There’s no point in presenting a new business idea, ground-breaking technology, or even raising awareness regarding a social issue if you can’t present the idea effectively. Presentation is incredibly important if you wish to get a message across to your audience.
If you want to ensure your message resonates well with your listeners, you should try and follow these core presentation design principles when you set out to create your very next presentation.
Create your own themes.
A large number of professional presentations are created using built-in stock themes that may look nice initially, but they can get a bit samey looking after a while. If members of your audience view presentations frequently, they may not be as wowed by your presentation as other people due to having already seen other presentations that look like it.
You can get around this issue by creating your own custom theme that fits with your topic. This theme should include a color scheme that is aesthetically pleasing and uses fonts that contrast well against your backgrounds.
For example, if your presentation is on “How Businesses Can Reduce Their Carbon Footprint” you can create a custom theme that features different shades of green in the background to reflect the “environmental” theme of your presentation.
Similarly, you can also use a font that stands apart from the usual Helvetica or Arial fonts. You don’t have to create a new font from scratch, but you should opt to use one that appears novel while still remaining legible in the presentation. Nothing is more annoying than trying to follow a presentation in which the font is hard to read, so this step could make or break your presentation. For reference, see how the Launch Module team produced an investor presentation for the CAVU Venture Partners $160mm fund in 2015.
Avoid using generic bullet points
Bullet points have been a staple in presentations for many decades. They are a great way to convey presentation points concisely and using minimal space. However, the typical bullet point designs used in most word processing and presentation softwares are starting to look boring and outdated.
You shouldn’t ditch bullet points completely, but you should find other ways to present them. One way to do this is to use arrow or rectangular ellipse shaped templates that are useful for making lists. Each item in these lists could utilize a different colour or shade to keep your presentation looking fresh and vibrant.
Your list points could also be accompanied by minimalist icons that denote figures or objects mentioned in your content. This way you can get your important points across while making them look attractive and interesting.
It’s important to avoid using too many different styles of lists as it will make your presentation look inconsistent. Select one list template style before you start making your presentation and stick with it
Do more with less
Minimalistic themes have been gaining popularity in a variety of advertising and promotional campaigns due to their ability to convey brand images effectively using minimal text and detail. After all, many people are sick of viewing excessively varied or intense designs in the digital era.
This is why presentation designers in 2020 are focused on getting rid of bloated designs with too many bells and whistles. Instead, they are opting for minimalistic designs that are easier to follow, but still radiate character.
The primary characteristics of any minimalistic design are limited color schemes, flat designs, and clever use of negative space. Creating an effective presentation using minimalism can be a challenge if you’re unfamiliar with such designs.
It may be a better option to seek out help from a digital design agency. London is home to many design agencies that are skilled with creating minimalist presentations for various types of businesses.
Get creative with animations
Many of us have used default animations and transitions at one time or the other. After all, they exist for the express purpose of keeping presentations visually interesting and engaging. However, you should not add animations without purpose, as they may detract from the actual message that you want to convey to your audience.
For example, if your presentation features a lengthy build-up to a big reveal, you should use dazzling animations for your reveal slide to convey a sense of wonder and excitement. When done right, animations can leave a lasting impact on your audience and ensure they remember your presentation.
However, these animations should be used sparingly, as overusing them lessens the impact of each one. It’s similar to how confetti is exciting the first time it is released at an event, but becomes increasingly irritating when it is repeatedly used.
Customize the images in your presentation
Another unique way to improve the quality of your presentation is to customize your images. This process can be relatively simple if you’re familiar with image editing. Many experienced designers seek out stock photos or take quality pictures themselves before editing them to suit their presentation.
For example, you can use a black and white filter over your photos to showcase widespread suffering from a natural disaster. Conversely, you can use vibrant full-colour images to convey the feeling of hope for a better and more sustainable future.
However, the challenge with this approach is to find the right photographs and edit them in a manner that enhances their appeal with audiences. If you can find the right synergy between the two, you will be able to add yet another really powerful and meaningful layer to your presentation.
You can use such images together with custom animations to create a dazzling collage that will remain in the minds of your target audience long after the presentation is over. Here again, a creative design agency in London can be of great help in developing a killer presentation.
Conclusion
The aforementioned design principles can enhance the appearance and legibility of your presentation. You should use these five great presentation design principles to create presentations that inspire and motivate your target audience.
Design trends are always changing, so you should try to stay up to date with the latest ones that audiences are responding to if you want your presentation to leave an impact.
Author Bio:
Richard Kearsey is a digital designer at Emerald Colour – a presentation design agency in London that offers various services, like website design, animation, bespoke exhibition stand design, etc. He loves creativity and enjoys experimenting with various design techniques for both web and print. He also enjoys sharing his thought on the latest design trends and upcoming marketing ideas.
Editorial Staff of the TechnoRoll, are a bunch of Tech Writers, who are writing on the trending topics related to technology news and gadgets reviews.