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Insurance Giant Breaks Away from the Template for a Captivating Presentation

Allstate Presentation - After

The story of how an Allstate insurance agent redesigned her boring PowerPoint presentation into a captivating presentation to help her shine at a big convention.

Allstate

Laura Harris, a top-selling agent for Allstate Insurance, was recently asked to present to 250 people at an upcoming conference on how to build a winning insurance agency. Unfortunately, her PowerPoint presentation lacked the punch and professionalism needed for this talk. Harris turned to The Presentation Team to add some sizzle to her slideshow.

Create a simple PowerPoint template in Photoshop

We started by choosing a creating a simple template in Adobe Photoshop with an angled line set against a textured blue background from a image library. We copied and pasted the text fom the old PowerPoint presentation and it automatically adapted to the look and feel of the new template and master layout.

Use lots of full-screen graphics instead of a template

Next, we turned our attention to instances where we would use full-screen graphics in place of the template. Our plan was to use the standard template for text-intensive slides and use full-screen graphics for the other slides. We rationalized that the full-screen images would be a fresh departure from the static template, while keeping the fonts and color scheme consistent.

We selected our graphics from four volumes of stock images from Digital Vision and Photodisc. Each graphic was imported into Photoshop where we resized them, performed image adjustments (lightness/hue/saturation), and placed them behind the white title-bar layer. Each image was then saved as a JPG file with a name reflective of the slide’s title.

Don’t import the background photos…assign them as background images

Back in PowerPoint, we integrated the new full-screen graphics not through the import photo feature, but rather assigning it as a background graphic (format >> background >> select picture). This allowed us to lock the photo in place and we could turn it on and off when printing.

In the original presentation, some slides were crammed with multiple messages and extra content. We broke these messages out to span across multiple slides, adding relevant graphics and white space as needed. This approach ultimately improves the presenter’s pacing and delivery.

Use images that broadly relate to the concept

BEFORE AFTER
Allstate Presentation - Before 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allstate Presentation - After 1
The list of goals presented on this slide are crammed together without any delineation, and there is no focal point.The dartboard effectively conveys the concept of “goals” while providing ample space for text. The text has been spaced evenly with key words capitalized for emphasis.

Varying font size can emphasize a point

BEFOREAFTER
Allstate Presentation - Before 2
Allstate Presentation - After 2

 

The slide’s single message screams, “Read me!” But does the bigger type really mean the core idea of this slide will be communicated?

 

 

A handshake graphic from a stock photo library provides a fine image for the slide’s concept. The text has been split into two different-sized blocks and each is introduced on a mouse click with a “Zoom-in “letter by letter” animation effect. This simple text effect illustrates the slide’s main point nicely.

 

Reduce the image brightness to improve readability

 
BEFOREAFTER
Allstate Presentation - Before-3
Allstate Presentation - After 3a

 

 

 

 

 

The original slides looks cluttered, because six bullets and a quotation are competing for the audience’s attention.
Allstate Presentation - After 3b

 

 

 We split this single page into two separate slides. The first slide carries the bulleted list against a stock photo. We decreased the brightness and contrast of the original image in Photoshop to make the text more readable for the audience. The first slide then dissolves into the second slide, which showcases the quotation on the same image background.

The result was a gorgeous new template with high-impact photos taking center stage. The full-screen breaks from the template aided in piquing the audience’s interest at key points.

Allstate, Example, Insurance, Insurance Agent, powerpoint, Presenation Design

Presentation Perfection for Clients around the World.

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  • "We engaged The Presentation Team to do a Presentation training for our team and he did a great job. He spent time understanding our requirements and the skill level of our team members and created a course which met our expectations and goals. I highly recommend The Presentation Team as a Presentation (PowerPoint) trainer."

    Navdeep Sidhu
    Senior Director, Software AG

  • "Kevin Lerner provided best-in-class services when hired to work on promotional materials for the launch of a key product at Motorola. The expertise and quality that he brought to the project were second to none and as a result, he delivered a top-notch presentation that was quickly adopted throughout the organization. Kevin is great to work with, delivers on time, is a great team player and is always willing to go the extra mile."

    Maria Cardoso
    Motorola

  • "Kevin has been a working with Cox Communications to deliver world-class PowerPoint presentation visuals since 2009. His ability to meet our specific needs, timeframe, and budgets has been exceptional. His professional interaction with our team reflects his deep expertise in the industry, superior presentation design skills, and commitment to superior service."

    Jonathan Freeland
    VP, Video Marketing at Cox Communications

  • "Kevin is an enthusiastic, creative, and passionate presentation guru. Our company was impressed and felt the value of his training in 2013 that he was invited again recently to again share his knowledge. Both times he has been energetic and addressed many areas for presentation development. From planning to follow-up Kevin is personable and easygoing, motivating our teams to take their presentations to the next level."

    Yoshimi Kawashima
    Project Coordinator, Nissin International

  • "Kevin helped me immensely improve my presentation slides development, from tips & tricks to aesthetics, all with the intent of getting the message across crisply and creatively. I've already received praise for decks that incorporate the skills obtained from his training. I highly recommend Kevin's services."

    Era Prakash
    General Electric

  • "Kevin helped me immensely improve my presentation slides development, from "The PowerPresentations seminar opened my eyes to all the limitless possibilities in presenting."

    Leah Gordillo
    Saint Francis Medical Center

  • "Kevin helped me immensely improve my presentation slides development, from "[Kevin and The Presentation Team have] always delivered 110% in terms of meeting our objectives for finished product and budget"

    Paul Price
    Watsco Corp.

  • "I had more people come up to me after I spoke, commenting on the visuals you created, than I did on the subject matter!"

    Andy Smith
    Smith & Robb Advertising

  • "As a Fortune 1000 company, we sought to produce a classy, yet conservative presentation for our shareholders. It was evident that you and your team listened to our thoughts as you developed the presentation..."

    Will Flower
    Republic Services

  • "Your expertise in the filed of PowerPoint and general presentation techniques helped elevate us to the level necessary to beat the competition."

    Mike Geary
    James Pirtle Construction

  • "Kevin brought a high level of creativity, enthusiasm, and deep multmedia experience to our team. He worked dillegently with the team to produce an outstanding proposal which we subsequently won.

    Jeff Keller
    Accenture/L3

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