Tag: PowerPoint Experts

Information Retention: Remembering PowerPoint Presentations

clear and concise

information retention

PowerPoint Experts

presentation design

print collateral

slide content

Jul 04, 2018

Given the amount of information you cram into your presentation, getting people to remember all of it is a feat in itself.

This is why people have different ways of presenting. Some like to build an emotional bond with their audience while others provide hard data and analytics.

It doesn’t matter which type of presenter you are if the audience doesn’t remember anything about it. You have to give them something that will stick for as long as they will keep remembering your brand.

If you’re hiring presentation specialists, expect to receive a deck that is nothing short of impressive. This makes it easier for your audience to remember the information you’re feeding them.

Retention Rates

People retain information in various ways and while there isn’t a manual on what works best for everyone, adults retain approximately 10% of what they see; 30%–40% of what they see and hear; and 90% of what they see, hear, and experience—this, according to the National Highway Institute’s “Principle of Adult Learning & Instructional Systems Design.”

The way your audience retains information is vital in presentation design because the more effective and engaging it is, the more people will remember it at the end of the week.

It’s worrying if you’re eyeing for a favorable business decision and you end up giving a mediocre presentation. This results in investors having already forgotten what you’ve said a week later, and likely that your information won’t be considered when they need to reach a decision.

The phrase, “Content is King,” may be overused, but it stays true, even for presentations. Make sure they remember a catchy headline, powerful quote, or striking image.

How exactly can you make your presentation more memorable?

Visual Impact

Instead of using bullet points, use images that resonate with the audience. This inspires them to act, making it easier for them to retain information for much longer.

Visuals shouldn’t distract the audience, but rather, reel them in and help them become engaged in the discussion.

Print Collateral

Brochures, flipbooks, executive summaries—if you want to provide more information without taking much of your audience’s time, have handouts ready by the end of your presentation. That, or you can provide downloadable versions of your PowerPoint so they can look over it and check if they’ve missed anything. These provide notable facts and figures essential for business decisions that might have to be made in the future.

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Stop filling your slides with fluff and instead, make your message clear and concise. Have your key points ready and focus on what you want to get across, and be prepared for whatever they might throw your way at the end of the presentation.

Make sure your PowerPoint presentation contains memorable features that will leave a lasting impression on your audience. If you want to make sure that it’s effective and engaging, rehearse, and apply whatever feedback you receive from peers.

Typography, Is It Really Important?

information retention

PowerPoint Experts

powerpoint presentation design

powerpoint presentation fonts

sales pitch

typography

May 23, 2018

Typography is one of the most overlooked aspects of presentation design, yet it plays a critical role in how your message is received. The typefaces you choose, the spacing, and the overall presentation of your text can make a significant difference in readability, professionalism, and the effectiveness of your slides. Good typography ensures that your content is both legible and visually appealing, while poor typography can distract from your message.

Here’s why typography is important in presentations and how to use it effectively:

1. Enhances Readability

The most fundamental role of typography is to make your text easy to read. If your audience can’t read your slides easily, they’ll miss out on key information. The right choice of font, size, and spacing ensures that your message is accessible and clear.

How It Helps:

  • Font Choice: Use fonts that are easy to read at a distance. Sans-serif fonts like Arial, Calibri, and Helvetica are generally more readable on screens than serif fonts.
  • Font Size: Ensure your font size is large enough to be legible for everyone in the room. A minimum size of 24pt is recommended for most presentation text.
  • Line Spacing: Adjust the spacing between lines to avoid overcrowded text. Proper spacing makes your slides easier to read and digest.

Example: A corporate presentation on a large screen should use a sans-serif font like Calibri, with text size at least 28pt for body text and 36pt for headings.

2. Conveys Tone and Personality

Typography can communicate more than just words—it can also convey the tone and personality of your presentation. Different fonts and styles evoke different emotions and set the tone for your message.

How It Helps:

  • Formal vs. Informal: Serif fonts like Times New Roman or Georgia convey a more traditional, formal tone, while sans-serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica feel more modern and casual.
  • Consistency: Using consistent typography throughout your presentation creates a cohesive look, which enhances the professional feel of your presentation.

Example: If you’re giving a formal financial report, using a classic serif font for headings paired with a clean sans-serif font for body text can strike the right balance between professionalism and readability.

