Tag: powerpoint presentation

5 Sales Presentation Tips You Can Learn from Infomercials

infomercials

information

Powerpoint

powerpoint presentation

sales presentation

sales presentation tips

SlideGenius

Aug 28, 2015

An infomercial is a type of TV commercial used to generate sales and increase a product or service’s demand. It can last from two minutes to thirty minutes, offering a persuasive approach to influence viewers’ purchase decisions. Advertisers use this method to sell and leave its audience with lasting impact, convincing them to take action.Besides AIDA, you can also rely on infomercial sales methods to capture your client’s attention and turn them into leads. Here are some techniques to include the next time you make your sales pitch:

Understand the Market

This involves presenting your audience with problems for which you have solutions. It’s important to position your product as something that’ll make their life easier and more convenient. People are continuously looking for something that satisfies their needs. This leads advertisers to find ways to take advantage and capture their attention and connect with them.This is similar to how Alan Monroe’s motivational sequence views fulfillment of needs. Since people avoid the feeling of discomfort, they’re more likely to look for a solution that’ll help them feel at ease.

Show Striking Visuals

There’s nothing more effective than displaying powerful visuals and letting them speak for you. This is an efficient and effective approach that allows sales professionals to demonstrate how a certain product works.When giving your sales presentation, use appropriate and striking images instead of walls of text to explain important information. Remember, a picture paints a thousand words.

Highlight the Client Benefits

Caring about your audience means prioritizing their needs over yours.When you deliver your pitch, emphasize your product or services’ benefits to let them think that they need it. Focus on the results provided to generate interest.

Include Testimonials

At first glance, people are more likely to share their opinions if a product is effective or if it’s worth buying. This involves showing your audience how customers share their experience when they began using the product or availing the service.The Jones Theory is one of the sales impulse factors that convince your client based on others’ opinion of your product or service.

Inspire Action

Providing your audience with incentives shows a sense of urgency, convincing them to act immediately. Once you provide reasons that interest them, they’ll be convinced to act on their impulses.Including an effective call-to-action takes advantage of the built up desire and increases your chances of positive results.

Conclusion

Applying these selling techniques from infomercials will benefit you and your audience. They allow you to satisfy their needs, while also helping your message get across. Open your presentation with a question that emphasizes their problems to get their attention. Keep their attention and complement your message with interesting and powerful visuals.Keep them interested by concentrating on your product’s key benefits and unique features. Demonstrate your product’s value by showing them testimonials of satisfied clients. Encourage them to take action and take advantage of what you can offer with a top-notch Call-to-Action.The next time you present, use these strategies to reel more clients in. To help you craft a more persuasive PowerPoint presentation, let SlideGenius experts assist you! 

References

“Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: Perfecting the Call to Act.” Mind Tools. Accessed June 10, 2015.“The Sales Advice Website for Direct Salespeople.” Door to Door Salesman, 2015. Accessed June 10, 2015.”Use AIDA for Persuasive PowerPoint Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. May 27, 2015. Accessed June 10, 2015.

3 Reasons Not to Settle for Just Any PowerPoint Presentation

enhancing your deck

powerpoint presentation

presentation experts

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Aug 18, 2015

If you’re looking for the best results, then make sure to bring your best efforts to the fore. You may be making a pitch with an amazing product or solution, but that doesn’t mean you can slack off. You should never come into a conference room with a subpar slide deck.Curiously, PowerPoint gets a bad reputation for making presentations more boring than they usually are, causing presenters to dismiss its importance. People often mistake it for a dull collection of words that mirror what the speaker’s saying– or worse, that it’s just a giant set of speech notes. This is a huge mistake that could have negative drawbacks for you and your company. You should value good design and planning for your PowerPoint presentation.

1. Half-Baked Won’t Make It

“Just give me any presentation. It doesn’t matter.” This is still a common way of thinking, no matter how big your company already is. Sometimes, someone may even request for a presentation with the bare minimum requirements and be happy with it.After all, it’s a salesman’s job to sell, and the deck is just there for support, right?Wrong.Even an amazing presenter can benefit greatly from a professionally designed set of slides. With a visually appealing deck, you can show clients that you care about your credibility enough to invest in resources to be at your best. In addition to showing that you‘re serious about your business, this complements your core message and give you more convincing power.

