advantages of presentations in business

What Are Some of the Benefits of Presentations in Business & Professional Settings?

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What Are Benefits of PowerPoint?

Tips on presenting a strategic marketing plan, how to present an idea to a company.

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Businesses and professional firms use presentations to inform, educate, motivate and persuade internal and external audiences. They build presentations into sales, training and internal communication programs, using the power of words and images to engage their audience and retain attention.

A well-crafted presentation also demonstrates professionalism and helps to reinforce an organization’s corporate image. Focusing on the importance of presentation in business can be the difference between nabbing the right employees, customers and investors and not.

Face-to-Face Significance

A presentation provides an opportunity to meet your customers and prospects in person. Using presentations as part of a sales campaign can improve results via many benefits, says Olivia Mitchell . These benefits include the power of reciprocation, the influence liking someone has on decision-making, social proof, and the tendency to believe and obey authority figures.

Engagement Is Important

Presentations make it easier to engage your audience. Striking images can hold an audience’s attention, while clear bullet points or summary text helps the audience follows the logic of a presentation. The theatrical nature of a presentation can create greater impact than an individual trying to make the same point by just talking, according to The Self Employed .

This level of engagement ensures that you get your message across to the audience. Engagement is partially dependent on your own persona, so stress the importance of presentation skills in the workplace to get the best results from your team.

Presentations Offer Flexibility

Flexibility is an important benefit of presentations. You can change content quickly and easily to incorporate new information or to modify a presentation for different audiences. If you are making a presentation on company capability to prospects in different market sectors, for example, you can incorporate sector-specific content for each client. Advantages of digital presentations include more flexible than a printed medium, such as a corporate brochure, which would be expensive to modify. You can also hold them fully online if the need arises.

Encouraging Consistency

Creating a standard presentation helps to ensure that different people in a company communicate information in a consistent way. A presentation provides a framework for communicating information about products, services or companies in a structured way. The presentation should include bullet points or prompts to remind the presenter to emphasize the most important points.

Versatility for Reaching the Audience

Presentations are a versatile communication tool. You can use them in one-to-one meetings, viewing the content on a laptop or tablet computer. The same presentation can feature as a core element in a large meeting, using a projector and screen. You can also make presentations available online for downloading from the Internet or viewing during a Web conference.

• Speaking About Presenting: The 6 Reasons Why Face-to-Face Presenting is More Persuasive
• The Self Employed: 4 Benefits of Interactive Presentations

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Ideas and insights from Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning

Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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The Benefits of Presentation Skills

According to one study, 20% of people would do almost anything to get out of giving a presentation, including pretending to be sick.

Written by Natalie Mallee • 13 November 2018

What’s more – 75% of people who do deliver presentations would like to be better at it. There is a huge need for presentation skills training in the workplace in order to bridge this gap – presentation skills training for employees can help to develop these crucial skills and instil the confidence needed to deliver a successful presentation without fear.

The Benefits of Presentation Skills:

There are many benefits of providing presentation skills training for employees and surprisingly they aren’t all to do with better presentations:

Improved Confidence & Better Communication

No matter what the business, or the job, most people are expected to deliver presentations at least occasionally throughout their career. However, even when giving presentations is not a fundamental job requirement, presentation skills training for employees can result in increased confidence, improved self-esteem & better communication on a daily basis. Presentation skills training can help individuals to become more aware of their body language, understand their audience and deliver an engaging message which people can connect with. All of these skills can be carried through to other methods of communication and can be utilised in more than just delivering presentations.

Career Success & Growth Opportunities

Good presentation skills help individuals to reach their full potential and open up a variety of career opportunities. People who shy away from giving presentations are much less likely to be put forward for promotions and opportunities to progress whereas those who deliver great presentations stand out and get noticed.

Increased Morale & Staff Retention

Presentation Skills Training can lead to improved morale and even increased staff retention. When employees feel, they are being given adequate opportunities to develop and grow within a business job satisfaction is increased and employees are much less likely to look elsewhere for new openings.

Better Business & Client Success

Presentation skills training for employees can lead to better business practise and client success by helping employees to communicate more fluently and dynamically. This can result in more effective meetings , better leadership , and even increased sales or business

Presentation Skills for Employees – What they will learn:

If you’re keen to provide presentation skills training for employees in your business, you might be interested to find out what your people will learn.

Preparation

No doubt you will have heard the saying ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ – when it comes to giving presentations this couldn’t be more true. One of the most important parts of delivering a great presentation is making sure you’re prepared. Our presentation skills training courses will teach your people how to prepare, including tips for understanding the audience, techniques for overcoming nerves, learning how to structure slides and how to create a good first impression.

