Presenting with Impact

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Presenting can sometimes be a little daunting. Presenting to senior stakeholders or to your buyer to win that all important deal, for example puts added pressure on the situation and we might therefore trip over our words. But fear not, we have some top tips for you that will undoubtably aid in your presenting skills, giving you the confidence you need to deliver your presentation with impact:

• Understand your audience – Not many of us consider this before we present, but we really should think about who we are presenting to and tailor our presentations accordingly. Firstly, consider their preferred style, are they visual/creative or detailed numbers orientated. You might want to lead with more pictures in your presentation that reflect your subject matter and the points you want to make. If they are detailed, provide the detail, though we would recommend you have this as reference in an Appendix. Slides should never have too much text or small graphs that no one can read. Secondly, ensure you use their language, not yours. Avoid internal acronyms if you are presenting externally and use terminology that they use.
• Consider the best style – This links back to knowing your audience. Does your presentation warrant an actual PowerPoint presentation? Again, it could be just one picture that stimulates a discussion rather than you presenting at your audience for 30 minutes. Consider the objective and how best to get there.
• Preparation – Always research and prepare your content and be certain of what you are presenting. Present your information in a logical flow and ensure it relates back to the objective of your presentation throughout. Read our Storytelling blog to find out how best to structure a presentation.
• Practice - Practice does make perfect. Focus on delivery not the slides. Practice gives you the confidence to own the content, not just read it. The more confident you are, the more likely you are to succeed in your delivery. We recommend you spend the same amount of time practice saying what you want to say as you spent writing the presentation. Also, practice your presentation by presenting to colleagues and seek honest feedback. Or even video yourself presenting to judge for yourself the impact and style that you have.
• Body Language - Consider open body language to invite the audience in (arms open, not folded). Do you need to be still, or can you move around? Hand gestures are powerful if used correctly and can emphasise key points. Be sure to smile, as your audience will mirror you.
• Rhythm – Think about your pace. Does the pace vary or stay constant? If it is constant, how do you keep interest. Uses pauses for reflection moments for your audience (and also to give you time to compose yourself if needed)

These are just some of our top tips. If you would like to know more about how we can support you and your teams with our ‘Presenting with Impact’ or ‘Storytelling’ Programmes please contact us at: help@pureblueocean.com