Going Beyond Powerpoint: 5 Tips for Creating Presentations That Don't Suck
Raise your hand if you hate sitting through uninspiring powerpoint presentations. If you raised your hand you’re not alone because both of my hands are raised. There is nothing more disappointing than a lackluster presentation. As a visual artist I take pride in aesthetics and as an educator I take pride in effective teaching and learning. If you want to get better at designing presentations, keep reading.
Presentations should serve as an effective and engaging way to get your point across. As a college administrator and consultant who has facilitated hundreds of presentations over my 10 plus year career, I consider myself a presentation pro. Over the years I have developed some best practices that I am sure will impress your audiences no matter your industry. Here are five tips that will help you to design presentations that don’t suck.
Create an Outline
This may seem obvious but having a plan is essential. It‘s easy for you and your audience to lose focus during your presentation when you do not have an outline. Outlines allow you to make every word and image count. Some key elements of an outline include: setting a goal, analyzing the audience, and organizing the content.
Don’t Be Text Obsessed
Let’s face it, no one wants to read a million words per slide during your presentation. With that being said, keep the text minimal with no more than a title and three bullet points per slide. Let each slide breathe and I promise that your audience will be more engaged.
Design Matters
The way that your slideshow looks is just as important as its contents. To that end, be sure to add visual elements such as illustrations, photos, and videos to add more visual interest. There are several free resources such as Google images, Slides Mania, and Slide Carnival that provide beautiful imagery and slide themes for Power Point and Google Slides. Take the extra time to choose a non-standard slide theme as well as choosing images that capture the essence of your message.
Use Animations and Transitions
Movement is so exciting when you are stuck behind a screen watching a presentation so i highly suggest the careful placement of text animations and slide transitions throughout your presentation because when used correctly they create a visually appealing and creative touch to your presentation.
Make It Interactive
Anything that you can do to get the participants involved is a plus.Use audience polls and open ended prompts to keep your audience engaged, My favorite poll platforms are Slido and Poll Everywhere. Create engaging polls that relate to your main topic and your audience will become more active and present.
Lonnie Woods III is a student affairs practitioner specializing in career development within the visual and performing arts and art professions. Lonnie currently serves as Professional Development Coordinator for the Arts Administration program at Teacher's College, Columbia University, and he is a Teaching Artist for the Brooklyn Academy Of Music's Education Department while balancing a career as a freelance lifestyle blogger and content creator at his site: lonniewoodsthethird.com.
Career Update: Whitney Museum Workshop
Hello Tribe,
Last year I took a chance and left my full-time role to focus on my lifestyle brand and professional path as a teaching artist, consultant, contractor and creative careers expert.
Needless to say, that was an unconventional move, but I I knew it was necessary for me to get to my next level.
One of my major goals was to to have more time to partner with arts organizations to host relevant and fresh workshops and events for teens.
Well, almost a year later I am excited to share that I will be hosting a workshop this month at the Whitney Museum of American Art focusing on helping emerging artists prepare for college.
The event is free with registration for students grades 9-12. Please share with your relevant student groups and school partners. I would love for this event to have great reach so that I can continue to prove my value:)
Thank you for your support and thank you for seeing my light.
Here are the details for the event
Preparing Your Visual Arts Portfolio for College Admissions
FRI, Mar 19, 2021@4 pm
Come learn how to put together a successful visual arts portfolio! During this workshop, you will receive practical tips and strategies that will help you curate a body of work that best represents you and your art practice. We’ll also have time for you to ask the experts questions about your own work.
Lonnie Woods III is a visual arts college readiness expert and creative careers connoisseur based in NYC. Lonnie currently serves as the professional development coordinator for the master's program in arts administration at Teachers College, Columbia University, and as the lead instructor for the Brooklyn Interns for the Arts and Culture High School internship program at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Free with registration.
In love, peace, and style,
Lonnie
5 Ways to Show Yourself Love On Valentine's Day
I have always loved celebrating Valentine's Day because It is a dedicated day to spread love and be festive and who doesn't love those little valentines cards and candies? While in college I would pass out valentine cards to some of my friends and they thought it was the cutest thing. No matter your relationship status, showing love to others is important but before you do make sure you show yourself some love. Self love is the perfect way to fill up your love cup before you go pouring into others. Below I am sharing 5 ways that you can do just that.
