Tag: Presentations

Halloween’s Takeaway Lessons for Presentations and Marketing

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Nov 01, 2013

I say Halloween, what do you think of? Costumes, candy and cavities? Most people do.

The fact of the matter is Halloween is one of the most commercially influential holidays throughout the year. It is crucial to be able to see it as more than just a holiday for young kids to trick-or-treat. In just analyzing 2013’s Halloween’s sales and marketing activity, you’ll be able to tailor the way you present and/or market your company to increase sales for the season, and respectively apply the same tactics to any other holiday in the near future.

Here are a few facts and stats about this year’s Halloween:

1. This year, according to Bloomberg Rankings, it seems Americans are spending less Halloween costumes, candy and decorations2. Almost 75% of Americans who celebrate Halloween said that the state of the U.S. economy had no impact on their Halloween plans3. Nearly 33% of “Halloween celebrators” found inspiration for their costumes online4. About 50% of adults in the western U.S. planning to wear costumes this year, which was the most out of any other part in the country5. Despite the above fact, the overall number of people above the age of 18 who celebrated Halloween dropped from 71% percent to 65%6. Americans spent an average of $20.99 per person on Halloween decorations

So what’s the takeaway?

Don’t be most people, do your research with plenty of time before the season hits. Use the information, and market accordingly. Marketing for this may include giving a PPC marketing, online campaigns, or maybe even a professional PowerPoint presentation to pitch. For that reason, it is crucial to prepare yourself for any avenue of marketing by having the necessary data about your potential customers. Whether you business runs on sale for adults, teens or children, laying out the bullet points, like we did here, will help you understand how your market reacts to any event and will consequently let you prepare your corporate presentations or pitches with a more complete and well-rounded background.  I’ll leave with Huffington Post’s hilarious list of 2013’s best costumes: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/best-halloween-costumes-o_n_4170143.html 

Reference:

Murray, Brent. “The Scary Truth About Halloween: Oh, My!” Bloomberg.com. October 31, 2013.

Extreme Presenting: An Example from Ted Cruz

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Ted Cruz

U.S. Senate

Wendy Fry

Oct 04, 2013

Presenting in high-stakes environments, whether it’s politics or business, demands a unique combination of clear communication, passion, and strategic use of visuals. One memorable example of extreme presenting is Senator Ted Cruz’s 2013 filibuster, which was both a political event and a presentation spectacle. While you may not agree with his politics, there are valuable lessons in how Cruz used visuals, metaphors, and passion to maintain engagement over an extended period.Here’s what we can learn from his extreme presenting style:

1. Use of Visual Metaphors to Drive Home the Message

During his marathon speech, Cruz famously referenced and read from Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham. While it might seem odd in a political debate, this playful metaphor was effective in symbolizing his argument against government overreach, a key point of his stance on healthcare reform. The use of visual and narrative metaphors helped him break down a complex topic into something more relatable.What We Can Learn:

  • Extend Metaphors to Explain Complex Ideas: By drawing on simple, well-known stories or images, you can make complex issues more accessible and memorable for your audience. Metaphors create a shared understanding, helping audiences connect emotionally with the material.

Example for Business Presentations: When explaining a challenging financial forecast, you might compare navigating the market to “sailing through a storm,” helping people visualize uncertainty and the importance of staying focused.

2. Energizing Presentation with Passion and Humor

Throughout his filibuster, Cruz maintained a steady energy level, interspersing his arguments with moments of humor and personal anecdotes. Whether reading children’s books or making light-hearted jokes, Cruz kept the audience engaged, even as his speech stretched for hours. His passion for the subject was undeniable, which helped hold viewers’ attention.What We Can Learn:

  • Maintain Energy and Passion: An effective presenter conveys passion for their topic, which can be contagious for the audience. Your enthusiasm will help keep your listeners engaged, even when the topic is serious or the presentation is long.
  • Use Humor Thoughtfully: Light moments and humor can break the tension and keep the audience focused, as long as it complements your message.

Example for Business Presentations: When discussing a difficult challenge, a touch of humor—such as referencing a well-known, humorous situation—can help keep the atmosphere light and the audience attentive.

