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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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Home Blog Education Presentation Skills 101: A Guide to Presentation Success

Presentation Skills 101: A Guide to Presentation Success

Getting the perfect presentation design is just a step toward a successful presentation. For the experienced user, building presentation skills is the answer to elevating the power of your message and showing expertise on any subject. Still, one can ask: is it the same set of skills, or are they dependable on the type of presentation?

In this article, we will introduce the different types of presentations accompanied by the skillset required to master them. The purpose, as always, is to retain the audience’s interest for a long-lasting and convincing message.

Table of Contents

The Importance of Presentation Skills

Persuasive presentations, instructional presentations, informative presentations, inspirational presentations, basic presentation skills, what are the main difficulties when giving a presentation, recommendations to improve your presentation skills, closing statement.

Effective communication is the answer to reaching business and academic goals. The scenarios in which we can be required to deliver a presentation are as diverse as one can imagine. Still, some core concepts apply to all presentations.

 We define presentation skills as a compendium of soft skills that directly affect your presentation performance and contribute to creating a great presentation. These are not qualities acquired by birth but skills you ought to train and master to delve into professional environments.

You may ask: is it really that evident when a presenter is not prepared? Here are some common signs people can experience during presentations:

• Evasive body language: Not making eye contact with the audience, arms closed tightly to the body, hands in pockets all the time.
• Lack of interest in the presenter’s voice: dull tone, not putting an effort to articulate the topics.
• Doubting when asked to answer a question
• Irksome mood

The list can go on about common presenter mistakes , and most certainly, it will affect the performance of any presented data if the lack of interest by the presenter is blatantly obvious.  Another element to consider is anxiety, and according to research by the National Institute of Mental Health, 73% of the population in the USA is affected by glossophobia , which is the fear of public speaking, judgment, or negative evaluation by other people.

Therefore, presentation skills training is essential for any business professional who wants to achieve effective communication . It will remove the anxiety from presentation performance and help users effectively deliver their message and connect with the audience.

Archetypes of presentations

Persuasive presentations aim to convince the audience – often in short periods – to acquire a product or service, adhere to a cause, or invest in a company. For business entrepreneurs or politicians, persuasive presentations are their tool for the trade.

Unless you aim to be perceived as an imposter, a proper persuasive presentation has the elements of facts, empathy, and logic, balanced under a well-crafted narrative. The central pillar of these presentations is to identify the single factor that gathered your audience: it could be a market need, a social cause, or a revolutionary concept for today’s society. It has to be something with enough power to gather critiques – both good and bad.

That single factor has to be backed up by facts. Research that builds your hypothesis on how to solve that problem. A deep understanding of the target audience’s needs , concerns, and social position regarding the solution your means can offer. When those elements are in place, building a pitch becomes an easy task. 

Graphics can help you introduce information in a compelling format, lowering the need for lengthy presentations. Good presentation skills for persuasive presentations go by the hand of filtering relevant data and creating the visual cues that resonate with what your audience demands.

One powerful example of a persuasive presentation is the technique known as the elevator pitch . You must introduce your idea or product convincingly to the audience in a timeframe between 30 seconds and less than 2 minutes. You have to expose:

• What do you do 
• What’s the problem to solve
• Why is your solution different from others 
• Why should the audience care about your expertise

For that very purpose, using engaging graphics with contrasting colors elevates the potential power of your message. It speaks professionalism, care for details, and out-of-the-box thinking. Knowing how to end a presentation is also critical, as your CTAs should be placed with care.

Therefore, let’s resume the requirements of persuasive presentations in terms of good presentation skills:

• Identifying problems and needs
• Elaborating “the hook” (the element that grabs the audience’s attention)
• Knowing how to “tie” your audience (introducing a piece of information related to the hook that causes an emotional impact)
• Broad knowledge of body language and hand gestures to quickly convey your message
• Being prepared to argue a defense of your point of view
• Handling rejection
• Having a proactive attitude to convert opportunities into new projects
• Using humor, surprise, or personal anecdotes as elements to sympathize with the audience
• Having confidence
• Be able to summarize facts and information in visually appealing ways

You can learn more about persuasive presentation techniques by clicking here .

In the case of instructional presentations, we ought to differentiate two distinctive types:

• Lecture Presentations : Presentations being held at universities or any other educative institution. Those presentations cover, topic by topic, and the contents of a syllabus and are created by the team of teachers in charge of the course.
• Training Presentations : These presentations take place during in-company training sessions and usually comprise a good amount of content that is resumed into easy-to-take solutions. They are aimed to coach employees over certain topics relevant to their work performance. The 70-20-10 Model is frequently used to address these training situations.

Lecture presentations appeal to the gradual introduction of complex concepts, following a structure set in the course’s syllabus. These presentations often have a similar aesthetic as a group of professors or researchers created to share their knowledge about a topic. Personal experience does tell that course presentations often rely on factual data, adequately documented, and on the theoretical side.

An example of a presentation that lies under this concept is a Syllabus Presentation, used by the teaching team to introduce the subject to new students, evaluation methods, concepts to be learned, and expectations to pass the course.

On the other hand, training presentations are slide decks designed to meet an organization’s specific needs in the formal education of their personnel. Commonly known as “continuous education,” plenty of companies invest resources in coaching their employees to achieve higher performance results. These presentations have the trademark of being concise since their idea is to introduce the concepts that shall be applied in practice sessions. 

Ideally, the training presentations are introduced with little text and easy-to-recognize visual cues. Since the idea is to summarize as much as possible, these are visually appealing for the audience. They must be dynamic enough to allow the presenter to convey the message.

Those key takeaways remind employees when they revisit their learning resources and allow them to ruminate on questions that fellow workers raise. 

To sum up this point, building presentation skills for instructional presentations requires:

• Ability to put complex concepts into simpler words
• Patience and a constant learning mindset
• Voice training to deliver lengthy speeches without being too dense
• Ability to summarize points and note the key takeaways
• Empathizing with the audience to understand their challenges in the learning process

The informative presentations take place in business situations, such as when to present project reports from different departments to the management. Another potential usage of these presentations is in SCRUM or other Agile methodologies, when a sprint is completed, to discuss the advance of the project with the Product Owner.

As they are presentations heavily dependent on data insights, it’s common to see the usage of infographics and charts to express usually dense data in simpler terms and easy to remember. 

Informative presentations don’t just fall into the business category. Ph.D. Dissertation and Thesis presentations are topics that belong to the informative presentations category as they condense countless research hours into manageable reports for the academic jury. 

Since these informational presentations can be perceived as lengthy and data-filled, it is important to learn the following professional presentation skills:

• Attention to detail
• Be able to explain complex information in simpler terms
• Creative thinking
• Powerful diction
• Working on pauses and transitions
• Pacing the presentation, so not too much information is divulged per slide

The leading inspirational platform, TEDx, comes to mind when talking about inspirational presentations. This presentation format has the peculiarity of maximizing the engagement with the audience to divulge a message, and due to that, it has specific requirements any presenter must meet.

This presentation format usually involves a speaker on a stage, either sitting or better standing, in which the presenter engages with the audience with a storytelling format about a life experience, a job done that provided a remarkable improvement for society, etc.

Empathizing with the audience is the key ingredient for these inspirational presentations. Still, creativity is what shapes the outcome of your performance as people are constantly looking for different experiences – not the same recipe rephrased with personal touches. The human factor is what matters here, way above data and research. What has your experience to offer to others? How can it motivate another human being to pursue a similar path or discover their true calling?

To achieve success in terms of communication skills presentation, these inspirational presentations have the following requirements:

• Focus on the audience (engage, consider their interests, and make them a part of your story)
• Putting ego aside
• Creative communication skills
• Storytelling skills
• Body language knowledge to apply the correct gestures to accompany your story
• Voice training
• Using powerful words

After discussing the different kinds of presentations we can come across at any stage of our lives, a group of presentation skills is standard in any type of presentation. See below what makes a good presentation and which skills you must count on to succeed as a presenter.

Punctuality

Punctuality is a crucial aspect of giving an effective presentation. Nothing says more about respect for your audience and the organization you represent than delivering the presentation on time . Arriving last minute puts pressure on the tech team behind audiovisuals, as they don’t have enough preparation to test microphones, stage lights, and projector settings, which can lead to a less powerful presentation Even when discussing presentations hosted in small rooms for a reduced audience, testing the equipment becomes essential for an effective presentation.

A solution for this is to arrive at least 30 minutes early. Ideally, one hour is a sweet spot since the AV crew has time to check the gear and requirements for your presentation. Another benefit of this, for example, in inspirational presentations, is measuring the previous presenter’s impact on the audience. This gives insights about how to resonate with the public, and their interest, and how to accommodate your presentation for maximum impact.

Body Language

Our bodies can make emotions transparent for others, even when we are unaware of such a fact. Proper training for body language skills reduces performance anxiety, giving the audience a sense of expertise about the presented topic. 

Give your presentation and the audience the respect they deserve by watching over these potential mistakes:

• Turning your back to the audience for extended periods : It’s okay to do so when introducing an important piece of information or explaining a graph, but it is considered rude to give your back to the audience constantly.
• Fidgeting : We are all nervous in the presence of strangers, even more, if we are the center of attention for that moment. Instead of playing with your hair or making weird hand gestures, take a deep breath to center yourself before the presentation and remember that everything you could do to prepare is already done. Trust your instincts and give your best.
• Intense eye contact : Have you watched a video where the presenter stared at the camera the entire time? That’s the feeling you transmit to spectators through intense eye contact. It’s a practice often used by politicians to persuade.
• Swearing : This is a no-brainer. Even when you see influencers swearing on camera or in podcasts or live presentations, it is considered an informal and lousy practice for business and academic situations. If you have a habit to break when it comes to this point, find the humor in these situations and replace your swear words with funny alternatives (if the presentation allows for it). 

Voice Tone plays a crucial role in delivering effective presentations and knowing how to give a good presentation. Your voice is a powerful tool for exposing your ideas and feelings . Your voice can articulate the message you are telling, briefing the audience if you feel excited about what you are sharing or, in contrast, if you feel the presentation is a burden you ought to complete.

Remember, passion is a primary ingredient in convincing people. Therefore, transmitting such passion with a vibrant voice may help gather potential business partners’ interest.  

But what if you feel sick prior to the presentation? If, by chance, your throat is sore minutes before setting foot on the stage, try this: when introducing yourself, mention that you are feeling a bit under the weather. This resonates with the audience to pay more attention to your efforts. In case you don’t feel comfortable about that, ask the organizers for a cup of tea, as it will settle your throat and relax your nerves.

Tech Skills

Believe it or not, people still feel challenged by technology these days. Maybe that’s the reason why presentation giants like Tony Robbins opt not to use PowerPoint presentations . The reality is that there are plenty of elements involved in a presentation that can go wrong from the tech side:

• A PDF not opening
• Saving your presentation in a too-recent PowerPoint version
• A computer not booting up
• Mac laptops and their never-ending compatibility nightmare
• Not knowing how to change between slides
• Not knowing how to use a laser pointer
• Internet not working
• Audio not working

We can come up with a pretty long list of potential tech pitfalls, and yet more than half of them fall in presenters not being knowledgeable about technology.

If computers aren’t your thing, let the organization know about this beforehand. There is always a crew member available to help presenters switch between slides or configure the presentation for streaming. This takes the pressure off your shoulders, allowing you to concentrate on the content to present. Remember, even Bill Gates can get a BSOD during a presentation .

Presentations, while valuable for conveying information and ideas, can be daunting for many individuals. Here are some common difficulties people encounter when giving presentations:

Public Speaking Anxiety

Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, affects a significant portion of the population. This anxiety can lead to nervousness, trembling, and forgetfulness during a presentation.

Lack of Confidence

Many presenters struggle with self-doubt, fearing that they may not be knowledgeable or skilled enough to engage their audience effectively.

Content Organization

Organizing information in a coherent and engaging manner can be challenging. Presenters often grapple with how to structure their content to make it easily digestible for the audience. Artificial Intelligence can help us significantly reduce the content arrangement time when you work with tools like our AI Presentation Maker (made for presenters by experts in presentation design). 

Audience Engagement

Keeping the audience’s attention and interest throughout the presentation can be difficult. Distractions, disengaged attendees, or lack of interaction can pose challenges.

Technical Issues

Technology glitches, such as malfunctioning equipment, incompatible file formats, or poor internet connectivity, can disrupt presentations and increase stress.

Time Management

Striking the right balance between providing enough information and staying within time limits is a common challenge. Going over or under the allotted time can affect the effectiveness of the presentation.

Handling Questions and Challenges

Responding to unexpected questions, criticism, or challenges from the audience can be difficult, especially when presenters are unprepared or lack confidence in their subject matter.

Visual Aids and Technology

Creating and effectively using visual aids like slides or multimedia can be a struggle for some presenters. Technical competence is essential in this aspect.

Language and Articulation

Poor language skills or unclear articulation can hinder effective communication. Presenters may worry about stumbling over words or failing to convey their message clearly.

Maintaining appropriate and confident body language can be challenging. Avoiding nervous habits, maintaining eye contact, and using gestures effectively requires practice.

Overcoming Impersonal Delivery

In virtual presentations, maintaining a personal connection with the audience can be difficult. The absence of face-to-face interaction can make it challenging to engage and read the audience.

Cultural and Diversity Awareness

Presenting to diverse audiences requires sensitivity to cultural differences and varying levels of familiarity with the topic.

In this section, we gathered some tips on how to improve presentation skills that can certainly make an impact if applied to your presentation skills. We believe these skills can be cultivated to transform into habits for your work routine.

Tip #1: Build a narrative

One memorable way to guarantee presentation success is by writing a story of all the points you desire to cover. This statement is based on the logic behind storytelling and its power to connect with people .

Don’t waste time memorizing slides or reading your presentation to the audience. It feels unnatural, and any question that diverts from the topic in discussion certainly puts you in jeopardy or, worse, exposes you as a fraud in the eyes of the audience. And before you ask, it is really evident when a presenter has a memorized speech. 

Build and rehearse the presentation as if telling a story to a group of interested people. Lower the language barrier by avoiding complex terms that maybe even you aren’t fully aware of their meaning. Consider the ramifications of that story, what it could lead to, and which are the opportunities to explore. Then, visualize yourself giving the presentation in a natural way.

Applying this technique makes the presentation feel like second nature to you. It broadens the spectrum in which you can show expertise over a topic or even build the basis for new interesting points of view about the project.

Tip #2: Don’t talk for more than 3 minutes per slide

It is a common practice of presenters to bombard the audience with facts and information whilst retaining the same slide on the screen. Why can this happen? It could be because the presenter condensed the talk into very few slides and preferred to talk. The reality is that your spectators won’t retain the information you are giving unless you give visual cues to help that process. 

Opt to prepare more slides and pace your speech to match the topics shown on each slide. Don’t spend more than 3 minutes per slide unless you have to introduce a complex piece of data. Use visual cues to direct the spectators about what you talk about, and summarize the principal concepts discussed at the end of each section.

Tip #3: Practice meditation daily

Anxiety is the number one enemy of professional presenters. It slowly builds without you being aware of your doubts and can hinder your performance in multiple ways: making you feel paralyzed, fidgeting, making you forget language skills or concepts, affecting your health, etc.

Meditation is an ancient practice taken from Buddhist teachings that train your mind to be here in the present. We often see the concepts of meditation and mindfulness as synonyms, whereas you should be aware that meditation is a practice that sets the blocks to reach a state of mindfulness. For presenters, being in the here and now is essential to retain focus, but meditation techniques also teach us to control our breathing and be in touch with our body signals when stress builds up. 

The customary practice of meditation has an impact on imagination and creativity but also helps to build patience – a skill much needed for connecting with your audience in instructional presentations.

Having the proper set of presentation skills can be quite subjective. It goes beyond presentation tips and deepens into how flexible we can be in our ability to communicate ideas.

Different presentations and different audiences shape the outcome of our efforts. Therefore, having a basic understanding of how to connect, raise awareness, and empathize with people can be key ingredients for your career as a presenter. A word of advice: success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes dedication and patience to build communication skills . Don’t condition your work to believe you will be ready “someday”; it’s best to practice and experience failure as part of the learning process.

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Business Presentations, Presentation Approaches, Presentation Skills Filed under Education

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12 Effective Presentation Techniques To Help You Succeed

• By Judhajit Sen
• May 19, 2024

Delivering a good presentation requires more than just good content; it demands careful planning and strategic execution. From mastering your topic to engaging your audience, each element factors in captivating your listeners and making a lasting impact.

Start by thoroughly understanding your topic. Deep research will not only bolster your confidence but also prepare you for any questions that might arise. Organize your points logically with a clear outline, using presentation aids like slides and videos to enhance clarity.

Audience alignment is vital. Customize your content to their needs and interests, using simple language and relatable examples. A well-structured presentation, beginning with a strong, attention-grabbing opening and ending with a memorable conclusion, will keep your audience engaged throughout.

Effective verbal communication further enhances your delivery. Practice speaking clearly and confidently to relate to your audience. Incorporating multimedia and interactive elements such as polls and Q&A sessions are excellent audience engagement strategies .

F ocusing on these presenting techniques can help you give a good presentation.

The following are 12 effective presentation skills to help you succeed.

Key Takeaways

• Thorough Planning: Understanding your topic deeply and organizing your points logically with clear presentation aids sets the stage for a compelling presentation.
• Audience Alignment: Tailor your content to match your audience’s needs, interests, and comprehension level, ensuring maximum engagement and effectiveness.
• Confident Delivery: Master verbal communication, body language, and simplicity to enhance delivery and foster connection with your audience.
• Engagement Techniques: Incorporate storytelling, multimedia, and interactive elements to boost engagement and ensure your message resonates effectively.

Planning: Crafting a Winning Presentation

Behind every successful presentation lies meticulous planning. From understanding your topic to structuring your speech, each step is crucial for a compelling delivery that captivates your audience.

1. Topic Mastery

Begin by diving deep into your presentation topic. Conduct thorough research to bolster your knowledge and confidence. Identify areas where you may need additional preparation, ensuring you’re ready to tackle any questions that come your way.

2. Organized Framework

Map out your slides with an effective presentation outline , arranging the main points in a logical sequence. This blueprint will serve as your roadmap, keeping you focused and ensuring you cover all essential aspects. Consider integrating presentation materials like slides or videos to enhance clarity and engagement.

3. Structural Excellence

Craft a presentation with lasting impact by adhering to a well-defined structure. Start with a captivating introduction, followed by a robust body of content, and conclude with actionable insights. Embrace the 10-20-30 rule as a guide, limiting slides to 10, delivery time to 20 minutes, and font size to a minimum of 30 points.

Effective planning sets the stage to give a killer presentation, empowering you to deliver a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience long after the applause fades.

Audience Alignment: Key to Presentation Success

Understanding your audience is indispensable to delivering the presentation. Tailoring your content to match their needs, interests, and comprehension levels ensures maximum engagement and effectiveness.

1. Know Your Audience

Take the time to learn about your audience’s backgrounds, interests, and concerns. Simplify technical jargon and complex concepts to ensure clarity and comprehension across diverse audiences. By speaking their language, you can foster understanding and avoid confusion.

2. Speak Their Language

Craft your presentation with your target audience in mind. Use strong, concise language and relevant examples to maintain their interest. Avoid using foreign words or clichés that may alienate or confuse your audience. If necessary, provide explanations to ensure clarity.

3. Relevant Data Presentation

Align your data presentation methods with your audience’s preferences. Conduct research to craft a relatable narrative and understand the most effective presentation approach. By addressing their expectations, you can ensure a satisfied and engaged audience.

