I have seen a lot of really good presentations go bad with the use of automation. Here are some of the problems I have found:

• Presenters reading their screens (this is not a teleprompter)
• Information overload on the screen
• Animations for the sake of animating, just because you can
• Sloppy transitions between slides or other programs
• Presentations that need the room completely dark for anyone to see the screen
• Emails and automatic updates popping onto the screen
• Technology problems – can’t get it to run!

I am sure there are many more, but these are some of the most common problems that I see out there and they don’t have to happen. We have come to gather information and/or entertainment from your talk – so now we need you to deliver. There are some very simple rules to follow, easy ways to smoothly transition, and preparations you can take to avoid issues.

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Please feel free to share your tips and ideas regarding PowerPoint presentations here.