2. A Higher Standard Nets Better Results

Why wouldn’t you want a PowerPoint presentation that best represents your brand? Usually, the answer we hear is that there’s not enough time, money, or people to do it for you. You can only go so far by settling for what you think you can afford.Even the tiniest amount of extra effort will have wide-ranging positive consequences. This applies to something as simple as checking for spelling and grammar errors, to something more complicated like providing your deck with a unified and streamlined design.

3. What We Can Do

As professionals, we know the importance of having a strong core message supported by the clear and concise presentation of data. All our work is executed with the client’s needs, values, and brand story in mind.Our company can condense your slides to refine and communicate your message. We can structure your deck to best communicate your purpose and your story. We can even design each slide to ensure your audience won’t feel a wink of boredom.

Conclusion

People are inclined to judge and scrutinize others based on their first impressions. When you have an important opportunity that can change the direction of your career or the fortunes of your company, meet the opportunity with only your finest.Do you think your business deserves the best? Don’t take anything for granted: hire an expert PowerPoint design company now. 

References

Evele, Nathalie. “Is It Human Nature to Judge?” Centre for Journalism. Accessed August 18, 2015.”Presentation Ideas from Ancient Greece: Explaining Ethos.” SlideGenius, Inc. 2015. Accessed August 18, 2015.

Advertising PowerPoint Design Tips: Make Your Visuals Talk

design tips

Powerpoint

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint designs

powerpoint presentation

powerpoint presentations

presentation

presentation skill

presentation skills

Presentations

Aug 03, 2015

In simple PowerPoint design, images visually support your words, creating a memorable image in your audience’s minds. However, you can play with this basic structure and create something more engaging. In Cutting Edge Advertising, Jim Aitchison suggests the use of metaphors, adjusting your text and images’ placement, or making a bent headline or visual.Center your messages on a clear, specific idea by making an interesting image and supporting it with a straightforward tagline (and vice versa). Once your listeners can picture your message for themselves, your product or service will stick in their minds long after you finish the sales presentation.Sell more effectively by combining this factor with clear-cut messages.

Bent Images with Straight Headlines

Apply the twist here to represent your idea in the image. Show a metaphor, a comparison or a dominant image.The Business Times and The Economist print ads both talk about giving you the whole picture when you read their news. The images—the text cut in half, the binocular-shaped magazines and the Rubix cube— are all twisted to prove their points.Keep your message, font, and text size simple so your clients focus on the image without distractions.

Bent Headlines with Straight Images

You can also show your idea in the headline and support it with a normal image. Clever word puns and verbal metaphors all come in handy as seen in the Cigarillos and Timberland print ads.The text needs to be interesting or provocative enough to get your audience thinking. Otherwise, you’ll get a bland and uninteresting overall visual.

The Secret: Be Consistent

Choosing between the two approaches depends on how you want to emphasize your idea. Once you decide to either bend your text or image, be consistent with your messages.The Business Times and The Economist had one main idea, similar to how Timberland emphasized their durability.Emphasize one main idea, stick to it and support it with relevant facts. Making a striking visual impact ensures that audiences remember you long enough to contact you for a business deal.

References

Aitchison, J. Cutting Edge Advertising: How to Create the World’s Best Print for Brands in the 21st Century. Singapore; New York: Prentice Hall, 2004.Diaz, Ann-Christine. “The Economist’s New Campaign Dishes Out Real — and Metaphorical — Hot Potatoes.” Advertising Age News. November 11, 2013. Accessed August 3, 2015.”Fine-tuning Your Presentation’s Core Message.” SlideGenius, Inc. November 11, 2014. Accessed August 3, 2015.”PowerPoint Visual Design Tips From Ads: Text & Image Balance.” SlideGenius, Inc. July 22, 2015. Accessed August 3, 2015.

