Someone once said, “The human brain is a wonderful thing. It starts working the moment you are born, and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.” Indeed, public speaking is so emotionally taxing that many people make all kinds of excuses to dodge it. Some say they don’t have the expertise yet while others say they’re not emotionally ready. To many, these excuses are a sign of weakness and an inability to deliver.
However, most people don’t realize that this is a natural response. In fact, it is expected, and in some cases, desired and encouraged. The can’t-do attitude towards public speaking is not always negative. If any, it’s a good asset waiting to be unraveled. You can channel the energy you use to dwell into your hesitation and self-doubt into something more positive. You can turn your can’t-do mindset into a presentation asset.
Focus on yourself, not on others.
This doesn’t mean you have to disregard your audience’s needs and preferences. It only means you shouldn’t worry too much about what others think of you. It’s okay to fret a little if you’re new to public speaking, but you have to remember that you don’t need to perfect it the first time. No matter how well you prepare and deliver your speech, there will always be room for improvement.
Look past the temptation to look smart. Instead of worrying about things that are out of your control, why not focus on honing your skills? Be open for growth, and embrace any challenge that might come your way. A lot of things can go wrong in a presentation, and sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to stop them. However, your attitude towards the situation will determine how it affects you.
Doubt yourself, but only for a minute.
There are two types of mindsets: fixed and growth. A fixed mindset encompasses static givens such as character, intelligence, and creative ability. These aspects can’t be changed in any meaningful way. A person with a dominant fixed mindset typically strives for success and avoids failure. A person with a growth mindset, on the other hand, sees failure not as a drawback but as a springboard for improvement. Both types of mindsets can have a profound impact in your life.
For you to overcome stage fright, you need to let your growth mindset take over. Think of your speaking engagement as an opportunity to expand your knowledge and enhance your experience.
Find a motivation, not a reason to quit.
What’s good about having a growth mindset is that you can cultivate a passion for learning instead of a hunger for approval. People with this kind of outlook view things from a different light. To a conventional person, for example, the words, “not yet,” ring with a negative connotation, like being stuck in a certain state. However, to a progressive mind, “not yet” suggests something to look forward to in the future.
If you think you’re not yet ready to give a talk, strive harder to become better at public speaking until you are fully prepared to take the stage. Looking at things in a better light will free you from presentation anxiety and make you more confident.
Don’t let a can’t-do mindset stop you from reaching your full potential. Develop a can-do attitude that will let you find and conquer greater possibilities.
Resources:
Britton, Kathryn. “I Can’t Do It Yet.” Positive Psychology. June 18, 2014. positivepsychologynews.com/news/kathryn-britton/2014061829119
North, Marjorie Lee. “10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills.” Harvard Extension. n.d. www.extension.harvard.edu/professional-development/blog/10-tips-improving-your-public-speaking-skills
Peck, Sarah. “Why a Growth Mindset is Essential for Learning.” One Month. May 12, 2015. learn.onemonth.com/why-a-growth-mindset-is-essential-for-learning Popova, Maria. “Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets that Shape Our Lives.” Brain Pickings. n.d. www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset
Roll, Oliver. “6 Steps to Overcoming Stage Fright and Giving a Presentation Everybody Listens to.” Entrepreneur. October 21, 2014. www.entrepreneur.com/article/238442
In 2005, presentation pitch deck consultant Cliff Atkinson published his bestselling book, Beyond Bullet Points, which revolutionized the way people used PowerPoint. Atkinson was one of the first presentation gurus to displace the bulleted list by introducing a more viable alternative. It’s a principle called “the first five slides.”
Atkinson claimed that a presenter only needs the first five slides of a pitch deck to hook the audience. But the real question is, “What exactly do these slides contain, and what effects do they have on potential clients?” Let’s find out.
A Story Only Slides Can Tell
The premise of Atkinson’s book is the ability of the first five slides of a deck to tell a good story. Stories are easily relatable, and they’re more effective in evoking emotions compared to plain facts. A good narrative can help you create an emotional bond that will get your audience to empathize with you and see things from your perspective.
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To lay out your deck in a narrative form, make sure that the order of your slides fall within a good story arc. You can do this by establishing the setting and the protagonist in the first two slides of your presentation. The setting should clearly define the business environment you find yourself in, and the protagonist, naturally, should point to your audience.
In the third slide, establish the imbalance that your protagonist encounters in the setting. What problem is your audience experiencing? What incident is weighing them down? You may outline an existing dilemma that your business aims to solve. Before you can present the solution, however, you need to establish a sense of balance in your fourth slide. What’s the ideal situation that your audience should aspire for? How good should the state of affairs be for them to achieve a sense of fulfillment?
Once you’ve successfully presented these four elements, it’s time for the most important part: the solution. The fifth and last slide should contain your proposal to the audience. What can you do to alleviate their discomfort? How can your business help in addressing their concerns?
Your business pitch should always focus on your audience. Customers are interested in what you can do for them, so bank on that.
The Supplemental Nature of Slides
A common misconception presenters have about PowerPoint is that it can replace their presence during a live pitch. However, because your deck’s main purpose is to serve as a visual aid, loading each slide with too much information can burn out your viewers. People aren’t wired to process information in bulk, so break things down into bite-sized pieces to help them remember your points better.
Divide your hook into five brief statements focusing on your pitch’s specific aspects. Establish your credibility by forming a personal connection with your audience. Each slide should have one topic that you can expound on. In terms of design, place only keywords and powerful images related to your message, and leave the rest for your verbal explanation. After all, your audience went to hear your pitch, and not to see your deck.
The Ultimate Investment
Although the first five slides might be the most important in attracting your audience’s attention, they only serve as the first act of an elaborate performance, as your fifth slide acts as the end of your opening credits. The next step is to convince your listeners to invest in you.