3. Use of Long-Form Presenting

Cruz’s ability to sustain a speech for 21 hours offers a lesson in pacing and stamina. His extreme presentation style was a mixture of facts, personal anecdotes, humor, and a clear focus on his objective. This long-form presentation method requires exceptional preparation and an understanding of how to break content into digestible parts to maintain audience engagement.What We Can Learn:

  • Break Up Content into Segments: Even in extended presentations, breaking the content into smaller, manageable segments helps maintain audience attention. Cruz used a variety of techniques, from storytelling to visuals, to divide his lengthy speech into smaller, engaging parts.

Example for Business Presentations: If you need to deliver a long presentation, structure it into sections with clear transitions. Add anecdotes or real-life examples between each section to create natural breaks and keep your audience engaged.

Final Thoughts

Ted Cruz’s filibuster stands out as an example of extreme presenting, demonstrating the importance of metaphors, energy, humor, and strategic pacing. Whether you’re giving a short talk or a long-form presentation, these techniques can help you connect with your audience, maintain engagement, and deliver your message effectively.

Dr. Seuss’s Five Rules for Fantastic Presentations

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Theodor Seuss Geisel

Theophrastus Seuss

Aug 28, 2013

At some point in his senior year at Dartmouth College, Theodor Seuss Geisel and nine of his friends were caught drinking gin in his room. This was in 1925, during the era of the Prohibition and because of this, the dean put them all on probation.

He was also removed Geisel of his editorship of Jack-O-Lantern, the college’s humor magazine where Geisel published his cartoons. To escape punishment, Geisel began publishing cartoons under pseudonyms including: L. Pasteur, D.G. Rossetti ’25, and Seuss.Those cartoons were the first time he signed his work under the name, “Seuss.” A couple of years later, Geisel began signing his work under the mock-scholarly title of “Dr. Theophrastus Seuss.”He soon shortened that to  Dr. Seuss. In acquiring his professional pseudonym, he also gained a new pronunciation. Most Americans pronounce the name “Soose,” and not “Zoice” (as it is supposed to be pronounced) and that is how Dr. Seuss came to life.Arguably, one the most celebrated American author of children’s books, Dr. Seuss published 46 children’s books each with lessons still applicable to working adults today. This is also prevalent in the world of professional PowerPoint presentations. Here are my five favorite Seussian lessons for anyone working on their next professional PowerPoint design:

“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” >

In short, be yourself. Your presentation should be where you identify and represent yourself in your truest and simplest form. Know what your company does, how it does it, and why. If a child can’t understand your explanation of what you do then you don’t know yourself well enough. Even Einstein agrees with this by saying, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

Your presentation is where you need to highlight your particular uniqueness and diversity- show how you stand out!  What do you do that is different or better than your competition? Why should I hire or buy from you? These questions are what your audience will be asking themselves as you present. It is better to anticipate them and have them answered in your presentation instead of having them come up as questions. This will show your audience how confident and prepared you are as a presenter.

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

After reading just one of Seuss’s books, one will find that simplicity plays a huge role in a majority of his writing. Given his audience did consist of mostly children, Seuss had to match his stories to a lower reading level, but this did not take away from the fact that he managed to engage, inspire, and educate his readers. With only 236 different words, Seuss managed to make his most famous and influential piece of literature, The Cat in the Hat (1957).

“I meant what I said and I said what I meant.”

It is crucial to be direct in what you say while presenting, chose your words and phrases wisely. Being vague or ambiguous will inevitably hurt you in the long run. Being clear with your audience is the best route to getting long-term and recurring customers and partners.

“Today I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered.”

Working by this motto led Seuss to disregard anything but perfection in his writing. He would sometimes spend up to a year on a book, even though they consisted of less than 1000 words. It was common for him to throw out 95% of his material until he settled on a permanent theme. For a writer, he was unusual in that he preferred to only be paid after he finished his work rather than in advance. He did this to motivate himself to work towards perfection—which has has become Seuss’ legacy. Think of what and how you want to be remembered, and let that come across in your presentation.

