Presenters, five tips to keep from reading your own slides (which I hate when presenters do that…)

Speak Schmeak - Five ways to avoid reading from your slides

“Let's say you're stuck with a canned slide show.

Let's say you have no control over your slides. They're sent to you by the marketing department, they're riddled with bullets, and that's what you have to work with. It's an unfortunate situation, but not impossible to improve.

How can you keep the audience's attention, not get sucked into reading from the slides, and make this presentation your own?

…

I know that it's frustrating to be handed a slide show and be asked to deliver it when you've had no input into the design or development of the presentation. But you do have options!

Consider it your raw material, the skeleton that you will flesh out with your own words, your own stories, audience interaction and authentic excitement about your topic. You can make even a traditional dreary slide show shine!

…

…”

I really really (really, really) hate when a presenter reads their slides to you. I mean, um… I can read.. you know. Like Lisa says, your slides are the raw material for your presentation. They are mnemonics for your real presentation. They are a reminder and reference for people after. If your deck is your complete and total presentation, where you’re not adding anything besides what’s on the slides, then please save the time time and aggravation and just email me a link to the deck… m’k? 

BTW, if you are doing, or thinking about doing, presentations, then Lisa’s site is a great resource. Both free and paid, she offers a number of resources, services and coaching. I know when/if I start doing professional presentations, I’m going to look to her for help… Why suffer the bumps and bruises of learning on the job, just-in-time, when you can get a jumpstart from a professional? (At least that’s my thinking… ;)