Seven tips that will improve your next presentation
It’s all about creative thinking before design.
The groundwork you cover before you can start to think about the slides is the foundation for your success. Read on to discover more.
1. Know your audience
Understand who your audience is, what matters to them and what’s in it for them when listening to your presentation. Define a key takeaway for your audience.
2. Build your story
Tell a story that makes the audience care. This could be a personal struggle that you or your business overcame—inspiring action in others. Or, how you are a solving a particular business challenge—generating sales conversations. Understand your story and its beats first, then fill in the blanks. If you’re not excited about your story, nobody else will be. Working with a copywriter can help you formulate your thoughts and refine your story, ultimately reducing the content on screen and the amount of slides you need to tell your story.
3. Show, don’t tell
Use imagery and videos that complement what you’re saying. Look for images that are simple and not too staged—stock photos are okay, but audiences can easily tell the difference between a staged photo and one that, while staged, feels natural. Go for either a real-world representation of what you are talking about or try a metaphoric approach if what you are talking about is not easily represented in day-to-day life.
4. Less is more
When it comes to words and slides, less is more. Edit your speech for clarity and simplicity. Too many details can drown out your message.
5. Simplify numbers and diagrams
Only show enough data or information to get your point across—without skewing the facts. Explain the relevance the data has to your audience.
6. Create memorable photographable moments
Your audience will not recall everything from your presentation, they will “remember” (take a photo with their phone these days) only the key points. Tap into your story, the key beats are the photographable moments. Pair these beats with simple wording, impactful imagery or simple data points and you’re done!
7. Allow plenty of time to practice
This will help you be more comfortable with your presentation and appear more natural during your delivery. You should be able to deliver your presentation with only a glance at the slide that is supporting you at that moment. Being well prepared will instil confidence in your points for the audience, make them think/respond differently, and remember you at the end of the day.
When you understand your audience, have your story sorted, and are thinking ‘Is this photographable?’ your journey to an awesome presentation is almost complete.
The remaining element—design—is where we can help you make it extra awesome. Having said that, we can also help you from the very start. We’d love to chat.