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After drawing people in, give them a good reason to stay. Walk your audience through the succeeding chapters of your pitch. Refer to your earlier slides, particularly the existing conflict to which you have a unique solution. This is your opportunity to present your products and services, your business strategy, and your current standing in the market. While emotional appeal hooks your listeners, giving facts and data will help strengthen your pitch.
The Power of Five Slides
Every good presentation has a clear structure with an effective hook, line, and sinker. Take inspiration from Cliff Atkinson’s best-selling book and drop the bullet points. Focus on your first five slides to draw in prospects.
Your pitch deck is a story waiting to be told. Make sure it’s worth every minute of your audience’s time. Keep in mind that your job doesn’t end in hooking your audience—it’s still a long stretch from there. Your first five slides are only the beginning of your winning pitch deck.
When you launch a product for the first time, you’re automatically handed the responsibility of ensuring its success. The audience will look up to you for answers because you’re the expert in that particular setup. You’re expected to know more about your product than anyone else. Rightfully, you are also entitled to feel excited or overwhelmed. After all, you’re handling a do-or-die moment for your brand. The key to conquering this situation, of course, is to win your audience’s favor. Here are some tips to help you do just that.
Show, Don’t Tell
When introducing a new product, it’s not enough to simply tell your customers about it. You need to let them see it with their own eyes and test it with their own hands. Of course, before doing that, you should draw the audience’s attention and interest first. Make them want to experience your product and explore its features. You can do this by creating a point of comparison between your product and that of your competitors. Convince your audience that you are the right choice. Take note that your clients will form their opinion based on what you show them, so give it your best shot when showcasing your brand.
Build Enough Hype
Market your product without overselling it. You can use all kinds of platforms and outlets to let your target audience know about your business. Expand the reach of your market through print advertising and social media marketing. Give your potential clients something to anticipate. You can go on and highlight your product’s best features, but don’t promise something that you can’t deliver. Ultimately, you want the hype to be real.
Also, it’s important to seamlessly shift your presentation’s focus from the product to the audience. Don’t just proclaim how great your product is. Instead, tell your potential customers how it can make their lives better. That way, they’ll have more reason to look forward to its release.
Solidify Your Expertise
Credibility is crucial to any brand. When presenting your product for the first time, it’s important to impress as many prospects as possible. To do this, you need to demonstrate how knowledgeable and well-experienced you are in your industry. This is the time for you to flaunt your credentials. What has your business achieved so far? What projects are you working on now? Who are the experts who make up your team? What are your plans for the near future? All of this can give your audience a reason to trust in you and believe in your product.
Communicate Confidence
In a business presentation, it’s important to communicate just how much you believe in your brand. If you don’t trust your own product, no one else will. Confidence is a magnet that draws people in. Make sure you’re equipped with at least that before you step into the stage.
Your product launch doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You can make it exciting for yourself and your audience if you implement the aforementioned tips. With sufficient preparation, you can deliver a presentation that highlights your new product’s best features and places your brand under the limelight.
Resources:
Bly, Robert W. “How to Convince Customers to Buy from You and Not the Competition.” Entrepreneur. December 15, 2015. www.entrepreneur.com/article/252960
Shope, Kendrick. “How to Sell Something Without Being Sleazy.” Infusionsoft. February 29, 2016. learn.infusionsoft.com/sales/sales-process/how-to-sell-something-without-being-sleazy
Tallent, Barbara. “How to Create a Product Presentation.” Infrasystems. n.d. www.infrasystems.com/product-presentations.html
Watkis, Nicholas. “Is Credibility the Most Important Ingredient for Business Success?” My Customer. November 6, 2012. www.mycustomer.com/experience/loyalty/is-credibility-the-most-important-ingredient-for-business-success
As a presenter taking the limelight, you shouldn’t expect the audience to give you their full attention outright. You have to understand that they have other stuff going on in their lives. You can’t force them to listen, but you can try to win their time and attention. One way to earn your place in the spotlight is to prepare for your presentation beforehand. Polish your content and decide on the best style of delivery. Make sure the method you choose is good enough to intrigue the audience and keep them hooked until the last slide.
Preparation is key to every presentation, but it’d be foolish to suppose even for a second that it’s enough to cover all the variables. No matter how much you prepare, you can’t predict what will happen onstage. You may have a brilliant content and a killer pitch deck but still have no one paying attention to you. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re a bad presenter, and it surely doesn’t mean that the people in front of you are rude. Sometimes, it simply means that your efforts and methods are not enough to draw the audience away from their other more important priorities.
So, what do you do? Should you just ignore your listeners’ indifference and rush through the presentation to get it all over with? No. The worst thing that can happen in a presentation is not for the audience to lose interest. The worst thing is for the presenter to give up trying to bring the audience back into the moment.
A responsible presenter reads the warning signs that may indicate that the audience is falling behind. The signs can be subtle or obvious: yawning, chattering, slouching, standing to leave the room, staring blankly into space, refusing to return eye contact, and fiddling with gadgets, among others. A seasoned presenter can detect these tell-tale signs spot on.
Pulling the Audience Back into the Moment
When you see the abovementioned signs, you can’t just go on with whatever you’re doing. The fact that nobody’s paying attention to you anymore should nudge you into doing something different. Otherwise, you’ll just be wasting everybody’s time. When you’re about to lose your audience’s attention, hit the reset button and start over again. Here are some of the things you can do:
1. Pause, reflect, and regroup
When everything seems to crash and burn, stop where you are. Obviously, nothing of what you’re planning to say or do next can make the audience care about your presentation. So, before you make any more mistakes, just stop and reflect on when and how you lost them. What did you do wrong? Why did they remain impassive when you said something that was supposed to intrigue them? Think of how you can shake things up, and figure out the best way to go from there. Sometimes, it’s better to improvise than go with something that is evidently not working out.
