It is said that the way you present your idea is almost as important as its quality and no one knows this better than business people who have had to pitch their ideas or present projects to their bosses, potential investors and prospective clients. Some of them have been quite successful, because both the idea and its presentation were top-notch, while some have managed to waste a great opportunity to see their proposal accepted solely because they didn’t present it properly. If you’re about to give a presentation or pitch your idea to someone, we recommend you take the following things into consideration.
What is the purpose of your presentation?
In general, you want to earn the support of those who attend your presentation. Perhaps you need financial backing, or you might want to persuade them to change something about how they do their business. In any case, you need to stay focused on the goal of your presentation and be ready to defend your case. Start by making sure your presentation is straightforward and clear and that all the decision-makers present can relate to it. Next, think about whether you’re presenting your case in a persuasive way. If someone else presented it to you, would you find it attractive? Those are the first considerations you need to make.
People love captivating stories
The core of your presentation may be figures, graphs and pie-charts, but they should all be in service of your storytelling. However, your visual prompts are not likely to get your audience hooked. What they react to, though, is a compelling and emotional story. It doesn’t need to be a masterfully crafted one, but simply a story that emphasizes the problem (or need) and solution. If you manage to incorporate human connection into your story, your case will be listened to more attentively and you’ll have better chances of achieving your goal. It’s a good idea to read up on different founder stories to inspire yourself and improve your presentation.
Grab their attention early
It’s common knowledge that the first impression is very important. If you lose your audience’s attention in the early stage of your presentation, it’ll be very difficult to get it back before the end. So, you need to start strongly and identify the problem/need you’re trying to resolve. That problem you’re addressing should be realistic and apparent, if not before your presentation, then as soon as you explain it. Also, make sure that the steps you propose for solving the problem and for reaching the goal are in line with the company’s goals.
Using the right tools
Luckily, there are now many visual aids you can use to make your case more compelling. It’s no longer just slides with graphs and charts. Successful and original presentations now often include dynamic elements, such as videos. With a simple-to-use video maker, you can create engaging videos, which can help you present your case much better and more effectively. Just make sure the video is not too long, because people’s attention span is getting shorter. Basically, your video should be there to support your case.
Anticipate concerns
Every proposal implies a change, at least a small one, and we know that most people don’t really react well to changes due to their fear of uncertainty, among other reasons. That’s why you need to anticipate and address the concerns of those attending your presentation, which will help you gain valued allies. You might want to prepare answers to questions about why similar ideas have been unsuccessful before and pinpoint the reasons for failure. Ideally, you should recommend how, in your opinion, such mistakes could have been avoided.
Remember you’re talking to real people
Many presenters, especially those with little or no experience, fall into the trap of focusing on slides, thus forgetting to establish human connection. This could have detrimental effects on the outcome, because those in the room will feel neglected. So, never forget that you’re talking to people and that you need to impress them with your idea and story, rather than with the smoothness of your slide transition.
Your timing should be great
It’s not uncommon to walk into the room without knowing exactly how much time you have to pitch your idea. That’s why it’s shrewd to have a short version of your presentation, aka ‘elevator pitch’, ready, just in case. Similarly, you might be given more time than expected, which you also need to be able to fill with relevant slides and stories. Have some slides ready, just in case you’re allotted more time.
Practice is a must
Regardless of how experienced you may be when it comes to presenting, you should never miss a practice run. It will show you how much time, roughly speaking, you need. If you record your practice, you’ll also be able to work on the speed at which you deliver. People tend to speak faster when they’re under stress, so you might want to take that into account, as well. If you use a camera, you can also see your body language and correct it, if necessary. Finally, it’s ideal to practice your presentation in front of people who understand what you’re talking about and who can give you useful feedback.
All these things should be considered before presenting your business case to those you need to accept it. As you can see, the most important thing, apart from the quality of your idea, is to do it in a way that speaks to people, so that decision-makers can relate to it. The issue or opportunity you’re addressing needs to be realistic and aligned with the company’s goals and your presentation should include a solution or the best strategy for dealing with the needs. Only then can you hope for your proposal to be accepted, which is the ultimate goal of your presentation.