3. Draws Attention to Key Points

Typography can be used strategically to emphasize important points or guide the viewer’s attention to critical elements of your presentation. Bold fonts, contrasting colors, or larger text sizes can highlight key messages.

How It Helps:

  • Hierarchy: Use different font sizes and styles to create a hierarchy on your slides. Titles should be the largest, followed by subtitles, and then body text. This structure helps guide the audience’s eyes to the most important information.
  • Contrast: Use contrasting font styles or weights (bold vs. regular) to differentiate between points and draw attention to critical information.

Example: In a marketing pitch, bold the key takeaway in a larger font size to make it stand out from the rest of the slide.

4. Improves Aesthetic Appeal

Well-chosen typography can make your presentation look polished and professional, while poor typography can make it look cluttered or amateurish. A clean, visually appealing layout helps engage your audience and makes your presentation more enjoyable to follow.

How It Helps:

  • Visual Harmony: Consistent fonts, spacing, and alignment create visual harmony in your slides. Avoid mixing too many font styles, which can make your presentation feel chaotic.
  • White Space: Good typography often goes hand-in-hand with the effective use of white space. Plenty of space around text improves readability and gives your slides a cleaner, more modern look.

Example: Choose one or two fonts to use throughout your presentation—one for headings and another for body text—and make sure they complement each other for a unified look.

5. Supports Branding

Typography plays a crucial role in reinforcing your brand’s identity. Consistent use of brand fonts helps your presentation align with your company’s overall visual style, making it more memorable and professional.

How It Helps:

  • Brand Consistency: If your company has specific fonts for branding, use them in your presentations to maintain consistency with other marketing materials.
  • Builds Recognition: Over time, using the same typography across all company presentations helps reinforce brand recognition and trust.

Example: If your company’s website and marketing materials use a specific font, ensure that same font is used in your presentations to create a consistent brand experience.

6. Reduces Cognitive Load

When typography is used effectively, it reduces cognitive load for your audience. Clear, well-structured text helps the brain process information more efficiently, allowing your audience to focus on the content rather than struggling to decipher the text.

How It Helps:

  • Minimizes Distraction: Poor typography, such as overly decorative fonts or inconsistent text alignment, distracts the audience. Well-chosen typography ensures the focus stays on the message.
  • Enhances Focus: Clear, clean typography helps your audience process and retain the information more easily, enhancing the overall impact of your presentation.

Example: Avoid using overly decorative or script fonts for body text, as these can be hard to read and may distract from your core message.

Final Thoughts

Typography is a powerful yet often underestimated tool in presentations. It not only enhances readability but also sets the tone, emphasizes key points, and supports your brand. By using clean, consistent typography, you can improve the aesthetic appeal and effectiveness of your presentation, ensuring that your audience stays engaged and understands your message.

The 10 Most Important Slides in Every Presentation

customized PowerPoint

marketing strategy

pitch deck

PowerPoint Experts

slide design

May 09, 2018

Pitch decks are important if you’re looking to introduce a new product or service to the Board or a group of potential investors. This should excite them about your idea and engage them in a conversation that, hopefully, leads to an investment or approval.

If you’re looking for investors, you could start by customizing a PowerPoint presentation that has all the necessary information that potential stockholders may ask from you.

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Elevator Pitch

This section should contain the main idea of your presentation. State the key takeaways that your audience can expect by the end of your pitch. If you can, try explaining it in one or two sentences.

Problem

Why do stockholders need to invest in the product or service that you’re pitching? Address the issues that customers face—tell a story and make it relatable. State why these need to be solved—consider this a prelude to the solution that you’re about to introduce.

Value Proposition

Identify your target market—demonstrate its size and if it’s niche, much better. State how you hope to position yourself within it and use the data to scope the problem you’ll be solving.

Product/Service

Introduce the product or service that should solve the issues you’ve suggested earlier. Go through its specifications and how it differs from what the competition offers. Here’s where you prove its uniqueness and value for necessity.

Business Model

Explain how the product or service will generate revenue. Clarify whether this is a premium or budgeted offering and how its pricing fits into the existing landscape.

Roadmap

If you already have early adopters of the product, then talk about that. Your investors will want to hear about their feedback and see tangible proof validating that your solutions work to solve the problems addressed earlier.

You can also talk about your milestones on this slide. State some goals that you have achieved so far and identify the next steps you plan on taking.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

Outline the marketing and sales plan. Identify key tactics to get the product to prospective customers.

