The document, 'Ban the Bullet,' is a guide by Alan Hoffman aimed at producing impactful presentations. It emphasizes avoiding bulleted lists, using large graphics, ensuring legibility, and splitting slides for clarity to enhance audience engagement and retention. Key recommendations include explaining concepts thoroughly and utilizing humor and animation effectively.

1. • PART
BAN
the BULLET
An Irreverent Guide to Producing
Presentations that Get Results
Alan Hoffman ▪ The Mission Group ▪ San Diego, California ▪ alan@missionconsult.com
© 2013 by The Mission Group. All Rights Reserved.
1

2. “The Prince of PowerPoint,
Alan Hoffman, wields his
laptop like a sword – or a
magic wand.”
— Nationally-recognized columnist
Richard Louv, San Diego Union-
Tribune, June 13, 2004.

3. • Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur
adipisicing elit,
• Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et
dolore magna aliqua.
• Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat.
• Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate
velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

4. BAN
the BULLET
An Irreverent Guide to Producing
Presentations that Get Results

5. What must your
presentations
accomplish?

6. Inform.

7. Demonstrate
Competence.

8. Persuade.

9. CCOONNVVIINNCCEE..

10. Let’s take
a look at a typical
presentation slide.

11. Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Try to reduce the use of bulleted lists to convey
your message, as lists of words can only go so
far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate the
slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Avoid small text and graphics that are difficult to
decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets its own
page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Busy
background
makes text
hard to
read.
Lots of text
makes it
hard to
orient to the
information.
The slide
does not
practice
what it
preaches.

12. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Try to reduce the use of bulleted lists to convey
your message, as lists of words can only go so
far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate the
slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Avoid small text and graphics that are difficult to
decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets its own
page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Simplify the
background
behind text.

13. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Try to reduce the use of bulleted lists to convey
your message, as lists of words can only go so
far.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.

14. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Try to reduce the use of bulleted lists to convey
your message, as lists of words can only go so
far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate the
slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.

15. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Try to reduce the use of bulleted lists to convey
your message, as lists of words can only go so
far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate the
slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Avoid small text and graphics that are difficult to
decipher or grasp.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.

16. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Try to reduce the use of bulleted lists to convey
your message, as lists of words can only go so
far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate the
slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Avoid small text and graphics that are difficult to
decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets its own
page.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.

17. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Try to reduce the use of bulleted lists to convey
your message, as lists of words can only go so
far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate the
slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Avoid small text and graphics that are difficult to
decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets its own
page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.

18. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Avoid bullets. Try to reduce the use of
bulleted lists to convey your message, as lists
of words can only go so far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate the
slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Avoid small text and graphics that are difficult to
decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets its own
page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.
Use head-lines
to sum
up your
sentences.

19. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Avoid bullets. Try to reduce the use of
bulleted lists to convey your message, as lists
of words can only go so far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate
the slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Avoid small text and graphics that are difficult to
decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets its own
page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.
Use head-lines
to sum
up your
sentences.

20. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Avoid bullets. Try to reduce the use of
bulleted lists to convey your message, as lists
of words can only go so far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate
the slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Ensure legibility. Avoid small text and
graphics that are difficult to decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets its own
page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.
Use head-lines
to sum
up your
sentences.

21. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Avoid bullets. Try to reduce the use of
bulleted lists to convey your message, as lists
of words can only go so far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate
the slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Ensure legibility. Avoid small text and
graphics that are difficult to decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets
its own page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.
Use head-lines
to sum
up your
sentences.

22. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations with Impact
 Avoid bullets. Try to reduce the use of
bulleted lists to convey your message, as lists
of words can only go so far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate
the slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Ensure legibility. Avoid small text and
graphics that are difficult to decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets
its own page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Simplify the
background
behind text.
Build your
points one
at a time:
it keeps
attention
focused.
Use head-lines
to sum
up your
sentences.

23. But even better…
(If maximum impact is your goal…)

24. Improving the Typical Presentation:
PRESENTATIONS WITH IMPACT
Presentations with Impact
 Avoid bullets. Try to reduce the use of
bulleted lists to convey your message, as lists
of words can only go so far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate
the slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Ensure legibility. Avoid small text and
graphics that are difficult to decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets
its own page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Turn the
title into its
own slide.

25. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations
wwiitthh IImmppaacctt
Words +
Graphics =
Retention

26. Improving the Typical Presentation:
Presentations
wwiitthh IImmppaacctt
Words +
Graphics =
Retention
Appropriate
humor
engages
your
audience.
Use
animation
to make
a point,
not just
because.
Entertain Me!

27. Improving the Typical Presentation:
PRESENTATIONS WITH IMPACT
Presentations with Impact
 Avoid bullets. Try to reduce the use of
bulleted lists to convey your message, as lists
of words can only go so far.
 Expand your graphics so that they dominate
the slide. Keep your audiences stimulated.
 Ensure legibility. Avoid small text and
graphics that are difficult to decipher or grasp.
 Split your slides so that each point gets
its own page.
 Explain everything. Don’t assume.
Instead of
using
bullets, turn
each point
into a
graphic
(see next
slide).

28. PRESENTATIONS WITH IMPACT
Avoid
Bulleted
Lists
1
Avoid Bulleted Lists.
Instead of 1
using
bullets, turn
each point
into a
graphic.

29. PRESENTATIONS WITH IMPACT
Avoid
Bulleted
Lists
1 Expand
Your
Graphics
2
Avoid Bulleted Lists.
Instead of 1
using
bullets, turn
each point
into a
graphic.

30. Avoid
Bulleted
Lists
1 Expand
Your
Graphics
2
Ensure
Legibility
3
PRESENTATIONS WITH IMPACT
Avoid Bulleted Lists.
Instead of 1
using
bullets, turn
each point
into a
graphic.

31. PRESENTATIONS WITH IMPACT
Avoid
Bulleted
Lists
1 Expand
Your
Graphics
2
Ensure
Legibility
3
4
Split Your
Slides
Avoid Bulleted Lists.
Instead of 1
using
bullets, turn
each point
into a
graphic.

32. PRESENTATIONS WITH IMPACT
Avoid
bullets
Expand your
graphics
legibility
Split your
slides
Explain
everything
Avoid
Bulleted
Lists
1 Expand
Your
Graphics
2
Ensure
Legibility
3
4
Split Your
Slides
5
Explain
Everything
Avoid Bulleted Lists.
Instead of 1
using
bullets, turn
each point
into a
graphic.
Each point
now stands
out.

33. Avoid Bulleted Lists
PRESENTATIONS WITH IMPACT
Avoid
Bulleted
Lists
1 Expand
Your
Graphics
2
Ensure
Legibility
4
5
Avoid Bulleted Lists.
3
Split Your
Slides
Explain
Everything
You can 1
now tell the
story of
each point.

34. Be sure to check out Lesson 2:
Expand Your Graphics.
Available at:
www.slideshare.net/TheMissionGroup/
improving-your-powerpoint-presentations-pt-2

35. Clarity, focus,
and visual interest
→ success.

36. Do you need to take
your presentations
to the next level?
We can help!
Workshops Consulting Design

37. Clarity, focus, and visual
interest Thank
You!
=> success.
Alan Hoffman
“The Prince of PowerPoint”
alan@missionconsult.com (619) 232-1776