Refresh your presentations without starting from scratch
Here's a question I hear all the time: "I've given this talk before, and it went... fine. But I know it could be better. Do I have to redo my PowerPoint deck?"
Nope. You don't.
A good presentation doesn't need a teardown. It needs a tune-up. So today I'm sharing three easy steps to refresh your PowerPoint slides, and the talk that goes with them, without starting over from scratch. I call it LIA:
Look back
Identify
Ask for help
Watch the video above for the full walkthrough, or keep reading. Let's get into it.
Step 1: Look Back
The best time to reflect on a presentation is right after you deliver it, while it's still fresh. Grab a notebook, open a doc, whatever works. Just do it soon.
And here's the part people skip: start with what worked well. Write it down. Actually write it down.
It's so tempting to jump straight to "here's everything I messed up." Resist that. (I have a rule: My clients aren’t allowed to say anything bad about themselves.)
When you name what worked, you know what to keep, and you walk into the next round with some confidence instead of a list of complaints about yourself.
Once you've got your wins on paper, then ask the harder stuff:
Questions to ask yourself when you look back:
What worked well? (Yes, this one first.)
What could have been better?
Was there anything I missed?
Is there anything on my slides that needs improvement?
That's it. Keep it simple and keep it honest.
Step 2: Identify One Thing to Improve
One. Not five. Not a full overhaul. One.
When you try to fix everything at once, you usually end up fixing nothing and feeling overwhelmed. When you pick one thing, you actually do it. (What’s the old saw? “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”)
So look back at your notes from Step 1 and choose a single improvement. Not sure where to start? These questions will help you find it.
Questions to help you identify your one improvement:
Is a piece of content or data out of date?
Is there a reference that needs updating?
Do my slides look stale?
Was there a moment where I didn't have an example or story ready to go?
Can I update an example or story to better support my data or a key point?
Was there a part where I rambled? If so, how will I shorten it?
Could I use this presentation for a different audience? If so, what would I need to pivot next time?
Pick the one that made you wince a little when you read it. That's probably your one.
Step 3: Ask for Help
You don't have to figure this out alone. In fact, you'll get there faster if you don't.
Ask yourself:
Who is one person who can help me with this?
Who is one person I can practice this with?
Who is one person who will give me honest feedback?
Then ask that person for a little time. Run one of your questions from Step 2 by them and see what they say.
When you get their feedback, sit with it. Think on it. You don't have to act on every note, but if it's valid, make the improvement.
Pro tip: Ask more than one person, or bring in an external coach (hey-yo!!!), and look for patterns. If three people mention the same thing, that's not a fluke. That's the thing to fix.
Why This Works
Presentations are living things. The data changes, your audience changes, and you change as a speaker. A PowerPoint you built six months ago doesn't need to be rebuilt; it needs to catch up with you.
LIA keeps the refresh small, specific, and doable:
Look back so you know what's actually happening, not what you fear is happening.
Identify one thing so the task stays manageable.
Ask for help so you get an outside perspective and a little accountability.
Do this after every presentation and your talks get a little sharper each time, with none of the start-from-scratch dread.
Want a Hand With Your Next Refresh?
If you'd like help looking back, identifying what to improve, or getting honest feedback, that's exactly what we do. Reach out here.
Happy speaking!
About The Author
Hi! I’m Marianna. I make public speaking and presentation skills easier for my clients. If you need a workshop or a speaker, I’m your person. I draw on my Improv and Theater background to make the process of public speaking easy and fun. And I have the results to prove it. I help with everything from preparation to managing anxiety and nerves to speaking with strength and confidence. In addition to Presentation Skills workshops, I offer executive coaching and Keynote speeches. To learn more, Get in touch.