BUY YOURSELF FLOWERS
Flowers are an instant mood booster and a great way to fill your home and your heart with love. So buy yourself some, place them in your favorite place in your home and enjoy their sweet aroma and aesthetic.
My favorite place to buy flowers in person is Trader Joe's. My favorite flower delivery services are Urban Stems, FTD and 1800 Flowers.
MAKE YOURSELF A MEAL
Cooking for yourself is a great way to slow down and show yourself some love.
Below I have created a complete menu from a collection of my recipes. Give these a try and let me know what you thinkValentine's Day
APPETIZER
Caprese Skewers
MAIN COURSE
Citrus Baked Salmon with Papaya Avocado Salsa
COCKTAIL COURSE
Pucker Up Pomegranate Lime Mimosa
DESSERT
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
CREATE A SPA DAY AT HOME
You don't need to leave your house to create a spa day full of pampering and skin care. Below are some items that will help you get your spa say started right at home.
KLEI BRIGHTEN FACIAL-AT-HOME GIFT SET
WRITE YOURSELF A LOVE LETTER
How often do you whisper sweet nothings to yourself? Probably not as often as you should! Take some time to write yourself a letter and be sure to speak your love language to yourself and treat yourself you want to be treated. You can save teh letters each year and read them to yourself as a reminder of your self love. Check out the DIY VDAY card tutorial below if you wanna get extra crafty!
Fave Five August 2020
Hello Everyone, I am back with last months favorites. Product links are listed below.
In Love, Peace, and Style,
Lonnie
CLEAN Hand Sanitizer by eLo Vegan Lifestyle
Sexy. Effective. Chic.
USE CODE LW3 for 10% off
Artistry Signature Select™ Hydrating Mask
Moisturizing. Nourishing. Simple
Trader Joe's Lemongrass Coconut Body Oil with Almond and Jojoba Oils
Delightful. Enriching. Hydrating
L.A. Girl Color POP Nail Polish Quick Dry Top Coat
Quick. Shiny. Perfect.
Walgreens Beauty Premium Cotton Squares
Luxurious. Soft. Absorbant.
Fave Five July 2020
Hey everyone,
I am sharing my July 2020 favorites! Each month I give you the scoop on my favorite five items purchased in the previous month. All product info is listed below so that you can shop my FAVE’S from this month!
#1 The Knot Pillow (Color: Dirty Pink) https://theknotpillow.com/products/so...
#2: 5pc Stainless Steel Bar Tool Set with Stand Silver https://www.target.com/p/5pc-stainles...
#3 Stainless Steel Hammered Cocktail Shaker https://tinyurl.com/y3okw7fb
#4 Pantene Gold Series Moisture Boost Conditioner https://amzn.to/3gVIaKT
#5 Overhead Arm Articulating Phone Stand https://amzn.to/2XXs8bQ
Welcome to the New LonnieWoodsTheThird.com!
What’s Up Everyone,
The wait is over! The new site is finally here. For the past week I have been working diligently with my team to redesign the website to create an enhanced user experience for you. I am super proud of the outcome. Below I am sharing the newest features and services to give you a mini tour. Let me know what you think about the new site down in the comments.
In Love, Peace, and Style,
Lonnie
NEW DESIGN
The site has a brand new look and feel. I wanted to lighten up the site and give it an editorial feel with a white background and more negative space in the design. I wanted it to have an editorial feel so I looked to some of my favorite lifestyle and food brands for inspiration.
A BETTER MOBILE BROWSING EXPERIENCE
This time around I was very intentional about making sure that the mobile browsing experience was just as user friendly and beautiful as the desktop version.
NEW SERVICES & SEAMLESS APPOINTMENT BOOKING
I am now offering brand new career coaching sessions, professional document reviews and personal development sessions. You can now book appointments directly from the site in just a few clicks. Check out the new services.
PIN RECIPE IMAGES TO PINTEREST
Saving a recipe is easier than ever now. Simply hover over any recipe image and click on the Pinterest logo to save to you account.