How good are my Slides? Evaluate using this Slide Design Checklist

You have prepared your slides. But you are unsure if your slides are really good. What if you had a checklist through which you could run your slides. Here is one checklist.

Your slides are good if your response is YES to all the items on this checklist.

• I have not used bullet points
• I have prepared a slide (with few words) and not a report (with lots of words)
• My photos are not hazy (pixellated)
• I have not used cliched images and WordArt
• I have not distorted the image while enlarging it
• My fonts are legible. I have not used fonts below size 18
• My charts are simple and easy to understand
• I have not used 3-D charts
• I have not used boring fonts like Arial, Calibri or Garamond
• I have used a sans-serif font. I have not used a serif font
• I have not used fancy fonts
• I have not used more than 3 colours in my presentation
• I have not used watermarked images

If your answer is NO to any of the above points, it is time to fix that problem. Unsure about how to fix? Ask your question in the comments section below.

Want to read more on slide design? I recommend these articles:

17 Impressive Slides from 'Google for India' Keynote 2017

6 Tips to design better slides [Before and after examples]

7 Secrets of designing beautiful PowerPoint Presentations

How to Present like Steve Jobs (A Check-list)

In this post I share a three page simple check-list on how to apply the learnings of the book 'The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs' by Carmine Gallo. Download this check-list and refer to it before making your next presentation. Try to apply as many points as possible and see the results for yourself. You can download it from slideshare (if you have an account) or Google Docs (using your gmail id). If you have any difficulty downloading, drop me an email and I'll email the PDF.


How to present like Steve Jobs

View more PowerPoint from Vivek Singh

11 things to check just before you begin a presentation

You are in the conference room. Your presentation is about to start in half an hours time. What can you do to ensure there are no last minute issues with your presentation? No embarrassing moments during your presentation.

Here is a simple 11 point checklist. You should make a note of these on the back of your diary (or note book) and refer to it every time you are about to make a presentation.
1. Mobile - Switch off your mobile phone (or put it in silent mode). Your mobile ringing is an insult to your audience.
2. Internet Connection - Switch off internet on your computer (else the outlook messenger will pop up a new email in the middle of your presentation).

3. Equipments - Check if your wireless presenter is working (I recommend you carry spare batteries always). If you are using a microphone, check that too. See whether the projector is working and detecting your computer. You might have to adjust the projection size to your liking.

4. Spell Check - Run a spell check on the presentation. Typo errors detected by the audience shows that you have been careless.

5. Hyperlinks - See the presentation in slide show mode and check whether all hyperlinks are working.

6. Multimedia - Check if your audio and video are running fine. You might have linked to a sound file or inserted a video. Check your laptop's volume level. Set it to your desired volume level.

7. Animation - If you have complex animation effects then rehearse them once again. Going through the order once should be enough.

8. Title Slide - Scrutinize carefully the first slide. If you make the same presentation to multiple audiences, you might have to change the venue or date on the title slide. Some of us tend to forget such smaller details.

9. Back Up Files - Locate all the back up excel and other files that you need along with the presentation. You might have planned to show these or you might be asked to do so. Keep the relevant folder open so that you waste no time looking for it while you are presenting.

10. Font - When you create a presentation on one computer and present it on the other, you need to save the special fonts. Else they will change when you present on another computer.

If you are not making the presentation on your own computer, it is better to check if you have saved your 'special fonts'. If the fonts have gone haywire then quickly reduce the font size or change font type to salvage the situation. Read here to know about the dangers of not saving your fonts and how to save them.
11. Dry Run - Run through the entire presentation once in slide show mode. Check if things look in order. Many small small mistakes will get filtered out if you do so.
Going through this checklist is not going to take much time but will save you from a lot of embarrassment due to silly mistakes and distractions during your presentation. If this list looks too big for you I suggest another way out. Make a note of these and run through them just after you have finished making your presentation. In this way, you will have more time to look for errors and rectify them.

If you would like to add something to the list do share that with me. Have you have been guilty of any of these mistakes in your presentation ever?

Sponsorship Proposals Checklist

I am the marketing head for a mid-size company hence I get a lot of sponsorship proposals in my inbox. Mostly for sponsoring sports & cultural events. Proposals sent through email have to be more explanatory.Most of the proposals I have been receiving lack thought and structure. One needs to plan out the flow of the presentation even before opening Powerpoint.