4. Tailored Content

Identify your audience’s interests and needs to tailor your presentation accordingly. Adjust your language and focus based on whether you’re addressing professionals or a general audience. This personalized approach enhances relevance and engagement.

5. Design for Maximum Impact

Design your presentation around your audience’s needs and interests to deliver maximum value. By aligning your message with their expectations, you enhance comprehension and ensure your message resonates effectively.

By prioritizing audience alignment, you can craft presentations that captivate, inform, and inspire, driving your message home with clarity and impact.

Nailing the Beginning and End of Your Presentation

Starting and ending your presentation with impact is crucial for keeping your audience engaged and leaving a lasting impression. Here’s how to master both:

1. Captivating Start

Start your presentation with a powerful statement, unusual fact, or an interesting question to grab attention instantly. This approach hooks your audience and piques their interest from the get-go. Another method is to share a personal story or use a quote that resonates with your topic. Humor can also be effective, but be cautious with jokes—ensure they are neutral and unlikely to offend.

2. Clear Structure

After your attention-grabbing opening, provide an overview of your presentation’s time and structure. This roadmap helps your audience follow along and understand the flow of your content. Displaying a simplified outline throughout the presentation can keep your audience oriented and focused.

3. Memorable Ending

A strong ending is as important as a strong start. Conclude with a call to action , a memorable quote, or a personal story reinforcing your message. This ensures your audience leaves with a clear understanding of your key points and what you want them to do next. When you end a presentation , don’t forget to thank your audience for their time and attention.

By crafting a compelling beginning and end, you can enhance your presentation’s effectiveness and ensure your message resonates long after you’ve finished speaking.

Streamlined Success: Mastering Simplicity

Simplicity isn’t just a preference; it’s a powerful presentation technique that enhances focus and comprehension. By stripping away excess information and focusing on core messages, you ensure clarity and engagement.

1. Cleanliness

Avoid overwhelming your audience with information overload. Keep slides clean and concise, limiting each to 6-8 lines of text. This not only aids focus but also enhances the appeal of your presentation.

2. Core Focus

Simplicity means distilling your presentation to its essence, stripping away unnecessary details. This minimizes the risk of mistakes or confusion and saves valuable time for you and your audience. Whether a few words or bullet points for presentations suffice, choose a format that suits your topic.

3. Clear Communication

To maximize understanding, keep your presentation simple and straightforward. Use simple language, avoid technical jargon, and emphasize key points. For clarity, incorporate charts or graphs to simplify complex data and break up text with bullet points or subheadings.

By embracing simplicity, you empower your audience to grasp and retain your message effectively, fostering engagement and leaving a lasting impression.

Mastering Verbal Communication in Presentations

How you speak and deliver your message can make or break your presentation. Here’s how to ace it:

1. Speak Clearly and Confidently: Project your voice so everyone can hear. Pause when needed and adapt your language to your audience.

2. Pace Yourself: Don’t rush. Speak slowly and clearly, avoiding both lightning speed and snail pace. Don’t read everything verbatim unless necessary.

3. Mind Your Audience: Remember, they’re hearing this for the first time. Give them time to digest your slides. Master the art of the pause for emphasis and to collect your thoughts.

4. Cut the Fillers: Avoid “um” and “so” – they signal unpreparedness. Keep your speech smooth and confident.

5. Speak, Don’t Read: Engage with your audience. Speak freely, slowly, and clearly. Use note cards if needed, but keep them brief. Memorize the start and end for crucial eye contact.

Mastering verbal communication can turn an okay presentation into a memorable one. Practice, pause, and speak with confidence!

Mastering Presentation Dynamics: The Power of Body Language

Body language is a secret weapon for captivating your audience during presentations. It encompasses posture, expressions, and overall stance in front of the crowd. By harnessing this potential, you can elevate a lackluster presentation into a riveting experience.

1. Establishing Comfort and Connection

Start with a smile! Being pleasant and approachable sets the stage for an engaging presentation. Avoid pacing or making wild gestures that distract from your message. Maintain steady eye contact across the room, from front row to back, and sidestep the trap of fixating on screens or notes.

2. Projection and Poise

Your physical demeanor speaks volumes about your confidence. Stand tall, relax your shoulders, and exude ease. Embrace gestures that underscore your points while avoiding distracting habits like gum chewing or fidgeting. Dressing appropriately adds to your professional image.

3. Engaging Your Audience

Your body stature should mirror your enthusiasm for the topic. Stand confidently, using hand gestures to amplify critical points. Let your facial expressions reflect your passion and commitment to the subject matter.

4. The Power of Eye Contact

Maintaining eye contact fosters a personal connection with each listener, alleviating nerves and enhancing confidence. Start with a friendly face in the crowd, then gradually expand your gaze. Resist the urge to divert attention to screens, floors, or notes.

5. Strategic Positioning

Avoid standing directly in front of your audience, whether on a podium or in an open space, which can subconsciously signal aggression. Instead, position yourself slightly to the side, maintaining fluid movement to keep your audience engaged.

Mastering body language in presentations amplifies your prowess, enabling you to convey confidence, build rapport, and deliver messages that resonate deeply with your audience.

Amplifying Your Message: The Art of Voice Inflection

Your voice is a powerful tool in presentations, shaping comprehension and engagement. Mastering voice inflection enhances clarity, confidence, and audience connection.

1. Projecting with Purpose

Effective projection ensures your audience hears every word clearly, boosting confidence and engagement. Stand tall, breathe deeply, and enunciate each syllable with precision.

2. Emphasizing Key Points

Clarity is key when conveying important ideas. Slow down, articulate, and raise your voice to underscore the significance of your message. Infuse authority, confidence, and enthusiasm into your delivery.

3. Crafting Convincing Speech

In presentations, it’s not just what you say but how you say it that matters. Practice creating a confident and engaging voice. Eliminate unnecessary pauses and filler words like “um” or “oh” to maintain momentum and keep your audience captivated.

By mastering voice inflection, you can elevate your presentations from ordinary to extraordinary, ensuring your message resonates deeply with your audience.

Captivating Narratives: The Power of Storytelling

Storytelling isn’t just for bedtime; it’s a dynamic tool for elevating presentations. By weaving compelling narratives into your speech, you can ignite curiosity, engage your audience, and leave a lasting impression.

1. Breathing Life into Ideas

Embrace storytelling as a potent strategy to animate your subject matter. Don’t shy away from personal anecdotes or moments of suspense; they add depth and intrigue. End on a positive note to drive your message home effectively.

2. Forging Connections

Stories forge connections with your audience, making your message memorable. Use real-life examples, anecdotes, or case studies to illustrate your points and make them relatable. This personal touch resonates with your listeners, fostering a deeper understanding.

3. Sustaining Interest

Break the monotony of facts and figures by infusing your presentation with compelling stories. Engage your audience with narratives that captivate their attention and establish you as an expert. Leverage techniques like creating suspense and bringing characters to life to keep your audience invested.

4. Amplifying Impact

Adopt storytelling to transform your presentation from informative to impactful. Presenting data within a narrative framework ensures better retention and understanding. Start with a problem, introduce statistics, and offer solutions, guiding your audience through a compelling storyline.

Storytelling may seem daunting at first, but its ability to captivate and inspire is worth the effort. With practice, you’ll master the art of storytelling , enriching your presentations and leaving a lasting impression on your audience.

Commanding the Stage: Confidence in Presentations

Confidence is a game-changer in presentations. It keeps your audience engaged and makes your message more compelling. Here’s how to harness confidence to enhance your delivery.

1. Project Presence and Enthusiasm

Infuse your natural demeanor with enthusiasm to project confidence. This will help you connect with your audience, making them more likely to stay engaged. Keep your information interesting, and watch your audience for signs of engagement.

2. Embrace Self-Awareness

Monitoring your emotions and reactions helps you stay personable and handle feedback gracefully. Self-awareness can calm nerves, allowing you to perform more effectively and maintain a confident front.

3. Overcome Nerves

Nervousness is common, but confidence in your knowledge and preparation can counteract it. Practice thoroughly, understand your audience, and have a backup plan. Remind yourself of your readiness to alleviate fear.

4. Exude Self-Confidence

Appear relaxed and avoid showing stress or nervousness. Advanced presenters can step out from behind the podium and move around the room, which exudes confidence and attracts the audience’s attention.

5. Manage Stage Fright

Acknowledge stage fright rather than fighting it. Transform nervous energy into positive enthusiasm. Deep breaths can help soothe your nerves and relax your body.

By projecting confidence, you enhance your stage presence and make your PowerPoint presentation more impactful and engaging.

Perfecting Your Presentation: The Power of Practice

Practicing is crucial for delivering a presentation effectively. Here are some key strategies to help you refine your public speaking and boost your confidence.

1. Rehearse Thoroughly

Practice your presentation multiple times, focusing on delivery and timing. Recording yourself can help you spot areas for improvement. Simulate actual presentation conditions as closely as possible, whether using a microphone or standing, to build comfort and confidence.

2. Mirror Rehearsal

Start by rehearsing in front of a mirror. This technique helps you identify and correct mistakes in your speech. It also enhances your confidence as you become more familiar with your material. Practice from random spots in your presentation to ensure thorough familiarity.

3. Utilize Feedback

Gather feedback from colleagues or mentors to refine your delivery. Practice in front of a small audience to simulate real conditions and get constructive criticism. This feedback loop helps you make necessary adjustments and improves your presentation skills.

4. Self-Monitoring Techniques

Use various self-monitoring techniques to prepare:

– Rehearse in front of an audience.

– Take notes for reference.

– Experiment with different delivery styles.

– Time yourself to stay within limits.

– Record yourself for self-review.

5. Timing and Structure

Adhere to the 10-20-30 rule to keep your presentation concise and engaging. Time your rehearsals to ensure you stay within the desired duration. Well-prepared presentations are more impactful and help you appear more confident and relaxed.

You can improve your presentation skills and ensure a smooth, confident, and impactful delivery by devoting time to practice.

Enhance Your Presentation with Multimedia and Visual Aids

Using presentation tools like multimedia and visual aids can significantly elevate your presentation, making it more engaging and effective. Here’s how to make the most of these tools:

1. Relevant and High-Quality Visuals

Use presentation aids  that are relevant to your content and serve as cues for your discussion points. High-quality images and icons can make your slides appealing and professional. Avoid over-reliance on cue cards, as this can create a disconnect with your audience.

2. Embrace Multimedia Trends

Integrate current multimedia trends, such as interactive infographics, short video clips, and animated elements. These tools capture attention and simplify complex concepts. Well-designed graphs and data charts help your audience quickly grasp information without extensive explanations.

3. Diverse Media Formats

Use various media formats to keep your presentation dynamic and engaging. Combine videos, flipcharts, whiteboards, and practical demonstrations. This variety keeps the audience’s attention and prevents monotony.

4. Support and Enhance Your Speech

Visuals should not only support your speech but also contribute to it. Carefully selected images, including pictures, graphs, and infographics, help convey your message more effectively. They also serve as memory aids if you need to recall parts of your speech during the presentation.

By strategically using multimedia in presentations , you can create a more captivating and informative presentation that resonates with your audience.

Boosting Interaction and Engagement in Your Presentations  

Engaging your audience is key to keeping them involved in your presentation. Here are some interactive presentation ideas to enhance engagement:

1. Ask Questions

Incorporate questions throughout your presentation to keep your audience attentive. Pose “easy” questions that can be answered readily, encouraging participation and making the audience feel involved. This simple technique helps maintain interest and fosters a connection between you and your listeners.

2. Encourage Participation

Use interactive methods like polls or quizzes to involve your audience actively. These techniques not only make the presentation more dynamic but also provide instant feedback on how well your message is being received. Interactive elements can break the monotony and re-engage attention if it starts to wane.

3. Personalize Interactions

Directly engaging with audience members can make your points clearer and more relatable. Use examples that involve participants by name, referring to their work or experiences. This personal touch can make your presentation more memorable and meaningful.

4. Allocate Time for Q&A

Set aside a significant portion of your presentation time for a Q&A session, allowing your audience to ask questions and express concerns. A good rule of thumb is to spend half your allotted time on the presentation and the other half addressing audience queries. This approach not only clarifies any doubts but also shows that you value their input and are open to dialogue.

By integrating these interaction communication and engagement techniques, you can create a more compelling presentation that resonates  with your audience and keeps them involved  from start to finish.

Effective Presentation Techniques: Keys to Success

Crafting and delivering an impactful presentation requires a blend of preparation, audience alignment, engaging storytelling, and confident delivery. By mastering these essential elements, you can captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression.

Starting with meticulous planning, understanding your topic inside out lays the foundation for a compelling narrative. Organize your points logically, incorporating aids to enhance clarity. Tailoring your content to your audience’s interests ensures maximum engagement, while a strong opening and memorable conclusion bookend your presentation effectively.

Verbal communication elevates your delivery, fostering connection and rapport with your audience. Simplifying complex ideas and incorporating multimedia elements enhance comprehension and retention.

Storytelling injects life into your presentation, forging a deeper connection with your audience. Confidence, cultivated through thorough practice and self-awareness, is the linchpin of an impactful presentation. Finally, interaction and engagement techniques ensure active participation and maintain interest throughout.

By integrating these types of presentation tips, you can master the art of presentations, delivering messages that resonate deeply and inspire action.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is topic mastery essential for presentations?

Mastering your presentation topic through deep research boosts your confidence and enables you to handle any questions from the audience effectively. Thorough understanding ensures you can deliver your points clearly and convincingly.

2. How can I keep my audience engaged throughout my presentation?

Customize your content to your audience’s needs and interests by using simple language and relatable examples. A well-structured presentation with a strong opening and memorable conclusion, coupled with engaging multimedia and interactive elements, ensures maximum engagement.

3. What are some tips for delivering a captivating presentation?

Practice public speaking clearly and confidently, and use gestures to relate to your audience. Incorporating multimedia and interactive elements such as polls and Q&A sessions can boost engagement and make your presentation more memorable.

4. How can I enhance my presentation with multimedia and visual aids?

Choose relevant and high-quality images that support and enhance your speech. Embrace diverse media formats, such as videos, flipcharts, and practical demonstrations, to keep your presentation dynamic and engaging.

Unlock Your Presentation Potential with Prezentium

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Mastering executive communication: strategies, benefits, and best practices, 7 tips for crafting a winning sales presentation.

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22 Developing a Presentation Strategy

Learning Objectives

Upon completing this chapter, you should be able to

• describe key communication format factors to consider when developing a presentation,
• describe the main functional elements of an effective introduction,
• match the main elements of the rhetorical model to where they are best applied in the development of a presentation,
• describe the functional organization in the body of an effective presentation,
• describe the main functional elements of an effective conclusion, and
• develop a presentation outline using the concepts discussed in the chapter.

Introduction

In beginning to think about a strategy for your presentation, you must move from thinking only about your “self” to how you will engage with the world outside of you, which, of course, includes your audience and environment.

This chapter focuses on helping you prepare a presentation strategy by first revisiting the acronym FAST, which will help you select an appropriate Format, prepare an Audience analysis, ensure your Style reflects your authentic personality and strengths, and that the Tone is appropriate for the occasion.

Then, after you’ve selected the appropriate channel, you will begin drafting your presentation first by considering the general and specific purposes of your presentation and using an outline to map your ideas and strategy.

You’ll also learn to consider whether to incorporate backchannels or other technology into your presentation, and, finally, you will begin to think about how to develop presentation aids that will support your topic and approach.

At the end of this chapter you should be armed with a solid strategy for approaching your presentation in a way that is authentically you, balanced with knowing what’s in it for your audience while making the most of the environment.

Preparing a Presentation Strategy

Incorporating fast.

In the Writing module, you learned the acronym FAST, which you can use to develop your message according to the elements of Format, Audience, Style, and Tone. When you are working on a presentation, much like in your writing, you will rely on FAST to help you make choices.

First, you’ll need to think about the Format of your presentation. This is a choice between presentation types. In your professional life you’ll encounter the verbal communication channels in the following table. The purpose column labels each channel with a purpose (I=Inform, P=Persuade, or E=Entertain) depending on that channel’s most likely purpose.

Table 3.2.1 Presentation Communication Channels

There are some other considerations to make when you are selecting a format. For example, the number of speakers may influence the format you choose. Panels and Presentations may have more than one speaker. In meetings and teleconferences, multiple people will converse. In a Workshop setting, one person will usually lead the event, but there is often a high-level of collaboration between participants.

The location of participants will also influence your decision. For example, if participants cannot all be in the same room, you might choose a teleconference or webinar. If asynchronous delivery is important, you might record a podcast. When choosing a technology-reliant channel, such as a teleconference or webinar, be sure to test your equipment and make sure each participant has access to any materials they need before you begin.

Once you have chosen a Format, make sure your message is right for your Audience, just as you did in the Foundations module, when you conducted your Audience Analysis. You’ll need to think about issues such as the following:

• What expectations will the audience have?
• What is the context of your communication?
• What does the audience already know about the topic?
• How is the audience likely to react to you and your message?

The AUDIENCE tool you used in the Foundations module will be helpful tool here.

Next, you’ll consider the style of your presentation. Some of the things you discovered about yourself as a speaker in the self-awareness exercises earlier will influence your presentation style. Perhaps you prefer to present formally, limiting your interaction with the audience, or perhaps you prefer a more conversational, informal style, where discussion is a key element. You may prefer to cover serious subjects, or perhaps you enjoy delivering humorous speeches. Style is all about your personality!

Finally, you’ll select a tone for your presentation. Your voice, body language, level of self-confidence, dress, and use of space all contribute to the mood that your message takes on. Consider how you want your audience to feel when they leave your presentation, and approach it with that mood in mind.

Presentation Purpose

Your presentation will have a general and specific purpose. Your general purpose may be to inform, persuade, or entertain—the same goals you had in previous modules. It’s likely that any speech you develop will have a combination these goals. Most presentations have a little bit of entertainment value, even if they are primarily attempting to inform or persuade. For example, the speaker might begin with a joke or dramatic opening, even though their speech is primarily informational.

Your specific purpose addresses what you are going to inform, persuade, or entertain your audience with—the main topic of your speech. Each example below includes two pieces of information: first, the general purpose; second, the specific purpose.

To inform the audience about my favourite car, the Ford Mustang

To persuade the audience that global warming is a threat to the environment

Aim to speak for 90 percent of your allotted time so that you have time to answer audience questions at the end (assuming you have allowed for this). If audience questions are not expected, aim for 95 percent. Do not go overtime—audience members may need to be somewhere else immediately following your presentation, and you will feel uncomfortable if they begin to pack up and leave while you are still speaking. Conversely, you don’t want to finish too early, as they may feel as if they didn’t get their “money’s worth.”

To assess the timing of your speech as you prepare, you can

• set a timer while you do a few practice runs, and take an average
• run your speech text through an online speech timer
• estimate based on the number of words (the average person speaks at about 120 words per minute)

You can improve your chances of hitting your time target when you deliver your speech, by marking your notes with an estimated time at certain points. For example, if your speech starts at 2 p.m., you might mark 2:05 at the start of your notes for the body section, so that you can quickly glance at the clock and make sure you are on target. If you get there more quickly, consciously try to pause more often or speak more slowly, or speed up a little if you are pressed for time. If you have to adjust your timing as you are delivering the speech, do so gradually. It will be jarring to the audience if you start out speaking at a moderate pace, then suddenly realize you are going to run out of time and switch to rapid-fire delivery!

