Download a free report from http://PresentationsWithResults.com/gift This 15-page report goes into more detail about the ideas in this slideshow, including when to avoid bullet points and when to use them, with certain restrictions. The report also discusses ideas for planning the most engaging content that will lead your audience to take action at the end of your presentations.

1. PowerPoint
Queen
Presents:

2. When are bullet points
a good choice?
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By Susan Joy Schleef
http://PresentationsWithResults.com
https://www.Facebook.com/PowerPointQueenRules

3. Most presentation advisors
now recommend slides with
> more pictures
&
< less text

4. And many recommend avoiding
bullet points
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5. •
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6. Bullet points bear the brunt of jokes –
as well as more serious critiques
of PowerPoint presentations

7. But the problem is NOT
putting a bullet point
in front of a
block of text

8. The problem is too much text
for your audience to read
while they’re trying to
listen to you!

9. So are there times when bullet
points are a good choice?

10. bullet
• ‣
bullet ∘ bullet
• ‣ ∘
triangular white
bullet
bullet bullet
According to Wikipedia.org,
bullet
• is a typographical symbol
‣
triangular
bullet ∘ white
bullet
or•glyph used to‣ introduce ∘
“A bullet triangular
bullet white
bullet bullet
• ‣ ∘
items in a list.”
triangular white
bullet
bullet bullet
bullet
• ‣
triangular
bullet ∘ white
bullet

11. In traditional terms, this was
referred to as a bulleted list.
In common usage today, that list
has come to be known as
bullet points.

12. •
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• In other words,
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• bullet points are
• perfect for lists
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•

13. Let me see who’s
been naughty and
who’s been nice

14. Well, maybe
not that list!

15. •
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• If bullet points are
•
• perfect for lists . . .
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•

16. then how did we go from lists . . .
• Ampersand &
• Apostrophe ‘
• Asterisk *
• Backslash
• Bullet •
• Caret ^
• Dagger †
• Hyphen -
• Pilcrow ¶
• Section §
• Tilde ~

17. then how did we go from lists to this?
• Ampersand &
• Apostrophe ‘ The Social Media Manager Role
• Asterisk * • Developed to help corporations
market with social media
• Backslash
• Bullet • A Social Media Manager
• Creates and shares content on
• Caret ^ many social sites
• Dagger † • Or finds and shares suitable
• Hyphen - content created by others
• Pilcrow ¶ • While interacting with the
company’s friends and followers
• Section §
• Tilde ~

18. then how did we go from lists to this?
• Ampersand &
• Apostrophe ‘ The Social Media Manager Role
• Asterisk * • Developed to help corporations
market with social media
• Backslash
• Bullet • A Social Media Manager
• Creates and shares content on
• Caret ^ many social sites
• Dagger † • Or finds and shares suitable
• Hyphen - content created by others
• Pilcrow ¶ • While interacting with the
company’s friends and followers
• Section §
• Tilde ~

19. According to
http://oxforddictionaries.com,
“Bullet points are used to draw
attention to important information
. . . so that a reader can identify
the key issues and facts quickly.”

20. In marketing, public relations,
and copywriting, bullet points
are often used
• to draw attention to important items
•by making them look different than
•the surrounding blocks of text

21. I propose there are 3 situations
when bullet point lists, or
bulleted lists, are acceptable
or even recommended on slides
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22. #1
Lists are much easier to read in
web-based, unnarrated slideshows
than in live presentations
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23. Unnarrated slideshows, viewed on
a computer screen or a mobile
device, are more like written
documents than like presentations

24. Most people don’t mind reading
more text when they control how
quickly to advance the slides
AND
they’re not trying to read and
listen at the same time!

25. But even in an unnarrated,
viewer-controlled slideshow,
don’t overwhelm your viewers
with too much reading

26. But even in an unnarrated,
viewer-controlled slideshow,
don’t overwhelm your viewers
with too much reading
I don’t have
time to read
that much!

27. • Keep the font size fairly large
• Keep the writing at a 6th to 8th
grade reading level
• Make sure the text is engaging
and appealing – something they
WANT to read

28. #2
For a live, large-room presentation,
stick to one idea per slide
Don’t distract your audience
from listening to you, the speaker,
by giving them too much
to read on the screen
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29. If you absolutely must
show a list on screen
during a live presentation,
keep it short and easy to read
from the back of the room

30. And definitely – DON’T
READ THE LIST OUT LOUD!
Show the slide and just give your
audience a moment to read it
before you continue speaking

31. And definitely – DON’T
READ THE LIST OUT LOUD!
The #1 complaint from most audience
surveys is that the presenter reads directly
from their slides!

32. If the list is long or contains critical
information the audience will
want to remember,
make the list available in a handout
so they’re not trying to
copy the whole list in their notes
instead of listening to you

33. One great way to do this is to
give them an easy URL
(display it large on a slide)
where they can download the
handout – perhaps requiring them
to enter their name and email

34. #3
The 3rd scenario is sometimes
referred to as “boardroom
presentations”, as opposed to
“ballroom presentations”
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35. “Boardroom
presentations”
refers to …
presentations given to a small
audience at a business meeting
in a small room

36. In those more informal and
more intimate situations,
a presentation can become the
impetus for a group discussion of
the ideas presented on the slides

37. The slides may be accompanied by
a live, spoken presentation,
or they may be distributed as a
reading deck or briefing deck
to be read before, during,
or after the meeting

38. At times, the slides may even
substitute for a spoken
presentation – when they are sent
to someone who is unable to
attend the meeting

39. These “boardroom presentations”
can utilize more written text, but
must present clear and concise
information in a way that is
persuasive and targeted to
business decision-making

40. Bullet points may be a good way to
quickly summarize key points in a
“boardroom presentation”

41. Bullet points can work in a
“boardroom presentation” because:

42. Bullet points can work in a
“boardroom presentation” because:
1. Everyone can easily see and read
the slides (before, during, or after)
2. The audience has time to read the
slides (before, during, or after) without
trying to listen at the same time
3. The audience is highly motivated
and looking for information to help
them make a business decision

43. Bullet points can work in a
“boardroom presentation” because:
1. Everyone can easily see and read
the slides (before, during, or after)
2. The audience has time to read the
slides (before, during, or after) without
trying to listen at the same time
3. The audience is highly motivated
and looking for information to help
them make a business decision

44. Bullet points can work in a
“boardroom presentation” because:
1. Everyone can easily see and read
the slides (before, during, or after)
2. The audience has time to read the
slides (before, during, or after) without
trying to listen at the same time
3. The audience is highly motivated
and looking for information to help
them make a business decision

45. But “boardroom presentation” is a
unique style that requires careful
preparation of your persuasive
message, with stories and pictures,
as well as attention to developing
the logic and evidence to support
your business proposal

46. The audience for a “boardroom
presentation” will have little patience
for a boring, rambling, or
lackluster presentation!
Don’t waste their time!

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To summarize
my points . . .

48. Here are 2 more tips from
http://oxforddictionaries.com:
“Bullet points tend to have
more impact if their text is
relatively short.”

49. “… try to use them sparingly:
too many bullet-pointed sections
in the same document will mean
that their impact is lost.”