There is nothing worse than sitting through a presentation that is too complex, cluttered, and difficult to understand. Many presenters find it difficult to convey their message in a simple, clear manner. All too often their slides are cluttered and packed tight with text, their information sounds like an advanced Calculus course, and their PowerPoint is filled with distracting animation and videos. No matter how much time you spend preparing your presentation, it is meaningless to the audience if it is poorly executed. When it comes to delivering a successful presentation, simple is better. Here are a few reasons why you should strive for simplicity when preparing your presentation.Â
Complexity Leads to Disconnect
Overcrowded slides and confusing information is a major factor in causing disconnect between the speaker and the audience. The minute you begin speaking in technical terms that no one understands is the minute you lose your audience. Likewise, your audience will not be able to follow along with confusing infographics and text heavy slides. The secret to a successful presentation is engagement with the audience and this is nearly impossible if your presentation is too complex. Focus on your core message and think of the easiest way possible to deliver this message. Keep your language, format, and content simple and on point.Â
Complexity is Boring
Think back to that class in high school or college where the content was so complicated that it appeared as if your teacher was speaking a foreign language. You probably drowned them out within minutes and spent the remainder of class doodling in your notebook or checking emails on your phone. Why? Because complexity is boring. People like simple and they won’t pay attention to something that is too complicated. When preparing your presentation, think of how our audience will perceive it. You can even test it out by practicing your presentation with friends and family. Ask them if they understood it and to explain it back to you. If not, you will need to seek ways to simplify your message to better accommodate your audience.Â
It is Difficult to Follow Along
Presenters often think they can wow the audience with fancy slides, flashy animations, and colorful images. However, this approach often backfires. It becomes difficult for audiences to follow along if there is too much going on. These fancy slides actually become a distraction. Your audience might be too busy reading your text heavy slides to hear what you are saying. Your slides should act as a basic outline and support what you are speaking. The majority of the content should come from YOU, not your slides. When preparing a presentation slideshow, simple is always better.Â
Your Audience Won’t Remember the Content
Great presenters don’t use fancy jargon or formal speech. Their slideshows aren’t packed with animations, colorful graphics, and funny videos. Rather, the presentations that people remember are often the ones that are basic and simple, where the presentation was neatly delivered to them on a silver platter. If you fill your presentation with too much text, fluff, and fancy jargon, your audience won’t remember any of it. Simplifying your presentation is the best way to share information in a way that will be meaningful to your audience. A short and sweet message will win over your audience and stick in their minds.