Improve PowerPoint Presentations with Presenter View

Whether you are hosting a PowerPoint presentation in person face to face, or for an online audience using Teams or Zoom, nerves can get the better of you and cause you to forget important points or even to seem unprepared. In this article, you will learn how to improve PowerPoint presentations with Presenter View.

In PowerPoint, the Presenter View setting sits in the Slide Show ribbon.

It is usually enabled by default, but it is worth checking this setting before you start your presentation. Presenter View only works when you connect your computer to a second monitor, a projector, or a television set.

Improve PowerPoint Presentations with Presenter View
Presenter View
How does Presenter View work?

Presenter View splits the display of the presentation in two. The presenter, or speaker, sees the Presenter View on their screen (the PC or laptop screen) while the audience sees only the current slide (the big slide in Presenter View).

Benefits of using Presenter View
  • The presenter can see the current duration of the presentation, which shows as a clock at the top of the current slide. You can pause this clock if something interrupts the presentation, e.g., a break. The clock helps the presenter deliver more concise, and therefore more efficient presentations.
  • Initially, the Presenter View fills the entire screen. However, the presenter can open the taskbar by selecting “Show Taskbar” at the top of the window. This enabled the presenter to open other files during the presentation without the audience being aware of this.
  • The presenter also sees a preview of the next slide, which prepares them for what is coming. This ensures the continuity and fluidity of the presentation. The presenter can hint at the content of the next slide, then bring it in at the right time.
  • Below the preview of the next slide, there is a box which shows the notes which the presentation creator typed below each slide. The notes help the presenter to remember the key points related to each slide. The presenter is then more relaxed and delivers a better presentation each time.
  • Presenter View has a pen tool which contains useful features. This tool is located below the big slide in Presenter View. There is a laser pointer, so there is no need to go out and buy a separate one. The presenter can control the laser pointer using the mouse or trackpad.
  • The pen tool also contains a pen and a highlighter which the presenter can use to write or annotate live on the slide. This makes for a more interactive experience and makes audience participation feel more engaging. If the presenter laptop has a touch screen, it is even easier to write on the slide. Meetings can be much more productive when you use the pen or highlighter.
  • Another useful tool in Presenter View, next to the pen tool is the “See all slides” button. When the presenter realises that they need to use a different slide to the one showing as the next slide, they simply need to select “See all slides.” This opens a view showing all slides from which the presenter can pick a different slide. The audience does not see this view.
Settings to check before starting the presentation

The presenter or setup assistant needs to make sure that they connect the computer properly to the second screen. They also need to check that the audience screen shows only the current slide and not the Presenter View.

If you wish to deliver amazing presentations, this article shows how to improve PowerPoint Presentations with Presenter View.

6 Tips for Great Presentations

(In conversation with Karen from our learning solutions delivery team)

Karen, we were talking about the welcome growing levels of face to face training we are experiencing (something we here at STL have maintained and supported throughout the last 2 years). We got onto considering that there are going to be a good number of us who may have to give our first in-person presentation for quite some time and it’s only natural to feel some nerves!

What suggestions would you recommend to someone preparing for a presentation?

Tip 1:  Preparation is vital for great presentations

It’s important to remember that there is more to a successful presentation than simply standing in front of an audience and doing your thing. Preparation is vital and the more time and effort your commit to this, the better your chances of being successful.

Tip 2:  Consider what you want the presentation to achieve.

As a result of your presentation do you want the audience to:

      • Know something
      • Decide something
      • Do something

It could be just one of the above, a combination of or all three but it’s important to recognise exactly what you want from your audience before you begin to prepare.

If it’s a business presentation you should also consider if, by delivering it, will you be helping to improve:

      • Productivity
      • Efficiency
      • Profitability

If the presentation doesn’t help increase any of these things, then ask yourself whether it’s worth doing at all? If it does, then make sure the audience knows that as well.

Tip 3: Do your audience research.

The more you know about who your audience are, the easier it becomes to tailor your presentation to ensure it meets their needs. Ask these questions to build a profile of your audience prior to delivering your presentation.

      • What are their roles?
      • How will your presentation benefit them?
      • What relevant knowledge/experience do they already have?
      • Is there anything in your presentation that might cause concern?
      • What are their communication preferences?

Tip 4:  Make sure your presentation has a clear beginning, middle and end.

Use the beginning of your presentation to explain the purpose and context. You might want to pose a question, make a statement or use some statistics and/or a picture that ‘hooks’ the audience and makes them eager to hear more.

The middle of your presentation is all about making sure you provide the right level of detail, delivered in the right way, that makes certain your audience have understood what you want from them as a result of your delivery.

We use the end of the presentation to confirm the important points you have made, to remind the audience of what you now want them to know, decide or do.

Tip 5:  Check your logistics

Don’t make the mistake of preparing a beautiful presentation on PowerPoint and then finding that there is no projector available in the room. It’s also important to confirm how many people are likely to turn up as so you have enough space and refreshments. These, and many more, are mistakes I’ve made which meant I learned the hard way. A quick checklist of things to make sure meet your needs:

      • Venue/Room
      • Audience invites
      • Technology
      • Flip charts/pens
      • Refreshments

Tip 6:  Prepare yourself.

You know yourself better than anyone so make sure you prepare yourself to be successful.

      • Practice the presentation beforehand and get some feedback.
      • Get a good night’s sleep beforehand.
      • Make sure you have water available as even the most confident of presenters can get a dry mouth.
      • Visualise a successful presentation. This really works, try it!

Conclusion

As you see, your great presentation starts with great preparation.  As Alexander Graham Bell wisely said “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success”

Thank you Karen for sharing these tips!

For some more tips check out further blogs and infographics:

How to get rid of nerves during your Presentation