Tools To Control Text On Slides

I want you to reduce the “Visual Clutter” on your PowerPoint Slides. You are not trying to write a “ransom note,” you are attempting to create a professional image.

PowerPoint has a great set of tools that you can use to enforce the Visual Style options that you set. In this video lesson, I demonstrate how to set up the style guides and then how to use PowerPoint’s tools to make the changes that conform to your rules.

Here are the steps to follow for this lesson:

  1. Go to the Tools Men and choose Options and then click the Spelling & Style Tab.
  2. On the Spelling & Style Tab choose Style Options.
  3. You can make your stylistic choices on the “Case & End Punctuation” tab and on the “Visual Clarity” tab. When you have made your choices, click OK.
  4. Back in Normal View, when you click in a Text Place holder, look for the Yellow Light Bulb. Click on it to see your options to conform to the style settings that you set.
  5. Also, look for the AutoFit Options Smart Tag. Choose the best option to change your style.

Search my Index of PowerPoint Video Lessons for the topic of your choice.

News! My DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is availabe for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

Related Videos

Practice Preventive PowerPoint – How to Avoid Reading Your Slides

Book Cover - Why Most PowerPoint Presentations Suck...

Buy this book!

I just started reading Rick Altman’s totally irreverent – and totally relevant book this past weekend. I love this book! Even better, I love the advice that Rick share with his audience.

How many time have you sat in the audience while the presenter proceeded to read the slide – “word-for-word.?”

Better question – How many times have you – the presenter – read your slides “word-for-word?”

The answer to both questions – “Way too many times!”

Now, we can’t directly change how other people choose to present – unless they are are one of our direct reports; or, they come to us seeking coaching on their presentations. However, we can implement “Preventive PowerPoint Practices” to improve our own presentations.

Rick helps us with 2 “Universal Axiom’s:

Universal Axiom #1:

“If a slide contains complete sentences, it is practically impossible for even the most accomplished presenters to avoid reading the entire slide word for word.”

Universal Axiom #2:

“When you read your slides word for word, you sound like an idiot.”

So what is the solution? How can you implement”Preventive PowerPoint Practices?”

Simple – Do not put complete sentences on your slides!

I can attest to this first hand. From time to time, I deliver training using PowerPoint slides created by my client. Many of the slides contain complete sentences hiding as “bullet points.” I have to really force myself to not look at the slides lest I succumb to the temptation to “read the slide word-for-word.” And I am an experienced presenter. I have to consciously remind myself to look at the audience and not at the slide!

It is so much easier when you implement “Preventive PowerPoint Practices” – Do not put complete sentences on your slides!

The Four-by_Four Rule

In an earlier post, I demonstrate the “Four-by-Four Rule for PowerPoint”

  1. No more than “Four” Bullet Points per Slide.
  2. No more than “Four” words per Bullet Point.

Read Rick Altman’s Book – “Why Most PowerPoint Presentations Suck… And How You Can Make Them Better.”

Go back to ALL of your PowerPoint Presentations and remove Every Complete sentence. Now – before you forget.

There is one exception to this rule: If you are using a quotation on your slide. A good quotation is usually brief. Just make sure that you choose a quotation that complements your point.

News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

How many slides should I use?

My clients frequently ask me “How many slides should I use in my presentation?”

It is a good question. Unfortunately… there is no “hard and fast” rule to answer it.

However, there are several guiding principles that can help us to decide how many – or how few – slides to include in each presentation. Today, I will share 3 guidelines including Guy Kawasaki’s “10/20/30 Rule for Powerpoint.”

Search my Index of PowerPoint Video Lessons to find a specific topic.

News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

Related Videos