PPTPOP

50 Best PowerPoint Presentations (2023 Update)

This is the most complete list of the best PowerPoint presentations on the Web. Period.

In fact, you’ll find 50 presentation slide decks on this page.

So whether you’re looking to…

✅ Learn how to create amazing presentations, step-by-step ✅ Understand the latest trends – about marketing, social media, AI and more – and grab actionable strategies to grow your business ✅ Discover the best pitch decks that have helped companies like Youtube or Airbnb raise hundred of millions of dollars…

You’ll really enjoy this list.

50 Best PowerPoint Presentations That Teach You Things

Here are the different categories in which the selected slide decks fall into:

Presentation Skills Copywriting & Sales Online Marketing Business Innovation Pitch Decks Productivity

Presentation Skills: Tips, Resources & Inspiration to Become a Real Pro

In this section, you will find a comprehensive selection of slide decks that will help you plan, structure and design irresistible presentations, step-by-step.

Let’s jump right in!

1. Quick & Dirty Tips for Better PowerPoint Presentations Faster

This deck will teach you 7 simple, effective tips to build presentations faster, from start to finish.

Now, if you’re not following any process when making your own presentations, make sure to check out tip #7 (it’s the one I personally use and if you stick to it, you’ll save a huge amount of time).

Quick & Dirty Tips for : Better PowerPoint Presentations Faster from Eugene Cheng

Quick side note : if you want to design gorgeous slides fast, you’d be crazy not to check out PPTPOP’s premium template pack. It’s a set of ready-to-use slides you can use right away to make your presentations look 10x better. See details here .

2. 8 Tips for an Awesome PowerPoint Presentation

In this deck, you’ll learn 8 simple effective slide design tips to make your presentations visually more appealing.

8 Tips for an Awesome Powerpoint Presentation from Damon Nofar

3. The Ultimate Freebies Guide for Presentations

Want to design more  creative presentations ? This deck will give you access to some of the best useful resources and tools to create better slide decks (icons, fonts, infographics and more).

The Ultimate Freebies Guide for Presentations  from Damon Nofar

4. Create Icons in PowerPoint

Icons are a great way to design presentations that are more appealing.

Wanna know the best part?

Designing your own icons.

This tutorial teaches you how to simply build your own, customized icons, step-by-step.

Create icons in PowerPoint from Presentitude

Pro Tip :  If you prefer using standard icons that ou can still customize, head over to this post where I’m sharing my favorite presentation graphics and shapes.

5. 10 Powerful Body Language Tips for Your Next Presentation

Public speaking is not only about making a corporate speech in front of your company’s board members once every six months.

In fact, we’re facing situations where we have persuade, inform, or motivate others all the time .

And guess what, each of those moments requires us to impact with our words, our voice and our posture.

So if you’ve been looking to learn how to speak with more confidence, the deck below will provide you 10 simple tips to grab – and keep – the attention of an audience (tips #1 and #5 are so simple and powerful that you’ll be glad you learnt them today).

10 Powerful Body Language Tips for your next Presentation from SOAP

6. The Art of Saying No: Kenny Nguyen at TEDxLSU

I got you…

This is not a presentation. But it’s a killer speak you must watch.

Kenny Nguyen, the CEO of Big Fish Presentations,  speaks about the power inherent in saying “no.” In this  TEDx,  he explains how “no” has affected him personally and professionally, but more importantly, how it can prepare one for the perfect time to say “yes”.

This speech will show you how to entertain an audience, grab their attention and tell powerful stories that stick.

The Art of Saying No  from Big Fish Presentations

Additional Resources

PPTPOP’s Best Templates

The Ultimate PPTPACK (35 editable, templates. FREE)

Powerful Presentation Tips (That Work FAST)

Creative Presentation Techniques You Can Use Now

How to Design Gorgeous Presentations When You Have No Time (And No Design Talent)

If you’re looking to crank out quality presentations without spending dozen of hours designing them or hiring an expensive designer, then you should consider investing in professional templates. Professional templates help busy people of all talent ranges create fantastic presentations at breakneck speed.

Top performers know that presentations can have a huge impact on their business. Because the truth is, when you start deliver top-tier business materials, you’re able to:

  • Present clean slides that grab (and keep) people’s attention
  • Confidently expressing ideas, concepts and messages with visual elements. Because, yes, you know that those who use visual aids are 43% more persuasive than those who don’t.
  • Wow your prospects, get them to walk away knowing you’re the pros and eliminating other options.

Introducing Pre-Built Presentation Templates…

With pre-built templates , you get your hands on a massive stash of editable resources – slides, vector icons, graphics, timelines, maps and so on – to finally build result-getting presentations. At a fraction of the time it takes to others.

And the good news is, these templates cost as little as the price of a movie ticket.

So if you’ve looking to build winning presentations faster  then check out my two favorite templates below:

If you’ve been looking to create high-quality presentations faster (because you know that’s what will set you apart from everyone else), then check out one of my favorite templates below, and start saving time so you can focus on things that really matter to you.

Marketofy presentation theme is especially useful for:

Corporate presentations – for prospects, investors or stakeholders Marketing proposals or briefs Customer/data reports And more

Key Features

  • Lots of unique slides (390 for  PowerPoint , 200 for  Keynote  and  Google slides ). Includes slides to present business objectives, company services, marketing strategy, product launch, process, maps, devices, apps, and much more
  • 24 ready-made color themes (6 for the Keynote version)
  • Dark & light versions (light background slides or dark background slides)
  • Drag-and-drop photo placeholders (drag any visual from your folder, and it will take the exact shape of the placeholder)
  • Dozen of graphs and charts (to concisely present data-rich information)
  • 2,500 icons

See this business template

See a detailed review of my favorite templates

Copywriting & Sales: Everything You Need to Turn More Leads Into Buyers

Copywriting = getting information into someone’s brain so they want to open their wallet and give you the money.

In other words, it’s is about convincing people to buy from you  using your words .

And here we are:

What makes copywriting so powerfu l is the incredible number of things you can do with it. Write a sales page for your site, craft cold emails , presentations for prospects , or investors, or even put together  video scripts…

All of these are literally made of… words.

Those who master the power of copywriting know how to use the right words to rouse interest, crush objections, activate the purchasing triggers of their target customers.

7. 17 Copywriting Do’s and Don’ts: How To Write Persuasive Content

This great introduction to the topic lists down the most common mistakes people are making when writing sales copy.

You’ll also learn 17 great tips to start writing better sales copy right now. Every piece of advise comes with clear, real-world examples that make this presentation very practical.

How To Write Persuasive Content de Henneke Duistermaat

Did you like this deck about copywriting? Then make sure to check out this one as well (Top 10 copywriting mistakes + how to fix them)

8.  The 10 Best Copywriting Formulas for Social Media Headlines

The 10 Best Copywriting Formulas for Social Media Headlines from Buffer

Are you looking for proven advice that’ll help you turn more leads into customers? If so, I strongly recommend you to check out this course  (It’s one the best online copywriting course I’ve ever taken).

9. 125 Clickass Copywriting Tips

This practical, gigantic guide is loaded with simple tips to write better sales copy.

You’ll also learn the exact questions you need to answer to be more persuasive in front of any audience.

125 Clickass Copywriting Tips from Barry Feldman

10. 107 Mind-Blowing Sales Statistics That Will Help You Sell Smarter

17% of salespeople think they’re pushy, compared to 50% of prospects.

Ouchhh….

Even if numbers never tell you the whole story, this deck has done a great job at highlighting the most important aspects of it.

107 Mind-Blowing Sales Statistics That Will Help You Sell Smarter von Sidekick

11. Tips On Selling From Ogilvy

“You can’t bore people into buying your product. You can only interest them in buying it”.

This deck condenses some of the best selling secrets from advertising tycoon David Ogilvy . Highly recommended.

Some tips on selling from Ogilvy from OgilvyOne Worldwide

12.  Pitching Ideas: How to Sell Your Ideas to Others

This great deck explains you how to pitch ideas to others. It comes back to the fundamental questions you need to answer first – such as identifying your goal and the exact problems your idea is solving.

Pitching Ideas: How to sell your ideas to others from Jeroen van Geel

How to pitch an idea to any audience . Here are 21 research -backed strategies that’ll get you a YES! every time.

13. Your Sales Pitch Sucks!

Why most sales pitches don’t work  and what you can do to fix yours.

Your Sales Pitch Sucks! from Slides That Rock

14. How to Pitch B2B

How do you convince a prospective customer?

This slide deck will teach you 9 essential steps to crafting a winning pitch (if you want them all resumed, check out the slide 62).

How to Pitch B2B from Slides That Rock

15. Social Proof Tips to Boost Landing Page Conversions

This deck is brought to you by growth marketing advisor and speaker  Angie Schottmuller . It’s loaded with in-deep, social proof strategies you can use on your landing page.

Social Proof Tips to Boost Landing Page Conversions de Angie Schottmuller

Sugarman, Joseph. 2006. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Powerful Advertising and Marketing Copy from One of America’s Top Copywriters (One of the best copywriting books out there, period).

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Sales Page

How to Write Ads

The Anatomy of a Perfect Sales Email

How to Make Your Sales Copy 10X More Persuasive

Online Marketing: The Best Strategies and Tools to Stand Out & Grow Your Business

In this section, you will get access to top presentations that will teach you how to become a sharper business individual.

From the latest SEO trends to marketing strategies, tools and techniques, you’ll learn how to…

Better sell your products or services Stand out in a crowded market Create and distribute valuable, relevant content designed to attract customers And much more !

16.  2023 Global Marketing Trends

A must-read for all marketers. In 2023, Deloitte expects a rebalance of digital ad spending to include more brand-building and less over-targeting:

17. The SEO World in 2018

(Don’t be fooled by the 2018 publication date, this document contains pure gold.)

SEO (search engine optimization) is basically getting free Google traffic to your site. And guess what, if you want to get organic traffic to your website and stay on top of your game, you need to understand the ever-changing landscape about SEO.

This deck made by Moz will provide you a great, precise overview of the state of SEO in 2018. Yes, it’s not a latest SEO deck – but it will teach you core principles of how people actually search online, how Google is using “predictive intend” along with useful tips to better rank your content in the long run.

The SEO World in 2018 from Rand Fishkin

Interested about learning how you can get more traffic from Google?  Backlinko is one of the best blogs on SEO out there.

18. The 150 Most Powerful Marketing & Sales Tools

These are the best tools available online to grow your business (everything about SEO, email, content marketing, social media, and more).

The 150 Most Powerful Marketing & Sales Tools from Brian Downard

19. Fast Track Your Content Marketing Plan

This deck breaks down the exact steps you needs to take to drive successful content marketing  programs that’ll help you resonate in your market.

No fluff. No B.S.

Fast Track Your Content Marketing Plan de Barry Feldman

20. The Ultimate Guide to Startup Marketing

This deck wraps up what you need to do when starting a business – including the fundamental steps you should to take to kickstart your online marketing game.

The Ultimate Guide to Startup Marketing from Onboardly

21.  AI, Machine Learning, and their Application for Growth 

A great presentation done by Adelyn Zhou , previous CMO at TOPBOTS . TOPBOTS is a publication, community, and educational resource for business leaders applying AI to their companies.

In this deck, you will learn how, why and when both AI and machine learning can help your organization grow.

22.  How to Increase Your Online Presence in 30 Minutes a Day

This Slideshare was realized by Sprout Social , a social media management software. This deck will teach you how to improve your online presence with simple steps that only take a few minutes each to implement.

Use the outlined process to boost brand awareness, grow your audience, increase your influence across the web and, most importantly, track the success of your initiatives.

23. Surf Your Way To Success in E-Commerce

This white paper put together by Ogilvy outlines the key principles and strategies to help you ride the e-commerce wave and come out to the top.

You will learn what are the driving forces of e-commerce, how to create a top-notch experience online, pin-point your customer desires and expectations, how to generate demand, and much more.

24 .  2022 Social Media Trends 

HubSpot has put together a complete report that will give you useful pieces of data to understand the social media landscape today and upcoming trends, and how to tap into them to succeed for your business.

2022 Social Media Trends Report from HubSpot

25. Social Media Trends 2022

This presentation is a good complement to the #24. It outlines 7 social-led trends that will impact marketing over the next years.

Social Media Trends 2022 by Ogilvy

26. Email Marketing 101: The Welcome Email

This detailed deck explains the importance and psychology of welcome emails.

Email Marketing 101: The Welcome Email from SendGrid

Additional Email Marketing Resources

A Beginner’s Guide to Successful Email 

How to Write a Good Sales Emaiil

27. Go Viral on the Social Web: The Definitive How-To Guide!

There’s too much noise out there.

And as a brand, failing at standing out is equal to being ignored.

This deck teaches you how to craft viral content that makes you stand out and motivates people to share what you’ve got to say.

Go Viral on the Social Web: The Definitive How-To guide! from XPLAIN

28. People Don’t Care About Your Brand

Don’t move another muscle until this become part of your D.N.A:

Nobody cares about you.

They care about what you can do for them.

In this deck, you’ll learn how to engage with customers and get them to come back for more.

People Don’t Care About Your Brand from Slides That Roc k

29.  The Ultimate Guide to Conquering Content Marketing

This solid, expert-backed (and fun) guide was put together by Content Marketing Institute .

