Should you wish to use the flip chart during a presentation, ask the Sergeant at Arms to bring this along to the meeting. It is good to prepare in advance so you will both need to get to the meeting in good time. Once it has been prepared, close it down so that the contents cannot be seen by the audience.
Always use black or blue pens, red is a difficult colour to see as it bleeds which makes it hard to read, particularly at the back of the hall. Colours such as red, yellow or green are good for colouring in a bar chart or other designs drawn on the sheet.
If you decide to use the flip chart during your presentation, such as writing relevant points down as you go along, make sure it is legible and clear, write in large print, avoid upper and lower case. If you have sub headings under a particular heading mark these with a hyphen or star prior to each line to show the links.
When referring to items on the page, do not stand in front of the sheet but to the side and point with a pen or pointer at the line you are referring to and look at the audience not continually at the flip chart. Remember, a flip chart is an aid to your speech not a crutch!
Lastly, always remember to close the flip chart down when you have finished with it or alternatively at the end of your presentation.
From Speakeasy 92 – November 2006