Gaining customers can be difficult, especially if you’re an emerging company in an already-existing market. Because of this, it’s vital that you show that you have a solid grasp of how you’ll reach your target market and have a clear understanding of which sales channels you’ll be using.

People behind the Product

Introduce your team—everyone who had lent a hand in the research, development, and manufacturing process of the product you’re presenting. Talk about the management team’s experience and expertise as well.

Competition

Whether you’re operating in existing or niche markets, give potential investors a rundown of the qualities and other attributes that set you apart from the competition. Show them why they should pick you instead of the other players on the market.

Financials

Your audience needs to see sales and cash flow forecasts in your presentation.

When you show these to the panel, don’t overwhelm them by providing spreadsheets that are difficult to read. Instead, use graphs, diagrams, and charts that will show financial information vital to the discussion.

The goal of your presentation deck is to pique your investor’s interest. It has to provide the necessary information about your company, as well as the products and services you offer. You want them to ask for more details, which is why a solid custom deck is vital for your sales pitch.

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References:

Lavinsky, Dave. “Marketing Plan Template: Exactly What To Include.” Forbes. September 30, 2013. www.forbes.com/sites/davelavinsky/2013/09/30/marketing-plan-template-exactly-what-to-include/#4c9610a33503

Ashe-Edmunds, Sam. “How to Introduce Teammates During a Presentation.” azcentral. April 13, 2018. yourbusiness.azcentral.com/introduce-teammates-during-presentation-10553.html

James, Geoffrey. “How to Give a Flawless Elevator Pitch.” Inc. July 2, 2014.

Are Visuals in Business Presentations Actually Helpful?

animation

become a better presenter

business presentations

Graphic Design

PowerPoint Design

PowerPoint Experts

slide design

visual aids

May 02, 2018

Visual aids upgrade your speech, as the combination of content and design add flare to your presentation. These make your pitch more understandable and allow your audience to follow the discussion with their eyes.
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Before making a customized PowerPoint presentation, your goals must be clear—you should be sure of the message you want to convey. When you have a plan, you’ll know what you have to work on to achieve your objectives.

So what exactly is so important about visual aids that it’s imperative that you prepare one for your business presentation?

It conveys the message loud and clear.

Visuals help you catch your audience’s attention and engage them throughout your presentation. With these, you can communicate complex ideas in an understandable way. Rather than “telling,” you’re “showing” the audience exactly what you want to say, allowing them to make connections on their own—given that the graphics you use are relevant to your discussion.

Approximately three-quarters of adults in America own a smartphone, making it one of the most quickly adopted consumer technologies to date. Apart from this, they spend almost five hours on their phones. Why is this number important?

As a presenter, you’d want to keep your audience’s eyes on you. So, to keep their attention off their phones, you have to make your visual aids appealing. Add graphics, images, and animations relevant to the topic at hand and you’re good to go.

It elicits emotions.

Images are highly subjective. That said, there are certain categories that are more likely to elicit strong emotional responses compared to others. Images can help establish a long-term connection with the hearts and minds of your audience.

Rather than using bullet points, images that resonate with the audience inspire them to act. Plus, this makes it easier for them to retain information for a longer period.

It saves processing time.

A picture paints a thousand words and it holds true to this day. Using visuals relevant to your presentation is less time-consuming compared to writing a few hundred words. Apart from that, you’d only need to make sure that what you say revolves around that.

In addition, because your audience’s brain works overtime to process all the information fed to them, visuals prove to be the most efficient way to make your discussion easier to understand.

Your visual aids shouldn’t distract your audience, but rather help them reach the core of your presentation. These can either make or break their first impression of what you are pitching and you as a presenter. Simplicity is key when it comes to customized PowerPoint presentations—the best way to keep your audience’s attention is by removing clutter.

Nothing else maximizes efficiency and effectiveness quite like professionally designed visual aids, but take note: you may have the best PowerPoint design, but its purpose is only to add interest and enhance the way you convey your message. You’re still the star of the show, which is why you still have to do well with your speech.
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References:

Miltner, Olivia. “You’re Not Addicted to Your Smartphone – You Just Really Like People.” OZY. April 1, 2018.

