Slides That Stick: How to Make PowerPoint Your Ally

Let’s be honest: as marketers, we spend much time fiddling with PowerPoint slides. We’re constantly browsing, reading, drafting, copying, pasting, and tweaking. PowerPoint is everywhere in our daily work. My kids even joke about my PowerPoint usage. And with remote work, we’re using it more than ever.

Why? because it's easy. We write memos in PowerPoint because sharing slides is simpler than scrolling through a long Word document—not saying it is better. We even create slides instead of emails because they’re more visual. At events, we rely on PowerPoint because speaking without prompts is scary.

But here’s the problem: most often, we misuse PowerPoint. We’ve all sat through those presentations with slide after slide packed with tiny text. But also the opposite: stunning visuals without a link to the business story. It is boring or hard to follow, especially when looking at a laptop screen.

PowerPoint should help tell your story, not make it harder to listen.

Here are three ways to make your next presentation pop:

1. Use Big, Full-Screen Images: Forget slides packed with words. They lose people’s attention fast. Use full-screen images that highlight what you’re talking about. A good picture can say a lot without cluttering the slide. Let the images add to your story, but don't let the photos be the story.
2. Laugh at Yourself: Presentations can be nerve-wracking, but adding a bit of humour makes things a lot easier. Sometimes, you can even joke about the endless PowerPoint slides representing marketing today. Laughing at yourself makes you more relatable and shows a higher personal awareness.
3. Focus on The Story: Spend more time practicing your story vs. perfecting your slides. PowerPoint is there to help you, not be the show's star. The best talks happen when you connect with your people, not when you’re just reading off the screen or showing great visuals.

Garr Reynolds' book "Presentation Zen" is a goldmine on this topic.

I've learned that on stages it’s not about how many slides you have. It’s about the story you tell. Use PowerPoint wisely, but don't let it dictate your message.