Bar charts appear frequently in PowerPoint based corporate presentations. However most of these are boring and are difficult for the viewer to comprehend. Here are a few techniques and guidelines to follow to improve a sales slide during your next company or investor presentation.

1. Make this
Sales Chart
Rock
Use owl wisdom:
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YoY GROWTH IN SALES

2. A VP of Sales wants management to back his
sales plan. He presents a chart that shows an
expected increase in revenue.
Picture by Engin Erdogan

3. Generally, he would show
something like this:
A VP of Sales wants management to back his
sales plan. He presents a chart that shows an
expected increase in revenue.

4. 0
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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
YoY GROWTH IN SALES

5. 0
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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
YoY GROWTH IN SALES
Not too inspiring, is it?

6. Allow me and my buddies to
explain how to improve this
slide. We are that clever!

7. Let’s break it down to
three points:

8. Title Layout Colors

9. Title

10. The title shouldn’t describe what the
viewer sees on the slide; it should
reflect the main takeaway.
This would be the point you want the
audience to remember the most.
YoY GROWTH IN SALES

11. Perhaps an annual change in sales can
represent a roadmap to success?
YoY GROWTH IN SALES

12. Now that’s powerful!
(ah…and enlarge the
fonts of course).
The road to $20M (in $M)

13. Layout

14. Simplicity contributes
to engagement
Make charts that are easy to
understand by eliminating clutter
and reducing noise
So…

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Remove Gridlines
Gridlines are a nuisance.
They create a “dirty” and
distracting background
making information more
difficult to comprehend.

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Ditch 3D!
3D is proven to be less
effective and more difficult
to read than 2D.

17. 0
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Put Data Next to Bar Chart
The eye needs to shift back
and forth to associate the
axis with the chart’s height.
Now that’s annoying!

18. 1 - Remove Gridlines

19. 1 - Remove Gridlines
2 - Ditch 3D!

20. 1 - Remove Gridlines
2 - Ditch 3D!
3 – Place Data Near Bars

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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
The road to $20M (in $M)

22. Color

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The road to $20M (in $M)
Create Good Contrast!
The chart and background
are not sufficiently contrasted
causing poor readability.

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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
The road to $20M (in $M)

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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
The road to $20M (in $M)
Separate Past and Future
Actual sales figures and the
projected ones should be
colored differently.

26. 5
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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
The road to $20M (in $M)

27. Now if you really
want to WOW them

28. 5
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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
The road to $20M (in $M)

29. 5
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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
The road to $20M (in $M)

30. Before After

31. See the difference?
Before After

32. Picture by Engin Erdogan

33. Thank you!
Chen Sirkis
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