Presentation Tips
Can I Get a Copy of That? - Best Practices for the Best Session Handouts
As a presenter at an educational event, you are subject matter expert. Your job is to present new ideas and data to your audience. The slide presentation itself is important, but you can also create a long-lasting and important impact with well-constructed and meaningful handouts. Follow these tips to create handouts that your attendees will keep and share.
Don’t rely on just your PowerPoint slides
Your slides are designed to help guide your audience while you speak and should include high-level bullet points. Your handouts need to include more comprehensive information. Consider your slides to be your speaking guide and your handouts to be a synopsis of your session.
If you wish to show your slides as a visual guide, use the PowerPoint notes pages or export the slides to Microsoft Word (using the “Send To” option in the file menu) so you can fill in your supportive details.
Create your handouts to stand alone
Please just don’t print your slides you speak from – It’s the easy way out! Remember that it may be a while after your presentation before someone refers back to your handout. Take a moment to write out specific details to support each slide. You might even exclude information from your slides and only focus on your key points.
Keep handouts brief
A short slide presentation calls for two to three pages of handout material. Even a long presentation only needs a handful of pages (three to five pages). The intention of your handouts is not for attendees to follow along during your session; rather they become a reference tool for use at a later time.
Consider design
Attractive, well-designed handouts are easier to read and make a lasting impression. Remember that your handouts are a representation of you and your organization. When in doubt, keep it simple. When using graphics remember what looks good on screen may not print well in a smaller size in your handouts. Be sure your charts and tables are legible and include some notes so your readers understand the point you are making by including them.
Include the essentials
At a minimum, include the following: speaker’s name, title and organization, title and date of presentation, contact information, presentation outline with key concepts and supporting documents.Go a little further
Give your audience a little something extra in your handouts, such as
- A list of recommendations
- Copies of related articles
- A list of useful web sites to visit
- Case studies or experiments
- Action items your audience should do after attending your session.
