Graphic Design Principles for Presentations

Ever look at a design and think, “Why does this just feel right?” It probably wasn’t luck. It was principles. Even if you’re DIYing your own brand, these are the quiet rules that hold everything together. The difference between something that looks good and something that feels intentional. Here’s how to think about them: 1. Balance Your layout should feel steady. You can go symmetrical (same on both sides) or asymmetrical (different, but still even). Think of it like styling an outfit, too heavy on one side and it feels off. 2. Contrast Use differences in color, size, or shape to make what matters stand out. Contrast is how you say: Look here first. 3. Hierarchy Not everything deserves the same volume. Your viewer’s eye needs a guide; title first, then details, then fine print. 4. Unity & Harmony Everything should feel like it belongs together. Your fonts, colors and imagery should speak the same visual language. 5. Repetition Repetition builds recognition. Use the same colors, shapes, or patterns consistency = confidence. 6. Movement Guide the eye where you want it to go. Good design tells a story, one glance at a time. 7. Emphasis Choose one focal point. Let it breathe. Don’t let every element scream for attention. 8. Proximity Group related things together it helps people make sense of what they’re seeing. 9. White Space Don’t fill every inch. Space gives your design air and your message, power. 10. Proportion & Variety Play with scale to add interest big next to small, light next to bold. It keeps things dynamic, not dull. Design isn’t just about how it looks. It’s about how it feels and how clearly it communicates. When you start designing with principles (not just aesthetics), you create work that builds trust, connection and recognition. ♻️ If this helped simplify design for you, hit Repost or Share — your network of solopreneurs might need the same reminder.

If you want your next presentation to inform, engage, and stick, this is the framework you need….. One of my best reads (A summary) Fact: AI slide generators won’t save you. Powerful slides aren’t about automation. Slides aren’t filler. They’re the frame that holds your message; visually, cognitively, and emotionally. A single slide can speak more powerfully than 10 spoken minutes when done well. ——————————————— ➊ 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲 ➜ A slide = one thought. No more. No less. 📌 Break complex ideas into digestible visuals. ➋ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 “𝟭 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲” ➜ If it takes longer than a minute to explain a slide… 📌 It’s doing too much. Cut or split it. ➌ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 ➜ “Results” isn’t a heading. 📌 Try: “This method increases accuracy by 37%.” ➍ 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝘆 ➜ If you won’t speak to it, delete it. 📌 Every extra label is cognitive noise. ➎ 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲 ➜ Add references as you build, not at the end. 📌 A polished slide acknowledges others. ➏ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰𝘀 ➜ Visuals aren’t decoration; they’re delivery tools. 📌 Avoid text-only slides. Always. ➐ 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 ➜ 6 elements max. 📌 Use white space, bold selectively, and avoid clutter. ➑ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 ➜ If they hear nothing, can they still see the takeaway? 📌 Assume your viewer is half-tuned in and still make an impact. ➒ 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 = 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 ➜ Your transitions reveal your thinking. 📌 Practicing reveals which slides don’t flow. ➓ 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 ➜ PDFs > animations. Backup slides > failed videos. 📌 Assume something will break and prepare for it. ——————————————— 📍Your slides are not your script. They’re not your paper. They’re your audience’s window into your idea. Make every second of their attention count. 💬 Which slide mistake are you guilty of and ready to fix? ♻️ Repost to help someone transform their next research talk. 📄 Reference: Naegle, K. M. (2021). Ten simple rules for effective presentation slides. PLOS Computational Biology, 17(12): e1009554. #PresentationTips #SlideDesign #AcademicCommunication

