How to Deliver Small-Scale Presentations

Powerpoint tips

presentation tips

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius Blog

small-scale presentations

When we think of presentations, we often imagine standing in front of a large audience. But as JD Schramm points out in his article for Harvard Business Review, plenty of meetings and presentations involve a much smaller crowd.Often, you won’t find yourself addressing an auditorium full of people. In truth, most presentation meetings involve less than 10 participants. Most of the time, presentations happen with you and the audience interacting closely with one another.While you may think this is an easier scenario to handle, small-scale presentations can also have a few challenges.

What do you do with your slides?

In small-scale presentations, you won’t need to project your slides. But this doesn’t mean that visuals aren’t necessary. Even with a smaller group, your presentation will still need to connect and engage. As you would with any presentation, highlight your main points with powerful visuals.So how do you share your slides then? You can prepare a printed deck. Build your slides as you usually would, but skip the animation and huge pictures. Instead, opt for interesting color schemes and eye-catching illustrations. As always, keep your content precise and concise. Another option is to make an iPad or tablet PowerPoint presentation.

Should you sit or stand?

As you may have guessed, standing is a powerful nonverbal cue. When you stand while others remain in their seats, you show that you’re in a position of power and authority. This is important at the start of a presentation, and why you should stand as you begin your presentation. If the presentation meeting is more formal in nature, you can opt to remain standing as you delve into the main presentation and only take a seat when it’s time to answer questions. For meetings that are more casual, you can deliver the entirety of your presentation seated.The seat you take is another crucial factor in small-scale presentations. As the presenter, you should be seated in a place that allows you to see everyone in the table. It’s important that you’re in a place where you can easily make eye contact with the group. If you’re delivering a pitch, you should sit close to the primary decision maker.

How should you speak? How should you move?

Even as you sit with the audience, it’s important to be mindful of your voice and gestures. As always, speak with a voice that’s loud and clear. A strong voice comes from the diaphragm, so maintain proper posture once you’re seated. Keep your back straight and your feet firmly on the ground. When you’re talking, you can lean forward slightly to show the audience that you’re engaging in a conversation with them. As you would in any presentation, maintain eye contact throughout. When taking questions, Schramm suggests that you can lean back into your chair to seem more approachable.

Conclusion

Regardless of the size of your audience, the goal of your presentation remains the same. You want to be able to communicate your ideas in the most efficient way possible.When facing a small group, always be mindful of how you present yourself. You can still command authority and create an engaging atmosphere without the usual presentation set up.

Reference

Schramm, JD. “How to Present to a Small Audience.” Harvard Business Review. August 20, 2014. Accessed October 14, 2014. Featured Image: Sebastiaan ter Burg via flickr.com

Coming Up with a Presentation Design Concept

design concept

design resources

PowerPoint Design

presentation design

Designing an effective PowerPoint deck involves plenty of preparation. There’s obviously more to it than choosing a random template and then putting together a bunch of slides. Each color, picture, and font type you choose should be governed by a plan. In other words, every single element that goes into your slide should correspond to a specific concept.

This concept will direct all your design choices, leading you to a PowerPoint deck that elevates your core message. Think of it this way: If great design is the destination, a design concept is the map you’ll need to get there.

Conceptualizing Design

According to Vanseo Design, we can think of design concept in two different ways. The first is the verbal concept, where you let a particular message dictate your aesthetic. For example, you might want your PowerPoint deck to exude innovation and professionalism to match the software you’re pitching. This gives you a more abstract starting point nbut allows you to focus more clearly on the message of your presentation.

The next is the visual concept, where you start with a specific image or “look” in mind. For example, you might want to work around the different shades of blue or feature geometrical shapes prominently. While it may give you a concrete picture of your design, it might also be incoherent with the presentation you’re about to deliver. To be effective, a visual concept needs to be grounded by a specific message. It needs to be enhanced by a verbal concept to become a cohesive design plan.

With that in mind, take note of the following tips to come up with a full-bodied presentation design concept:

1. Determine the purpose of your presentation

Before you start sketching away, figure out the main purpose and message of your presentation. Why were you asked to deliver this presentation in the first place? What do you hope to accomplish? What’s the one thing you want your audience to remember? All these questions will help you draft the main message or “take away” of your presentation—a crucial element in the verbal aspect of your design concept.

