Prezi or Powerpoint? The right question to ask is: Which Tool?

The Prezi vs Powerpoint topic seems to be a hot debate between designers and presenters: Any given presentation is limited to the ability of the presenter or designer. If you fill a presentation with dull boring content then the presentation, no matter how sparkly, will fail. Debating which one is best to use can be a tough racket. When it comes down to the wire, let’s see how they measure up side by side.

I Can Do That Too!

There is the argument you hear back and forth between Prezi and PowerPoint. “Well, I can do that too if the designer knows…” is a tired argument. Lets take a side by side look at these two rivals.

Prezi Presentations are:

  • Present from the cloud anywhere (even remotely).
  • Download and present from anywhere.
  • Gives a movie watching experience with a storytelling approach.
  • More visually exciting and engaging.
  • Organic possibilities with unlimited canvas space.
  • Seamlessly integrate videos, animation, and text.
  • Unique movement: z-axis capabilities and canvas panning.
  • Allows for interactive participation.
  • Present live on-screen with the new Prezi Video.

 PowerPoint Is:

  • Well established since the early 1990s.
  • Built and saved on a computer.
  • Traditional and iconic.
  • Infinite customization options.
  • Use your own fonts.
  • Linear stories (Point A to Point B).
  • Internally build charts, graphs, and animation.
  • Foolproof.
  • Taught in school.

There are the highlights of each presentation building platform. An expert designer can make an audience member question which one was used. With the good, you need to consider the bad. Let’s see some of the issues I find people complaining about.

Prezi

  • Ran on flash until 2017 (update: Prezi Next runs on HTML5 and many other newer technologies.)
  • Limited font choices, but the option to send in font and have Prezi reconstruct it exists. (new update: On Prezi Next there is a possibility to add Google Fonts)
  • Too much zoom and panning can cause the audience to be uncomfortable.
  • Free to use but costly to upgrade.
  • Takes a learning curve.
  • Network issues can cause the presentation to not be played if a downloaded version is not saved.

PowerPoint

  • When transferred to a different device, sometimes there are compatibility issues.
  • Overused and misused.
  • Never groundbreaking.
  • Extremely large file sizes make it difficult to email.
  • Human Spatial Cognition is not considered in the design, thus lacking critical engagement features.

With all of the low lights taken into account, each problem can be overcome with proper forward planning. The difference I personally see is Prezi presentations give you a “wow” factor that captivates your audience with something they have never experienced before. To really make an impact on the crowd, use something captivating and new. Avoid the same ol’ presentation with a linear concept and tell a story they will remember and tell to others.

At wOw Prezi, we rebel against PowerPoint’s status quo and are in a mission to save the world from deadly PPTs, helping sales teams to transform stiff, slide-based presentations into fruitful, revenue-generating conversations.

Get in touch with our team of Prezi Experts to find how we can help your salespeople thrive with Conversational Presenting and the Power of Storytelling in Sales.