For years we have been talking and thinking about death by slides. We all know the problems; slides are too dense, too complex, visually unappealing. In today’s virtual world, visuals carry even more weight than before, plus our audiences are often suffering from Zoom Fatigue. Which brings us to today’s topic: how to maximize our effectiveness with slides and media in today’s virtual world. Here are four quick tips you can try today:

Be the star of the show. Never rely on the slides so much that you are an afterthought. YOU are the presentation, not your slides. Consider starting without slides, and then showing them only when they are needed. Take advantage of the fact that we are craving human connection right now.

Make them simpler. More than ever, many of us have less focus on details and trivia. Make sure every fact and detail count, leaving out anything that doesn’t add value. Think clean, simple and clear visuals. That way your audience knows exactly what to focus on, and so do you.

Make the text and photos larger. Yes, it might look great on your desktop, but what if your audience is logging in from a laptop, notebook or phone? Just as simpler is better, so is larger. Fill the screen with that photo. Enlarge the text even more. If they can’t read it, they can’t digest it.

Don’t expect your visuals to stand alone. You are the interpreter of the visuals; you are telling the story. Visuals can add both clarity and emotion, but you need to know (and rehearse) the story you are telling and tie that story to the words and photos. Treat slides not as a script but as a prompt, just to keep you grounded in your story.

Start today, making sure your slides add value and don’t get in the way of the story you are telling.