Tierney, Leah. “6 Types of Images That Elicit an Emotional Response.” Shutterstock. May 5, 2017. www.shutterstock.com/blog/6-types-of-images-that-elicit-an-emotional-response

“Using Visual Aids.” University of Pittsburgh. www.speaking.pitt.edu/student/public-speaking/visualaids.html

Winning Your Audience Over: The Keys to an Influencing Pitch

building credibility

establishing presentation credibility

PowerPoint Experts

public speaking

sales pitch

Social Media Marketing

speech

Apr 12, 2018

One of the most difficult things a presenter does is instill certain beliefs or convince the audience that their product or service is the best choice.
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Apart from this, whether you hire PowerPoint presentation design services or create it yourself, you have to make sure that whatever shows up on the screen coincides with what you’re saying. Flow is important, as it contributes to how easy it will be to understand your pitch.

Winning the audience over may not be an easy feat, but it is, however, doable. Here are factors that make an influencing pitch:

Give & Take: Reciprocity

When you are pitching a fresh idea to an investor, provide a sample because not only would this make your presentation more memorable, but it will also help them understand your pitch better. In a way, it instills a sense of indebtedness, increasing their chances of complying to your request.

Reciprocity is useful in the world of sales, as this helps establish trust between you and your prospects.

What the Public Says: Social Proof

What makes you decide whether to watch a movie or not? Or if you should try the new restaurant in town? Usually, people take to Google and search for reviews before they try something new.

Most of the time, these influence decision-making and this is proof you should use social media to win your audience over.

Testimonials from previous clients give you an edge, as these showcase unique experiences provided by your product. In a way, these help your clients make informed decisions.

The 3 Cs: Commitment, Consistency & Credibility

The hardest part during a sales pitch is getting your audience to say yes. Gaining their approval contributes to the success or failure of your presentation, which is where learning the art of persuasion comes in handy.

Once you get your audience to comply with small requests, it will be easier for you to make larger requests, as they will be more likely to be receptive of these. Given that these are similar in nature to the original inquiry.

This was proven in a study conducted in the 1980s, where the “foot-in-the-door” technique was used. Martin Sherman called residents in Indiana and inquired about hypothetically volunteering and spending three hours collecting for the American Cancer Society. His associates called the same people three days later and actually requested help for the ACS. Thirty-one percent of those who responded to the earlier request agreed to help and this number is much higher than the 4% of people who volunteered when approached directly.

Your confidence and the trustworthiness of the content you are presenting invoke authority, reflecting your expertise on the subject, hence, making you credible. This convinces the audience that you are the right person to discuss a certain topic.

Moving forward, your custom PowerPoint presentation should coincide with your speech and vice versa. Not only do these factors apply to your speech, but these should also resonate with your visual aid, that way, your audience will be able to follow the discussion with their eyes and ears.

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References:

Swanson, Elizabeth; Sherman, Martin & Sherman, Nancy. “Anxiety and the Foot-in-the-Door Technique.” The Journal of Social Psychology. June 30, 2010. doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1982.9922806

McLeod, Saul. “The Psychology of Compliance.” SimplyPsychology. 2014. www.simplypsychology.org/compliance.html

 

What Do Great Public Speakers Have in Common?

audience-focused presentations

body language

Confidence

great speakers

PowerPoint Experts

professional public speakers

Apr 04, 2018

Effective speakers ensure to leave lasting impressions during each presentation. Being a great public speaker means being able to translate your expertise into words understandable enough for your audience to comprehend even if they have very little knowledge on the topic.

Apart from having a well-designed custom PowerPoint presentation, you also need to be confident in the delivery of your pitch. Not everyone has the inherent talent of flawlessly delivering their speech in front of a large audience.

Here are some of the notable traits that effective speakers possess—keep your eyes trained for qualities that are guaranteed to inspire, influence, and make a significant difference on your audience’s lives:

They start strong and end strong.

When the opening is executed right, it immediately engages the audience and all you have to do as the speaker is keep their attention on you for the duration of the presentation. Remember, the first words that spill from your mouth can either make or break your sales pitch.

Apart from this, you also have to end things as strong as your beginning. Pro tip: pattern your presentation akin to a story, wherein it has a beginning, middle, and end. The more memorable your speech is, the greater the chances of memory retention.

They exude confidence.

Even the world’s best orators get nervous, but their strength lies in their ability to conquer their nerves instead of the other way around. Your audience can smell fear and uncertainty—if you show weakness, the less likely it will be to engage and motivate them.

They speak in the audience’s language.

The head of TED, Chris Anderson, shares that the speaker’s primary objective is to build their idea in the minds of their audience. This means it should be communicated in a way that changes someone’s perspective, potentially influencing their actions for the present and the future.

