Slide shows are an increasingly popular means of sharing valuable content throughout the Internet. It’s being predicted that Slideshare.net may be one of the fastest growing sharing sites in 2014. Being able to create exciting and effective slide shows is a necessity for serious, confident business women.
By viewing slide shows today and in the past you know some are better and more interesting than others. Knowing how to ensure yours are more interesting than your competitions is something worth learning.
Create a Plan
Before you sit down with PowerPoint or your slide show software plan what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it. Determine the goal of your slide show Decide what information you will provide and why this information is important. What value does it offer and why will the listening audience care? Before recording, answer these questions on paper first.
Use Good Visuals
Visuals make a big difference in creating an appealing slide show. Many slide shows lack visual appeal. They’re simply one slide after the next with a series of plain sentences. In general, create more exciting slide content word by keeping your word count around 50-60 words, and no more. The goal is to have people be able to read and understand your text quickly. A smaller level of word count leaves room for visual interest.
Additional visuals can include photographs, charts, formatting, and even embedded short videos. Make how you will add visual interest and additions a part of the plan for your slide show. Keep in mind that any graphics or formatting need to support the goal if the slide show, not distract from it.
Arch Your Content.
When you read an article or blog post it has an introduction which is usually a paragraph or two. It then moves into the body of the content. The goal of the body is to provide the bulk of the information and the major value of the piece. You then pull it all together into a conclusion which may also be one or two paragraphs. Use this same arch format in your slideshow. Have an introduction that piques interest and promises value. Move into the body of your content and then wrap it all up with a few conclusion slides. This makes the presentation logical to the readers.
Put in a Call to Action.
Be sure to include a call to action at the end of each slide show. Let people know what they can do next to get more information and extend their relationship with you and your company. Lead them back to your website where they can get more information and sign up for your email.
Use Embedded Links.
In addition to your call to action which should include a link to your site or to a sales page, consider embedding links throughout your slide show. For example, if you reference a blog post on your site then you could link to that blog post. Make sure it opens in a new window so your visitors can continue enjoying the slide show.
Slide shows are a fun and interesting way to provide content in a new format and reach the target audience. Slide shows are easy to create and with a little planning and preparation you can create an exciting slide show that achieves your goal of growing your business.
