Management Tip of the Day: Make Your Presentation's Visual Aides Easy to Follow

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile JULY 25, 2012 Make Your Presentation's Visual Aides Easy to Follow When presenting, it's essential to keep your audience clued into where you are in your speech. Structure helps them follow along and receive your message. But if you're using slides, the repetitive use of an agenda can be annoying, and even patronizing. Instead of littering your presentation visuals with this device, focus on creating a straightforward narrative. Look at a panoramic view of your slides. Then rehearse your presentation aloud several times, moving from frame to frame. Along the way, you may want to add, delete, or shuffle slides to improve the flow. Come up with verbal connections that link the slides together. The result: a story that's easy for you to deliver, and more importantly, easy for your audience to follow. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "When Not to Tell 'Em What You're Gonna Tell 'Em" by Jerry Weissman. Read the full post and join the discussion: » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Who do You Want Your Customers to Become? HBR Single According to MIT innovation expert Michael Schrage, if you aren't asking this question, your marketing and innovation efforts will fail. In this latest HBR Single, Schrage provides a powerful new lens for getting more value out of innovation investment. He argues that asking customers to do something different doesn't go far enough — you must ask them to become something different instead. With practical tips and real-world examples from Google, Facebook, Starbucks and Apple, Who Do You Want Your Customers To Become? will liberate you and your team — and turn your innovation efforts on their head. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS Don't Dismiss Critics of Change Start Your Team on the Right Path Conduct an Informal 360° Maintain Momentum for Your Change Effort Manage Your Team Indirectly Know What Your Customers (Really) Do Best Consider Your Employees' Career Paths Get the Salary You Want Help Your Team Embrace Change Turn to Frontline Employees for Customer Insight All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing HBR's Morning Advantage The Harvard Business Review Morning Advantage delivers the latest business ideas from beyond HBR.org directly to your inbox every morning — and it is free! Sign up today >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2012 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)