There are many reasons someone could give a business presentation. From presenting new ideas to investors, partners and peers to providing previously unknown information that will help in a decision making process, there is usually a lot riding on the persuasiveness of a business presentation. However, many business presentations come off as being dry and boring, resulting in a less than ideal outcome. While this can be the case, if you know how to create a business presentation that can help you rather than hurt you, you have a much better chance of having a positive outcome. To show you how, here are three tips for preparing the best business presentation you can.
Let Your Points Simmer
One of the biggest mistakes people make when presenting in a business scenario is giving too much information in too quick of succession. Oftentimes, presentations done in a slideshow format include an exhaustive amount of facts, figures and ideas all on one slide.
But according to Richard Feloni, a contributor to BusinessInsider.com, presenters should let their slides breathe. This means either putting a lot less information in the presentation all together or breaking up the information to include more slides with less text on each individual slide. You could also make your presentation be extremely minimalistic with visual text and instead make all your points verbally, taking the responsibility of communicating ideas even further away from your visual presentation. By doing this, your audience won’t feel like you’re bombarding them with too much content to read but rather speaking to them on a more personal level.
Forget Putting On A Show
Many people get nervous about giving presentations, especially in the high-stakes business environment, because they feel they lack the necessary showmanship to persuade their audience. However, an Inc.com contributor suggests that it’s not the flashiness of the presentation you should be worried about but rather the authenticity in which you convey your messaging. Without being authentic and personable during your presentation, you may leave your audience feeling alienated or annoyed with you.
Speak to Credibility Throughout the Entire Presentation
Unless you can convince your audience of your credibility and the credibility of the information you’re presenting to them, your whole business presentation could just be a huge waste. For this reason, Michel Theriault, a contributor to Forbes.com, recommends that presenters establish their own credibility before they even begin getting into the information of the presentation and then continually speak to the credibility of their sources and statistics all throughout the rest of the presentation. By doing this, you’ll ensure that there can be no doubt about the soundness of your presentation.
A good business presentation can mean the difference between extreme success for your company and potential financial ruin. Use the tips mentioned above to up your presentation game for your next big company presentation.