When PowerPoint is used properly, it’s a powerful public relations tool, but the issues lie in how people use it and its effect on corporate culture. If not used correctly, PowerPoint stifles creativity. Remember, PowerPoint isn’t in charge of the presentation, the presenter is. The following is a short list of five all-too-common offenses to avoid in order to produce creative and compelling PowerPoint presentations.

PowerPoint Offense No. 1: Jam-packed slides
There should be no more than five bullet points to a page and only a few words or brief sentences per item. It’s the speaker’s job to fill in the blanks for the reader.

PowerPoint Offense No 2: Too many slides
The guideline is one slide for every 3 to 4 minutes of a presentation.

PowerPoint Offense No 3: Reading (Yawn) slides
This problem typically crops up with Offense No. 1., as so many presenters put their speech on slides, they’re tempted to turn to the screen and read. Reading slides and distracting the audience with handouts dramatically reduces eye contact between the presenter and the audience.

PowerPoint Offense No 4: Underutilizing PowerPoint’s best assets
Monotony makes PowerPoint dangerous. Inject humor into your presentations. Learn how to animate your slides. Play with sound effects. Experiment with entrances and exits. PowerPoint is easy to use---it’s like any Microsoft program. Its capabilities are hidden in the pull down windows.

PowerPoint Offense No 5: Overutilizing PowerPoint’s best assets
Just as speakers can underutilize PowerPoint’s special features, they can overuse them as well. PowerPoint’s font, animation, color and sound graphic features are there to be used---but overusing them can be distracting and a detriment. The basic rule: Every special effect has to have a purpose.

MAY – CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD WRITER- Fast Five