TJ Walker explains appropriate use of PowerPoint in presentations and argues that speakers should sometimes abandon slides in favor of a conversational, face-to-face delivery. He gives scenarios (e.g., few attendees, a single decision-maker) where ditching slides is better, and advises using a single sheet of notes to keep the talk natural and engaging.
Okay, I love PowerPoint. I use it all the time. But it isn't appropriate in every single situation. There are times when you have to just ditch it at the last minute. If you think you're going to give a new business presentation to 30 executives at a corporation, you walk in and only three are going to be there and the first thing out of their mouth is good guy. Whatever you do, don't give us some boring PowerPoint presentation. Just talk to us. Then I would quickly throw away, ditch the PowerPoint presentation, but still give all the same ideas, the same messages, but just by sitting and talking to them, not by going through slides. So there are times when you simply have to ditch the PowerPoint at the last minute. Other times, let's say you were expecting to meet with five to six decision makers, and now you're meeting with the main decision maker. It's an important person. They will decide whether you get the account or the new business. But it's literally just one person. It may seem silly to be standing up presenting some big slide on a big screen. It also may be awkward to ask the person to sit next to you and look at your laptop as you go through things. So, perfect example of a time when you have to ditch the PowerPoint, but you're still presenting. You're presenting in a conversational way, looking at the person talking to them. You want to have your notes, as I of course recommend you always do for any speech, any presentation, PowerPoint or not. Have notes on a single sheet of paper so you're not fiddling with your notes or turning pages. Reference your notes, but be looking at the person sitting down and just bring to life your ideas at some level, whether you're talking to one person or a thousand people with PowerPoint slides or not, it really shouldn't matter. You're trying to bring to life the ideas you have by talking. And yes, that means occasionally you've got to ditch the PowerPoint presentation.
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