2. Turn to your brand for inspiration

As you know, your brand is representative of your company identity. It gives clients and consumers insight on your story and experience, as well as the goals you want to achieve in the future. But aside from that, it can also reveal how you can go about your design concept. Look to your brand story to inspire the verbal component of your concept, and then use your logo to sort out the visuals.

3. Do your research

Of course, you can also branch out and look for inspiration elsewhere. Do your research and read as much as you can about design. It doesn’t have to be particularly related to presentations. Try to read about the basic design principles, or look through graphic design tips. You can even browse through some infographics to see best practices on condensing  and illustrating data. Immerse yourself in the world of design by exploring different blogs and websites. Here are our top picks to help  you get you started:

4. Think of what your audience might want to see

It’s also important to consider the audience. After all, it’s them that you will need to impress. Try to think about what they might want to see during your presentation. The more you consider their point of view, the more you can be sure to create an engaging and memorable experience. Like you would when working on content, use these four questions to guide your presentation design concept.

Conclusion

Your presentation can thrive if you have powerful visuals that help highlight the core message. A design concept is a way to do that. In order to come up with an effective PowerPoint deck, you’ll need a concrete plan to follow.These 4 steps are a crucial part of presentation preparation. Don’t forget to develop a complete design concept before you start working on your slides.

Reference

Bradley, Steven. “Thoughts on Developing A Design Concept.” Vanseo Design. December 23, 2010. Accessed October 13, 2014. Featured Image: Cultura de Red via Flickr

The Path to a Perfect Prezi Story

non-linear transitions

path tool

presentation design

Presentations

prezi

Prezi Feature of the Week

Prezi Path Tool

Creating a compelling and engaging story in a Prezi presentation can make a world of difference when it comes to captivating your audience. Prezi’s dynamic, non-linear format is perfect for storytelling, as it allows you to present information in a more visually stimulating and fluid way than traditional slide-based presentations. However, constructing a powerful narrative with Prezi requires careful planning and strategic design choices to ensure your story flows seamlessly and resonates with your audience.Here’s the path to creating the perfect Prezi story:


1. Define Your Core Message

Every great story starts with a clear and impactful core message. Before diving into the design of your Prezi, ask yourself: What is the one thing I want my audience to remember after this presentation? Defining your core message early on helps shape the rest of your content and ensures that your presentation stays focused.Why It’s Important:

  • Sets the Direction: A well-defined core message acts as the foundation of your story, guiding your narrative and helping you stay on track.
  • Enhances Clarity: A clear message makes it easier for your audience to understand and retain the information you’re presenting.

How to Do It:

  • Write down the single key idea you want your audience to take away from the presentation.
  • Keep your core message simple and concise, so it’s easy to convey and remember.

Example: If you’re presenting a new product, your core message could be: “This product will revolutionize the way we work by simplifying complex tasks.”


2. Outline Your Story Structure

Once you’ve defined your core message, outline the structure of your story. Think of your Prezi as a narrative journey, with a beginning, middle, and end. Organizing your content into a logical flow helps your audience follow along and keeps them engaged throughout.Why It’s Important:

  • Creates Flow: A clear structure ensures that your story progresses logically, preventing confusion and maintaining engagement.
  • Helps the Audience Navigate: Structuring your Prezi in a way that is easy to follow helps your audience absorb information without feeling overwhelmed.

How to Do It:

  • Break your story into three parts: the introduction (set the stage), the body (present the main content), and the conclusion (wrap up and reinforce the key message).
  • Ensure each section flows naturally into the next, using Prezi’s zooming and panning features to create smooth transitions.

Example: In a presentation on business growth, start by introducing the challenge, move into key strategies for overcoming it, and end with a success story or projection for the future.


