Placeholders in PowerPoint – When to use them?

When do you use placeholders in PowerPoint? When do you not use it?

If your slide uses a large image, it is best to use the Title Only layout. Follow this:

• Type the title and choose Insert tab, Pictures to insert the picture you need.
• Resize the title placeholder so that the title doesn’t overlap the image.

In the event that you need your images to be in the same size and the same place on each of your slide use placeholders, especially in a custom layout.

You can find out more about this here: Don’t use placeholders for images, unless…

Five PowerPoint Tips For You

PowerPoint is a wonderful that presenters can use to make their presentations more effective. Below are five tips you can apply when using PowerPoint in your presentation:

1. Make sure that the images you use stand out. They should be relevant which means they support your goal and the message your conveying to your audience. This way, they can easily remember the lesson you’re teaching even long after your presentation is done.
2. Go for simplicity. The more simple the slides, the better. Avoid using complicated graphs and charts as well as long texts.
3. Make sure that your audience knows the meaning of the acronyms and difficult terms you use.
4. Make sure your audience can resonate and relate well with your audience. Don’t just use general photos. If you are talking to a group of teachers, use photos of different schools they know or pictures of the campus where they teach.
5. Use high resolution for your photos.

These are just five PowerPoint tips. There are more where these came from. Please head to this link to find out more! 30 Helpful Tips for Using PowerPoint

 

PowerPoint 2013 Tip – Zoom into a slide and choose another slide in Slide Show view

Do you know how to zoom into a slide and choose another slide in Slide Show view–PowerPoint 2013? With the new features of PowerPoint 2013, you can do the following:

• To see an area of the slide close up, Zoom into a slide.
• In that magnified view, pan around the slide.
• After looking at all of the slides, choose a slide to display.

Head to Ellen’s post to watch the video on how to do this.

Make Open Shapes in PowerPoint

Would you like to use open shapes in your presentations? They look hand drawn, look interesting and could add spice to your PowerPoint presentations. However, they don’t come with PowerPoint, but with the use of Bézier Curve (Edit Points) feature, you can make this possible. It is not that well-known a feature because it’s not on the ribbon but you can do everything using the right-click menu.

Ellen Finkelstein actually shared a video on how this can be done.

She also enumerated a step-by-step process on how to create open shapes.

Please head to this link and find out how: Place an open circle around something to emphasize it: Creating open shapes

 

Collaborate Using Office Online

Last week, I’ve shared with you how to collaborate in PowerPoint presentations. This is part II – another way that you can make your collaboration. You can actually post your presentation on Office Online (which was previously called Office Web Apps). Though the online version of PowerPoint is lacking several features present in the desktop version, simple editing can still be done.

How do you use Office Online?

You just have to start your computer by first using the desktop version of PowerPoint and then you go to the online version.

Office Online will let editors do their edits simultaneously. This way, all concerned can work on the presentation all at the same time. You can see all the changes being made which will make presentation collaboration easier.

For more information about this, please head to: 2 ways to collaborate with others on your presentations-Part II

Collaboration in PowerPoint Presentations

Do you know that there are two ways to collaborate with others on your presentation using PowerPoint? Emailing each other about updates and edits on your presentation can get pretty confusing fast because it’s hard to keep track of the latest changes. So what can you do instead? Below are two things you can do to make collaboration a lot easier when it comes to presentations.

1. Add comments to  presentation – By adding comments to a presentation, all parties involved can have a chance to write their opinions on how to make the presentation better. They can suggest changes and edits that need to be made.

2. Compare two presentations – Once you have two similar presentations that went through suggests, edits and changes, the Compare feature will show you the differences between the 2 presentations.

To find out more about the step-by-step process on how to add comments and compare two presentations, please head to this link: 2 ways to collaborate with others on your presentations-Part I

 

How to Rotate Objects in PowerPoint

Do you know how to make simple object rotations in PowerPoint? It’s actually very easy.

Just use the object’s rotation handle around its middle to drag an object where you want it to go. Once you’re satisfied with how the object looks, then just release the mouse button and that’s it!

You might ask:

• How about if I need a common angle?
• What if I need a specific uncommon angle?
• What if I need to get the exact angles?

You can find out more about how to do these things in PowerPoint by going to this link: Rotate objects precisely

Use Props in Presentations

Why is it helpful to use props in presentations? How do we use these things? Below are things you should take note of when it comes to the use of props in presentations:

1. Take the audience on an emotional journey. 

This is because props can paint a picture that brings out the emotions of the audience.

2. Bring the world to your audience.

Through the use of props (e.g. costumes), you can bring your audience to a particular time period.

3. Don’t let your props throw you off.

Sometimes, your props take long to get prepped or something could go wrong. Don’t let it distract you from your main presentation.

4. Make sure your prop is relevant. 

Make sure your props are tied to the message you want to convey to your audience.

These are just some of the things you should remember when using props on your presentation. To know more, please head to this link: 9 ways to use props for maximum impact in your presentations

How to Turn Negative Feedback Into Something Positive

Being speakers and presenters, one would think that they are used to getting all kinds of feedback. After all, you need to have thick skin if you want to improve your craft in facing the public, conveying your message and persuading your audience. However, speakers and presenters are still people with feelings and they get to be sensitive to feedback, especially negative feedback.

In order to overcome this kind of sensitivity, you can turn negative situation into something positive like how this one speaker turned disses into raves!

Her name is Shirley Gutkowski. Find out more how she was able to make light of this grave situation by heading to this link: An inspiring speaking story — from disses to raves

Expert Tips on Presentation Design

We all need help when it comes to presentation design. It’s a good thing then that there are experts out there who can show us the way how. Below are just few of the links to expert tips that presenters can use to make their presentations better.

1. A good read, “Speaking PowerPoint: The New Language of Business” – by Bruce. R. Gabrielle
2. And you can’t miss getting hands on this one, read & keep “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs” – by Carmine Gallo
3. Indulge yourself in this video to learn more and more, watch “Instructional Design Essentials: Storyboarding” by – Daniel Brigham at Lynda.com
4. For effective slide design, read “Slidology” – by Nancy Duarte

For more tips on how you can better design your presentations, please head to: 20 Best Things on Internet to Help You Become a Presentation Design Hero