Have you observed that it is easier to make decent looking PowerPoint slides for interesting subjects than for inherently boring subjects?
So, one of the questions we often get asked by our readers is, “How to make interesting PowerPoint slides for boring subjects?”
A fair question.
In this article, I am going to show you a few useful ways you can design your slides, so your audience stays glued to your slides even if your subject matter is bone dry. The three ideas are:
- Use a relevant video from YouTube
- Use analogies to explain your concepts
- Use real photos for illustration
Let us explore each of the techniques in detail:
Idea #1: Use a relevant video from YouTube
I know of a professor who had to teach about ‘Equal pay act of 1963’. The subject was mind numbingly boring. After all, everyone knew the basic premise of the law – which is to provide equal pay for equal work.
Instead of showing a list of bullet points on gender pay gap, labor rights etc. he decided to show this short, funny but highly relevant video from YouTube.
He then proceeded to talk about how we are naturally wired to expect to be treated equally and how the discrimination in wages led to a protest, which eventually led to the amendment of Fair labor Standards Act.
Needless to say, the students were totally engaged throughout the session.
The next time you want to talk about a boring subject, think about how you can add an interesting video to spice up your presentation.
PowerPoint Animations for Engagement
By the way, inside Creating Exciting Whiteboard Animations in PowerPoint, I teach you…
- How To Create advanced hand animations right in PowerPoint
- How to Build excitement for even boring charts and infographics
- How to create a fun Videoscribe drawing effect in PowerPoint to take your videos to a whole new level
…and so much more. You can check more details about the Whiteboard Animation Training by clicking on the link below.
Idea #2: Use Analogies to explain your concepts
While I was browsing through the net, I happen to come across an interesting Slideshare presentation by Mr. Doyle Buehler on Digital Leadership for Pharmacists.
While talking about how the traditional approach to online business is inadequate, and why the pharmacists need to approach the online medium with the right tools, he used the following two interesting slides:
The first slide established that the current approach is inadequate…
The next slide urged the audience to approach the task with the right tools:
Can you see the power of a simple analogy to set the context and keep the audience glued to your slides?
You can go through the presentation by following the link here.
The next time you want to present about a boring subject, think about how you can use simple analogies to set the right context for your audience. By the way, inside Ramgopal’s PowerPoint Mastery Program, I teach you…
- How to convert your boring text-based slides into clear and memorable visuals using a simple 4 step process backed by cutting edge neuroscience
- How to use analogies to simplify complex concepts
…and so much more. You can check more details about the PowerPoint Mastery program by clicking on the link here.
Idea #3: Use real photos for illustration
The main reason why the audience gets bored while watching slides on a complex subject is – the overuse of bullet point text.
The moment you show a few real photos on the slide, you suddenly spark the interest of your audience.
I know of a senior physician who lectured on ‘Rotator Cuff Tear’ to a group of medical students. The subject was getting too boring and academic. The moment he included a slide with a few real photos on the subject, the audience woke up immediately:
The photos made the subject ‘real’ for the audience.
The next time you want to talk about any complex and boring subject, think about how you can use a few ‘real’ photos on your slides to spark the interest of your audience.
Hope you found the three techniques simple and practical to use in your next business presentation. Please share your thoughts and comments on the ideas in the comments section below.