3. Leverage Prezi’s Non-Linear Format

One of Prezi’s unique advantages is its non-linear format, which allows you to present information in a more dynamic, flexible way than traditional linear slide presentations. Take advantage of this feature by structuring your story in a way that moves around key ideas, zooming in and out of details, rather than moving slide-by-slide.Why It’s Important:

  • Engages the Audience: A non-linear flow keeps the audience interested and engaged, offering a break from the predictable slide transitions of PowerPoint.
  • Emphasizes Key Points: Zooming in and out of key content highlights important information and reinforces your story.

How to Do It:

  • Use Prezi’s zooming feature to transition between big-picture ideas and detailed explanations, giving your audience a sense of movement and depth.
  • Arrange content elements spatially to create visual relationships between different parts of your story.

Example: For a product launch presentation, you could start with a zoomed-out view of the market landscape, then zoom in on specific customer pain points, and finally zoom in further to show how your product addresses those needs.


4. Make Use of Visual Metaphors

Visual metaphors are an effective way to enhance your Prezi story by making complex ideas more relatable and easier to understand. Prezi’s dynamic canvas allows you to represent abstract concepts using metaphors like pathways, trees, or mountains, adding depth and creativity to your narrative.Why It’s Important:

  • Simplifies Complex Ideas: Visual metaphors break down complex information into easily digestible and relatable concepts.
  • Creates Memorable Visuals: Metaphors leave a lasting impression, helping your audience remember key points long after the presentation is over.

How to Do It:

  • Choose a metaphor that aligns with your core message. For example, a roadmap can symbolize a journey to success, while a tree can represent growth and branching out.
  • Integrate your metaphor into the overall layout of your Prezi, using the zooming feature to navigate through different parts of the metaphor.

Example: For a project timeline presentation, use a road or pathway as the central visual metaphor, with different milestones marked along the way. Zoom in on each milestone to provide more detail.


5. Use Storytelling Techniques

Crafting a compelling Prezi story goes beyond just organizing your content—it’s about creating an emotional connection with your audience. Use traditional storytelling techniques such as conflict, resolution, and a call to action to make your presentation more engaging and persuasive.Why It’s Important:

  • Builds Emotional Engagement: Storytelling techniques tap into emotions, making your presentation more memorable and impactful.
  • Encourages Action: A well-told story not only informs but also inspires action, motivating your audience to take the next step.

How to Do It:

  • Introduce a problem or conflict early on to grab the audience’s attention.
  • Present your solution or idea as the resolution to the conflict.
  • End with a clear call to action, encouraging your audience to act on the information you’ve provided.

Example: If you’re pitching a new marketing strategy, start by outlining the current challenges your company faces, then present your strategy as the solution. Conclude with a call to action, such as implementing the new strategy.


6. Keep It Visually Engaging

While storytelling is important, the visuals you use in Prezi are equally crucial to maintaining audience attention. Avoid overwhelming your audience with too much text or clutter. Instead, rely on visuals like images, icons, and videos to support your narrative.Why It’s Important:

  • Keeps the Audience Focused: Visuals are more engaging than text-heavy slides and help keep the audience focused on the key points.
  • Simplifies Complex Data: Charts, graphs, and images can help simplify complex information, making it easier for the audience to understand.

How to Do It:

  • Use high-quality images and icons to illustrate your story without overcrowding the presentation.
  • Break up large blocks of text with visuals that support the key points, such as data visualizations or case studies.

Example: In a presentation on company performance, replace text-heavy slides with charts that visually represent growth metrics, and use icons to represent key performance indicators (KPIs).


7. End with a Powerful Conclusion

The conclusion of your Prezi should bring your story full circle, reinforcing your core message and leaving the audience with a clear takeaway. It’s your final opportunity to make an impact and inspire action.Why It’s Important:

  • Reinforces the Main Idea: A strong conclusion ensures that your audience leaves with a clear understanding of your core message.
  • Calls the Audience to Action: Ending with a call to action encourages your audience to engage with your message beyond the presentation.

How to Do It:

  • Summarize the key points of your presentation, tying them back to your core message.
  • End with a clear call to action, whether it’s adopting a new idea, investing in your product, or taking the next step in a project.

Example: Conclude your presentation with a zoomed-out view of your entire Prezi, summarizing the journey you’ve taken the audience on, and finish with a call to action like “Let’s take the next step together.”


