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How to make a presentation people can follow
Thirty slides, each a wall of bullet points, read aloud word for word. The room stopped listening on slide three. A good deck starts away from the slides, with one sentence about what your audience should leave with.
A building routine, then presentation apps. AI tools can draft a deck from a prompt, but they can also invent facts. Check every number, quote and claim against your source before you present it.
Write the story, then the slides
Outline the beginning, the three or so points in the middle and the ending before you open any app. Then each point becomes a slide or two. Compare tools in presentation apps.
Less on the screen
One idea, a short headline and an image or chart beat a paragraph. Put the detail in your speaker notes. For designing slides, compare Canva vs Figma.
Practise like it is real
Say the talk out loud, standing, with a timer running. Cut what drags. If you read from notes, see how to read from a teleprompter.
Record it for those who missed it
Recording your screen while you present gives people something to watch later. See how to record your screen.
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. One message | a single sentence | everything serves it |
| 2. Story first | outline on paper | slides follow the talk |
| 3. One idea a slide | few words, big text | they listen, not read |
| 4. Rehearse aloud | with a timer | find the slow parts |
| 5. Send after | slides or a summary | they keep the details |
Frequently asked questions
How many words should be on a slide?
As few as you can manage. One idea and a short headline; the detail goes in what you say.
Should I use AI to make my presentation?
It can speed up a first draft. Check every fact it adds and rewrite it in your own voice.
How do I get less nervous presenting?
Rehearse out loud several times, ideally to a friend, until the order feels natural.