Creating a powerful business presentation is a great challenge, even if it looks like a simple daily routine. Whether you want to share your idea with the audience, sell an innovative product through a webinar, or look for new investors, your presentation matters.
Imagine you need to attract a million dollars to boost your dream startup. You genuinely believe that it will change the world and will bring success both to investors and users. All you need is to take the audience on your side!
A great business presentation can become an instrument to achieve your goals. The question is, how to do it? We prepared six clever tips on how to persuade everyone with your business presentation.
Tip 1. Know the goal of your presentation and its audience
Without the goal, your presentation will lack structure, and the audience will notice it. The number one thing is to be audience-centric. It can be advantageous to let your listeners know what to expect in your presentation. If people are already expecting your idea, they will be more open to it.
The successful business presentation follows its goal with the structure. Take into account where and when you are going to show the presentation.
You know your idea so well that even very complex facets of it now seem evident to you. But what if you need to talk to people hearing it the first time? Ask yourself how you can refine and explain the information you’re presenting, perhaps into a set of steps or stages. It will define the structure of the presentation.
Professional PowerPoint designers always concentrate on the main idea and it’s evident throughout the whole presentation.
Tip 2. Make the first 30 seconds of your presentation count.
The first 30 seconds are the most significant of your entire presentation. This is the moment when the audience decides what to do next — to listen or to skip. Don’t waste this time sharing the agenda or introductions.
Presentation experts suggest starting your presentation with ‘why’. It’s significant to properly set the expectations. You should explain what your presentation is about and which message you need to deliver. A story is the most agile way to make that connection happen.
Emotions motivate, so the audience is more likely to be influenced if you start with an emotional issue. Make a provocative statement, like Larry Smith did, or even try to shock your audience (this is what game designer Jane McGonigal did in TED).
Use this time to make a strong start!
I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you’re going to fail to have a great career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKHTawgyKWQ&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
You will live seven and a half minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfBpsV1Hwqs&ab_channel=TED
Tip 3. Show facts that support your idea
Talking about your concept with confidence is half the battle won. Whether you’re writing a study paper or making a sales pitch, you should strengthen your idea with facts.
Compare these two statements.
“Do you like looking at a smoggy view from a congested highway? How do you feel about fighting road hugs and bumper to bumper traffic every day? Public transportation is the solution to all these problems.”
“Cars contribute almost 50 percent of road transport related emissions. With fewer cars on the road, there would be less air pollution and traffic noise; therefore, the use of public transportation should be encouraged. A full bus can take 40 cars off the road.”.
Which statement would you trust more? With a fact indeed.
Emotions are significant, as we mentioned. But don’t replace facts with them. In a business presentation, figures, facts, and data are essential to strengthening your narratives and helping you drive your message home.
Tip 4. Present ideas visually
Unique visuals can make a big difference to a persuasive presentation. If your presentation is not attractive enough, the audience will not pay attention to it.
Presentation can be boring if it is overloaded with information. Some messages can be better delivered with visuals. Visualize everything you can. If you have the list of locations, don’t simply put it on your side. Better use a map with specific points.
Don’t be scared of visual aids like tables, charts, and mind maps which can perfectly summarize any research. There are lots of concepts that easily lend themselves to structured visuals. High-quality visualization needs a designer, so don’t hesitate to address your issue to the presentation design company.
Tip 5. Be confident
Boring presentations are reputation killers, and it is not about design only! Your slides and speech wording can be flawless, but it is still essential to have excellent presenter skills. Don’t try to sound smart during your business presentation. Instead, speak as naturally as possible.
Presentation experts suggest starting to work on the presentation by writing down the big idea of the speech. It will help to remind you what you wanted to convey. Certain tricks help you, like breathing. Listen to yourself and your feelings. It is essential to recognize how your body works, how it reacts to stress. Find what helps you or, on the contrary, stops you in front of the big stage.
How the audience reacts is genuinely significant. One more tip: create an illusion of a conversation! It can make the audience pay more attention and help to relate with the context better.
Tip 6. Conclude with a call to action
If you have been persuasive and your audience is passionate, the best time for action is immediate in conclusion. The best call to action expressions are short and use powerful verbs, and speak directly to the audience.
Call to action slide is essential for any public presentation. But it’s not just any phrase or sentence you put together.
Don’t just verbalize it. Make it visual as well by writing it on a slide. If you don’t precisely know what to write in your call to action slide, don’t worry. A good presentation design company can offer effective wordings and visuals to encourage your audience to take action right away.
Those six pieces of advice would help to persuade anyone. No matter what kind of presentation you are delivering, your style, glossary, and call to action need to fit your audience. Keep the above tips in mind, practice your speech, and follow the tips of presentation experts!