Final Thoughts

Creating a perfect Prezi story is about combining dynamic visuals, non-linear navigation, and classic storytelling techniques to craft a presentation that captivates and inspires your audience. By defining your core message, organizing your content, leveraging visual metaphors, and using Prezi’s unique features effectively, you can build a presentation that is both engaging and memorable. Follow this path, and you’ll be well on your way to delivering a powerful Prezi story that leaves a lasting impact.

9 Simple Rules for an Effective Sales Presentation

sales pitch

sales presentation tips

sales presentations

There’s a lot at stake when delivering a sales presentation. After cold calls and endless follow-ups, you now have the opportunity to meet with prospects and have a worthwhile discussion with them. You get to showcase the service or product you’re offering and all the benefits attached to it.In order to succeed, you can’t just throw a PowerPoint deck together and deliver a haphazard presentation. Instead, you need to be mindful of the correct techniques, making use of your creativity to leave a lasting impression. Here are 9 simple rules to make sure your pitch goes according to plan:

1.) Keep it short and simple

It’s easy to lose interest in a presentation that seems to go on forever. Even with an extremely engaging topic, most audiences have a hard time focusing their attention for more than a couple of minutes.The first step to improving your sales presentation is by cutting down the content. Focus only on the points that are crucial to the message you’re delivering.

2.) Hook the audience with a story

There’s nothing more compelling than a good story. Instead of presenting your pitch in a traditional, matter-of-fact way, you can spin it into a narrative. Following the dramatic arc of ancient Greek plays, or use the AIDA method as a guide.With a specific and structured narrative, you can easily determine which points are crucial to your message, and which ones feel excessive or unnecessary. This technique can also lead to a stronger connection between you and your audience.

3.) Create tension by identifying challenges

All the best stories are able to build tension for conflict and suspense. The same thing should be true for your sales presentation. Briefly show your prospects just how crucial your product or service is. Let them know that you’re aware of the problems they encounter. Describe a scenario that enumerates the challenges they face. Aside from making your pitch more compelling, this will let your prospects see how much you understand their current situation.

4.) Release tension by detailing your solution

Of course, you’ll need to do more than talk about the problems. Too much suspense can also kill engagement, so balance your story out by bringing attention to positive details as well. Delve into the features of your product or service, and focus on the opportunities it can give your prospects. Show them how your solution is the best way to overcome their challenges.

5.) Showcase your accomplishments, expertise, and experience

Another thing you can’t miss is to showcase the value of your brand and company. Build audience trust by enumerating your key accomplishments and relevant industry experience. Let your prospects understand the culture and logic behind your product or service, but don’t spend too much time blowing your own horn. Majority of your sales presentation should be spent on connecting with your prospect and showcasing the benefits of your offer.

6.) Emphasize your message with slides that incorporate your brand

Your brand encapsulates your entire company identity. By creating a PowerPoint deck that mirrors your brand, you can help your presentation become more unique and distinguishable. The easiest way to go about this is by using a color palette that’s similar to your logo. You can also incorporate the overall theme of your product into your design. These examples can serve as inspiration.

7.) Prepare for the difficult questions

You can never tell how the audience will react to your presentation. Your prospect might ask you questions that are difficult to answer. They could also bring up points you weren’t made aware of in your previous conversations. For situations like this, it’s always better to be prepared. Get ready to improvise. It will also help if you list down and answer all the possible questions that your audience might ask. Consult your colleagues and other members of your team to expand your list.

8.) Close with a specific Call-to-Action

The Call-to-Action (CTA) is perhaps the most crucial part of your sales presentation. It summarizes the purpose of your pitch in a bold statement that urges your prospects to take positive action. In other words, the CTA puts the ball on their side of the court. To be effective, a CTA needs to be direct, precise, and straight to the point.

