Every great business presentation has the same element: an entertaining, well-informed speaker. It's the speaker that can make or break a presentation, regardless of the topic. Speakers set the tone for the presentation through not only their delivery, but also their preparation because an audience won't take them seriously if it appears that they don't have a deep understanding of the topic.
Most people know what they're talking about, and their presentations are full of a lot of good information. Unfortunately, that's where it ends because they don't take it a step further to make the presentation engaging and enjoyable. But, if you build a reputation for giving awesome business presentations, people will be excited to attend them. Below are some tips to help you level up your business presentations to keep people interested.
Be Organized
No one will take you seriously if you don't appear to have it together. Be sure to show up at least 15 minutes early to make sure everything you need is ready to go. This includes any audio or visual equipment and slide presentations. Check Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, too. Depending on the venue at which you are speaking, consider stopping by the day before to practice your presentation and get an idea of the layout of the room.
Don't hand out a stack of loose papers. Create information packets to supplement your presentation, using custom tab folders. The tabs will allow them to refer back to the information easily after they've filed it away. Make sure everything is set up and ready to go when people start arriving, so you aren't too busy to greet them.
Be Interactive
The best way to keep people's attention is to include them in the presentation. Don't stand in front of the room and just read a slide show presentation word for word, unless you're trying to put the audience to sleep. Instead, talk to the audience, not at them. Get animated, make eye contact, and ask questions.
Consider kicking off your presentation with a game or ice breaker to get the audience excited about your speech. Then, think of your presentation as a story and tell it. Create a presentation in which you would want to engage.
Offer Treats
For many people, attending a business presentation is another thing getting in the way of their work. That feeling will melt away when they walk into your presentation and smell a delicious treat. Not only will it change their mood to set a better tone for the meeting, but it will also make them associate good feelings with you and your presentations.
Consider offering energy-boosting foods such as bananas, apples, oranges or dark chocolate. This will wake up your attendees, so they'll pay closer attention to what you have to say.
Break it up
It's important to not bog down people with too much information at once. Be concise. Create an outline for your presentation and follow it. Stick to the standard format of an introduction, main points and conclusion. Don't forget to introduce yourself before you start, including a summary about yourself to help people understand why you are the best person to speak on the topic. This also can help build rapport with your audience.
Pick three main points that you want to emphasize and build around them. If you are using a slide show, break up the text with bold, attention-grabbing images, charts or graphs. A good rule of thumb is to insert a visual aid every 10 to 15 minutes to make sure your audience doesn't get bored. This also helps illustrate your points and make them easier to understand. Create a flow that makes sense and includes natural breaks for possible questions or comments from your audience.
Be Natural
Many people are stressed out at the thought of giving a presentation, but you can overcome the fear of public speaking. Take a deep breath. Be mindful of your body language. Step away from the podium (if there is one), stand up straight, don't cross your arms and don't forget to smile.
Practice your speech ahead of the big day so that you'll be comfortable and confident when presenting. Record yourself and review it for ways to improve, or consider downloading an app that allows you to brush up on your public speaking skills by providing voice analysis and interactive training courses. This will allow you to maintain a conversational tone without speaking too fast and limit the number of fillers used such as like or um. Don't be afraid to throw in a joke or two, also, it allows you to better connect with the audience.
Sum it up
End your presentation with a figurative bang because it is the last thing your audience will remember about you. Reiterate the key points of your presentation with a poignant example or story. Use the connection you've built with your audience to let them know why what they've heard is important and why they should remember it. This is also the best time to include any call to actions and remind your audience of the next steps.
Leave time for questions, too. When creating your presentation, think of possible questions people could ask and have answers ready. This will build your confidence and show your audience how knowledgeable you are on the material. Don't forget to include your contact information at the end in case attendees think of questions later or need to follow up.