Fielding the Tough Questions in Presentations

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Topic First

Aug 27, 2013

The Q&A session has become a staple for almost any subject you will illuminate with a PowerPoint presentation. Oftentimes, this is a warmly welcomed opportunity for the presenter to clear up any points where the audience might be a bit fuzzy while going into more detail where audience members are interested.However, as we all know or will eventually find out, presentations don’t always go exactly how we want them to, and sometimes we might face some tricky questions that catch us a little off guard, or intentionally antagonistic questions meant to incite an argument.As the presenter–the person at the front of the room–you, by default, become the situation’s moderator. It’s up to you to keep the order in the room and the conversation civil and on topic. Most importantly, no matter how hard it may sometimes be, you should always strive to be the most mature, level-headed person in the room when you have the audience’s attention.

Stay on Topic

First off, don’t let audience questions derail your presentation. If appropriate for the topic and allotted time, set aside 5 to 15 minutes at the end of your presentation for a Q&A session. If audience members chime in during your presentation, politely ask them to wait until the end of your presentation.If your audience refuses to listen to reason and grows unruly, we address that here.

Don’t Lose Sight of Your Topic

There may be a million other things you and your audience want to discuss, and they will likely make that apparent when given the opportunity to ask questions, but remember, you’re the one tasked with controlling the flow of the conversation.Whenever engaging with an audience member, always be working the conversation (as naturally as possible) back toward the main point of your presentation. This way, you’re not wasting the time you’ve allotted to conveying your message.

ALWAYS take the high ground

Getting visibly upset, agitated, or annoyed can strip any credibility you might have built up with your otherwise excellent presentation.Similarly, even if an audience member really lobs one over the plate for you, don’t embarrass them for asking a stupid question. This may sound like your elementary school guidance counselor here, but although you may get a few laughs, anyone to be taken seriously will see your bullying as a sign of immaturity.

Take a deep breath before answering each question.

It’s common knowledge that our talking pace speeds up significantly when our adrenaline starts flowing, which happens often when we’re speaking in front of a crowd and our nerves are running high.Because of this, it’s easy for us to begin rambling when asked to speak off the cuff answering questions, so when you’re asked a question, even if it seems as simple as salt, pause, take a deep breath, and allow yourself a brief moment to formulate your response. You’ll find that this short pause will make your responses much more natural and articulate.

References:

“Keith Alexander Can Teach Us About Presenting to a Crowd.” SlideGenius. July 31, 2013.

Ums, Likes, and You-Knows: Avoiding Fillers in Your Presentations

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Aug 21, 2013

Using filler words like “um,” “like,” and “you know” can diminish the impact of your presentation and make you appear less confident or prepared. While these words are common in everyday speech, they can become distracting when used excessively in professional settings. Avoiding fillers takes practice, but doing so will make you sound more polished, confident, and credible.Here are strategies to help you reduce filler words and improve your presentation delivery:

1. Practice, Practice, Practice

One of the primary reasons people use fillers is that they’re unsure of what to say next. Practicing your presentation several times helps you become more comfortable with the content, reducing the need to rely on fillers.How It Helps:

  • Builds Familiarity: The more familiar you are with your material, the less likely you are to pause and search for words.
  • Boosts Confidence: Practice makes you feel more confident, which reduces nervousness and filler words.

Example: Rehearse in front of a mirror or record yourself delivering the presentation. Review the recording to identify any unnecessary fillers and work on eliminating them.

2. Slow Down Your Speaking Pace

Speaking too quickly is another common reason people resort to fillers. When you rush through your presentation, your brain may struggle to keep up with your speech, causing you to insert “um” or “like” as placeholders.How It Helps:

  • Gives You Time to Think: Slowing down allows you to think ahead about what you’re going to say next, eliminating the need for fillers.
  • Enhances Clarity: A slower, more deliberate pace makes your words clearer and easier to understand.

Example: Consciously pause between sentences or key points to give yourself time to think. This also helps emphasize important ideas and makes your speech more engaging.