9.) Don’t forget to follow up

Your work doesn’t stop even after your sales presentation ends with positive feedback. You can’t assume that your prospects will immediately act on your presentation. The people in your audience, especially the key decision makers, often have busy schedules. To make sure the impact of your sales presentation doesn’t dwindle, send an email to your prospects and reiterate your points. READ MORE: What Makes a Sales Pitch, As Told by Mad Men’s Don DraperFeatured Image: Ted Eytan via Flickr

The 4 Fundamental Qualities of Presentation Content

presentation content

presentation tips

presentation writing

Presentations

Most people tend to focus all their energy on creating effective PowerPoint designs. It’s true that well-designed slides can help engage audiences even more. Visuals allow people to remember crucial details, given that vision trumps all other senses when it comes to processing information. Still, those who prefer to start by building slides on PowerPoint are missing a crucial detail. They forget that presentation content is the real focus.Building a presentation is a lot like building a house. Before painting the walls and decorating with furniture, you will need a strong foundation. You will need to build thick walls and sturdy floors. You will need pillars to hold everything in shape. In presentations, that foundation is your content.So what does it take to create the best content possible? How do you ensure that your foundation is solid and consistent? These are the four fundamental qualities found in effective presentation content:

1.) Has clear and specific message

Your presentation content needs to have a clear and specific message. This will be the core of your presentation, where all your other points revolve. Every argument you make throughout will be to prove the value of your statement. Determine the purpose of your presentation and define the goals you want to achieve. Are you talking to sales prospects? Are you pitching to potential investors? Do you want the audience to see the advantage of your product over competing brands? Craft a single message that encompasses your objectives. Keep it short, powerful, and descriptive.

2.) Streamlined and simplified

In presentations, less is always more. You can easily lose the attention of your audience if you stray too much from your main point. Even if you have plenty of ideas to share, the only thing that’s relevant to your audience will be those that help your message move forward. Streamline your presentation content with some brainstorming techniques. Once you’ve let your ideas run wild, you can choose the points that are most relevant and compelling. If you’re working with data or complex concepts, simplify your discussion by using analogies and metaphors.

3.) Supported by facts and data

To add credibility to your presentation content, you will need to support your points by citing appropriate sources. Make sure you have the necessary data to show that your arguments are valid and accurate. Look for research papers that can help authenticate your ideas. If you’ve done your own research, include the data from your results. You can also include testimonials or interviews.

4.) Compelling and memorable

Overall, your presentation content needs to attract the attention of your audience and keep them interested throughout. You can do that by crafting your content in the form of a story. According to research conducted by Dr. Paul Zak, the most effective content follows the structure of classical Greek dramas. Presentations with the pattern of exposition – rising action – climax – falling action – resolution are more likely to elicit emotional response from the audience.

All in all, your presentation content needs to have information that is specific, useful, accurate, and memorable. Take note of these key characteristics to find the best way to share the message you want to deliver.

 

Reference

Dr. Paul Zak: Empathy, Neurochemistry, and the Dramatic Arc.” Future of Storytelling. 2014. Accessed October 07, 2014. Featured Image: Grant Hollingworth via Flickr

Brainstorming Techniques for the Dazed Presenter

brainstorming

presentation tips

presentation writing

Presentations are enormous and often difficult tasks. Whether you’re set to pitch investors or address potential clients, you’ll feel plenty of pressure to ace your performance. The pressure can be even more debilitating when you realize that the road to success requires plenty of steps. Writing the perfect speech and content involve several factors. Aside from that, there’s also the challenge of designing a PowerPoint presentation that’s both effective and engaging. First coined by Madison Avenue advertising executive Alex Osborn, brainstorming has been defined as a “relaxed and informal approach to problem-solving.” You lead with your topic and try to generate several different ideas that build off of each other. During the process, you can list down the craziest and most impossible solutions. The only goal is to sort through everything in order to pick out the best ideas.Here are a few brainstorming techniques you can try to jump start your presentation prep:

Freewriting

In a quiet space, write down as much as you can in 9 minutes. Don’t stop until the time is up. Just let your pen run through the page. Keep writing down your thoughts, even when you feel like they’re pretty unsubstantial. When the time is up, read back on everything you’ve written. Pick out the ideas that stand out and try the next three techniques to arrive at a more specific message.

