When I first started creating presentations, I focused way too much on making things look flashy. I used complex animations, overloaded my slides with bullet points, and spent hours tweaking colors.
What I didn’t realize back then was that an engaging presentation isn’t about visual flair. It’s about connection. If your audience isn’t paying attention, it doesn’t matter how great your slides look.
Over time, I learned how to make presentations that actually engage people. Not just sit-through-it-and-clap-at-the-end engage, I mean presentations that lead to real conversations, better outcomes, and stronger results.
In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how to create presentations that keep your audience locked in from start to finish.
Start with One Core Message
Every great presentation starts with clarity. The first question I ask myself is: “What’s the one thing I want people to remember after this presentation?”
Most presentations fail because they try to do too much. If you’re trying to deliver ten ideas at once, your audience will forget all of them. But if you give them one powerful message and build everything around that, it sticks.
Here’s how I narrow it down:
- Write down all the ideas I want to include
- Rank them based on how important they are
- Choose one key takeaway, and use that as the north star for every slide
Once you have your core message, make sure every slide, story, and stat you include supports that. Anything that doesn’t? Cut it.
You’ll be amazed at how much more focused and persuasive your presentation becomes.
Hook Their Attention Early
People decide whether they’re going to pay attention in the first 30 to 60 seconds. If you don’t hook them right away, they’ll mentally check out — or worse, start scrolling on their phones.
I like to open with a statement or question that makes people stop and think. Sometimes I tell a short story that leads into the problem I’m solving. Other times, I throw out a surprising stat.
Here are a few ways to hook your audience:
- Ask a polarizing question: “How many of you actually remember the last presentation you sat through?”
- Share a surprising fact: “Did you know that over 70% of people forget what they heard in a presentation within 24 hours?”
- Tell a quick story: A short, relatable story makes you human and gives the audience something to connect with emotionally.
Avoid starting with your name, your job title, or a long agenda. You can introduce yourself after you’ve grabbed their attention. Lead with something that matters to your audience right now.
Use Visuals That Support, Not Distract
Visuals are a huge part of making a presentation engaging, but it’s easy to go overboard. I’ve sat through presentations where every slide had five stock photos, animations flying in from all directions, and fonts changing every few lines.
That doesn’t impress anyone. It just confuses them. The best visuals are simple, consistent, and support what you’re saying.
Here’s what I focus on:
- Use one idea per slide
- Limit text to a short sentence or 3 bullet points max
- Choose high-quality images that are relevant and not overly staged
- Stick to one or two fonts throughout the deck
- Use graphs and charts to visualize data clearly
Slide Design Tips
| Element | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Font size | At least 28pt, ideally 30pt+ |
| Colors | Stick to 2–3 colors max, with high contrast |
| Text per slide | No more than 6 lines or 30 words |
| Transitions | Keep them simple — no spins or bounces |
| Image ratio | Full-width visuals work better than thumbnails |
Don’t make your slides do all the talking. They’re there to support your message, not deliver it.
Tell a Story Instead of Listing Facts
People don’t remember bullet points, they remember stories. I’ve seen this firsthand. The moment I switched from listing features or data points to telling real stories, I started getting more follow-up questions, more engagement, and better feedback.
When you present your content as a story, it creates emotional engagement. People lean in because they want to know what happens next.
Even if you’re presenting something technical, you can frame it with a narrative.
Here’s a basic structure I often follow:
- The Problem: What challenge or issue were you or someone else facing?
- The Struggle: What didn’t work? What made it frustrating or costly?
- The Breakthrough: What changed? What was the insight or solution?
- The Outcome: What happened as a result? What improved?
You can use this structure for client success stories, personal experiences, or even product demos. Storytelling doesn’t mean you have to be dramatic.
It just means you’re structuring your content in a way that’s easier to follow and remember.
Keep It Short, Focused, and Interactive
The average person’s attention span is short — and getting shorter. If your presentation runs too long, people will tune out, no matter how good your content is. I’ve found that the sweet spot for most presentations is between 15 and 20 minutes.
Here are a few ways I keep my presentations tight and engaging:
- Limit the number of slides. Around 10 to 15 is usually enough.
- Stick to one idea per slide. This keeps things clear and helps with pacing.
- Break it up with questions or polls. Tools like Slido or Mentimeter let you collect responses in real time.
- Include short pauses. This gives your audience a chance to process what you’re saying.
If you’re presenting in person or on Zoom, take time to engage people. Ask direct questions. Invite responses. Don’t just talk at them, involve them.
Practice, But Don’t Over-Rehearse
I used to think that practicing a presentation meant memorizing it word-for-word. The problem was, when I forgot one line, I’d lose track of everything. Now, I take a different approach.
Here’s how I practice now:
- Learn the first 60 seconds cold. This gives me a confident start.
- Use bullet points, not scripts. I make a list of key points for each slide.
- Practice transitions. Knowing how to move smoothly between ideas makes a big difference.
- Rehearse out loud. It always sounds different in your head. Saying it out loud shows you where the awkward parts are.
- Time yourself. I make sure I’m staying within the time limit without rushing.
I don’t aim for perfection. I aim to sound like myself — just more prepared.
Use the Right Tools for Better Results
The tool you use can make or break your workflow. If you’re spending hours trying to align text boxes or fix formatting, you’re wasting energy that could be spent on your message. I’ve tested dozens of presentation tools over the years, and a few stand out.
Presentation Tools I Recommend
| Tool | What It’s Good For | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Canva | Easy templates, drag-and-drop interface | Free, Pro at $12.99/mo |
| Beautiful.ai | Smart slide design, fast formatting | Starts at $12/mo |
| Pitch | Team collaboration, modern design | Free, Pro at $8/mo |
| Tome | AI-generated slides with text prompts | Free plan available |
| Visme | Infographics, presentations, and reports | Starts at $29/mo |
If you’re creating lots of presentations, it’s worth investing in a tool that saves you time and improves your results.
Most of these tools also come with analytics, version history, and collaboration features that make things smoother when you’re working with a team.
Use Data the Right Way
Data can be powerful, but only if it’s easy to understand. If you’re presenting complex stats or research findings, you need to simplify them and show why they matter.
What works for me:
- Use visuals instead of tables with tons of numbers
- Highlight one key takeaway per data slide
- Always explain the “so what?” behind a stat
Here’s a quick before-and-after example:
Before:
Slide with a table showing 12 months of sales figures
After:
A simple line chart showing the sales trend, with a bold label: “Q4 sales up 37% — our best quarter yet”
Which one do you think people will remember?
End with a Clear Call to Action
You’ve got their attention. You’ve shared your message. Now what?
Too many presentations end with a vague “Thanks!” or “Any questions?” That’s a wasted opportunity. I always end by telling the audience exactly what I want them to do next.
Your call to action should be:
- Clear: “Book a demo,” “Download the guide,” or “Share this with your team”
- Relevant: It should tie directly back to the core message of the presentation
- Easy: Don’t make them jump through hoops
If you’re presenting live, you can also leave a few minutes for questions. Just make sure your final slide reinforces the action you want people to take.
Final Thoughts
Creating engaging presentations isn’t about being flashy or adding more content. It’s about focus, clarity, and connection.
Start with a clear message and use visuals to support it. Tell stories that make it relatable, keep it tight and interactive, and always choose the right tools to make the process easier.
I’ve used these exact strategies in sales pitches, webinars, training sessions, and conference talks.
They work across industries, topics, and audiences. And the best part? Once you get the hang of it, you’ll actually enjoy creating presentations again, because you’ll know they’re making an impact.