PowerPoint

5 questions to ask yourself to make less boring slides (build decks like a seasoned consultants)

Consultants often get a bad rap for “just making slides,” but here’s the truth: their slides set the gold standard. Why? Because they understand that clarity and design are essential for persuasion and impact. Let’s dive into why most slides miss the mark and how to fix them.

It’s a universal truth: most PowerPoint slides are bad. They’re cluttered, confusing, and a surefire way to lull your audience into daydreaming about lunch. But here’s the thing—slides don’t have to be this way. In fact, good slides can amplify your message and make you unforgettable.

Fixing bad slides doesn’t take a graphic design degree or magical powers. It starts with asking yourself five deceptively simple questions.


1. What Are You Trying to Say?

Let’s cut to the chase: What’s the one thing you want your audience to walk away with from this slide? If you don’t know, they definitely won’t.

Start with a strong, descriptive title—one that could double as a headline. Skip the “Sales Trends” snooze fest and try “Record Sales Growth in Q4” instead. Your title should do the heavy lifting, giving your audience a crystal-clear sense of what they’re looking at.

And for the love of all things great in this world, don’t just throw data, text, or bullet points at people. Facts aren’t good enough. Connect them to something that matters by answering the ‘so what’? In fact, one of the comments a consulting manager will put on their junior’s slides most often is “what’s the ‘so what'”? Adding a ‘so what’ conclusion to the title, subtitle, or kicker keeps your slide grounded in relevance. 


2. What Can You Simplify?

If your slide is trying to do everything, it’s doing nothing. Every pixel of clutter is a thief, stealing attention from your main point.

Delete the fluff: redundant words, irrelevant images, and overcomplicated charts. Limit your color palette to avoid creating a rainbow explosion. And here’s a radical thought—use white space! It’s not “empty,” it’s elegant. Remember, simplicity isn’t boring; it’s generous. You’re giving your audience the gift of understanding without making them work for it.


3. How Can You Show This Better?

Worst thing you can do is no picture, chart, or diagram at all, just text… Your slide should make your message easier to grasp, not bore your audience with text.

For example, bar charts are your best friend when you’re comparing categories—sales by region, for example. Line charts? Perfect for showing trends, like revenue growth over time. But sometimes, the best way to drive your point home is with a big, bold number paired with a short piece of text: “$2M saved this quarter.” It’s impactful, straightforward, and impossible to ignore.

If you’re explaining a process or relationship, consider using a diagram. A simple flowchart or Venn diagram can untangle complexity and make abstract ideas tangible. And if your chart looks like a spaghetti bowl of data, it’s time to rethink. Ask yourself: Can I show this better with a different format or by highlighting just the essentials?


4. What Grabs Attention?

Your audience’s attention span is shorter than a TikTok video. Help them focus by making the key elements of your slide impossible to miss.

Start with bold, punchy titles. Use color strategically to highlight the one or two things that matter most. And don’t shy away from callouts—arrows, boxes, or circles that scream, “Look here!” If you don’t direct their gaze, your audience will wander—and so will their understanding of your message.


5. What Looks Intentional?

Nothing kills credibility faster than sloppy design. Misaligned text, mismatched fonts, and random colors make it seem like you threw your slides together during the coffee break.

Here’s the fix: Be consistent. Align your elements like your reputation depends on it (because it does). Use a cohesive font pair—one for titles, one for body text. Keep all slide elements within the slide margins (denoted by your title text box). And stick to a limited color palette, unless your goal is to overwhelm your audience visually. Intentional design shows professionalism. Sloppy design? It just shows you didn’t care.


Good Design Isn’t Optional

A great slide isn’t about showing off; it’s about showing up. It delivers your message clearly, persuasively, and memorably. Bad slides, on the other hand, make your audience wish they’d stayed home. The next time you fire up PowerPoint, ask yourself these five questions. Your slides—and your audience—will thank you.

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