10 Simple Tips for Getting Started with Microsoft PowerPoint

by Joshua Feinberg

Are you responsible for leading meetings or conducting training sessions? Have you ever wondered how to use Microsoft PowerPoint to reinforce your sales, management or training message?

Because they are the core components of Microsoft Office Small Business Edition, I often talk about Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Publisher.

However, if you own a license for Microsoft Office Professional, which includes Microsoft PowerPoint, and have shied away from Microsoft PowerPoint in the past, consider the tips in this article as an introduction. If you've used Microsoft PowerPoint before but want some tips and hints on how to get more out of the program, consider these tips as a refresher.

Note: Microsoft Office XP Small Business Edition is now only available when bundled with the purchase of a new PC. You cannot buy Microsoft Office XP Small Business Edition as a retail product.

1. Understand the Terminology

Let's start with a simple working definition of Microsoft PowerPoint (right out of the Glossary from my new book).
Microsoft PowerPoint-a presentation graphics software application used primarily for creating and presenting slideshows during seminars, speeches and training classes; part of the Microsoft Office suite.

Key buzzwords:
Slide - the basic building block of a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation; analogous to a document in Microsoft Word or a worksheet in Microsoft Excel
Presentation - a collection of related slides, usually saved in Microsoft PowerPoint's native .PPT file format
Slideshow - for most purposes and intents, synonymous with presentation

2. Avoid Reinventing the Wheel

Until you get to a strong intermediate level with Microsoft PowerPoint, I recommend sticking with built-in electronic "helpers".

From the File pull-down menu, General tab, you can launch the
AutoContent Wizard, which interviews you about your planned
presentation and creates an attractive set of slides to help jump-start

your work.

Another option to consider: from the File pull-down menu, choose the New command and click on the Presentations tab. From there you can choose a presentation template, such as "Company Meeting", "Marketing Plan" or "Selling a Product or Service".

3. Keep Your Font Sizes Large Enough to Read from the Back of the Room

The AutoContent Wizard and built-in presentation Templates help with suggested fonts and font sizes. Until you develop greater proficiency, avoid the temptation to overrule recommended settings, especially when it comes to font sizes.

Most experts recommend keeping your main subject headings around 24 to 36 points, with your subheadings and bullet points no smaller than 16 points. While there are no hard and fast rules on the font sizes, design with the idea of being able to read from the back of the room that you'll be presenting in.

4. Use No More Than Two Different Fonts Throughout Your Presentation

Unless your presentation involves the history of typography, don't go overboard with your font selections. Better yet, at least initially, stick with what Microsoft's AutoContent Wizard or the built-in presentation Template suggests.

5. Keep Contrast In Mind

Unlike a black and white printed document, color matters greatly in a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. Most of your slides should either have very dark text on very light backgrounds, or very light text on very dark backgrounds.

Better yet, trust the default selections provided by the AutoContent Wizard or a built-in presentation Template.

6. Don't Forget the KIS Principle

Keep It Simple. I recommend making no more than a handful of points on each slide. Also, don't overdo the use of tacky sound effects or text that flies in.

Overuse of special effects just detracts from your message. (Think about the desktop publishing beginner who uses 14 different fonts on a one-page sales flyer.)

7. Web-ify Your Presentation

By choosing File, Save as Web Page, you can convert your slideshow to a series of HTML pages and related files. This feature is very powerful for teleconferences and Intranet-based training sessions.

8. Print Microsoft PowerPoint Slides as Handouts

You can print out your presentation by simply choosing File, Print, Print What: Handouts. Toward the bottom of the Print dialog box, you'll see many options you can experiment with, such as the number of slides per page and horizontal/vertical ordering.

9. Pack and Go

If you're presenting your slideshow on another PC, and you're not sure if that PC will have the same fonts or access to the same linked files, you can use the Pack and Go feature to give yourself better odds of success.

From the File menu, choose the Pack and Go command to step through the
Pack and Go wizard.

10. Respect Murphy's Law

Whenever possible, practice on the same PC and projector that you'll be using before your big meeting or training class.

The Bottom Line

If you've ever attended a seminar, training class or sales presentation where Microsoft PowerPoint was used (or in some cases "abused" as a crutch) and wondered how to get started, wonder no more!

In this article, we looked at 10 helpful tips and hints for using Microsoft PowerPoint to design a presentation that can help you communicate your message more effectively.

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Joshua Feinberg is an internationally recognized small business technology expert, speaker, trainer, coach, columnist and author. His latest book, "What Your Computer Consultant Doesn't Want You to Know," exposes 101 money-saving secrets of expensive techies. Learn how to save money on your small business computer support costs with Joshua's free bi-weekly Small Biz Tech Talk Tips e-mail newsletter. Subscribe at http://www.smallbiztechtalk.com and get two free mini-reports.