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Top 5 PowerPoint Mistakes (and the Fix!)

Top 5 PowerPoint Mistakes (and the Fix!)

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Confession: My biggest pet peeve is a BAD PowerPoint presentation.

Have you ever sat through a church service or board meeting and watched a PowerPoint presentation but by the end of it, you had no idea what it was about? Between crazy sound effects, cheesy transitions, and hard-to-read-text the content can be totally lost. Mistakes are common, but now you have no excuse! So whether you use PowerPoint for worship or for added emphasis during a sermon or in a meeting, it’s time for an upgrade. I’m going to share a few tricks so you can create a more professional and dynamic presentation.

 

Mistake #1: Too much content on one slide

THE FIX: Limit one point to each slide. Try to use as few as six words on each slide to sum up each point. A few powerful slides are much more effective than a ton of slides with too much information.

 

Mistake #2: Bad Fonts

THE FIX: Limit your font choice to two. Choose fonts that are easy to read and use the styles consistently throughout your presentation. Use decorative fonts sparingly as they are not easily read on screen.

 

Mistake #3: Distracting Backgrounds

THE FIX: Use a simple background so it’s not distracting from your presentation. Using a consistent background will give your presentation a more professional appearance. A dark background with light text will reduce glare.

 

Mistake #4: Clipart

THE FIX: Try to find good stock photos or artwork instead. (Read this post for places to find free stock photos—link to Tim’s article) Clipart can come off as cheap and generic. Find an image that has more power and conveys your message well. Sometimes a slide doesn’t need an image at all, just a nice background will be enough.

 

Mistake #5: Cheesy Transitions

THE FIX: A transition is most effective when the viewer doesn’t even notice it. A subtle fade transition between each slide is always better than when your slides blow up or dissolve. Remember that you do not want to distract the viewer from the message you’re trying to send.

Try these tips on your next PowerPoint and let us know how it helped!

Do you have a flyer or brochure you’d like to see redesigned. Send in a PDF to seedbed@asburyseminary.edu and we’ll choose one to redesign and feature on our blog along with tips for your next piece.

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