Four Types of Feedback for Improving Business Presentations

business presentations

Powerpoint

powerpoint presentation

presentation

presentation tips

types of presentation

Jul 21, 2015

Giving a presentation doesn’t stop when you’ve finished speaking or addressing client concerns.Staying relevant to your audience means being aware of how people receive your pitch. You need feedback and criticism to learn how to improve your business presentations’ speech tone, slide content, and delivery style.In an anthology on integrated marketing, Dawn Iacobucci and Bobby Calder compile a collection of marketing wisdom. One of the chapters presents four types of feedback to sort through and learn from, similar to how companies use feedback to improve both their credibility and customer relationships: the disgusters, delighters, annoyances, and frills.

Sorting the Four Types of Feedback

After giving your sales pitch, remember how the audience reacted.Did they agree with some parts of your presentation? Did they look bored with lengthy explanations? Were there times that they laughed along with your jokes?Group these reactions into positive and negative groups, then sort the four types:

1. Delighters

Reactions like nodding in agreement, applauding and laughing at compelling visuals are all part of the delighters category.This is a type of positive feedback that contributes the most to a successful presentation. It defines what you’re good at doing and tells you what works and what you should retain the next time you give the presentation again.

2. Disgusters

The polar opposite of the first item, the disgusters are parts of your presentation that form the bulk of your negative impressions. These are important issues that need to be addressed if you wish to improve your presentation style.If your listeners seem bored because of text-heavy slides, complicated graphs and a heavy reliance on note cards, sort through these to find out what to avoid next time.

3. Annoyances

While not as serious as the second type, annoyances are minor inconveniences that can be overlooked but should also be considered as points for improvement.Seemingly simple habits like pausing too often or linking your sentences with filler words might go unnoticed, but can be problematic if done too often and not curbed with practice.

4. Frills

Your presentation’s extra bells and whistles are pleasing to see but only act as support to the PowerPoint and yourself.Appropriate ambient music and fancy fonts are nice touches, but these must be properly used with the delighters to make your presentation effective.To maximize this, define your main idea and supporting points first, then know your client’s expectations.

The Takeaway

While these four types of feedback help identify your strengths and weaknesses as a presenter, be aware of how your words and actions affect your audience.Making a great impression of yourself, your company and your brand plays a big part in selling your products and services.To help you maximize these positive impressions, all you need to do is get a reliable presentation partner to help you out.

References

“A Presentation Expert’s Guide to Knowing the Audience.” SlideGenius. April 28, 2015. Accessed July 21. 2015.”Avoiding Filler Words in Your Corporate Presentations.” SlideGenius. May 11, 2015. Accessed July 21. 2015.Iacobucci, D., Calder, B. J., J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, & Medill School of Journalism. (2003). Kellogg on integrated marketing. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.Royston, Mary. “What Is Values-Based Marketing?” CreditUnions. August 28, 2006. Accessed July 21. 2015.

How Perfectionism Affects Your Professional Presentation

business presentation

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint expert

powerpoint presentation

powerpoint presentation design

presentation tips

professional presentation

SlideGenius

Jul 15, 2015

Let’s admit it. We all want to become perfect in every aspect, even in a professional presentation. However, some presenters forget that trying to be completely error-free can negatively affect the entire performance. Though aiming for the best helps you become successful, trying for a 100% great outcome can give you a headache. Aside from procrastination or stage fright, perfectionism can also become a source of anxiety. It triggers nervousness, especially when you’re expecting an error-free presentation.Ask yourself, “Am I focused on not making a mistake?” or “Am I focused on engaging my audience to get my point across?” Your answer depends on what you prioritize the most.Let’s see how perfectionism affects your performance.

Perfectionism Heightens Fear

It’s normal to be anxious when you speak in public. However, setting your standards too high might increase your fear of rejection or fear of being judged. This is because it convinces you to be unflinchingly perfect during the pitch.To ease the pressure, remember that your job is to connect with your audience so that they understand your message.

Three Signs that You’re a Perfectionist

  1. You can’t forget a certain failure.
  2. You can’t respond positively to a negative reaction.
  3. You worry too much about what others think of you.