Cubing

Pare down your ideas by considering your subject from a variety of different perspectives. Just as a cube has 6 sides, you can approach the subject of your presentation using 6 methods. Take a sheet of paper and try to answer the following points:

  • Describe peculiarities of the topic
  • Compare it with a related idea
  • Associate it with something else
  • Analyze the components closely
  • Apply it for a particular situation
  • Argue for and against it

Desired outcome

Another way to sort through ideas is by understanding the goals you want to achieve. In other words, try to figure out your main purpose. Why were you asked to deliver the presentation? What do you want to accomplish? What is the outcome you’re hoping for?

Audience perspective

You can also narrow down your list by keeping the audience in mind. Consider their point of view, and what they might feel about your presentation. In particular, ask yourself these questions:

  • Who are in your audience?
  • Why are they coming to hear you speak?
  • What do you want them to do?
  • How might they disagree with your ideas?

–If you’re in this situation, it’s not strange to feel a bit dazed and confused. There’s so much to consider and it can be hard to get started. The only way to know where to start is by figuring out which direction to take. You’ll need to know the message you want to deliver, and the ideas that you want the audience to take away. This is where brainstorming comes in.Organize your thoughts to arrive at a clear and definite direction for your presentation. Try these brainstorming techniques to find the exact message you want to share and deliver.

Reference

Brainstorming: Generating Many Radical, Creative Ideas.” Mind Tools. Accessed October 6, 2014. Featured Image: Carl Milner via Flickr

Your Quick 7-Step Plan for Better PowerPoint Design

The success of your presentation relies so much on how well you prepare. That’s why the days leading up to a big speech can be quite stressful. There’s just so much to accomplish in order to deliver an engaging presentation. First, you’ll need brainstorm and figure out everything you have to say. After drafting your ideas, you have to carefully choose which points are the most significant to your core message. And after all that, there’s still the challenge of designing a memorable PowerPoint deck.If you’re running the last mile of presentation preparation, we’re here to make things easier for you. Here’s the PowerPoint design process condensed to 7 quick steps:

1. The Internet is the best source for inspiration

If you’re not sure how you want your slides to look like, you can find some inspiration by browsing through these links:

  • Top SlideShares – Browse through presentations that were featured in SlideShare’s homepage
  • Prezi Staff Picks – Look at the uploads curated by the Prezi staff
  • Note & Point – Find inspiration in a gallery of user-uploaded PowerPoint and Keynote presentations

2. Presentation experts have great ideas to share

You can also read the advice of presentation design experts. Read these blog entries for a creativity booster:

3. Figure out a general style for your slides

Once you’ve absorbed the best presentation ideas, it’s time to decide what PowerPoint design style to use. You can go for a minimalist design, which focuses on the use of typography and white space. On the other hand, you can choose to have a more image-based PowerPoint deck. Learn more about design basics by reading our Design 101 posts here and here.

4. Start with an analog approach

Take the time to sketch out how you want each slide to look. It doesn’t have to be neat. Just draft out where you want to place different elements to see if everything works nicely. In other words, create a rough storyboard first.

5. Think of what your audience wants

You should also consider what your audience wants to see. Try to look at your presentation through the eyes of the audience by asking these four questions.

6. Focus on a single task at a time

You might think multitasking is an efficient way to finish your presentation, but it’s not. When designing your slides, focus on one thing at a time. If you have to look for images, do it before typing your content and arranging the layout.

7. Remove any distraction

Aim for an uninterrupted PowerPoint session. The less you bother with other things, the faster you’ll finish designing your slides. But since you’re working on your computer, distraction is easy to access. Stop yourself from checking your email or social media accounts. Switch off your phone if you can. If you need extra help, you can make use of tools like StayFocused to block distracting websites.

You can ensure a great outcome if you take the time to prepare all the details of your presentation. Follow these 7 tips to create PowerPoint designs that are effective and memorable. You can also work with a PowerPoint design expert to get the best results.

Featured Image: UVF Graphic and Digital Design program via Flickr

Prezi Feature of the Week: Present the Big Picture with a Mind Map

mind map

mind mapping

prezi

Prezi Feature of the Week

When presenting, it’s important to show the big picture, as well as its minute details. For this week’s “Prezi Feature”, learn how you can create a mind map to do just that.