3. Embrace Pauses

Many presenters use fillers because they’re uncomfortable with silence. However, strategic pauses can be far more effective than fillers. Pausing gives your audience a moment to absorb what you’ve said and makes your delivery more impactful.How It Helps:

  • Adds Emphasis: Pausing before or after key points emphasizes their importance.
  • Breaks the Habit: Consciously using pauses instead of fillers will help you retrain your brain to avoid unnecessary words.

Example: Instead of saying “um” while transitioning between slides, simply pause for a moment. This brief silence can make your presentation feel more composed.

4. Focus on Breathing

When you’re nervous, your breathing can become shallow, leading to rushed speech and fillers. By focusing on deep, controlled breaths, you can keep yourself calm and avoid the need for fillers.How It Helps:

  • Keeps You Calm: Deep breathing reduces anxiety, helping you maintain control over your speech.
  • Paces Your Speech: Focusing on your breathing naturally slows down your speaking pace, reducing fillers.

Example: Before starting your presentation, take a few deep breaths to calm your nerves. During the presentation, remember to breathe deeply between sentences.

5. Use Transitional Phrases

Often, fillers are used when presenters don’t know how to transition smoothly between ideas. Replacing fillers with well-thought-out transitional phrases will make your presentation flow better and sound more professional.How It Helps:

  • Smooth Transitions: Instead of using “uh” or “like,” employ phrases such as “Next, I’d like to discuss…” or “To build on that point…”.
  • Keeps You Focused: Using clear transitions ensures that you stay on track and reduce the likelihood of resorting to fillers.

Example: Instead of saying, “Um, so, like, the next point is…,” say, “Now that we’ve covered the introduction, let’s move on to the key findings.”

6. Record Yourself and Take Note of Patterns

Recording yourself while practicing allows you to identify where and how often you use fillers. Once you know your filler patterns, you can actively work on reducing them.How It Helps:

  • Identifies Triggers: You’ll be able to see when and why you tend to use fillers (e.g., during transitions or when introducing new concepts).
  • Track Progress: Recording yourself multiple times lets you monitor your improvement over time.

Example: Record your practice sessions and note when you say “um” or “like.” Focus on those areas during your next rehearsal and actively work on removing the fillers.

Final Thoughts

Eliminating filler words from your presentations can significantly enhance your delivery and make you appear more confident and professional. By practicing regularly, embracing pauses, slowing down, and focusing on smooth transitions, you can reduce or eliminate fillers and deliver a polished, impactful presentation.

How Much Should a Presentation Deck Cost?

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SlideGenius

Aug 16, 2013

“How much does it cost to hire a graphic designer to create a PowerPoint presentation for me?”

This is a common question we often get right off the bat from potential clients looking for a PowerPoint specialist, but it’s not a simple question to answer.  First, we need to know about your business needs, your resources, and your goals. Are you a small startup or a Fortune 500?  Basically, it’s a very personalized process, and there’s no blanket answer for it.

It’s a lot like asking, “how much does it cost for you to make me a website?”

There are a myriad of factors that go into the cost:

How big of a business are you?

How high-end do you want your website to be?

Do you already have a website to use as a foundation?

What kind of functionality do you want the website to have?

Just like web design, there are quite a few factors that we custom tailor to the needs of each client when landing on the price for their deck. That means what your presentation deck costs can be a little… or a lot.

The Low End Pitch Deck ($1,000 to $3,000)

Prices in this range fall into two categories, returning clients looking to improve a deck they’ve already had designed, and they’d like to perform relatively minor improvements to it.  A complete overhaul of a presentation requires much more time and effort.The other group that falls into this category are those looking for a new, custom-designed deck, but are only willing to pay the bare-bones price for it, which we highly discourage.  Having a solid visual aid is the second most important part of a presentation.  The first is showing up.  You don’t want to skimp on your PowerPoint presentation, because that’s sure to leave a bad taste in the mouths of potential clients or investors.Remember, a professional PowerPoint presentation is an investment.  An investment that will surely produce an ROI and help impress and attract new clients, which is the opposite effect that a mediocre presentation will have.  A bad impression is worse than no impression at all.

