PowerPoint 2010 gives you lots of ways to enhance or even change the way you deliver
your presentation.
How do you reach a viewer, for example, who isn't there with you?
How about hundreds of viewers, scattered across the country?
That's where I find myself today - getting ready to broadcast my slide show live on the
Web, so viewers can watch it remotely.
It's easy.
All you and your viewers need is an internet connection.
Just go to the Slide Show tab, choose Broadcast Slide Show, and then Start Broadcast when
you're ready to begin the process.
Now PowerPoint is preparing your broadcast.
This step can take a couple minutes depending on your internet connection.
The result is a link.
Anyone with this link can watch your slide show remotely, so you can copy it, or send
it to your viewers in an email.
When you're ready to begin the broadcast, all you have to do is Start Slide Show, and
then present as usual.
There are limitations, though - most importantly the fact that you can't use PowerPoint to
speak to your audience while broadcasting.
You'll need to pre-record your narration, or (even better) plan to communicate on something
like a conference call.
The pen and highlighter tools are also disabled.
Let's skip ahead to the end of the slide show.
When you're finished giving your presentation, all you have to do is press Esc on your keyboard.
Then click the button here to End the Broadcast, which will disconnect any remote viewers who
are still using the link.
An alternative to broadcasting is to save your slide show as a video, so viewers can
watch it any time.
These videos can be shared online, in an email, or even burned to a DVD.
Everything you need can be found in the Backstage view… under Save & Send, and then Create
a Video.
Start by selecting a size and quality, depending on what you plan to do with your video (I'm
going to share mine online).
Then decide if you want to use recorded timings and narrations, making your presentation less
like a slide show, and more like an actual video - one you might watch on YouTube, for
example.
If you don't have or don't wish to use timings, you'll want to set the amount of time the
video should spend on each slide here.
When you're ready, click Create Video, and then save.
You can keep an eye on your progress using the status bar in the bottom right corner.
When the bar is completely green, your video is ready to view, send, or upload.
One of the last things I'd like to show you is how to tailor your presentation to different
audiences.
I'll do that by going to the Slide Show tab to create a Custom Slide Show.
How does it work?
Well, if you have to give your presentation to more than one group, creating different
versions can help you adapt to things like having less time to present, or each group
having different needs or expectations.
Just click Custom Shows, then New to create one for the first time.
Give the show a name - for example, "Short Version."
Then identify the slides you want to include in your custom show by selecting them… and
adding them to the list on the right.
I'm just going to add a couple more.
You can even change the order of the slides using the arrows here.
When you're done, click OK, and choose Show to view your custom show right away, or Close
to exit.
Finally, I don't know about you, but when I'm listening to a presentation, it sometimes
helps me to have a printed handout of some kind, so I can follow along and take notes.
I think I'll print some for the group I'm going to be presenting to in person.
All we have to do is go Backstage… to the Print pane.
Now open the Page Layout menu, and choose one of the handouts in this section.
I like this one because it has a place to write your own notes or comments.
Click the Print button, and you're all set.
From handouts, to videos, to broadcasting live…
PowerPoint gives you so many ways to share your presentation, and meet the needs of your
audience - including the viewers at home.