Stop Death by PowerPoint. Use Message-led Presentations

We’ve all experienced Death by PowerPoint – it’s one of the most unattractive aspects of business today. As advertising legend David Ogilvy (nearly) said:

“most people use PowerPoint like a drunk uses a lamp post
– for support rather than illumination.”

It’s almost as if we’ve forgotten how to present without PowerPoint.

Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball

Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London.  Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page. 

Our team of presentation coaches has spent 15 years analysing presentations of all types – and the answer to Better PowerPoint Presentations is… the Message-Led Presentation.

First, you need to understand what causes Death by PowerPoint.

Over 15 years coaching senior people with their presentations, we see the same mistakes again and again. (By the way, when I talk about PowerPoint, I mean any similar software programme.) You may recognise some of these mistakes:

Death By PowerPoint Cause #1: Using PowerPoint to Plan

To cure Death by PowerPoint, say Death to PowerPoint.

When you hear the word ‘Presentation’ do you rush for your computer?  PowerPoint is not designed to plan presentations.  While you may feel as if you are making progress by creating PowerPoint slides, you may as well be doodling on a napkin.  Instead, why not sit and think for a bit and start your PowerPoint presentation planning with a blank sheet of paper? You’ll be using your time much more efficiently.

2:  Not being clear what you want to say

A good presentation has a clear purpose. Make sure you can articulate why you are presenting – ideally in one sentence.  If you have a clear purpose, or intent, then you can keep checking that you are achieving that objective.  Most people do not have a purpose to their presentation and therefore find it hard to engage their audience.

Death By PowerPoint Cause #3: Thinking that “the Presentation” is a set of slides

As we always remind people, YOU are the presentation. Your slides are Visual Aids to help you communicate.  Instead, think of your presentation as an illustrated talk. Use Visual Aids to help your audience, not to help you.

Why Pick Benjamin Ball Associates for Your Presentation Coaching

At Benjamin Ball Associates, we’ve been coaching business people to improve their business communication skills for over 15 years.  Our coaching is fast and effective.  We work with individuals and with companies, one-to-one and in groups.  Call us today to learn more.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

Our most popular training courses include:

• Presentation Coaching
• Public Speaking Coaching
• Investor Pitch Support and Coaching

Trusted by some of the most successful companies globally

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

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4: Not getting to the point

Be clear at the start of your talk what you want to say. Don’t leave it to the end. Be explicit, be clear. Make sure that within a few minutes of starting your listeners know exactly what you are saying.

Death By PowerPoint Cause #5: Using long sentences, too fast and hesitant

Be clear, deliberate and passionate. Make every word count. Use short phrases. Simple words. Many pauses.

6: Talking for too long

If you can make your presentation shorter, then do. The work you do condensing it will mean a clearer and more powerful talk. Less is more in presenting. Nobody ever says ‘I wish she spoke for longer and gave us more slides.’

Death By PowerPoint Cause #7: A weak end

End your talk with a strong call to action or rallying cry.

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Slides belong in the playground

To put it simply, deathly presentations happen when they are slide-led. If your presentation feels like you are talking through a document page-by-page, then it’s a sure sign of a death-by PPT experience. While it may feel that you are making progress if you create your slides first, you are probably wasting your time. You are more likely to produce dull data dumps than illuminating visuals.

In fact, even using the word ‘slide’ is a mistake.  The word slide means it’s unclear whether you are producing something to be read at a desk, projected on to a screen or just bulleted reference points.

This is what you should do instead….

The Message-Led Presentation: A new approach

Speak a New Language: Visual Aids and Handouts

The key is to be more precise when you talk about presentations. Create HANDOUTS, to be read at a desk, and VISUAL AIDS, to accompany your talk. Make a clear distinction between these two documents, which are as different as a book and a movie. Use more precise language to create better handouts and visual aids.

Cheating Death by PowerPoint: The BBA Message-Led Approach: A 6-Step Strategy

By changing the way you prepare for presentations, you can transform their quality – and delight your audiences every time. Our 6-step message-led approach reverses the way many people work.  With the BBA Approach you start with a blank sheet of paper – and only create your visual aids towards the end of the process.

How to stop Death by PowerPoint and create a Message-Led Presentation – 6 tips

1. Clarify your presentation messages

2. Write a compelling story in your presentation

3. Bring your story to life

4. Develop visual aids that help your audience

5. Say, then show

6. Practise your presentation

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The Message-Led Presentation Step #1. Clarify your messages

Too many people give too many talks without a distinctive set of messages.

That’s like trying to build your presentation on sand.

Instead, great presentations are built on clear messages. Messages are the solid foundation on which your presentation stands.

2. Write a compelling story

With your foundations in place, you can decide how to structure your presentation – the beginning, middle and end. You decide the few big ideas that underpin your presentation and how to bring it to life  (e.g. facts, stories, metaphors) and the method of construction (e.g. mystery, humour, documentary).

The Message-Led Presentation Step #3. Bring your story to life

At this stage you can decorate your talk with creative flair by incorporating rhetorical flourishes and entertaining anecdotes, adding some light and shade to highlight your messages.

The Message-Led Presentation Step #4. Develop Visual Aids that help your audience

Now you can open your computer and fire up PowerPoint. By leaving it until this point, you’ll know where visual aids will best help your audience.

• Is there a complex process that needs explaining with a diagram?
• A graph that will bring sales growth to life?
• Or a few words that will reinforce what you want remembered?

This is where PowerPoint can genuinely help.

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The Message-Led Presentation Step #5. Say, then show

When you use visual aids, one powerful technique you can use is to say, then show. For example, you introduce a topic before showing the visual aid that reinforces that point. This technique is particularly effective for demonstrating that you are in control of your material.

6. Practise

It’s the work you do refining what you say that ultimately helps you entertain your audience – and avoid the dreaded Death by PowerPoint. Like a great tennis player, the more you practise, the better you will get.

Are you preparing to deliver a Message-Led Presentation?

If you want to transform your talks into persuasive, Message-Led Presentations that you can deliver confidently, then get in touch. We’ll help you look, sound and feel impressive so that you grab your audience’s attention.

In just a few, short hours we’ll transform you to deliver clearly, confidently and with impact.  You can transform the quality of your presentations – for life. Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to discuss how we can help you become an impressive public speaker.

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Start delivering better talks and presentations today

If your really want to improve your presentation skills and your public speaking skills, then book onto one of our public speaking skills training courses.

Our training courses are fast, effective and will equip you with all the tools to create and deliver powerful talks and presentations.

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Why Choose Us:
Transform your pitches and presentations with tailored coaching

We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.

Some recent clients

Unlock your full potential and take your presentations to the next level.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

Speak to an expert. Get a free consultation