Mid-range Presentation Design ($3,000 to $10,000)

Most of our clients fall into this range. This involves either significantly revamping a previous presentation, or doing a new presentation involving a significant amount of animation and custom graphic design.The wide amount of variation in this range depends largely on the quantity of slides in your deck and the amount of graphic design and animation needed on each slide. Again, costs here can be greatly leveraged depending on how much copywriting, design, and multimedia is being brought to the table by the client.

The Upper End Presentation Services ($10,000 to $50,000)

If you’re a young startup looking to breaking in to a competitive, high-end market and you don’t have much to show for yourself concerning branding or multimedia, we can do it all for you, but it will be a significant cost. Building a public, corporate identity through a presentation is a huge task, so it’s best to do it right the first time.This range also includes multi-deck projects and large decks nearing the triple-digit slide count.  Also in this range are the custom-designed slide libraries, which are essentially an interchangeable database of slides that can be catered to the individual needs of sales teams with in larger companies, while maintaining a consistent set of slides controlled by management.We’ve found the most satisfied clients are the ones who view presentation and pitch deck design as an evolving, ongoing relationship.  While a small startup may initially only have the resources for a fairly basic presentation, they are able to continue working with us, and improve the professionalism, appeal, and selling power of their presentation as their business expands, and they have more to invest in a presentation’s power to attract new clients.This allows the client to not only spend just the resources they have available, they’re able to constantly pinpoint and customize exactly what they want out of a presentation, and consequently, as presentation designers, we’re able to figure out over time exactly what optimizes your business from a presentation point of view.  We work best when our process and your business grow alongside one another.

3 Additional Perks of Getting a PowerPoint Presentation Specialist

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Aug 08, 2013

As much as we hate tooting our own horn (mostly true), we want to expand on our recent post, “3 Reasons Why You Need a PowerPoint Specialist.”In the previous post, we listed a few of the reasons why our clients have found that having a professional PowerPoint design made was imperative for businesses to be perceived as professional and competent. So if you’re a business that wants to be perceived as unprofessional and incompetent, our services aren’t for you. So here are a few more reasons why you can’t afford to skimp on presentation design.

Build Confidence in Your Audience, Yourself

Would you rather show up to the Monaco Gran Prix in a MacLaren F1 or that dinky Honda Civic you drove in high school? It wouldn’t matter if you were the best driver that’s ever been behind the wheel, you’re not going to fare well with a hunk of junk car.It often doesn’t matter how excellent a presenter or public speaker you are, if you show up with an amateur presentation, your presentation ability won’t be evident, and your presentation won’t impress anyone. In order for your audience–whether that be investors, potential clients or employers–to have confidence in you, your professionalism and capability need to be apparent.

Make the Sell

A professionally designed presentation is an expense, but more importantly, it’s an investment.Our promise to clients, “We design presentations that sell,” is just that: A promise. The increase in business our clients experienced after deciding to show up to important presentations with a professionally designed presentation caused them to continue to employ our services.

More Efficient Allocation of Resources

We’re better than you are at designing PowerPoint presentations. We’re sure you’re better at doing whatever it is your business does too. Outsourcing can be a valuable tool in employing outside expertise when it comes to specialized services.Many remain skeptical about outsourced services, fearing the hidden costs and lack of transparency, but we’ll walk you through every step of our process here at SlideGenius, so you know exactly what you’re paying for.Allowing clients to see our process in action lets them realize the number of man hours they save by outsourcing their presentation design to us, thus being able to spend time on the business they do best, or on preparing for the oral portion of their presentation while we focus on the visual aspect. 

Reference:

“3 Reasons Why You Need a PowerPoint Presentation Specialist.” SlideGenius. August 1, 2013.

Public Speaking Lessons to Take Away from “The King’s Speech”

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The King's Speech

Aug 06, 2013

Released to huge acclaim from audiences and critics in 2011, The King’s Speech details King George VI’s struggle to overcome his stammer and fear of public speaking, and his relationship with his unconventional speech therapist Lionel Logue.While it’s a very captivating movie, it also has a lot of practical application as a guide to public speaking, and there are many lessons to learn from the challenges King George VI overcame during his journey in becoming an effective public speaker.

