Summary of Slide Writing Tips

This document condenses key strategies for creating effective presentation slides based on insights from Her Lee, a strategy and operations manager at Google. Lee shares six tips organized into four pillars, providing a total of 24 guiding principles for slide writing. Below are the top 10 tactics:

Key Tactics for Effective Presentations

1. Use Impactful Headlines

   • Craft headlines that are either action-oriented or assertive.
   • Test headlines for clarity and logical storytelling even if everything else is removed from the slide.
   • Utilize tools like ChatGPT for headline variation suggestions.

2. Influence with Tone

   • Choose headlines that reflect the desired tone of the slide (e.g., optimistic vs. cautious).

3. Apply the Pyramid Principle

   • Lead with the conclusion and follow with supporting arguments and data.

4. Minimize Animations

   • Avoid animations to maintain control over the presentation flow when interrupted.

5. Create Stand-alone Slides

   • Ensure slides can stand alone if they are to be shared later without narration.

6. Include Call to Actions

   • Always aim to "sell" with each slide, providing explicit or implicit actions for the audience.

7. Simplify Charts

   • Use simple chart styles for clarity and to avoid misleading interpretations.

8. Use Callouts for Clarity

   • Incorporate callout boxes to clearly link data points with their key takeaways.

9. Prioritize Content with Trade-offs

   • Focus on the most critical insights to avoid diluting the key message.

10. Provide Context

    • Present numbers with sufficient context to highlight their significance.

Conclusion

By adhering to these guidelines, presenters can craft slides that effectively communicate their message, align with their objectives, and engage their audience. Additional tools and resources are available through Her Lee's free Playbook for those interested in further enhancing their presentation skills.