How to prepare for a business presentation
Do you want to enhance your presentation skills by creating engaging content to you and make them remember what you have said? We have some tips.
Often we attend presentations and at the end of the presentation, we feel like what was the topic again. This is not your fault. Business presentations consist of many data and figures which is difficult for the audience to follow and remember.
We are going to look at several strategies that will help you craft your next business presentations. We want to make it easier for the audience to understand and remember the content of your presentation.
When you start preparing your presentation start with this checklist to not miss out the main points.
Who is my audience
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Understand what are the needs of your audience
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What kind of language does your audience use
Often you can get carried away by the jargon that we use on a daily basis. If you are working as an Engineer it might be common for you to use engineering jargon when you are talking with your co-workers. But if the audience is not your co-workers but the Investors the jargon you uses might not be easy for them to understand. Remember the audience is spending energy trying to understand your new Idea but if you have some extra jargon that they would have to understand first, your presentation will not be effective.
Make your presentation memorable
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Have no more than 5 key points that you are trying to tell your audience
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Have no more than 5 bullet points per slide
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Show Benefits not Features
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Check the point are they memorable and understandable
When you are presenting new technology or presenting sales report you want to show facts and figures to your audience. You wan put as much information as possible to make your audience well informed, but remember that the audience has limited capability to grasp your charts and figures.
Remember the famous phrase from Charlie Munger:
“Our job is to find a few intelligent things to do, not to keep up with every damn thing in the world.”
Keeping the number of ideas less than five will allow your audience to remember your key message and have a higher chance of leading them to take action, buy your product or approve the budget.
Sell your idea and make the audience take the action
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Write the action you want the audience to take at the end of the presentation in one sentence
Every presentation has a specific aim that you want your audience to take after your presentation is over. It could be you want them to purchase your product. Or you want the management to approve the budget.
Practice Practice Practice …
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As a family member or a friend for some feedback
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Record yourself giving the presentation
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Do a self retrospective on your recording and improve on the next iteration
You want to appear as a confident presenter when you are presenting your idea. If you appear nervous and unprepared, your audience will feel sorry for you. They will not be able to focus on your presentation.
