Creating a great presentation goes beyond your content. It's also about how you format, structure and deliver that content.
A well-formatted presentation can greatly affect how your audience engages with your material. A choppy, confusing presentation can turn people off, while a slick slide deck can keep your audience interested in even the most boring topics.
Ready to go beyond bland corporate presentations? Let's get into how to design a great presentation that captivates your audience.
Why is structuring a presentation so important?
Your presentation’s structure can make or break it. Imagine the structure as a skeleton that holds your meaty content.
Just as a body without a skeleton would collapse, a presentation without structure tends to fall flat.
A well-structured presentation lets you convey your message clearly, keep your audience engaged and help them remember what you shared.
Clarity of message
A solid presentation structure keeps your message clear and effective.
It logically guides the audience through your thoughts and ideas, creating a clear narrative that's easier to follow and understand.
Audience engagement
Structured presentations are more engaging. They provide a roadmap for your audience to follow, keeping them interested as you take them on a journey.
An unpredictable, chaotic presentation can lose an audience's attention quickly and reduce interaction.
Information retention
A well-structured, logical presentation boosts information retention.
Breaking your content into clear, manageable sections makes it easier for your audience to remember the key points.
What factors affect your presentation structure?
Now you know the importance of a well-structured presentation, let's look at aspects that will shape your presentation's structure.
Considering these elements will help you design a more effective, engaging presentation:
Audience
The main factor to consider is your audience:
- Who are they? Are they industry professionals or the general public?
- What do they already know about the topic, and what do they need to learn?
- Are they familiar with technical language, or should you aim for simplicity?
Tailoring your presentation structure to fit your audience is key to ensuring your message resonates.
Purpose
The purpose of your presentation will also significantly affect its structure.
Are you trying to inform, persuade or entertain your audience? Depending on your goal, you might structure your presentation differently.
For example, you could use a problem-solution format for a persuasive presentation. This is where you present a problem and the solution, like introducing a new product to solve a customer issue.
An informative presentation might benefit from a chronological or spatial format, where you focus on timelines or a directional structure.
For example, if you’re talking about the direction of a storm, you might list the states it hits in date or geographical order. This can help your audience piece together information easier.
Content
Your content is another aspect that will affect your presentation structure.
Depending on the nature of the content, you might opt for:
- a linear structure, where you discuss topics in a logical order or sequence or
- a modular structure with independent sections you can present in any order.
Time
How much time you have to deliver your presentation can impact its structure.
Only got a short amount of time? Prioritize key points with a more condensed structure. If you have more time, you can dig deeper into the subject matter with a comprehensive structure.
Knowing how these factors could influence your presentation structure is essential in creating a format that matches your objective and audience.
What is a typical presentation structure?
Now that you understand why a presentation's structure is so crucial and which factors can shape it, you can craft your own.
Here's a quick overview of a typical structure:
Greet the audience and introduce yourself
The start of a presentation can be nerve-wracking, but it's the perfect opportunity to set the tone for the rest of your talk.
Begin by greeting your audience warmly and introducing yourself.
Offering some brief background information about yourself can establish credibility and rapport with the audience.
Get your audience excited for your presentation with a jaw-dropping fact or funny, relevant story. If you’re presenting crime statistics, it might be best to choose a fact.
Basically, don't say, ‘“Today, I am going to talk about…” You want to grab your audience from the start, not throw them back to every presentation they've ever seen.
Introduction
Next, briefly introduce your topic. Hook your audience's interest, provide some context and preview your main points. Quickly explain what your presentation is about and what the audience can expect to gain from it.
From there, you can jump right into your topic.
The body
The main body of your presentation is where you go into the heart of your topic.
This is the time to discuss your key points in detail. Three to five main points are ideal to keep your audience's attention. Clearly state and support each point with evidence, examples or relevant anecdotes.
Remember, your information should flow logically and seamlessly. Use strong transitions to go from one point to another, like ‘let's get started,’ ‘likewise’ and ‘equally.’
Conclusion
The conclusion summarizes and reinforces your presentation’s key points. It's a chance to reiterate the main message and end with a strong closing statement.
You might invite questions, offer recommendations or present a call-to-action, depending on the purpose of your presentation.
You can modify this simple presentation structure based on your topic, audience, purpose and available time.
The ultimate goal is to present your content in a clear, engaging and memorable way.
Tips for designing and delivering an impactful presentation
Mastering the presentation format is just one part of the equation. Pairing it with effective design and delivery is a winning combination that's sure to captivate your audience.
Here are some tried and true tips to help you craft a more impactful presentation:
Tip #1: Include less text and more visuals in your design
Visual aids support your message and enhance your presentation's impact and effectiveness. They help your audience understand and remember your points.
