Your Slides Might Be Boring Your Audience. Here’s How to Make Them Remember You Instead

This one is for anyone who uses slides in their talks, presentations, workshops or briefings. 

If you do this, then at some point you will have noticed it. 

That glazed over expression from someone in your audience. They have zoned out, and have adopted the 1000 mile stare. And that can be disheartening when you have put your heart and soul into a detailed deck. 

In the last 5 years since the pandemic, attention spans are shorter than ever in person and especially online. 

Hybrid meetings, back-to-back webinars, and endless slideshows are taking their toll.

The reel/TikTok scroll has infiltrated into our daily lives. We need our attention held if we are going to listen, and that means focusing on the words we use and how we deliver them.

In a past episode of my podcast, I shared lessons that reveal why most slide decks fail, and how to fix them.

You can listen here

Why slides fail today:

• Information overload: Too much text overwhelms the brain. If you are a speaker or presenter and you find yourself reading from the slides, you need to strip back. 

• Generic visuals: Stock templates and AI-generated slides without intent fail to engage.

• Loss of confidence: Speakers relying on slides as a script often appear unsure, they speak differently and the audience loses energy and interest. 

How to fix slide fatigue:

• Enhance, don’t replace: Slides should anchor your message, not serve as a script.

• Chunk your story: Use one visual anchor per key idea to reinforce memory.

• Use visuals strategically: Images should evoke emotion and connect to your story.

• Leverage AI wisely: Tools like ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly can spark creativity, but your slides should always serve a purpose.

The impact: Intentional, story-driven slides keep your audience engaged, make your message memorable, and boost your confidence as a speaker.

Listen to this episode to explore practical strategies and examples that help you fight slide fatigue and captivate any audience: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1EuKp932vNZpRyU4qE1M9O?si=_dbsSmvuR8GDRtkf_vFDOQ

Want help harnessing the power of your words and slides to make a bigger impact? Send me a DM or contact hello@helenpackham.com