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Preparing your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation in advance will give you the freedom to edit and revise your information at your leisure. Let's take a look at the main issues that could cause you problems:
1. Fonts
2. Embedded objects
3. Layout
4. Templates
5. Spelling
6. Images
7. Audience interest
8. Conclusion
Fonts
The font that looks great on your PC may not look so good when projected onto a screen. It will look even worse if and when the laptop being used for the presentation can't find your font and replaces it with another. This can be avoided if you keep things simple.
Since Microsoft PowerPoint doesn't embed fonts by default, stick with what works. In this case that means stick to fonts that are common to most Windows computers such as Arial, Times New Roman, Tahoma, and Verdana.
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Embedded Objects
From my own experience giving presentations, there's nothing worse than embedding a video clip that doesn't work on the day. It is frustrating and is a classic mistake which should be avoided at all costs. If you really need to use clips, design the whole thing on your own laptop, and make sure to only use that laptop for your presentation.
Transferring your project onto a different machine with Microsoft PowerPoint (e.g. with a USB pen) is a recipe for disaster. This is because the presentation will look for the source of your media file and won't find it - because you moved the project to a new machine! Even if you copy the media file over, the link within the presentation is likely to still be incorrect. All of this hassle can be avoided.
So either (a) Do Not Embed Video Clips or (b) Use your own laptop for the presentation.
Layout
As with most web pages, your audience is not going to read the presentation text you've created. If you're lucky they'll scan over it once quickly and try to take one or two pieces of info away from it. Therefore you should use large headers and bullet-points to highlight the key information areas. Think of them as the signs you see on the highstreet. You may not be able to read the shop's window offer but you can certainly see their logo from a distance - it's the same principle. Clearly communicate those pillars of information.
Templates
Microsoft PowerPoint has Master Templates ready and waiting to be used - so use them! It keeps things simple and you're less likely to encounter errors during your presentation. Keeping your logo in the same place as well as using the same fonts and bullet-point styles throughout is a lot easier using a Master Template. No one is asking you to re-invent the wheel; so focus on the real task at hand, making your points clearly and effectively.
Spelling
Part of being well prepared means taking the time to check your spelling. Check it throughout your design process. No matter how good you are with technology and Microsoft PowerPoint software, spelling mistakes are avoidable. Get a friend or colleague to preview your work if possible. They may spot something you've missed...
Images
If a picture is worth a thousand words, great images can make a huge impact on your presentation. Ideally, take a few pictures using a digital camera and use them, or even some mobile phone cameras at their highest settings can provide you with some interesting on-the-job results. Either way, avoid using images from websites. Leaving aside copyright infringement, they've probably been scaled down to 72/96 DPI so they load quickly on a web page. Enlarging that file onto a projector screen will most likely have the same effect as getting an extreme close-up on you first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. Planning your presentation in advance should give you the time to come up with a few unique images that will assist your PowerPoint project. Keep it looking sharp.
Audience Interest
It's easy to presume that because you understand something, others will too. Therefore when planning your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation think carefully about who will be there and put yourself in their mindset. What do they expect from you personally? What outcome might they be expecting? Keep these questions in mind during your preparation.
A focused talk should help engage your audience and encourage them to ask questions at the end.
Conclusion
Your PowerPoint presentation should have a successful conclusion to its theme. The core points and most vital info should be highlighted and repeated as necessary. Along with the core points, show the audience that your ideas are worth considering and that you are making a valuable contribution to your group. Ideally, leave them with a new piece of info or new example to consider. Stay calm, focused, and keep it simple.
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