The introduction to your PowerPoint presentation is your chance to make a great first impression and hook your audience's attention. That's why it's important to adopt a user-centric approach. What do your audience members need to know? What are they interested in? This guide will teach you how to start a PowerPoint presentation in a way that will grab your audience's attention and set the stage for a successful presentation.
Part 1：How to Start a PowerPoint Presentation (In Simple Steps)
Step-by-step tutorial with image:
Step 1: Choose a theme.
A theme will give your presentation a consistent look and feel. To choose a theme, click on the Design tab and then click on the Themes button. Browse through the available themes and select one that you like.
Step 2: Create a title slide.
Your title slide should include the title of your presentation, your name, and your affiliation. You may also want to include an image or graphic to make your slide more visually appealing.
To create a title slide, click on the Home tab and then click on the New Slide button. Select the Title layout. Then, enter your presentation title, your name, and your affiliation.
You can also add an image or graphic by clicking on the Insert tab and then clicking on the Pictures button or the Shapes button.
Step 3: Add content slides.
Your content slides should include the main points of your presentation.
To add a content slide, click on the Home tab and then click on the New Slide button. Select a layout that includes the type of content you want to add, such as text, images, or charts.
Step 4: Add transitions and animations.
Transitions and animations can make your presentation more visually appealing and engaging.
To add a transition, click on the Transitions tab and then click on the transition you want to use.
To add an animation, click on the Animations tab and then click on the animation you want to use.
Step 5: Proofread your presentation.
Before you deliver your presentation, be sure to proofread it carefully for any errors in grammar or spelling. You may also want to ask a friend or colleague to proofread your presentation for you.
Tip on how to start a slideshow more engagingly:
Start with a strong hook. This could be a question, a surprising fact, or a relevant story. For example, you could start your presentation with a question like, "What's the one thing you need to know about [your topic]?" or "Have you ever wondered why [something happens]?"
Tell a story. People love stories, so why not start your presentation with one? A story can help you to connect with your audience on an emotional level and make them more interested in your topic.
Use humor. A well-placed joke can help to lighten the mood and make your audience more receptive to your message. Just be sure to avoid anything that could be considered offensive or inappropriate.
My experience:
I have used the above steps to create many PowerPoint presentations over the years. I have found that following these steps helps me to create presentations that are engaging and informative.
One problem that I have encountered is that it can be difficult to choose the right theme and layout for my presentations. However, by browsing through the available themes and layouts, I have been able to find ones that work well for my topics.
I have also found that it is important to proofread my presentations carefully before delivering them. By proofreading my presentations, I have been able to catch errors in grammar and spelling.
Overall, I have found that the above steps are a helpful guide for creating effective PowerPoint presentations.
Part 2 : How to Structure a PowerPoint Presentation
Please follow step-by-step below:
Step 1: Define Your Presentation Purpose
Begin by clarifying the main purpose of your presentation. Are you informing, persuading, or entertaining your audience? This will help determine your content structure
Step 2: Identify Key Points
List the key points or messages you want to convey. These should be the main takeaways for your audience.
Step 3: Add supporting content to each section.
This could include text, images, charts, or videos. Be sure to use visuals to support your main points and make your presentation more engaging.
Step 4: Review your presentation structure.
Make sure that your presentation is well-organized and that your main points are clear. You may also want to ask a friend or colleague to review your presentation structure for you.
Step 5: Practice your presentation.
This will help you to deliver your presentation smoothly and confidently.
Tip on the best way to organize the main content:
The best way to organize the main content of your PowerPoint presentation will depend on your specific topic and audience. However, there are a few general tips that can help you to create a well-structured presentation:
Start with a clear introduction. Your introduction should introduce your topic and state your main points.
Organize your main content into logical sections. Each section should focus on a single main point.
Use transitions and animations to help your audience follow along as you move through your presentation.
Conclude your presentation by summarizing your main points and leaving your audience with a call to action.