Creating effective PowerPoint presentations is an essential skill for administrative professionals. Here are some tips to help you create compelling and professional presentations: 1. Plan Your Presentation Outline Your Content: You can start with a clear presentation outline. Determine the main points you want to cover and the order in which you will present them. Set Clear Objectives: Know what you want to achieve with your presentation. This will guide your content and design choices. 2. Design with Clarity and Simplicity Use Consistent Themes: Choose a professional theme and stick with it throughout the presentation. This creates a cohesive look. Limit Text on Slides: Aim for a maximum of 6 bullet points per slide, with no more than six words per bullet point. This keeps slides easy to read and visually appealing. High-Quality Images: Use high-resolution images and graphics. Avoid pixelated or stretched images. Readable Fonts: Use sans-serif fonts like Arial or Calibri. Ensure the font size is large enough to be read from the back of the room (minimum 24pt for body text). 3. Master the Tools Shortcuts and Tools: Learn keyboard shortcuts for quicker editing. Use tools like SmartArt to create diagrams and infographics. Templates and Slide Masters: Use PowerPoint templates and slide masters to maintain consistency across your presentation. This saves time and ensures uniformity. 4. Effective Use of Data Charts and Graphs: Present data using charts and graphs. Choose the correct type of chart for your data (e.g., pie charts for proportions, line charts for trends). Simplify Data: Don’t overload slides with too much data. Highlight key points and trends. 5. Visual Hierarchy Highlight Important Information: Use font size, bold text, and colors to emphasize key points. Whitespace: Use whitespace to avoid clutter and make slides easier to read. 6. Practice Delivery Rehearse: Practice delivering your presentation multiple times. This helps you become familiar with the content and timing. Feedback: Get feedback from colleagues and make necessary adjustments. 7. Technical Preparedness Check Equipment: Ensure all equipment (projector, computer, etc.) is working before your presentation. Backup: Always have a backup of your presentation on a USB drive or in the cloud. 8. Know Your Audience Tailor Content: Adapt your presentation content and style to suit your audience's knowledge level and interests. Engagement Strategies: Consider how to engage different types of audiences, such as executives, clients, or colleagues. 9. Review and Edit Proofread: Check for spelling and grammar errors. Ensure all information is accurate. Consistency: Review the presentation for consistency in fonts, colors, and slide layouts.

The designer thought the fund deck looked great. The investment manager was happy that it was now "finally finished" and "in great shape". Except that it wasn't. When I did a Deck Review, I saw them heading straight for a cliff - and I'm glad I could pull them back from the edge. What happened? When my eyes landed on the deck, they almost fell off. Sure, each slide on its own was well done. Except that each slide had a different background photo and color. And so the deck violated a key principle: When Pitching or Presenting, never ever confuse the subconscious mind. Sure, each photo corresponded in some way to the slide's theme, and the colors were tasteful - blues, grays, and whites that individually looked professional. But switching background colors from slide to slide creates a subtle yet significant cognitive load for your audience. Here's why this matters: When institutional investors review your deck, their brains will process both your content AND your design. Each time the background color changes, their subconscious mind has to adjust and recalibrate - even if they're not consciously aware of it. This creates micro-distractions that pull attention away from your message. Worst case, the investor may start feeling an undefined unrest which could even turn into reduced receptivity and aversion to your message, because of this unexpected and unusual subtle overload. Think of it like trying to read a book where each page has a different tint and font. Even if each page looks fine on its own, the constant shifting makes it harder for your brain to focus on the content. The same principle applies to your pitch deck. Remember: Institutional investors review countless decks per week, and one of their main filters will be looking for reasons to say "no." And so, any element that makes your deck harder to process - even subconsciously - works against you. Therefore, consistency in design isn't just about aesthetics; it's about making your message as effortless to absorb as possible. Users of the Fundmanager.tools Pitch & Close Bootcamp know all about how to do this, having access to our Guerrilla Tactic # 39 of the course: 'How and why to create a “flow experience” in your slide deck'. That's what you want. And that's also why the world's top investment firms maintain rigid consistency in their presentations. They understand that design stability creates mental clarity, allowing investors to focus entirely on what matters: your strategy, performance, and value proposition. Want to know if your deck passes the subconscious test? You know where to reach me… Schedule a professional Deck Review today. Together, we can identify quick wins and set a strong foundation for long-term success. That's my commitment and promise to you. #fundraising #pitchdeck #DigitalMasterClassAssetRaising #hedgefund

