A Closer look at PowerPoint & its overlooked features

For centuries, presentations have been the way people presented their ideas, products, and services to others, and it has proven to be so successful that it has been passed down through generations, and it is being used to date.

Have you lately been entrusted with developing a presentation or are you looking to hire a presentation design company? And you wanted to conduct some study on how presentations really work if that’s the case you’ve come to the perfect spot. Because in this blog, we are taking a closer look into professional PowerPoint and some of its overlooked features.

PowerPoint as a presentation tool

Before slides were a thing, professional presentation in the past was done through paper flip charts and slide projectors. With the advancement in technology, PowerPoint was introduced to society. Despite the fact that PowerPoint today is utilized in a wide range of professions throughout the world, even a presentation design expert who is a master in the art of presentation design is unaware of some of its advanced features. This extensively utilized presentation tool is now being used to pitch business ideas, connect with the audience, and do many other things. PowerPoint has single-handedly revolutionized the art of efficiently presenting and communicating data. 

Purpose

Even though it is not a feature of PowerPoint, the purpose of creating a compelling professional PowerPoint presentation has an influence on the final output. You should be clear about

Why you are creating this presentation?

For whom are you creating this presentation?

What is your audience has to gain from the presentation?

Keeping these things in mind will help you craft the perfect professional PowerPoint presentation.

So, here are some aspects that are frequently overlooked by people yet may significantly improve the efficiency of your PowerPoint presentation. 

Basic Charts

You may use a number of chart styles in PowerPoint, but the most essential thing is to use the right chart for the data you’re presenting. Here are some charts that are often used in a professional PowerPoint presentation–

• Bar Chart
• Pie Chart
• Line Chart
• Combined Diagram
• Radar Chart
• Scatter Diagram
• Area Diagram

Statistics chart on laptop display and trader analyzing the data

Here are PowerPoint presentation tips, link your charts to excel so you can input data in a more efficient way. PowerPoint also supports various charts that many people are unaware of, such as-

• TreeMap Chart
• Sun Burst Chart
• Histogram Chart
• Funnel Chart

I would also recommend animating the charts or animating particular components of the chart so that you may display each feature of the chart one after the other, this will help the audience understand it better.

Tables

Tables are one of the best ways to display a huge quantity of data in a straightforward and aesthetically pleasing manner. However, if you are a rookie or don’t have enough expertise in designing professional PowerPoint presentations, I would avoid using tables. Because as soon as the audience sees a table, they begin to extract information from it and stop paying attention to you, and presenters sometimes make the fonts smaller due to the size of a slide.

Special Effects

Special effects can help you present information gently and not overload the audience with facts, which can help you keep the audience’s attention. In your professional PowerPoint presentation, you may animate the text, images, shapes, tables, SmartArt graphics, and other objects. Effects can cause an item to appear, vanish, or move. They have the ability to modify the size or color of an object.

Hidden Slides

Hidden Slides are a fantastic feature provided by Microsoft, you may use the function while providing in-depth information about a subject. If your audience is unclear about the fundamental data offered, you may disclose the hidden slides to provide extra information.

SmartArt

A SmartArt graphic is the representation of your data and thoughts in a graphical manner. You can create one of your own by first selecting a layout that suits what you are trying to convey. Some layouts show certain types of information, while others just improve the looks of a bulleted list. When paired with other features such as themes, SmartArt pictures enable you to create designer-quality graphics with only a few mouse clicks.

sliced pyramid, 5 levels isolated over a white background

So the bottom line is even though anyone can create a PowerPoint design, it takes years of expertise to craft the professional PowerPoint presentation that will leave an impactful impression on your audience. To make your life a lot easier I would suggest hiring Visual Sculptors, PowerPoint design experts for your presentation needs as their years of expertise in crafting business, demonstrative and educational presentations have turned them into seasoned Presentation warriors.