One of his tips included speaking in the audience’s language. This means avoiding the use of industry jargon and instead, using metaphors and information that listeners are more familiar with.

He also recommends practicing in front of friends and have them give their feedback on which parts confuse them the most so that the speaker can improve their presentation.

They mix words with gestures.

Not only is modulating important, but so are mannerisms, as these also make an impact. These help convey your enthusiasm and convictions, putting emphasis on important information.

Most importantly, great speakers connect with their audience—don’t be afraid to make eye contact and ask rhetorical questions. Remember, your listeners should be able to relate with what you’re saying.

They are organized.

When your presentation is structured and is executed with a sound agenda, the more comprehensible it will be for your audience. Experienced speakers make sure that they clarify their objectives before presenting, as this will make the flow easier to follow. Plus, this allows audience members to save their questions for the appropriate sections

Public speaking is not an easy feat, but with practice and these principles in mind, you’ll be on the right track to becoming one of the best speakers out there.

What Makes a Successful Finance Presentation?

Finance

PowerPoint Experts

presentation design

presentation tips

public speaking

storytelling

Mar 28, 2018

When conducting a business presentation that revolves around finance, it’s important that the data resonates with the audience without it being too much to take in. While you want to be transparent and show them the big picture, you wouldn’t want to exhaust them by going over every figure.
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Here are ways to make your financial presentation effective and understandable:

Clarify your objectives

Make sure you know what your presentation is for. Clarify what you want to achieve by talking about finance in a room full of people. For example, if you want to talk about yearend revenues, your objective could revolve around how this affects your company in the present and in the upcoming year.

As part of custom PowerPoint presentation planning, set an agenda, as this makes it easier for the audience to follow the flow of your discussion—it organizes your content into sections. With a sound agenda, you can set the financial scene and work toward the reveal of important data.

Having a clear agenda helps your audience save questions for the appropriate sections, which in turn benefits you in maintaining your momentum.

Don’t just show data—tell a story.

You can’t just project numbers and graphs on the screen and expect your audience to what it is and what it’s about—you need to go into detail and tell the story behind the data. This is where you can provide insight and share your business goals with your audience—you’ll want to discuss why these numbers are important to the company.

Pro tip: follow the three-part story structure and divide your narrative into three parts—the beginning, middle, and end.

Start by describing things as they are. That way, you create rapport with your audience and if you share an idea they are already familiar with, then that will engage them more.

Once you’ve laid all the facts, show them how things could change. Make sure that you cite reliable sources to increase your credibility as a speaker.

When it comes to the conclusion, make it inspiring—or as Nancy Duarte calls it, “new bliss.” This concept refers to telling the audience about how much better their world will be if they adopt your ideas.

Go beyond charts and graphs.

Presentation design helps make your topic become more understandable. Charts and graphs are great for representing important figures, including market shares and revenue for the quarter or fiscal year.

To win the hearts of your audience, however, simple graphics are not going to cut it—try experimenting with data visualization to communicate financial messages more efficiently.

Make your presentation a two-way conversation.

When your presentation becomes a monologue, your audience becomes less engaged—less involved—with your discussion.

Make your audience’s financial priorities a topic for discussion at some point in your presentation. Asking them questions and for their feedback helps them retain information better because they become directly involved.

How you communicate data has a significant effect on how your audience will perceive it. Discussing financial information is a hit or miss, especially when figures and complex data are flashed on the screen, which is why you need to present details in a manner they can relate to.

Lastly, remember not to dump data on your slides—stand back and think about what you need to include. Your custom PowerPoint presentation should only contain key financial statements and talk around them in detail later in the discussion.
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References:

Duarte, Nancy. “Structure Your Presentation Like a Story.” Harvard Business Review. October 31, 2012. hbr.org/2012/10/structure-your-presentation-li

Ashe-Edmunds, Sam. “How to Give a Presentation on the Financial Information of a Company.” Chron. n.d. smallbusiness.chron.com/give-presentation-financial-information-company-61420.html

 

Presentation Resolutions: 3 Tips to Help You Progress This Year

2014

Business Overview Presentation

Custom Designed Presentations

PowerPoint Agency

PowerPoint Design

PowerPoint design experts

PowerPoint Experts

PowerPoint specialist

Powerpoint tips

Presentation Agency

Presentation Company

Presentation Consultation

Presentation Designers

Presentation Firm

presentation specialist

resolution

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jan 03, 2017

As the new year begins, it’s the perfect time to set resolutions for improving your presentation skills. Whether you want to become more confident on stage, create more impactful slides, or engage your audience more effectively, making a few small adjustments can significantly improve your presentations.

