Before I started my current business, I was a pursuit consultant in the Sales, Marketing & Business Development group at Deloitte. I coordinated proposal responses and coached teams on presentations to prospective clients.
While I was an experienced sales rep and marketer when I took the job, I have to say that working in that group definitely honed my skills. Here are some of the key things I learned that will help you crush your next presentation, whether to your employees, executive team, or investors.
1. Create clean slides with only the most important points
If you find that you are jamming a slide full of content and reformatting it, create a new slide. Endeavor to keep each slide to one main point with only supporting information about that point.
2. Use large fonts
Nothing puts an audience to sleep faster than packed slides with small fonts they can’t read. Or with embedded Excel spreadsheets they can’t read. I recommend using a handout for spreadsheet data so people can actually understand it.
If you are going to be projecting your presentation, imagine the person in the back of the room and how they would experience it.
3. Start and finish strong
I did many musical performances when I was younger. My mother drilled into me that the way I started and the way I finished needed to be rock solid, and that the audience might not notice a few wrong notes in the middle. This has proven to be excellent advice.
4. Tell them what they will get
Everybody is tuned into their favorite radio station WIIFM – or What’s In It For Me. You are asking your audience for their valuable time. Make sure they know why they are there and what they will get out of your talk.
How will it benefit them? Why should they care? The clearer you are in getting these points across at the beginning, the more attention you will receive throughout your presentation.
5. Slow down
Speak a little slower and more deliberately than you normally do. When you are nervous, you may naturally start to talk faster, so concentrating on slowing your speech cadence can compensate for that.
Also, fast-talking is a warning sign for most of us. We tend to think of the fast-talking salesman as a person who is trying to get something past us. Don’t be that person.
6. End early
Seriously, if you have said everything you needed to say, thank people for their time and let them get back to work. They will love you for it.
7. Practice!
As my friend Carol Roth says frequently, “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.”
I am extremely comfortable presenting and am quick on my feet. I make sure I don’t self-sabotage by blocking out specific times to practice on my calendar before a big talk.
If you aren’t a seasoned presenter, you will need to carve out even more time so that you get very comfortable with your material. That way, even if you get questions from the audience that seemingly come out of nowhere, you will be able to address them gracefully.
Do you have a fear of public speaking? Lots of people do! Here are some ways to calm the butterflies in your stomach:
- Show up early. You will want to make sure everything is ready and that the equipment works. Assume that there will be issues, and if there aren’t any – bonus!
- Take a breath. Please know that even the most experienced speakers have some kind of pre-talk ritual that includes deep breathing. I have personally watched people who get $20K+ per talk do this. You should too.
- Wear something comfortable. Dress professionally and comfortably. It doesn’t look good (and showcases your discomfort) if you keep adjusting your clothing. And tight waistbands constrict breathing, which decreases your ability to project your voice.
- Smile before you start. Smiling will relax you and your audience. It also will make your words sound better to your audience. (Trust me on this. It even works on the telephone.)
These are some of my best tips for a successful presentation. If you use these techniques, you will connect with your audience and have a lot more fun presenting.
Photo by Product School on Unsplash
