A guide to creating a killer business presentation
Do your business presentations leave the audience clamouring for more, or do they send them half to sleep? Whether you’re plying your wares or trying to boost business, the prospect of standing in front of an audience of your peers can be a daunting prospect. If you're planning your own presentation, here are our top tips for making your mark.
Make the space your own
It's important to feel comfortable in the space where you’ll be presenting. Although this may be difficult in a small room with limited options, you can still add some touches to make it your own. Familiarize yourself with the space ahead of time, work out where you want your audience to be relative to you, and think about how you want to come across to them. Organise chairs, take a look at the room temperature in your office (an important factor in productivity!), and make sure you know how all the equipment in the room works. If you feel more comfortable away from the podium, then by all means, set yourself up away from it. It's all about feeling comfortable.
Be more than just a powerpoint
If you're using a presentation deck, remember that the slides should be a guide, not a script. Provide members of the audience with a handout that has been professionally designed. Many big city players visit a London printing shop before their presentation to have sleek brochures and cards produced for the occasion. This leaves a lasting impression, so make sure your additional resources pack a punch.
Keep it simple
We've all heard the age-old KISS theory - Keep It Simple, Stupid! Your presentation shouldn't be full of flashy graphics and videos. Stick to slides that use well placed graphics to reinforce your point. When speaking, give the audience the bottom line up front. Let them know exactly what you are there to talk about, and use the rest of the time to make your case. If you find yourself going off on a tangent, ensure you can quickly get back on track with a clear, structured set of slides.
Keep your eyes on the audience
Even when trying to navigate through your presentation slides, you need to ensure that you keep your eyes directed at your audience. A great trick is to split the audience into sections, pick one person in one of the sections during one important point, and then another person in another section during the next. Continue with this randomly throughout your speech. Not only will the whole audience feel included, they will also get the impression that you know what you're talking about!
Prepare to succeed
The most important thing to remember is that you must prepare. If you go into your presentation with insufficient knowledge your audience is likely to rumble you. Go though your notes in depth, check your equipment works and visit a reputable printing shop – London's GH Cityprint is a great option for high quality presentation takeaways.