It’s jam-packed with useful tips from the top minds in content marketing and will teach you how to create epic content, amplify your message, and much more.

Whether you’re new to content marketing, need a refresher or are curious about where the trends are going to, make sure to check out this slide deck.

The best business podcasts:

Unmistakable Creative

The Smart Passive Income

Additional sales resources:

How To Write a Persuasive Sales Page

Laja, Peep. 2012. Useful Value Proposition Examples (and How to Create a Good One) . Conversion XL.

30. Growth Hacking

I am a big fan of growth hacking  and if you’re not one yet, here’s your chance.

Growth hacking is every strategy, every tactic, and every initiative that is attempted in the hopes of growing a business. In this deck you will learn what is grow hacking, what metrics you should focus on and a simple 5-step lean marketing funnel to explode your business growth.

Growth Hacking from Mattan Griffel

31. 100 Growth Hacks 100 Days

In this deck, you will get your hands on detailed, time-framed (and wicked smart) tactics you can implement right away to grow your blog, startup or your website.

100 growth hacks 100 days | 1 to 10 from Robin Yjord

Patel, Neil and Aragon, Kathryn. The Advanced Guide to Content Marketing.

Patel, Neil and Puri, Ritika. “Launch Your Social Strategy”. The Beginners Guide to Online Marketing (Chapter 12).

Neil Patel and Bronson, Taylor. The Definitive Guide to Growth Hacking .

Business Innovation: Methodologies to Actually Move the Needle in Your Business

In this section, you will get access to expert-written presentations covering ways to build a stronger business. You will learn models and strategies to tackle challenges, and design a better innovation culture in your company.

For instance:

Design thinking . How to you solve complex business problems more creatively.

The AARRR model . How applying a simple 5-step lean startup methodology can change your approach to doing business. Business model design . If you don’t know what it is yet, make sure to check out the deck !

32. Crash Course Design Thinking

This deck will teach why design thinking is important along with – in between other cool things – how to apply the 5x Why method to uncover – and understand the root causes of most business problems.

Introducing design thinking from Zaana Howard

33. Crash Course on Design Thinking

Crash Course Design Thinking  from Board of Innovation

34. Startup Metrics for Pirates: AARRR !!!

Any business serious about growing should be using this model.

Startup Metrics for Pirates de Dave McClure

35. Business Model Design and Innovation for Competitive Advantage

Put together by  Alexander Osterwalder , the author of the fantastic  Business Model Generation  , this slide deck lists down the 4 different types of innovation, their related benefits and real-world applications.

Business Model Design and Innovation for Competitive Advantage by  Alexander Osterwalder

36. Business Model Innovation Matters

How to reinvent your business model, no matter which industry you are in.

Business Model Innovation Matters  by  Alexander Osterwalder

37. 10 Disruptive Quotes for Entrepreneurs

This beautiful deck was built by Guy Kawasaki , former Chief Evangelist of Apple. It will help you see things with a different perspective and, hopefully, shift your mindset.

10 Disruptive Quotes for Enterpreneurs from Guy Kawasaki

38. The Sharing Economy

The Sharing Economy from Loic Le Meur

39. ChatGPT: What It Is and How Writers Can Use It

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you already know about ChatGPT.

This slide deck presents what this AI tool can actually do about content creation.

A virtual crash course in design thinking

AARRR startup metrics

A free business model canvas

The Best Pitch Decks

How do you deliver a winning pitch deck that actually convinces investor to give you money?

In this section, you’ll discover:

  • The 10-point, step-by-step outline for crafting a winning pitch deck. This is the exact flow Silicon Valley’s most respected venture capital firm Sequoia Capital recommends startups to use.
  • Successful pitch decks from Airbnb, Youtube and more…

40. Sequoia Capital Pitch Deck Template

These are the exact points VC firm Sequoia Capital recommends you to use anytime you pitch an investor.

Sequoia Capital Pitch Deck Template from PitchDeckCoach

41. Airbnb First Pitch Deck

Wondering how Airbnb raised money back when it wanted to be an air mattress rental company?

Here is their first pitch deck !

AirBnB Pitch Deck from PitchDeckCoach

42. Blablacar Pitch Deck

BlaBlaCar is a the world’s largest long-distance ride-sharing community.

Simply said, they connect drivers and passengers willing to travel together between cities and share the cost of the journey (and get a cut out of it, like Airbnb). In 2015, the startup was valued $1.6 billion .

Europas BlaBlaCar pitch from Vanina Schick

43. Buffer Pitch Deck

Buffer  helps you manage your social media accounts in one place with intuitive scheduling & analytics.

They used the deck below to raise half a million bucks .

The slide deck we used to raise half a million dollars from Buffer

44. Youtube Pitch Deck

Here is the original pitch deck of  Youtube .

Youtube pitch deck from Alexander Jarvis

This is the pitch deck of Front , a shared inbox solution for teams.

Front series A deck from Mathilde Collin

46. Mixpanel

This is the deck Mixpanel – a business analytics software – used to raise $65M.

Mixpanel – Our pitch deck that we used to raise $65M from Suhail Doshi

47. Deliveroo

The pitch deck of Deliveroo an online food delivery company.

Deliveroo – NOAH15 London de NOAH Advisors

How to Make a Pitch Deck

How to Make a Business Plan

Productivity. Work Smarter.

These presentations will teach you how to work smarter, get more done, and motivate others to do the same !

48. The 10 Timeless Productivity Hacks

This Slideshare decks reviews 10 great, timeless work habits that will make you more productive, fast.

The 10 Timeless Productivity Hacks from Bernard Marr

49. IQ Work Hacks – Productivity

A practical presentation that will show you how to be more organized and effective at work, even if you have a ton of things to do.

IQ Work Hacks – Productivity from InterQuest Group

50. Leader’s Guide to Motivate People at Work

Motivating employees seems like it should be easy.

Yet, 30% of executives say it is their toughest job.

From talking with your team members to get feedback,giving them more room to grow or providing them meaningful incentives, this deck will provide you 6 simple steps you can use to improve the morale, performance and productivity of people within your organization.

Leader’s Guide to Motivate People at Work from Weekdone.com

Lai, Lisa. 2017. Motivating Employees Is Not About Carrots or Sticks. Harvard Business Review.

Fineman, Meredith. 2013. Please Stop Complaining About How Busy You Are. Harvard Business Review

Meier, J.D. 2010. Getting Results the Agile Way: A Personal Results System for Work and Life

I hope you’ve liked and learned from this handpicked selection of the best PowerPoint presentations available online!

Recommended For You

the best presentations ever

How to Make a Stunning PowerPoint Title Slide (in 5 Minutes)

Clemence Lepers

How to Pitch an Idea: 21 Powerful, Science-Backed Tips

Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved

  • Premium Template

Cart

  • SUGGESTED TOPICS
  • The Magazine
  • Newsletters
  • Managing Yourself
  • Managing Teams
  • Work-life Balance
  • The Big Idea
  • Data & Visuals
  • Reading Lists
  • Case Selections
  • HBR Learning
  • Topic Feeds
  • Account Settings
  • Email Preferences

What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

  • Carmine Gallo

the best presentations ever

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

the best presentations ever

  • Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

Partner Center

[email protected]

Click to copy

Email copied!

How to make the best Powerpoint presentation + real examples!

July 1, 2023

the best presentations ever

Ever sat through a PowerPoint presentation and thought, "Wow, that was mind-blowing"? Yeah, us either. But, let's face it, we've all been there—either on the giving or receiving end of a less-than-stellar presentation. It's high time we changed that narrative. Creating your best PowerPoint presentation isn't just about throwing together a bunch of slides – it's an art. It’s about telling a story that captivates, informs, and even entertains your audience. 

A new age is upon us, and it’s time to explore the ins and outs of what makes a PowerPoint presentation not just good, but great. From nailing your content and story flow to the nuances of design and delivery, we've got you covered. So, whether you're gearing up for that crucial sales pitch or prepping for an all-important investor meeting, buckle up! Your presentation skills are about to go from mundane to magnificent.

Your Presentation Should Tell a Story

When it comes to creating a killer PowerPoint presentation, it all starts with the story. You heard that right! Not the fancy animations or the snazzy graphics (though they do have their place), but the story. It’s the backbone, the foundation, the heartbeat of your presentation.

Think about how you feel when you watch your favorite TV show or read a book you can’t put down. Good storytelling takes us to another place, where the rest of the world slips away and the story steps into the forefront. Great presentations can do the same thing if the presenter can harness the power of storytelling. 

There are also plenty of science-backed reasons to prioritize good storytelling. One article by Lani Peterson for Harvard Business Corporate Learning says, “Scientists are discovering that chemicals like cortisol and dopamine are released in the brain when we’re told a story. Why does that matter? If we are trying to make a point stick, cortisol assists with our formulating memories. Dopamine, which helps regulate our emotional responses, keeps us engaged.“ More engagement; more impactful presentations.

So, how do you nail down a storytelling strategy that sticks? Let’s break it down.

Craft Your Narrative

First, identify your core message. What’s the one thing you want your audience to remember when they walk out of the room? This is your North Star, guiding every aspect of your presentation. If you’re having trouble with this step, ask yourself, “Why am I giving this presentation?”

Understand Your Audience

Who is your audience? Tailor your story to resonate with them. Are they tech-savvy millennials or industry veterans? Your story should speak their language. Presentations that skip this step will miss out on a crucial opportunity to connect with the audience. And if you can’t connect with them, then what’s the point? One solution is to focus on understanding the needs, challenges, and aspirations of your audience. That way, you’ll be able to address their specific pain points and interests.

Create a Structured Flow

Like any good story, your presentation needs a beginning, middle, and end. Start with an introduction that hooks, follow with content that informs and engages, and conclude with a memorable takeaway. If you need ideas on how to start your presentation, see this guide with 12 ideas for hooking your audience from the very start .

Find Inspiration

Look to the pros! Ever read an article by Andy Raskin or April Dunford ? These folks know their stuff when it comes to strategic narratives. Dive into their work for some inspiration on how to weave a compelling story in your presentation. Just like we’ve all been through our fair share of boring presentations, most likely you’ve experienced a presentation that left an impression. Ask yourself why it was so impactful–you might be able to draw from their expertise!

Change the Narrative

Say you’re working on a sales deck. Instead of going with the typical problem-solution story structure, Andy Raskin has a different take on it:

Start with a big, relevant shift in the world. “We are living in a new era” type of statement. This will grab the attention, but also create some urgency for the prospect.

Then you move on to show that there will be winners and losers in this new era. The ones who act on this shift will have more probability of winning. In other words, “what I am about to offer you is crucial for winning in this new era.”

Now that you have set the stage, you can “tease the promise land” as Andy calls it. This is not where you show your product features. This is simply a teaser about this new future state and what to expect if you react to this shift in the market.

Then, you highlight the “Old world vs New world” to show the contrast, and how old methods do not work in this new era.

And finally, you provide real-life stories to support your claims. These could client case studies, article snippets, industry updates - anything that adds credibility to everything you just said.

Voilà, you’ve got yourself a story arc! This is a simple and straightforward way to craft a story that connects.

Nail Your Story First

Remember, at the end of the day, your presentation is more than just a collection of slides, but rather a vessel for storytelling. It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it. A well-crafted story can transform your presentation from a mere transfer of information to an impactful, memorable experience. So, take the time to nail your story, and you’re already halfway to creating your best PowerPoint presentation. Your audience will thank you!

the best presentations ever

Embracing Professional Design for Impactful Presentations

When you've nailed your narrative, the next crucial step in crafting your best PowerPoint presentation is design. This stage is where your story gets visually translated, elevating it from a mere script to an engaging, compelling experience.

The Role of a Presentation Agency

Not everyone possesses an innate talent for design, and that's perfectly fine. This is where a presentation design agency can become an invaluable asset. These presentation experts act as the alchemists of your PowerPoint, transforming basic slides into visually stunning and strategically aligned pieces of art. However, be selective when you choose who to work with. There is a big difference between a "meh" designer vs a “wow” designer when it comes to preparing well-crafted presentations.

Simplifying Complexity

One of the critical talents of a presentation design agency is their ability to distill complex concepts into simple, digestible visuals. An overcrowded slide can quickly lose your audience's attention, but a well-designed one can convey your message succinctly and effectively. Not only that, presentation experts can remove the complexity of creating great slides by designing the best presentation templates for your needs, making the process easier for you in the end.

"We have been using SLIDES™ services for our corporate PowerPoint template, and the PPT template is so well done and easy to use that we all feel like we now have PowerPoint superpowers creating new presentations in no time with stunning look!"

Jérôme neuvéglise, product owner qoqa, creating visual harmony.

Consistency in your presentation’s visual elements - such as color schemes, typography, and imagery - is essential. A presentation design agency ensures that these elements work in harmony, creating a unified and professional look that enhances your overall narrative. The best presentation layouts are those created by experts who know how to make your brand stand out.

