With all the high-tech gadgets and gizmos intended to make presentations captivating, the majority of them still tend to fall flat, leaving many nodding themselves to sleep at conference tables around the world. How can you ensure that your message gets the attention it deserves? Here are 5 simple tips to help you create an engaging business presentation:
- Know your audience. Your message should be catered to your audience and that can’t happen until you know who your audience is. Consider who you’ll be speaking to, including their wants, needs and most pressing concerns. Only then can you say something they actually want to hear.
- Don’t run long. While you may think all those bells and whistles are enough to carry an audience through an hour-long presentation, chances are they would get more out of one that is half as long. Less is often more.
- Keep it simple. From graphics to research to long-term projections, remember that your audience is probably better suited for the gist than the nitty-gritty. Trying to share everything you know about this issue will probably result in information overload. Simplify and streamline your presentation so as to not overwhelm.
- Don’t get too fancy. Related to number three, this tip discourages the use of too many bells and whistles which can become distracting. When you use a cacophony of audio files, animation techniques, and even graphic backgrounds in your PowerPoint presentation, you make your audience dizzy. Also distracting (and difficult to read) can be those fancy fonts.
- Be Yourself. The most important thing is for you to be yourself. Relax, be personable and don’t do anything that feels uncomfortable or unnatural. You’ll find that this one tip, in and of itself, will help the audience warm up to you more than any other.
You’ll find you become more at ease with making presentations the more often you do them. The experience will help you become more confident and comfortable promoting yourself and your business. Not only that, but it will make you more at ease when interacting with clients as well.
Let Universal Motivate Inspire Your Entrepreneurial Spirit
If you’d like to watch expert presenters in action, invite UAC’s motivation speakers to attend a special event, conference or office retreat. Universal Accounting Center has some exceptional presenters on staff who can motivate you and your team to excel. With a number of individuals experienced in a variety of topics, they can help you better serve your clients, better market your practice, and better grow your wealth. Learn more about Universal Accounting Center’s speaker and book one for your next event!