Here are three tips to help you progress with your presentation skills this year:

1. Focus on Storytelling

Great presentations aren’t just about delivering information—they’re about telling a compelling story. This year, focus on developing your storytelling abilities to make your presentations more engaging, relatable, and memorable.

Why It Works:

  • Creates Emotional Connection: Storytelling helps your audience connect with your message on an emotional level, making it more memorable.
  • Simplifies Complex Ideas: Stories are an effective way to simplify complex information and make it easier for your audience to understand.

How to Apply It:

  • Think of your presentation as a narrative, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
  • Use personal anecdotes, case studies, or customer stories to illustrate key points and make your presentation more relatable.

Example: Instead of just listing product features, tell the story of how one of your customers used the product to solve a significant problem.

2. Invest in Visual Design

Well-designed slides can elevate your presentation and make it more visually engaging. This year, focus on improving your slide design by keeping things simple, using high-quality visuals, and ensuring that your slides support your message rather than distract from it.

Why It Works:

  • Enhances Understanding: Clear, well-designed visuals help your audience understand and retain information more effectively.
  • Keeps the Audience Engaged: Visually appealing slides capture attention and keep your audience engaged throughout the presentation.

How to Apply It:

  • Use a consistent color palette and clean, professional fonts throughout your slides.
  • Limit the amount of text on each slide and use visuals such as images, graphs, or diagrams to convey information.

Example: Replace text-heavy slides with simple, bold visuals that reinforce your key points, allowing you to speak directly to the audience instead of reading from the slides.

3. Practice Your Delivery

Effective delivery is just as important as the content of your presentation. This year, focus on practicing your delivery to become more confident, articulate, and engaging when presenting. Practice helps you refine your timing, tone, and body language, all of which contribute to a more polished performance.

Why It Works:

  • Builds Confidence: The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll feel when presenting in front of an audience.
  • Improves Timing: Practicing your delivery ensures that you stay on time and maintain a steady pace throughout your presentation.

How to Apply It:

  • Rehearse your presentation multiple times, either in front of a mirror or by recording yourself to assess your performance.
  • Focus on maintaining good posture, using hand gestures naturally, and varying your tone and pace to keep the audience engaged.

Example: Set aside time to practice your presentation with a friend or colleague who can provide feedback on your delivery and suggest areas for improvement.

Final Thoughts

Improving your presentation skills takes time and effort, but by focusing on storytelling, investing in visual design, and practicing your delivery, you can make significant progress this year. These resolutions will not only enhance your presentation performance but also help you connect more effectively with your audience and leave a lasting impression. As you set your goals for the year, remember that small, incremental improvements can lead to substantial growth over time.

Manage Stress Before a Big Presentation

angry presenter

PowerPoint Experts

powerpoint presentation

Powerpoint tips

presentation

presentation delivery

presentation skills

presentation tips

public speaking

Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

Jan 22, 2016

We’ve all had those days where stress pushed us to the edge, and we all know it’s not good to be around someone who loses their cool.

You won’t leave a good first impression if you keep a strained demeanor. Manage stress before it takes over your body and turns you into an angry presenter.

Stress by itself is a normal reaction that doesn’t go away until the perceived threat is gone, but delivering a presentation isn’t a real threat. Remind your body that you’re not in any danger. Relaxation will help calm you down and assure you that everything’s going to be alright. Here’s why you should regulate your stress and how to do it:

Likeability

When things keep going wrong, it’s important to know that there’s still tomorrow to look forward to. Stress skews our perspective towards fear and negativity, which makes it hard to even consider that things are going to get better. In addition to feeling terrified, our expressions project the anxiety we feel in response to internal pressure.

Stressing out before a presentation can lead to failure because the presenter may already be anticipating that something will go wrong. The audience can pick up on your emotions and will definitely sense if something’s not right. You’ll lose your credibility as a speaker if people sense you’re too stiff. Confidence in what you’re saying is needed for other people to trust in you, too.

Stress Management

Stress buildup can be mitigated in the first place by placing security checks. Identify what makes you feel threatened. Is it the fear of being judged or being in front of a large crowd?