Incorporating Backchannels

Have you ever been to a conference where speakers asked for audience questions via social media? Perhaps one of your teachers at school has used Twitter for student comments and questions, or has asked you to vote on an issue through an online poll. Technology has given speakers new ways to engage with an audience in real time, and these can be particularly useful when it isn’t practical for the audience to share their thoughts verbally—for example, when the audience is very large, or when they are not all in the same location.

These secondary or additional means of interacting with your audience are called backchannels, and you might decide to incorporate one into your presentation, depending on your aims. They can be helpful for engaging more introverted members of the audience who may not be comfortable speaking out verbally in a large group. Using publicly accessible social networks, such as a Facebook Page or Twitter feed, can also help to spread your message to a wider audience, as audience members share posts related to your speech with their networks. Because of this, backchannels are often incorporated into conferences; they are helpful in marketing the conference and its speakers both during and after the event.

There are some caveats involved in using these backchannels, though. If, for example, you ask your audience to submit their questions via Twitter, you’ll need to choose a hashtag for them to append to the messages so that you can easily find them. You’ll also need to have an assistant who will sort and choose the audience questions for you to answer. It is much too distracting for the speaker to do this on their own during the presentation. You could, however, respond to audience questions and comments after the presentation via social media, gaining the benefits of both written and verbal channels to spread your message.

Developing the Content

Creating an outline.

As with any type of messaging, it helps if you create an outline of your speech or presentation before you create it fully. This ensures that each element is in the right place and gives you a place to start to avoid the dreaded blank page. Here is an outline template that you can adapt for your purpose. Replace the placeholders in the Content column with your ideas or points, then make some notes in the Verbal and Visual Delivery column about how you will support or emphasize these points using the techniques we’ve discussed.

Table 3.2.2 Presentation Outline

The beginning of your speech needs an attention-grabber to get your audience interested right away. Choose your attention-grabbing device based on what works best for you topic. Your entire introduction should only be around 10 to 15 percent of your total speech, so be sure to keep this section short. Here are some devices that you could try:

Subject Statement – to the point, but not the most interesting choice.

We are surrounded by statistical information in today’s world, so understanding statistics is becoming paramount to citizenship in the twenty-first century.

Audience Reference – highlights something common to the audience that will make them interested in the topic.

As human resource professionals, you and I know the importance of talent management. In today’s competitive world, we need to invest in getting and keeping the best talent for our organizations to succeed.

Quotation – wise words of another person. You can find quotations online that cover just about any topic.

Oliver Goldsmith, a sixteenth-century writer, poet, and physician, once noted that “the true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them.”

Current Event – refer to a current event in the news that demonstrates the relevance of your topic to the audience.

On January 10, 2007, Scott Anthony Gomez Jr. and a fellow inmate escaped from a Pueblo, Colorado, jail. During their escape the duo attempted to rappel from the roof of the jail using a makeshift ladder of bed sheets. During Gomez’s attempt to scale the building, he slipped, fell 40 feet, and injured his back. After being quickly apprehended, Gomez filed a lawsuit against the jail for making it too easy for him to escape.

Historical Event – Compare or contrast your topic with an occasion in history.

During the 1960s and ’70s, the United States intervened in the civil strife between North and South Vietnam. The result was a long-running war of attrition in which many American lives were lost and the country of Vietnam suffered tremendous damage and destruction. We saw a similar war waged in Iraq. American lives were lost, and stability has not yet returned to the region.

Anecdote, Parable, or Fable – An anecdote is a brief account or story of an interesting or humorous event, while a parable or fable is a symbolic tale designed to teach a life lesson.

In July 2009, a high school girl named Alexa Longueira was walking along a main boulevard near her home on Staten Island, New York, typing in a message on her cell phone. Not paying attention to the world around her, she took a step and fell right into an open manhole (Witney, 2009).

The ancient Greek writer Aesop told a fable about a boy who put his hand into a pitcher of filberts. The boy grabbed as many of the delicious nuts as he possibly could. But when he tried to pull them out, his hand wouldn’t fit through the neck of the pitcher because he was grasping so many filberts. Instead of dropping some of them so that his hand would fit, he burst into tears and cried about his predicament. The moral of the story? “Don’t try to do too much at once” (Aesop, 1881).

Surprising Statement – A strange fact or statistic related to your topic that startles your audience.

• A Boeing 747 airliner holds 57,285 gallons of fuel.
• The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year.
• There are no clocks in any casinos in Las Vegas.
• In 2000, Pope John Paul II became the most famous honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters.

Question – You could ask either a question that asks for a response from your audience, or a rhetorical question, which does not need a response but is designed to get them thinking about the topic.

• Raise your hand if you have ever thought about backpacking in Europe.
• If you prick us, do we not bleed? (Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice)

Humour – A joke or humorous quotation can work well, but to use humour you need to be sure that your audience will find the comment funny. You run the risk of insulting members of the audience, or leaving them puzzled if they don’t get the joke, so test it out on someone else first!

“The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless.” —Nicolas Chamfort, sixteenth-century French author

Personal Reference – Refer to a story about yourself that is relevant to the topic.

In the fall of 2008, I decided that it was time that I took my life into my own hands. After suffering for years with the disease of obesity, I decided to take a leap of faith and get a gastric bypass in an attempt to finally beat the disease.

Occasion Reference – This device is only relevant if your speech is occasion-specific, for example, a toast at a wedding, a ceremonial speech, or a graduation commencement.

Today we are here to celebrate the wedding of two wonderful people.

fter the attention-getter comes the rest of your introduction. It needs to do the following:

• Capture the audience’s interest
• State the purpose of your speech
• Establish credibility
• Give the audience a reason to listen
• Signpost the main ideas

Rhetoric and Argument

Your audience will think to themselves, Why should I listen to this speech? What’s in it for me? One of the best things you can do as a speaker is to answer these questions early in your body, if you haven’t already done so in your introduction. This will serve to gain their support early and will fill in the blanks of who, what, when, where, why, and how in their minds.

You may remember the three rhetorical proofs, namely, ethos, pathos, and logos, from the Writing Module. The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384‒322 B.C) considered these the three most important elements in a speaker’s arsenal.

Ethos refers to the speaker’s character and expertise. When you use ethos correctly, you are showing the audience that you are credible and that they can believe what you say. To cover this element in your speech, tell the audience why they should listen to you. You can do this by demonstrating your authority on your topic. For example, you could begin a persuasive speech on the dangers of drinking and driving with a short story about how you helped implement a “designated driver” program. This way the audience will understand your relationship to the message and form a positive perception of you. If you are trying to persuade the audience to donate blood, your credibility on the subject may come from your studies in the medical field or from having volunteered at a blood drive.

The term pathos refers to the use of emotion as a persuasive element. You have probably seen commercials on television for charities trying to raise funds for sick children or mistreated animals, complete with sad images and music; this is pathos at work. We don’t always make decisions based on clear thinking. We are easily moved by words, by a video clip, or by a piece of music, so this can be an effective way of convincing the audience to take a particular action. But it can be overdone, and the audience will tire of it if you push too hard. If pathos is central to your strategy, be subtle about it so that you don’t turn off your audience.

The term logos refers to logic. Aristotle believed that any argument should be based on logic, not pathos (emotion), but you might not agree! To win your audience over using logic, your speech must be carefully organized and present facts and evidence. Depending on the general purpose of your speech, particularly if its goal is to persuade, you may need to present an argument. To do this, logos is key. Think about what prosecutors do during a trial—particularly during closing arguments. This is the place for facts and reason. Prosecutors will argue that the scenario they have presented is the only logical interpretation of the evidence. To use logos effectively, incorporate expert testimony, statistics, and other reliable data.

Organization

An organized body helps your audience to follow your speech and recall your points later. When developing the body of your speech, recall the specific purpose you decided on, then choose main points to support it. Just two or three main points are usually sufficient, depending on the length of your speech. Anticipate one main point per two to three minutes of speaking.

To narrow down your main points, start by brainstorming. Don’t worry about judging the value or importance of the points at this stage; just write down as many possible points as you can that support your topic. What information does your audience need to know to understand your topic? What information does your speech need to convey to accomplish its specific purpose? Here is an example of a list that you might begin with.

Table 3.2.3 Organizing the Points in a Presentation

Once you have a list of points, you’ll need to narrow them down. Begin by looking for closely related minor points that can be grouped into one. This process is called chunking. Before reading our chunking of the preceding list, can you determine three large chunks out of the list above?

Table 3.2.4 Organizing the Main Points in a Presentation

The preceding list is a little disjointed, and not all of the topics work together clearly. These are just general ideas at this point. There is often more than one way to organize a speech. Some of these points could be left out, and others developed more fully, depending on the purpose and audience. You will refine this information until you have the number of main points you need. Ensure that they are distinct, and balance the content of your speech so that you spend roughly the same amount of time addressing each. You’ll also need to remember what you learned about parallel structure in the Writing Module, to make sure each of your main points is phrased in the same way. The last thing to do when working on your body is to make sure your points are in a logical order, so that your ideas flow naturally from one to the next.

Concluding on a High Note

You’ll need to keep your energy up until the very end of your speech. In your conclusion, your job is to let the audience know you are finished, help them remember what you’ve told them, and leave them with a final thought or call-to-action, depending on the general purpose of your message.

In this chapter you revisited the importance of FAST and AUDIENCE tools in helping to lay out a strategy that incorporates your own understanding with the needs of the audience. You learned about how to use an outline to stay organized and keep track of your ideas, as well as general and specific purposes. You learned the importance of sustaining your audience’s attention throughout the presentation with key approaches you can take as you write your introduction, body, and conclusion. You should now be prepared to take your strategy to the next level by ensuring you next consider whether and how to incorporate high-quality presentation aids.

Aesop (1881). Aesop’s fables. New York, NY: Wm. L. Allison. Retrieved from http://www.litscape.com/author/Aesop/The_Boy_and_the_Filberts.html

Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology [Online version]. Retrieved from http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Ebbinghaus/index.htm

Whitney, L. (2009, July 13). Don’t text while walking? Girl learns the hard way. CNET News Wireless. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10285466-94.html

Attribution Statement (Developing a Presentation Strategy)

This chapter is a remix containing content from a variety of sources published under a variety of open licenses, including the following:

Chapter Content

• Original content contributed by the Olds College OER Development Team, of Olds College to Professional Communications Open Curriculum under a CC-BY 4.0 license
• Content created by Anonymous for Organization and Outlines; in Communication for Business Success, previously shared at http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/communication-for-business-success-canadian-edition/s16-organization-and-outlines.html under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license

Check Your Understandings

• Original assessment items contributed by the Olds College OER Development Team, of Olds College to Professional Communications Open Curriculum under a CC-BY 4.0 license
• Assessment items created by Boundless, for Boundless Communications, Rehearsing the Speech Chapter Quiz, previously shared at https://www.boundless.com/quizzes/rehearsing-the-speech-quiz-93085/ under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license
• Assessment items in Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking, Chapter 6 Exercises shared previously at http://www.saylor.org/books  under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license
• Assessment items created by Boundless, for Boundless Communications, The Role of the Introduction Chapter Quiz, previously shared at https://www.boundless.com/quizzes/introduction-quiz-80298/ under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license
• Assessment items created by Boundless, for Boundless Communications, The The Role of the Conclusion Chapter Quiz, previously shared at https://www.boundless.com/quizzes/conclusion-quiz-93492/ under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license
• Assessment items created by Boundless, for Boundless Communications, The Establishing Credibility Chapter Quiz, previously shared at https://www.boundless.com/quizzes/introduction-quiz-80298/ under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license
• Assessment items created by The Saylor Foundation for the saylor.org course Comm 101: Public Speaking, previously shared at https://learn.saylor.org/course/comm101 under a CC BY 3.0 US license

Professional Communications Copyright © by Olds College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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Presenting is a craft that requires a thoughtful approach. There’s a lot of stuff to include in the good presentation. From quality visuals to a compelling speech, everything matters. Doing a presentation on your own may be quite a challenge especially if it’s your first time experience with the presentations. What can really help though, are the effective presentation techniques. In essence, they are the blueprint for your presentation, that helps you to hit all the right spots. Let’s look into some of those techniques.

Presentation Methods

Before you start thinking of a technique, let’s first understand the presentation methods and how they relate to the audience and the content of your presentation. Among the different presentation methods, the main ones are formal and formal. Their difference is mainly in the style of your delivery and the data presentation methods. The formal presentation is best suited for the business meetings or college level, scientific presentations. The informal methods of presentation can best be used during the smaller meetings with your team to discuss business subjects or, for example, at a Ted-like speech event.

Method 1: Keeping Everything Simple

This is a rather basic technique. Just strip your presentation of all the unnecessary information, leaving only the core statements that you want to address. Simplicity not only helps your audience to understand your points better but even more, this data presentation method lowers the risk of making a mistake, forgetting — and saves you and your audience quite a lot of time! There are different definitions of simplicity — sometimes just a few words are enough, while in other cases several bullet points on the slide may be sufficient. Choose what suits your topic best.

Method 2: Good Start 

This method of presentation is all about attention-grabbing. Starting your presentation with a powerful statement, unusual fact or an interesting question will make the audience engage in your presentation instantly. Another great way to start is a joke, though humor can be quite a landmine, especially when you’re presenting in front of strangers, and you are not sure whether your joke would be fun or actually offensive.  So, try to think of something neutral, yet funny.

Method 3: Use  Visuals in your Presentation

Visuals are a must for any presentation and are able not only to support your speech but also to tell and contribute to the stuff you’re telling about. The pictures, graphs, infographics, and even short videos especially when done by presentation design services are what truly make the presentation, and help you to connect with your audience. A carefully selected visual connects both with your speech and the slide content, making your presentation methods work in complete harmony. What is more, visuals can serve as a great way to help you recall your speech in case you suddenly forgot some of it during the presentation.

Method 4:   Rehearse

Don’t rush to tell your presentation just once you’ve made it. Instead, try to first rehearse your presentation in front of a mirror. This presentation technique allows you to spot the mistakes and downfalls in your speech and visual part and improve powerpoint presentation . What is more, it can also make you more confident, as with each time you rehearse you’ll memorize your stuff better and better. Bonus points for starting rehearsing from the random spots in your presentation — using this presentation technique will allow you to become completely familiar with your information.

Method 5:   10/20/30 Presentation Rule

While it may not be applied to all of the presentations, the ones that you are usually dealing with can really benefit from it. 10 20 30 rule is about the time and size of your presentation: 

• Your presentation should have no more than 10 slides
• The time needed for the presentation should be no more than 20 minutes
• The font you are using for presentation text (if there is any on slides) is no less than 30 point

Method 6:  Storytelling

Telling a story is a powerful presentation technique for keeping the audience interested. In general, people get bored from being fed just straight-up facts and numbers for a long time. However, an interesting story, connected to the subject of your presentation gives that personal touch to it, engaging the audience into what you are talking about. What is more, a good story in the context of the presentation will actually resonate with the audience, causing more approval to you as an expert.

• Tell a personal  story .
• Create suspense.
• Bring characters to life.
• Build up to S.T.A.R moment.

Method 7:   Presentate with your Voice

Speech is the most common method of presentation . When you are presenting, it’s important not only WHAT you say, but also HOW do you say it. Creating a proper voice for presentations is actually one of the things you need rehearsal for. Your goal is to sound confident and interested in the subject you are telling about. What is more, it is important to not make unnecessary pauses and avoid the “ummm”, “oh” and other similar stuff that slows down your presentation and may put off the audience.

Method 8:   Know your Audience

Make sure that the data presentation methods you are using make your data  relevant to your audience. The research of your audience is needed to craft a relatable story, as well as to understand what approach in presenting you may want to take. After you’ve done the research, you can just tell the audience what it wants and expects to hear. Such an approach would result in the satisfied and interested audience enjoying your presentation. And in this case your presentation would surely and up being a huge success!

Method 9:   Back up plan

Even though you may plan everything in advance, something can always go wrong. The strange ability of the hardware to malfunction right in the middle of your presentation is probably one of the most known presentation-related memes. So, plan at least some of the bad scenarios. For example, have a printed set of slides with you during your presentation. Check everything right before you’ll start presenting. A good idea also is to have your script written out so that in case you have completely forgotten some of its parts, you can easily and quickly look into it and goon with the presentation.

Method 10:   Relax

This one is not only a presentation technique , but a great life technique as well. Actually, the most common reason for the mistakes during presentations are the nerves and fear a lot of people feel while presenting. It’s absolutely normal to be a little worried about the presentation, but you have to instill confidence in your knowledge and expertise with the subject among the audience, and it’s hard to do if you feel fear. Try to reason with yourself — you have rehearsed, prepared great visuals, learned about the audience and even have a plan B in case the situation gets worse. There’s nothing to worry about — you have all the right presentation techniques !

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• 50 tips on how to improve PowerPoint presentations in 2022-2023 [Updated]
• Present financial information visually in PowerPoint to drive results
• Keynote VS PowerPoint
• Types of presentations

How to make a presentation interactive

8 rules of effective presentation

How to select and use fonts in PPT

Study Skills and Classroom Success

Presentation strategies.

The very best impromptu speeches are the ones written well in advance. —Ruth Gordon, actress and playwright

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Identify common types of presentation tasks in a college class, including individual and group projects
• Describe the purpose of presentation assignments and what an instructor might expect to see from your delivery
• Explain how to avoid common pitfalls of visual aids in presentations
• Identify techniques to reduce anxiety prior to and during presentation delivery

Imagine you are walking across your campus. As you pass the student center, you see a couple of people who have set up at a table outside, and they’re passing out information about the student honor society. Open windows in the music building share the sounds of someone practicing the piano in the art studio. Upon entering your class building, you are greeted by student-made posters illustrating various phases of the process of cell division. An open class door allows you to watch a young man in a lab coat and protective gear pour liquid nitrogen over items in a tray while the rest of his classmates look on with great interest. Your own instructor is setting up the computer screen at the front of your class when you walk in, loading up the Powerpoint that he plans to use for the day.

All of these are examples of presentations, and it’s very likely that you’ll be asked to participate in similar activities during your college career. Presenting, whether face-to-face or online, is a skill you will hone as a college student in preparation for your future career.

Presentation Types

Presentations can take many forms and potentially serve many purposes. When reading the definitions below, keep in mind that many presentations often combine several elements into a hybrid form. You may have to pick and choose what will work best for you depending on the instructor and the course. Let’s start with the different genres or types of presentations.

Informative

Some presentation assignments will ask you simply to deliver information about a topic. Often these presentations involve research, which you will shape and present to your instructor and classmates. Typically, informative presentations ask that you NOT share your opinion about the subject at hand (which can be more challenging than it seems). With an informative presentation, your goal is to educate your audience by presenting a summary of your research and “sticking to the facts.”

Unlike informative presentations, persuasive presentations ask that you not only form an opinion about your subject but also convince your audience to come around to your point of view. These presentations often involve research, too, and the findings of your research will be used to bolster the persuasive case you’re making.

Lesson Delivery

You may be asked to do a “Teaching Presentation,” which will require you to specialize in one topic of the course and give your fellow classmates instruction about it. In short, you become the teacher of a subject. Often your presentation will be the only time that this subject is covered in the class, so you will be responsible for making sure that you provide clear, detailed, and relevant information about it. You may also be asked to provide questions on the subject to be included in a quiz or test.

Demonstration

These action-based presentations typically model some behavior or subject matter that has been introduced previously in the class. Unlike the Lesson Delivery presentation, a demonstration adds a level of performance in which you show and tell the the audience what you know. You might perform the demonstration yourself, as a way of illustrating the concept or procedure, or you might provide classmates with instructions and guidance as they do it themselves.

