Get on the bus to the that pretty good hotel. Get your orthopedic seat cushion ready, you are going to sit through a lot of presentations. And get ready to give that business overview you’ve been asked to give!
With internal corporate presentations you have two strategy choices. Give a good, average, OK presentation (lots of graphs and charts) and be forgettable. A presentation that gets you off anyone’s radar because no one will remember what you said by break time. The other option is to try to “win” your presentation. Be more interesting, more focused and above all else, more memorable than your colleagues. If the first option is your strategy you can stop reading now. I’m sure you’ve been to enough presentations to nail this strategy.
If you are going for the other option…you make sure your message is remembered through your presentation design and delivery. Before you open your computer to start mucking around in PowerPoint answer these questions:
Start with a structure
Who is my audience? Will my message resonate with them?
What is my message? (The message should be a single sentence, using spoken words, that contains the words “you” and/or “your”.
Create supporting content
Which of my content supports my message? (If it doesn’t support the message delete it.)
Can I “chunk” my content into benefits to my audience. Example: speed, safety and efficiency?
Opening/Closing
Is my opening interesting? Does my opening connect my audience to my presentation?
Am I reviewing my content, restating my message and calling for an action in my closing?
Visual elements
Do my visuals (slides) meet the 3 second rule? (The audience should be able to read everything on the slide in around 3 seconds)
Are my visuals about amplification and clarification or just decoration?
Emotional elements
Am I letting my passion/concern/hope etc. shine through?
What tools am I using from the Persuasive Toolbox? (examples, quotes, and especially stories)
Theatrical elements
Am I using “you and/or your…a lot?
Am I using the best words and phrases to explain/clarify things?
Did I rehearse my opening, closing and transitions?
If you are going for the win, I am offering you a free 1 hour consult for your sales meeting presentation. I am happy to help the first 10 people who contact me.
joepops@refusetobeboring.com
Joe Pops
R2BB