In the digital age, we consume new information and essential knowledge with our eyes. Multimedia presentations are excellent support for all speakers, who want to engage their audience. Whether we want to present our new products to potential clients, conduct training, or build a positive brand image at a conference, it is essential to remember some universal principles of a business presentation. How can we make it effective?
Define the Target Audience
The fundamental aspect of creating a presentation is identifying the target audience and understanding their needs and expectations. Depending on whether we address investors, employees, or potential clients, the style and format of the presentation may differ. We should base our approach on a statistical profile of the audience - their age, roles in the company, or income levels. Acquiring the key knowledge about the target audience will facilitate our preparation for the presentation. It's important to speak the language of the audience - we can incorporate the latest trends, iconic phrases, and even memes in a more informal presentation aimed at a younger audience. By doing so, the listeners, who can relate to the topic will surely remember the presentation.
Set Clear Goals and Desired Effects An essential step in the presentation creation process is defining its objectives, that is – what we truly want to accomplish. Only by doing so can we effectively reach the audience and achieve positive results. The goals should be clear and specific - whether we want the audience to learn about a new product, invest in the company, increase brand awareness, or consider a partnership. It's crucial to keep the presentation's business goals focused on the targeted audience's needs and the value the company can provide to its customers or business partners.
Ensure a Clear Structure Another crucial stage in creating a presentation is preparing an outline of the talk. We can create a draft outline of slides, maintaining a well-thought-out structure. The audience should feel guided through each topic. Each element should be well-considered. If possible, it’s recommended to avoid long blocks of text, as the audience may focus more on reading than listening to the speaker. The strength of a good presentation lies in simplicity, minimalism, and the orderly presentation of information. A good idea is to use the catchy slogans and gather essential thoughts in the form of short sentences. Our speech should expand on what's on the slides - this is one of the fundamental rules followed by the best speakers.
Enhance Readability The template should be visually appealing and easy to comprehend, so it's worth to pay attention to the proportions between individual elements, fonts, and colors. The right font choice can impact the presentation's readability. Using only up to two different fonts and their variations (bold, italic, etc.) is just right. After preparing the material, it's important to ensure that basic text elements are consistent. All headers, bullet points, or captions under images should be of the same size. When it comes to color selection, it's good to use a maximum of three colors following the 60/30/10 rule. One main color should occupy 60% of the presentation's area, and the other two complement it in a 30% to 10% ratio. The colors should contrast well with each other to make the text visible from any point in the room. For a company presentation, it's essential to use the company's visual identity colors.
Utilize Data If possible, it's valuable to include data, specific numbers, charts, or research results in the presentation. All of these can strengthen the message. If we want to present data in the form of charts, specific dedicated tools (e.g., The Data Visualization Catalogue) can suggest visualization methods or chart constructions.
Incorporate Storytelling During the presentation, it's crucial to focus on the most important information that allows the audience to understand the key message. The best speakers use storytelling techniques in their presentations. Storytelling allows combining facts and data with emotions, making the message memorable for the audience. It's worth structuring the story around a problem or an idea, considering emotions, experiences, and solutions. The story must be authentic and genuine to resonate with the audience fully. In this way, storytelling can become an effective tool that helps reach the audience and convince them of a specific idea or solution.
Utilize Multimedia The audience's attention can be fleeting, so it's worth directing it to the right paths at the right time. For this purpose, we can use some effective transitions, animations, or sound effects. This way, the multimedia presentation will be much more engaging. However, more creative elements should be fully justified and saved for the most critical moments. According to the psychological von Restorff effect, we tend to remember things that stand out from their surroundings. Applying this technique will draw the audience's attention, make the presentation stand out, and be memorable.
Body Language during the Presentation Besides the substantive and technical aspects of the presentation, it's crucial to pay attention to another important issue - body language. It plays a significant role in a business presentation as it allows expressing emotions and reinforcing the verbal message. The position of hands and gestures can be a challenge even for experienced speakers. The safest position is to hold a presenter or marker with both hands. This is an especially good solution for those who tend to gesticulate dynamically. Alternatively, we can hold an object in one hand and gesture with the other. It's essential to avoid excessive movement, which may distract the audience. It's better to non-verbally emphasize the most critical points of the presentation. In the past, placing fingers in a "basket" was a popular gesture among speakers as a sign of thoughtfulness and wisdom. However, nowadays, it's better to avoid such finger positioning. The most desirable form of expression that every speaker should aim for is natural gesturing. That way, gestures flow from the speaker's emotions, emphasize the significance of words, and complement the content effectively.
For those, who want to learn how to prepare effective presentations, we invite them to participate in the "Business Presentations That Sell" training. Participants will acquire practical knowledge and skills necessary during presentations. They will learn how to interact with the audience, manage stress, and move properly on stage. The training program includes practical workshops, simulations of real interactions with the audience, and working with cameras. Participants will receive feedback that will help them eliminate weaknesses and avoid mistakes during presentations.