Poster presentations should convey all the information on a subject necessary for a viewer to consider on her own. They often consist of short, punchy wording accompanied by strong visuals—graphs, charts, images, and/or illustrations. Posters frequently require research to prepare, and they allow for some creativity in design. Depending on the assignment, your poster may be part of a gallery of poster presentations with your classmates. Your poster has to communicate everything that is important without you being there to explain it to your audience.

Similar to poster presentations, online presentations are generally asynchronous— meaning they don’t require you to be present at the same time as your viewer. They often serve similar purposes as poster presentations, but due to the online format, they allow for more interactive possibilities, such as sharing a pertinent video or animated graph. Your online presentation must stand alone to teach your audience everything they need to know.

Solo and Group Presentations

You may be asked to present as an individual or as part of a group.

Individual presentations put all of the responsibility for preparation, research, and delivery on you. You rightfully take all the credit for the final product you produce.

Group presentations , in contrast, often involve more complicated tasks and therefore require more participants to make them. Your instructor may make suggestions about how the work should be divided, or the group may delegate tasks internally. Grades may be assigned equally to everyone in the group, though many instructors assign individual grades based on some participation-level factor to inspire each member to pull his or her own weight.

Presentation assignments are often open to creative interpretation, which gives you a lot of room to explore new techniques and add a personal touch to the task.

Think About Audience

Now that you’ve learned a bit about the various types of presentations, it’s helpful to turn to another important part of presenting: the audience. Like reading and writing, presenting is a form of communication. Whether you’re presenting information, giving a demonstration, creating a poster, or trying to change people’s minds, your goal is to get your message across to your audience. For that reason, it’s important to remember that they may not interpret the information you are presenting exactly as you have. It’s your job as a presenter to explain your ideas using specific details, succinct and clear wording (avoid jargon), vivid descriptions, and meaningful images. As you organize your presentation, keeping this imaginary audience in mind can help you gauge how much background information and context to provide.

Choosing Media and Format for Visual Aids

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “Death by PowerPoint” to explain that all-too-familiar feeling of being slowly bored to death by a thoughtless presenter who’s droning on and on about boring slide after boring slide. If you’d like to know what the experience is about, and you have time for a laugh, watch the following video, starring stand-up comedian Don McMillan. McMillan pokes fun at bad presentations, but he has some very sound advice about what not to do .

You may consider using PowerPoint for your presentation, and that’s perfectly fine. PowerPoint can be a very effective tool with the right organization, layout, and design. Below is a list of five common pitfalls that you can and should avoid, and doing so will go a long way toward making your PowerPoint presentation successful:

• Choosing a font that is too small . The person in the very back of the room should be able to see the same thing as the person in the front of the room.
• Putting too many words on a slide . Remember it’s called PowerPoint, not PowerParagraph! Keep your bullet points clear and succinct.
• Having spelling errors . Have somebody proofread your slides. Any typos will detract from your presentation.
• Choosing distracting colors that make it hard to read the information . PowerPoint gives you a lot of color choices in their design templates. The ideas in your brilliant presentation will be lost if your audience is struggling to read the content.
• Selecting images or visuals that do not clearly align with the content . For instance, a cute photo of your cat may look lovely up on the screen, but if it doesn’t connect to your topic, it’s just fluff that detracts from your message. Every slide counts, so make sure the visuals support your message.

Practicing for the Presentation

Once you’ve put together your presentation and have an idea of the audience that will hear and see it, it’s time to deal with the “nerves” that can accompany the performance part of the presentation. let’s consider some strategies for reducing anxiety about the presentation. Let’s turn to a final list of pointers for the “performance” part of the presentation, when you actually present your plan to an audience. You’ve worked hard as the owner of this presentation, so have confidence in your work. It’s tough to remember this when you’re nervous, but you’re the person who knows the most about your presentations. The following activity can help you get there.

Activity: Make A Presentation Plan

• Practice techniques to reduce anxiety prior to and during presentation delivery

Directions:

• As you plan for your presentation, it’s helpful to reflect on the challenges you may face when you present to your audience. Jot down a quick list of strengths and weaknesses. Be honest!
• Now that you have an honest reflection of those strengths and weakness, it’s time to practice. Ask a friend or family member to watch you present. Request that they be honest with you and give constructive criticism about the strengths and weaknesses of your presentation. Have them jot down quick notes.
• After the practice presentation, compare notes with the friend or family member. Compare and contrast how you felt about the quality of your presentation with the feedback you received. Use this information to help improve your presentation delivery.

What if you don’t have anyone available to practice your presentation? Record yourself using your phone or your laptop. It can be very difficult to listen to yourself, but it’s always enlightening to watch and/or listen to yourself present.

Practicing your presentation will help you build confidence and reduce anxiety prior to and during your presentation. Remember the sage advice of Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” Good luck!

• Presentation Strategies. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Image of woman presenting. Authored by : FotoMediamatic. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/uzmwSd . License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
• Image of Overplanning Kills Magic. Authored by : University of the Fraser Valley. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/mSNUJj . License : CC BY: Attribution

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How to give a good presentation that captivates any audience

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What are the main difficulties when giving presentations?

How to create an effective presentation, after that, how do i give a memorable presentation, how to connect with the audience when presenting.

If you’ve ever heard someone give a powerful presentation, you probably remember how it made you feel. Much like a composer, a good speaker knows precisely when each note should strike to captivate their audience’s attention and leave them with a lasting impression.

No one becomes a great public speaker or presenter without practice. And almost everyone can recall a time one of their presentations went badly — that’s a painful part of the learning process.

Whether you’re working within a small creative team or a large organization, public speaking and presentation skills are vital to communicating your ideas. Knowing how to present your vision can help you pitch concepts to clients, present ideas to your team, and develop the confidence to participate in team meetings.

If you have an upcoming presentation on the horizon and feel nervous, that’s normal. Around 15-30% of the general population experience a fear of public speaking . And, unfortunately, social anxiety is on the rise, with a 12% increase in adults over the last 20 years . 

Learning how to give a good presentation can dismantle your fears and break down these barriers, ensuring you’re ready to confidently share your point of view. 

It’s the week before your presentation, and you’re already feeling nervous . Maybe there’ll be an important mentor in the room you need to impress, or you’re looking for an opportunity to show your boss your value. Regardless of your countless past presentations, you still feel nervous. 

Sharing your vision and ideas with any sized group is intimidating. You’re likely worrying about how you’ll perform as a presenter and whether the audience will be interested in what you offer. But nerves aren’t inherently negative — you can actually use this feeling to fuel your preparation.

It’s helpful to identify where your worries are coming from and address your fears. Here are some common concerns when preparing for an upcoming presentation:

Fear of public speaking: When you share your ideas in front of a group, you’re placing yourself in a vulnerable position to be critiqued on your knowledge and communication skills . Maybe you feel confident in your content, but when you think about standing in front of an audience, you feel anxious and your mind goes blank.

It’s also not uncommon to have physical symptoms when presenting . Some people experience nausea and dizziness as the brain releases adrenaline to cope with the potentially stressful situation . Remember to take deep breaths to recenter yourself and be patient, even if you make a mistake.

Losing the audience’s attention: As a presenter, your main focus is to keep your audience engaged. They should feel like they’re learning valuable information or following a story that will improve them in life or business.

Highlight the most exciting pieces of knowledge and ensure you emphasize those points in your presentation. If you feel passionate about your content, it’s more likely that your audience will experience this excitement for themselves and become invested in what you have to say.

Not knowing what content to place on presentation slides: Overloading presentation slides is a fast way to lose your audience’s attention. Your slides should contain only the main talking points and limited text to ensure your audience focuses on what you have to say rather than becoming distracted by the content on your slides.

Discomfort incorporating nonverbal communication: It’s natural to feel stiff and frozen when you’re nervous. But maintaining effective body language helps your audience stay focused on you as you speak and encourages you to relax.

If you struggle to incorporate body language into your presentations, try starting small by making hand gestures toward your slides. If you’re working with a large audience, use different parts of the stage to ensure everyone feels included. 

Each presenter has their own personal brand and style. Some may use humor to break the ice, while others might appeal to the audience’s emotional side through inspiring storytelling. 

Watching online presentations, such as TED talks, is an excellent way to expose yourself to various presentation styles and develop your own. While observing others, you can note how they carry themselves on stage and learn new ways to keep your audience engaged.

Once you’ve addressed what’s causing your fears, it’s time to prepare for a great presentation. Use your past experience as inspiration and aim to outshine your former self by learning from your mistakes and employing new techniques. Here are five presentation tips to help you create a strong presentation and wow your audience:

1. Keep it simple

Simple means something different to everyone.

Before creating your presentation, take note of your intended audience and their knowledge level of your subject. You’ll want your content to be easy for your intended audience to follow.

Say you’re giving a presentation on improving your company’s operational structure. Entry-level workers will likely need a more straightforward overview of the content than C-suite leaders, who have significantly more experience. 

Ask yourself what you want your audience to take away from your presentation and emphasize those important points. Doing this ensures they remember the most vital information rather than less important supporting ideas. Try organizing these concepts into bullet points so viewers can quickly identify critical takeaways.

2. Create a compelling structure

Put yourself in your audience member’s shoes and determine the most compelling way to organize your information. Your presentation should be articulate , cohesive, and logical, and you must be sure to include all necessary supporting evidence to strengthen your main points.

If you give away all of your answers too quickly, your audience could lose interest. And if there isn’t enough supporting information, they could hit a roadblock of confusion. Try developing a compelling story that leads your audience through your thought processes so they can experience the ups and downs alongside you. 

By structuring your presentation to lead up to a final conclusion, you’re more likely to keep listeners’ attention. Once you’ve reached that conclusion, you can offer a Q&A period to put any of their questions or concerns to rest. 

3. Use visual aids

Appealing to various learning styles is a great way to keep everyone on the same page and ensure they absorb your content. Visual aids are necessary for visual learners and make it easier for people to picture your ideas.

Aim to incorporate a mixture of photos, videos, and props to engage your audience and convey your key points. For instance, if you’re giving a presentation on anthropology subject matter, you could show your audience an artifact to help them understand how exciting a discovery must have been. 

If your presentation is long, including a video for your audience to watch is an excellent way to give yourself a break and create new jumping-off points for your speech.

4. Be aware of design techniques and trends

Thanks to cutting-edge technology and tools, you have numerous platforms at your disposal to create a good presentation. But keep in mind that although color, images, and graphics liven things up, they can cause distraction when misused.

  Here are a few standard pointers for incorporating visuals on your slides: 

• Don’t place blocks of small text on a single slide
• Use a minimalistic background instead of a busy one
• Ensure text stands out against the background color
• Only use high-resolution photos
• Maintain a consistent font style and size throughout the presentation
• Don’t overuse transitions and effects

5. Try the 10-20-30 rule

Guy Kawasaki, a prominent venture capitalist and one of the original marketing specialists for Apple, said that the best slideshow presentations are less than 10 slides , last at most 20 minutes, and use a font size of 30. Following this strategy can help you condense your information, eliminate unnecessary ideas, and maintain your audience’s focus more efficiently.

Once you’re confident in creating a memorable presentation, it’s time to learn how to give one. Here are some valuable tips for keeping your audience invested during your talk: 

Tip #1: Tell stories

Sharing an anecdote from your life can improve your credibility and increase your relatability. And when an audience relates to you, they’re more likely to feel connected to who you are as a person and encouraged to give you their full attention, as they would want others to do the same.

Gill Hicks utilized this strategy well when she shared her powerful story, “ I survived a terrorist attack. Here’s what I learned .” In her harrowing tale, Hicks highlights the importance of compassion, unconditional love, and helping those in need.

If you feel uncomfortable sharing personal stories, that’s okay. You can use examples from famous individuals or create a fictional account to demonstrate your ideas.

Tip #2: Make eye contact with the audience

Maintaining eye contact is less intimidating than it sounds. In fact, you don’t have to look your audience members directly in their eyes — you can focus on their foreheads or noses if that’s easier.

Try making eye contact with as many people as possible for 3–5 seconds each. This timing ensures you don’t look away too quickly, making the audience member feel unimportant, or linger too long, making them feel uncomfortable.

If you’re presenting to a large group, direct your focus to each part of the room to ensure no section of the audience feels ignored. 

Tip #3: Work on your stage presence

Although your tone and words are the most impactful part of your presentation, recall that body language keeps your audience engaged. Use these tips to master a professional stage presence:

• Speak with open arms and avoid crossing them
• Keep a reasonable pace and try not to stand still
• Use hand gestures to highlight important information

Tip #4: Start strong

Like watching a movie trailer, the first seconds of your talk are critical for capturing your audience’s attention. How you start your speech sets the tone for the rest of your presentation and tells your audience whether or not they should pay attention. Here are some ways to start your presentation to leave a lasting impression:

• Use a quote from a well-known and likable influential person 
• Ask a rhetorical question to create intrigue
• Start with an anecdote to add context to your talk 
• Spark your audience’s curiosity by involving them in an interactive problem-solving puzzle or riddle

Tip #5: Show your passion

Don’t be afraid of being too enthusiastic. Everyone appreciates a speaker who’s genuinely excited about their field of expertise. 

In “ Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance ,” Angela Lee Duckworth discusses the importance of passion in research and delivery. She delivers her presentation excitedly to show the audience how excitement piques interest. 

Tip #6: Plan your delivery

How you decide to deliver your speech will shape your presentation. Will you be preparing a PowerPoint presentation and using a teleprompter? Or are you working within the constraints of the digital world and presenting over Zoom?

The best presentations are conducted by speakers who know their stuff and memorize their content. However, if you find this challenging, try creating notes to use as a safety net in case you lose track.

If you’re presenting online, you can keep notes beside your computer for each slide, highlighting your key points. This ensures you include all the necessary information and follow a logical order.

Tip #7: Practice

Practice doesn’t make perfect — it makes progress. There’s no way of preparing for unforeseen circumstances, but thorough practice means you’ve done everything you can to succeed.

Rehearse your speech in front of a mirror or to a trusted friend or family member. Take any feedback and use it as an opportunity to fine-tune your speech. But remember: who you practice your presentation in front of may differ from your intended audience. Consider their opinions through the lens of them occupying this different position.

Tip #8: Read the room

Whether you’re a keynote speaker at an event or presenting to a small group of clients, knowing how to read the room is vital for keeping your audience happy. Stay flexible and be willing to move on from topics quickly if your listeners are uninterested or displeased with a particular part of your speech.

Tip #9: Breathe

Try taking deep breaths before your presentation to calm your nerves. If you feel rushed, you’re more likely to feel nervous and stumble on your words.

The most important thing to consider when presenting is your audience’s feelings. When you approach your next presentation calmly, you’ll put your audience at ease and encourage them to feel comfortable in your presence.

Tip #10: Provide a call-to-action

When you end your presentation, your audience should feel compelled to take a specific action, whether that’s changing their habits or contacting you for your services.

If you’re presenting to clients, create a handout with key points and contact information so they can get in touch. You should provide your LinkedIn information, email address, and phone number so they have a variety of ways to reach you. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all template for an effective presentation, as your unique audience and subject matter play a role in shaping your speech. As a general rule, though, you should aim to connect with your audience through passion and excitement. Use strong eye contact and body language. Capture their interest through storytelling and their trust through relatability.

Learning how to give a good presentation can feel overwhelming — but remember, practice makes progress. Rehearse your presentation for someone you trust, collect their feedback , and revise. Practicing your presentation skills is helpful for any job, and every challenge is a chance to grow.

Enhance your presentation skills

Discover coaching that transforms your public speaking and boosts your confidence in presenting.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

How to write a speech that your audience remembers

6 presentation skills and how to improve them, 3 stand-out professional bio examples to inspire your own, tell a story they can't ignore these 10 tips will teach you how, how to make a presentation interactive and exciting, your guide to what storytelling is and how to be a good storyteller, reading the room gives you an edge — no matter who you're talking to, 18 effective strategies to improve your communication skills, writing an elevator pitch about yourself: a how-to plus tips, similar articles, how to pitch ideas: 8 tips to captivate any audience, the 11 tips that will improve your public speaking skills, 30 presentation feedback examples, fear of public speaking overcome it with these 7 tips, how to not be nervous for a presentation — 13 tips that work (really), stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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• PRESENTATION SKILLS

Top Tips for Effective Presentations

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How can you make a good presentation even more effective?

This page draws on published advice from expert presenters around the world, which will help to take your presentations from merely ‘good’ to ‘great’.

By bringing together advice from a wide range of people, the aim is to cover a whole range of areas.

Whether you are an experienced presenter, or just starting out, there should be ideas here to help you to improve.

1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience

It’s hard to be relaxed and be yourself when you’re nervous.

But time and again, the great presenters say that the most important thing is to connect with your audience, and the best way to do that is to let your passion for the subject shine through.

Be honest with the audience about what is important to you and why it matters.

Be enthusiastic and honest, and the audience will respond.

2. Focus on your Audience’s Needs

Your presentation needs to be built around what your audience is going to get out of the presentation.

As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can tell them.

While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to remain focused on your audience’s response, and react to that.

You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and respond.

3. Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message

When planning your presentation, you should always keep in mind the question:

What is the key message (or three key points) for my audience to take away?

You should be able to communicate that key message very briefly.

Some experts recommend a 30-second ‘elevator summary’, others that you can write it on the back of a business card, or say it in no more than 15 words.

Whichever rule you choose, the important thing is to keep your core message focused and brief.

And if what you are planning to say doesn’t contribute to that core message, don’t say it.

4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience

This sounds very easy, but a surprisingly large number of presenters fail to do it.

If you smile and make eye contact, you are building rapport , which helps the audience to connect with you and your subject. It also helps you to feel less nervous, because you are talking to individuals, not to a great mass of unknown people.

To help you with this, make sure that you don’t turn down all the lights so that only the slide screen is visible. Your audience needs to see you as well as your slides.

5. Start Strongly

The beginning of your presentation is crucial. You need to grab your audience’s attention and hold it.

They will give you a few minutes’ grace in which to entertain them, before they start to switch off if you’re dull. So don’t waste that on explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.

Try a story (see tip 7 below), or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide.

6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

This is a tip from Guy Kawasaki of Apple. He suggests that slideshows should:

• Contain no more than 10 slides;
• Last no more than 20 minutes; and
• Use a font size of no less than 30 point.

This last is particularly important as it stops you trying to put too much information on any one slide. This whole approach avoids the dreaded ‘Death by PowerPoint’.

As a general rule, slides should be the sideshow to you, the presenter. A good set of slides should be no use without the presenter, and they should definitely contain less, rather than more, information, expressed simply.

If you need to provide more information, create a bespoke handout and give it out after your presentation.

7. Tell Stories

Human beings are programmed to respond to stories.

Stories help us to pay attention, and also to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. It is a good idea to start with a story, but there is a wider point too: you need your presentation to act like a story.

Think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation to tell it.

Finding The Story Behind Your Presentation

To effectively tell a story, focus on using at least one of the two most basic storytelling mechanics in your presentation:

Focusing On Characters – People have stories; things, data, and objects do not. So ask yourself “who” is directly involved in your topic that you can use as the focal point of your story.

For example, instead of talking about cars (your company’s products), you could focus on specific characters like:

• The drivers the car is intended for – people looking for speed and adventure
• The engineers who went out of their way to design the most cost-effective car imaginable

A Changing Dynamic – A story needs something to change along the way. So ask yourself “What is not as it should be?” and answer with what you are going to do about it (or what you did about it).

For example…

• Did hazardous road conditions inspire you to build a rugged, all-terrain jeep that any family could afford?
• Did a complicated and confusing food labelling system lead you to establish a colour-coded nutritional index so that anybody could easily understand it?

