When putting your time and effort into something, you must make sure that the outcome is worthwhile. Here we will share with you some important tips to make your business presentation memorable and effective.
- First, map out the whole structure of your presentation. Sit down with a pen and paper in hand and design an outline of the presentation you will be giving. Spell out your goals for the presentation. Consider what you expect your audience to think, feel, do, and understand from your presentation.
Next, consider the positions your audience takes concerning your credibility, as well as their prior knowledge, demeanor, and what role or potential roles they play in your organization. With the awareness of the necessary things to initiate, outline the path you will take to reach your goals. Act in the way a GPS works. Utilize tools like sticky notes to help jot down ideas and data. Once all aspects of your presentation are down on paper, you begin to see a clearer picture of what the presentation will ultimately look like. The remaining objective is to add visuals. Where and when to appropriately add these visuals is up to your discretion.
- Keep in mind that it is unnecessary and unrealistic for you to become an expert graphic designer overnight. Having merely basic knowledge of design is all that is needed to craft an expert presentation. Keep the design pattern simple and consistent, as not to overwhelm your audience.
To make the text easier to read, the text’s background and color should have an appropriate contrast. You can use a color contrast calculator for this purpose. Use fonts like Arial and Calibri, as research says that Sans Serif fonts are more digestible and memorable. The font size depends upon the size of the room in which you are going to be conducting the presentation, as well as on the size of the screen. Nevertheless, the range of 24-32 sizes is recommended for a professional presentation.
- Use more visuals than text in your slides. Large amounts of text frustrate the audience and can cause them to lose focus. In contrast, using more visuals attracts their attention towards the presenter and the presentation. For numeric data, utilize graphs. For other kinds of information and processes, use diagrams. To display a place, a certain object, or a specific person, use pictures. Be sure to use media clips according to your presentation subject.
- Another important factor that ensures an excellent presentation is practice and rehearsal. Suppose you procrastinated and created your presentation at the very last moment. This is not an ideal scenario because it allows very little time for rehearsal and practice. It is best to start rehearsing during the process of creating the presentation so that you can best adjust how everything fits. Check your body language, delivery of words, clarity of the message being delivered, and all other aspects of your presentation. Timing is also particularly important and will only be perfected with adequate rehearsal. Make sure that your presentation fits into the time allotted and, if not, adjust it. Recording yourself presenting is a great tool to evaluate your cadence and flow.
- Refrain from ending your presentation with a slide on which “Any questions?” is written in bold words. This is vague and can generate doubt from the audience. Instead, end your presentation in a way that tells the audience what your next goals are going to be, how they should feel about them, and how they can participate (call to action). End strong so that your presentation is memorable and accomplishes its objectives.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
