In company after company the problem is the same: PowerPoint or one of its clones – is being misused and abused. And it’s not just my opinion. The vast majority of participants in my training classes feel the same way. They’ve seen too many business presentations where the speaker talks to the screen or the slides are difficult to read or the special effects are a distraction or…. They themselves admit to similar abuses. They’ve become addicted to the ease, convenience, and high tech look that PowerPoint provides. They also admit that most of the visuals are not needed. It’s just “nice” to have everything captured on PowerPoint. It makes it easier to stay on track during the presentation. Plus they have the option to print out a hardcopy to be used as a handout or to make available for anyone unable to attend. Of course, that begs the question: Why should anyone attend?

Let’s be honest. Most of you – when given the task of putting together a presentation – head straight for your laptops and start generating slides. When you’ve captured everything you want to say into a PowerPoint file, you declare you’re done. Now some of you may get ambitious and add some clip art here and there, a variety of builds and transitions, maybe even a few sounds just for fun. And if you lack confidence in knowing just what to say for each slide and bullet point, the speaker notes option is there to save the day.

But fear not. Out there in that vast wasteland of presentation design is an oasis of hope for all PowerPoint addicts. I call it the “180 approach.” It’s quite simple really: Instead of creating a title slide as your first step in the design and development of your presentation, make it the last. In fact, start with the end in mind. Just what is it that you want your audience to do, believe, or understand when you stop talking? Then develop your content to support that objective. Once finished, go back and generate an opening that captures their attention as well as sets up what is to follow, give some thought to a closing that creates a lasting impression, and THEN AND ONLY THEN go back through your entire presentation point by point and decide if PowerPoint could help make the point.

To make it even simpler, for every visual you feel tempted to create, first ask the question: Does the audience need it? If the answer is “No,” move on. Resist that temptation to create a slide with bullet points sweeping in from any and all directions just for the sake of sweeping! Turn away from your desire to build one slide with fourteen points in a font size only readable to the front row just for the sake of keeping you on track. America will be stronger for it…and your audiences, happier.

Of all the benefits to be derived from the 180 approach, the most compelling is that you are much more likely to show up in your presentation. That’s what is missing in presentations that rely too heavily on slides. When you kick the habit of one new slide per minute no matter what, your audience has a reason to show up because you show up. Doesn’t that sound like a real event where things can really happen? Much more dynamic. Much more spontaneous. Much more effective.

Let’s all join hands (Thus forcing you to take your hand off the mouse!) forming a 180 degree semi-circle. Now chant: “More power to the presenter! Use less PowerPoint to make your point!”

See you up front!