An important dimension of learning design is communication through the elements on the slide, screen, and page—the images, text, and graphic space. The arrangement of these elements transmits a secondary message through its visual hierarchy. A visual hierarchy establishes the relative importance of each object on display. It controls where a viewer looks first, second, and third. Step back and determine what is most important for the learner or viewer to see first, second, and third. Then use one or more of these strategies to establish a visual hierarchy. 1) Use size to emphasize the most important element first. Larger sized elements draw attention. Save the smaller elements for lower levels of the hierarchy. 2) Use bright and vivid colors at the top of the visual hierarchy and more muted colors for the second and third levels. 3) Position on the screen affects hierarchy. People who read from left to right enter a screen or page at the upper left, making it prime real estate. 4) Users typically follow a Z-shaped reading pattern (for simpler layouts) or F-shaped pattern (for text-heavy pages), so place key elements along one of these paths to maximize visual impact. 5) Use high-contrast colors, shapes, or textures to grab attention and create a focal point at the top of the hierarchy. 6) Use white space to isolate and highlight important elements to create a visual hierarchy. 7) Use leading lines and arrows to guide the viewer's eye to key visual elements. Tomorrow: Establishing a Typographical Hierarchy

Beyond Bullet Points: Crafting Captivating Presentation Slides In today's fast-paced business world, attention spans are shorter than ever. Compelling presentations are no longer a luxury, they're a necessity. But how do you move beyond the dreaded bullet points and create slides that resonate with your audience? Here are some key strategies: 1. Tell a Story, Not Just Data: Facts are important, but weaving them into a narrative creates impact. Use concise yet evocative language, powerful visuals, and even humor to connect with your listeners emotionally. 2. Design Matters: Ditch the monotonous templates! Opt for clean, visually appealing layouts with high-quality visuals. Consistent color palettes and fonts enhance professionalism and brand recognition. Remember, white space is your friend. 3. Less is More: Information overload is the enemy. Limit text per slide, opting for impactful headlines and key takeaways. Trust your audience to engage and ask questions for details. 4. Data Visualization Done Right: Charts and graphs should be clear, concise, and tell a story. Avoid complex visuals that distract from the message. Consider interactive elements to spark audience participation. 5. Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse your delivery, ensuring smooth transitions and confident body language. Anticipate questions and tailor your responses accordingly. Bonus Tip: Embrace technology! Explore interactive elements, live data feeds, and multimedia integration to keep your audience engaged. By following these tips, you can craft presentations that inform, inspire, and most importantly, leave a lasting impression. Remember, it's not just about the slides, it's about the story you tell. Now go out there and captivate your audience! #PresentationTips #WSJBusiness #EngageYourAudience

Creating a presentation isn’t just about putting words on slides — it’s about delivering a message that sticks. But too often, slides end up cluttered, confusing, or just… forgettable. 🎯 The problem? Overwhelming slides lose your audience. When slides are packed with text or lack visual clarity, people tune out. Your audience can’t read and listen at the same time — so if they’re busy deciphering a crowded slide, they’re NOT focused on you. 🎨 Here’s the solution: Keep it simple, clear, and engaging. ✅ Limit text. Stick to key points—avoid paragraph-like slides. ✅ Use visuals wisely. High-quality images, graphs, and icons make your message more memorable. ✅ Focus on one idea per slide. A clear message is a powerful message. ✅ Keep the design clean. Simple fonts, consistent colors, and white space go a long way. 📢 The result? A presentation that works FOR you, not AGAINST you. A well-designed slide supports your speech instead of distracting from it. It keeps your audience engaged, makes your message clearer, and ensures they walk away remembering what matters. 💡 The takeaway? Less is more! The best slides aren’t the ones that say the most —they’re the ones that communicate the best! Keep it clear, keep it clean, and let your message shine 🚀