How to be the life of the PowerPoint Party

We’ve got a controversial take: PowerPoint isn’t bad.

After years, even decades, of PowerPoint being the butt of jokes, it’s finally getting its due as the heart of a new cultural craze that we’re sure will change the world forever.

We’re talking, of course, about PowerPoint parties.

If you aren’t familiar with PowerPoint parties, let’s get you up to speed. A PowerPoint party is just a group of friends getting together (either online or in person) and using slides to talk about some of their favorite things.

That could mean a presentation about your favorite show, explaining why a hot dog is really a sandwich (which it isn’t, by the way), or even walking through some old family photos at the next holiday get-together.

So before you wow your friends, check out these simple PowerPoint party starters to get your slides in shape for friends and family! And who knows, maybe these tips will help with your next work presentation too…

PPP Tip #1: Start with a big idea

In a PowerPoint party, things can get wild. With funny images, ridiculous content, and lots of participation from your audience (i.e. your friends), it can be easy to veer off topic. So to keep your presentation focused, you should choose a single theme and build your entire presentation around that idea.

PPP Tip #2: Tell a story

When you want to sway someone towards your opinion, don’t just tell them what makes the topic so special, explain why you feel that way. Or in other words, tell them your story. Bring them into your way of thinking, and help explain why their lives will be better when they come around to your point of view.

PPP Tip #3: Make it visual

In a lot of ways, a PowerPoint is like a movie: it tells a story, frame by frame, that is visually engaging. Visuals are an effective way to improve any presentation, but they are doubly important for a PowerPoint party. So make sure yours features interesting images that also help tell the story you established in your theme.

PPP Tip #4: Say it, don’t show it

There’s no faster way to ruin a presentation than to use a slide with too much text. One moment the group is laughing and bonding over the new shared love of PowerPoint, the next minute everyone is silently reading a short novel spread out over too many bullet points.

With highly-visual slides that use the minimum amount of copy necessary, you will keep your audience engaged and focused on what matters most: you.

PPP Tip #5: Write headlines, not titles

• PowerPoint Party Presentation
• Introduction.
• Presentation overview.
• Next steps.

No matter what the topic is, no one has ever felt engaged by descriptive slide titles like the ones above. Don’t use those. (We’re looking at you, almost every person who creates slides.)

Instead, write headlines that convey the personality of your presentation and keep the audience engaged.

• Why PowerPoint is the only program you need
• Some people don’t like PowerPoint. They are wrong.
• How I fell in love with PowerPoint
• How you can find your productivity true love

PPP Tip #6: Make it fun

We get it. After all the terrible presentations you’ve probably seen, likely the last thing you associate with PowerPoint is “fun.” But we want you to know that it doesn’t have to be this way!

PowerPoint is a tool that can be used in many different ways, and not just for dry, dull business decks. And while we highly recommend making your work presentations more interesting, that advice goes twice as far when it comes to a PowerPoint party.

So find quirky images, tell jokes, and put your whole personality into your presentation.