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Here's what nobody tells you about creating presentations: most people start in the wrong place.
They open PowerPoint. They pick a template. They start adding slides. And then, somewhere around slide 5, they realize they have no idea where this presentation is actually going.
The problem isn't that they're bad at making slides. The problem is they skipped the outline.
An outline is the foundation that determines whether your presentation makes sense or falls apart. It's the difference between a presentation that flows naturally and one where you're clearly making things up as you go.
Let's fix that.
You've got a presentation due tomorrow. You know roughly what you want to say. Why not just start building slides?
Because you'll create slides in the order you think of them, not the order that makes sense. You'll repeat yourself. You'll realize halfway through that you're missing crucial information. You'll end up with 10s of slides that don't quite connect.
Then you'll spend hours rearranging slides, deleting duplicates, and trying to force a coherent narrative onto something that was never designed to have one.
An outline solves this. Not by adding extra work. By preventing wasted work.
When you outline first, you figure out what you're actually trying to say before you commit it to slides. You spot the gaps. You fix the logic. You arrange things in an order that actually makes sense.
An outline is not your script. It's not your slides. It's not even your talking points.
An outline is the skeleton of your presentation. Think of it like building a house. You wouldn't start nailing up drywall before you know where the walls go, right?
A good outline answers these questions:
What's the main point you're making?
What are the 3-5 supporting points that prove or explain that main point?
What evidence, examples, or data support each of those points?
What order makes the most sense for your audience?
How does everything connect together?
Most people confuse an outline with a list of topics.
A bad outline looks like this:
A good outline looks like this:
See the difference? The second version tells you exactly what you're saying and why.
Step 1: Start with Your Core Message
Not "I'm presenting about our Q3 results." That's a topic, not a message.
"Our Q3 results show that customer retention is our biggest growth lever" is a message.
Write down your core message in one sentence. If you can't do that, you don't know what your presentation is about yet.
Step 2: Identify Your Main Supporting Points
What does your audience need to understand or believe to accept your core message?
Usually, this is 3-5 main points. Not 7. Not 12.
If you have more than five main points, you either have two presentations hiding in one, or some of your "main" points are actually supporting details.
Step 3: Add Evidence and Examples
Under each main point, list the evidence, examples, data, or stories that support it.
Not "sales increased." But "Northeast region sales increased 23% after implementing the new training program, compared to 8% in regions without it."
You don't need to write out everything word for word. Just capture enough detail that you know what you're talking about.
Step 4: Arrange Things in Logical Order
Most people arrange their points in the order they thought of them, not the order that makes sense to the audience.
Ask yourself: what does my audience need to understand first before the next point makes sense?
Sometimes you need to establish a problem before introducing a solution. Sometimes you need context before data. Sometimes you need a story before your argument.
Step 5: Add Your Opening and Closing
Now that you know what you're saying in the middle, figure out how you're starting and ending.
Your opening should hook attention and explain why people should care. Your closing should reinforce your core message and tell people what to do next.
There's no one right way. Here are a few approaches:
The Bullet Point Method
Open a document and start listing points with nested details underneath.
Advantage: simple, fast, flexible.
Disadvantage: easy to get lost in details.
The Sticky Note Method
Write each major idea on a sticky note. Put them on a wall. Move them around until the order makes sense. Then add more sticky notes underneath with supporting details.
Advantage: you can physically rearrange things and see the whole structure at once.
Disadvantage: harder to capture lots of detail.
The Spreadsheet Method
Create columns for section, main point, supporting details, evidence, and time estimate. Fill it in row by row.
Advantage: forces you to be organized and specific.
Disadvantage: can feel rigid.
The Snowflake Method
Start with one sentence summarizing your entire presentation. Expand that into a paragraph with your main points. Expand each sentence into its own paragraph. Keep expanding.
Advantage: ensures everything connects back to your core message.
Disadvantage: takes longer upfront.
Pick whichever feels most natural. The tool doesn't matter. The thinking does.
If you're experienced and know your topic cold, keep it high-level. If you're less experienced or presenting something new, add more detail.
But here's the key: your outline should never be your full script.
If you write out every word you plan to say, you'll end up reading instead of speaking naturally.
Your outline should have just enough detail that you know what you're saying, but not so much that you're tempted to read it word for word.
This happens to everyone. You create an outline, start building, and realize something doesn't work.
That's fine. Your outline isn't carved in stone.
When something needs to change, go back to your outline and fix it there first. Then update your slides.
Don't just start changing slides randomly. That's how you end up back where you started.
Sales Presentations
Technical Presentations
Training Presentations
Conference Talks
Your outline is a guide, not a prison.
Sometimes you're presenting and realize a different example would work better. Sometimes the audience takes you in a productive direction. Sometimes you're running out of time.
That's all fine.
The people who get in trouble are the ones who never had a structure to begin with. You've got a plan. You can adjust without losing the thread.
An outline forces you to think through your logic before you commit to slides. It helps you see what's missing. It shows you what order makes sense. It prevents you from repeating yourself. It gives you confidence because you know where you're going.
That's why experienced presenters always outline first. They've learned that presentations without outlines almost always have problems.
Next time you need to create a presentation, try this:
Before you open PowerPoint, open a blank document.
Write down your core message in one sentence. List your 3-5 main supporting points. Under each point, add the key evidence, examples, or data. Arrange everything in logical order. Add your opening and closing.
Then open PowerPoint and start building slides.
You'll spend maybe 20-30 minutes on the outline. But you'll save hours on the slides. And you'll end up with a presentation that actually makes sense.
Because the outline isn't extra work. It's the foundation that makes everything else easier.