To see 15 more actionable storytelling tips, see Nuts & Bolts Speed Training’s post on Storytelling Tips .

8. Use your Voice Effectively

The spoken word is actually a pretty inefficient means of communication, because it uses only one of your audience’s five senses. That’s why presenters tend to use visual aids, too. But you can help to make the spoken word better by using your voice effectively.

Varying the speed at which you talk, and emphasising changes in pitch and tone all help to make your voice more interesting and hold your audience’s attention.

For more about this, see our page on Effective Speaking .

9. Use your Body Too

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of communication is non-verbal.

That means that as well as your tone of voice, your body language is crucial to getting your message across. Make sure that you are giving the right messages: body language to avoid includes crossed arms, hands held behind your back or in your pockets, and pacing the stage.

Make your gestures open and confident, and move naturally around the stage, and among the audience too, if possible.

10. Relax, Breathe and Enjoy

If you find presenting difficult, it can be hard to be calm and relaxed about doing it.

One option is to start by concentrating on your breathing. Slow it down, and make sure that you’re breathing fully. Make sure that you continue to pause for breath occasionally during your presentation too.

For more ideas, see our page on Coping with Presentation Nerves .

If you can bring yourself to relax, you will almost certainly present better. If you can actually start to enjoy yourself, your audience will respond to that, and engage better. Your presentations will improve exponentially, and so will your confidence. It’s well worth a try.

Improve your Presentation Skills

Follow our guide to boost your presentation skills learning about preparation, delivery, questions and all other aspects of giving effective presentations.

Start with: What is a Presentation?

Continue to: How to Give a Speech Self Presentation

See also: Five Ways You Can Do Visual Marketing on a Budget Can Presentation Science Improve Your Presentation? Typography – It’s All About the Message in Your Slides

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11 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Skills (& Free Training)

Written by: Heleana Tiburca

Are you looking for ways to completely level up your presentation skills? We’ve rounded up a list of the 10 best tips to help you deliver and create an effective presentation .

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the tips you’ll find inside:

• Create an audience journey roadmap
• Use proper and confident body language
• Meet your audience before presenting to better connect with them
• Focus on your presentation design to engage your audience

... and a whole lot more!

So, if you want to take your presentation skills to the next level, then this list will show you exactly how to do so.

Let’s get into it.

Table of Contents

Tip #1: define the purpose of your presentation., tip #2: create an audience journey map., tip #3: keep your slides short and sweet., tip #4: focus on your presentation design., tip #5: visualize boring numbers and data., tip #6: practice in front of a live audience., tip #7: meet your audience before presenting., tip #8: channel nervous energy into enthusiastic energy., tip #9: use proper and confident body language., tip #10: allow your personality to shine through., tip #11: take courses to improve your presentation skills., free presentation skills training.

Behind every successful presentation, there was carefully crafted planning that went into it beforehand. To ensure that you’ll have a powerful presentation, you need to consider your message.

The very first step to any good presentation is to define its purpose. This goes on in the very beginning during the planning process where you consider your message.

Your presentation’s end goal can be any of the following:

• To entertain
• To persuade

Your presentation’s end goal might even be a combination of the four purposes above. Consider the fact that you may need to inform buyers of your product and what problem it solves for them, but you also need to persuade them into buying it.

This is where engaging storytelling and proper visual aids will come into play to help you achieve your goal, and will either make or break your presentation.

Once you pinpoint the purpose of your presentation, you can then begin to work on the subject matter and your audience journey map.

An audience journey map is a visual representation of all the steps you need to take your audience members through, from first to last and everything in between, to achieve the goal of your presentation.

There are a few steps to creating your audience journey map.

First, you need to start your explanation at a low point — the current state of an issue. Maybe there’s a problem that you are able to solve. Describe the current situation before you lay out the undertaking ahead.

Once you lay out the problem, you can then start showing your audience the process of solving this problem. To not overwhelm your crowd, give them an actionable roadmap to follow.

With great verbal communication skills, you can tell them how you plan to take the first step.

This is many times the hardest part of the presentation, but once you have the foundation for your first step, you can easily lay out the next stepping stones and take them to your end goal with ease.

Creating an audience journey map will be a major success factor in a compelling presentation and needs to be done before writing and creating your slides.

Having a clear audience journey map will also help ensure you take your audience on a smooth journey with all your main points in line and achieve your end goal with no bumps in the road.

When giving a presentation, make sure that you keep it short, sweet and as informationally-condensed as possible. All of your slides should be easy to digest and understandable at a glance.

Let's take a look at an example. The slide below is part of Visme's simple presentation theme , which is designed to have maximum impact with minimal text.

You can customize this slide and others like it in Visme's presentation software . Or, you can apply the same concept of minimalism to any other presentation tool, such as PowerPoint.

To make sure that you stay on topic and won’t overwhelm your crowd with too much information, you need to have a plan. When you have a solid plan to go by, you won’t go off track and begin rambling about things unrelated to your presentation.

Another practical way you can stay on topic and not overwhelm your audience with too much information is to have your main points written in bold somewhere on your slides.

Here's another example of a Visme slide template that does that well:

As you can see above, you don’t need to write out all the information surrounding the main points, as this will cause your audience too much confusion.

An experienced presenter will be able to quickly glance over at their own presentation slides, see the main points and continue on with their presentation, engaging their audience without going off course.

This, of course, comes with a lot of rehearsing out loud, which we will cover more in tip number six .

Another great way to keep your presentation short is to set a specific time for asking questions.

By reserving a few minutes during your presentation for your audience to ask questions, you can present your main points and achieve your goals, without going into too much detail.

Your audience can then ask for clarity on anything that interests them and you can answer their questions in however much detail you need.

Picture this: you’re gathered around the conference table with all your colleagues early Monday morning and your manager pulls up a lifeless, colorless, text-filled Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

You’re trying your best to pay attention and understand what he’s trying to convey, but staring deep into your coffee cup seems much more interesting at this point.

Sound familiar?

This is why it’s so crucial to understand how your presentation design will affect the outcome.

By having a messy and overloaded presentation, you’ll lose your audience almost immediately. On the flip side, if it’s so mundane and boring, you will also lose their attention.

One design presentation tip that we suggest you implement is to make sure you don’t overcrowd your slides with too much text.

This is a risky thing to do because the moment you flip to the next slide, your audience’s attention goes from what you’re saying, to your slide.

They’ll begin to read everything presented on the slide and completely tune you out. This is why a minimal text approach with a maximum of 2-3 different yet complementary fonts on your slides will be ideal, like in the example below.

You can use visual aids like images, animated graphic design elements, videos and more to convey the same message that boring text would.

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea to design a presentation from scratch, and that’s why it can be incredibly helpful to use a tool that offers presentation templates to help you get started.

Visme has hundreds of handcrafted presentation templates for public speakers to use for any occasion. Each presentation template is fully customizable and you’ll be able to add your branded content to your slides to make it your own.

Presenting your data can be an incredibly tricky and difficult task.

Instead of adding a bunch of tables and numbers to your slides, try switching things up by using charts, graphs and other data visualization types .

When creating a chart for your presentation, you need to be mindful of several things.

First, you need to choose the right chart to begin with. Not every type of graph is suitable for all data sets. The chart you choose will depend on the nature of your data and your unique purpose of using that chart.

Here's an infographic to help you understand what type of chart to use depending on your unique needs and nature of data.

Image Source

For example, if you're drawing a comparison between two or more items, a bar graph might be suitable. But if you're breaking down composition, a pie chart might be a better idea.

Also, make sure that you can fit all of your information into a chart without overcrowding the visual and also have your audience understand that information at a glance, like in the example below.

Other data visualization tips to keep in mind include choosing a pleasant, cohesive color scheme, sticking to max 2-3 fonts, incorporating a legend, and keeping your data as simple as possible.

Learn more about data visualization best practices to help you create engaging charts for your presentations and reports.

If you're using Visme, you can also import your data directly from Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, Survey Monkey, Google Analytics and more.

Practice, practice and practice again.

Some would argue that writing up and designing a presentation from scratch is the easiest part. Delivering the presentation in a way that it engages your audience — that's the tricky part.

When it comes to public speaking, it’s only natural that one would get a little nervous and stumble upon their words.

That’s why practicing your public speaking skills in front of others will be vital to how well you present and connect with your crowd during your actual presentation.

It’s one thing to practice in front of the mirror, but it’s something completely different when people are waiting for you to deliver information that will improve their business or life.

So gather up some friends, family members or even your pets, and present your presentation from start to finish as many times as you need.

By presenting your slides out loud, you might even catch some mistakes in your presentation or find you need to add in some missing information.

By shaking your attendee’s hand before a meeting, you’ll begin to make connections and become more approachable and likable by your audience.

Meeting your audience will help break the ice and make them more likely to listen to what you have to say. They will also feel more comfortable asking you questions later, which will increase the value they get out of your presentation.

Plus, you’ll also feel more relaxed speaking to your audience if you've met them already. When you can put a name to a face, you’ll automatically feel a sense of comfort when you make eye contact with them while presenting.

Even the most famous movie stars and popular public speakers will still get nervous before a public presentation.

It’s human nature to get butterflies and perspire a bit before having tons of eyes on you, critiquing every word you have to say.

So, if you’re feeling nervous before a presentation, instead of emotionally shutting down, take that nervous energy and transform it into enthusiastic energy.

Before getting up on stage, listen to your favorite hype music, maybe have a coffee (if it won’t make you jittery) or get a pep talk from a friend.

By being confident and using your enthusiasm to your advantage, you’ll have your crowd on the edge of their seats, completely engaged, following every word you say.

Enthusiastic presentations will much better received by listeners, rather than monotone informational presentations. So, as important as your presentation design is, the way you present it will determine a big part of the outcome.

According to Allan Pease , an Honorary Professor of Psychology at ULIM International University, you can convince almost anyone to do anything for you if you use proper body language.

He has an entire Ted Talk dedicated to the subject, which you can watch below.

The proper use of hand gestures, a power stance, a confident smile and an authoritative yet kind voice are all techniques that you can leverage to get your crowd listening to and agreeing with what you’re saying.

According to Allan Pease, when using hand gestures, you’ll want to make sure that you’re using open palm gestures. This makes you look like a great leader that is right there with the team, ready to lead and take charge.

By using open palm gestures, people will automatically be inclined to listen to you.

The moment you turn your hand over and start using your pointer finger, you will lose your audience. They won’t accept any information from you and they will believe you have an authoritative and hostile attitude.

Body language is everything, so make sure to use open hand gestures, smile, take a deep breath and believe that you’re not nervous, even if you are.

As soon as you believe that you’re not nervous, your brain and body will follow suit and you’ll feel more confident on stage with your presentation, which will make your audience trust you more.

We’re convinced that with the right tone of voice and allowing your personality to shine through, you can take any boring presentation, and turn it into an entertaining and engaging one for your audience.

While it is good to meet your audience where they are, it’s never good to fake your personality for the sake of a presentation.

Everyone can tell when someone isn’t genuine, and if you’re trying to suppress your personality, you’re only hurting yourself and your presentation by doing so, as what you’re saying can then begin to sound disingenuous.

So, don’t be afraid to use your personality to your advantage. Let a joke out and entertain your audience. By making your audience laugh, you’ll have them more in tune with what you’re saying.

Chances are if you’re giving a business presentation, many of your peers will be there and they'd want you to let your personality show. So, be yourself and use that to your advantage!

Finally, our best tip that we can offer you in all areas of life is to never stop learning.

The only way to improve is to continue learning and practicing. That’s why we recommend you take presentation courses that will help improve your communication skills and presentation skills.

You can brush up on your presentation, communication and public speaking tips by taking online courses on Udemy or Coursera . Look for specific courses on storytelling, body language and more to focus on your problem areas.

Or, if you're looking for a free course that packs all the good stuff at zero cost, our team at Visme has put together an incredible presentation course that will help you smash your next presentation!

When it comes to creating and giving presentations, many times it seems like it’s just something that’s expected of us to do, without receiving any type of proper training or qualifications.

Here at Visme, we want to see everyone succeed.

That’s why we combined our years of knowledge and experience to create a free course to give everyone the tools and confidence they need in order to create effective and successful presentations.

There are dozens of benefits and skills you’ll gain in these training sessions. You'll learn how to:

• Effectively brainstorm and create audience personas and audience journey maps
• Use visual communication to inform, engage, inspire and persuade your audience
• Design your presentation as a professional designer would in minutes
• Use colors, fonts, pictures and videos to increase the impact of your speech
• Present your data through compelling charts and graphs that tell a story

You’ll also receive a Visme Versity certificate of completion once you complete the online course — you can add this to your LinkedIn profile to set yourself up for success.

If any of these benefits sound like something you want to add to your tool belt, then you can take our free presentation skills course for professional development right now.

This course is broken down into easily digestible sections, yet it’s jam-packed full of readily applicable information. The best part is you can take the course and complete it at your own pace.

There are engaging educational videos for you to watch and learn from, informational content for you to read and at the end of each session, there is a quiz for you to take to assess your progress.

By the end of this course, you’ll have an abundance of skills that will help you succeed in all types of presentations.

Sign up today and learn how to become a great presenter in no time!

Level Up Your Presentation Skills

You’ve now learned 11 amazing tips on how to improve your presentation skills, but there’s still so much more to uncover and learn in the realm of presentations skills.

If you want to overcome your fear of public speaking, improve on your business presentations, become a better communicator and transform good presentations into great presentations, then this free presentation course by Visme is for you.

Want to create stunning presentations of your own? Sign up for our presentation software and start using hundreds of pre-made slides, animated effects, free graphics, charts and more.

Create beautiful presentations faster with Visme.

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About the Author

I’m Heleana and I’m a content creator here at Visme. My passion is to help people find the information they’re looking for in the most fun and enjoyable way possible. Let’s make information beautiful.

Strategy presentation: A comprehensive guide

In ths guide learn how to define your goals, design your slides, and deliver your ideas clearly and persuasively.

Raja Bothra

Building presentations

Welcome to the world of strategy presentations, where ideas take shape, plans are laid out, and visions become reality.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve deep into the art of crafting a compelling strategy presentation that not only captivates your audience but also ensures your message is crystal clear.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or a newcomer to the world of strategic communication, you'll find valuable insights here to elevate your strategy presentation game.

What is a strategy presentation?

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of creating an effective strategy presentation, let's start with the basics. What exactly is a strategy presentation? In simple terms, it's a structured communication tool used to convey your strategic plans, business goals, and initiatives to a diverse audience, which could include stakeholders, executives, team members, or potential investors.

Types of strategy presentations

Strategy presentations come in various flavors, each tailored to a specific purpose and audience. Let's explore some common types:

1. Strategic plan presentation

• Strategy : A comprehensive overview of your organization's overarching strategy.
• Presentation : Delivering this strategy to stakeholders, often in the form of a roadmap.

2. Marketing strategy presentation

• Strategy : Focused on marketing goals and tactics.
• Presentation : Outlining marketing plans, target audiences, and value propositions.

3. Change management presentation

• Strategy : Addressing organizational changes.
• Presentation : Communicating the need for change and how it will be executed.

4. Business model presentation

• Strategy : Explaining your company's business model.
• Presentation : Outlining the company's objectives, target audience, and value proposition.

5. Product development presentation

• Strategy : Discussing the creation or enhancement of products.
• Presentation : Detailing the product roadmap, key success metrics, and execution plans.

These are just a few examples, but strategy presentations can be customized to suit various scenarios and industries.

How to structure an effective strategy presentation

Creating an effective strategy presentation is an art form. It requires meticulous planning, a clear structure, and an engaging delivery. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you structure your presentation for maximum impact:

1. Define your objective

• Objective : What do you want to achieve with your presentation?
• Slide : Start with a concise slide stating your objective.

2. Know your audience

• Stakeholder : Understand your audience's interests and concerns.
• Overview : Provide a brief audience overview.

3. Create a compelling opening

• Presentation : Begin with a captivating story or fact.
• PowerPoint template : Use an engaging PowerPoint template to set the tone.

4. Outline your strategy

• Strategy : Present your strategic plan or initiative.
• Diagram : Use visual diagrams to illustrate key points.
• Icon : Incorporate icons to make information visually appealing.

5. Set business goals

• Business goals : Define your business goals and objectives.
• Update : Regularly update these goals to reflect progress.

6. SWOT analysis

• SWOT analysis : Analyze your organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Executive : Create an executive summary of the analysis.

7. Effective strategy execution

• Effective strategy : Discuss how you plan to execute the strategy.
• Outline : Provide a step-by-step outline of the execution process.

8. Gain buy-in

• Buy-in : Explain how you'll gain buy-in from team members and stakeholders.
• Methodology : Detail the methodology you'll use.

9. Concrete plans

• Concrete plans : Present concrete plans of action.
• Team members : Highlight the roles of team members.

10. Emphasize key success metrics

• Key success: Identify key success metrics.
• Jargon: Avoid using jargon; make it easy for everyone to understand.

11. Articulate the big picture

• Company strategy : Show how your strategy fits into the company's overall strategy
• Plan of action : Outline your plan of action concisely.

12. Adapt to disruptions

• Disruption: Be prepared to adapt to disruptions.
• Metric: Monitor relevant metrics for any deviations.

13. Maintain a high-level view

• High-level: Keep a high-level view throughout your presentation.
• Goals and initiatives: Always tie back to your goals and initiatives.

Do’s and don'ts on a strategy presentation

Now that you have a structured framework for your strategy presentation, let's take a moment to discuss some do's and don'ts to ensure your presentation is a resounding success.

• Create a clear narrative : Craft a compelling story that connects with your audience.
• Use visual aids : Incorporate graphs and dashboards to illustrate data.
• Practice : Rehearse your presentation multiple times for a smooth delivery.
• Engage your audience : Encourage questions and discussions.
• Stay concise : Keep your presentation concise and to the point.

Don'ts:

• Overload with information : Avoid overwhelming your audience with too much data.
• Read slides verbatim : Your slides are a guide, not a script.
• Lose focus : Stick to your main objectives; avoid going off on tangents.
• Use complex jargon : Keep it simple and understandable.
• Rush through : Take your time; don't rush through the presentation.

Summarizing key takeaways

Strategy presentation fundamentals :

• A strategy presentation is a vital tool for sharing strategic plans and gaining support.
• Different types cater to specific goals and audiences.

Structuring success :

• Start with a clear objective and audience understanding.
• Craft a compelling opening, use visuals, and keep it concise.
• Focus on high-level views and key success metrics.

Effective do’s and don'ts :

• Do tell a compelling story and engage your audience.
• Don't overwhelm with information or read slides verbatim.

Summary strategies :

• Execute strategies effectively and gain stakeholder buy-in.
• Monitor key success metrics and adapt to disruptions.
• Always maintain a big-picture perspective.

1. What is a strategy presentation, and why is it important?

• A strategy presentation is one of the key tools business leaders use to present a strategy to their teams or stakeholders. But why do they need to create one?

A strategy presentation template can be an effective way to present a business strategy ppt using powerpoint or google slides. It helps present a strategy in a clear and organized manner, making it easier for the audience to understand the strategic goals and align with them. The presentation powerpoint slides also serve as an indicator of the company's competitive position and the importance of various aspects of the plan.

2. How do I create an effective strategy presentation?

• To create a strategy presentation that gets buy-in from your team or stakeholders, you'll need to create a plan. But how do you go about it?

Start by using a strategy presentation template or a business strategy PowerPoint template. These editable templates provide a structured layout to help you lay out your business strategies effectively. Whenever possible, include case studies and visuals in your slide deck to support your points and illustrate the execution of plans. Identify new opportunities and highlight how your strategy aligns with the company's existing products or identifies new ones.

