Have you ever thought of how you can deliver an impressive presentation look no further as we dwell into the 7 main tips. Delivering event presentations may feel overwhelming at times. There are so many factors to take into account: the storyline, the delivery of content, the screen, the lighting, the timing of the presentation, the strengths and weaknesses of the speaker, and most important of all – the audience’s perspective on the topic of presentation. The list doesn’t end here, it just goes on!
So, how can you ensure everything goes well, the audience derives a high amount of value from the presentation, and the job is well done? The answer lies in how well you understand the basics of presentation design.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you plan your next event presentation.
7 Tips for Delivering an Impressive Presentation
Tip #1: Try to be mindful of everything
What’s the size of the audience that will be attending your presentation? What’s the size of the venue? Do they have a large-sized screen for better visibility? Will the presentation be clearly visible from all the seating areas? Do you need to prepare the slides for webcasting?
Try not to ignore these kind of questions for later since it will certainly take some time and prep work to execute everything just as you want it.
Tip #2: Focus on having the perfect timing
Even though most well-planned events start with an opening act or a video, it’s always possible that the energy level of the audience drops quickly as soon as they get bored watching slides after slides of presentations.
PowerPoint slides are not good enough to make the audience feel engaged by your content. The audience needs to feel both highs and lows. You need to give them some thoughtful moments and then some dramatic pauses. This is why you need to get your story down, as a first step.
Tip #3: Use content-rich slides only where they are absolutely necessary
It’s not always necessary to have a big bunch of content-driven slides in your pitch decks. Try to take into account the visual fatigue that the audience has already gone through before you begin delivering your presentation.
It’s always good to have a more flexible approach when it comes to introducing the audience to your messaging. You can use a simple backdrop, to begin with, and as you gain more attention, shift to more content-rich slides or infographics whenever you feel they will help to deliver your message better.
Tip #4: Deliver an engaging experience, not just a bunch of slides
Have you thought about how the lighting and audio could be used to engage your audience? We are human beings, after all, and even the slightest changes in our environment have an impact on our experiences.
Even if you are a great speaker on stage, you need to deliver a rich and multi-dimensional experience to your audience. For example, you can integrate videos into your presentation. In fact, just by having a couple of short videos in between your slides or talking points, you can give the audience a short break from the slides while blocking their attention towards you for the rest of the presentation.
How about inviting other experts in your niche on stage? Don’t you think it’s a nice way to make the audience have a well-rounded understanding of what you are trying to present to them instead of making them listen to only your personal opinion? Having an engaging conversation or a panel discussion on stage could also help you add more structure to a long presentation whilst also boosting the much-required audience engagement.
Try to focus on delivering one simple message per slide and making the content flow.
Tip #5: Make it memorable
Perhaps you already know exactly what to tell your audience. But what emotions do you want them to feel? Needless to say, the audience is looking for a real human connection. This is what makes an experience truly memorable.
Use the right visuals, audio, tone, and pace in order to create a cohesive mood throughout your presentation. Try to use a broader spectrum of sensory experiences to allow more room for the kind of one-to-many emotional engagement that you are looking for.
Tip #6: Follow the event’s theme
Even though it’s necessary that a majority of the attention is spent on putting together a perfect presentation, it’s also important to follow a consistent presentation template throughout the event. This is why you need to fit into the presentation theme and use the library of common slide layouts designed for the event’s brand.
Keep a consistent tone and make the presentation feel cohesive. If you are taking the help of a presentation agency in London, try to get them involved early on. A presentation agency can not only help polish your messaging and story but also share with you the insights which you may have not had previously.
Tip #7: Keep them entertained
No, this is not about the entertainment that is planned during the short breaks to make the audience feel relaxed – that’s something that event planners have to worry about.
This tip is about creating tiny moments of fun or entertainment while you are delivering the presentation. Even though you may have some really serious messages for the audience, feel free to add in some fun elements too! Think about how a good laugh every now and again creates a nice connection between the presenter and the audience.
Also, if something doesn’t go as per the planned presentation design, or there’s an unexpected glitch in between presentation, just laugh it off and make the moment lighter for everyone, including yourself. This kind of attitude makes the speaker much more approachable and “human” in the eyes of the audience.
Final Thoughts
Try to follow what’s proven to work when it comes to delivering an engaging and memorable presentation. The tips shared in this article are not be all end all, so take this advice only to improvise on what you have got going so far.
If you don’t have a background in presentation design, it’s always a nice idea to hire a presentation agency in London, since they know the inner workings of the presentation game better than you.
Most important of all, they can help you execute the final presentation design, eliminate the communication issues with the event organisers (if they do arise) and also do those last minute script revisions for you. This can provide you the much-required confidence and peace of mind you need to have before you go on stage and deliver that presentation that you have been preparing for so long.