Visualizing Ideas Effectively

Presentation agencies excel in translating your ideas into impactful visuals. They ensure that your graphics, charts, and images aren't just visually appealing but also contribute significantly to the telling of your story. After all, why spend so much time honing your story if your visuals fall flat?

the best presentations ever

When to Opt for Professional Presentation Design

We know that deciding to outsource is a tough call, and you want to make sure your resources are well spent. Here are a few things to consider before seeking out help from a presentation agency:

High-Stakes Presentations

For presentations that can have a significant impact on your business - such as those in sales, partnerships, or investment pitches - professional design isn't just a luxury, but a necessity. These are the scenarios where the expertise of a presentation design agency can make a substantial difference. 

Stripe’s CEO Patrick Collison said in a recent podcast:

 “My intuition is that more of Stripe's success than one would think is down to the fact that people like beautiful things and for rational reasons. Because, what does a beautiful thing tell you? It tells you the person who made it really cared, and you can observe some superficial details, but probably they didn’t only care about those and did everything else in a slapdash way. So, if you care about the infrastructure being holistically good, indexing on the superficial characteristics is not an irrational thing to do.“

Oftentimes in presentations, we ignore how we are making people feel with our slides. Think about this quote next time you’re preparing your slides.

Overcoming Skill and Time Constraints

If you're not well-versed in design or if time constraints are tight, opting for professional help is a wise decision. This not only ensures quality but also frees you up to concentrate on refining and rehearsing your presentation. This guide shows 18 of the most common presentation mistakes people make, and gives tips on how to avoid them.

In essence, professional design is about giving your presentation the visual edge it needs to not just capture but also maintain your audience's attention. By considering the services of a presentation design agency, you're ensuring that your presentation is not just seen, but also remembered and appreciated.

Mastering the Art of Delivery

Alright, you’ve got a gripping story and a set of stunning slides. But wait! There’s still a crucial piece of the puzzle left – your delivery. This is where the rubber meets the road. Remember, no matter how dazzling your slides are, they can’t rescue a lackluster delivery. 

the best presentations ever

More Than Just Slides

First things first, let’s get one thing straight: people aren’t just buying into your PowerPoint. They’re buying into you – your ideas, your enthusiasm, your conviction. Your slides are merely a tool to complement your narrative, not the other way around. Your slides are never the star of the show. It's you. It sure is harder to improve your delivery compared to your slides. But it will be the best investment of your life.

The Human Connection

At its core, a great presentation is about making a connection with your audience. It’s about storytelling, not just through words on a slide, but through the way you present them. Your tone, your body language, your ability to engage – all these elements combine to create a compelling delivery.

Know Your Story Inside Out

Your first step should be to know your story like the back of your hand. This doesn’t mean memorizing your script word for word but being familiar enough with your content to speak confidently and fluidly about it.

Rehearse, Then Rehearse Some More

Practice might not always make perfect, but it sure does make confidence. Rehearse your presentation multiple times. This will help you iron out any kinks in your delivery and help you manage those pesky nerves.

When our founder Damon gave his first keynote presentation, he experienced some technical issues that would throw off any professional speaker. But since he had rehearsed his speech so well, he knew it inside out. And he could handle the mishap with calm, make some jokes about it, and then get back to his talk when the tech decided to work again.

Engage With Your Audience

Remember, a presentation is a two-way street. Engage with your audience, ask questions, and encourage participation. This interaction makes your presentation more memorable and impactful. The former product manager at Netflix , Gibson Biddle, shared this great example:

“In a virtual setting you need to double-down on engagement tactics. Today, I use Google Slides plus Slido to do real-time polling, word clouds and to answer questions. It makes the experience incredibly interactive to the extent that I now have an equal NPS for virtual and in-person presentations.”

Body Language Matters

Your body language speaks volumes. Maintain eye contact, use gestures to emphasize points, and move around if possible. This non-verbal communication can significantly enhance the impact of your delivery.

In today’s increasingly digital world, we also have to think about virtual presentations and how to put our best foot forward through a screen. An awkward camera angle or a weird background can be a distraction to your audience, so shift your focus to a flattering camera angle, solid camera quality, and a neutral background. 

the best presentations ever

Authenticity is Key

Be yourself. Your audience can tell when you’re putting on a façade. Authenticity breeds trust and connection, which in turn makes your message more persuasive.

Investing in Yourself

Finally, investing in your delivery skills is investing in yourself. Whether it’s through public speaking courses, professional coaching, or simply seeking feedback from peers, improving your delivery skills is invaluable. Remember, a great delivery can elevate a good presentation to a great one. So, give your delivery the attention it deserves, and watch as you transform from a presenter to a storyteller, captivating your audience one slide at a time.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it – the roadmap to creating a PowerPoint presentation that’s not just good, but outstanding. It all starts with crafting a compelling story, enhanced by visually striking and well-thought-out design, and brought to life through engaging and authentic delivery. Remember, your best PowerPoint presentation will feel like more than just a collection of slides to your audience. This is a powerful storytelling tool, and you are the storyteller.

The key takeaway? Invest time and effort into each aspect of your presentation. Understand your narrative, collaborate with design professionals if needed, and hone your delivery skills. It’s this combination of content, design, and delivery that transforms a standard presentation into an unforgettable experience.

In the end, what sets a great PowerPoint presentation apart is the ability to not just share information but to tell a story that resonates, inspires, and persuades. Whether you’re pitching to potential clients, investors, or sharing insights with your team, remember that the most impactful presentations are those that connect with the audience on a deeper level. So go ahead, create, deliver, and captivate.

Your audience is waiting.

Recent articles

View all articles

delphina ai startup thumbnail

Our client Delphina raises $7.5M in seed funding

Customer stories

young man giving presentation to group of people

How to Start a Presentation with Impact + 12 Examples!

Presentation tips

How to make a great presentation

Stressed about an upcoming presentation? These talks are full of helpful tips on how to get up in front of an audience and make a lasting impression.

the best presentations ever

The secret structure of great talks

the best presentations ever

The beauty of data visualization

the best presentations ever

TED's secret to great public speaking

the best presentations ever

How to speak so that people want to listen

the best presentations ever

How great leaders inspire action

Learn more

How it works

Transform your enterprise with the scalable mindsets, skills, & behavior change that drive performance.

Explore how BetterUp connects to your core business systems.

We pair AI with the latest in human-centered coaching to drive powerful, lasting learning and behavior change.

Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement.

Unlock performance potential at scale with AI-powered curated growth journeys.

Build resilience, well-being and agility to drive performance across your entire enterprise.

Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders.

Unlock business impact from the top with executive coaching.

Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Accelerate the performance and potential of your agencies and employees.

See how innovative organizations use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce.

Discover how BetterUp measurably impacts key business outcomes for organizations like yours.

A demo is the first step to transforming your business. Meet with us to develop a plan for attaining your goals.

Request a demo

  • What is coaching?

Learn how 1:1 coaching works, who its for, and if it's right for you.

Accelerate your personal and professional growth with the expert guidance of a BetterUp Coach.

Types of Coaching

Navigate career transitions, accelerate your professional growth, and achieve your career goals with expert coaching.

Enhance your communication skills for better personal and professional relationships, with tailored coaching that focuses on your needs.

Find balance, resilience, and well-being in all areas of your life with holistic coaching designed to empower you.

Discover your perfect match : Take our 5-minute assessment and let us pair you with one of our top Coaches tailored just for you.

Find your Coach

Best practices, research, and tools to fuel individual and business growth.

View on-demand BetterUp events and learn about upcoming live discussions.

The latest insights and ideas for building a high-performing workplace.

  • BetterUp Briefing

The online magazine that helps you understand tomorrow's workforce trends, today.

Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more.

Founded in 2022 to deepen the understanding of the intersection of well-being, purpose, and performance

We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion.

Join us and create impactful change.

Read the buzz about BetterUp.

Meet the leadership that's passionate about empowering your workforce.

For Business

For Individuals

How to give a good presentation that captivates any audience

Find my Coach

Elevate your communication skills

Unlock the power of clear and persuasive communication. Our coaches can guide you to build strong relationships and succeed in both personal and professional life.

Woman-presenting-in-front-of-a-group-of-business-people-how-to-give-a-good-presentation

Jump to section

What are the main difficulties when giving presentations?

How to create an effective presentation, after that, how do i give a memorable presentation, how to connect with the audience when presenting.

If you’ve ever heard someone give a powerful presentation, you probably remember how it made you feel. Much like a composer, a good speaker knows precisely when each note should strike to captivate their audience’s attention and leave them with a lasting impression.

No one becomes a great public speaker or presenter without practice. And almost everyone can recall a time one of their presentations went badly — that’s a painful part of the learning process.

Whether you’re working within a small creative team or a large organization, public speaking and presentation skills are vital to communicating your ideas. Knowing how to present your vision can help you pitch concepts to clients, present ideas to your team, and develop the confidence to participate in team meetings.

If you have an upcoming presentation on the horizon and feel nervous, that’s normal. Around 15-30% of the general population experience a fear of public speaking . And, unfortunately, social anxiety is on the rise, with a 12% increase in adults over the last 20 years . 

Learning how to give a good presentation can dismantle your fears and break down these barriers, ensuring you’re ready to confidently share your point of view. 

It’s the week before your presentation, and you’re already feeling nervous . Maybe there’ll be an important mentor in the room you need to impress, or you’re looking for an opportunity to show your boss your value. Regardless of your countless past presentations, you still feel nervous. 

Sharing your vision and ideas with any sized group is intimidating. You’re likely worrying about how you’ll perform as a presenter and whether the audience will be interested in what you offer. But nerves aren’t inherently negative — you can actually use this feeling to fuel your preparation.

businesswoman-speaking-from-a-podium-to-an-audience-in-a-conference-room-how-to-give-a-good-presentation

It’s helpful to identify where your worries are coming from and address your fears. Here are some common concerns when preparing for an upcoming presentation:

Fear of public speaking: When you share your ideas in front of a group, you’re placing yourself in a vulnerable position to be critiqued on your knowledge and communication skills . Maybe you feel confident in your content, but when you think about standing in front of an audience, you feel anxious and your mind goes blank.

It’s also not uncommon to have physical symptoms when presenting . Some people experience nausea and dizziness as the brain releases adrenaline to cope with the potentially stressful situation . Remember to take deep breaths to recenter yourself and be patient, even if you make a mistake.

Losing the audience’s attention: As a presenter, your main focus is to keep your audience engaged. They should feel like they’re learning valuable information or following a story that will improve them in life or business.

Highlight the most exciting pieces of knowledge and ensure you emphasize those points in your presentation. If you feel passionate about your content, it’s more likely that your audience will experience this excitement for themselves and become invested in what you have to say.

Not knowing what content to place on presentation slides: Overloading presentation slides is a fast way to lose your audience’s attention. Your slides should contain only the main talking points and limited text to ensure your audience focuses on what you have to say rather than becoming distracted by the content on your slides.

Discomfort incorporating nonverbal communication: It’s natural to feel stiff and frozen when you’re nervous. But maintaining effective body language helps your audience stay focused on you as you speak and encourages you to relax.

If you struggle to incorporate body language into your presentations, try starting small by making hand gestures toward your slides. If you’re working with a large audience, use different parts of the stage to ensure everyone feels included. 

Each presenter has their own personal brand and style. Some may use humor to break the ice, while others might appeal to the audience’s emotional side through inspiring storytelling. 

Watching online presentations, such as TED talks, is an excellent way to expose yourself to various presentation styles and develop your own. While observing others, you can note how they carry themselves on stage and learn new ways to keep your audience engaged.

Once you’ve addressed what’s causing your fears, it’s time to prepare for a great presentation. Use your past experience as inspiration and aim to outshine your former self by learning from your mistakes and employing new techniques. Here are five presentation tips to help you create a strong presentation and wow your audience:

1. Keep it simple

Simple means something different to everyone.

Before creating your presentation, take note of your intended audience and their knowledge level of your subject. You’ll want your content to be easy for your intended audience to follow.

Say you’re giving a presentation on improving your company’s operational structure. Entry-level workers will likely need a more straightforward overview of the content than C-suite leaders, who have significantly more experience. 

Ask yourself what you want your audience to take away from your presentation and emphasize those important points. Doing this ensures they remember the most vital information rather than less important supporting ideas. Try organizing these concepts into bullet points so viewers can quickly identify critical takeaways.

2. Create a compelling structure

Put yourself in your audience member’s shoes and determine the most compelling way to organize your information. Your presentation should be articulate , cohesive, and logical, and you must be sure to include all necessary supporting evidence to strengthen your main points.

If you give away all of your answers too quickly, your audience could lose interest. And if there isn’t enough supporting information, they could hit a roadblock of confusion. Try developing a compelling story that leads your audience through your thought processes so they can experience the ups and downs alongside you. 

By structuring your presentation to lead up to a final conclusion, you’re more likely to keep listeners’ attention. Once you’ve reached that conclusion, you can offer a Q&A period to put any of their questions or concerns to rest. 

3. Use visual aids

Appealing to various learning styles is a great way to keep everyone on the same page and ensure they absorb your content. Visual aids are necessary for visual learners and make it easier for people to picture your ideas.

Aim to incorporate a mixture of photos, videos, and props to engage your audience and convey your key points. For instance, if you’re giving a presentation on anthropology subject matter, you could show your audience an artifact to help them understand how exciting a discovery must have been. 

