How To Update Your Old Presentations
Most marketers and presenters are all guilty of letting good things die. We have all most likely at one time or another invested a large amount of energy and resources on a project, only to let it gather virtual dust on our computer desktop once the due date has passed. In addition, somewhere on our phone or computer we all probably have some valuable assets such as photos, videos, or notes that have been forgotten, and therefore have not been used to further our campaigns.
With the seemingly endless and constantly shifting stream of projects, deadlines, and objectives, it is no wonder that so many precious assets die, never to be resurrected. However, the excuses do not justify the lack of respect for the time and energy we once invested.
While I will admit that some projects should be laid to rest in the cemetery of old efforts because they are either no longer relevant or they were not a worthwhile initiative from the start, there are some projects that deserve another round in the spotlight. Old presentations typically should at least be reviewed and considered for a revitalization because they have so much potential.
Once the presentation content and design have been reviewed and updated to current standards, marketers can use their refurbished presentations for social media and content marketing campaigns. Sales professionals can use the updated slides to educate a client, or close a deal with a new prospect. Business professionals can upload their refreshed presentations to SlideShare and LinkedIn to give their credibility a boost. The possibilities are endless, just like the lifespan of great presentations.
The Ethos3 presentation designers occasionally comb through our old portfolio samples to identify presentations that need a makeover in order to elevate the presentation to modern standards. The Value Of Numbers is one such presentation.
The version of The Value Of Numbers shown below is the result of a makeover by the Ethos3 presentation design team.
To better understand the transformation of The Value Of Numbers presentation, check out the selected slides below from the original deck. Following each original slide is the updated version of that same slide.
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As you can see in the slides shown above, the content was not given an overhaul, only the design was updated, which made the revision process easier and faster.
Looking at the slides from the original version of The Value Of Numbers, it is easy to see that the stock photos are outdated, and some of the graphics also look like a throwback to a different era, and not in the vintage, stylish sense. However, just because design preferences have shifted since the creation of the original deck, there is no excuse for letting a presentation remain forgotten on a desktop, especially if the content is still relevant.
If you’re not a professional presentation designer, you might look at the revised version and feel overwhelmed at the thought of replacing old stock photos with fancy new illustrations. Your worry is warranted because custom illustrations should be left to the presentation design professionals. However, you can still update old decks by replacing outdated stock images with photos that adhere to modern photography standards. If that plan sounds like a good fit for you and your presentations, check out these resources:
Gorgeous (And Free) Stock Photos For Your Presentations
Stock Photography Advice For Presenters And Marketers
Presentation Design 101: Stock Photography
Presentation Design Tutorial: Integrate Type Into Photos
Conclusion
You put a lot of time and thought into your presentations. Honor your efforts by breathing new life into your forgotten slides. Not only is it sad to let good presentations go unused, it is also often not logical because recycling old assets is typically easier than creating new ones from scratch. So, what are you waiting for? Go rescue your abandoned decks.
