In our last post, we demonstrated how adding the right words to visuals makes every slide more impactful. And we left you with the thought that adding a recorded voice-over to accompany them will bring in another, much-appreciated dimension – the human touch that is missing in online presentations.
Earlier, creating a voice-over track could be a daunting (and expensive!) proposition, requiring studio bookings and sound engineers. Now, technology and the demands of our modern times have made it so much easier.
To get you started, we’re sharing 3 tips and 3 links that guide you on the essentials.
But first, before you plunge into the technical details, remember to script your narration. For this, keep in mind:
i) What information does the voice need to add that is not already there in the slide? You don’t want to over-state the obvious – or miss a crucial point.
ii) What is the tone of voice that will communicate best? Be sure your narration is not monotonous! Remember that the human voice can convey such a big range – from professional to personal, from persuasive to powerful… So match the tone of voice (and choice of words) to what you want to convey.
iii) Whose voice should you use? If you are unsure about doing it yourself, ask someone with a clear strong voice and good pronunciation to record the final voice-over. You can share a rough voice-over to give him/her a sense of the pacing so you are still in control, and have crafted the entire show in a way that suits your purpose and personality.
Now, over to the online resources that can help you add that edge:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/record-a-slide-show-with-narration-and-slide-timings-0b9502c6-5f6c-40ae-b1e7-e47d8741161c
https://www.ispringsolutions.com/voice-over-powerpoint-software
https://www.howtogeek.com/449836/how-to-record-voiceover-narration-in-powerpoint/