When should you use slides and handouts in your presentation?

I rarely use slides when working face-to-face. I find that the benefits are outweighed by the loss of connection with the people I am working with. I use them only if there is information that can only be conveyed by a graphic (graphs etc). Slides of bullet points that you speak to should be outlawed!

Slides and handouts serve distinct purposes in a presentation. Slides should be used ONLY to: 1. Simplify complex information. 2. Clarify key points. 3. Amplify your message. If your slides don't achieve any of these objectives, consider not using them. Handouts or slide docs, on the other hand, are skimmable documents meant to prepare your audience beforehand. They should be self-explanatory, as they might be shared beyond your immediate audience. Your handout should effectively convey the same story as your spoken presentation, and it's beneficial to include an appendix for additional reference material.

You should use slides and handouts for every presentation where you are conveying information of interest and importance to your cohort of professionals. The slides provide visual stimulation on a screen with information you do not necessarily add to your handouts. It encourages your participants to keep track of your verbal presentation and gives them a space in the handouts where they can jot down notes.

Slides and handouts can improve the IMPACT of your presentation by making it multi-media. To start, the audience can see and hear you. When you add slides, they can also see and read the slides. When you add handouts, they can touch, read, and write about the content. Different people learn and interpret information differently. There are auditory, visual and experiential learners in the audience. Of course you can go overboard, but often the right slides and handouts can strengthen your presentation.

Some presentations can be simply delivered with either slides or handouts - or neither - or both! I find that slides are useful when they are graphically engaging in a way that captures the attention of visual learners - graphics, and less text. I find that handouts are useful for active learners - they engage the learner to do something with the material that you are discussing - either in the moment, or after the lecture. In all cases, your goal is to convey information and you need to pay attention to the modality that will support the learners and their retention of the material.

Slides are like a 3 part short story lasting no more than 20 minutes which is the limit of active attention; - The beginning sets the stage and captures the audience's attention with compelling facts about why they should tune in - The middle dives into addressing how and why this matters and reinforces your thesis in the opening - The closing third of your story is your solution, the happy ending, outlining how or why your audience needs to take action supporting your idea, your business, or simply taking action to support change.

In general, have each slide focused on one major point you wish to make! My best tip here is: LESS is MORE! Insert a graphic that underscores the verbal discussion you will be having during the time the slide is up. Have titles that are informative (eg not "Background") If you get to the point that the slide has too much content, quickly duplicate it, remove half from each, and then ruthlessly edit so that the text is enough to convey the important reminders the audience needs and enough to prompt you to say all the important details. If you're reading everything on your slides, your audience will be bored and you won't have nearly the impact you could have.

It's also worth considering the learning styles of your audience. Some people who are more visual will benefit from slides that illustrate what you are saying, instead of just having to listen to you. Well chosen images can help audience members to remember what you've said.

Best Practices for SLIDES: = "Death by powerpoint" is a thing. Here's the test: Could your slide deck stand-alone, i.e. replace you? If yes, get rid of most of the content. Images that reinforce what you are saying are mouch more effective. = Do not use your slides as a crutch to prompt your next point. = Truly, less is more! Best Practices for HANDOUTS: = I time the distribution of handouts purposefully, and never until they are needed. Otherwise, they are distracting! (Yes, I learned this the hard way.) = Generally handouts should have space for note-taking too. = Don't forget to add your contact information to the handout!

I love it when participants ask me- "Are the slides going to be available?" Yes...but there's no real information on the slides! The good news-They felt engaged, and they believed (or habit) the slides somehow had information they needed...That's when you know, it wasn't 'death by PowerPoint'. Instead: 1) Invite them to take a screenshot or photo of a slide that may have value. If it's 1 or 2 pictures on their mobile or desktop, easier to access the info they need. 2)Keep the handout to 1 page, with space for them to fill in the blanks (remember mad-libs?) 3) Offer the handout before presenting, this helps set clarity and expectations for what's next.

As you are crafting the presentation, run through from first to last. Is there anything that doesn't add to what the audience needs to know on the topic? Remove it. Is there anything that's not targeted to the audience who will attend? Remove it. It's tempting to want to put everything you could possibly share on a topic into the slide deck. Keep the narrow focus on the aims of the talk and make sure that you're below the time limit! Leave time for questions. You can always keep a couple slides after your last slide "just in case" someone asks a questions related to something you took out, but you want to keep it streamlined and not an entire full hour of slide deck!

Another mistake we see often is spelling mistakes and typos. This shows a lack of attention and care and can come across as unprofessional. After working on a slide or handout for a long time we stop seeing these sorts of details. Give your doc to someone else to read through. Ask them to especially check the headings (or what I like to use "headlines") as we often rush over these in our review. An additional tip in checking for errors is reading the slide backwards. You'll be more likely to see each word as you do this and therefore pick up on errors.

Before even thinking about slides and handouts, you should get very clear on who you are presenting to and what you want them to think, feel, do or believe after your presentation. This will ensure that you are creating a transformation, rather than just an information dump and that you have a solid structure, with a clear call to action BEFORE you think about supplementing with slides and/or handouts. Not every presentation or every audience need to have either slides or handouts. It depends on your message, the situation/event, your presentation style, industry etc. Use these aids wisely or they may overtake your presentation. You are the hero of the presentation!

Use of slides for virtual presentations is even more important. With the lack of flip charts to build insight on, or much visual movement or gestures from the trainer the visual and kinaesthetic learners need something to see to attach the words they’re hearing to. As the slides then often become the main focus on the screen it’s even more important the speaker thinks about build of slides and using images/metaphors and colour etc to make a point but not set the learner reading ahead whilst the trainer talks.