My experience:
I have found that the best way to organize the main content of a PowerPoint presentation is to use a logical structure. For example, if I am giving a presentation on a new product, I might use the following structure:
Introduction
Problem
Solution
Benefits
Conclusion
This structure allows me to introduce the problem that the product solves, explain how the product solves the problem, and then highlight the benefits of using the product.
Part 3: How to Edit PowerPoint Presentations for Free with WPS Office
1.Why Choose WPS Office
Microsoft Office has been the market leader in office productivity software for decades, offering robust applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. However, with the rise of cloud-based solutions and the increasing demand for cost-effective options, free alternatives like WPS Office have gained popularity.
Why should you choose WPS Office as an alternative to Microsoft Office?
Here are the answer:
● Free to use Word, Excel, and PPT. Powerful PDF toolkit
● Rich template store, which contains various free and paid templates for Word, PPT, and Excel
● Rich functions
● The light weight of the product is only 200M, and it occupies a small amount of computer memory. It is suitable for Win7, 10, and 11
● The MAC version of WPS Office is very powerful. Microsoft office ignores the experience of mac users, which can be made up by wps office
● Support online documents (WPS AirPage), multi-person collaborative editing
● WPS office also supports Linux systems, Android, and ios systems. To use WPS office products on different systems, you only need to log in to the same account, and all files can be synchronized
2. Start a PowerPoint Presentation in WPS Presentation
Step 1: Open WPS Presentation
You can create a new blank or choose from the Template library
Step 2: To create a new slide, go to the left sidebar and click the "+" (plus) button or use the shortcut Ctrl+M.
Step 3: You can add content to your slide by clicking on the placeholders for title and content. Start typing to add your text.
Step 4: To insert images, charts, shapes, or other objects, go to the "Insert" tab on the top menu and choose the type of content you want to add.
Step 5: After you've added all your slides and content, you can save your presentation by clicking on the floppy disk icon or using Ctrl+S.
Congratulations! Now you can create your own presentation and use it for your requirements.
FAQs
1.What are some tools for designing engaging slides?
Here are some tools for designing engaging slides:
● Canva: Canva is a free online design platform that offers a variety of templates and tools for creating presentations, social media graphics, and other visual content.
● Visme: Visme is another online design platform that offers a variety of templates and tools for creating presentations, infographics, and other visual content.
● SlideModel: SlideModel is a website that offers a variety of premium PowerPoint templates and slide designs.
● Prezi: Prezi is a presentation software that allows you to create non-linear presentations that zoom and pan from one slide to the next.
● Powtoon: Powtoon is an online animation software that allows you to create animated presentations.
2.How do I deal with a difficult audience member during Q&A?
Here are some tips for dealing with a difficult audience member during Q&A:
● Stay calm and professional. It is important to remain calm and professional, even if the audience member is being rude or disruptive.
● Acknowledge the question. Let the audience member know that you have heard their question and that you will address it.
● Restate the question. This will help to ensure that you understand the question correctly and that you are giving the audience member an accurate answer.
● Be brief and to the point. Try to answer the question in a concise and informative way. Avoid going off on tangents or giving long-winded answers.
● If you don't know the answer, it's okay to say so. You can tell the audience member that you will get back to them with an answer after the presentation.
● If the audience member is disruptive, you can politely ask them to stop. You can also say that you will be happy to answer their question after the presentation, but that you need to continue with the Q&A session for the rest of the audience.
Summary
The article "How to Start a PowerPoint Presentation: Guide for Beginners" provides a step-by-step guide on initiating a PowerPoint presentation, with an emphasis on using WPS Office. It offers clear instructions for opening the software, creating and editing slides, and initiating a slideshow. The guide also highlights WPS Office's cost-effectiveness, compatibility with Microsoft Office, and user-friendly interface, making it a suitable alternative for various users' needs. Download WPS Office now.
