Image of a woman presenting a powerpoint presentation

Prezi: When to use it and when PowerPoint is a better option

Since it’s release in 2009, the new kid on the block has caught the curious eye of regular presenters in the corporate world. People regularly ask us at Persuaders; what it is and how, when can they use it. But should they really be using it for that upcoming data heavy investor presentation?

Prezi is a cloud based presentation software and storytelling tool for presenting ideas on a virtual canvas. Instead of presenting slides in a chronological order (like PowerPoint and Keynote), presenters have the ability to zoom in to show detail or zoom out to see the big picture. And like all presentation tools, Prezi comes with it’s own list of pros and cons:

PROS
  • Encourages presenters to identify one clear message for their presentation
  • Flexibility/Non-linearity – Allowing the presenter to choose their own paths
  • Zoom functionality
  • Ability to embed flash (cool animations)
  • Great integrations of multimedia (Prezi can play YouTube videos without opening a new window)
  • No compatibility issues between Mac and PC
  • Collaboration features helps when working with others
CONS
  • Too much zooming can not only have a nauseating affect on your audience but may also distract them from your message
  • Limited selection of backgrounds to choose from and each has pre-chosen fonts and colours that can’t be changed
  • No speaker notes
  • Requires training
  • Cost is use Prezi offline on your desktop is $159 per year
When You Should and Shouldn’t Use Prezi

So, when should you use it? To get the best use of Prezi and it’s unique canvas/zoom functionality, we suggest using it for when you have a high level idea to present; maybe a one off motivational speech or ‘Celebrating 50 years’ presentation where you’d like to show a company history/progress on a timeline. Prezi doesn’t work so well however, when you have data and copy heavy slides to present, like in your sales presentation, marketing plans and training material. Here we suggest using a traditional presentation tool, such as PowerPoint or Keynote.

At the end of the day though Prezi is also just a tool! Whatever you choose to use, remember to have a story, don’t clutter your slides, use imagery and rehearse.

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