2. Inject stories into your presentation
Maybe the reason they are shutting you down is that you’re shoving hard data down their throats. Even technical professionals can get tired of numbers and figures when they’re presented blandly. Instead of sticking to one type of content that is sure to bore the crowd, share personal stories and anecdotes that shine a new light into your topic. People are hardwired to listen to stories because they’re engaging and undemanding. If you can share an interesting story that is relevant to the subject, you can pull the audience out of their trance and draw them back into your presentation.
3. Use humor to liven up the mood
This isn’t to say that you have to make the room shake with laughter. A small chuckle or a subtle smile should do the trick. Use humor to get into your audience’s good side and lighten the mood in the room. Just remember to keep your relevant to the presentation.
4. Break the pattern you’re in
People pay attention to any kind of change, so make sure to make your presentation as diverse and sundry as possible. Use transitional devices to prompt the audience that you’re shifting to another type of content. This will help them refocus and gradually get back on track.
5. Shift the limelight to the audience
A presentation should ideally be a dialogue rather than a monologue. It should be a two-way conversation that the audience can participate in. So, when you get the chance, turn the tables and give the audience an opportunity to talk. You can do this by engaging them in a Q & A session where you can take feedback and gauge how interested they are. It’s also an opportunity for your listeners to clarify things they might have missed.
6. Take small breaks after sections
People can only take in too much information. That’s why you need to give your audience a break every now and then. Microbreaks can leave them reinvigorated as they take refreshments and relieve themselves in the restroom. When they return to their seats, they will have enough energy to refocus into your presentation.
7. Check your body language
Maybe your stage presence (or lack of) is what leaves the audience inert. Maybe you’re not connecting with them enough through body language. Check your stance, gestures, and facial expressions. Make sure that you convey authority and confidence without coming off as arrogant and overbearing. Projecting the right body language can help you bring back their attention and save your presentation.
One thing you have to remember to avoid losing your audience is to make the presentation less about you and more about them. Everything you do should cater to their interests so that they will not be tempted to attend to other things while you’re up there onstage presenting valuable information.
Resources:
Biesenbach, Rob. “What You Can Do When Your Audience Tunes Out.” Fripp. n.d. www.fripp.com/what-you-can-do-when-your-audience-tunes-out
Davis, Keith. “How to Use Humor in Your Speeches and Presentations.” Easy Public Speaking. May 20, 2010. easypublicspeaking.co.uk/public-speaking-humour
Frenzel, Leif. “How to Avoid Losing the Audience in a Technical Talk.” Code Affine. February 26, 2015. www.codeaffine.com/2015/02/26/how-to-keep-audience-attention-during-presentation
Mac, Dave. “Do You Recognize the Five Early Warning Signs of a Bored Audience?” n.d. www.presentationblogger.com/do-you-recognize-the-5-early-warnings-signs-of-a-bored-audience
Mitchell, Olivia. “What to Do When You’re Losing Your Audience.” Speaking About Presenting. n.d. www.speakingaboutpresenting.com/audience/losing-audience
Somlai, Fisher. “The Deck Is a Dialogue: Three Steps to Conversational Presenting.” Business. February 22, 2017. www.business.com/articles/the-deck-is-a-dialogue-3-steps-to-conversational-presenting
“What to Do When You’re Losing Your Audience.” The Total Communicator. n.d. totalcommunicator.com/vol2_2/losingaudience.html
A successful investor pitch deck is much more than a collection of slides—it’s a carefully crafted presentation that tells your company’s story, showcases your vision, and convinces investors that your business is worth their investment. To achieve this, a winning pitch deck needs to balance storytelling, data, and design, all while remaining clear and concise.
Here are the key elements that make up a winning investor pitch deck:
1. Start with a Strong Executive Summary
Your pitch deck should open with a brief, compelling executive summary. This sets the stage for the rest of your presentation and provides investors with a high-level overview of your company’s mission, goals, and potential.
What to Include:
Problem and Solution: Start by highlighting the problem your company solves and how your solution addresses it uniquely.
Value Proposition: Explain why your product or service is essential and how it stands out in the market.
Business Model: Briefly describe how you make money and what your key revenue streams are.
Example: If you’re developing a healthcare app, the executive summary should quickly explain the issue your app addresses (e.g., the difficulty of accessing affordable healthcare) and how your solution simplifies this process.
2. Clearly Define the Problem
Investors need to understand the problem you’re solving before they buy into your solution. Be specific and make sure the problem is significant enough to justify the need for your product or service.
What to Include:
Identify the Pain Point: Focus on a real, tangible issue that affects a large market or a niche audience.
Provide Data: Use statistics or research to quantify the problem, demonstrating its scope and the demand for a solution.
Example: A pitch deck for an environmental startup might outline the increasing need for sustainable packaging, supported by data showing the growth in consumer demand for eco-friendly products.
3. Present Your Unique Solution
Once you’ve outlined the problem, introduce your solution. This is the heart of your pitch—investors want to know what makes your product or service better than existing alternatives.
What to Include:
Explain How It Works: Provide a clear, concise description of your solution and how it solves the problem.
Highlight Differentiation: Emphasize what makes your product or service unique, such as proprietary technology, innovative features, or market position.
Example: For a tech company, this slide could feature a brief demo of the software, along with a few bullet points highlighting its unique features compared to competitors.
4. Demonstrate Market Opportunity
Investors want to see that your business operates in a growing, scalable market with plenty of room for expansion. Demonstrating the market size and growth potential is key to convincing investors that your company has significant upside.
What to Include:
Market Size: Show the total addressable market (TAM), the serviceable available market (SAM), and your target market (SOM).
Growth Potential: Include data or trends that indicate market growth over the next 3-5 years.