Confidence is Key

The primary struggle of The King’s Speech is King George VI’s struggle to learn to trust his voice. Throughout the film, he learned to become comfortable in his own skin and accept his faults, which translated to overcoming his stutter.Confidence is imperative to giving an effective presentation, especially during an investor or interview presentation where instilling confidence in one’s audience is a must. It’s difficult to fake sincere confidence, which emanates throughout your presentation in a variety of ways, but if you can’t find confidence in your ability to speak in public, a good substitute is to reassure yourself with confidence for what you’re presenting.During the film, a primary reason “Bertie” developed his stammer and fear of public speaking was because he got caught in a cycle of negative reinforcement, where previous public speaking failures caused him to lose confidence in himself, and resulted in him continuing to give poor speeches because of it. After a bad presentation, it’s important to learn from your mistakes, then forget about the bad performance and move forward.

Realize There is Room for Improvement

Chances are you’re not the greatest presenter or public speaker on the planet. There is always room for improvement. However, for those who struggle with public speaking, the greater challenge isn’t realizing you have a problem, but openly addressing it.Whether you seek to improve your public speaking privately, with a college course or elsewhere, the most important factor is that you are addressing the fact that public speaking is a challenge for you. Running and hiding from it will do nothing but make the problem worse.One of my favorite moments in The King’s Speech was the conversation between “Bertie” and his speech therapist when he admitted he needed help:”Lionel Logue: What was your earliest memory?King George VI: I’m not… -here to discuss… -personal matters.Lionel Logue: Why are you here then?King George VI: Because I bloody well stammer!”

Practice

Every great presenter, especially those whose skill appears to be effortless and relaxed, became great through practice and repetition.In Malcolm Gladwell’s popular book, “Outliers,” he presents the “10-hour rule” as the reason for success behind Bill Gates’ wealth and business success and the enormous popularity of the Beatles. He theorizes that these two entities had approximately 10,000 hours of exposure to their craft, which is what made them become so legendary.Practice and experience produces success. Great presentations aren’t improvised. If you want to “wow” an audience, you have to put in the work.Rehearse your presentation until it’s ingrained in your memory–to the point of monotony. Orchestrate your talking points with your visual aid.

Check out ‘The King’s Speech’ if you haven’t seen it yet. It’s a captivating film where you can find lessons ingrained within the challenges overcome by this tongue-tied monarch.

Why You Need Props at Your Next Presentation

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Aug 02, 2013

Props in Presentations

When you hear the word “prop” do you think of those cotton horse heads on a stick that the actors pretend to ride around on?The truth is props are universally profiled as cheesy theatrical objects, much like the horse on a stick, good only for middle-school plays. Because of this, props are obsolete in the eyes of the typical presenter, and that’s a problem.While by definition, the word “prop” does refer to theatrical property, its purpose is overlooked. Any given prop is used to add realism to a given story and to help advance the narrative in a more palpable way. This idea is directly transferable and applicable to any corporate presentation, PowerPoint presentation, or sales pitch.By thinking of props as relics of the past, we are blinding ourselves of the many creative and effective ways to utilize props in today’s world.Here’s my favorite example:

Italian entrepreneur and television host Marco Montemagno is the renowned founder of digital domination summit. “Digital Domination Summit is a free online event, featuring prerecorded video messages & video interviews from up to 30 leading authorities on how to do business in the digital world”. Montemagno’s also hosts live talks that are are known to be among the most engaging and intriguing throughout of Italy and Europe for that matter. He focuses on the topic of Internet culture. His talks revolve around showing Italians why the Internet should be embraced and not feared. Montemagno presents to audiences of up to 3,000 people in cities including Milan, Rome, and Venice. In spite of his goal to bridge a divide between his technical expertise and the everyday language of his audience, Montemagno uses devices meant to engage his listeners, namely props.

