Putting Your Best Foot Forward

At some point in your business pursuits you may need to make a presentation. The quality of the presentation will be seen as a reflection of the quality of the idea and your commitment to it. The style and method of delivery can be as important as the material itself. 

 

Presentation guru Tom Peters has outlined 56 do’s and don’ts for giving presentations. The theme throughout seems to be keeping your audience engaged in the presentation. This is done through effective “storytelling”, understandable and visually pleasing aids, and the delivery style and attitude of the presenter. Garr Reynolds, marketing and presentation buff, outlines his top 11 and provides a link to the full list on his blog.

 

One of the easiest ways to showcase your idea is with PowerPoint. But PowerPoint can kill your prospects just as surely as it can help you hit the proverbial home run. Venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki offers this simple rule of thumb for creating winning slides:

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Following this rule of thumb will bring the most salient points to surface, force the presenter to know their material, and keep the audience interested.

 

Even more important than what the audience sees is what they hear. If the speaker is boorish or merely dumping data, the audience will quickly zone out. Even if they continue to look at your presentation, they will not be getting the full picture and even worse, will not be connecting emotionally into what you are presenting. Garr Reynolds’ website, and blog, Presentation Zen, are filled with helpful tips and resources, including links to other presentation experts.