Would you give up your use of Powerpoint for the sake of a more powerful story? Well, fortunately, no one is asking you to. However, it may be time to consider that there is an over-dependancy on the use of Powerpoint slides by consultants. Whether presenting to clients or creating presentations for clients, Powerpoint has become a mandatory tool of the trade. (Not to mention that there are plenty of freelancers making a sustainable living by offering their expertise in slide creation!) But a recent comment on David Hutchison's blog causes us to think twice about our dependancy upon slides to tell the whole story. Instead, Hutchison suggests that if people spent as much, if not more, time practicing their story-telling and writing skills, as they do creating a decent slide, they could give a much better presentation.
The point being that a strong presentation should stand on its own, and should simply be enhanced by legitimate, supporting visuals. It's a valid point. Although it's not expected that consultants will drop their Powerpoint slides anytime soon, it would be advisable to pick up a pen, again and practice writing - then telling - a good story. Think about it, from developing a strong proposal to creating a powerful client testimonial, the ability to communicate a story, idea or concept is the bread and butter for consultants. So the moral of this story? Don't forget to sharpen your pencil just because you're using Powerpoint (well, you get the picture!).
Thanks for the nice link to my article. You’ve done a nice job of saying what I was thinking – in a much clearer way!