How to Write the Best Damn PowerPoint Headlines Ever

Your PowerPoint headlines suck.

I’m not going out on a limb to say that. It’s just true. Sorry about the scatology, but it’s the best word for the job. Let me guess, the PowerPoint deck right in front of you has these pages: Agenda, Introductions, Roles and Responsibilities, Guiding Principles, Status, Schedule, Item One split into a dozen slides, Item Two split into six slides, Key Milestones, Questions, and Next Steps.

C’mon, fess up. Those headlines are horrid. We can rebuild them. We have the technology.

Here’s how to write the best damn PowerPoint headlines ever.

Make it good enough to print on a t-shirt. The word Introductions isn’t good enough for a t-shirt. Say hello to my little friend is. Not every headline has to be t-shirt worthy, but that’s not a bad goal.

Make it fit on one line. Hey, what you lack in quality, you can’t make up for in volume. Read the really great headline writers. I like the New York Times and USA Today, but CNN and the New York Post write the killer headlines. They’re short. Often two words. But two killer words.

Say what’s on the slide. Obscurity is great for the CIA, but we’re talking about PowerPoint and communication. If a single word will do, then please be my guest. Otherwise, write descriptive headlines. (And if you violate the “fit on one line” rule, it had better rock.)

Forget headlines. If you can’t think of a great headline, then maybe you shouldn’t have one. Steve Jobs doesn’t need headlines.

If your slide is filled with bullet points, even a killer headline won’t help. You see that litle key on your computer that says DEL? Go ahead, push that one. Watch your presentation magically get better.

Now you know. Get out there and rock those PowerPoint headlines.

When It Comes to Presenting, Go Big or Go Home

Guy Kawasaki posted a set of Steve Jobs’ slides from WWDC 2007. Notice any tiny type? Any 5×6 Rules? Any excruciatingly bullet-pointed lines? I don’t think so. Jobs is a master presenter and he wins because he follows the “Go big or go home” approach to wowing his audience. And whether you’re presenting to 5,000 people or a group of 5 in an an HR meeting, make it memorable.

World’s Best Presentation Contest Winners

WBPCW

The World’s Best Presentation Contest winners were announced.

Some Great Presentation Advice

The YouBlog has a post called Death by Memorization. It’s one of the best and most succinct pieces of advice I’ve read in a while about presenting to an audience. (BTW: Earlier this week I saw one of the best presentations I’ve ever seen. Prepared. Clear. Practiced. Extemporaneous. Wow.)

Want to Enter a Best Presentation Contest?

SlideShareSlideShare is conducting a “World’s Best Presentation” contest. Do you have something you’d like to submit? Maybe you can get some inspiration from some of the presentations already submitted to the contest. Could be fun.

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