Ideas usually come to us in clusters, and it’s hard to separate one from the other. When we’re brainstorming, we can come up with a whole web of ideas from just a single concept. One idea will branch out to a new one, and two more will branch out from that. Before you know it, you have a complicated map of interlocking chains of thought. It’s usually chaotic, but it also perfectly shows how ideas are related to each other.When it’s time to turn your ideas into a presentation deck, it can be hard to trim the big picture. Do you focus on a single line of thought? Which one? What happens when an idea overlaps with something else? How do you turn creative chaos into a neat, linear narrative? Sometimes, you don’t have to. Visualize how a single topic can branch out into a web of ideas by creating a mind map with Prezi.

Finding order in the chaos

The challenge to mind mapping is that complex topics can easily turn into a huge, dizzying mess. To create some order, you’ll need to practice a bit of discipline. Your main goal is to make sure your mind map remains concise, while keeping all the important details. In other words, you’ll need to do some revisions.As you would when building a slide deck, start with an analogue approach. Grab a notepad and draft your mind map first. Start by writing down your main topic, and then let your ideas branch out across the page. Once you’ve written everything down, condense each idea into key concepts. This step is similar to how you’d create a presentation storyboard. Let the ideas flow freely first, and then edit out excessive and repetitive details.

Creating a mind map in the Prezi canvas

Once you’ve condensed your draft, it’s time to turn your ideas into a free-flowing presentation deck. Mind mapping involves combining colors, shapes, and images, plus the strategic arrangement of all these elements. Prezi is the perfect canvas for that. You’re free to move around each element and create a layout that suits the flow of your ideas. To accurately visualize your topic, take note of these tips when arranging your mind map:

1.) Use different frame types to organize your mind map

You can make use of different frame types to show how your ideas progress into different “levels”. In this example, the main topic is contained inside a rectangle frame. The two diverging ideas that branch out from there are inside a circle frame.

2.) Create hierarchy by manipulating frame size and changing arrow width

You can also represent  hierarchy in your mind map by manipulating the size of your frames. The farther you are from the center, the smaller your frames should be. Do the same thing with your arrows. Decrease thickness as you branch out across the canvas.

3.) Group specific parts or branches with an invisible frame

Add an invisible frame to group certain parts of your mind map together. This is useful if you want to focus on a specific branch before discussing each idea.

4.) Set the path carefully

The final look will depend on how you set the path. Once you’ve completed building the mind map, set a path that will allow the audience to see how everything works together. Give the full view at the start of your presentation, then make use of the zoom tool to focus on specific details. To illustrate, click here to view a mind map of a previous blog post called “3 Ways to Creativity“.

Conclusion

The flexibility of Prezi’s canvas allows you to create presentations that defy the usual one-track narratives. You can present the big picture and pan through the entire landscape.Show your audience how the core message relates to your main points by creating a mind map.Featured Image: Featured Image: Death to the Stock Photo / Prezi logo via Wikimedia Commons

5 Quick Pointers for Productive Business Meetings

business meetings

business presentations

presentation meetings

Not a lot of us look forward to business meetings. In fact, as gathered by Prezi in a recent survey, a majority of people admit to drifting off while listening to a colleague’s presentation. Instead of paying attention, more than half of the respondents said they’re often tempted to text, check their emails, go on social media, or even take a quick nap. How can you turn this situation around to ensure that your business meetings are always effective and productive?As you might have guessed, the secret lies in how you work the room. Keep in mind these pointers to conduct your business meetings well:

1. Figure out your goals and objectives

Before calling for a meeting, identify your main objective and figure out the goals you want to accomplish. If these goals seem simple enough, ask yourself whether it warrants an hour of face-to-face group interaction. As business etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore mentions, meetings can be quite expensive. Is a meeting actually necessary to meet your objective? Or will be you be able to gather answers by simply communicating through email or a quick phone call?

2. Don’t go over the time limit

The business world is fast-paced and schedules are usually packed with dozens of activities throughout the day. Make sure you use everyone’s time wisely. Set a time limit and follow through. Don’t let your meetings drag on beyond the schedule. If you do, everyone will soon lose their attention. A few might even have to sneak out of the conference room because of something else to attend to.