3. Can you provide tips on using powerpoint for strategy presentations?

• PowerPoint is a popular tool for creating strategy presentations, but how can you make the most of it?

When using PowerPoint presentation slides, remember to keep the content concise and focused on the important aspects of your strategy. Use visuals to make the presentation more engaging and to help your audience understand complex concepts. Additionally, consider using the McKinsey 7S framework to align your strategy with various aspects of your organization, such as structure, systems, and skills.

4. Why is alignment in a strategy presentation critical?

• Alignment is a crucial element in strategy presentations. Why is it so important?

Presenting a strategy that aligns with your company's strategic goals and existing products is essential to get buy-in from your team. An aligned strategy ensures that everyone is working toward the same objectives, helping the company execute its plans effectively and maintain its competitive position in the market.

5. How can strategy presentations impact recruitment and business growth?

• Beyond the boardroom, how can a strategy presentation affect other aspects of a business, like recruitment or launching a new product?

A well-executed strategy presentation can serve as a powerful tool to attract top talent during recruitment. It showcases the company's vision and strategic goals, making it an appealing prospect for potential employees. Additionally, presenting a clear strategy can support business growth by identifying new opportunities, aligning resources, and guiding the development of new products or services. It's an essential tool for communicating the path forward to all stakeholders.

Create your strategy presentation with prezent

Prezent can significantly assist in creating your strategy presentation by leveraging its powerful features tailored for enterprise teams. Here's how Prezent can help you with your strategy presentation:

• Audience-centric approach : Prezent enables you to tailor your strategy presentations to your specific audience's preferences and needs, ensuring better engagement and understanding.
• Brand consistency : With access to brand-approved designs and templates, Prezent helps maintain brand consistency in your presentations, reinforcing your company's image.
• Real-time collaboration : Collaborate seamlessly with team members in real-time, making it easier to create and refine strategy presentations together.
• Time and cost savings : Prezent's efficiency features can save you up to 70% of the time spent on presentations and reduce communication costs by up to 60%, allowing you to allocate resources more effectively.
• Extensive content library : Benefit from a vast library of over 35,000 slides and content elements to enhance the quality and visual appeal of your strategy presentations.

In conclusion, a strategy presentation is more than just a set of slides; it's a means to convey your strategic vision, gain buy-in, and drive success. By following the structure and guidelines outlined in this comprehensive guide, you'll be well-prepared to create strategy presentations.

Sign up for our free trial or book a demo ! Start creating your strategy presentation today and take your strategic communication to the next level.

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Blog Beginner Guides 8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

Written by: Krystle Wong Aug 11, 2023

From persuasive pitches that influence opinions to instructional demonstrations that teach skills, the different types of presentations serve a unique purpose, tailored to specific objectives and audiences.

Presentations that are tailored to its objectives and audiences are more engaging and memorable. They capture attention, maintain interest and leave a lasting impression. 

Don’t worry if you’re no designer —  Whether you need data-driven visuals, persuasive graphics or engaging design elements, Venngage can empower you to craft presentations that stand out and effectively convey your message.

Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface, extensive presentation template library and customizable design options make it a valuable tool for creating slides that align with your specific goals and target audience. 

Click to jump ahead:

8 Different types of presentations every presenter must know

How do i choose the right type of presentation for my topic or audience, types of presentation faq, 5 steps to create a presentation with venngage .

When it comes to presentations, versatility is the name of the game. Having a variety of presentation styles up your sleeve can make a world of difference in keeping your audience engaged. Here are 8 essential presentation types that every presenter should be well-acquainted with:

1. Informative presentation

Ever sat through a presentation that left you feeling enlightened? That’s the power of an informative presentation. 

This presentation style is all about sharing knowledge and shedding light on a particular topic. Whether you’re diving into the depths of quantum physics or explaining the intricacies of the latest social media trends, informative presentations aim to increase the audience’s understanding.

When delivering an informative presentation, simplify complex topics with clear visuals and relatable examples. Organize your content logically, starting with the basics and gradually delving deeper and always remember to keep jargon to a minimum and encourage questions for clarity.

Academic presentations and research presentations are great examples of informative presentations. An effective academic presentation involves having clear structure, credible evidence, engaging delivery and supporting visuals. Provide context to emphasize the topic’s significance, practice to perfect timing, and be ready to address anticipated questions. 

2. Persuasive presentation

If you’ve ever been swayed by a passionate speaker armed with compelling arguments, you’ve experienced a persuasive presentation . 

This type of presentation is like a verbal tug-of-war, aiming to convince the audience to see things from a specific perspective. Expect to encounter solid evidence, logical reasoning and a dash of emotional appeal.

With persuasive presentations, it’s important to know your audience inside out and tailor your message to their interests and concerns. Craft a compelling narrative with a strong opening, a solid argument and a memorable closing. Additionally, use visuals strategically to enhance your points.

Examples of persuasive presentations include presentations for environmental conservations, policy change, social issues and more. Here are some engaging presentation templates you can use to get started with: 

3. Demonstration or how-to presentation

A Demonstration or How-To Presentation is a type of presentation where the speaker showcases a process, technique, or procedure step by step, providing the audience with clear instructions on how to replicate the demonstrated action. 

A demonstrative presentation is particularly useful when teaching practical skills or showing how something is done in a hands-on manner.

These presentations are commonly used in various settings, including educational workshops, training sessions, cooking classes, DIY tutorials, technology demonstrations and more. Designing creative slides for your how-to presentations can heighten engagement and foster better information retention. 

Speakers can also consider breaking down the process into manageable steps, using visual aids, props and sometimes even live demonstrations to illustrate each step. The key is to provide clear and concise instructions, engage the audience with interactive elements and address any questions that may arise during the presentation.

4. Training or instructional presentation

Training presentations are geared towards imparting practical skills, procedures or concepts — think of this as the more focused cousin of the demonstration presentation. 

Whether you’re teaching a group of new employees the ins and outs of a software or enlightening budding chefs on the art of soufflé-making, training presentations are all about turning novices into experts.

To maximize the impact of your training or instructional presentation, break down complex concepts into digestible segments. Consider using real-life examples to illustrate each point and create a connection. 

You can also create an interactive presentation by incorporating elements like quizzes or group activities to reinforce understanding.

5. Sales presentation

Sales presentations are one of the many types of business presentations and the bread and butter of businesses looking to woo potential clients or customers. With a sprinkle of charm and a dash of persuasion, these presentations showcase products, services or ideas with one end goal in mind: sealing the deal.

A successful sales presentation often has key characteristics such as a clear value proposition, strong storytelling, confidence and a compelling call to action. Hence, when presenting to your clients or stakeholders, focus on benefits rather than just features. 

Anticipate and address potential objections before they arise and use storytelling to showcase how your offering solves a specific problem for your audience. Utilizing visual aids is also a great way to make your points stand out and stay memorable.

A sales presentation can be used to promote service offerings, product launches or even consultancy proposals that outline the expertise and industry experience of a business. Here are some template examples you can use for your next sales presentation:

6. Pitch presentation

Pitch presentations are your ticket to garnering the interest and support of potential investors, partners or stakeholders. Think of your pitch deck as your chance to paint a vivid picture of your business idea or proposal and secure the resources you need to bring it to life. 

Business presentations aside, individuals can also create a portfolio presentation to showcase their skills, experience and achievements to potential clients, employers or investors. 

Craft a concise and compelling narrative. Clearly define the problem your idea solves and how it stands out in the market. Anticipate questions and practice your answers. Project confidence and passion for your idea.

7. Motivational or inspirational presentation

Feeling the need for a morale boost? That’s where motivational presentations step in. These talks are designed to uplift and inspire, often featuring personal anecdotes, heartwarming stories and a generous serving of encouragement.

Form a connection with your audience by sharing personal stories that resonate with your message. Use a storytelling style with relatable anecdotes and powerful metaphors to create an emotional connection. Keep the energy high and wrap up your inspirational presentations with a clear call to action.

Inspirational talks and leadership presentations aside, a motivational or inspirational presentation can also be a simple presentation aimed at boosting confidence, a motivational speech focused on embracing change and more.

8. Status or progress report presentation

Projects and businesses are like living organisms, constantly evolving and changing. Status or progress report presentations keep everyone in the loop by providing updates on achievements, challenges and future plans. It’s like a GPS for your team, ensuring everyone stays on track.

Be transparent about achievements, challenges and future plans. Utilize infographics, charts and diagrams to present your data visually and simplify information. By visually representing data, it becomes easier to identify trends, make predictions and strategize based on evidence.

Now that you’ve learned about the different types of presentation methods and how to use them, you’re on the right track to creating a good presentation that can boost your confidence and enhance your presentation skills . 

Selecting the most suitable presentation style is akin to choosing the right outfit for an occasion – it greatly influences how your message is perceived. Here’s a more detailed guide to help you make that crucial decision:

1. Define your objectives

Begin by clarifying your presentation’s goals. Are you aiming to educate, persuade, motivate, train or perhaps sell a concept? Your objectives will guide you to the most suitable presentation type. 

For instance, if you’re aiming to inform, an informative presentation would be a natural fit. On the other hand, a persuasive presentation suits the goal of swaying opinions.

2. Know your audience

Regardless if you’re giving an in-person or a virtual presentation — delve into the characteristics of your audience. Consider factors like their expertise level, familiarity with the topic, interests and expectations. 

If your audience consists of professionals in your field, a more technical presentation might be suitable. However, if your audience is diverse and includes newcomers, an approachable and engaging style might work better.

3. Analyze your content

Reflect on the content you intend to present. Is it data-heavy, rich in personal stories or focused on practical skills? Different presentation styles serve different content types. 

For data-driven content, an informative or instructional presentation might work best. For emotional stories, a motivational presentation could be a compelling choice.

4. Consider time constraints

Evaluate the time you have at your disposal. If your presentation needs to be concise due to time limitations, opt for a presentation style that allows you to convey your key points effectively within the available timeframe. A pitch presentation, for example, often requires delivering impactful information within a short span.

5. Leverage visuals

Visual aids are powerful tools in presentations. Consider whether your content would benefit from visual representation. If your PowerPoint presentations involve step-by-step instructions or demonstrations, a how-to presentation with clear visuals would be advantageous. Conversely, if your content is more conceptual, a motivational presentation could rely more on spoken words.

6. Align with the setting

Take the presentation environment into account. Are you presenting in a formal business setting, a casual workshop or a conference? Your setting can influence the level of formality and interactivity in your presentation. For instance, a demonstration presentation might be ideal for a hands-on workshop, while a persuasive presentation is great for conferences.

7. Gauge audience interaction

Determine the level of audience engagement you want. Interactive presentations work well for training sessions, workshops and small group settings, while informative or persuasive presentations might be more one-sided.

8. Flexibility

Stay open to adjusting your presentation style on the fly. Sometimes, unexpected factors might require a change of presentation style. Be prepared to adjust on the spot if audience engagement or reactions indicate that a different approach would be more effective.

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and the best type of presentation may vary depending on the specific situation and your unique communication goals. By carefully considering these factors, you can choose the most effective presentation type to successfully engage and communicate with your audience.

To save time, use a presentation software or check out these presentation design and presentation background guides to create a presentation that stands out.    

What are some effective ways to begin and end a presentation?

Capture your audience’s attention from the start of your presentation by using a surprising statistic, a compelling story or a thought-provoking question related to your topic. 

To conclude your presentation , summarize your main points, reinforce your key message and leave a lasting impression with a powerful call to action or a memorable quote that resonates with your presentation’s theme.

How can I make my presentation more engaging and interactive?

To create an engaging and interactive presentation for your audience, incorporate visual elements such as images, graphs and videos to illustrate your points visually. Share relatable anecdotes or real-life examples to create a connection with your audience. 

You can also integrate interactive elements like live polls, open-ended questions or small group discussions to encourage participation and keep your audience actively engaged throughout your presentation.

Which types of presentations require special markings

Some presentation types require special markings such as how sales presentations require persuasive techniques like emphasizing benefits, addressing objections and using compelling visuals to showcase products or services. 

Demonstrations and how-to presentations on the other hand require clear markings for each step, ensuring the audience can follow along seamlessly. 

That aside, pitch presentations require highlighting unique selling points, market potential and the competitive edge of your idea, making it stand out to potential investors or partners.

Need some inspiration on how to make a presentation that will captivate an audience? Here are 120+ presentation ideas to help you get started. 

Creating a stunning and impactful presentation with Venngage is a breeze. Whether you’re crafting a business pitch, a training presentation or any other type of presentation, follow these five steps to create a professional presentation that stands out:

• Sign up and log in to Venngage to access the editor.
• Choose a presentation template that matches your topic or style.
• Customize content, colors, fonts, and background to personalize your presentation.
• Add images, icons, and charts to enhancevisual style and clarity.
• Save, export, and share your presentation as PDF or PNG files, or use Venngage’s Presentation Mode for online showcasing.

In the realm of presentations, understanding the different types of presentation formats is like having a versatile set of tools that empower you to craft compelling narratives for every occasion.

Remember, the key to a successful presentation lies not only in the content you deliver but also in the way you connect with your audience. Whether you’re informing, persuading or entertaining, tailoring your approach to the specific type of presentation you’re delivering can make all the difference.

Presentations are a powerful tool, and with practice and dedication (and a little help from Venngage), you’ll find yourself becoming a presentation pro in no time. Now, let’s get started and customize your next presentation!

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The 10-Step Guide for a Successful Strategy Presentation

Discover essential steps and best practices in 'How to Write a Strategy Presentation.' Elevate your approach and effectively communicate your strategic vision with our comprehensive guide.

StrategyPunk

Introduction.

Now, picture this: a room hanging onto your every word, eyes lit with interest.

It’s time for your audience to listen and be utterly captivated.

How to Write a Strategy Presentation: 10 Steps

1. set the stage right.

In the same way, before you even think of diving into your content, please know your audience.

Connect on a personal level, and half your battle is already won. 🎯

2. Define Your Mission

Once you have that clarity, your path becomes straightforward. Trust me, your audience will thank you for it.

3. Craft an Unforgettable Opening

4. break down the core.

In your strategy presentation, this is the issue or challenge at hand.

So, you’ve hooked them with the problem and dazzled them with your solution.

5. Elevate with Design

That’s gold. And hey, always lean into simplicity. Less is more, especially on slides. 🖼️

6. Weave in Stories

7. get them talking.

No one enjoys a monologue. You can turn your presentation into a dialogue.

8. Wrap it Up with Pizzazz

You're nearing the end. This is where you cement all you've shared.

9. Rehearse to Perfection

Know each slide, each transition, and each pause. Familiarize yourself with the flow. The more comfortable you are with the material, the more confidently you'll deliver.

10. After the Applause: Your Next Moves

And always, always be open to feedback. It’s the breakfast of champions, after all.

So, go ahead and inspire change—illuminate minds. And make a lasting impact.🚀

Sign up for StrategyPunk

Bonus: your strategy presentation success checklist.

This list will guide you through each crucial step for impactful delivery, from understanding your audience to gathering feedback post-presentation.

Your trusty companion for every presentation!

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Decode Reddit's global influence with our free PowerPoint PESTLE Analysis. Explore the hub of vibrant discussions and ideas.

Navigating the Terrain: A PESTLE Analysis of Lululemon (Free PowerPoint)

How to Give a Persuasive Presentation [+ Examples]

Published: December 29, 2020

A presentation aimed at persuading an audience to take a specific action can be the most difficult type to deliver, even if you’re not shy of public speaking.

Creating a presentation that effectively achieves your objective requires time, lots of practice, and most importantly, a focused message.

With the right approach, you can create a presentation that leaves a skeptical audience enthusiastic to get on board with your project.

In this post, we'll cover the basics of building a persuasive presentation. Let's dive in.

What is a persuasive presentation?

In its most basic form, a persuasive presentation features a speaker who tries to influence an audience to accept certain positions and engage in actions in support of them. A good persuasive presentation uses a mixture of facts, logic, and empathy to help an audience see an issue from a perspective they previously discounted or hadn’t considered.

How to Plan a Persuasive Presentation

Want to make a persuasive presentation that connects with your audience? Follow these steps to win friends and influence people within your audience.

1. Decide on a single ask.

The key to convincing your audience is to first identify the singular point you want to make. A good persuasive presentation will focus on one specific and easy-to-understand proposition. Even if that point is part of a broader initiative, it ideally needs to be presented as something your audience can say "yes" or "no" to easily.

A message that isn’t well-defined or which covers too much can cause the audience to lose interest or reject it outright. A more focused topic can also help your delivery sound more confident, which (for better or worse) is an important factor in convincing people.

2. Focus on fewer (but more relevant ) facts.

Remember: You are (in the vast majority of cases) not the target audience for your presentation. To make your presentation a success, you’ll need to know who your audience is so you can shape your message to resonate with them.

When crafting your messaging, put yourself in your audience's headspace and attempt to deeply understand their position, needs, and concerns. Focus on arguments and facts that speak specifically to your audience's unique position.

As we wrote in our post on How to Present a Compelling Argument When You're Not Naturally Persuasive , "just because a fact technically lends support to your claim doesn't mean it will sway your audience. The best evidence needs to not only support your claim but also have a connection to your audience."

What are the target audience's pain points that you can use to make a connection between their needs and your goals? Focus on those aspects, and cut any excess information. Fewer relevant facts are always more impactful than an abundance of unfocused pieces of evidence.

3. Build a narrative around your evidence.

If you want to persuade someone of something, it’s not enough to win their brain -- you need their heart in it, too. Try to make an emotional connection with your audience throughout your presentation to better sell them on the facts you’re presenting. Your audience is human, after all, so some emotional tug will go a long way to shaking up how they view the issue you’re talking about. A little bit of emotion could be just what your audience needs to make your facts “click.”

The easiest way to incorporate an emotional pull into your presentation is through the use of narrative elements. As we wrote in our guide to crafting pitch decks , "When our brains are given a story instead of a list of information, things change -- big time. Stories engage more parts of our brains, including our sensory cortex, which is responsible for processing visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli. If you want to keep people engaged during a presentation, tell them a story."

4. Confidence matters.

Practice makes perfect (it's a cliche because it's true, sorry!), and this is especially true for presentation delivery. Rehearse your presentation several times before you give it to your audience so you can develop a natural flow and move from each section without stopping.

Remember, you're not giving a speech here, so you don't want your delivery to come across like you're reading fully off of cue cards. Use tools like notes and cue cards as ways to keep you on track, not as scripts.

Finally, if you can, try to practice your presentation in front of another human. Getting a trusted co-worker to give you feedback in advance can help strengthen your delivery and identify areas you might need to change or bulk up.

5. Prepare for common objections.

The last thing you want to say when someone in your audience expresses a concern or an outright objection during your presentation's question section is “umm, let me get back to you on that.”

Carefully research the subject of your presentation to make the best case possible for it -- but also prepare in advance for common objections or questions you know your stakeholders are going to ask. The stronger your command of the facts -- and the more prepared you are to proactively address concerns -- the more convincing your presentation will be. When you appear confident fielding any rebuttals during a question and answer session after your presentation, it can go a long way towards making your case seem more convincing.

Persuasive Presentation Outline

Like any writing project, you’ll want to create an outline for your presentation, which can act as both a prompt and a framework. With an outline, you’ll have an easier time organizing your thoughts and creating the actual content you will present. While you can adjust the outline to your needs, your presentation will most likely follow this basic framework.

I. Introduction

Every persuasive presentation needs an introduction that gets the listener’s attention, identifies a problem, and relates it to them.