If your presentation is long, including a video for your audience to watch is an excellent way to give yourself a break and create new jumping-off points for your speech.

4. Be aware of design techniques and trends

Thanks to cutting-edge technology and tools, you have numerous platforms at your disposal to create a good presentation. But keep in mind that although color, images, and graphics liven things up, they can cause distraction when misused.

  Here are a few standard pointers for incorporating visuals on your slides: 

  • Don’t place blocks of small text on a single slide
  • Use a minimalistic background instead of a busy one
  • Ensure text stands out against the background color
  • Only use high-resolution photos
  • Maintain a consistent font style and size throughout the presentation
  • Don’t overuse transitions and effects

5. Try the 10-20-30 rule

Guy Kawasaki, a prominent venture capitalist and one of the original marketing specialists for Apple, said that the best slideshow presentations are less than 10 slides , last at most 20 minutes, and use a font size of 30. Following this strategy can help you condense your information, eliminate unnecessary ideas, and maintain your audience’s focus more efficiently.

Once you’re confident in creating a memorable presentation, it’s time to learn how to give one. Here are some valuable tips for keeping your audience invested during your talk: 

Tip #1: Tell stories

Sharing an anecdote from your life can improve your credibility and increase your relatability. And when an audience relates to you, they’re more likely to feel connected to who you are as a person and encouraged to give you their full attention, as they would want others to do the same.

Gill Hicks utilized this strategy well when she shared her powerful story, “ I survived a terrorist attack. Here’s what I learned .” In her harrowing tale, Hicks highlights the importance of compassion, unconditional love, and helping those in need.

If you feel uncomfortable sharing personal stories, that’s okay. You can use examples from famous individuals or create a fictional account to demonstrate your ideas.

Tip #2: Make eye contact with the audience

Maintaining eye contact is less intimidating than it sounds. In fact, you don’t have to look your audience members directly in their eyes — you can focus on their foreheads or noses if that’s easier.

Try making eye contact with as many people as possible for 3–5 seconds each. This timing ensures you don’t look away too quickly, making the audience member feel unimportant, or linger too long, making them feel uncomfortable.

If you’re presenting to a large group, direct your focus to each part of the room to ensure no section of the audience feels ignored. 

Group-of-a-business-people-having-meeting-in-a-conference-room-how-to-give-a-good-presentation

Tip #3: Work on your stage presence

Although your tone and words are the most impactful part of your presentation, recall that body language keeps your audience engaged. Use these tips to master a professional stage presence:

  • Speak with open arms and avoid crossing them
  • Keep a reasonable pace and try not to stand still
  • Use hand gestures to highlight important information

Tip #4: Start strong

Like watching a movie trailer, the first seconds of your talk are critical for capturing your audience’s attention. How you start your speech sets the tone for the rest of your presentation and tells your audience whether or not they should pay attention. Here are some ways to start your presentation to leave a lasting impression:

  • Use a quote from a well-known and likable influential person 
  • Ask a rhetorical question to create intrigue
  • Start with an anecdote to add context to your talk 
  • Spark your audience’s curiosity by involving them in an interactive problem-solving puzzle or riddle

Tip #5: Show your passion

Don’t be afraid of being too enthusiastic. Everyone appreciates a speaker who’s genuinely excited about their field of expertise. 

In “ Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance ,” Angela Lee Duckworth discusses the importance of passion in research and delivery. She delivers her presentation excitedly to show the audience how excitement piques interest. 

Tip #6: Plan your delivery

How you decide to deliver your speech will shape your presentation. Will you be preparing a PowerPoint presentation and using a teleprompter? Or are you working within the constraints of the digital world and presenting over Zoom?

The best presentations are conducted by speakers who know their stuff and memorize their content. However, if you find this challenging, try creating notes to use as a safety net in case you lose track.

If you’re presenting online, you can keep notes beside your computer for each slide, highlighting your key points. This ensures you include all the necessary information and follow a logical order.

Woman-presenting-charts-and-data-to-work-team-how-to-give-a-good-presentation

Tip #7: Practice

Practice doesn’t make perfect — it makes progress. There’s no way of preparing for unforeseen circumstances, but thorough practice means you’ve done everything you can to succeed.

Rehearse your speech in front of a mirror or to a trusted friend or family member. Take any feedback and use it as an opportunity to fine-tune your speech. But remember: who you practice your presentation in front of may differ from your intended audience. Consider their opinions through the lens of them occupying this different position.

Tip #8: Read the room

Whether you’re a keynote speaker at an event or presenting to a small group of clients, knowing how to read the room is vital for keeping your audience happy. Stay flexible and be willing to move on from topics quickly if your listeners are uninterested or displeased with a particular part of your speech.

Tip #9: Breathe

Try taking deep breaths before your presentation to calm your nerves. If you feel rushed, you’re more likely to feel nervous and stumble on your words.

The most important thing to consider when presenting is your audience’s feelings. When you approach your next presentation calmly, you’ll put your audience at ease and encourage them to feel comfortable in your presence.

Tip #10: Provide a call-to-action

When you end your presentation, your audience should feel compelled to take a specific action, whether that’s changing their habits or contacting you for your services.

If you’re presenting to clients, create a handout with key points and contact information so they can get in touch. You should provide your LinkedIn information, email address, and phone number so they have a variety of ways to reach you. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all template for an effective presentation, as your unique audience and subject matter play a role in shaping your speech. As a general rule, though, you should aim to connect with your audience through passion and excitement. Use strong eye contact and body language. Capture their interest through storytelling and their trust through relatability.

Learning how to give a good presentation can feel overwhelming — but remember, practice makes progress. Rehearse your presentation for someone you trust, collect their feedback , and revise. Practicing your presentation skills is helpful for any job, and every challenge is a chance to grow.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

6 presentation skills and how to improve them

3 stand-out professional bio examples to inspire your own, how to write a speech that your audience remembers, how to make a presentation interactive and exciting, tell a story they can't ignore these 10 tips will teach you how, reading the room gives you an edge — no matter who you're talking to, your ultimate guide on how to be a good storyteller, writing an elevator pitch about yourself: a how-to plus tips, 18 effective strategies to improve your communication skills, similar articles, the importance of good speech: 5 tips to be more articulate, the 11 tips that will improve your public speaking skills, 30 presentation feedback examples, how to not be nervous for a presentation — 13 tips that work (really), how the minto pyramid principle can enhance your communication skills, 8 clever hooks for presentations (with tips), stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702

  • Platform Overview
  • Integrations
  • Powered by AI
  • BetterUp Lead
  • BetterUp Manage™
  • BetterUp Care™
  • Sales Performance
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Case Studies
  • Why BetterUp?
  • About Coaching
  • Find your Coach
  • Career Coaching
  • Communication Coaching
  • Life Coaching
  • News and Press
  • Leadership Team
  • Become a BetterUp Coach
  • BetterUp Labs
  • Center for Purpose & Performance
  • Leadership Training
  • Business Coaching
  • Contact Support
  • Contact Sales
  • Privacy Policy
  • Acceptable Use Policy
  • Trust & Security
  • Cookie Preferences

The Best and Worst of Presentations in 2020

The Best and Worst of Presentations in 2020

If there’s one thing that we know, it’s presentations. We’ve seen some really good ones, and some really bad ones, too. The beauty of the presentation industry is that it’s always evolving. What looked good in 2017 probably doesn’t look good now. As experts in the field, we always have our finger on the pulse of presentation design. Beautiful.ai allows even the worst designers to create professional looking presentations, so there’s really no excuse for a bad deck, but we still see them. 

As we wrap up the year, we’re looking back at the highs and lows in the world of presentations. A year in review of sorts just in case you missed any noteworthy presentations or cringeworthy slides in the last 12 months.

We’re bad news first kind of people, so here are the three worst presentations of 2020.

1) bad data visualization.

We don’t know who made this slide, or where it came from, but we do know that they could really use a Beautiful.ai flowchart . We can probably assume that this particular slide wasn’t created in 2020, however that’s not to say there aren’t slides like this created on a daily basis. Data can be a hard sell, so it’s important to know how and when to use charts and graphs to help people view your data in a more easily digestible format. 

the best presentations ever

2) Information overload

Coronavirus is complicated enough, we don't need to add a busy slide to the mix to try to explain the pandemic. The world had to digest a lot of bad news this year. People were turning to media outlets, publishers, and presentations to find out all they could about Coronavirus and how it would affect the world as they knew it. When you’re trying to absorb the unknown, it’s important that the information is clear, concise, and easy to understand. That is not the case with this slide, which comes from what might be the worst presentation of 2020. Our photo grid slide template would be a great option here to share a mix of statistics, facts, and imagery in bite-size chunks. 

the best presentations ever

3) The 2020 presidential debate

Political views aside, I think we can all agree that the first 2020 presidential debate was a total nightmare. Sure, there were no decks involved, but a bad bit of public speaking is just as bad as a cringeworthy physical presentation. It’s to be expected that debates will get heated, but this presidential debate was something else. The interruptions and personal attacks distracted from the core issues being discussed, and it painted a very clear picture of what not to do in a speech. 

the best presentations ever

Now, for the good. Here are the three best presentations of the year.

1) startup pitch deck.

If you’ve been here a while, you know that Beautiful.ai has a free library of pre-built presentation templates to use at your disposal. Each deck is carefully curated by industry experts, and templated by our in-house presentation designer, so that there is something for every industry, every team, and everyone. Our startup pitch deck happens to be our top trending template of 2020, so it only felt right to include it in this list. 

2) The Peloton pitch deck

It’s undeniable that Peloton blew up in 2020. As fitness studios closed across the country, workout enthusiasts were forced to get creative with at-home gyms. Insert: Peloton. The 2018 Peloton pitch deck is one of the better presentations we’ve seen companies develop. The slides feature vivid photos, a common theme and informative infographics to help tell the company’s story. Still, we had to try our hand at giving it a Beautiful.ai makeover— and we think it turned out wheel-y well (see what we did there?). Learn more about the redesign here . 

3) Beautiful customer decks

We love seeing decks made by Beautiful.ai power users. This year we’ve had the opportunity to connect with customers who know and love the product, to learn more about how they’re using it for their businesses. The team at Bluetree Network is using Beautiful.ai to help solve the marketing bottleneck and create professional-grade presentations, and it was worthy of a share. The only thing better than a Beautiful.ai presentation is a Beautiful.ai presentation made by you!

Beautiful.AI Team

Beautiful.AI Team

Beautiful is an AI-powered presentation tool that makes it fast and easy for anyone to build clean, modern and professionally designed slides that they can be proud of.

Recommended Articles

How managers can adopt ai in the workplace to improve productivity and reduce costs , sales acceleration vs. sales enablement: why your team needs both, business enablement: how innovative companies are working smarter, 3 reasons to love beautiful.ai (if you didn't already).

How-To Geek

8 tips to make the best powerpoint presentations.

Want to make your PowerPoint presentations really shine? Here's how to impress and engage your audience.

Quick Links

Table of contents, start with a goal, less is more, consider your typeface, make bullet points count, limit the use of transitions, skip text where possible, think in color, take a look from the top down, bonus: start with templates.

Slideshows are an intuitive way to share complex ideas with an audience, although they're dull and frustrating when poorly executed. Here are some tips to make your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations sing while avoiding common pitfalls.

It all starts with identifying what we're trying to achieve with the presentation. Is it informative, a showcase of data in an easy-to-understand medium? Or is it more of a pitch, something meant to persuade and convince an audience and lead them to a particular outcome?

It's here where the majority of these presentations go wrong with the inability to identify the talking points that best support our goal. Always start with a goal in mind: to entertain, to inform, or to share data in a way that's easy to understand. Use facts, figures, and images to support your conclusion while keeping structure in mind (Where are we now and where are we going?).

I've found that it's helpful to start with the ending. Once I know how to end a presentation, I know how best to get to that point. I start by identifying the takeaway---that one nugget that I want to implant before thanking everyone for their time---and I work in reverse to figure out how best to get there.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it's always going to be a good idea to put in the time in the beginning stages so that you aren't reworking large portions of the presentation later. And that starts with a defined goal.

A slideshow isn't supposed to include everything. It's an introduction to a topic, one that we can elaborate on with speech. Anything unnecessary is a distraction. It makes the presentation less visually appealing and less interesting, and it makes you look bad as a presenter.

This goes for text as well as images. There's nothing worse, in fact, than a series of slides where the presenter just reads them as they appear. Your audience is capable of reading, and chances are they'll be done with the slide, and browsing Reddit, long before you finish. Avoid putting the literal text on the screen, and your audience will thank you.

Related: How to Burn Your PowerPoint to DVD

Right off the bat, we're just going to come out and say that Papyrus and Comic Sans should be banned from all PowerPoint presentations, permanently. Beyond that, it's worth considering the typeface you're using and what it's saying about you, the presenter, and the presentation itself.

Consider choosing readability over aesthetics, and avoid fancy fonts that could prove to be more of a distraction than anything else. A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.

There reaches a point where bullet points become less of a visual aid and more of a visual examination.

Bullet points should support the speaker, not overwhelm his audience. The best slides have little or no text at all, in fact. As a presenter, it's our job to talk through complex issues, but that doesn't mean that we need to highlight every talking point.