Example: A food delivery startup might highlight the rapid growth of the gig economy and the increasing consumer demand for convenience in food services.
5. Showcase Your Business Model
A strong business model is essential to a winning investor pitch deck. Investors need to know how you plan to generate revenue and sustain growth.
What to Include:
Revenue Streams: Explain how your company makes money, including your pricing strategy, subscription models, or other revenue streams.
Profitability Path: Show how your business can scale profitably and when you expect to reach profitability.
Example: A SaaS company might explain its subscription-based model, detailing different pricing tiers and how upselling premium features will increase customer lifetime value (CLTV).
6. Introduce the Team
Investors invest in people as much as they invest in ideas. Highlight your team’s expertise and ability to execute the business plan.
What to Include:
Key Team Members: Showcase the qualifications and relevant experience of your leadership team.
Advisors and Board Members: Include any high-profile advisors or board members who add credibility and guidance to your company.
Example: A biotech startup could feature its scientific team, emphasizing their previous experience working on successful drug development projects.
7. Present Financials and Projections
Your financials are one of the most critical elements of your pitch. They provide investors with insight into your company’s performance and future potential.
What to Include:
Revenue and Expenses: Include your current financials, covering revenue, operating costs, and net income.
Projections: Provide a forecast of future growth over the next 3-5 years, including revenue, expenses, and profitability.
Funding Requirements: Clearly state how much funding you are seeking and how you plan to use it (e.g., for product development, marketing, hiring).
Example: Include a chart that outlines your financial projections, showing how your company will grow from its current stage to becoming a profitable business.
8. Highlight the Competition
Investors want to know where you stand in the market and how you plan to outperform your competition. A competitive analysis helps demonstrate your company’s positioning and unique advantages.
What to Include:
Competitor Comparison: Include a competitor matrix or chart that shows where your product excels compared to others.
Barriers to Entry: Highlight any barriers that make it difficult for competitors to replicate your business model.
Example: A fintech startup might present a comparison chart showing its lower fees, faster transaction times, and higher user satisfaction rates compared to established competitors.
9. Show Traction and Milestones
If your company has already achieved key milestones, showcasing these accomplishments is critical for building investor confidence.
What to Include:
Key Metrics: Include any relevant metrics such as customer acquisition, revenue growth, partnerships, or product launches.
Major Milestones: Highlight major achievements, such as reaching a certain number of users, securing partnerships, or launching a new product.
Example: A health-tech company might showcase its recent partnership with a major hospital network or the number of patients using its app.
Final Thoughts
A winning investor pitch deck is concise, visually engaging, and tells a compelling story. By focusing on the problem, presenting a unique solution, and demonstrating financial growth potential, you can create a pitch that resonates with investors. Remember, the goal is not just to present data but to convince investors that your business has the potential to scale and succeed.
When you’re conversing with someone, which of the following do you do: look at that person in the eye or look away? focus or check your watch every few seconds? listen or play with your fingers, seemingly absentminded?
There are many negative connotations when you answer the latter for every pair. That’s because arbitrary cognition affects how people perceive your actions. In short, body language. The more negative those perceptions are, the more badly it reflects upon you, especially when you’re onstage and speaking in front of a large crowd.
But what specific “negative body language” indicators do you have to avoid during a presentation? Below are a few.
Poor Posture
If anything, this will be the most glaring and most obvious presentation blunder you can make. Slumped shoulders and slouching are its two biggest indicators, and they already tell much: nervousness, little to no confidence, a feeling of discomfort and inferiority, and that hint of the “I don’t really want to be here” idea. Poor posture reflects as much on your audience as it does to your own body.
Instead, practice proper posture in front of a mirror. A straight body not only improves bodily functions, like blood circulation, breathing, and the like, but also exudes an air of confidence and self-worth. Then, when you’re in front of your audience, do the same and think of it as your power pose. They will perceive you as a professional with the right things in mind to be worth their time.
Crossing Arms
Defensiveness is not a new concept. Humans survived basically because of it. But when talking about body language, it’s not a good thing; it gives off the message that you aren’t receptive to anything, are resistant to everything except yourself, and would rather stay in your comfort zone—three things you wouldn’t want your audience to emulate because, by then, your words will fall on deaf ears.
What do you do with your hands then? A good trick is incorporating hand movements to your spiel. If you’re about to introduce a point, motion to the audience. If you want a word or phrase emphasized, you can point to your presentation. You can also address to your viewers with a welcoming wave using both hands.
Exaggerated Gestures
Moving around the stage is good. It makes your speech lively with movements and can even draw attention to you and/or to what you’re pointing to, especially when emphasizing points (see above). But there is such a thing as “over the top.”
There should be a limit. If you use exaggerated gestures, like doing a sweeping wave when a small movement of the hand is enough, you can be seen as trying too hard or being too theatrical; the latter isn’t necessarily bad, per se, but if what you’re doing diverts your audience’s attention away from your words, then it’s time to keep your actions in check or, at least, dial it down a notch.
Turning Your Back
There’s a reason live TV strictly discourages showing its stars’ back to the camera: it’s to show the faces of the actors and actresses, the best tools they can use to portray the emotions the scene evokes.
It’s the same with public speaking. What would you rather your audience see: your back or your face? Choosing the former can denote that you’re not really interested in seeing them—much more talk to them. The worst perception is that you don’t trust and respect your viewers. Soon, they’ll reciprocate that feeling and think they just wasted their time.
Make Eye Contact
Have you ever had a conversation with an individual where your eyes just don’t meet, and you feel more awkward with each passing moment? Not having eye contact gives off the air and sentiment that much of what happens isn’t worth the time and could be just safely ignored. Thus, trust isn’t formed.
