Tips For A Brilliant Business Presentation

While some people take genuine pride in the way they give presentations, for other people it’s a nightmare. If you’re in the latter group, then this post is for you! Whether you’re presenting to a small team or half the company, you need to make sure your presentation is smooth and engaging. If you’re struggling to give your presentations more oomph, here are some ways to do it.

First of all, make sure your presentation has a clear focus from the beginning. All too often, I sit through presentations which are extremely vague, and come off like one long ramble. Having a solid angle on the topic is essential, and provides a strong base for you to build up a structure for the presentation. This focus should be related to something that will grab the attention of your listeners, and keep them engaged throughout. Even with the most boring of topics, there’ll be some way you can spin it and draw the audience in. If you know the people you’ll be presenting to, then tailor the focus specifically to them. Without that head start, you’ll just have to use your imagination!

Next, try to make your performance in some way entertaining. Nobody can sit through one long, monotone drone and stay engaged. Make sure you include something to accompany the information you’re getting across. You don’t have to be a comedian, although this certainly helps! Use movement, rhetorical questions and inflections in your speaking to shake things up a little.

You could plan your speech out word for word, but I find notes with all the key points are a better option. This way, you’re able to throw your own style and tone into the presentation, which will make it easier to keep your audience interested. In your preparation, practice what you’re going to say in your presentation in front of a mirror. While doing this, be sure to ask yourself: “Could I focus on this?”

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sure, the ability to give a presentation is simply expected of professionals. Obviously though, some of us are naturally better than others. If you get the core of your presentation down, and still feel like it’s lacking something, then bringing in some outside help could be a good idea. Presentation design services can now be hired from a number of firms. Alternatively, you might have a friend or colleague who could create a fancy little animation. Other things like professional-grade photography can also give the presentation a lovely finishing touch. Although features like this can be handy, make sure you don’t oversaturate your presentation. Clever visual touches should be complements for valuable content, and not a replacement for it. It can even help to perform the presentation in front of someone you trust, and ask them for honest feedback.
I hope that these tips have saved your next presentation. My final tip is to stop worrying about it! Obviously, you should try to pull it off well. It would take quite the presentation to cost you your career though!