Here is a checklist you can use to make such proposals:

1. What is it all about?What - Introduce the event. What is going to happen?

Where, When, Why - These details are very crucial. Especially focus on the why. Why are you doing this event year on year? Share the story with the marketer whose money you are after. Very few people share this with a prospective sponsor.

For whom - This is the most important information for a prospective sponsor. You get the money only if the audience is the Target Group for the sponsor. Why should a real estate firm selling high end villas (mostly to CEOs) sponsor a rock show which will be attended by youngsters?

Reach - Do not forget to mention how many people came last year and how many more are expected this time around.

Uniqueness - You might to conducting an event which even other clubs/groups organize. They might also approach the sponsor for funds. What separates you from the rest? Why is your event special?

Promotion - It's great to hear the plan that 5,000 people are expected. People in which the sponsor is interested. But what's the guarantee? Tell the sponsor how will you pull in the crowd. What are your exact plans?

History - Share the highlights and images of the event last year. Without images and videos there is nothing tangible in your pitch. It's all imaginary.

2. What's in it for the Sponsor? (Benefits)

Benefit - Why should the sponsor give you funds? What is his gain out of all this? Spend some time answering this question before you meet the sponsor. If you are confident that it makes economic sense in sponsoring the event, then your confidence will help clinch the deal.

Branding opportunity: Show how your sponsor's logo will look on the stage, merchandise, etc. It's a powerful technique. Do not just say, we will put up the logo here and here.... Put it up (using Photoshop or some other software) and bring it to life. Let the sponsor see his brand on the large backdrop.3. Who are You?Share with the prospective sponsor your credentials. If you are doing the event the first time this become very important. If you are doing it the second or third time, get feedback from last years' sponsors and share it in the presentation to this year's prospective sponsor. Make him feel comfortable about the fact that you are capable of pulling off the event. Planning is all fine but God lies in execution. Your plans might be great, but you should convince the sponsor that you can execute if flawlessly.


4. What is the Cost?How much does it cost to sponsor the event. Do not keep a lot of margin for bargain. The more you yield and lower your price, the more your credibility goes down. Be ready to justify that the price is right.

5. What should I Do?The proposal should end with a call to action for the sponsor. This is especially true for presentations sent online where you are not there standing to clarify doubts or ask for the cheque. So remember to add "Call Ashish for more details at this number..." or something similar. Make him do an action just after the presentation ends.

The last thing. The starting 10 -15 minutes matter the most in your presentation. Keep the content relevant and keep it crisp and short.

Before you start typing your next proposal, use this checklist to gather your thoughts. For more on Sponsorship Proposals read my detailed post. If you wish to read more I recommend this article. If you also make or evaluate sponsorship proposals share your observations with me.

Checklist for Presentations

You are going to make a presentation in your office or to a client. To a small group or a large audience. Here is a small checklist to help you improve your presentation.

I. Pre-Presentation

1. Why are you making the presentation (objective)?

2. How much do you know about the audience?

3. Where will you make the presentation?

4. What does the audience expect?

5. What is the main idea/ theme?

6. Is the flow making sense?

7. Are you prepared for the obvious questions?

8. What should the audience remember?

9. Have you rehearsed well?

II. Presentation

1. Run the presentation once before you start.

2. Use a wireless presenter & mike. Atleast use a wireless mouse.

3. Start confidently and capture attention. Remember, confidence comes with knowledge & preparation.

4. Have an agenda slide. Keep the audience informed. Tell them how long you will take.

5. Engage the audience. Invite questions all through.

6. Share a handout with the audience. Tell this to your audience before starting.

7. Summarise at the end.

8. Don't rehearse while going to the venue. It adds to your nervousness.

III. Post-Presentation

1. What went well and what did not?

2. Evaluate your presentation on the pre-presentation checklist. (Eg. was your understanding of the audience right?)

3. Was the audience able to get the point?

4. How was the audience participation?

Most importantly, make sure you don't repeat your mistakes.

I am sure you have your own checklist in mind. What do you do before making a presentation? Let me know.

Update: You might like to read on 'How to plan your presentation better?' by clicking here.