All the sixes, 666 (Or the Devil Made Me Do It)

As a guideline, use:

                                       6 Words per bullet

                                       6 Bullets per slide

                                       6 Lines per slide

Longer than this, turns the presentation into a report. The presenter will spend more time on the slide and the audience will pay minimal attention whilst they will spend their time reading the slide. The speed that the audience reads and the speed that the presenter talks to each point may end up out of sync and often, the effective of the message is reduced.

Title the Slides

Place a title on every single slide unless it you have a special effects page, for example a video or a full page photograph.

Quality Clipart

Always use the best quality clipart - use it sparingly, but if it is not good quality - it is often better to not use it at all.

Color Scheme

Use the same color scheme all the way through - avoid the circus look.

The 7 Second Rule

The audience needs to grasp the message within 7 seconds of the slide appearing. Otherwise consider applying animated builds.

Visual Break

Supplement slide after slide of straight text with some graphics just for a change of view.

Bullets Slides and More Bullet Slides

If the author has a strong preference for no graphic relief, consider  displaying the text differently, in 2 columns for instance, which provides a visual change.

Be Consistent

Whether it is fonts, colors, bullets, graphical elements or slide backgrounds, consistency helps smooth the whole presentation process and aids in visual support for the presenter.

Keep it Simple!

Do not mix more than two transitions or animations together. Do not try to put too much of anything on a slide - add another slide!