These habits demoralize you if you let it control you and your performance.Mistakes can happen even if you’ve carefully planned and prepared your presentation. Whether it’s caused by your PowerPoint slides, your speech, or technical problems, remain positive and focus on conveying your message to avoid getting controlled by this behavior.

Three Thoughts to Overcome Perfectionism

To remove this negative behavior, consider these things:

  1. Your audience is considerate and understanding. If you fail, forget it then move on. Being honest allows them to see that you’re also human, prone to making mistakes.
  1. Your listeners won’t notice unless they see that you do. Even if you point out that you’ve made a mistake, it’s not the end of the world. Proceed with your pitch and concentrate on delivering it.
  1. Relax and be positive. Things will get better once you let go of your worries. It’s all about your audience, so focus on meeting their expectations.

Conclusion

Aiming for total perfection causes problems once you let it control you.It’s natural to commit mistakes, especially when presenting. What you can do, instead, is to pick yourself up and show your audience that you’re still worth their time, because your main idea is what they care about the most.Acknowledging your errors shows courage and that there’ll always be room for improvement. Positively respond to it and become a better and successful presenter.To craft an effective and powerful presentation, SlideGenius experts can help you out! 

References

“Ditching the Urge to Be a ‘Perfect’ Speaker.” Ginger Public Speaking. June 12, 2013. www.gingerpublicspeaking.com/urge-perfect-speakerMorgan, Nick. “Perfectionism and Public Speaking.” Public Words. October 14, 2014. www.publicwords.com/2014/10/14/perfectionism-and-public-speaking

A Presentation Expert’s Guide to Great PowerPoint Ideas

business presentation

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint expert

powerpoint presentation

powerpoint presentation design

presentation expert

presentation tips

SlideGenius

Jul 15, 2015

A professional presentation takes time, not just in making the actual pitch deck, but in planning how to make it.Presentation experts (even the ones behind Apple’s and TED Talks’ presentations) recommend spending the majority of your time planning for how to make and deliver the sales pitch. According to brand communication expert, Carmine Gallo, this takes at least 90 hours, with only a third of that time used for building the actual deck. The rest of the time needs to be spent on knowing your client’s expectations. Qualtrics’ Scott Smith presents seven customer expectations to watch out for, so make sure to dedicate your time to researching the topic, and developing an effective method of delivery.Ask yourself:

  • What problem am I trying to solve?
  • Is there an applicable solution that I can use?
  • How will I solve the problem then?
  • What advantage can I offer that the competition can’t?

A secret to getting effective PowerPoint ideas is planning ahead of time.Let’s go into detail about how to plan your business presentation.

Step 1: Write Everything You Want to Say

Make a list, sit down with your colleagues, consult your company’s production/research teams, draw quick sketches and draft a script. Just get something, anything on paper when you start.This way, you’ll have an easier time sorting through PowerPoint ideas that work from those that don’t.Both professional presenters and advertising experts talk about similar methods. Whether it’s planning on paper or, as ad veteran Luke Sullivan suggests, sticking drawings of your best ideas on the wall, the best way to get your sales pitch idea is to dump everything into an empty space and sort them out.

Step 2: Be Your Own Coldest Critic

Once you have everything you can think of in one place, be it an empty Microsoft PowerPoint file or on blank sheets of paper, start judging. Using the questions listed above can work as your guide.Everything you place in your PowerPoint deck stems from two sources: the client’s problem and the product or service you’ll use to solve it. The strategy is up to you. Consider the following questions:

  • Do you want to bank on your company’s reputation for being the best in the business?
  • Do you want to highlight one advantage you have over the competition?
  • Do you want to introduce a game-changing solution to an old problem?

Your ideas must fit whatever strategy you choose.If you want to pitch for a car-rental service provider, or sell your electronics to a local distributor, ask yourself about the workability of your idea (for example, displaying consistent sales numbers or user testimonies). If you think it’s doable, keep it.

