Make your Powerpoint presentation pop with these tips.

Presenting your ideas in front of a group of people can be a daunting task. It ranks high up on the scale of things people are afraid of doing. Being well prepared will help calm your nerves and let you get your ideas across in the best way possible. These presentation tips will help you stand out from the crowd.

Presenting is hard work

Almost all experts agree on one thing: Know your stuff inside out. Nothing ruins a presentation more than having a fumbler up in front who doesn’t know their material. Take the time to research, organize and prepare.

• Structure your material so it has a logical flow. Put categories together, do a chronological display, show how the interconnections are happening.
• Divide up the entire presentation into key points. Having between three to five points will help your audience remember the key issues being discussed.
• A strong conclusion is paramount to having your audience leave with a full understanding of your presentation but it will also help them to remember.
• Leave enough time for a Q and A session. This engages the audience and they are more likely to remember.
• Provide contact information at the end of the presentation for any other questions that surface after the audience has had time to digest the presentation.
• Don’t be afraid the pause the presentation to clear up any confusion or questions from the audience. Press either the W or B key to stop and then the Enter key to resume.

Making a great impression

Use some of the principles of public speaking to help you come across as a polished and professional who is in control of their topic.

• Practical examples and case study anecdotes are a great way to make your concepts clear and accessible by your audience members.
• Slow down! Everyone has a tendency to speed talk when they are nervous. Deliver your presentation slowly and clearly.
• Avoid talking in a monotone, as this will lull people to sleep. Emphasize certain ideas and words to give your voice some life.
• Speak up! You want the people at the back to be able to hear you but you don’t want to be shouting. Clear, concise and engaging.
• Make sure your gestures are natural and fit in with your topic. Leave your arm by your side or rest them on the podium to keep gestures to a minimum.
• Maintain eye contact but don’t stare the your audience. Move between the screen and the audience.
• Have reminders notes so you know what slide is coming next and can be ready to discuss its relevant points.
• Dress comfortably.

Design

• Less text is always better.
• Follow the 10/20/30 Kawasaki rule.
• A table of contents can be a perfect introduction and peak audience interest.
• Best size for titles is 44 with a Sans Serif font that is easy to read. Avoid the fancier fonts, as they can be difficult to decipher.
• Each slide should have your company brand to reinforce your brand.
• Arrange slides in a chronological order with topics placed accordingly.
• Don’t bombard the audience with too many stats and numbers. You want them to remember what you are presenting. Round numbers up.
• Make sure each slide has a title.
• Visual pie charts or bar graphs will make more impact rather than just numbers.

Read more about creating the perfect presentation:

• Tips for a successful projector presentation
• The 10/20/30 rule for projector presentations
• Add some color to your presentation

The post More Powerpoint presentation tips appeared first on DLP Lamp Guide - LCD and DLP Repair Tips - Fix Your DLP - FixYourDLP.com.

Learn how to counter the keystone effect.

In order to display the correct picture, your projector must be properly aligned with the screen. If there isn’t the proper perpendicular alignment, the projector image will look like a trapezoid rather than a square.

The keystone effect can be frustrating for both the presenter and viewers. It’s distracting to have an off-angled projector image and may make your presentation look unprofessional.

How to correct

The old school approach was to prop up the projector with books or furniture to correct the angle for a proper projector image. Today’s current projectors are a bit more sophisticated but the principal remains the same: Correct the angle.

You can correct keystone problems either manually or using the keystone correction, a feature that most 1080p projectors now carry.

Manual correction

Physically adjusting the lens so the projectors is at either a higher or lower angle that it was on a flat surface can often solve the keystone problem. Try tilting the projector up so the projector image is higher on the screen or moving it further away from the screen. If the projector is mounted on the ceiling you may have to add an extension to the mount that allows you to lower the projector. Manual adjustment is the best way to correct keystone problems.

Digital keystone correction

At times you will not be able to control your presentation space, particularly if you are on the road with your projector. The new DLP projectors are equipped with digital keystone correction allowing the projector to resize the projector image so it appears square.

Many projectors have a keystone menu button to digitally adjust the image. With other projectors you access keystone through the Picture menu and press the Up/Down arrows to adjust the projector image. The default setting will be at 50, which means no adjustment has been made.

A fixed keystone correction allows the projector to shoot upwards so tilting the projector is not necessary. Your angle for correcting the keystone will be listed on your specification sheet or in your use manual. Projectors will also vary at how much correction they can provide. Up and down (vertical keystone correction) will vary from 12 to 35 degrees of correction. Horizontal keystone adjustment is not a popular; although some of the higher end home theatre projectors are offering this feature.

Use digital keystone correction as a last resort since it involves scaling the projector image and this can create visual distortions. It doesn’t create the ideal picture quality especially with graphics and charts, which can be an important feature in business presentations.

Setting up your projector correctly is the best way to solve the keystone effect.

The post Correcting distorted projector images appeared first on DLP Lamp Guide - LCD and DLP Repair Tips - Fix Your DLP - FixYourDLP.com.