When making a slide presentation, start with the script, then think visuals. Always start without slides. Here are two reasons why.

First, is that technology will fail you. The conference projector could crap out, or your hotel came with flimsy internet. Nothing crucial should only live in your slides. In case of emergency, be prepared to talk without tech.

Second, you’ll create a clear path for your audience to follow. If you can write your story as a series of logically-ordered sentences, you will know your story is coherent. An easy-to-follow narrative is all your audience wants. Fancy slide transitions are just icing on the cake.

Images, motion, and sound can help a story, but they can’t tell the story. Special effects can’t fix a bad script.

This is especially important if your deck will be passed around without anyone speaking to it. Start with the story and you’re more likely to land your big idea.

This is a presentation format of the microprinciple, Start Without Slides by V. Sri.