Step 3: Once You Have the “Eureka” Moment, Stay on It

One benefit of dumping your ideas and being your harshest critic is that you arrive at your winning sales pitch idea faster.Everything you say and write will flow by themselves if your idea and strategy are sound enough. The best thing to do is stay with it.Write down your script and slide content while your thoughts are still fresh in your mind. Delaying it will interrupt your train of thought, wasting time better spent on finalizing your PowerPoint deck.

The Lesson to Learn

Don’t be afraid to critique your own ideas. A sales presentation is all about testing ideas against the client’s problems and coming up with your best solution.If it works, come up with an appropriate strategy to sell your proposal better than the competition does. Keep at it until you find your selling idea.To help you come up with it even faster, spend time with a PowerPoint presentation expert. It’s worth the investment. (All it takes is fifteen minutes.) 

References

Gallo, Carmine. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience. New York. McGraw-Hill, 2010″Plan Ahead to Avoid PowerPointless Presentations.” SlideGenius, Inc. May 27, 2015. Accessed July 15, 2015.Smith, Scott, “Customer Expectations: 7 Types all Exceptional Researchers Must Understand.” Qualtrics. Accessed July 15, 2015.Sullivan, Luke. Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This! A Guide to Creating Great Ads. Hoboken, NJ – J. Wiley & Sons, 2008 Featured Image: “Spiral Notebook Notepad Block Pen.” from pixabay

Presentation Skill: Improving Your Authentic Speaking Style

Powerpoint

powerpoint presentation

powerpoint presentations

presentation

presentation skill

presentation skills

Presentations

Jul 09, 2015

There’s no fixed formula when it comes to public speaking.Presenters are concerned with following a set of rules and are often focused on what you should and should not do.However, applying a few standards isn’t bad. In fact, learning and mastering the basics will help them acquire presentation skills to make them successful.As a presenter, you need to understand that your presentation’s success isn’t determined just by how engaging you are, how powerful you speak, how you deliver your words, or how effective you project your voice in front of your audience.It’s about being authentic when you present.Show them that you’re trustworthy and sincere to bring them to a real human connection.

Being Perfect vs. Being Genuine

Every public speaker wants to be excellent in their field. Even professionals still strive to be the best presenters.However, you can’t achieve this without knowing how to connect with your audience.Doing it lets you draw them to your message. Emotions help us recall how a certain story can make us feel.Since practice precedes perfection, consider these ways to improve your presentation skill in speaking:

Embrace Your Natural Qualities

List your strengths and potentials, then apply it to your performance. Avoid imitating someone else’s speech and delivery style. Doing so allows your audience to see that you’re similar to them.

Be Unique

Never compare yourself with others’ behavior or capabilities. Know how to value your own abilities to let your audience see that like them, you’re unique.

Let Your Style Flow Naturally

If you’re an introvert, don’t force yourself to act as an extrovert. Don’t let this instance manipulate you and push you to become someone you’re not.Everyone has unique personalities and has different ways of expressing themselves, especially when it comes to presenting in public.

Speak Naturally

Think about how you will deliver your message to your audience.Act as if you’re communicating with your friends or colleagues. Doing so helps you pitch more authentic and conversational.

Don’t Try To Be Perfect

Aiming for perfection can sometimes disappoint you. Perfectionism differs from excellence.While the former can’t accept rejections or any failures, the latter strives to make their joy complete by doing their best.Tell the truth and don’t be too focused on speaking perfectly. After all, not all effective presentations are perfect. They become successful once you engage your audience passionately and genuinely.

Conclusion

Your presentation’s success can be determined by how you authentically engage your audience.Deliver your message naturally to make it sound conversational.Understanding these ways will lessen the negative thoughts which convince you to become someone you’re not.Start using your own authentic style of speaking and see how you become a successful presenter.To craft an effective and powerful presentation, SlideGenius can help you out!

