Do you think you should use powerpoint slides in a business presentation or do you think it is a distraction?

I think Powerpoint slides are over used and they take away from the speaker. Ideally you should do your speech without powerpoint slides.

Powerpoint slides are best used to reinforce the message and not take away from it. For example it is very difficult to verbally talk about trends while slides can easily show it. One trick that I use is to think of the slide as a billboard you should be able to figure out the message almost as rapidly when you look at a powerpoint slide. Dont make it too busy.

The unfortunate thing about powerpoint slides is most people use them as an outline for their speech and not as a tool to reinforce key messages. I agree that if you are talking about numbers or trends it is helpful to have them if not I would avoid it.

I think they are a necessary evil and people expect them at conferences and business meetings where you are presenting ideas. I also agree with the other comments about keeping them simple and clean.