Once you’ve identified them, step back and realize that none of them can really harm you. The audience is just there to hear what you’re going to present; none of them pose a real threat. Your body will start to calm down once it realizes that you don’t need to fear for your life, and you’ll have nothing to fear once you regain your focus.

Monitor Stress Levels

Some things are truly out of our control, but it doesn’t mean that we should lose our cool. Even if we’re not the best presenter, we should strive to give our best effort.

Doing some relaxation exercises can help release some of that pent-up stress. It will help empty your mind and introduce calming imagery in place of stressful thoughts. Also remember to breathe. Breathing helps relax muscles that become tense when you’re stressed. Pacing around and doing some stretches helps you unwind and prepares you to move your focus elsewhere.

Concentration

Conduct everything you do professionally, and you’ll get the respect you deserve. Don’t let stress get in the way of your ability to make a great presentation. After all, a stressed presenter doesn’t look good. It makes you look hostile, distancing you from your audience. Relaxation should come easily once you’ve identified and let go of what stresses you out.

Manage stress. Don’t let stress manage you.

 

Reference

“Stress Management.” Mayo Clinic. April 8, 2014. www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/basics/stress-basics/hlv-20049495

 

Featured Image: “StartupStockPhotos” on pixabay.com

No Retreat, No Surrender: Post-Apocalyptic Presentation Survival Advice

powepoint designer

PowerPoint Design

PowerPoint Experts

powerpoint problem

powerpoint template

Powerpoint tips

presentation designer

presentation experts

presentation templates

presentation tips

problem solving

SlideGenius

Oct 12, 2015

Let’s be clear: delivering a business presentation is serious business, with high stakes. So next time you enter a room for a presentation, here’s a wild idea: be like a zombie. It might sound like crazy presentation survival advice, but hear us out.

According to authors Kenemore and Scott, zombies are the perfect soldiers because they can withstand massive amounts of damage and still plod forward.  Remember, it’s your responsibility to keep going no matter what happens to your speech, good or bad. So don’t discount using a zombie-like approach, neither retreating nor surrendering from taking over the stage.

Adopt a cold and calm attitude to protect your professional appearance and achieve victory.

Here’s how to decisively win presentations with the acumen of a zombie:

Forget Fear

Forget Fear
Fear is your worst enemy.

There’ll be no giving up once your reanimation has begun. You can never back out when faced with unexpected events during your pitch. Be brave enough to avoid disengaging at any point from your discussion. Reevaluate your approach and come up with another attack plan.

A lot of things can go wrong — negative feedback, a non-operational device, or corrupted files can come up while you’re presenting. Instead of panicking, focus on the solution and address the problem outright.

Just Attack

Just Attack
Don’t hesitate. Take the initiative.

You don’t have to literally eat human gray matter. All you need to do is occupy space in your audiences’ mind, and make sure it’s worth it. Focus on getting them interested in your material. Take the lead and display valuable and helpful chunks of information that quenches your viewers’ hunger for learning.

Plan a strategy on how you’ll give them a decisive and informative dose of data. Start with a hook that hints to your main topic. Expound on your core idea by incorporating stories, statistics, and other factual evidence. Drive the final point in with a clear purpose to reach your audience on a personal level.

Walk with Others

Walk with Others
Don’t take on the apocalypse alone.

Taking inspiration from the zombies’ creed, “no man left behind” is another tactic to step up the presentation game. Leaving no man behind, not even your listeners, builds solid engagement. Tailor your speech in a way that’s accessible for everyone. Research beforehand to ensure that your audiences’ needs and expectations are met.

Make them feel involved and give them the assurance of being taken care of until the very last slide of your PowerPoint deck.

You’ve Survived!

You've Survived!
You made it out of the presentation apocalypse.

Zombies can be the most feared adversary anyone could encounter. They have this unexplainable ability to survive in the face of a nonstop onslaught. As a presenter, learning the zombies’ stance can keep you ahead of the competition. “No Retreat. No Surrender.”

Inflict yourself with these zombie-like traits and you’ll have no problem facing unexpected events. Attack your audience, not with bullets, but with helpful data. Leave no man behind for solid audience engagement.

Cultivate these strengths and be prepared to deliver award-winning, death-defying PowerPoint presentations.

 

References

Kenemore, Scott. The Art of Zombie Warfare: How to Kick Ass Like the Walking Dead. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2010.