References

http://www.gingerpublicspeaking.com/public-speaking-art-formhttp://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Develop_your_Authentic_Public_Speaking_Style_Seven_Tips.html

PowerPoint Presentations: Do You Really Need Them?

business presentation

PowerPoint Design

powerpoint expert

powerpoint presentation

powerpoint presentation design

powerpoint presentations

presentation tips

SlideGenius

Jul 06, 2015

PowerPoint is the undisputed king of all presentation software. With about 500 million users relying on it to create their visual aids, no one can deny its dominance.Aside from the contemporary presentation designs it offers, we need them to enhance and support our core message. We still get questions from some presenters, wondering if they even need slides to go with their speech. To answer this question, let’s first examine how they benefit your presentations:

All-Around Usefulness

What helps PowerPoint immensely is its inclusion in Microsoft Office.Its similarity to Word (and even freeware Word variations) means that it’s convenient for all types of users and purposes.This software has basic photo-manipulating capabilities, whereas animations and image placement are easy to do. It’s also made it easier to edit and layout text. With these advanced features, sharing visual information has become easier to plan for and execute.According to tech guru, Aaron Parson, most presentations will benefit from PowerPoint’s versatility. It can be used for pitching, selling, teaching, and even entertaining. It lets you draw diagrams, assorted graphs, charts, and even basic illustrations, with possibilities for online sharing.

Notable Exceptions

While PowerPoint exhibits all-around usefulness, there are still some situations where you shouldn’t depend on it.Motivational speeches often don’t need accompanying visual aids. They require greater focus on the presenter’s body language and facial expressions – things that projected slides could distract from.Speeches that focus on a speaker’s personal experiences generally don’t need an accompanying deck. Better described as performances, presenters serve as their own visual aids through non-verbal communication.

PowerPoint by Default

Determine from the beginning if your presentation needs an accompanying deck. This allows you to better divide and plan your time and resources for maximizing your speech.Knowing that you almost always need a deck to back you up, it pays to know what makes for effective PowerPoint presentations.

Conclusion

PowerPoint remains a vital tool to complement your message visually because of its convenience and ease of use.Knowing from the beginning whether you need to include a PowerPoint deck will help you plan for it, or prepare to present without it.Certain types of presentations lend themselves to PowerPoint decks. If you’ll be giving a speech based on personal experience, without needing to explain complicated facts, people will focus more on your facial expressions and body language. In the instances you do need to use slides, learn the various factors that determine its success or failure.Looking for something to inspire you on PowerPoint presentations? Check out our portfolio, or contact us now for a free quote.

References

“3 Reasons Why PowerPoint Presentations Are Still Effective.” SlideGenius, Inc. August 6, 2015.Parson, Aaron. “5 Uses of PowerPoint.” EHow. June 2, 2015. Accessed July 6, 2015.”PowerPoint Usage and Marketshare.” Infogr.am. Accessed July 6, 2015.

3 Building Blocks for More Convincing Presentations

convincing presentation

powerpoint presentation

Presentations

May 04, 2015

To create more convincing presentations, it’s essential to focus on three fundamental building blocks: Structure, Clarity, and Emotional Appeal. These elements ensure that your presentation is both persuasive and memorable.

1. Clear and Logical Structure

  • Why it matters: A well-organized presentation helps your audience follow your argument and builds credibility. When information is presented in a structured manner, it becomes easier to digest and understand.
  • How to apply:
    • Use a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start with an attention-grabbing introduction, follow with supporting points in the body, and conclude with a strong call to action or summary.
    • Use signposts throughout (e.g., “First, let’s discuss…,” “In conclusion…”) to help guide your audience through the presentation.

2. Clarity and Simplicity

  • Why it matters: Presenting too much information or using overly complex language can confuse or overwhelm your audience. Clear, concise communication ensures that your key messages are easily understood.
  • How to apply:
    • Focus on one key message per slide or section. Avoid overcrowding slides with too much text or data.
    • Use simple and direct language. Break down complex ideas into understandable concepts, using visuals like charts, graphs, or images to explain data or processes.

3. Emotional Appeal

  • Why it matters: Facts and figures alone are often not enough to persuade. Emotional appeal engages your audience on a personal level, making your message more compelling and memorable.
  • How to apply:
    • Use storytelling: Personal anecdotes, real-life examples, or case studies that resonate with your audience make your presentation relatable and impactful.
    • Appeal to your audience’s values or emotions by emphasizing the human impact of your topic, such as how your solution solves a real-world problem or improves lives.