3. Have an agenda and stick to it

The best way to keep your meetings on track is by sticking to an agenda. List down all the topics you want covered, discussed, and resolved. Start with the most pressing matter and move down to issues that are less important. This will help everyone maintain their focus throughout your meeting, and avoid discussing points that are off-tangent. Be sure to distribute the agenda beforehand to give attendees some prior notice.

4. Encourage feedback and discussion

Business meetings are an avenue for open communication. Don’t monopolize the discussion just because you’re the one taking the lead. Give attendees the opportunity to provide feedback. If you’re making use of a slide deck to present some ideas, you might be tempted to rush in order to have time for a discussion. You can encourage free-flowing conversations by making use of a non-linear presentation instead.

5. Follow up with the attendees

If your meeting is successful, everyone will leave the conference room with their own action items. These are things that need to be accomplished based on the discussion you had. Designate someone in the group to list down all the action items and post it to a shared document. This will help everyone keep track of what needs to be done after the meeting. And to keep everyone productive, don’t forget to remind others of their tasks through follow-ups.

Keep your business meetings productive by setting clear goals. Most importantly, make sure everyone attending has the opportunity to share their own ideas and give feedback.

References

“Presentation Habits Presenters Don’t Like to Admit.” Prezi Blog. September 23, 2014. Accessed September 30, 2014.Whitmore, Jacqueline. “The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting.” Entrepreneur. January 03, 2014. Accessed September 30, 2014. Featured Image: Sebastiaan ter Burg via Flickr

The Science of Effective Storytelling in Presentations

We often talk about the advantages of storytelling as a presentation technique. A presentation that’s filled with facts and figures can easily stray into a monotonous lecture that slowly lulls the audience to sleep. But if you choose to tell a story, you can give your audience something personal, concrete, and relatable to listen to. You can elicit very strong emotions that allow them to participate and engage with what you’re sharing.As Dr. Paul Zak of the Center for Neuroeconomic Studies found, narratives can trigger powerful responses when told the right way.

The science of effective storytelling

In this short film made for the Future of Storytelling Summit, Dr. Zak carefully explains how the human brain responds to effective storytelling:

After observing the neural activity of respondents who viewed the story of a terminally-ill two-year-old boy, Dr. Zak found that effective storytelling can evoke powerful feelings of empathy that come from the release of particular neurochemicals, including oxytocin and cortisol. Furthermore, these powerful responses often turn into concrete and positive action.This, however, doesn’t happen by telling just any other story. In order to be effective, the narrative has to follow the dramatic arc outlined by German playwright Gustav Freytag: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Otherwise, as Dr. Zak concluded, listeners will have “little if any emotional or chemical response.”

What does this mean for presentations?

To elicit the same powerful emotions from your audience, craft a story that follows the solid structure Gustav Freytag first envisioned 150 years ago:

Exposition

In a literary story, this is where the author lays out some “ground work” by presenting the characters, setting, and basic conflict.For your presentations, this is where you establish some context. Introduce the point of view you’re presenting, and share some background information. If the story  focuses on an experience you had with a client, set the scene and introduce important details.

Rising Action

After presenting the context of your story, it’s time to build tension and increase conflict. This is where you identify obstacles that prevent your character from feeling fully satisfied or happy. If your story is from a target customer’s POV, tell your audience about the challenges they face.

Climax

As the turning point of your story, the climax is the part where your character comes face-to-face with their problem. This is where the conflict becomes fully-realized and a solution is seen on the horizon. For your presentation, the climax marks where you start driving home your core message.

Falling Action

Slowly, as a solution becomes clearer and clearer, your character takes a course of action towards the identified goal. In the traditional sense, this is where the protagonist battles the antagonist. For your presentation, this is where you continue explaining your core message, focusing on how it helps resolve the problems you introduced early on.

Conclusion/Resolution

Finally, describe how your character meets their goals. This is where you explain how you and a difficult client came to an agreement. In another example, the conclusion is the part that details how your target customer finally achieves full satisfaction.–Powerful storytelling can change the outcome of your presentations. Share stories that engage your audience by following an age-old technique that has always been universally effective. Featured Image: Screen shot from Future of StoryTelling: Paul Zak