In our beauty-obsessed society, makeovers are everywhere. Simply open the pages of any fashion magazine or turn on the television and you’re bombarded with stories of frumpy moms, sloppy students and overworked executives going from “drab to fab” via a brand new wardrobe (and a stylist’s assistance).

But turn your attention from the runway to the boardroom and you’ll see that the average PowerPoint presentation is also in desperate need of a style change. Thankfully, whether the problem is overloaded slides (the fashion equivalent of sporting far too many accessories at once) or relying solely on text to convey points (like wearing only one color of clothing everyday), there are a few style tips that can help turn your PowerPoint into a fashion “do”:

Keep it simple: Designate only one slide for each thought.

Mix it up: Use photos, infographics, colorful charts and video clips to enhance your slides. 

More is the new black: Use lots of slides to build a more engaging presentation.
 

Want to see PowerPoint’s style transformation? Take a virtual walk down the runway:

1.) Keep it simple

Perhaps the most common PowerPoint “faux pas” is cramming a myriad of bullets, sidebars and (worst of all) paragraphs of text onto one screen. Not only does this make slides much harder to read, it’s also a surefire way to lose an audience’s interest. Aim to keep it simple: designate one slide for each thought.

2.) Mix it up

Once you have the 1:1 rule down, it’s time to focus on finding visuals that support your slides. Visuals are powerful; studies have shown that 83% of human learning occurs visually. And visuals aren’t just limited to photos – consider how infographics (seen above), colorful charts and video clips could support your points and bring unique value to your presentation.

3.) More is the new black

Following the previous guidelines likely means you’ll end up with more slides than you’re used to. Fear not, this is a good thing. The frequent change in slides will give your audience something new to look at and keep your deck moving forward, both of which will make for a more engaging presentation.