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Brandveda

8 Tips For Creating an Effective Business Presentation

Blog Post written by:
Brandveda

Marketing is essential to attracting new customers and increasing sales, but can you explain in one simple message what your business does and what makes it unique? If you’ve never tried, it might be harder than it seems. But we have good news. If you follow these practical steps in the eight areas highlighted below, you can confidently define and present your business proposition.

1. Understand Your Audience

Every business presentation has its audience and every audience has its presentation.

People will feel won over when they realize that you are talking about their problems in their language and that you have done some work to understand their needs.

Knowing the users you are addressing is a fundamental prerequisite for designing effective communication.

2. Capture Attention in the First 5 Minutes

Starting on the right foot is essential. Either you start well or you lose the audience's attention right away.

Do you want their attention? Give them something in return (principle of reciprocity).

To open your presentation memorably and amaze your audience, you can use one of the most used hook strategies:

  • Tell a story
  • Ask and interact
  • Surprise with a shocking statistic
  • Quote and exploit the authority of others
  • Debunk a common belief
  • Bring your idea to life
  • Make people laugh
  • Exploit historical events
  • Trigger the imagination
  • Get straight to the point
  • Manage expectations
  • Surprise with a metaphor

3. Tell a Story

The way you present the contents of your speech has a significant impact on its success.

The most common and effective technique is storytelling. This does not mean telling a “little story” that distracts or makes the audience laugh, but rather using a narrative structure typical of stories to structure the flow of your communication.

A tool that can help create effective storytelling is the Lean Presentation Strategy Canvas.

Bonus Read: The Importance of Paraphrasing in Effective Communication

4. Simplify and Reduce

We all know that a presentation made with ineffective and graphically unappealing slides does not work. The way in which you display the contents on the slides really makes the difference.

A useful tip for those who are dealing with a business presentation is to design the slides in such a way as to shift the focus from reading to listening to what is being said.

To do this, simply simplify and, above all, reduce the text to ensure that the audience understands the content of the slides at first glance and keeps their attention on the speaker for the rest of the time.

5. Showcase your Strengths

It’s important to let people know that you sell the best products, offer first-class customer service, or that your employees are experts who are always ready to lend a hand.

Prepare by making a list of your strengths and why you’re better than the competition. Go through this list several times until you can easily explain why your company is the best choice for customers.

6. Refine your Message

A common mistake is to try to describe the entire organization. You need to focus on the strengths and competitive advantages you identified earlier.

Try to condense these elements into a single message that you can explain in a few seconds at the beginning of your presentation.

7. Focus on Body Language

To convince people to believe in your company, you have to show that you really believe in it. If you just quickly present a list of facts, strengths, and benefits, you won't achieve much. You have to show passion in what you say.

Get excited, but not too much. Otherwise, the result could be exactly the opposite. Show a confident and open attitude, smile, and shake hands with participants, looking them in the eye. And don't overdo the handshake; try to make it firm but friendly. If you're not sure where to start, look up how to screen record your practice sessions—it's an easy way to review your body language and improve your delivery.

8. Prepare to Negotiate

If your presentation becomes a negotiation, it means that things are going well. A potential sale or new customer is on the horizon. So how do you handle this?

You certainly don't want a successful presentation to be ruined by a couple of questions about a potential deal. Before you arrive at the meeting, think about how you would ideally like it to go. Think about what you would like to achieve and what you could accept.

Always expect a counteroffer. Will your response be a “win-win” for both parties? How can you emphasize that the deal will benefit both companies and that this is not a battle between rivals?

Takeaways

Creating an amazing business presentation does not have to be so hard. 

Once you have assimilated and practiced these eight simple steps, you will be well on your way to making the perfect pitch. And earning new clients!

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Marketing is essential to attracting new customers and increasing sales, but can you explain in one simple message what your business does and what makes it unique? If you’ve never tried, it might be harder than it seems. But we have good news. If you follow these practical steps in the eight areas highlighted below, you can confidently define and present your business proposition.

1. Understand Your Audience

Every business presentation has its audience and every audience has its presentation.

People will feel won over when they realize that you are talking about their problems in their language and that you have done some work to understand their needs.

Knowing the users you are addressing is a fundamental prerequisite for designing effective communication.

2. Capture Attention in the First 5 Minutes

Starting on the right foot is essential. Either you start well or you lose the audience's attention right away.

Do you want their attention? Give them something in return (principle of reciprocity).

To open your presentation memorably and amaze your audience, you can use one of the most used hook strategies:

  • Tell a story
  • Ask and interact
  • Surprise with a shocking statistic
  • Quote and exploit the authority of others
  • Debunk a common belief
  • Bring your idea to life
  • Make people laugh
  • Exploit historical events
  • Trigger the imagination
  • Get straight to the point
  • Manage expectations
  • Surprise with a metaphor

3. Tell a Story

The way you present the contents of your speech has a significant impact on its success.

The most common and effective technique is storytelling. This does not mean telling a “little story” that distracts or makes the audience laugh, but rather using a narrative structure typical of stories to structure the flow of your communication.

A tool that can help create effective storytelling is the Lean Presentation Strategy Canvas.

Bonus Read: The Importance of Paraphrasing in Effective Communication

4. Simplify and Reduce

We all know that a presentation made with ineffective and graphically unappealing slides does not work. The way in which you display the contents on the slides really makes the difference.

A useful tip for those who are dealing with a business presentation is to design the slides in such a way as to shift the focus from reading to listening to what is being said.

To do this, simply simplify and, above all, reduce the text to ensure that the audience understands the content of the slides at first glance and keeps their attention on the speaker for the rest of the time.

5. Showcase your Strengths

It’s important to let people know that you sell the best products, offer first-class customer service, or that your employees are experts who are always ready to lend a hand.

Prepare by making a list of your strengths and why you’re better than the competition. Go through this list several times until you can easily explain why your company is the best choice for customers.

6. Refine your Message

A common mistake is to try to describe the entire organization. You need to focus on the strengths and competitive advantages you identified earlier.

Try to condense these elements into a single message that you can explain in a few seconds at the beginning of your presentation.

7. Focus on Body Language

To convince people to believe in your company, you have to show that you really believe in it. If you just quickly present a list of facts, strengths, and benefits, you won't achieve much. You have to show passion in what you say.

Get excited, but not too much. Otherwise, the result could be exactly the opposite. Show a confident and open attitude, smile, and shake hands with participants, looking them in the eye. And don't overdo the handshake; try to make it firm but friendly. If you're not sure where to start, look up how to screen record your practice sessions—it's an easy way to review your body language and improve your delivery.

8. Prepare to Negotiate

If your presentation becomes a negotiation, it means that things are going well. A potential sale or new customer is on the horizon. So how do you handle this?

You certainly don't want a successful presentation to be ruined by a couple of questions about a potential deal. Before you arrive at the meeting, think about how you would ideally like it to go. Think about what you would like to achieve and what you could accept.

Always expect a counteroffer. Will your response be a “win-win” for both parties? How can you emphasize that the deal will benefit both companies and that this is not a battle between rivals?

Takeaways

Creating an amazing business presentation does not have to be so hard. 

Once you have assimilated and practiced these eight simple steps, you will be well on your way to making the perfect pitch. And earning new clients!

Author
Brandveda

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