Instead, think about how you can break up large lists into three or four bullet points. Carefully consider whether you need to use more bullet points, or if you can combine multiple topics into a single point instead. And if you can't, remember that there's no one limiting the number of slides you can have in a presentation. It's always possible to break a list of 12 points down into three pages of four points each.

Animation, when used correctly, is a good idea. It breaks up slow-moving parts of a presentation and adds action to elements that require it. But it should be used judiciously.

Adding a transition that wipes left to right between every slide or that animates each bullet point in a list, for example, starts to grow taxing on those forced to endure the presentation. Viewers get bored quickly, and animations that are meant to highlight specific elements quickly become taxing.

That's not to say that you can't use animations and transitions, just that you need to pick your spots. Aim for no more than a handful of these transitions for each presentation. And use them in spots where they'll add to the demonstration, not detract from it.

Sometimes images tell a better story than text can. And as a presenter, your goal is to describe points in detail without making users do a lot of reading. In these cases, a well-designed visual, like a chart, might better convey the information you're trying to share.

The right image adds visual appeal and serves to break up longer, text-heavy sections of the presentation---but only if you're using the right images. A single high-quality image can make all the difference between a success and a dud when you're driving a specific point home.

When considering text, don't think solely in terms of bullet points and paragraphs. Tables, for example, are often unnecessary. Ask yourself whether you could present the same data in a bar or line chart instead.

Color is interesting. It evokes certain feelings and adds visual appeal to your presentation as a whole. Studies show that color also improves interest, comprehension, and retention. It should be a careful consideration, not an afterthought.

You don't have to be a graphic designer to use color well in a presentation. What I do is look for palettes I like, and then find ways to use them in the presentation. There are a number of tools for this, like Adobe Color , Coolors , and ColorHunt , just to name a few. After finding a palette you enjoy, consider how it works with the presentation you're about to give. Pastels, for example, evoke feelings of freedom and light, so they probably aren't the best choice when you're presenting quarterly earnings that missed the mark.

It's also worth mentioning that you don't need to use every color in the palette. Often, you can get by with just two or three, though you should really think through how they all work together and how readable they'll be when layered. A simple rule of thumb here is that contrast is your friend. Dark colors work well on light backgrounds, and light colors work best on dark backgrounds.

Spend some time in the Slide Sorter before you finish your presentation. By clicking the four squares at the bottom left of the presentation, you can take a look at multiple slides at once and consider how each works together. Alternatively, you can click "View" on the ribbon and select "Slide Sorter."

Are you presenting too much text at once? Move an image in. Could a series of slides benefit from a chart or summary before you move on to another point?

It's here that we have the opportunity to view the presentation from beyond the single-slide viewpoint and think in terms of how each slide fits, or if it fits at all. From this view, you can rearrange slides, add additional ones, or delete them entirely if you find that they don't advance the presentation.

The difference between a good presentation and a bad one is really all about preparation and execution. Those that respect the process and plan carefully---not only the presentation as a whole, but each slide within it---are the ones who will succeed.

This brings me to my last (half) point: When in doubt, just buy a template and use it. You can find these all over the web, though Creative Market and GraphicRiver are probably the two most popular marketplaces for this kind of thing. Not all of us are blessed with the skills needed to design and deliver an effective presentation. And while a pre-made PowerPoint template isn't going to make you a better presenter, it will ease the anxiety of creating a visually appealing slide deck.

Blog > Tips for good PowerPoint Presentations

Tips for good PowerPoint Presentations

08.14.21   •  #powerpoint #tips.

If you know how to do it, it's actually not that difficult to create and give a good presentation.

That's why we have some examples of good PowerPoint presentations for you and tips that are going to make your next presentation a complete success.

1. Speak freely

One of the most important points in good presentations is to speak freely. Prepare your presentation so well that you can speak freely and rarely, if ever, need to look at your notes. The goal is to connect with your audience and get them excited about your topic. If you speak freely, this is much easier than if you just read your text out. You want your audience to feel engaged in your talk. Involve them and tell your text in a vivid way.

2. Familiarize yourself with the technology

In order to be able to speak freely, it is important to prepare the text well and to engage with the topic in detail.

However, it is at least as important to familiarize yourself with the location’s technology before your presentation and to start your PowerPoint there as well. It is annoying if technical problems suddenly occur during your presentation, as this interrupts your flow of speech and distracts the audience from the topic. Avoid this by checking everything before you start your talk and eliminate any technical problems so that you can give your presentation undisturbed.

  • Don't forget the charging cable for your laptop
  • Find out beforehand how you can connect your laptop to the beamer. Find out which connection the beamer has and which connection your laptop has. To be on the safe side, take an adapter with you.
  • Always have backups of your presentation. Save them on a USB stick and preferably also online in a cloud.
  • Take a second laptop and maybe even your own small projector for emergencies. Even if it's not the latest model and the quality is not that good: better bad quality than no presentation at all.

3. Get the attention of your audience

Especially in long presentations it is often difficult to keep the attention of your audience. It is important to make your presentation interesting and to actively involve the audience. Try to make your topic as exciting as possible and captivate your audience.

Our tip: Include interactive polls or quizzes in your presentation to involve your audience and increase their attention. With the help of SlideLizard, you can ask questions in PowerPoint and your audience can easily vote on their own smartphone. Plus, you can even get anonymous feedback at the end, so you know right away what you can improve next time.

Here we have also summarized further tips for you on how to increase audience engagement.

Polling tool from SlideLizard to hold your audience's attention

4. Hold eye contact

You want your audience to feel engaged in your presentation, so it is very important to hold eye contact. Avoid staring only at a part of the wall or at your paper. Speak to your audience, involve them in your presentation and make it more exciting.

But also make sure you don't always look at the same two or three people, but address everyone. If the audience is large, it is often difficult to include everyone, but still try to let your eyes wander a little between your listeners and look into every corner of the room.

5. Speaking coherently

In a good presentation it is important to avoid jumping from one topic to the next and back again shortly afterwards. Otherwise your audience will not be able to follow you after a while and their thoughts will wander. To prevent this, it is important that your presentation has a good structure and that you work through one topic after the other.

Nervousness can cause even the best to mumble or talk too fast in order to get the presentation over with as quickly as possible. Try to avoid this by taking short pauses to collect yourself, to breathe and to remind yourself to speak slowly.

6. Matching colors

An attractive design of your PowerPoint is also an important point for giving good presentations. Make sure that your slides are not too colorful. A PowerPoint in which all kinds of colors are combined with each other does not look professional, but rather suitable for a children's birthday party.

Think about a rough color palette in advance, which you can then use in your presentation. Colors such as orange or neon green do not look so good in your PowerPoint. Use colors specifically to emphasize important information.

To create good PowerPoint slides it is also essential to choose colors that help the text to read well. You should have as much contrast as possible between the font and the background. Black writing on a white background is always easy to read, while yellow writing on a white background is probably hard to read.

Using colours correctly in PowerPoint to create good presentations

7. Slide design should not be too minimalistic

Even though it is often said that "less is more", you should not be too minimalistic in the design of your presentation. A presentation where your slides are blank and only black text on a white background is likely to go down just as badly as if you use too many colors.

Empty presentations are boring and don't really help to capture the attention of your audience. It also looks like you are too lazy to care about the design of your presentation and that you have not put any effort into the preparation. Your PowerPoint doesn't have to be overflowing with colors, animations and images to make it look interesting. Make it simple, but also professional.

avoid too minimalistic design for good presentation slides

8. Write only key points on the slides

If you want to create a good presentation, it is important to remember that your slides should never be overcrowded. Write only the most important key points on your slides and never entire sentences. Your audience should not be able to read the exact text you are speaking in your PowerPoint. This is rather annoying and leads to being bored quickly. Summarize the most important things that your audience should remember and write them down in short bullet points on your presentation. Then go into the key points in more detail in your speech and explain more about them.

Avoid too much text on your presentation slides

9. Do not overdo it with animations

Do never use too many animations. It looks messy, confusing and definitely not professional if every text and image is displayed with a different animation. Just leave out animations at all or if you really want to use them then use them only very rarely when you want to draw attention to something specific. Make sure that if you use animations, they are consistent. If you use transitions between the individual slides, these should also always be kept consistent and simple.

10. Use images

Pictures and graphics in presentations are always a good idea to illustrate something and to add some variety. They help keep your audience's attention and make it easier to remember important information. But don't overdo it with them. Too many pictures can distract from your presentation and look messy. Make sure the graphics also fit the content and, if you have used several images on one slide, ask yourself if you really need all of them.

example of good PowerPoint slide with image

11. Choose a suitable font

Never combine too many fonts so that your presentation does not look messy. Use at most two: one for headings and one for text. When choosing fonts, you should also make sure that they are still legible at long distances. Script, italic and decorative fonts are very slow to read, which is why they should be avoided in presentations.

It is not so easy to choose the right font. Therefore, we have summarized for you how to find the best font for your PowerPoint presentation.

How you should not use fonts in PowerPoint

12. Do not use images as background

In a good presentation it is important to be able to read the text on the slides easily and quickly. Therefore, do not use images as slide backgrounds if there is also text on them. The picture only distracts from the text and it is difficult to read it because there is not much contrast with the background. It is also harder to see the image because the text in the foreground is distracting. The whole thing looks messy and distracting rather than informative and clear.

Do not use images as a background in good PowerPoint slides

13. Never read out the text from your slides

Never just read the exact text from your slides. Your audience can read for themselves, so they will only get bored and in the worst case it will lead to "Death by PowerPoint". You may also give them the feeling that you think they are not able to read for themselves. In addition, you should avoid whole sentences on your slides anyway. List key points that your audience can read along. Then go into more detail and explain more about them.

14. Don't turn your back

Never turn around during your presentation to look at your projected PowerPoint. Not to read from your slides, but also not to make sure the next slide is already displayed. It looks unprofessional and only distracts your audience.

In PowerPoint's Speaker View, you can always see which slide is currently being displayed and which one is coming next. Use this to make sure the order fits. You can even take notes in PowerPoint, which are then displayed during your presentation. You can read all about notes in PowerPoint here.

the best presentations ever

15. Do not forget about the time

In a good presentation, it is important to always be aware of the given time and to stick to it. It is annoying when your presentation takes much longer than actually planned and your audience is just waiting for you to stop talking or you are not able to finish your presentation at all. It is just as awkward if your presentation is too short. You have already told everything about your topic, but you should actually talk for at least another ten minutes.

Practice your presentation often enough at home. Talk through your text and time yourself as you go. Then adjust the length so that you can keep to the time given on the day of your presentation.

timer yourself to know how long your presentation takes

16. Avoid a complicated structure

The structure of a good presentation should not be complicated. Your audience should be able to follow you easily and remember the essential information by the end. When you have finished a part, briefly summarize and repeat the main points before moving on to the next topic. Mention important information more than once to make sure it really gets across to your audience.

However, if the whole thing gets too complicated, it can be easy for your audience to disengage after a while and not take away much new information from your presentation.

17. Choose appropriate clothes

On the day of your presentation, be sure to choose appropriate clothing. Your appearance should be formal, so avoid casual clothes and stick to professional dress codes. When choosing your clothes, also make sure that they are rather unobtrusive. Your audience should focus on your presentation, not on your appearance.

Choose appropriate clothing

18. Adapt your presentation to your audience

Think about who your audience is and adapt your presentation to them. Find out how much they already know about the topic, what they want to learn about it and why they are here in the first place. If you only talk about things your audience already knows, they will get bored pretty soon, but if you throw around a lot of technical terms when your audience has hardly dealt with the topic at all, they will also have a hard time following you. So to give a successful and good presentation, it is important to adapt it to your audience.

You can also ask a few questions at the beginning of your presentation to learn more about your audience and then adapt your presentation. With SlideLizard , you can integrate polls directly into your PowerPoint and participants can then easily answer anonymously from their smartphone.

19. Mention only the most important information

Keep it short and limit yourself to the essentials. The more facts and information you present to your audience, the less they will remember.

Also be sure to leave out information that does not fit the topic or is not relevant. You will only distract from the actual topic and lose the attention of your audience. The time your audience can concentrate and listen with attention is rather short anyway, so don't waste it by telling unimportant information.

20. Talk about your topic in an exciting way

Tell compelling and exciting stories to make your presentation really good. If you speak in a monotone voice all the time, you are likely to lose the attention of your audience. Make your narration lively and exciting. Also, be careful not to speak too quietly, but not too loudly either. People should be able to understand you well throughout the whole room. Even if it is not easy for many people, try to deliver your speech with confidence. If you are enthusiastic about the topic yourself, it is much easier to get your audience excited about it.

microphone for presentations

Related articles

About the author.

the best presentations ever

Helena Reitinger

Helena supports the SlideLizard team in marketing and design. She loves to express her creativity in texts and graphics.

the best presentations ever

Get 1 Month for free!

Do you want to make your presentations more interactive.

With SlideLizard you can engage your audience with live polls, questions and feedback . Directly within your PowerPoint Presentation. Learn more

SlideLizard

Top blog articles More posts

the best presentations ever

Effective Feedback for Presentations - digital with PowerPoint or with printable sheets

the best presentations ever

Create an Agenda in PowerPoint + Free PowerPoint Template

SlideLizard Live Polls

Get started with Live Polls, Q&A and slides

for your PowerPoint Presentations

The big SlideLizard presentation glossary

A webinar is a seminar that takes place in a specific digital location at a specific time. It's a seminar that combines live and online formats.