Looking at your audience members eye to eye fosters better understanding of each other because of the sincerity and trust that comes with it. You feel there’s a deeper connection steadily forming from that connection. The more it develops, the more your audience sees what makes you stand and speak in front of them: “confidence, leadership, strength, and intelligence,” as Dr. Travis Bradberry, author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, writes.
When it comes right down to it, when hundreds of pairs of eyes are on you, there’s no greater fear than making a mistake and humiliating yourself. With the wrong kinds of body language, you’re just digging your grave deeper. When you’re rehearsing, take extra care and effort to eliminate these habits, no matter how much of a mannerism they have become. It’ll serve you better in the long run.
Resources:
Babar, Tayab. “8 Fatal Body Language Mistakes to Avoid During Presentations.” Lifehack. n.d. www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/8-fatal-body-language-mistakes-avoid-during-presentations.html
Bradberry, Travis. “13 Body Language Blunders that Make You Look Bad.” Huffington Post. March 4, 2017. www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/13-body-language-blunders-that-make-you-look-bad_us_58b88c2fe4b02eac8876cc70
Chernoff, Marc. “25 Acts of Body Language to Avoid.” Marc & Angel Hack Life. July 7, 2008. www.marcandangel.com/2008/07/07/25-acts-of-body-language-to-avoid
Economy, Peter. “9 Body Language Habits That Make You Look Really Unprofessional.” Inc. May 13, 2016. www.inc.com/peter-economy/9-body-language-habits-that-make-you-look-really-unprofessional.html
Grickej, Peter. “5 Negative Effects of Bad Posture on Your Body and Mind.” Posturebly. June 20, 2014. www.posturebly.com/5-negative-effects-of-bad-posture-on-your-body-and-mind
Herold, Cameron. “5 Absolute Worst Body Language Mistakes Made at Work.” COO Alliance. November 16, 2016. www.cooalliance.com/blog/communication/5-absolute-worst-body-language-mistakes-made-at-work
Navarro, Joe. “The Psychology of Body Language.” Psychology Today. November 29, 2009. www.psychologytoday.com/blog/spycatcher/200911/the-psychology-body-language
Smith, Jacquelyn. “The 11 Worst Body Language Mistakes Professionals Make.” Business Insider. April 17, 2014. www.businessinsider.com/common-body-language-mistakes-employees-make-2014-4
We can no longer ignore the growing hype around videos. These electronic media are gaining traction, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they soon become the most popular type of content, since more social media channels are popping up to underline their importance. Today, the effectiveness of videos in capturing people’s attention is apparent. In YouTube, for example, 400 hours of videos are uploaded every minute and almost 5 billion are viewed every day. These staggering statistics show that we create and consume video content in a rapidly increasing rate.
Still, while all this hype around videos is nice, we can’t really claim that it’s something new. Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc., included this medium in his presentations as early as 1984. The potential of videos as the trendiest type of content will continue to grow, so if you haven’t explored the possibilities of video marketing, now is the time.
Incorporating videos into your presentation can take it to the next level by adding dynamic, engaging, and informative content that enhances the audience’s experience. Videos help break up long stretches of text or talking, provide visual demonstrations, and keep your audience engaged. Whether it’s a product demo, customer testimonial, or instructional video, videos are a powerful tool in any presentation.
Here’s how videos can improve your presentation:
1. Engage and Maintain Audience Attention
Videos are inherently more engaging than static slides or walls of text. They grab attention and hold it, helping prevent audience fatigue during long presentations.
How It Helps:
Breaks Monotony: By incorporating video, you give your audience a break from listening to just your voice or looking at text-heavy slides.
Stimulates Multiple Senses: Videos stimulate both visual and auditory senses, which keeps the audience more alert and engaged.
Example: A corporate presentation can include a short, visually appealing video that demonstrates the company’s new product features rather than explaining them in words.
2. Simplify Complex Information
Some ideas or concepts are better explained visually, and videos are perfect for simplifying complex or technical content. A video can show step-by-step processes, offer visual demonstrations, or present complicated data in an easily digestible format.
How It Helps:
Visual Representation of Data: Instead of using complicated charts or graphs, a video can animate data in a way that makes it easy to understand.
Demonstrates Processes: Videos can show processes in action, such as how a product works or how a service is performed, helping your audience understand more quickly.
Example: Instead of presenting detailed technical specifications of a product, you could include a short video showing the product in action, highlighting its key features.
3. Elicit Emotional Responses
Videos are effective at generating emotional responses from the audience, which can strengthen the connection to your message. Whether it’s a testimonial, an inspirational story, or an emotional appeal, videos can evoke feelings that resonate with viewers on a deeper level.
How It Helps:
Create an Emotional Connection: Videos can use music, visuals, and storytelling to elicit emotions that text alone cannot.
Enhance Persuasiveness: An emotional connection can make your message more persuasive, especially in presentations aimed at selling a product, service, or idea.
Example: A nonprofit organization might include a video with testimonials from individuals who have benefited from its services, making a stronger emotional appeal for donations.
4. Provide Credibility and Authority
Videos from experts, customer testimonials, or case studies lend credibility to your presentation. A well-crafted video can serve as authoritative evidence that reinforces your key points and builds trust with the audience.
How It Helps:
Builds Trust: Customer testimonials or expert endorsements shown through videos can be more impactful than written testimonials.
Shows Real-World Application: Case studies and demo videos show real-world applications of your product or service, adding legitimacy to your claims.
Example: Including a customer testimonial video in a sales presentation can show potential clients how your product or service has helped others in similar situations, making your pitch more convincing.
5. Add Variety and Break Up Lengthy Content
Long presentations can quickly become overwhelming if every slide follows the same format. Videos add variety and break up long blocks of talking or static slides, giving your audience a refreshing change of pace.
How It Helps:
Improves Retention: Breaking up long sections of your presentation with videos keeps your audience from zoning out.
