How to Develop More Effective Presentations

‘Tis the season to get in front of as many buyers as possible to entice them to partner with you for fourth quarter programs (and then some). Whatever your approach to going after these opportunities, chances are your pitches will include online presentations. There are many programs available to use – here’s an article featuring 19 tools for creating online presentations – but what will really set your performance apart is content, format, and delivery. Below are suggestions for ensuring that your presentations lead you to the next step in the sales cycle.

Don’t overdo the bells and whistles. With today’s presentation tools, it’s easy to do it up in a big way. You can send pictures flying across the screen, run text in different directions, and use a seemingly endless mix of fonts. Don’t! Choose professional graphics from suppliers or a royalty-free source like iStock or Fotolia, and design your template to match your corporate identity. Keep your presentation simple and easy to review. Too much “entertainment” will distract or possibly turn off your audience. Your goal is to tell a story that makes the viewer want to learn more.

Content counts. Stories, case studies, and ideas will intrigue buyers more than a lengthy slide show of products with (or without) pricing. Make your presentation meaningful and it will be more memorable. Even if you don’t weave creative ways to present promotional gifts into the slide deck, work ideas into your script. Why a script? Simple: A written script ensures that you cover all key points. It also helps avoid rambling, fumbling or relying on “fillers” such as um, and, so, anyway, etc. (Author’s note: I was a theater major in college so I’m very comfortable presenting to an audience. I still write and follow a script for every seminar and webinar.)

Prepare for your presentation. You’ve got one shot at each presentation so preparation is key. Practicing out loud with a timer is much different from clicking through a slide deck and mumbling bullet points to yourself! If you practice until you’ve memorized your script, you’ll be a more relaxed presenter.

Whether you’re using your laptop and projector or the client’s, a technical snafu could occur. Have a backup presentation plan. For example, every time I give a seminar, I bring two USB drives with my presentation file in case one fails or I need to pop it into a different computer. In addition, to eliminate the risk of the projector failing, I bring full-page printouts of my slide deck to circulate to attendees.

Deliver like you’re an old pro. If you’re presenting to a sizable group, announce at the start that you’ll handle all questions at the end. This will help you maintain the pace of your presentation and you’ll have an easier time sticking to the time allotted. Another tip for keeping pace: build in a few pauses to allow your audience to absorb what you’ve said and/or jot notes and questions. (Remember how frustrating it was when you had teachers who spoke so quickly you had trouble taking notes?)

Don’t forget the leave-behind/follow-up. Even if your presentation is everything it could and should be, we all know it doesn’t mean you’ll walk away with an order. Be prepared to leave or email materials that are designed to move your target audience along in the buying process. For example, if your presentation was dedicated to introducing buyers to holiday food gift programs, Maple Ridge Farm’s “21 Great Reasons To Contact Me About Your Holiday Food Gift Program!” and/or “9 Facts to Know Before Purchasing Food Gifts” are perfect follow-up communications.

Whether you’ve got 15 minutes or five hours to present your ideas to a roomful of buyers, remember your mission: to educate, leave a lasting impression, and entice your audience to choose you for their next project or program.