When should you use presentation slides?
Presentations have become synonymous with presentation slides. But in the time I've been coaching professionals with Vautier Communications, one theme has made itself clear: presentation slides aren't always necessary.
Here are eight scenarios that justify using presentation slides:
1/ When you need to show pictures, videos, or data.
Seeing as slides are visual aids, they make sense when you're needing to share visuals or media.
If you're going to put a picture on a slide, make it as large as possible without sacrificing the quality of the image.
If you're going to use video, be sure to trim it so it shows only necessary elements of the clip, and embed it in the slide as opposed to using an external link.
If you're going to show data, remove any element that's not necessary to the point you're going to make, and be sure all elements of the data are easy for your audience to see.
2/ When you're speaking on a topic you're not intimately familiar with.
There will be times when you're asked to lead a meeting or present on a topic you don't have the depth of knowledge you'd like to have.
In these scenarios, slides can be your saving grace.
How so?
They'll provide structure and a physical place for you to put information that you may have otherwise forgotten.
But this doesn't mean your slides become a script.
Instead, ask yourself: What visual elements can I put on these slides to guide my message and give my audience the information they need?
3/ There's no whiteboard available.
Generally speaking, sharing your message with a whiteboard as opposed to slides can be more engaging.
Consider using a whiteboard if:
Each person in your audience can see it clearly
Your handwriting is legible
You're comfortable leading and facilitating a discussion with your audience
You're confident in your ability to logically structure information and verbally guide your audience through that logic
4/ You're delivering your presentation virtually.
Most virtual audiences will be multitasking while listening to you present.
Because of this, you might choose to use slides as a way to extend the life of your message. Even though they may miss what you said, they still have an opportunity to see it.
5/ Your audience will want to take notes because your message is informational or instructional in nature.
This isn't always true, but for most messages that are information or instructional-heavy, audiences will want to take notes in their own words.
Having slides will make this process easier on your audience because they're not having to furiously capture your words.
6/ You lack confidence in your ability to engage and hold the attention of your audience.
This reason should be a moment in time. If you know you're not as engaging as you could be, you should have a presentation skills training or coaching session on the calendar.
While you develop those skills and your confidence, you can use slides as a reprieve for your audience, and to take some pressure and spotlight off of yourself.
7/ You have a reasonable amount of time to prepare.
Quality takes time.
If you're going to use slides, they should look curated and purposeful. Luckily, most organizations provide designed templates for this very reason.
Your slides should look neat — not like you scrapped them together last night.
If you don't have time to create a clean presentation, consider writing your outline and notes on a piece of paper and delivering from those instead.
8/ Your audience has made a direct request for slides.
There will be times when you need to use slides simply because your audience expects or has requested them.
In these scenarios, I'd challenge you to push back if you believe slides will get in the way of delivering your message.
Otherwise, give 'em what they want.
What does all of this mean for you?
You deliver organized messages and teach others multiple times throughout the day — all without slides.
Just because there's an audience doesn't mean you have to use slides.
I urge you to reconsider your presentation process.
Instead of defaulting to slides, challenge yourself to first prove why slides are necessary. I'm sure you'll find more times than not, you can keep PowerPoint closed.
If you enjoyed this, consider our Executive Communication Skills program for yourself or your team.