.pps file extension

A .pps file is a slide show. They are similiar to .ppt files but they open as a slide show if you double-klick them. They later got replaced by .ppsx files.

Title Slide

The title slide is the first slide of a presentation. It usually contains a title and a subtitle.

.pptm file extension

A .pptm file is a macro-enabled presentation created by MS PowerPoint which contains slides with layout, images, texts and embedded macros.

Be the first to know!

The latest SlideLizard news, articles, and resources, sent straight to your inbox.

- or follow us on -

We use cookies to personalise content and analyse traffic to our website. You can choose to accept only cookies that are necessary for the website to function or to also allow tracking cookies. For more information, please see our privacy policy .

Cookie Settings

Necessary cookies are required for the proper functioning of the website. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information about the number of visitors, etc.

20 Great Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design [+ Templates]

Carly Williams

Published: January 17, 2024

When it comes to PowerPoint presentation design, there's no shortage of avenues you can take.

PowerPoint presentation examples graphic with computer monitor, person holding a megaphone, and a plant to signify growth.

While all that choice — colors, formats, visuals, fonts — can feel liberating, it‘s important that you’re careful in your selection as not all design combinations add up to success.

→ Free Download: 10 PowerPoint Presentation Templates [Access Now]

In this blog post, I’m sharing some of my favorite PowerPoint tips and templates to help you nail your next presentation.

Table of Contents

What makes a good PowerPoint presentation?

Powerpoint design ideas, best powerpoint presentation slides, good examples of powerpoint presentation design.

In my opinion, a great PowerPoint presentation gets the point across succinctly while using a design that doesn't detract from it.

Here are some of the elements I like to keep in mind when I’m building my own.

1. Minimal Animations and Transitions

Believe it or not, animations and transitions can take away from your PowerPoint presentation. Why? Well, they distract from the content you worked so hard on.

A good PowerPoint presentation keeps the focus on your argument by keeping animations and transitions to a minimum. I suggest using them tastefully and sparingly to emphasize a point or bring attention to a certain part of an image.

2. Cohesive Color Palette

I like to refresh my memory on color theory when creating a new PowerPoint presentation.

A cohesive color palette uses complementary and analogous colors to draw the audience’s attention and help emphasize certain aspects at the right time.

the best presentations ever

10 Free PowerPoint Templates

Download ten free PowerPoint templates for a better presentation.

  • Creative templates.
  • Data-driven templates.
  • Professional templates.

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Tell us a little about yourself below to gain access today:

It‘s impossible for me to tell you the specific design ideas you should go after in your next PowerPoint, because, well, I don’t know what the goal of your presentation is.

Luckily, new versions of PowerPoint actually suggest ideas for you based on the content you're presenting. This can help you keep up with the latest trends in presentation design .

PowerPoint is filled with interesting boilerplate designs you can start with. To find these suggestions, open PowerPoint and click the “Design” tab in your top navigation bar. Then, on the far right side, you'll see the following choices:

the best presentations ever

This simplistic presentation example employs several different colors and font weights, but instead of coming off as disconnected, the varied colors work with one another to create contrast and call out specific concepts.

What I like: The big, bold numbers help set the reader's expectations, as they clearly signify how far along the viewer is in the list of tips.

10. “Pixar's 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling,” Gavin McMahon

This presentation by Gavin McMahon features color in all the right places. While each of the background images boasts a bright, spotlight-like design, all the characters are intentionally blacked out.

What I like: This helps keep the focus on the tips, while still incorporating visuals. Not to mention, it's still easy for me to identify each character without the details. (I found you on slide eight, Nemo.)

11. “Facebook Engagement and Activity Report,” We Are Social

Here's another great example of data visualization in the wild.

What I like: Rather than displaying numbers and statistics straight up, this presentation calls upon interesting, colorful graphs, and charts to present the information in a way that just makes sense.

12. “The GaryVee Content Model,” Gary Vaynerchuk

This wouldn‘t be a true Gary Vaynerchuk presentation if it wasn’t a little loud, am I right?

What I like: Aside from the fact that I love the eye-catching, bright yellow background, Vaynerchuk does a great job of incorporating screenshots on each slide to create a visual tutorial that coincides with the tips. He also does a great job including a visual table of contents that shows your progress as you go .

13. “20 Tweetable Quotes to Inspire Marketing & Design Creative Genius,” IMPACT Branding & Design

We‘ve all seen our fair share of quote-chronicling presentations but that isn’t to say they were all done well. Often the background images are poor quality, the text is too small, or there isn't enough contrast.

Well, this professional presentation from IMPACT Branding & Design suffers from none of said challenges.

What I like: The colorful filters over each background image create just enough contrast for the quotes to stand out.

14. “The Great State of Design,” Stacy Kvernmo

This presentation offers up a lot of information in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming.

What I like: The contrasting colors create visual interest and “pop,” and the comic images (slides 6 through 12) are used to make the information seem less buttoned-up and overwhelming.

15. “Clickbait: A Guide To Writing Un-Ignorable Headlines,” Ethos3

Not going to lie, it was the title that convinced me to click through to this presentation but the awesome design kept me there once I arrived.

What I like: This simple design adheres to a consistent color pattern and leverages bullet points and varied fonts to break up the text nicely.

16. “Digital Transformation in 50 Soundbites,” Julie Dodd

This design highlights a great alternative to the “text-over-image” display we've grown used to seeing.

What I like: By leveraging a split-screen approach to each presentation slide, Julie Dodd was able to serve up a clean, legible quote without sacrificing the power of a strong visual.

17. “Fix Your Really Bad PowerPoint,” Slide Comet

When you‘re creating a PowerPoint about how everyone’s PowerPoints stink, yours had better be terrific. The one above, based on the ebook by Seth Godin, keeps it simple without boring its audience.

What I like: Its clever combinations of fonts, together with consistent color across each slide, ensure you're neither overwhelmed nor unengaged.

18. “How Google Works,” Eric Schmidt

Simple, clever doodles tell the story of Google in a fun and creative way. This presentation reads almost like a storybook, making it easy to move from one slide to the next.

What I like: This uncluttered approach provides viewers with an easy-to-understand explanation of a complicated topic.

19. “What Really Differentiates the Best Content Marketers From The Rest,” Ross Simmonds

Let‘s be honest: These graphics are hard not to love. I especially appreciate the author’s cartoonified self-portrait that closes out the presentation. Well played, Ross Simmonds.

What I like: Rather than employing the same old stock photos, this unique design serves as a refreshing way to present information that's both valuable and fun.

20. “Be A Great Product Leader,” Adam Nash

This presentation by Adam Nash immediately draws attention by putting the company's logo first — a great move if your company is well known.

What I like: He uses popular images, such as ones of Megatron and Pinocchio, to drive his points home. In the same way, you can take advantage of popular images and media to keep your audience engaged.

PowerPoint Presentation Examples for the Best Slide Presentation

Mastering a PowerPoint presentation begins with the design itself.

Get inspired by my ideas above to create a presentation that engages your audience, builds upon your point, and helps you generate leads for your brand.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. This article was written by a human, but our team uses AI in our editorial process. Check out our full disclosure to learn more about how we use AI.

Blog - Beautiful PowerPoint Presentation Template [List-Based]

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

How to Write an Ecommerce Business Plan [Examples & Template]

How to Write an Ecommerce Business Plan [Examples & Template]

How to Create an Infographic in Under an Hour — the 2024 Guide [+ Free Templates]

How to Create an Infographic in Under an Hour — the 2024 Guide [+ Free Templates]

Get Buyers to Do What You Want: The Power of Temptation Bundling in Sales

Get Buyers to Do What You Want: The Power of Temptation Bundling in Sales

How to Create an Engaging 5-Minute Presentation

How to Create an Engaging 5-Minute Presentation

How to Start a Presentation [+ Examples]

How to Start a Presentation [+ Examples]

17 PowerPoint Presentation Tips to Make More Creative Slideshows [+ Templates]

17 PowerPoint Presentation Tips to Make More Creative Slideshows [+ Templates]

120 Presentation Topic Ideas Help You Hook Your Audience

120 Presentation Topic Ideas Help You Hook Your Audience

How to Create the Best PowerPoint Presentations [Examples & Templates]

How to Create the Best PowerPoint Presentations [Examples & Templates]

The Presenter's Guide to Nailing Your Next PowerPoint

The Presenter's Guide to Nailing Your Next PowerPoint

How to Create a Stunning Presentation Cover Page [+ Examples]

How to Create a Stunning Presentation Cover Page [+ Examples]

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

  • By use case
  • AI assisted videos
  • Advertising video
  • Animated video
  • Animated logo video
  • Animated text video
  • Animation video
  • Cartoon video
  • Commercial video
  • Business video
  • Explainer video
  • Infographic video
  • Intro video
  • Movie maker
  • Photo to video
  • Presentation video
  • Short videos
  • Trailer video
  • Book trailer video
  • YouTube video
  • Diverse Workplace Scenes
  • Leadership Skills Tips
  • A Reason to Celebrate
  • Frank Character Explainer
  • Superpowers Girl
  • Robot Character Explainer
  • Team Birthdays
  • Birthday Cake
  • Birthday Calendar
  • Birthday Greetings
  • Funny Birthday
  • Staff Birthday
  • Workplace Announcement
  • Business Explainer
  • Employee Onboarding
  • Business Ad
  • Hybrid Work Policy
  • Workplace Wellness Tips
  • Explainer Script
  • How to Change Your Password
  • Snappy Explainer
  • Mental Health for Employees
  • Product Explainer
  • E-Learning App Ad
  • Infographics
  • Industry Trend Update
  • Real Estate Infographic
  • Marketing Infographic
  • Animated Infographics
  • Infographic Explainer
  • Infographic
  • Introductions
  • New Teammate
  • New Employee Introduction
  • Welcome New Team Member
  • Warm Welcome
  • New Team Members
  • Meet the Team
  • We're Hiring Manager
  • Recruiting Ad
  • We're Hiring IT Support
  • Video Resume
  • Now Hiring Product Engineer
  • Job Offer Congratulations
  • Dancing People Ad
  • Eager Dog Ad
  • Winter Sale
  • Funky Sloth Ad
  • Product Promo
  • Book Trailer
  • Thanks Group
  • You Rock Employee
  • Great Job Team
  • You Rock Team
  • Great Job Employee
  • Great Job Group
  • Weekly Update
  • Company Update
  • Product Launch
  • Monthly Update
  • News Update
  • Year in Review

Ready to get started?

  • Video Trimmer
  • Remove audio from video
  • Add music to video
  • Add text to video
  • Video merger
  • Video resizer
  • Convert image to video
  • Montage maker
  • Add image to video
  • Watermark maker
  • Add frame to video
  • Video analytics
  • Add button to video
  • Image Resizer
  • Convert video to GIF
  • Convert GIF to MP4
  • Extract audio from video
  • Quick start guide
  • Inspiration

23 presentation examples that really work (plus templates!)

Three professionals engaged in a collaborative meeting with a Biteable video maker, a laptop, and documents on the table.

  • 30 Mar 2023

To help you in your quest for presentation greatness, we’ve gathered 23 of the best business presentation examples out there. These hand-picked ideas range from business PowerPoint presentations, to recruitment presentations, and everything in between.

As a bonus, several of our examples include editable video presentation templates from  Biteable .

Biteable allows anyone to create great video presentations — no previous video-making skills required. The easy-to-use platform has hundreds of brandable templates and video scenes designed with a business audience in mind. A video made with Biteable is just what you need to add that wow factor and make an impact on your audience.

Create videos that drive action

Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.

Video presentation examples

Video presentations are our specialty at Biteable. We love them because they’re the most visually appealing and memorable way to communicate.

1. Animated characters

Our first presentation example is a business explainer from Biteable that uses animated characters. The friendly and modern style makes this the perfect presentation for engaging your audience.

Bonus template:  Need a business video presentation that reflects the beautiful diversity of your customers or team? Use  Biteable’s workplace scenes . You can change the skin tone and hair color for any of the animated characters.

2. Conference video

Videos are also ideal solutions for events (e.g. trade shows) where they can be looped to play constantly while you attend to more important things like talking to people and handing out free cheese samples.

For this event presentation sample below, we used bright colours, stock footage, and messaging that reflects the brand and values of the company. All these elements work together to draw the attention of passers-by.

For a huge selection of video presentation templates, take a look at our  template gallery .

Business PowerPoint presentation examples

Striking fear into the hearts of the workplace since 1987, PowerPoint is synonymous with bland, boring presentations that feel more like an endurance test than a learning opportunity. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Check out these anything-but-boring business PowerPoint presentation examples.

3. Design pointers

This PowerPoint presentation takes a tongue-in-cheek look at how the speakers and users of PowerPoint are the problem, not the software itself.

Even at a hefty 61 slides, the vintage theme, appealing colors, and engaging content keep the viewer interested. It delivers useful and actionable tips on creating a better experience for your audience.

