“What? This isn’t like going to Earth, where you summon a little lightning and thunder and the mortals worship you as a god! This is Jotunheim!” -Fandral, Thor
Use The Exhibit Rules When Using PowerPoint
As a followup to the previous post on using PowerPoint, there’s one more thing to keep in mind about it and other presentation software. Actually there are 5 things to keep in mind.
In session 3 of the Dale Carnegie Course, we discuss and practice 5 rules for using an exhibit when giving a presentation:
5 Basic Rules for Using an Exhibit In Your Presentation
- Bring the exhibit out when you need it. You don’t want it to be a distraction
- Hold it high so everyone can see it. After all, what good is an exhibit if no one can see it?
- Talk to your audience, not to the exhibit. Keep your attention on your audience.
- Keep your face visible to the audience. Don’t hide behind it.
- Put it down when you are finished with it. Again, you don’t want the exhibit to be a distraction.
You can find these rules in Dale Carnegie’s book, The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking and additional insights on the 5 rules here. The idea is to remove anything that will distract the audience from paying attention to your message.
Now, when thinking about PowerPoint, these 5 rules translate as follows:
- Turn on the projector when you need it. Again, keep the audience focused on you.
- Project it large and high enough so everyone can see it. Again, it does no good if no one can see what you are referencing.
- Talk to your audience, not to the screen. In other words, keep your face to the audience and don’t read the slide.
- Don’t stand in the projection path so you have your slide splashed across your face.
- Turn off the projection when you don’t need it. Again, keep the focus on you.
Remember, your PowerPoint slides are visual exhibits. They follow the same rules that apply to all other exhibits. So go ahead and bring the thunder! Just remember to keep your audience’s attention focused on you.
Book Resources:
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