Introduction

Giving an effective PowerPoint presentation requires careful planning and preparation. From slide design to delivery, many factors influence how well your message comes across to your audience. This article provides tips and best practices for presenting your slide show in PowerPoint 2013.

Slide Design Tips

Keep text minimal. Use bullets, short sentences, or phrases instead of full paragraphs. Avoid walls of text that are difficult to read.
Use large, easy-to-read fonts. Aim for font sizes of at least 24-30 pt so text is visible for all audience members. Sans serif fonts like Arial work best.

Limit animations and transitions. While animations can add interest, too many become distracting. Use subtle, consistent slide transitions.
Check contrast. Ensure all text contrasts well with background colors. Dark text on light backgrounds works best. Avoid red/green color combos.
Use quality graphics. High-resolution photos make more visual impact than clipart or pixelated images. Ensure all graphics are clear and readable.

Presentation Setup

Before showing your slides to an audience, some advance preparation can prevent issues:

Check equipment and connections. Test projectors, sound systems, wireless remotes, microphones, and other equipment to ensure proper functioning. Bring backups like extra batteries.
Review room layout. Note factors like lighting, screen placement/size, seating arrangements. Adjust font sizes if viewers will be far away.

Practice your slide show. Rehearse your presentation with slides several times to smooth the flow and check timings.

Delivery Tips

When presenting your slides, keep these tips in mind:

Maintain eye contact. Avoid reading directly from slides. Make eye contact with your audience to better engage them.

Use a pointer. Use a laser pointer or pen tool to highlight specific text/graphics for emphasis.
Speak with confidence and enthusiasm. Use clear diction, steady pace, vocal variety, and confident body language. Let your passion for your content shine through.
Invite questions. Pause throughout your presentation to allow listeners to ask questions. Repeat or rephrase questions for the full audience before answering.

Have backups ready. Prepare for technical glitches by having presentation copies ready on USB or accessible online via cloud storage.

Conclusion

With thoughtful slide design, thorough preparation, and enthusiastic delivery, your PowerPoint 2013 presentation has the best chances of effectively conveying your message and making an impact on your audience. Pay attention to details in these areas, practice your presentation, and focus on engaging your listeners.

Summary Bullet Points

Design simple, readable slides with quality graphics

Check equipment, room layout, and practice before presenting
Maintain eye contact and use pointers to engage audience
Speak slowly and confidently, invite questions

Have backup plans ready for technical issues

Let me know if you would like me to elaborate on any part of the article. I aimed to provide a good overview of tips and best practices for presenting effective PowerPoint slide shows. Please feel free to ask a follow up question if you need any clarification or have additional questions!