By focusing on these three building blocks—structure, clarity, and emotional appeal—you can create presentations that are not only convincing but also resonate with your audience on a deeper level.

A Presentation Expert’s Guide to Knowing the Audience

powerpoint presentation

Powerpoint tips

Apr 28, 2015

PowerPoint has become the main weapon of choice for creating presentations.

As of 2013, it’s estimated that more than 120 million people use it both for business and educational purposes worldwide. It’s for this reason that, as a presentation expert, your first hurdle is to deliver an effective pitch.

Getting your clients’ approval may be tricky for some. After all, clients have the power to accept or reject your proposal. To get a positive result, you have to know your audience before you even begin to draft a presentation for them.

Never Underestimate Your Client’s Expectations

Effective speakers know what their audiences expect from them. With this information in hand, they can adjust their presentation strategies accordingly.

A classic example is one of Dr. Robert Schuller’s speeches in his book, Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do! (1983). Just before he appeared onstage, Schuller was informed that the people he was about to speak to were farmers, some of whom were on the verge of losing their businesses.

What these people needed was someone who could give solid encouragement, not just a simple pat on the back and a hollow assurance that the situation would get better. Using this new information, Schuller was quickly able to revise his speech. He related his similar struggles with his family’s own farm, as well as how he succeeded.

The end result? He was able to establish a common ground with them. By sharing his story, he was able to inspire others by leaving them with the impression that if he pulled it off, so could they.

Now, consider this: what would have happened if he continued with his original plan? Would the result be the same? Probably not.

This principle holds true for PowerPoint presentations. Each client has expectations that need to be fulfilled whenever you show them a new proposal or a simple report. Being able to correctly identify what these are can give you an edge when planning your slides’ content and designs.

Use the Right Tactics to Make a Difference

A relevant example from brand communication coach Carmine Gallo’s book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, was when he was helping a CEO prepare for an analyst presentation.

In this scenario, Gallo suggested that the CEO simply state the relevance of his company’s technological services to the audience, as opposed to his originally lengthy, technical explanation.

What that person did was ask his audience to hold their cellphones out. Then, he elaborated on how his company, from behind the scenes, made those devices more efficient for its users.

Let’s think on this for a moment: his audience may have been mostly tech-savvy people.

Some could probably keep up with his explanations, but at the end of the day, they still need to know why that speaker’s topic matters to them. With this information in mind, this person was able to keep his presentation simple and relevant, with an engaging delivery about what his company can offer for them.

Use Information to Your Advantage

Once you have a thorough understanding of your audience, you can even use this information to challenge their beliefs.

Gallo recounted such a tactic in his book wherein Steve Jobs was trying to recruit then-PepsiCo President John Sculley in 1983. In that instance, Sculley was captivated with how Apple worked.

However, joining that company meant relocating his family a considerable distance and getting a lower salary. While initially dejected, Jobs then issued this challenge: “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?”

Sculley was already impressed with Apple, but since he was focused on what it would cost him, he was unable to leave PepsiCo.

What Jobs did in the end was to challenge his current situation and offer a chance to change that. If you know enough about your audience to give them a relevant but challenging idea, this can be your best bet to keep them interested.

—

While not everyone can have a similar story or benefit to share, there is still one important thing you should know: information about your audience matters.

Knowing as much as you can about them can only benefit your presentation by helping you make your message as specific as possible, as you’ve seen with Schuller’s and Gallo’s examples.

Once you have this information, every slide’s design, every line of text, even the delivery must match or exceed what they expect from you. Otherwise, you could run the risk of presenting a handful of facts that seem disconnected, or an unclear proposal that seems too questionable for a decent investment.

Otherwise, you could run the risk of presenting a handful of facts that seem disconnected, or an unclear proposal that seems too questionable for a decent investment.

References

“Infographic: PowerPoint Software Usage and Market Share.” PowerPoint Info. Accessed April 28, 2015.Schuller, R. Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do. New York: Inspirational Press, 1983.Gallo, Carmine. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.