Enhances Engagement: By varying the format, you keep your audience more engaged and interested in the content.
Example: In a long training session, you could include short video clips that demonstrate key concepts, ensuring that your trainees stay engaged throughout the presentation.
Final Thoughts
Using videos in your presentation is a powerful way to increase engagement, clarify complex information, and make a lasting impact. Whether through demonstrations, testimonials, or emotional stories, videos enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of your presentation. Just be sure to choose videos that align with your message and complement your content, not detract from it.
Isn’t it ironic that although most marketers recognize video content as a powerful tool, only four percent use it religiously in presentations? That leaves a glaring 96 percent in the dark, stuck in traditional methods that are only half as effective as video marketing. This isn’t to say that you should add a video in every presentation—of course, if it isn’t appropriate, do away with it. But if you find an opportunity to use this type of content to support or highlight your message, why not grab it?
Here are the four main purposes of adding videos in your presentation:
To explain a complex idea. It’s hard to explain a technical idea to a group of people who know nothing about it. Sure, you can put that idea into words, but you can’t guarantee that your equally perplexing explanation will translate into something cohesive in the audience’s mind. If it’s too complicated to grasp, why not find another means of expressing it? Perhaps a video could render it more comprehensible?
To engage the audience in discussion. Videos have a certain pull that makes them effective in grabbing people’s attention. A relevant video presented at the right moment can keep the audience bolted to the screen. Make sure that the video you use can establish an emotional connection with your audience and can generate a meaningful discussion that will fire up their energy.
To break the monotony. You can’t expect the audience to listen to you for hours on end. Their attention is bound to wane at some point, and one way to recapture their interest is by giving them a break in the form of a video to watch. If possible, inject humor in your presentation to lighten up the mood and make room for a seamless transition.
To help in memory retention. An experiment conducted by Dr. Richard Mayer from the University of California, Santa Barbara revealed that people immersed in “multi-sensory environments” had better recall even years after a presentation. This is because when the human brain builds two mental representations of something (i.e. a verbal and a visual model), it typically results to better memory retention.
Things to Remember When Adding Videos to Your Slides
You’d think that adding a video to a presentation is a piece of cake, but some people still seem to miss the basics. To make sure that you do things right, take these pointers:
1. Embed the video in the presentation itself
Think of how unprofessional it would look to show the audience a video separate from the original presentation. You’d look like an amateur who didn’t bother to assemble your knowledgebase in one place. Plus, it would be inconvenient on your part when switching from one to the other, so it’s only practical and professional to insert the video in the presentation itself. In PowerPoint, you can embed a video directly in the slides to make for a smoother transition.
2. Keep it short and simple
Videos are meant to enhance your presentation, not replace it. That’s why you should only designate a short chunk of time for this type of content. Otherwise, you’ll lose your connection with the audience and destroy your momentum. An effective video presentation shouldn’t make the audience forget that you’re the main source and “relayer” of information.
3. Lean towards the authentic
People are more interested in realistic videos that reflect genuine experiences than in corporate ones that are too alien to relate with. To add a dab of authenticity in your videos, you can use testimonials that feature real customers who truly value and uphold your brand. Testimonials, especially when unsolicited, are a persuasive tool for inviting more people to consider your message.
4. Check its relevance to the topic
Relevance is the number one criteria when adding video clips in a presentation. You can’t just throw in anything that doesn’t relate to the points you’re trying to make. Every video clip must have a purpose—and that purpose should have something to do with underlining your core message.
5. Use narratives to draw emotional responses
Everyone responds to narratives. Stories have a certain quality that evokes emotional responses from people. A video content structure that follows a narrative can make for a more compelling presentation that will allow the audience to make sense of abstract ideas that would otherwise be lost in translation.
Now you know the secret to making your next pitch stand out. Use videos more wisely in your next presentation, and see the difference in your audience’s level of energy and engagement.
Resources:
Bell, Steven J. “Using Video in Your Next Presentation: A Baker’s Dozen of Ideas and Tips.” Info Today. n.d. www.infotoday.com/cilmag/jul10/Bell.shtml
Blodget, Henry. “The Lost 1984 Video: Steve Jobs Introduces the Mac.” Business Insider. August 25, 2011. www.businessinsider.com/video-steve-jobs-introduces-mac-2011-8
Boone, Rob. “How and Why You Should Use Video in Your Next Presentation.” Live Slides. January 22, 2016. www.liveslides.com/blog/how-to-use-video-in-presentations
Gallo, Carmine. “Four Easy Tips on Using Video to Make Your Presentation Stand Out.” Forbes. January 31, 2017. www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2017/01/31/four-easy-tips-on-using-video-to-make-your-presentation-stand-out/#2ed99f26e3a0
Marshall, Lisa B. “How to Use Video in a Presentation.” Quick and Dirty Tips. August 9, 2012. www.quickanddirtytips.com/business-career/public-speaking/how-to-use-video-in-a-presentation
“3 Reasons to Add Video to Your Presentation.” Meetings Imagined. n.d. www.meetingsimagined.com/tips-trends/3-reasons-add-video-your-presentation
“36 Mind-blowing YouTube Facts, Figures, and Statistics 2017.” Fortunelords. March 23, 2017.
Using humor during a pitch can be an effective way to engage your audience, lighten the mood, and make your presentation memorable. However, humor must be used carefully—it needs to be relevant, appropriate, and well-timed to avoid detracting from the professionalism of your pitch. When used correctly, humor can build rapport, ease tension, and make your message more relatable.
Here’s how to use humor effectively during a pitch:
1. Break the Ice and Build Rapport
Humor can be a great way to start your pitch by breaking the ice and creating an immediate connection with your audience. A light, non-controversial joke or humorous observation can set the tone and make your audience more receptive.
