Rules of PPT Decks (Sales/Strategy Focus)
1. Avoid absolutes, and imperatives e.g. "must" "will" "needs" "have to" "best possible" "dismiss" "should" "required"
2. Avoid superlatives, e.g. "overwhelming" "dominate" "essential" "disruptive" "stunning" "dramatically" "confront" "plagued"
3. Avoid colloquial phrases and contractions; avoid ampersands; avoid truisms, e.g. "knocked out" "isn't" "&" "enterprises must protect shareholder value" "hype", "rough plugs"
4. Headlines need to match what's on the page: a strong headline will pass this litmus test: [1] read the headline, [2] ask yourself "now why do I say that?" and [3] have the question answered by what's on the page below. If the page doesn't pass, then adjust either headline or page content. (It is still powerful to make a broader point verbally during the presentation, or leave a broader point to the reader's imagination, while making a specific or anecdotal point in the headline that is well supported by the data on the page.)
5. Charts are usually better than tables of figures. Scales, layout should be chosen to amplify the headline and make the "so what" clear to the reader, even at the expense of obscuring some details or subtle points. Typically, charts on the same page measuring the same characteristic have the same scale, absent compelling rationale for an alternative approach.
6. Use transitional phrases to assure smooth horizontal story flow. The series of headlines, read one right after the other will tell a clear story, similar to a prose paragraph, if the horizontal logic and transitions are in place.
7. Reduce (consider eliminating) phrases which refer to sources, analysis, or Accenture processes, unless such references are critical to the "so what" of the page.
8. Avoid three dimensional graphics, all charts are to be in the plane of the paper, as opposed to appearing to be rotated in the Z direction
9. "Illustrative" means false or guessed data used to show how the chart will look
10. "Conceptual" means that quantifying the portrayed attributes is probably not feasible, but the type of chart suggests that quantification would be the norm
11. eCommerce means many things to many people. Where feasible, our text should specify the nature of the transaction, e.g. "purchasing from suppliers" "selling to customers"
12. Avoid redundancy in word tables: fix the title column or row if repeats are needed
13. Avoid highlighting logos and trademarks unless important for the "so what" of the page
14. Any item referring to market value needs a date stating when the market value was observed
15. Avoid negativity and harshness. Even if the data supports it, most clients (or people, for that matter) don't prefer to be overly criticized or scolded. We can generally get our point across without appearing overly judgmental or harsh. Whenever possible, written documents should rely on data, rather than opinion, especially when messages are difficult ones. Focusing on "improvement opportunities" or emphasizing the data itself is often better than being negative and critical. Getting the sources complete and correct is also important here.16. All charts and graphics need sources. [Sorry for using an "absolute", but there are no shades of grey on this one.]
17. Avoid shading or colors without a strong link to the "so what" of the page. When shading or colors is utilized, a key or clear labeling should be used.
18. Keys and definitions are valuable only when they are unambiguous. "Circle size denotes . . . " is not as good as "Circle area proportional to . . . . ", or even better: "Circle area proportional to market size, largest circle [or pick some other circle] represents $X.Y billion."
19. Summaries are most useful when the match the material they summarize carefully, and actually contain the relevant content themselves. "Client has options to enter the market via mail order as well as using established retailers" is usually better than "Client has several attractive market entry options."
20. Spell out numbers one to twelve; use numerals for 13 and up.
-By Rich Melnicoff, Accenture