 4 days ago: "Jason Gulya was such an inspiration! I loved the mix of big ideas and actionable suggestions." "As someone who's been really nervous about and mystified by AI, the AI sessions were really illuminating and did a great job explaining the basics of how these programs work and what they can and cannot do. Now I have a better idea of how my student workers interact with this technology, and the potential it has to be useful instead of just its potential negative effects."

This is a walking path in northern Virginia. I was walking this with my husband and daughter, enjoying a beautiful afternoon of quiet. I looked left and right, noticing the greenery ... it's SO lush out east - very different from Colorado where we live. I soon realized ... these are not trees. This is a Wall of Weeds. Like, 10-12 feet tall or more. It was overgrown and overwhelming. It's true that in this case, the wall of weeds is arguably beautiful. But stay with me for a moment on Weed Volume... ----- Almost every leader we encounter struggles to reduce the volume of detail in their presentations, case studies, even personal introductions. It's just too much. It's just TOO MUCH detail. Our audiences are desperate for clarity. Let's use a PPT slide deck as an example. If you need to trim it, do it like this ... 👇🏻 In this order, ask yourself: 1️⃣ Which slides could I DELETE? (I know, this is a hard one). Try for 2-3. Consider that you might be doing the audience - and you - a favor. Pitch 'em! 2️⃣ Which slides can go to the APPENDIX? Which slides can be "back pocket slides", slides you can go to during Q&A or if that specific question arises? This trims the fat and keeps the slides handy if needed. 3️⃣ Once you have the slides you can't live without, get them down to 25 WORDS OR LESS on the slide. Less is more. The words on the slide are not for you, they are to help your audience and guide them. Your slides should never compete with you. 🌟The overwhelming majority of leaders - especially in science and tech - who bring me a slide deck have just unknowingly created their worst enemy. The tips above are a start to disarming that enemy. Which tip above landed best with you? 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ #slides #storytelling #presentations #leadership #pitch #speaker #tips