How It Helps:
Eases Tension: A little humor at the beginning of your pitch helps calm nerves (yours and the audience’s) and makes the environment more relaxed.
Builds a Connection: A well-placed joke or witty comment can establish a connection with the audience and make you appear more relatable.
Example: Starting a sales pitch with a humorous comment like, “I promise I’ll keep this short—shorter than my grocery list, anyway,” can set a friendly tone and make the audience more comfortable.
2. Use Humor to Illustrate a Point
Humor can be used to highlight an important point or concept, making it more memorable. A funny story or metaphor can simplify complex ideas and help your audience better understand your message.
How It Helps:
Makes Points Memorable: Humor sticks in people’s minds. If you tie a joke to a key message, your audience is more likely to remember that point.
Simplifies Complex Ideas: Humor can turn a complicated idea into something more digestible by using relatable, funny examples or analogies.
Example: If you’re explaining a technical solution, you could use a humorous analogy like, “Our software is like a GPS for your data—it tells you where you’re going, and it never asks for directions.”
3. Keep It Relevant and Audience-Appropriate
When using humor in a pitch, it’s important that it aligns with your message and is appropriate for your audience. Misjudging the audience’s humor preferences or making inappropriate jokes can backfire, damaging your credibility.
How to Do It:
Know Your Audience: Consider the demographics, background, and context of your audience. Tailor your humor to suit their sensibilities.
Keep It Professional: Avoid controversial, inappropriate, or offensive humor. Keep your jokes light, non-political, and non-offensive.
Example: In a business pitch, stick to industry-related humor, like, “This is the kind of solution that even your IT guy will love—and they never love anything.”
4. Time Your Humor Wisely
Humor is most effective when it’s well-timed and delivered naturally. Don’t force it into your presentation at random moments—use humor strategically to add emphasis or lighten the mood when necessary.
How to Do It:
Use Humor as a Break: After presenting a series of complex or dense points, a well-placed joke can give your audience a mental break and re-engage their attention.
Practice Delivery: Practice your timing and delivery to make the humor feel natural. The more naturally it flows, the more effective it will be.
Example: If your pitch covers a complex financial model, you could insert a light-hearted comment afterward like, “I know that’s a lot of numbers—don’t worry, there’s no pop quiz at the end.”
5. Use Self-Deprecating Humor Sparingly
Self-deprecating humor can make you appear humble and approachable, but it needs to be used sparingly and strategically. It’s important not to undermine your own expertise or the seriousness of your pitch.
How to Do It:
Keep It Light: If using self-deprecating humor, focus on small, harmless jokes that make you seem relatable without damaging your credibility.
Balance with Confidence: Make sure your humor doesn’t overshadow your message or make you seem unprepared.
Example: A gentle self-deprecating joke, such as “I’m no mathematician, but I promise these numbers add up,” can make you seem more approachable without undermining your competence.
Final Thoughts
Humor can be a valuable tool during a pitch, helping to break the ice, engage your audience, and make your message more memorable. When used effectively, humor can ease tension, simplify complex ideas, and build rapport with your audience. Just remember to keep your humor appropriate, relevant, and well-timed to ensure it enhances your pitch rather than distracts from it.
Business communication is a skill that, simple though it may appear, takes a lot of effort to master. Every professional, regardless of rank or specialization, ought to learn the basics of delivering presentations, as this skill can come in handy when relaying a new business opportunity or spreading news about the success of a new initiative.
If your career leans more towards the technical side, it’s all the more important for you to grasp data storytelling at its fullest. It’s true that numbers and graphs can lend a credible air to your presentation, but wouldn’t it be a whole lot better if your audience can understand the information you feed them? The goal of business presentations after all is to inform, not to impress.
Pointers on Data Storytelling
Data storytelling takes a lot of practice to master. The following list can be a good starting point towards understanding the full power of this skill.
1. Know the story behind the data
It’s unfair to expect your audience to make sense of hard data when you yourself can’t comprehend it. As a presenter, it’s your job to dissect a piece of information before presenting it to your listeners. Most importantly, as a data storyteller, you must learn how to extract convincing and relatable stories from hard numbers. Don’t limit yourself within technical bounds—instead, try to capture a creative idea or insight that will best communicate your message. By harnessing the power of storytelling, you can encourage your audience to be more engaged and cooperative.
2. Provide context when going technical
One of the common mistakes that presenters make is plunging right in on the actual data. Amateurs often don’t bother constructing a logical structure that allows for the smooth transition of ideas. If you’re serious about being an effective data storyteller, keep in mind that your main goal is to make sure that the audience finds meaning in your presentation—they must be able to translate the data you give them into their everyday lives. To make that happen, you simply need to provide context when treading on technical subjects. If you try hard enough, it shouldn’t be too difficult to make a connection between numbers and reality.
The last thing you want to see is a roomful of people wearing befuddled—or worse, indifferent—looks. Your data-heavy presentation might make sense to you, but you have to assume that the audience are utterly unfamiliar with the concepts you’re sharing. As much as possible, veer away from technical language and use layman’s words instead. Try to strike an emotional chord with your audience. Yes, it’s a business presentation, but a little touch of personality won’t do any harm. In fact, if you employ the right strategies, pulling at your audience’s heartstrings can be more beneficial than you think.
3. Let your message sink in before advancing
Racing against time is not a viable excuse for rushing a presentation. Most time constraints are declared beforehand to allow presenters to work within those limits. By being mindful of your boundaries, you can control the flow of the presentation while still letting stories unfold from the numbers and figures. Remember, haste makes waste. For your message to sink in, you need to give the audience ample time to digest it. Rushing through it will only do harm and no good. Speak slower and pause for good measure. Let the audience meet you halfway at their own pace.
