There is a debate when creating slides about using branding on every slide. I’m weighing in with my opinion. When you are presenting for an organization that has already hired you, it is unnecessary to brand stamp every slide. And in fact, depending on the audience, having your brand on anything but your opening slide may be unwelcome. If you are presenting to a crowd in which potential future customers may be found, having them remember and recognize your brand is important. However, it is still unnecessary to brand stamp every slide. Exactly what is branding? It may be your logo, your name – stylized or not, your social media handle/s, or your website URL. Certainly, all of these should be seen by the audience at some point. So, where is it appropriate to see your brand?

Title Slide

This slide is usually shown while the audience is coming into the room and settling in. It needs to show, at least:

• The title of the presentation
• The speaker/s
• The host – brand or name

It should show:

• Your logo/brand
• Your Twitter handle (with Twitter logo)
• Your website URL

If your website URL includes an email address, P.O. or street address, and phone number, you should not need these on your title slide. If your email address contains your website URL, you can include your email address without needing a separate website URL.

Section Headings

It should show:

• Your logo/brand
• Your Twitter handle (with Twitter logo)

Content Slides

At the very (very) most, you might include:

• Your logo/brand

The audience, by this time, knows your name, your brand, your presentation title. There is no need to repeat something they already know – you could be insulting their intelligence by assuming they need you to repeat that information.

Closing Slide

Depending on the audience and the client for whom you are speaking, you will need to choose your branding for this slide carefully. It needs to show, at least:

• The title of the presentation
• The speaker/s
• The host – brand or name

It might show:

• Your logo/brand
• Your Twitter handle (with Twitter logo)
• Your website URL

Ultimately, some speakers choose to brand stamp every slide. It is my contention that brand awareness is more impacted by the power of the message you offer. You could brand stamp every slide, but if your message is weak or diluted by more attention to branding than to content, you and your brand will be forgotten in short shift. Take a look at some presentations from other speakers and choose a level of brand and brand stamping that suits your style, your customers, and your message.