Oh How Far We’ve Come
Business presentations have come a long way from the early 20th century presentations that were read off manuscripts. In fact, one of the earliest mentions of incorporating graphics in a presentation was in Willard C. Brinton’s Graphical Methods for Presenting Facts in 1914 where he mentioned projecting graphs from lantern slides during a presentation. Presentations have evolved considerably, and the need for stunning visuals has increased with company’s even offering flashy, ready-made templates at a cost.
The Importance of Graphics
Depending on whom you ask, visuals account for 80 – 93 percent of everyday communication. One study on the impact of visual aids in a presentation, the UM/3M Study, found that presentations using visual aids were found to be 43 percent more effective than presentations without aids. It is clear that if you want to make a lasting impact with your presentation, captivating visuals are a must.
How then do you go about making sure that your visuals are strong enough to effectively communicate your message and leave a lasting impact for each and every presentation?
Prezi Anyone?
One answer we’ve found is Prezi, a cloud-based presentation software that is user-friendly, offers endless options for customization and will not break the bank. The program allows users to take the traditional slide-based presentation to a whole new level without abandoning the tried and true principles of effective presentation design.
Here is how Prezi helps us create a stellar presentation each and every time.
Make it Simple
Prezi makes it easy for users to create layouts with simple and consistent text and colors by providing a number of ready-made color and text themes for users to import into their presentation. This ensures that, even if you don’t have an eye for color, nothing classes or detracts from the actual content of your presentation.
Make it Count
Incorporating relevant data, graphics and images has never been easier. In addition to offering free, high-resolution photos for use, the program allows users to import a wide number of file formats, including video, and place them virtually anywhere within the presentation.
Make it Interesting
Prezi has evolved the presentation from the basic slide format to a canvas platform with seemingly endless placement, maneuverability, zooming and transition options. The program also now features sound and narration options for even greater customizability.
Make it Yours
The intricacies of all the features ensure that no two presentations are alike. Furthermore, if you’re used to creating and presenting as a team, Prezi offers options for remote collaboration, both in the design and presentation stages, in real-time.
Now you know our secrets for wowing our audience every time. What’s your go-to for making your presentations pop?
Sources:
http://seeit.mit.edu/publications/yatesorlikowski_powerpoint_2006.pdf
http://misrc.umn.edu/workingpapers/fullpapers/1986/8611.pdf
http://www.nonverbalgroup.com/2011/08/how-much-of-communication-is-really-nonverbal/