4. Make an important detail prominent
The audience won’t remember everything you share them, so it’s important to underline the key points you want to impress on their minds. For maximum impact, capture, package, and present the core message in a moving and unforgettable way. You can do this visually by giving a core idea a slide of its own or by iterating it throughout your speech. To better highlight your message, eliminate everything that distracts from it. Clutter will only confuse your audience, so make a final run-through before presenting to ensure that only the most important elements will reach the audience.
5. Use imagery to paint vivid pictures
One of the factors that can redeem a data-heavy presentation is aesthetics. While there’s some truth to the general notion that no one listens to a business presentation unless necessary, the experience needs not be unpleasant. You can mute the dullness and bring a little color to your presentation by, well, literally bringing color to it. Use visuals where appropriate to make the data more appealing. Also, be mindful of the font sizes and styles you use. By being conscious of your slides’ design, you can guarantee that the visual elements of your presentation clarify your message and not hamper it.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with using charts to communicate a message, but you’d be wise to remember that there’s always a better way when presenting things. Don’t settle for cold and intimidating numbers; instead, delve deeper and find the story beneath them. Use data to weave a story that paints the bigger picture. When all’s said and done, there’s no reason why math and storytelling should be two different things.
Resources:
Crooks, Ross. “7 Ways Data Can Tell Your Story.” Visage. October 7, 2014. visage.co/7-ways-data-can-tell-story
French, Katy. “11 Design Tips for Beautiful Presentations.” Visage. November 24, 2016. visage.co/11-design-tips-beautiful-presentations
Ravilochan, Teju. “6 Principles for Making Your Pitch Unforgettable.” Unreasonable. July 31, 2013. unreasonable.is/6-principles-for-making-your-pitch-unforgettable
Samuel, Alexandra. “How to Give a Data-Heavy Presentation.” Harvard Business Review. October 16, 2015. hbr.org/2015/10/how-to-give-a-data-heavy-presentation
“Presentation Ideas: When Presenting Data, Get to the Point Fast.” Duarte. n.d. www.duarte.com/presentation-ideas-when-presenting-data-get-to-the-point-fast
You beat the deadline and made sure that everything in your deck looks right. But one look at the clock and you realize it’s already deep into the night. Deeper than you expected. And you’ve got to wake up on time the next day. To make sure you’re not late for your presentation (which is why you crammed in the first place), you sleep less hours. This trade-off might not be that great since you’ve compromised your delivery—exhausted, sleepy, and all that.
When you’re not in the best shape to deliver your speech, your slides can’t build rapport with the audience for you. Here are ways to energize yourself so that you don’t fall asleep before—and during—your presentation.
1. Warm Up
Get your blood rushing to reinvigorate your body. Liken it to hyping yourself up or getting yourself excited—or anything as long as you feel the blood pumping. You might think that exercising will use up your remaining energy reserves, but the body is a lot smarter about conserving energy than we give it credit for.
You can get more energy by moving around. This will trigger the release of hormones in your body and will put you on alert. Do simple activities like stretching and doing breathing exercises. The latter will also help you relax before your presentation.
2. Cool Down
Shock yourself awake with something cold if any attempt to warm up didn’t work. An ice-cold shower is guaranteed to wake you up first thing in the morning, but it’s not something you should do often since too much of it could lead to medical complications.
You can splash some cold water on your face during the day of your presentation to repeat the effect without getting your entire body shivering. A blast of cold air from outside can also wake you up. Just don’t sit down in a cold room for too long or you’ll be tempted to doze off.
3. Power Nap
Taking a quick nap for ten minutes can help you recharge when prodding yourself awake just doesn’t cut it. Or you’re too tired to begin with. Getting a few minutes of sleep might give you just enough energy to present. If you love caffeine, you can also try the “coffee nap.” It works by drinking a cup of coffee and taking a short nap afterward. Both helps get rid of adenosine, a byproduct of the brain that makes you feel tired and sleepy. Several researchers have already proven the effectiveness of this study.
Sleep deprivation also gives you a distracting headache. A short shuteye can help alleviate the pain when there’s no paracetamol around. The trick is to keep it within twenty minutes to avoid feeling groggy afterward.
4. Talk
We tend to be on our best behavior when we’re around other people. You’ll perk up by talking to somebody instead of sulking in a corner, slumped down and obvious that you’re sleep-deprived.
Talking to your peers might give you the encouragement you need to pull off your presentation. You can also ask your friends for more tips on how they fight off sleepiness. Focus your attention on something else to help you be alert.
Recap
It’s best to consider different options and discover what works and doesn’t for you. For some of those who only end up getting sleepier after taking a power nap, moving around might work better than getting a few minutes of rest. Others might find that relaxing with a cup of coffee or tea is more helpful than shocking themselves with a cold shower in the morning.
Do what works for you to keep awake during the day.
Resources:
Bratskeir, Kate. “10 Ways to Wake Up Without a Cup of Coffee.” The Huffington Post. December 3, 2015. www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/09/16/wake-up-without-coffee-its-possible_n_6096518.html
Daum, Kevin. “12 Non-Caffeinated Ways to Wake Up at Work.” Inc. May 28, 2013. www.inc.com/kevin-daum/12-non-caffeinated-ways-to-wake-up-at-work.html
Knowlton, Susan. “How to Fight Sleepiness.” Health Guidance. n.d. www.healthguidance.org/entry/15792/1/How-to-Fight-Sleepiness.html
Pinola, Melanie. “How Long to Nap for the Biggest Brain Benefits.” Lifehacker. September 4, 2013. www.lifehacker.com/how-long-to-nap-for-the-biggest-brain-benefits-1251546669
Stromberg, Joseph. “Scientists Agree: Coffee Naps Are Better Than Coffee or Naps Alone.” Vox. April 23, 2015. www.vox.com/2014/8/28/6074177/coffee-naps-caffeine-science