Pixar, as you’d expect, redefines the meaning of PowerPoint in their “22 Rules for Phenomenal Storytelling”. The character silhouettes are instantly recognizable and tie firmly to the Pixar brand. The bright colour palettes are carefully chosen to highlight the content of each slide.

This presentation is a good length, delivering one message per slide, making it easy for an audience to take notes and retain the information.

Google slides examples

If you’re in business, chances are you’ll have come across  slide decks . Much like a deck of cards, each slide plays a key part in the overall ‘deck’, creating a well-rounded presentation.

If you need to inform your team, present findings, or outline a new strategy, slides are one of the most effective ways to do this.

Google Slides is one of the best ways to create a slide deck right now. It’s easy to use and has built-in design tools that integrate with Adobe, Lucidchart, and more. The best part — it’s free!

5. Teacher education

Here’s a slide deck that was created to educate teachers on how to use Google Slides effectively in a classroom. At first glance it seems stuffy and businessy, but if you look closer it’s apparent the creator knows his audience well, throwing in some teacher-friendly content that’s bound to get a smile.

The slides give walkthrough screenshots and practical advice on the different ways teachers can use the software to make their lives that little bit easier and educate their students at the same time.

6. Charity awareness raiser

This next Google slide deck is designed to raise awareness for an animal shelter. It has simple, clear messaging, and makes use of the furry friends it rescues to tug on heartstrings and encourage donations and adoptions from its audience.

Pro tip: Creating a presentation is exciting but also a little daunting. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed — especially if the success of your business or nonprofit depends on it.

Prezi presentation examples

If you haven’t come across  Prezi , it’s a great alternative to using static slides. Sitting somewhere between slides and a video presentation, it allows you to import other content and add motion to create a more engaging viewer experience.

7. Red Bull event recap

This Prezi was created to document the Red Bull stratosphere freefall stunt a few years ago. It neatly captures all the things that Prezi is capable of, including video inserts and the zoom effect, which gives an animated, almost 3D effect to what would otherwise be still images.  

Prezi has annual awards for the best examples of presentations over the year. This next example is one of the 2018 winners. It was made to highlight a new Logitech tool.

8. Logitech Spotlight launch

What stands out here are the juicy colors, bold imagery, and the way the designer has used Prezi to its full extent, including rotations, panning, fades, and a full zoom out to finish the presentation.

the best presentations ever

Sales presentation examples

If you’re stuck for ideas for your sales presentation, step right this way and check out this video template we made for you.

9. Sales enablement video presentation

In today’s fast-paced sales environment, you need a way to make your sales enablement presentations memorable and engaging for busy reps.  Sales enablement videos  are just the ticket. Use this video presentation template the next time you need to present on your metrics.

10. Zuroa sales deck

If you’re after a sales deck, you can’t go past this example from Zuora. What makes it great? It begins by introducing the worldwide shift in the way consumers are shopping. It’s a global phenomenon, and something we can all relate to.

It then weaves a compelling story about how the subscription model is changing the face of daily life for everyone. Metrics and testimonials from well-known CEOs and executives are included for some slamming social proof to boost the sales message.

Pitch presentation examples

Pitch decks are used to give an overview of business plans, and are usually presented during meetings with customers, investors, or potential partners.

11. Uber pitch deck

This is Uber’s original pitch deck, which (apart from looking a teensy bit dated) gives an excellent overview of their business model and clearly shows how they intended to disrupt a traditional industry and provide a better service to people. Right now, you’re probably very grateful that this pitch presentation was a winner.

You can make your own pitch deck with Biteable, or start with one of our  video templates  to make something a little more memorable.

12. Video pitch template

This video pitch presentation clearly speaks to the pains of everyone who needs to commute and find parking. It then provides the solution with its app that makes parking a breeze.

The video also introduces the key team members, their business strategy, and what they’re hoping to raise in funding. It’s a simple, clear pitch that positions the company as a key solution to a growing, worldwide problem. It’s compelling and convincing, as a good presentation should be.

13. Fyre Festival pitch deck

The most epic example of a recent pitch deck is this one for Fyre Festival – the greatest event that never happened. Marvel at its persuasion, gasp at the opportunity of being part of the cultural experience of the decade, cringe as everything goes from bad to worse.

Despite the very public outcome, this is a masterclass in how to create hype and get funding with your pitch deck using beautiful imagery, beautiful people, and beautiful promises of riches and fame.

Business presentation examples

Need to get the right message out to the right people? Business presentations can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

Simply press play and let your video do the talking. No fumbling your words and sweating buckets in front of those potential clients, just you being cool as a cucumber while your presentation does the talking.

Check out two of our popular templates that you can use as a starting point for your own presentations. While they’re business-minded, they’re definitely not boring.

14. Business intro template

Modern graphics, animations, and upbeat soundtracks keep your prospects engaged as they learn about your business, your team, your values, and how you can help them.

15. Business explainer template

Research presentation examples.

When you’re giving a more technical presentation such as research findings, you need to strike the perfect balance between informing your audience and making sure they stay awake.

As a rule, slides are more effective for research presentations, as they are used to support the speaker’s knowledge rather can capture every small detail on screen.

With often dry, complex, and technical subject matter, there can be a temptation for presentations to follow suit. Use images instead of walls of text, and keep things as easy to follow as possible.

16. TrackMaven research deck

TrackMaven uses their endearing mascot to lighten up this data-heavy slide deck. The graphs help to bring life to their findings, and they ensure to only have one bite-size takeaway per slide so that viewers can easily take notes.

17. Wearable tech research report

Obviously, research can get very researchy and there’s not a lot to be done about it. This slide deck below lays out a ton of in-depth information but breaks it up well with quotes, diagrams, and interesting facts to keep viewers engaged while it delivers its findings on wearable technology.

Team presentation examples

Motivating your team can be a challenge at the best of times, especially when you need to gather them together for….another presentation!

18. Team update template

We created this presentation template as an example of how to engage your team. In this case, it’s for an internal product launch. Using colorful animation and engaging pacing, this video presentation is much better than a static PowerPoint, right?

19. Officevibe collaboration explainer

This short slide deck is a presentation designed to increase awareness of the problems of a disengaged team. Bright colors and relevant images combine with facts and figures that compel viewers to click through to a download to learn more about helping their teams succeed.

Recruitment presentation examples

Recruiting the right people can be a challenge. Presentations can help display your team and your business by painting a dynamic picture of what it’s like to work with you.

Videos and animated slides let you capture the essence of your brand and workplace so the right employees can find you.

20. Company culture explainer

If you’re a recruitment agency, your challenge is to stand out from the hundreds of other agencies in the marketplace.

21. Kaizen culture

Showcasing your agency using a slide deck can give employers and employees a feel for doing business with you. Kaizen clearly displays its credentials and highlights its brand values and personality here (and also its appreciation of the coffee bean).

Explainer presentation examples

Got some explaining to do? Using an explainer video is the ideal way to showcase products that are technical, digital, or otherwise too difficult to explain with still images and text.

Explainer videos help you present the features and values of your product in an engaging way that speaks to your ideal audience and promotes your brand at the same time.

22. Product explainer template

23. lucidchart explainer.

Lucidchart does a stellar job of using explainer videos for their software. Their series of explainers-within-explainers entertains the viewer with cute imagery and an endearing brand voice. At the same time, the video is educating its audience on how to use the actual product. We (almost) guarantee you’ll have more love for spiders after watching this one.

Make a winning video presentation with Biteable

Creating a winning presentation doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. Modern slide decks and video software make it easy for you to give compelling presentations that sell, explain, and educate without sending your audience to snooze town.

For the best online video presentation software around, check out Biteable. The intuitive platform does all the heavy lifting for you, so making a video presentation is as easy as making a PowerPoint.

Use Biteable’s brand builder to automatically fetch your company colors and logo from your website and apply them to your entire video with the click of a button. Even add a  clickable call-to-action  button to your video.

Share your business presentation anywhere with a single, trackable URL and watch your message turn into gold.

Make stunning videos with ease.

Take the struggle out of team communication.

Try Biteable now.

  • No credit card required
  • No complicated design decisions
  • No experience necessary

Cubicle Ninjas

Brand Consultation & Market Analysis

  • Brand Audit & Strategy
  • Competitor Analysis
  • Consumer Interviews
  • Google Analytics Review
  • Persona Development
  • SEO Audit & Strategy
  • SEO Keyword Research
  • Site Mapping & Content Architecture
  • Technical Strategy & Roadmapping

the best presentations ever

Creative Design & Branding

  • Copywriting & Storytelling
  • Event & Exhibition
  • Inbound Marketing
  • Logo & Brand Development
  • Mobile App Design & Development
  • Presentation Design
  • Print Design
  • Website Design & Development

the best presentations ever

Custom Web & App Development

  • API Development
  • Augmented Reality App Development
  • Front-End Design & Development
  • Virtual Reality App Development
  • Web App Development
  • WordPress Theme Customization
  • WordPress Theme Development

the best presentations ever

Immersive Reality & New Technologies

  • 3D Environment Creation
  • Advanced 3D Modeling
  • Immersive Story Telling
  • Mixed Reality App Development
  • Photogrammetry
  • Prototyping
  • Quantified Biometrics

Video Production & Animation

  • Drone Video
  • Film Production
  • Mixed Reality Video
  • Motion Graphics
  • Post Production & Editing
  • Script Writing & Story Telling
  • Storyboards & Shotlists
  • Voiceover & Audio Sourcing

Top 20 Best PowerPoint Presentations

Top 20 Best PowerPoint Presentations

the best presentations ever

  • Relatable symbols and pictographs
  • Minimal text
  • No need for the presenter to look or read the slides

6. Designing for the (Multi) Big Picture

powerful_slide_decks

  • Strong branding scheme
  • High quality images
  • Minimalism approach

7. 10 Steps of Project Management in Digital Agencies

  • One key concept per side
  • Easy on text

8. Ted Talk with Doug Dietz

  • Minimal slide use
  • Implements the art of storytelling

9. The Hottest Analysis Tools for Startups

  • Consistent design
  • The 3 key points are straight forward and clear

10. All About Beer

  • One key point on each slide

11. Communication Patterns

communication_patterns

  • Design scheme correlates with the subject

12. Ted Talk with Jill Bolte Taylor

  • Personal images to illustrate a story

13. GitHub’s CSS Performance

github_presentation_design

  • Personal photos to trigger emotion
  • One key point per slide

14. The Business of Social Media

  • Clear examples

15. Beyond the default – explorations and experiments in BuddyPress

buddypress_slide_deck

  • Strong brand scheme
  • Simple and clear
  • Quality Images

17. The Grid: Final Pitch

grid_final_pitch

  • Large fonts

18. Guy Kawasaki’s The Art of Innovation in 10 Steps

  • Uses the 10.20.30 Rules
  • One key concept per slide

19.Tanya’s Story

Powerpoint_slides

  • Triggers emotions
  • Storytelling

20. The Social Customer

best powerpoint presentations

Creating effective and beautiful powerpoint presentations doesn’t have to be tough.

We hope you’ve found these stunning and effective presentations useful to help inspire your next big presentation. But if you find yourself still needing a bit more guidance, our team of expert presentation designers can always help. We’ll make your powerpoint design shine, while giving you honest storytelling advice along the way. Listen to presentation techniques from seasoned experts. Contact our team today and we’d love to help elevate your presentation vision.

Is there another presentation out there that really inspires you? Share your ideas in the comment section below!

Previous post ninja design roundup - august 2nd, 2013, next post are you seeing a negative shift in your email open rates, 14 comments.

' data-srcset=

Thank you guys (Fabio Lalli – The Power of networking)

' data-srcset=

Anytime Fabio! Great work. Keep us posted on new content! -Shannon

' data-srcset=

thank you very much, McKinsey presentation is super useful!

' data-srcset=

Really very useful presentations.

' data-srcset=

Great post Shannon. I especially like the 2-3 bullets you used to highlight why each presentation is effective. It would have been great to get my hands on the Mckinsey ppt, but I supposed a pdf will do.

' data-srcset=

Thank you for sharing these cool presentations and debriefing them! I’ve written a couple of articles to share tips on how to design killer presentations. Feel free to come by and let us know what you think and if you’d like us to cover specific topics to help!

http://pptpop.com/creative-presentations/

' data-srcset=

I really love the rules of Guy:

• Uses the 10.20.30 Rules • One key concept per slide • Simple

He also invented the alogirthm to properly chose the font size of your slides based on your audience: take the age of the oldest person in your audience and divide by 2; if the oldest person is 5 you use 25pt if the oldest is 15 … use 7.5 and god bless you !!

I structured my presentation style on Guy’s advices and my clients have always been very happy with it. Come and visit me I will be happy to help: http://www.great-powerpoint-presentations.com

' data-srcset=

All design is attractive.Colours,fonts,and photos are harmonious.

  • Pingback: Record Breaking Day of Pub Trivia | The Pour House Trivia Blog
  • Pingback: Blog #8 | Lexophiliacs

' data-srcset=

nice job =)

' data-srcset=

This all are amazing in design. Good job. thanks for sharing.