• The Hook: Just like a catchy song, your presentation needs a good hook to draw the listener in. Think of an unusual fact, anecdote, or framing that can grab the listener’s attention. Choose something that also establishes your credibility on the issue.
• The Tie: Tie your hook back to your audience to garner buy-in from your audience, as this issue impacts them personally.
• The Thesis: This is where you state the position to which you are trying to persuade your audience and forms the focal point for your presentation.

II. The Body

The body forms the bulk of your presentation and can be roughly divided into two parts. In the first half, you will build your case, and in the second you will address potential rebuttals.

• Your Case: This is where you will present supporting points for your argument and the evidence you’ve gathered through research. This will likely have several different subsections in which you present the relevant evidence for each supporting point.
• Rebuttals: Consider potential rebuttals to your case and address them individually with supporting evidence for your counterarguments.
• Benefits: Outline the benefits of the audience adopting your position. Use smooth, conversational transitions to get to these.
• Drawbacks: Outline what drawbacks of the audience rejecting your position. Be sure to remain conversational and avoid alarmism.

III. Conclusion

In your conclusion, you will wrap up your argument, summarize your key points, and relate them back to the decisions your audience makes.

• Transition: Write a transition that emphasizes the key point you are trying to make.
• Summary: Summarize your arguments, their benefits, and the key pieces of evidence supporting your position.
• Tie-back: Tie back your summary to the actions of your audience and how their decisions will impact the subject of your presentation.
• Final word: Try to end on a last emotional thought that can inspire your audience to adopt your position and act in support of it.

IV. Citations

Include a section at the end of your presentation with citations for your sources. This will make independent fact-checking easier for your audience and will make your overall presentation more persuasive.

Persuasive Presentation Examples

Check out some of these examples of persuasive presentations to get inspiration for your own. Seeing how someone else made their presentation could help you create one that strikes home with your audience. While the structure of your presentation is entirely up to you, here are some outlines that are typically used for different subjects.

Introducing a Concept

One common type of persuasive presentation is one that introduces a new concept to an audience and tries to get them to accept it. This presentation introduces audience members to the dangers of secondhand smoke and encourages them to take steps to avoid it. Persuasive presentations can also be a good format to introduce marco issues, such as this presentation on the benefits of renewable energy .

Changing Personal Habits

Want to change the personal habits of your audience? Check out this presentation on how to adopt healthy eating habits . Or this presentation which encourages the audience to get more exercise in their daily lives.

Making a Commitment to an Action

Is your goal to get your audience to commit to a specific action? This presentation encouraging audience memes to become organ donors could provide inspiration. Trying to make a big sale? Check out this presentation outline that can encourage someone to buy a home .

Remember: You Can Do This

Anyone can craft a persuasive presentation once they know the basic framework for creating one. Once you get the process down, you’ll be in a better position to bring in sales, attract donors or funding, and even advance your career. The skills you learn can also benefit you in other areas of your personal and professional life as you know how to make a case and influence people toward it.

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Strategy Presentation: How to Successfully Develop and Communicate Your Corporate Strategies!

In the business world, it‘s pretty common to have to present your corporate strategy or internal strategies (e.g. a strategy presentation for a product launch) in front of an audience. Such strategy presentations are particularly important for start-ups, to set out the company’s vision and goals, and show the pathway there to both employees and stakeholders.

So this article is about how to skillfully develop a strategy, and how present it optimally.

Different types of strategy presentation

A strategy presentation does not necessarily have to be an all-encompassing corporate strategy. Strategies concerning internal company processes can also be presented within a strategy presentation. These can be, for example:

• Corporate Strategy
• Product Launch Strategy
• Marketing Strategy
• Human Resources Strategy
• Growth Strategy
• Social Media Strategy
• Finance Strategy

Developing Corporate Strategy

Every company needs a strategy for the company to grow. The corporate strategy forms a central element of management. By defining the strategy , internal company priorities are set and visions as well as goals are defined.

Note: Developing a company strategy takes time . Rushing the process can be seriously counterproductive.

The term “strategy” needs to be clarified first. Many confuse this with a goal, a vision, or the action necessary to achieve a goal . A strategy is made up of all of these . It represents a long-term plan that defines what you need to do to achieve your goals.

In order to develop a successful, future-oriented strategy, you need to consider a wide variety of aspects. The following questions will help you to develop a good strategy :

• What makes your company unique? What sets it apart from your competitors?
• How do you attract prospective customers?
• How can you market your company/product/idea?
• What’s the available budget?
• What is the personnel situation?
• What problems may arise in the implementation of certain operations?
• What are the strengths/weaknesses?

Working through these points will give you a solid foundation . Steps to help you find the right strategy :

Strategic planning is worthless – unless there is first a strategic vision .” John Naisbitt-US futurologist

Every business idea is based on a vision. What do you want to achieve with your company? What gap in the market do you want to fill? Define the purpose of your business. Define its exact reason for existing .

A company vision also includes a defined goal. This does not necessarily have to be financial. What do you want from your company in the future?

• The Competition

Any business idea normally has competitors offering something similar. It’s essential to analyze the market environment.

What trends are competitors following? How successful are they? What sales opportunities might you have with your idea?

When you have a start-up with new business ideas, market analysis can be extremely tricky. Lack of prior evidence makes it very challenging to estimate possible future success.

• Strengths and weaknesses

This is where you turn the spotlight on your company. What niche are you aiming for in the market? How many employees will you need and what is your current staffing situation? If you already have sales figures, how are they developing?

External consultants are often called in at this point to provide an unbiased assessment of your company.  You can also use online tools for this assessment. Some of these are freely available and can give you a quick insight into your conversion rate, web analytics, etc. Once you have an assessment, you can use it as a basis to determine a strategic direction for your company.

Tools and methods to aid strategy development

There are various methods and tools which can help here:

• SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis aims to determine the position of your company in the industry overall. Both internal company factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external aspects of business (risks and opportunities) are analyzed, and how the areas correlate with each other is considered.

SWOT analysis helps to sustainably leverage strengths and opportunities in order to minimize weaknesses and risks, aiming to maximize your company’s competitiveness in its field in the long term. SWOT analysis involves inputting measured facts about your company into a matrix, which results in a framework for action.

Use our professionally designed templates from our shop for the SWOT analysis!

• STEP Analysis / PEST Analysis

STEP/PEST analysis is a great tool for strategic planning of your company. This analysis involves four major factors of influence: Political (P), Economic (E), Social (S) and Technological (T).

Analyzing your company’s measurements on these seminal factors allows you to understand your market, develop targeted strategies and neutralize negative influences.

Looking for templates to apply STEP/PEST analysis and present your findings? We have professionally designed PowerPoint templates at your fingertips in our store !

• Other tools

There are many other tools that can be used to help refine your strategies; what you need will depend on your particular field. Our strategy toolbox contains a wide range of different strategy models for creating and visualizing your company’s strategies!

Why is PowerPoint so good for strategy presentations?

Microsoft Office PowerPoint’s easy-to-use user interface means that it allows you to visualize and present complex relationships in simple and clear format. A PowerPoint presentation allows you to present all the important information at a glance , meaning that decisions on open questions can be made quickly and conclusively.

Strategy presentations: what and how?

So you’ve developed your optimal strategy –now it’s time to present it. What’s the best way to get your strategy over effectively to your audience?

One of the most important things to bear in mind is that a strategy presentation is NOT just presenting a plan . You can’t just present a to-do list with a timeline attached. Your strategy is the underlying idea – explaining it is how you convince your audience that your plans are necessary.

Your strategy represents your guiding principle . Supporting your guiding principle by presenting facts and figures in a visually interesting way is very effective – using well-designed tables to present your key performance indicators, for example.  As well as solid evidence-based slides to appeal to the intellect, though, you need to involve emotions to get your audience on side.

Tell a story , and weave your key facts and figures into it! We go into the whys and hows of this in our storytelling blog .

What slides should I put in a strategy presentation?

There is no one answer to this question – each strategy presentation is unique , so requires slides tailored specifically to the strategy.

However, the following basic pattern is useful as a guide:

• Slide #1: The task

The first slide you present should always be thoroughly thought through and well designed; it is the first impression your audience gets, and will influence how they feel about your ideas.

So, on the first slide, explain why you’re giving the presentation . State the goal or business problem around which the strategy was built. A great way to do this is by using a diagram or a picture, illustrating this visually. Then elaborate on the content as you speak  – this way you can be sure that your audience is actually listening, and not just reading the content of your slide.

Don’t go into too much detail at this point. The idea is that your audience should understand the context of your strategy, and will then pay attention to what you have to say in the rest of the presentation.

• Slide #2: Insight

Your strategy is based on an insight; an idea which will move you towards your goal and away from your problem. Where possible, this will be backed up by solid research and market analyses. The insight slide presents the results of your market analysis .

Your narration then gets your point over to your audience. For example, if your slide states that: “In summer, Brand X light drinks have higher market share”, you can present your insight as “When it’s hot, people want refreshment, so will choose light drinks”.

It works best to use sentence form for the insight slide. Depending on who you’re presenting to, you may want to put exact numbers or trends you’ve identified before the insight sentence, to clarify the context. Even if you don’t include this data on the slide, you should have it prepared in the appendix of your presentation, in case there are any questions.

• Slide #3: Guiding principle

The guiding principle slide is the first slide to show your strategy.  So it needs to be as persuasive as possible. Take your time choosing the wording and editing it. Your guiding principle, or mission statement, should be clear and concise , in plain, jargon-free English.

The choice of words is important because your mission statement needs to be memorable . Pay attention to the way the slide is designed, too – don’t overload the slide; keep the focus on the key phrase.

• Slide #4: Visual model

Your strategy is based on solving a problem, and showing how this might work. It is a pathway to the future success of your company, based on data and experience. To make this complex issue as understandable as possible, a visual model can help.

A model can show all the steps and actions needed, and which ones should be prioritized. It can also show how they can interact to achieve your goal.

You could, for example, represent your strategy as a diagram – think Venn diagrams, pyramids or a flywheel. There are so many options available! Why not head over to our store to find the perfect visual model for your strategy? ► Shop

Venn diagrams from PresentationLoad. Like all our PPT slide templates, professionally designed for you!

• Slide #5: Tactics

You might need more than one slide here, as you need here to include all the tactics you have planned to achieve your goals . Explain all the steps in detail , while staying clear and concise.

Your audience may well have questions during this section of the presentation. You’ll need to think through all the possibilities, and either answer them in the presentation or put further information in the presentation appendix, ready for you to retrieve on demand.

• Slide #6: Timeline

Timelines are essential during a strategy presentation to visually show the timing of specific tasks. Include the duration of different strategy phases as well as milestones you want to have achieved by specific dates.  Show when you expect to have achieved your desired outcome.

Try to be as realistic as possible about your strategy.

Why not use PresentationLoad’s excellent timeline templates ? They are professionally designed for you. Have a look in our Shop! We have a range of different timeline templates for you to download. Like these:

• Slide #7: Closing slide

As in any presentation, you need to pay particular attention to the last slide of your strategy presentation, as it’s the last thing your audience will see and hear from you and will stay in their minds. So make sure what they remember is the best you can give!

Briefly summarize the most important points again. This doesn’t mean an overloaded slide (remember, less is often more); you can verbally elaborate.

You might like to end with a relevant quote, representing your inspiration, or with a list of the immediate steps to take. Whatever you choose, it gets over that you stand behind your strategy and are positive about your company’s future .

Time for follow-up questions should also be planned at this point. Be prepared for detailed questions; you will demonstrate your competence and reassure your audience by being able to answer their questions, perhaps even with slides supporting your answers which you included in the appendix.

Extra tip: PRESENT your presentation professionally

It doesn’t matter how well your slides are designed and thought out if you come across as unprofessional and awkward when you present them. Your strategy presentation will only be taken seriously if you’re seen as competent, confident and self-assured . Don’t panic, though!  We’ve covered this thoroughly in our blog just check out these articles and you’ll be able to present your strategy as professionally as possible:

• Body Language in Presentations
• Humor in Presentations
• PowerPoint Speaker View
• Storytelling in Presentations
• Public Speaking Skills for Presentations
• And many more

Conclusion: Now you know how to create and present the best strategy presentation!

Your next strategy presentation is going to be brilliant!  Following our tips, it will be clear and well thought out, you will present it calmly and professionally, and your audience will be convinced, with the necessary strategic follow-up decisions made quickly and efficiently.

Have more questions about strategy presentations, or indeed PowerPoint in general? Feel free to email us at [email protected] . We’re always happy to help! Looking for professionally designed slide templates to support your strategy presentation? Check out our store! We have a huge range of PowerPoint slide templates ready to download, covering all the business topics you need. Take a look today! ► To our Shop

We’ve even developed PPT templates specifically for strategy presentations – professionally designed and ready to download and solve your presentation problems ► Strategy Presentations

You might also be interested in the following articles:

• Company Presentations with PowerPoint
• Short Presentation with PowerPoint

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Education & Training

Prevention in focus, webinar series, unlocking solutions: menthol smoking cessation strategies.

National Institute on Minority Health  and Health Disparities

About the Webinar

Tobacco smoking, particularly mentholated products, remains a significant U.S. public health concern. Despite concerted efforts to reduce tobacco use, menthol cigarettes continue to exert a stronghold, posing unique challenges for individuals attempting to quit. This presentation will delve into the complexities surrounding menthol smoking cessation and research on effective intervention strategies among adults. This presentation will elucidate the nuanced behavioral, physiological, and sociocultural dimensions underpinning dependence on commercial tobacco products, offering insights into targeted and individually tailored cessation approaches. 

Drawing upon interdisciplinary research, this presentation will also describe the development and efficacy of behavioral therapies with adjuvant pharmacotherapy, and culturally specific interventions designed to address the needs of adults who smoke menthol tobacco products. Finally, promising avenues for promoting successful cessation outcomes and thereby mitigating the disproportionate burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality will be discussed. 

About Monica Webb Hooper

Dr. Monica Webb Hooper is Deputy Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) at NIH. She is an internationally recognized licensed clinical health psychologist and translational behavioral scientist, with over 20 years of working every day to improve the health and quality of life among underserved communities. Her collaborative, community engaged science seeks to prevent or reduce the impact of chronic illnesses on populations with health disparities. Through her work, Dr. Webb Hooper has directly improved the health of thousands of racial and ethnic minority group adults and families, developing and delivering successful treatments for overcoming addictions such as tobacco smoking, achieving personal weight management goals, reducing distress and mental health concerns (e.g., anxiety or depression), and improving partner and family relationships.

NIMHD leads and supports cutting edge science to improve minority health, reduce health disparities, and promote health equity. As NIMHD Deputy Director, Dr. Webb Hooper partners with the Director on overall executive direction and scientific leadership of the institute. Dr. Webb Hooper is also highly committed to the equitable and inclusive training of the next cadre of scientists who are invested in improving population health, community health, and global health.

Overall, Dr. Webb Hooper is dedicated to the scientific study of minority health and racial and ethnic disparities, and interventions to reduce them. She has published over 100 articles and book chapters and has been featured in numerous editorials throughout her career. The mantra of her work is “science and partnerships that benefit and serve communities.”

This webinar will be captioned in real time. Individuals needing reasonable accommodations should email [email protected] . Requests should be made at least 5 business days before the event.

By registering for an ODP event, you are agreeing to our event guidelines . 

• Get 7 Days Free

Masimo Files Investor Presentation Highlighting Innovation-Driven Value, Strategic Initiatives to Deliver Robust Growth and Margin Expansion and Risks of Ceding Control to Politan

Masimo’s Strategy Capitalizes on Innovation to Enhance Growth and Create Value for All Stockholders

Politan is Making a Bid for Control Without Paying a Premium or Articulating a Clear Plan

Politan is Seeking to Replace Masimo Founder, Chairman and CEO Joe Kiani with Inferior Politan Nominees

Politan’s Actions are a Threat to Stockholder Value

Masimo Has a Better Plan and Better Nominees

Strongly Encourages Stockholders to Vote FOR Joe Kiani and Christopher Chavez on the GOLD Proxy Card

Visit ProtectMasimosFuture.com for More Information

Masimo Corporation (“Masimo” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: MASI) today filed an investor presentation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with its Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on July 25, 2024. The presentation lays out in detail:

• The Company’s robust track record of innovation, led by Masimo Founder, Chairman and CEO Joe Kiani, that supports Masimo’s longstanding valuation premium to industry peers;
• Masimo’s strategic initiatives for sustained growth and margin expansion that are expected to more than double adjusted EPS to ~$8 by 2029; and
• The Company’s belief that Politan’s value-destructive agenda to oust Mr. Kiani and take control of Masimo without paying a premium or articulating an exercisable plan poses a significant risk to the value of the Company.

To safeguard stockholders’ investments and ensure continued value creation, the Board strongly recommends that stockholders vote FOR Masimo’s highly qualified director nominees, Joe Kiani and Christopher Chavez.

The presentation is available here .

About Masimo

Masimo (NASDAQ: MASI) is a global medical technology company that develops and produces a wide array of industry-leading monitoring technologies, including innovative measurements, sensors, patient monitors, and automation and connectivity solutions. In addition, Masimo Consumer Audio is home to eight legendary audio brands, including Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, and Polk Audio. Our mission is to improve life, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the cost of care. Masimo SET ® Measure-through Motion and Low Perfusion™ pulse oximetry, introduced in 1995, has been shown in over 100 independent and objective studies to outperform other pulse oximetry technologies. 1 Masimo SET ® has also been shown to help clinicians reduce severe retinopathy of prematurity in neonates, 2 improve CCHD screening in newborns 3 and, when used for continuous monitoring with Masimo Patient SafetyNet™ in post-surgical wards, reduce rapid response team activations, ICU transfers, and costs. 4-7 Masimo SET ® is estimated to be used on more than 200 million patients in leading hospitals and other healthcare settings around the world, 8 and is the primary pulse oximetry at 9 of the top 10 hospitals as ranked in the 2022-23 U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals Honor Roll. 9 In 2005, Masimo introduced rainbow ® Pulse CO-Oximetry technology, allowing noninvasive and continuous monitoring of blood constituents that previously could only be measured invasively, including total hemoglobin (SpHb ® ), oxygen content (SpOC™), carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO ® ), methemoglobin (SpMet ® ), Pleth Variability Index (PVi ® ), RPVi™ (rainbow ® PVi), and Oxygen Reserve Index (ORi™). In 2013, Masimo introduced the Root ® Patient Monitoring and Connectivity Platform, built from the ground up to be as flexible and expandable as possible to facilitate the addition of other Masimo and third-party monitoring technologies; key Masimo additions include Next Generation SedLine ® Brain Function Monitoring, O3 ® Regional Oximetry, and ISA™ Capnography with NomoLine ® sampling lines. Masimo’s family of continuous and spot-check monitoring Pulse CO-Oximeters ® includes devices designed for use in a variety of clinical and non-clinical scenarios, including tetherless, wearable technology, such as Radius-7 ® , Radius PPG ® , and Radius VSM™, portable devices like Rad-67 ® , fingertip pulse oximeters like MightySat ® Rx, and devices available for use both in the hospital and at home, such as Rad-97 ® and the Masimo W1 ® medical watch. Masimo hospital and home automation and connectivity solutions are centered around the Masimo Hospital Automation™ platform, and include Iris ® Gateway, iSirona™, Patient SafetyNet, Replica ® , Halo ION ® , UniView ® , UniView :60™, and Masimo SafetyNet ® . Its growing portfolio of health and wellness solutions includes Radius Tº ® , Masimo W1 Sport, and Masimo Stork™. Additional information about Masimo and its products may be found at www.masimo.com . Published clinical studies on Masimo products can be found at www.masimo.com/evidence/featured-studies/feature/ .

