Presenting Slides on the iPad

There are a few ways to get slides onto the iPad. The first is to convert to video, and then play the videos. But slides and video don’t behave in the same way – and we think that ‘clicks’ actually help presenters to pace the flow of information – and that losing them is a problem.

The next way is to try and use Keynote to create slides, and then Keynote on the iPad to display them. But this offers a very limited set of animations, and is a pain if you usually use PowerPoint – which is more of a corporate standard.

Some people convert their slides to PDF, and then just show a PDF instead of slides. But if your slides work fine in such a ‘flat’ form – without any animation, you probably need to do something to make your slides more exciting, particularly for use on iPad.

SlideShark

SlideShark is the only way to display PowerPoint perfectly on the iPad. It supports full PowerPoint graphics and animations. It uses easy gestures to allow rapid slide selection. It even has a presenter view (iPad 2 or newer) so that you can project your slides while seeing the speaker notes on your iPad. The individual version is a free download from the Apple App Store.

SlideShark Team Edition allows central control and monitoring of content, which can be extremely useful for sales teams or in regulated industries.

Visuals not Text

Being able – technically – to get slides onto the iPad is just the start. Rubbish slides in – rubbish presentation out. The first step for presenting slides on the iPad is to get rid of the text. Text-heavy slides will put your audience to sleep just as they do when you present on a bigger screen. In addition, if you are holding a small screen in your hand and the audience is trying to read text, the screen will inevitably move and wobble about, making the text difficult to read.

So, scrap the text and use visuals instead. You won’t just be showing more compelling material, but the material that you show will be far easier for your audience to read.

Animated Sequences

Animation works well when presenting on iPad, as it helps to encourage attention back onto the screen. If you use plenty of animation, you will have a compelling multi-media tool that better catches the eye.

On the iPad, it makes sense to have fewer clicks, and longer animated sequences. Allow several animations to play through at once so that you don’t interfere too much with the visuals by having to tap the screen all the time. This means using clicks no more than about every 30-45 seconds.

Short Topics

One of the key things in any conversation, and a way in which the iPad can really help, is to tailor what you are saying the needs of your prospect. You should adapt your conversation according to what your audience say or reveal to you. Instead of a single presentation, use small chunks of material, or ‘topics of conversation’, with a few slides in each topic. Then, depending upon what your prospect is interested in, switch between topics, and ‘swipe up’ to find the right slide. This helps to deliver a compelling and interactive dialogue.