The 7 steps to delivering a powerful business presentation

We’ve all sat through painfully boring presentations, with distracting slides – and we’ve all felt our mind wander off somewhere more interesting.

But, it doesn’t need to be like this.  By preparing carefully and choosing your visual aids wisely you can bring your business talk to life – ensuring your audience enjoys the experience and remembers your key message.  Here’s how:

1) Know your audience

Think about the reason you’re being asked to present, the size of the audience and what they may already know about the topic.  Nothing induces boredom more than explaining something that someone already knows, or causes more confusion than assuming they know all the acronyms and jargon that you’re using.  The most useful approach is to build a “persona” to help you think about people in the audience, or more than one if it’s a diverse group.  Give your persona a name and think about what they’re like, why they’re here, their hopes and fears and how you might solve their problem.

2) Develop your idea

Your presentation should have one message.  It could be to solve their problem by buying your product, investing in your project or changing a policy.  In the 7 habits of highly effective people, Stephen Covey said “begin with the end in mind” – this is especially true when it comes to presentations.  If you’re not sure what the audience should think, feel and believe by the end of your presentation, then grab a few PostIt notes and start doodling.  I tend to find that the first ideas are rarely the best, but with a few iterations you can come up with something much more compelling.  You can turn “buy my market research service” into “hear how XYZ improved results by delighting their customers”.  Remember to focus on the benefit to the audience.

3) Plan your presentation

Step away from the keyboard…. If you really want your talk to have an impact this is where the magic happens. Pick up your PostIt notes, plan out the key points, then add a story or anecdote for each.  Rather than saying that your taxi company has more drivers than anyone else, share a story of how a client had been able to get to the airport after a last-minute flight change.  Although most business presentations need to contain facts and figures, it’s the stories and emotional connection that we remember.

Think about how you’re going to share facts and figures.  If you’re showing a trend or comparison, then a well-constructed line graph or bar chart may be all that’s required to make your point.  Additionally, if you are presenting a plan, using a strategically developed roadmap can help provide clarity and direction for your intended message.

4) Choose your visual aids

Look for images that support your points and stories.  You can find plenty of free-to-use photos by searching online for “Creative Commons”, there are also low-cost photo libraries.  Or use your own photos.  Photos, quotes and video from your current customers can help, however, avoid using a video at the start of your presentation.  I’ve been to many conferences where a speaker has opened with a generic corporate video, and no matter how interesting the topic, the audience had switched off before the speaker even started.   If you are presenting at an event, make sure that your first and last slides have your name and contact details, and the event hashtag if there is one.

You may be required to use a corporate template, and whilst that can seem restrictive it’s also an opportunity to get creative.  Ensure that the images that you use are consistent with the corporate style and colour scheme, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that every slide needs to contain your logo.  If you’re 20 minutes into a presentation and people don’t know who you are, then a logo isn’t the solution.

Consider your use of text carefully; use it sparingly and use a large, clear font.  Remember that your audience can’t read and listen to you at the same time, so always pause after revealing something on the screen.

5) Always rehearse

You’re not aiming for perfect, but practice will make you better.  Rehearse what you’re going to say and how you’re going to use your slides. Go back to your persona(s) and imagine their reaction as you make each point.  Make any notes that you need, but don’t read to the audience.  The rehearsal process builds confidence and also allows you to practice your timing.  If someone has given you 20 minutes to present, don’t prepare 60 minutes, – far better to aim for 15.

6) Back up technology

Always check what equipment you’ll need to use when presenting and pay particular attention to connectors for screens and projectors.  Bring spares of everything possible in case something goes wrong and take a power extension cable too.  Having your presentation on a USB stick can get you out of trouble in an emergency.  Remember that things can change at the last minute, so be prepared to adapt, and try to arrive early so that you can test that everything is working.

7) Deliver with a smile

Take a deep breath.  Smile at the audience.  Then enjoy the experience of delivering your powerful presentation to an audience that will be enthralled, delighted and convinced by your message.

Finally, the most important thing, by far, is to focus on the needs of the audience and make sure your message is useful to them.  These seven steps will help you deliver the most powerful presentation possible, and produce an experience that is enjoyable for both you and your audience.

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