Let's Talk About Transitions

OOOH, THE TEMPTATIONS! All those clever, stylish, even dramatic transition effects just waiting for you to go "Yesssss." Whirling cubes, starbursts, solar flares, and so on. The possibilities are endless.
        Just one teeny little problem here — most of them should be avoided at all costs.
        That's right. Unless a particular transition effect perfectly merges with what you've just said, or what you're about to show, then it adds nothing but visual noise to your presentation. Worse, it stops your audience's train of thought, while they subconsciously process what that transition was about.
        The excitement in your presentation should come from the ideas you're sharing or the vision you're painting. It shouldn't come from some meaningless visual trick.

So what do you do?
In most cases, just go to the next slide without adding a transition effect. That's the basic model for film and TV, and that's what your audience is used to. Sure, film editors regularly apply a quick dissolve for some scenes, so if you really feel the urge to add an effect, use that. Leave all the fancy tricks to everyone else. I promise you, your audience won't miss that stuff.
        Meanwhile, think about how you go from one slide to the next. Do you just flip to the slide? Do you say, "And on this next slide..." ? Or do you set up the idea that's coming up, and then change slides? That's the way you should go most of the time.

Handled well, transitions can build the pace of your presentation and further engage your audience. Handled poorly, they can kill your rhythm and distract or distance your audience.

Comments

[Aaron Stannard]

Fade-in effect forever. I don't really do many transitions for entire slides but I like to sequence individual bullets / segments as they become relevant to what I'm speaking about.

[Laura Bergells]

When you wrote, "Ooooh, the Temptations!" -- I instantly pictured the singing group, with all their "clever, stylish, even dramatic transition effects!"

I can't help myself!

Instead of using PowerPoint's transitions, why not wear a snazzy suit and twirl yourself to transition between slides?

Big Smile!

[John Windsor]

Aaron - nice, subtle way to do it. And being consistent throughout a presentation is critical (which I'm sure you do).

Laura - (sing it with me one time) "Owwwww!" That was too funny. Thanks!

John

[Paul Davis]

Aaron, I find that if one is thinking about their slides, or making a comment about them, that they do not present a very believable case for their product. The slides need to be an enhancement to the conversation which should be focusing on resolving the customer's pain. When this is accomplished smoothly there is no real need for fancy graphics. Maybe just one at the end showing a soothing scene to subliminally leave a comort zone in the customers mind. www.salesisteaching.com

[Aaron Stannard]

Hey Paul,

I agree - speak to the customer's pain. I just think that using fade-ins to sequence information is a good way to stop data dumping in its tracks.