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Keynote vs. Prezi vs. Powerpoint – Which presentation software works best?

Face it. You may be a fascinating presenter, but you will still most likely need slides to support your presentation. Rich content such as images, videos and charts are now the rule.

Ensuring your slides are engaging and accessible are the big challenges. We have all watched the audience nod off at the first slide or cringed at amateur efforts such as tacky slide animations.

Worst of all is when the presentation won’t load and you suddenly forget everything you have ever known about the topic on which you are, reputedly, an expert. Death by slide is a real danger on either side of the podium.

Can you preserve yourself and your audience from the twin evils of tedium or technology malfunction? The answer, as with all things, is that it depends. Your choice of platform such as PowerPoint, Keynote or Prezi can make the difference.  Here’s how the three tools stack up.

PowerPoint

Powerpoint is the most commonly-used tool. It is reliable in the sense that PowerPoint is likely to work with any equipment you may be offered. However, Powerpoint hasn’t been updated in a long time. The standard slide templates can be painfully boring. Presenters need to put extra care into creating polished and professional-looking slides.

Keynote

Keynote is a Apple product, even older than PowerPoint. It is relatively easy to learn for PowerPoint users and has some advanced features that add flexibility. If the lecture room offers only a Windows machine with an older version of PowerPoint, you may then be faced with the daunting and uncertain task of converting the presentation to PowerPoint or exporting it to PDF. If you know you have a Mac available, however, it may be the best choice.

Prezi

In an alternative approach, Prezi is web-hosted and built on an infinite–canvas platform. It offers some interesting potential for collaboration and the exploration of how ideas relate in a non-linear format. Prezi is accessed via the internet and hence you must have an internet connection in your presentation space.

So, how can you make the most out of your presentation?  PowerPoint is not the only choice. The best solution is to work closely with your AV rep to get advice on which tool will work best in the space to give your presentation the dazzle it deserves.

Presentation tips 101

The nature of the world we live in today means that whilst the basics are still fundamentally important, when giving a presentation, it’s all about what will take it to the next level to leave your audiences truly inspired.

1. Delivery

We have various technology-based solutions readily available to us to help engage audiences in a relevant way and encourage interaction. It is, however also very easy to congest content with excessive information and various technologies.

Superfluous wording in PowerPoint slides, too many videos and even too many combined technologies, can lead to loss of audience attention and failure in delivering the content effectively.

Simplicity is always best, so being concise and maintaining fluidity is essential for a productive and impactful presentation:
• Use bullet points to minimise wording
• Reduce transitional and animation effects
• Spread video content throughout your presentation, rather than just in one section.

2. Creating conversation

It sounds like an oxymoron to create conversation when presenting involves delivering a one-way piece of communication. However, a great presentation engages the audience and naturally encourages conversation.

Thanks to social media, you can in fact facilitate conversation at the same time as delivering a message. Providing access to excellent content, not only in your presentation, but also online, enables audiences (both physically present and virtually), to share relevant points and materials.

A qualified AV technician can help guide you on what technology you should consider integrating into your presentation. They can even make helpful adjustments to ensure your presentation is concise and technically sound.

A well prepared presentation that incorporates effective uses of technology can lift your presentation to leave a longer-lasting and more impactful impression.

This article originally appeared at Business Events News.

How to take your presentation from ordinary to extraordinary

It’s one thing to have the confidence and charisma to give a presentation in the first place, but what is it that can take your presentation to the next level and leave audiences truly inspired?

Here are three tips that will carry your presentation into the 21st century and help you make a lasting impression with your audiences.

1. “The medium is the message”

The phrase coined by Marshall McLuhan still reigns true. The way you choose to deliver a message influences how the message is perceived. Think outside of standard Powerpoint slides. Engage your audiences with relevant technology that will help deliver your message and encourage interaction with your audiences.

2. There’s an app for that

It’s much more impressive to stand before a group with an iPad rather than speech cards or A4 sheets of paper. There are a number of presentation apps that can assist you to both create and deliver your presentation. There are apps that offer effective ways to prioritise content and plan your speech. There are now even apps that enable you to present local documents, websites, music and photos from your iPad, on-screen.

3. Use technology to interact with audiences

A great presentation engages the audience and creates a conversation. Think about how your audiences can engage with your content. Social media can be a powerful way to have audiences discuss and share relevant points throughout your presentation. Videos can help you avoid delivering a monologue and speak to your audience in a multi-sensorial way. Images can often be more powerful than words and are an important addition to any presentation.

There’s nothing worse than having to sit through a presentation with a rambling speaker and no relevant stimulation to keep you engaged and interested.

The creative and effective uses of technology can help lift your presentation and leave a longer-lasting impression. Speak to your AV technician to help guide you on what technology you should integrate into your presentation.