Why NOT to Give Away Your Presentation Slides

by MaryAnn Diorio @DrMaryAnnDiorio
"May we have your slides?" This is a common question that I often hear after I give a presentation. Although I used to give away my slides, I no longer do so. While at first my decision may seem socially unacceptable, there is good reason and good precedent for not giving away one's slides. In the long run, not giving away one's slides will benefit those who attended the presentation.
So, why do I not give away my slides?
Several Reasons NOT to Give Away Your Presentation Slides:
1. Slides are viewed in the particular context of a specific presentation. When the slides are sent to those who attended the presentation, that context is lost. As a result, people will tend to have more questions about the information instead of fewer. Part of the effectiveness of a presentation is that the slides are shown in the context of your talk. 
2. A presentation is not about the slides. It is about the presenter. The presenter controls the tone and pace of a presentation, moving from slide to slide according to his or her sensitivity toward the audience and its needs. Remove the presenter and you remove tone and pace and, ultimately, impact.
3. The moment you send your slide deck to others, you lose control of your presentation and the way it affects your viewer. This loss of control can result in a great disadvantage to the viewer who can then misinterpret or misrepresent the meaning of your presentation.
4. PowerPoint slides are editable. This is a big reason not to give away your slides. Anyone could simply make a few changes and use your slide presentation as his own. Most people will not use your slide deck for their own presentations. This would be a violation of copyright. But I have heard of instances in which people who received a slide deck did, indeed, use it for their own presentations. 
While some people may get offended by a presenter's policy not to give away slides, you can mitigate their offense by offering them the following substitutes:
1. Your speaking notes. These are the notes you use to prepare your presentation. Put the most important information in your speaking notes. Slides should include major points only. Perhaps the biggest reason people ask for slides is that there is too much information on the slides. Too much information on slides makes it difficult for viewers to remember the information. So, they ask for a copy of the presentation in order to review it. When we place too much content on a slide, the result is a document, not a slide.
Slides should feature only the key points of your presentation, not the whole presentation. I am still learning how better to streamline my slides so that only the main points are listed.
2. A PDF file of your slides. A PDF file offers your slide images to others without relinquishing your control of your presentation to them. 
Bottom LineYou want to control the way your message is delivered. And giving away your slides is not a good way to do that.
TWEETABLEWhy NOT to Give Away Your Presentation Slides, insight from author & speaker @DrMaryAnnDiorio on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

MaryAnn Diorio writes riveting fiction from a small, quaint Victorian town in southern New Jersey where the neighbors still stop to chat while walking their dogs, the houses still sport wide, wrap-around front porches, and the charming downtown still finds kids licking lollipops and old married couples holding hands.

A true Jersey girl, MaryAnn is a big fan of Jersey diners, Jersey tomatoes, and the Jersey shore. You can learn more about MaryAnn at maryanndiorio.com.
Featured Image: Photo by Product School on Unsplash