Depending of the length of your presentation, you may use a word document to build your
presentation.

Some research show that adults can keep attention for 5/7 minutes. After that time, their mind will
start wandering shortly. This is the reason to plan and structure your presentation with some humour
or stories to tell at regular pace.


How many slides should you show ?

After a few presentations, you will realize that you may have too many slides. Your objective is to
connect with the audience.  As you will increase confidence in being the central point of attention, you
will realize that the slides take too much of the attention. Simply starts with what makes you
comfortable. Still the number of slides can vary per subjects. It helps to change the pace of your presentation and therefore helps to keep the attention of the audience.  

The audience comes to hear about a specific subject. Therefore you should start within few minutes
speaking of the subject. I have attended presentations where the first 15 minutes were spent on the
description of the agenda and the "CV" of the presenter. You could  send to your audience an e-mail
few days before, introducing yourself if necessary,  reminding about the agenda, inviting them to read
a related article and study some small data. It is a first step to develop rapport with your audience
and to create interest as some participants may not be motivated to come to the presentation.

Shall you build a slide to present the agenda ? Shall you introduce yourself ?  

Still you will present slightly the agenda at the start to show the audience that you know where you
are going but also to help them understand the structure of the day. At that time you could start using
some of your mottos "We will see why the people seeing the possibilities are leaders right now..."

You can also briefly remind them who you are in case some participants did not read your e-mail. A
slide could say it well but present differently yourself for the participants who read your e-mail.

This slide was to present myself to a hotel management team : what I know about hotels, my books and
experiences on leadership, I play golf.

Last, you will explain that every subjects which are covered will be detailed in the handbook or the e-
mail that they will receive by this evening (or anytime but try to be precise). Simply explain so that they
can keep concentrating on thinking and understanding what is being said. You must stay the central
attention of the audience ! 

If you have to  give a hand out away, starting to build your presentation with word document can be a
good solution. You will be able to import the text into PowerPoint.

ü  First structure your main themes and ideas

ü  Start structuring your ideas into slides

ü  Evaluate the timing for each subjects and groups of slides

ü  Write the titles for each of the slides

ü  Write the text which develops each idea (= your speech)

ü  Write your slide contents

ü  Create your PPT notes : key words

ü  Sketch the slides

Sketch the slides 

Write down for every slides the slide items.

Example:  slide No2

Objective :   presenting myself

Title         :   no title

Items       :   3 photos: book, golf, hotel >> 3 minutes

Text         :   no text

Notes       :   book on Leadership "Leaders see the possibilities", hotel experiences as client, golf


How to import your word document into PowerPoint

ü  Go to your word document

ü  Mark the titles with the Title 1 function

ü  Mark your slide contents and key words with Title 2 function 

ü  Go to PowerPoint

ü  Click on the Office button > Open – Files Types : ALL.

ü  The data will automatically transfer.

ü  The titles at the top of the slide.

ü  The slide contents in the second part of the slide.

ü  Now the notes must be copied and pasted to the notes pane.

ü  Apply your PowerPoint layout (as seen in the part PowerPoint templates)

Test this basic process with your first few slides so that you see how that fits with your PowerPoint
template.


How to export your PowerPoint slide contents into a Word document 

 
ü  Go to PowerPoint
ü  Click on the Office button > Publish > Create Word document

You should be structuring your slides thinking how you will verbally explain your presentation in front
 of your audience. You should write down main ideas that you wish to communicate. They should be
like a motto that you will repeat quite a few times. Let's say that you present a 2 hour presentation on
leadership, one motto could be "Leaders see the possibilities". You could have a motto for each main
theme. Your mottos should be said right from the introduction and then repeated throughout the
presentation. They are like anchors or pillars.  They can be a bit mysterious so your audience will keep
their attention. The audience will discover the meaning of your mottos once you specifically develop
the subject. "I have a dream" is one, "there is something in the air"  is another one... They
help structuring Your presentation and help the audience memorize your ideas. 

Further to structuring your ideas, think of the audience. How fast can you cover the subject? How
much preliminary information do they need ? What are the subjects requiring the most
explanation? What is the logical order for the audience ? When can you expect discussions ? When
shall you add exercises in case of training ? When shall you plan the breaks ? Your presentation
should be based on main ideas that you will develop further and further.

Next article : Preparing the presentation 

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