RPVi has not received FDA 510(k) clearance and is not available for sale in the United States. The use of the trademark Patient SafetyNet is under license from University HealthSystem Consortium.

• Published clinical studies on pulse oximetry and the benefits of Masimo SET ® can be found on our website at http://www.masimo.com . Comparative studies include independent and objective studies which are comprised of abstracts presented at scientific meetings and peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Castillo A et al. Prevention of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Preterm Infants through Changes in Clinical Practice and SpO 2 Technology. Acta Paediatr. 2011 Feb;100(2):188-92.
• de-Wahl Granelli A et al. Impact of pulse oximetry screening on the detection of duct dependent congenital heart disease: a Swedish prospective screening study in 39,821 newborns. BMJ. 2009;Jan 8;338.
• Taenzer A et al. Impact of pulse oximetry surveillance on rescue events and intensive care unit transfers: a before-and-after concurrence study. Anesthesiology . 2010:112(2):282-287.
• Taenzer A et al. Postoperative Monitoring – The Dartmouth Experience. Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation Newsletter . Spring-Summer 2012.
• McGrath S et al. Surveillance Monitoring Management for General Care Units: Strategy, Design, and Implementation. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety . 2016 Jul;42(7):293-302.
• McGrath S et al. Inpatient Respiratory Arrest Associated With Sedative and Analgesic Medications: Impact of Continuous Monitoring on Patient Mortality and Severe Morbidity. J Patient Saf. 2020 14 Mar. DOI: 10.1097/PTS.0000000000000696.
• Estimate: Masimo data on file.
• http://health.usnews.com/health-care/best-hospitals/articles/best-hospitals-honor-roll-and-overview .

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in connection with the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2024 Annual Meeting”) of Masimo and the potential stockholder approval of the Board’s nominees and the potential separation of Masimo’s consumer business (the “Potential Separation”), Masimo’s expectation that the Potential Separation will maximize shareholder value or be the best path for success, Masimo’s plans to grow consumable and service revenue across all technology platforms, Masimo’s strategic initiatives, Masimo’s estimates, forecasts and expectations for its gross margin, R&D expenses, SG&A expenses and non-GAAP operating margin and Masimo’s long-term revenue growth, operating margin and earnings per share estimates and targets. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations about future events affecting Masimo and are subject to risks and uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Masimo’s control and could cause its actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in its forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors, including, but not limited to (i) uncertainties regarding the Potential Separation, (ii) uncertainties regarding future actions that may be taken by Politan in furtherance of its nomination of director candidates for election at the 2024 Annual Meeting, (iii) the potential cost and management distraction attendant to Politan’s nomination of director nominees at the 2024 Annual Meeting and (iv) factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of Masimo’s most recent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which may be obtained for free at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov . Although Masimo believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company does not know whether its expectations will prove correct. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of today’s date. Masimo does not undertake any obligation to update, amend or clarify these statements or the “Risk Factors” contained in the Company’s most recent reports filed with the SEC, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under the applicable securities laws.

Additional Information Regarding the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Where to Find It

The Company has filed a definitive proxy statement containing a form of GOLD proxy card with the SEC in connection with its solicitation of proxies for its 2024 Annual Meeting. THE COMPANY’S STOCKHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT (AND ANY AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ACCOMPANYING GOLD PROXY CARD AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Stockholders may obtain the proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to the proxy statement and other documents as and when filed by the Company with the SEC without charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov .

Certain Information Regarding Participants

The Company, its directors and certain of its executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in connection with the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders in connection with the matters to be considered at the 2024 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, of the Company’s directors and executive officers in the Company is included in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting, which can be found through the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000937556/000121390024053125/ea0206756-05.htm , and any changes thereto may be found in any amendments or supplements to the proxy statement and other documents as and when filed by the Company with the SEC, which can be found through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov .

Investor Contact: Eli Kammerman (949) 297-7077 [email protected]

Media Contact: Evan Lamb (949) 396-3376 [email protected]

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240626843174/en/

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Top lead-generating strategies and how they work, sponsored post.

• June 27, 2024

Generating high-quality leads is a critical component of any successful marketing strategy. Effective lead generation requires a multifaceted approach, combining various techniques to attract, engage, and convert potential customers. Here are some top lead-generating strategies, including SEO and link building, to help you create a robust lead generation system.

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

What it is: SEO involves optimizing your website and content to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords. Higher rankings increase visibility and drive organic traffic to your site, which can convert into leads.

How to use it:

• Keyword Research: Identify keywords that your target audience uses to search for products or services similar to yours. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find relevant keywords with a good search volume and manageable competition.
• On-Page SEO: Optimize your website’s content, meta tags, headers, and images for your target keywords. Ensure that your site has a clear structure, fast load times, and is mobile-friendly.
• Content Creation: Develop high-quality, valuable content that addresses your audience’s needs and pain points. Use blog posts, articles, infographics, and videos to attract and engage visitors.
• Technical SEO: Ensure your website is free from technical issues that could hinder search engine crawling and indexing. This includes optimizing site speed, using SSL certificates, and fixing broken links.

2. Content Marketing

What it is: Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable content to attract and engage a target audience, ultimately driving profitable customer action.

• Blogging: Regularly publish informative and engaging blog posts that address common questions or problems your audience faces. Incorporate keywords naturally to improve SEO.
• Ebooks and Whitepapers: Offer in-depth guides or reports in exchange for contact information. This is a great way to capture leads while providing value.
• Webinars and Podcasts: Host webinars or podcasts to share expertise and interact with your audience in real-time. These formats allow for deeper engagement and can be a rich source of leads.

3. Social Media Marketing

What it is: Social media marketing uses platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to promote your content, engage with your audience, and generate leads.

• Targeted Ads: Use social media ads to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn offer advanced targeting options to reach your ideal audience.
• Engagement: Regularly post content that encourages interaction, such as questions, polls, and contests. Respond promptly to comments and messages to build relationships with your followers.
• Influencer Collaborations: Partner with influencers in your industry to extend your reach and credibility. Influencers can promote your content to their audience, driving traffic and leads.

4. Email Marketing

What it is: Email marketing involves sending targeted emails to prospects and customers to nurture relationships and drive conversions.

• Email List Building: Use lead magnets (e.g., free trials, discounts, content upgrades) to encourage website visitors to subscribe to your email list.
• Segmentation: Segment your email list based on factors like demographics, past behavior, and purchase history. This allows you to send personalized and relevant content to each group.
• Automated Campaigns: Set up automated email sequences to nurture leads. For example, a welcome series for new subscribers, a follow-up series for webinar attendees, or a re-engagement series for inactive subscribers.

5. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

What it is: PPC advertising involves placing ads on search engines and other platforms and paying a fee each time someone clicks on your ad.

• Google Ads: Create targeted ads for relevant keywords. Use ad extensions, such as sitelinks and callouts, to enhance your ads’ visibility and effectiveness.
• Retargeting: Use retargeting ads to re-engage visitors who have previously interacted with your site but did not convert. Retargeting can significantly increase conversion rates by keeping your brand top-of-mind.
• A/B Testing: Continuously test different ad copies, headlines, and landing pages to determine what works best and optimize your campaigns for better performance.

6. Referral Marketing

What it is: Referral marketing encourages existing customers to refer new customers to your business, often incentivized by rewards or discounts.

• Referral Programs: Create a structured referral program with clear incentives for both the referrer and the new customer. Promote the program through your website, email campaigns, and social media.
• Satisfied Customers: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and share their positive experiences with others. This can be done through follow-up emails or during in-person interactions.

7. Link Building

What it is: Link building involves acquiring backlinks from other websites to your own, which can boost your SEO efforts and drive referral traffic.

• Guest Blogging: Write articles for reputable blogs in your industry, including a link back to your site. This not only provides backlinks but also positions you as an authority in your field.
• Resource Pages: Reach out to websites with resource pages relevant to your industry and request to be included. Provide a compelling reason why your content is a valuable addition.
• Broken Link Building: Find broken links on other websites and offer your content as a replacement. This helps the website owner fix a problem while gaining a backlink for you.

8. Networking and Partnerships

What it is: Building relationships with other businesses and professionals can lead to mutually beneficial partnerships and new lead opportunities.

• Industry Events: Attend industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events to meet potential partners and clients.
• Partnerships: Form partnerships with complementary businesses to cross-promote each other’s products or services. Joint webinars, co-authored content, and shared promotions can expand your reach.

9. Interactive Content

What it is: Interactive content, such as quizzes, surveys, and calculators, engages users and encourages them to provide their contact information.

• Quizzes and Surveys: Create quizzes and surveys that provide personalized results or insights. For example, a marketing assessment quiz that offers tailored advice based on responses.
• Calculators: Develop calculators that help users determine ROI, savings, or other valuable metrics related to your product or service.

10. Customer Reviews and Testimonials

What it is: Positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers can significantly influence potential leads and build trust.

• Review Platforms: Encourage customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and industry-specific review sites.
• Testimonials: Showcase customer testimonials prominently on your website and in marketing materials. Video testimonials can be particularly impactful.

Effective lead generation is a continuous process that requires a combination of strategies tailored to your business and audience. By implementing SEO and link building alongside content marketing, social media, email marketing, PPC, referral programs, networking, interactive content, and customer reviews, you can create a comprehensive lead generation system. Regularly analyze and adjust your strategies to ensure they remain effective and aligned with your goals.

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2024 EVs4ALL/NEXTCAR Joint Annual Meeting

Charge forward: innovating the future of mobility  june 11-12, 2024 fort pontchartrain detroit detroit, mi , tuesday, june 11, 2024.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Back to All News

Netflix upfront 2024: the year of growth and momentum.

Entertainment

At Netflix's second Upfront presentation to advertisers, the message was clear: When you advertise with Netflix, you can reach the most engaged audience in the world.

Advertising Growth 

Amy Reinhard, Netflix’s President of Advertising, walked advertisers through the continued growth and momentum of Netflix’s ad-supported plan, which now has 40 million global monthly active users — up from 5 million a year ago. Over 40% of all signups in the ads countries now come from the ads plan. 

Netflix also featured new partners that advertisers can use to measure and verify the impact of their campaigns, including Affinity Solutions, DoubleVerify, EDO Inc, Integral Ad Science, iSpotTV, Kantar, Lucid, NCSolutions, Nielsen and TVision.

New Ad Tech

Looking ahead, Reinhard announced Netflix will launch an in-house advertising technology platform, by the end of 2025. This will give advertisers new ways to buy, new insights to leverage, and new ways to measure impact. 

“Bringing our ad tech in-house will allow us to power the ads plan with the same level of excellence that’s made Netflix the leader in streaming technology today,” she said. 

This summer, Netflix will also expand its buying capabilities to include The Trade Desk, Google's Display & Video 360, and Magnite who will join Microsoft as the main programmatic partners for advertisers.

All of these enhancements are designed to make Netflix even better for clients. "We’re being incredibly strategic about how we present ads because we want our members to have a phenomenal experience. We conduct deep consumer research to make sure we stay ahead of the competition, bringing opportunities that are better for members and better for brands,” said Reinhard.

Engagement 

As Bela Bajaria, Netflix's Chief Content Officer, explained, “Our audiences are highly engaged — and by engaged I mean that they are choosing to spend their time watching Netflix. That’s important because engagement is the key to success in streaming. When people watch our shows and movies, they get more value from Netflix, they stick around longer, and they’re more likely to recommend us to their friends. And this matters to all of you because you want to be where the audiences are, too.” 

According to Nielsen, over the last three years, Netflix had more top 10 titles than every other streaming service combined.

Over 70% of Netflix’s ad-supported members watch for more than 10 hours a month — which is 15 percentage points higher than the nearest competitor, according to Nielsen. Netflix members also pay even more attention three hours into watching than they do when they first start. And because they do, they’re around twice as likely to respond to an ad compared to other streaming services and linear TV.

New Series, Movies and Live Events 

Bajaria also talked about how Netflix needs a variety of quality shows,movies and live events that members will love throughout the year — across many, many genres, cultures and languages. And that’s exactly what they’ll get in 2024 and 2025. 

Netflix announced new series, including witty comedies like Golf , starring Will Ferrell and executive produced by Ramy Youseff and Rian Johnson, and Running Point , starring Kate Hudson and executive produced by Mindy Kaling. 

Two new dramas will also be coming to Netflix: The Waterfront from Kevin Williamson, an adult family drama set in a small coastal town with twists and turns inspired by true events, and a contemporary cowboy saga starring Tim McGraw . And, Bajaria announced that the critically acclaimed series 3 Body Problem will also be back for all new episodes.

For sports fans, Netflix highlighted multiple new shows, including a new documentary series following the story of Jerry Jones and the 1990s Dallas Cowboys , and three series in partnership with the International Olympic Committee: Simone Biles: Rising which will follow the comeback of the greatest gymnast ever, a show spotlighting men’s basketball teams from around the world as they compete for medals, and Sprint , tracking the 100-meter sprinters.  

New films announced include Happy Gilmore 2 starring Adam Sandler, The Woman in Cabin 10 based on the bestselling novel of the same name and starring Keira Knightley, and a new film from Academy Award® winner Kathryn Bigelow. 

And the NFL is coming to Netflix. That’s right, Netflix will be the global home of the NFL’s two Christmas Day marquee games this year. And we’ll be streaming at least one Christmas Day game in 2025 and 2026.

The Netflix Effect 

Netflix Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee shared how Netflix shows and films influence culture — a phenomenon that has become known as the Netflix Effect. “It starts with wonderful stories that become unmissable moments for millions of fans,” Lee said. “But then it spreads across Netflix — where our trailers get billions of views — and across our social media channels, where we have a billion very active followers.”  

The Netflix ads plan and live events now give advertisers even more opportunities to thoughtfully engage with this fandom, leveraging its growing marketing and creative teams to help more brands find a home in their world. “We’ll help you reach more fans and give you more access on-screen, off-screen, and during some of our biggest moments,” Lee said.

As an example of one of these new opportunities, the company announced that Celsius will be the first presenting sponsor for the upcoming live Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson event this July. Brand partners for the fight will have featured placements throughout the broadcast and customized branding inside the ring.

Closing the presentation, Peter Naylor, Vice President of Advertising Sales, said, “There’s a lot to be excited about over the next year. But the story of ads on Netflix this year is pretty simple: It’s about growth and momentum.”

The Netflix Experience

This year, Netflix unveiled an interactive Upfront experience showcasing popular titles like Bridgerton, Squid Game, Wednesday and more for advertisers to engage with. 

Upcoming 2024 Slate Highlights: 

Returning Favorites 

Arcane S2 - Award winning animated series

Cobra Kai S6 - Critics’ Choice award winning action comedy series

The Diplomat S2 - Golden Globe nominated drama series

Emily in Paris S4 - Emmy nominated romantic comedy-drama series

Heartstopper S3 - BAFTA nominated coming-of-age series

Mo S2 - Final season of award winning drama series

Outer Banks S4 - People’s Choice award winning drama series

Squid Game S2 - Emmy® award winning Korean drama series

Sweet Tooth S3 - Final season of Emmy award winning family drama series

The Umbrella Academy S4 - Final season of Emmy nominated drama series

Unstable S2 - Comedy series starring Rob Lowe

Vikings Valhalla S3 - Historical drama series

New Prestige Dramas 

American Primeval - Action-thriller western limited series directed by Pete Berg

Black Doves  - Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw star in spy thriller

Eric - Limited thriller series starring Emmy award winner Benedict Cumberbatch

KAOS  - Greek mythology twisted drama starring Jeff Goldblum

The Madness - Conspiracy thriller starring Emmy award winner Colman Domingo

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story  - Second installment of Ryan Murphy’s Monster anthology series

The Perfect Couple - Book adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s New York Times bestseller

Supacell - Superhero series written and directed by Andrew Onwubolu

New Comedy Series

A Classic Spy - Based on the 2020 documentary The Mole Agent , starring Ted Danson

The Decameron - Comedy series from creator and showrunner Kathleen Jordan

No Good Deed - Starring Emmy award-winning actors Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano

Nobody Wants This - Romantic comedy starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody [Download first look photo HERE .]

Running Point - Starring Kate Hudson [Download first look photos HERE .]

New Unscripted Series

AMERICA’S SWEETHEARTS: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders - New series about the most iconic franchise in cheerleading

Rhythm & Flow S2 - Hit music competition series returns with new hosts DJ Khaled, Ludacris and Latto

New Premium Documentaries 

Homicide: Los Angeles - Docuseries from the mind of Law & Order creator Dick Wolf (preceded by Homicide: New York which premiered earlier this year)

Our Oceans - Produced by Freeborne Media, Wild Space Productions

Untitled K Pop doc series - Docuseries about the rigorous process of making a global music sensation

New Sports Series

Receiver - From the creators of Quarterback , the series follows pass-catchers during the NFL 2023-24 season

Untitled 2004 Red Sox Series - A look at the historic 2004 Red Sox season that  culminated with one of the greatest comebacks in sports.

New Live Events

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson - Heavyweight boxing mega-event sanctioned as a professional fight 

Select Upcoming Films

Atlas - Jennifer Lopez stars in the sci-fi action thriller

Back in Action - Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz star in this action comedy stars [Download first look photos HERE ]

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F - Eddie Murphy returns to the iconic franchise

Carry-On - Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman star in this action thriller

Family Affair - Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron star in this romantic comedy

Hit Man - Glen Powell leads Richard Linklater’s steamy dark comedy

Hot Frosty - Lacey Chabert stars in this holiday rom-com

The Merry Gentleman - Chad Michael Murray stars in this holiday rom-com

The Piano Lesson - Film adaptation of the award-winning play starring Samuel L. Jackson and produced by Denzel Washington

Rez Ball - Coming-of-age sports drama produced by LeBron James

The Six Triple Eight - Tyler Perry writes, directs and produces the film based on an inspiring true story starring Kerry Washington

Woman of the Hour - Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut

Non-English Language 

100 Years of Solitude (Colombia)

Breathless (Spain)

Do Patti (Indonesia)

Élite S8 (Spain)

El Eternauta (Argentina)

Ferry 2 (Belgium)

Gyeongseong Creature S2 (Korea)

LALIGA: All Access (Spain)

Pedro Páramo (Mexico)

Senna (Brazil)

Tour de France: Unchained S2 (France)

The Empress S2 (Germany)

The Helicopter Heist (Sweden)

The Law According to Lidia Poët S2 (Italy) 

The Queen of Villains (Japan)

Uprising (Korea)

By the Numbers:

Advertising Stats :

Netflix’s ad-supported plan now has 40 million monthly active users. 

Over 40% of all signups in Netflix’s ads markets come from our ads plan. 

Netflix ad-supported members have a higher household income and are younger than linear TV audiences, with a median age of 37. 

Over 70% of Netflix’s ad-supported members watch for more than 10 hours a month - which is 15 percentage points higher than the nearest competitor according to Nielsen.

More than half of Netflix’s ad-supported members watch Netflix for more than 20 hours per month. 

According to TVision, Netflix’s ad-supported members’ attention is the highest competitively when evaluating a three-hour span. 

According to EDO Inc., Netflix members are around twice as likely to respond to an advertisement on Netflix compared to other streaming services and linear TV. 

Programming Stats :

Netflix has 270 million subscribers.  

According to Nielsen, in 2024, Netflix has more hours in the Top 10 than any other streaming service combined. 

Over the last three years, Netflix has had more Top 10 titles than every other streaming service combined.

In 2023, Netflix members watched 183 billion hours of Netflix. 

Download photos from the event here .

Nikki Merkouris

[email protected]