We had an overwhelming response to my “In the Trenches” webinar last week for Presentationxpert.com.
If you were unable to attend, you can view the recording here.
Presentationxpert audiences, I learned, are very engaged, and there were many questions asked that we simply did not have time to answer. So, here’s a list of those questions along with answers for those who are interested.
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Can you send me your slides?
I’m sorry, but I can’t distribute my slides. You can view the entire webinar here though. And don’t forget, if your organization is interested in customized training, just drop me a line.
How do you feel about screen animation?
Use it only if it helps tell your story. If it is decoration only, I generally avoid it.
Where did you download the vector graphics from?
Shutterstock.com
Do you have a general rule you follow with regards to too much text?
Can the slide be read in 3-5 seconds by your audience? If not, you probably have too much text for an on-screen slide.
Yes, reskinning can be done in any version of PPT as it simply relies on changing the theme colors.
When you use PPT as a print tool, do you print the doc directly from PPT or do you print to pdf first?
It depends. If sending to a professional print shop, I would definitely create a PDF; If printing yourself, there’s no real reason to create a PDF. But be careful always when printing from PPT and always check to make sure everything prints the way you intend it to. Some printers and print drivers may have difficulty interpreting some PPT information such as gradients.
How do we do vignettes if we don’t have photoshop?
You can download vignettes that I have made in Photoshop by signing up for my newsletter here and visiting the provided link for my “goodies” page on presentyourstory.com
Can we get a suggested list of reference books on this subject?
I have a list of my favorite books on my library page.
When you copy and paste either whole slides or elements from one presentation to another, choose “keep source formatting” from the pop-up clipboard icon to maintain the original colors and styles.
Any tips on embedding videos into PPT for Mac? Haven’t had any success trying to do that.
Embedding video on the Mac side isn’t much different from the PC side except that you want to stick to either MP4s or AVIs. There is 3rd party software called Flip4Mac that allows you to play and embed WMVs on the Mac if that is the only format you have to work with. For more information on PPT for Mac and on Video, check out the PowerPoint FAQ and Indezine.com
What are the pros/cons of PowerPoint vs. Prezi?
Well this is a big matzoh ball of a question. I like Prezi very much and when you really need to show up differently, it can be a good alternative to PPT. I would say that the advantages are being able to tell stories in a less linear, more unique way, especially those that involve micro/macro comparisons and networked concepts. Prezi is also better for collaboration and web-based presenting. The negatives are that there are learning curves with regard to technical and design aspects of Prezi. Also, it can be a challenge to use Prezi is an elegant way that does not confuse an audience with style over substance.
Is there a place on Nolan’s website that I can go to learn more about the 2-in-1 deck? I would like a step by step set of instructions…
You can find more information in a guest post I wrote for Mike Parkinson’s BillionDollarGraphics blog.
I thought PPT is only in landscape, how do you get it in portrait?
On the PC under the “Design” tab, select “Page Setup” at the top left. On the Mac, go to “File: Page Setup…”
Where do you go to find the right imagery for your ppt presentation?
I find most of my imagery at Shutterstock.com and through Creative Commons searches on Flickr.
How do you check to make sure a video is embedded?
Starting with PPT 2010, when a video is inserted, it is by default embedded (unless you manually select “link”). If you are sent a PPT file from outside your organization and the video plays on your computer, then it is embedded. If you are in a situation where you are sent a PPT file within your organization and are unsure if the video is embedded or perhaps linked from a shared server, take these steps: Go to “File: Info” and in the top left, “Optimize Media Compatibility” will let you know if there are any linked files.
Are there design elements that work on screen but don’t translate well to print on office printers you recommend staying away from?
I would be careful with PPT-created gradients as some printers and print drivers have trouble interpreting them. If you find yourself getting odd results, you can always copy and paste-special elements on a page that include gradients as a .PNG directly in a slide. That will rasterize the gradient (but make things uneditable) and that should solve the printing issue. Keep the live elements off to the side in case you have future changes.
Any suggestions on how to easily switch between PowerPoint and Keynote?
While Keynote can open PPT and export to PPT, the two programs are not entirely compatible. I would avoid converting back and forth too often as you’ll have to continually fix and tweak things. That said, it is totally okay to start in one program and at some point convert to the other.
Is it advisable to hide the footnote? We’re always uneasy with the idea of not giving proper attribution, but it does look better when hidden!
If you have a footnote that is so small it can’t be read on screen, then it might as well not be there (and you’re probably already violating an legal requirement). Take it out, or better yet, program your slides so it is only visible in a PDF or in print using the disappearing content trick.
You run your blog on what? WordPress?
Squarespace.
Do you miss Selection Pane in PPT for Mac? What do you use for replacement?
I do. If I really need it, I go over to my PC…
Where do you put creative commons attribution on customer slides?
I like to put attributions in the bottom corner in a very subtle typographical treatment.
I love the look of slides that uses images as backgrounds but shy from using it thinking the image may not appear (same way when it does that in HTML emails)…how do we overcome that?
You sometimes do not see imagery in HTML emails because your email client sometimes blocks externally hosted imagery. Since imagery is embedded in PPT and not hosted on a remote server, you won’t have this problem. If you see imagery on your computer, anyone who opens the file on their computer will also see the imagery.
What is better to work in PowerPoint or Publisher?
I’ve never worked in Publisher, so can’t comment. The reason I suggest PPT for print layout in the officeplace is that everyone has it.