Montemagno’s audience members get a pen and paper before taking their seats. During the presentation, he asks them to turn to the person to their right and in 30 seconds sketch their portrait. He then asks them to write the title of their favorite song, movie, etc. They pass the paper around and repeat the process until the paper has changed hands up to five times. Each audience member then takes home a piece of paper that once belonged to someone else. The exercise is intended to demonstrate how information is shared among individuals across networks.

Montemagno shows us a unique and creative medium through which to apply props. He takes a complex subject, and simplifies to an experience that every member of the audience can feel, and therefore remember vividly. This is what props are useful for, helping the audience feel, understand, and remember. If you manage to get your audience to go through these three sensations about  you and your PowerPoint presentation, you will find your business reaching new heights!

3 Reasons Why You’ll Benefit from Using Props:

 Your presentations will be more memorable. Sure, you can repeat the same description of your product 12 times, and increase audience retention, or you can just bring out the actual product, explain it once, and get the same effect.You can apply them as effective metaphors. Using props as metaphors are great way to get your audience’s attention in a matter of a few seconds.You will create emotional impact. While facts and stats will tell, emotion will sell!

References:

“Digital Domination Summit 2013.” Wired UK. June 28, 2013.Gallo, Carmine. “Using Props to Improve Your Presentations.” Bloomberg.com. January 27, 2009.”How Do Props Help a Presentation?” Manner of Speaking. September 25, 2011.”Putting Your Presentation before Your PowerPoint.” SlideGenius. December 9, 2013.”Ten Tips for Using Props in a Presentation.” Manner of Speaking. September 28, 2011.

Body Movement in your Presentation; How to Make it or Break it

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Steve Jobs

Jul 19, 2013

Body movement during a presentation is a powerful non-verbal tool that can either enhance your message or become a major distraction. Effective use of movement can engage your audience, emphasize key points, and project confidence. On the flip side, uncontrolled or awkward movement can detract from your message, making you appear nervous or unprepared. Understanding how to use body movement correctly can make or break your presentation.In this guide, we’ll explore the do’s and don’ts of body movement, showing you how to use it strategically to support your presentation and captivate your audience.

The Importance of Body Movement in Presentations

Movement during a presentation serves several important purposes:

  • Engagement: Movement helps keep your audience visually engaged, adding energy and life to your presentation.
  • Emphasis: Strategic movement draws attention to key points or transitions, making them more memorable.
  • Connection: Moving around the stage or room helps you connect with different sections of the audience, making them feel included.
  • Confidence: Controlled, purposeful movement projects confidence and helps you appear more authoritative.

However, too much movement—or the wrong kind of movement—can be distracting, confusing, or even alienating. The goal is to strike a balance between purposeful movement and moments of stillness.

How to “Make It” with Body Movement

1. Move with Purpose

One of the most critical aspects of body movement is making sure your movements are purposeful and deliberate. Random or constant movement can make you appear nervous or unorganized.

  • Move During Transitions: Use movement to signal a change in topic or section. For example, when transitioning from one key point to the next, take a few steps to the side or toward the audience. This visually reinforces the shift in focus.
  • Step Forward to Emphasize: When making a critical point, step closer to the audience. This adds emphasis and makes the moment feel more intimate and impactful.
  • Return to Neutral: After making a point or transitioning, return to a neutral, centered position on the stage. This helps you reset and maintain balance in your presentation.

2. Use Movement to Connect with the Audience

Moving around the stage or room allows you to engage with different sections of the audience. This helps establish a connection and ensures that everyone feels included in the conversation.

  • Address All Sections: Avoid staying in one spot or addressing only one part of the room. Shift your position throughout the presentation to engage the entire audience. This could mean walking to different areas of the stage or making subtle shifts in body orientation.
  • Use Proximity Wisely: Moving closer to the audience during key moments can create a stronger connection. For example, during a Q&A session, stepping toward the person asking the question can make the interaction feel more personal and engaging.

3. Anchor Movements to Key Points

Linking specific movements to key points in your presentation can help reinforce your message and make it more memorable.

