When was the last time you gave a presentation that wasn’t on PowerPoint or Keynote? They seem to have the market for presentation sewn up, leading to deck after deck of the same old same old. Despite books written about the evils of PowerPoint, we still keep seeing the same slides, the same decks. Perhaps it’s time to break away from the pack, to stand apart without looking too far out there. Then it’s time to consider Prezi.
Prezi, like PowerPoint and Keynote, is a way to present information on the big screen. But unlike those older tools, Prezi brings a very different and exciting feeling to your presentation. This tool’s dynamic interface and collaborative capabilities will make you consider switching to the new tool on the block. Here are our five favorite reasons why you should experiment with Prezi:
It’s shiny and new. Prezi has been around for a few years, but people are just starting to catch on to all its design and presentation capabilities. Potential clients will be impressed when they see something other than PowerPoint.
It will elevate your pitches. Clients are so used to seeing linear-style presentations. Prezi allows you to create a map-like structure so you can present your content in a unique way. Your audience will appreciate viewing content in an unconventional format.
It’s made for collaborators. The best part about Prezi is that it’s web-based and perfect for collaborating with other team members. Simply send your presentation’s unique URL to your staff and they have free reign to edit the presentation wherever they are. You can also download the Prezi application to your computer and edit it locally.
It’s inexpensive. Prezi accounts are free for any user, which is a great excuse to take it for a spin. Once you fall in love, you can upgrade your Prezi account starting at $60 annually.
It’s a piece of cake Or pie. Whichever sugary idiom you prefer, learning Prezi is easy and even the least tech savvy person can learn to use its basic interface.
While Prezi’s features are impressive, there are some things to be wary of. First, be sure to use movement wisely. Too much movement can make your audience dizzy and distract them from your content. Stick to simple, short movements. Second, while Prezi is aesthetically pleasing, there actually aren’t as many customization options as PowerPoint. You must use one of Prezi’s templates, but there is the option to create your own template. Lastly, there are limited printing options with Prezi. If your team relies on printed presentations, Prezi might not be for you.
We experimented with Prezi, too. Here’s what we came up with. We quite fancy it!
Notice the way Prezi makes our presentation feel more like a journey through the content, rather than mundanely scrolling through bullet point after bullet point. It keeps the audience engaged with the content, helps them see the ideas more clearly and shows them your level of creative thinking. Another Prezi pro: it keeps your presentations clean and simple. No extra fluff or animations to distract your viewers from your brilliant ideas.
Next time your team is giving a presentation, give Prezi a try. If you’re not completely sold, make a PowerPoint version of your presentation and a Prezi version. Compare them side by side and see which program does your content justice. And which will close the sale.