' data-srcset=

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

  • Brand Consultation & Market Analysis
  • Creative Design & Branding
  • Custom Web & App Development
  • Immersive Reality & New Technologies
  • Video Production & Animation
  • View All Services
  • 1-888-77-NINJA

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

the best presentations ever

Need a Ninja?

Presentations 101: How to create the best presentation ever

Who better than us to know how difficult it is to create a good presentation?

Let’s reveal the secret – a high-quality presentation will smooth out even a very bad performance, obscure your self-doubt and help you be remembered in a positive way. With Wonderslide, you don’t need to spend a million hours on such a thing, and with the editing function, the creation process takes a few minutes at all.

In this guide, we’ll explore essential tips to make your presentation better and the secrets to streamline the editing process.

🎨 Editing presentations is even easier now

It doesn’t have to be an exhausting task. With the newest Wonderslide update, the process becomes more accessible and clear. Don’t be afraid to edit your presentation. Improve it in a couple of clicks.

Here’s how:

  • Real-Time Editing . No more reloading your presentation dozens of times. Just change what you need on the slide. Click on icons or images to edit them directly in the interface.
  • Text Tweaks. Easily edit text by clicking on it. Express your thoughts clearly. For example, you have to avoid leaving a single word on a line, or a single line at the top or bottom of a page or column. 
  • Save and Share . Once you’re satisfied with your edits, save your changes and download the result. It’s that simple.

The way the whole process looks:

Now, if you don’t like the result of the finished presentation, you don’t need to go back to the beginning and reload it. Change the content to the desired one in just a couple of clicks.

We know how hard it is to achieve an ideal result, but we are trying to help you create the perfect presentations!

Turn ordinary presentations into WONDERful ones!

More From Forbes

Quotes for inspiration ahead of your next presentation.

  • Share to Facebook
  • Share to Twitter
  • Share to Linkedin

George Washington before the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, 1787.

Since the dawn of humankind, speaking in front of a large audience has been, and remains, a daunting task. So daunting, in fact, that many of us are paralyzed with fear when required to make a speech or presentation. Therefore, for anyone seeking inspiration before preparing their next oral presentation, here are a few useful quotes on the art of public speaking – from writing a speech, to rehearsing it, to ultimately delivering it on stage.

Transposing a flurry of ideas in your head into short, clear sentences on a page is arguably the hardest and most time-consuming part of preparation. “That which is well conceived becomes clearly enunciated, and the words to say it come effortlessly.” French poet Nicolas Boileau, writing in 1674, provides a useful reminder that before clear writing and clear speaking comes clear thinking. No idea can be convincingly delivered if it hasn’t first been revamped into simpler, more direct language. Complex ideas, structures and expressions rarely sway audiences, who tune-out what they don’t immediately grasp.

As humbling as it may be to admit, audiences rarely give speakers the kind of undivided attention and active listening that speakers expect. Therefore, time management is key. Remember to KISS ( K eep I t S hort & S imple) since audience attention fades quickly. Thomas Jefferson writing to a friend in 1773, said, “ The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do. ” The impact and memorability of a presentation is a function of how much meaning is packed into the shortest amount of speaking time. Think of it like an equation: Impact = amount of meaning divided by number of words.

Or, to put it back into plain English: cutting unnecessary words will boost the impact of your speech. For example:

  • Use a stronger verb to replace a vague verb + adverb (‘run,’ versus ‘go quickly,’ uses 1 word instead of 2.)
  • Use the active voice in place of the passive voice (‘Phillip sang a song,’ versus, ‘A song was sung by Phillip,’ uses 4 words instead of 6.)
  • Use plain language, words understood by the widest audience (to ‘send’ versus to ‘dispatch’ )

On Rehearsal

“ A study said speaking in front of a crowd is considered the number one fear of the average person…Number two is death. ” Comedian Jerry Seinfeld created a memorable bit out of this relatable fear.

The Best Window Air Conditioners To Keep Cool In The Warmer Months

Ukraine packed a cessna style plane with explosives added remote controls and kamikaze d it into a russian drone factory 600 miles away, new billionaires 2024 taylor swift magic johnson and 263 others join the ranks this year.

You can overcome stage fright through rehearsal. Americans are fond of saying “fake it ‘till you make it,” and perhaps there is a nugget of truth to this expression when it comes to public speaking. In 1879, Mark Twain put it this way, “I never could make a good impromptu speech without several hours to prepare it.” A good speech should appear effortless, almost spontaneous, as if spoken confidently from a place of genuine personal belief, rather than recited from a prepared script. But, just like changing a golf swing, making a speech appear natural and effortless takes many repetitions.

Practice does make perfect and, more importantly, builds self-confidence. Tennis legend Arthur Ashe reminds us, “The key to success is self-confidence. The key to self-confidence is preparation.” Therefore, always make time for many rehearsals.

On Delivery

Whether you rehearse in front of a mirror, or your team, or in an auditorium, your performance will benefit from these run-throughs. You can use these opportunities to experiment with vocal variety, body language, and pauses for emphasis. Additionally, you will likely make edits to your text as you identify wordy, hard-to-deliver sentences that could be cut to make the speech crisper.

Beyond the technical aspects of flawless delivery, it is even more important to connect emotionally with your audience. A perfectly delivered speech that makes no audience connection is less memorable that an imperfectly delivered speech that engages the audience. In the words of American author Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said […] but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

When you don’t connect with the audience, your words, however well-conceived and rehearsed, will fall flat. However, the notion of audience connection is often misunderstood: creating connection with an audience does not require you to be emotional. Being relatable to an audience is enough, and this can be achieved through a well-placed anecdote, by appearing comfortable on stage, or by sharing your enthusiasm for your presentation.

In conclusion, since you will likely give more than one presentation during your career, keep in mind Winston Churchill’s definition of success. “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

As we’ve seen from some of history’s most quotable, whether the year be 1674 or 2024, successful presentations follow a time-tested playbook, from preparation through to delivery.

Adrian Dearnell

  • Editorial Standards
  • Reprints & Permissions

IMAGES

  1. 10 Best PowerPoint Templates for Presentations [2020]

    the best presentations ever

  2. 20+ Best PowerPoint Templates and Infographics PPT Designs for

    the best presentations ever

  3. 60+ Best Cool PowerPoint Templates (With Awesome Design)

    the best presentations ever

  4. 🌷 Best powerpoint presentation ever made. 35+ Best PowerPoint

    the best presentations ever

  5. 25 Great Presentation Examples Your Audience Will Love

    the best presentations ever

  6. HOW TO Give a Great Presentation

    the best presentations ever

VIDEO

  1. Battle Bay Presentation Night

  2. The Best Presentation Ever! Steve Jobs

  3. Best PowerPoint Presentation

  4. Al Gore was the Vice President of the US. This was a viral campaign about global warming awareness

  5. Prize distribution of poster presentation

  6. A Few Things I've Learned Since I Knew it All

COMMENTS

  1. The 10 Most Influential Presentations Ever Given

    Steve Jobs - Introducing the iPhone. Jump forward 23 years, and Steve Jobs continues to influence modern technology with the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. This presentation revealed one of the most influential products of all time. It redefined the way we communicate in daily life.

  2. Top 30 Most Popular Presentations of All Time

    What makes a presentation go from good to great? Our team of ninjas pondered this question in our ongoing quest to create the most beautiful and effective presentations possible. ... The Best Stats You've Ever Seen 2,314,696 views | Most Popular Data Science Presentation of All Time Presented by Hans Rosling, TED Conference. 19. Killer ...

  3. The most popular TED Talks of all time

    As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life. 08:23. Bill Gates.

  4. 50 Best PowerPoint Presentations (2023 Update)

    This deck will give you access to some of the best useful resources and tools to create better slide decks (icons, fonts, infographics and more). The Ultimate Freebies Guide for Presentations from Damon Nofar. 4. Create Icons in PowerPoint. Icons are a great way to design presentations that are more appealing.

  5. What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

    Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired ...

  6. How to Create the Best PowerPoint Presentations [Examples & Templates]

    4. Incorporate multimedia. There's a reason why we love examples. You can give out the best advice available, but sometimes, in order to believe it, people need to see it in practice. Multimedia is one way to achieve that — in a manner that can also capture and maintain your audience's attention.

  7. How to make the best Powerpoint presentation + real examples!

    That way, you'll be able to address their specific pain points and interests. Create a Structured Flow. Like any good story, your presentation needs a beginning, middle, and end. Start with an introduction that hooks, follow with content that informs and engages, and conclude with a memorable takeaway.

  8. 11 Public Speaking Tips From the World's Best Speakers & Communication

    Speak from the heart. Use compelling imagery as a component in your speech. Ditch the bullet points. Spend time rehearsing. Use plain English. 1. Start with a clear message and purpose. "If you can't write your message in a sentence, you can't say it in an hour.". — Dianna Booher, Communication Expert.

  9. How to make a great presentation

    The secret structure of great talks. From the "I have a dream" speech to Steve Jobs' iPhone launch, many great talks have a common structure that helps their message resonate with listeners. In this talk, presentation expert Nancy Duarte shares practical lessons on how to make a powerful call-to-action. 18:00.

  10. How to Give a Good Presentation: 10 Tips

    If you've ever heard someone give a powerful presentation, you probably remember how it made you feel. ... Guy Kawasaki, a prominent venture capitalist and one of the original marketing specialists for Apple, said that the best slideshow presentations are less than 10 slides, last at most 20 minutes, and use a font size of 30. Following this ...

  11. How To Give The BEST Presentation EVER!

    Learn how to present the best presentation by getting over your fear of public speaking, strengthening your PowerPoint skills, engaging your audience and kic...

  12. The Best and Worst of Presentations in 2020

    2) The Peloton pitch deck. It's undeniable that Peloton blew up in 2020. As fitness studios closed across the country, workout enthusiasts were forced to get creative with at-home gyms. Insert: Peloton. The 2018 Peloton pitch deck is one of the better presentations we've seen companies develop. The slides feature vivid photos, a common ...

  13. 8 Tips to Make the Best PowerPoint Presentations

    A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.

  14. 51 Best Presentation Slides for Engaging Presentations (2024)

    Use clear and legible fonts, and maintain a consistent design throughout the presentation. 2. Visual appeal: Incorporate visually appealing elements such as relevant images, charts, graphs, or diagrams. Use high-quality visuals that enhance understanding and make the content more engaging.

  15. How to make good PowerPoint Presentation (2022)

    Mention only the most important information. Talk about your topic in an exciting way. 1. Speak freely. One of the most important points in good presentations is to speak freely. Prepare your presentation so well that you can speak freely and rarely, if ever, need to look at your notes.

  16. 20 Great Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design [+ Templates]

    This presentation dates back to 2009, but the design is still as good as ever. The colorful, quirky doodles help tell the story while also serving as an interesting way to illustrate data (see slides 20 and 21). ... PowerPoint Presentation Examples for the Best Slide Presentation. Mastering a PowerPoint presentation begins with the design ...

  17. 38 best presentation slides for captivating presentations in 2023

    The best way to prepare these slides is by selecting your images carefully. Vector art, flow charts, and diagrams are commonly used in the best examples of business presentations. Limit text to the bare minimum. Use this template. 9. Financial data slides. You can't overlook financial data in business presentations.

  18. 23 presentation examples that really work (plus templates!)

    We love them because they're the most visually appealing and memorable way to communicate. 1. Animated characters. Our first presentation example is a business explainer from Biteable that uses animated characters. The friendly and modern style makes this the perfect presentation for engaging your audience.

  19. Top 20 Best PowerPoint Presentations

    20 Best PowerPoint Presentation Designs. 1. The Power of Networking. Uses a minimal method. High definition images. No more than 6 words per slide. 2. Infographics Made Easy. Steve Job's method of listing things in 3's.

  20. How to Give the Best Presentation Ever!

    Here are some other tips for a smashing white board session: Stop speaking while drawing to draw attention to you. Don't pause longer than 8 seconds, though, or someone in your audience is bound ...

  21. Presentations 101: How to create the best presentation ever

    How to create the best presentation ever. Who better than us to know how difficult it is to create a good presentation? Let's reveal the secret - a high-quality presentation will smooth out even a very bad performance and help you be remembered in a positive way. With Wonderslide, you don't need to spend a million hours on such a thing ...

  22. A Neuroscientist Reveals 3 Tips for Sticky Presentations

    By explaining the neuroscience of memory, Ranganath helped me identify three specific tactics anyone can use to create a compelling presentation that leaves a lasting impression on the audience. 1 ...

  23. The Best Powerpoint Presentation Ever

    If only all work presos could be like this. #MICFSubscribe now: http://ab.co/2y2hbGMLike ABC TV: http://facebook.com/abctvFollow ABC TV: http://twitter.com/a...

  24. Quotes For Inspiration Ahead Of Your Next Presentation

    Thomas Jefferson writing to a friend in 1773, said, "The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do.". The impact and memorability of a presentation is a function ...

  25. Smartypants Makes Beloved Comedians Give The Best PowerPoint

    Hosted by Rekha Shankar, Smartypants looks like it will be a brilliant addition to Dropout's steadily growing lineup of comedy shows. The trailer teases what kind of presentations we can expect from the show, including "Which cryptid is the chillest to blaze with," "No thank you, the ocean," "Reasons why eggs are the best," and "The United States government should build me a ...