Instead of loading your slides with text, try using graphics that represent and reinforce your message, like:
- charts
- diagrams
- infographics
- images
- video clips
Use graphics that represent the message you're trying to convey. If you're presenting for an innovative tech company, unironic clipart from 1997 will just confuse your audience.
Tip #2: Identify one core message to center your presentation around
Every great presentation has a single, core message that ties everything together. This message is the key takeaway you want your audience to remember after the presentation.
Once you've identified this key message, ensure every presentation element supports it. That includes everything from the introduction to the slide design and supporting visuals.
Tip #3: Create a strong presentation outline to keep you focused
A clear, considered outline can keep you focused and on track during your presentation. It guides you from one point to the next, ensuring that you cover all key points logically.
An outline can also help you manage your presentation time more effectively, which is crucial when you're on a tight schedule.
Tip #4: Remove any information that doesn't support the core message
Presenters often pack a lot of information into their talks as they want to share their knowledge. However, this can overwhelm your audience and weaken your main message.
Instead, stick to the key points and information that support your core message. Cut the rest, no matter how interesting or important it may seem.
If you have to share it, consider including a link to resources at the end of your presentation.
Tip #5: Use text to reinforce what you're saying
Text on your slides should support your key points, not repeat exactly what you're saying. This helps your audience focus on listening to you rather than reading the slides.
Keep your slide text concise, use bullet points or short sentences and highlight only the most important points.
Tip #6: Include one major takeaway per slide
Every slide of your presentation should emphasize one key message or point. This makes it easier for your audience to absorb and remember the information you're sharing.
It also keeps your presentation focused and stops it becoming too complex or confusing.
These tips are an adaptable starting point for designing a powerful, appealing presentation.
5 tried and tested presentation layout ideas to try
Tweaking your layout can make your presentation stand out and leave a lasting impression on your audience. The typical structure of greeting, introduction, main body and conclusion remains the same.
Here are five presentation layout ideas to experiment with:
1. Rule of three
A popular layout for an effective presentation is the rule of three, as our brains more easily remember things in threes.
So, dividing your content into three main sections can help your audience understand and remember it.
For instance, when discussing a topic, you could segment your points into an introduction, body and conclusion. Another way is to divide it into sections, such as problem, solution and benefits.
2. Left image, right text
A presentation layout that balances text and imagery can be engaging and informative. Visual cues draw attention and aid understanding.
A slide layout with an image on the left and text on the right (or vice versa) allows you to pair each concept or argument with a corresponding visual.
This format keeps your slides clean, engaging and focused on your main points.
Remember to keep text to a minimum.
3. Full bleed and whitespace
Full-bleed images can create a dramatic effect in your presentation. This is where the picture takes up the entire slide.
At the same time, using the empty space in your design can focus attention on your key points.
A slide layout that combines these elements can be visually appealing and emphasize key points without overwhelming your audience.
4. Horizontal split
A horizontal split presentation layout divides your slide in half, with one element on top (either text or image) and the other on the bottom.
This design is straightforward yet effective, allowing you to showcase two points on one slide without confusing or distracting your audience.
5. Centered callout
A centered callout layout is ideal for focusing on a main idea. It often includes a large, center-aligned title or statement surrounded by smaller text or visuals.
This design makes your main point the star of the slide, focusing your audience's attention on one single, strong message.
Remember, the most important thing about choosing a presentation layout is ensuring it complements your content and serves your audience.
Each of these layout ideas has unique strengths. So, experiment and find out which works best for your presentation.
It's a great opportunity to get creative and craft a unique and memorable presentation.
How many slides should I use?
A common dilemma presenters face is deciding how many slides to use.
A rule of thumb is about one slide per minute. Therefore, for a 10-minute presentation, a good starting point might be 10 slides.
However, this can vary greatly depending on:
- the amount of content you have,
- your presentation style and
- your audience's ability to absorb information.
The number of slides is less important than the quality of your content and how effectively you engage your audience.
Whether you have five or 15 slides, the goal is to communicate your message clearly and efficiently.
The last card
Formatting and structuring a presentation is as much an art as a science. It requires careful planning and a precise understanding of your key message, audience and objectives.
Understanding presentation structure and how to engage your audience ensures you'll be well-equipped to create an impactful presentation.
Remember, your goal isn't just to inform. You also want to engage, inspire and sometimes entertain your audience.
Armed with these insights, you're ready to captivate your audience in your next presentation.
Ready to take your presentations to the next level? Learn how to craft a memorable story that will influence and inspire your team, customers and clients.
Find the right story at the right time to upgrade your presentations, and tell stories that sell with the Storyteller Tactics Deck.
Level up your career with Pip Club
Join 100,000+ leaders who get unique tips every week on storytelling, leadership and productivity - plus exclusive how-to guides, first-dibs on upcoming Pip Decks and our very best discounts.
One of the few newsletters I look forward to.
— Dave Cunningham, Head of DesignOps @ NHS