  • Visualize Movements for Concepts: For example, if you’re explaining a process with multiple steps, consider moving from one side of the stage to the other as you outline each step. This visual association helps the audience follow along.
  • Use Spatial Anchors: Assign different areas of the stage to represent specific topics or ideas. As you move back and forth between these areas, the audience will subconsciously associate the movements with your key points.

4. Control Gestures and Body Language

While body movement involves the whole body, gestures—especially hand movements—are another key component. Use gestures that complement your message rather than distract from it.

  • Emphasize with Gestures: Use open and deliberate hand movements to emphasize important words or concepts. Gestures should be natural and proportional to the size of the room; smaller rooms call for smaller, more controlled movements, while larger spaces may require more expansive gestures.
  • Open vs. Closed Gestures: Open gestures, such as open palms, indicate honesty and inclusivity, while closed gestures, like crossed arms or hands in pockets, can signal discomfort or defensiveness. Aim for open and inviting gestures to enhance audience connection.

5. Maintain Balance Between Movement and Stillness

While movement adds energy to your presentation, moments of stillness are equally important. A balance between movement and stillness allows your audience to process information and focus on your message.

  • Pause for Impact: After making a key point, pause for a moment in stillness. This gives your audience time to absorb the information and underscores the significance of what you’ve just said.
  • Avoid Fidgeting: Constant, small movements, such as shifting from foot to foot or fidgeting with clothing, can be distracting. Be aware of nervous habits and practice staying still when needed.

How to “Break It” with Body Movement (What to Avoid)

1. Pacing Without Purpose

Constant pacing is one of the most common mistakes presenters make. Walking back and forth without clear intention makes you seem nervous, restless, or unorganized.

  • Avoid Random Pacing: Uncontrolled pacing is distracting and can make the audience lose focus. Instead, use intentional, measured steps to emphasize transitions or key points.

2. Standing Still the Entire Time

Just as too much movement can be distracting, standing completely still throughout your presentation can make it feel stiff and unengaging. Being stationary can create a barrier between you and the audience, making your presentation less dynamic.

  • Don’t Lock Yourself Behind a Podium: If you’re using a podium, step away from it at times to engage with the audience. Moving around the stage or room makes the presentation feel more interactive.

3. Overusing or Exaggerating Gestures

While gestures are an important part of body language, overusing or exaggerating them can be just as distracting as poor movement.

  • Avoid Constant Gesturing: If your hands are always in motion, the audience may become distracted. Limit gestures to moments where they support or emphasize your words.
  • Don’t Overdo Large Movements: Exaggerated gestures or wide, sweeping motions can overwhelm the audience. Keep your gestures appropriate for the room size and the context of your message.

4. Fidgeting or Nervous Movements

Small, repetitive movements such as playing with your hair, adjusting your clothing, or tapping your fingers can signal nervousness and detract from your presentation.

  • Control Fidgeting: Practice becoming aware of any nervous habits and work on minimizing them. If you have a habit of fidgeting with objects, try holding a pen or clicker to keep your hands occupied in a controlled way.

5. Turning Your Back to the Audience

Turning your back on the audience, even briefly, can disengage them. This often happens when a presenter is reading from slides or looking at a monitor behind them.

  • Always Face Forward: Stay aware of your body orientation. Even if you’re referencing your slides, try to face the audience as much as possible. If you need to look at your slides, glance quickly and return your focus to the audience.

Final Thoughts

Body movement is a powerful tool that can either elevate or diminish your presentation. When used correctly, purposeful movement adds emphasis, boosts engagement, and makes you appear more confident. However, random or nervous movement can detract from your message and make you seem unprepared.The key to “making it” with body movement is awareness and intentionality. By moving with purpose, using gestures strategically, and maintaining a balance between movement and stillness, you can command the stage and leave a lasting impression on your audience. Avoid common pitfalls like pacing without purpose, overusing gestures, or standing rigidly still, and instead, use body movement as a dynamic tool to amplify your presentation’s impact.With practice and mindful execution, your body language will become an asset that powers your presentations and helps you connect with your audience on a deeper level.