Once the preparation techniques have been learnt, learning how to deliver effectively becomes the focus. Our presentation skills training for employees will teach your people how to use their voice and body language effectively, how to build rapport with the audience, how to create energy and use pace. All of this will help your people to deliver a message that engages and inspires the audience.

Whether you’re interested in face to face workshops or bitesize elearning courses, at Working Voices we have 20 years’ experience in presentation skills training for employees so we can help you to find the best learning solution for your business. We have a variety of training options available for all levels and learning styles. Get in touch to speak to one of our team or make an enquiry and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

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• The Complete Guide to Mastering Business Presentations
• Introduction to Business Presentations

What is a Business Presentation?

Aayush Jain

Definition and components of a business presentation, unpacking the core: the what and why of business presentations.

Business presentations are pivotal in the corporate landscape, acting as a bridge between a company and its audience—be it clients, investors, or internal teams. This opening paragraph sets the stage for our exploration, highlighting the essence of a business presentation. It's not merely about presenting a company; it's about crafting a narrative that engages, informs, and compels action. Here, we delve into what makes up a business presentation, emphasizing its importance in achieving business objectives and how it fits into the broader context of corporate communication.

Building Blocks: Anatomy of an Effective Presentation

Diving deeper, we explore the structural components that constitute a business presentation. From the opening slide that sets the tone, through the compelling core where ideas and data intermingle, to the concluding call to action, every element plays a crucial role. This section breaks down the anatomy of a presentation, including the significance of a visually appealing design, the strategic use of visual representations like charts and graphs, and the art of balancing information density to maintain the attention spans of audience. The goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the components that, when combined, create a compelling business presentation.

From Theory to Practice: Stories of Impact

Here, we transition from the theoretical framework to the tangible impact of business presentations in the real world. By presenting examples from various industries, we illustrate how presenting a company effectively can pivot its market position, attract potential customers, or secure funding from potential investors. This narrative brings to life the power of a well-crafted presentation, showcasing real success stories and current trends that underline the importance of design, storytelling, and audience engagement.

Expert Insights and Quantitative Backing

In this part, we lean on expert opinions and quantitative data to underscore the value of professional presentation design. Highlighting insights from industry leaders like Aayush Jain of INK PPT , we discuss the undeniable impact of aesthetics and narrative in making a presentation not just seen but felt. This exploration is reinforced with statistics and research findings, validating the strategic importance of most presentations in business success and decision-making processes.

Vision for the Future: Evolving Presentation Landscapes

Concluding, we look forward to the evolving dynamics of business presentations, especially in the context of digital transformation and virtual engagement. This future outlook article is complemented by a YouTube video link that offers viewers a deeper dive into innovative presentation techniques and the emerging tools reshaping how we convey business narratives. This segment aims to leave readers with a sense of anticipation and readiness for the advancements in presentation strategies, encouraging them to think beyond traditional formats towards more interactive, engaging approaches.

[Explore Innovative Presentation Techniques]

Historical Evolution of Business Presentations

Business presentations have come a long way from the days of overhead professional company presentation has transformed into a sophisticated process that leverages advanced technology like PowerPoint to deliver powerful messages.

Imagine the evolution of business presentations as a journey from the simplicity of a hand-drawn road map to the complexity of a GPS system. For instance, in the 1980s, a company presentation might have been limited to paper handouts and verbal explanations, while today, it involves dynamic PowerPoint slides, videos, and interactive elements.

Research indicates that the use of visual aids in presentations has increased retention rates by up to 65%, highlighting the shift towards more visually oriented communication strategies.

"In the early days, we relied on our words and basic slides to convey our ideas. Now, we use a rich tapestry of visuals, animations, and interactive elements to tell our story," reflects Aayush Jain on the evolution of presentation techniques.

Common Types of Business Presentations

There are several types of business presentations , each designed to fulfill specific objectives. From informational to persuasive, and decision-making presentations, the goal is always to present the company in the best light possible.

Consider the difference between a documentary and a feature film. Both tell stories, but while the documentary aims to inform and educate, the feature film seeks to entertain and perhaps persuade. Similarly, an informational presentation aims to educate the audience about the company profile, while a sales pitch seeks to persuade potential clients to invest.

Statistics show that over 70% of businesses consider presentation skills crucial for career success, underscoring the variety and importance of these presentations in the professional landscape.

"Each type of business presentation requires a unique approach to storytelling and design. Understanding your audience's needs and expectations is key to delivering a successful presentation," advises Aayush Jain.

Purposes and Objectives of Business Presentations

The primary purpose of an organizational presentation varies from presenting a company's achievements to potential investors, to educating new employees about company policies. Each presentation is designed with specific objectives in mind, such as persuading clients or facilitating decision-making processes.

The purpose of a business presentation can be compared to a compass in a ship's navigation. Just as a compass guides the ship towards its destination, the objectives of a presentation guide the content and delivery to achieve the desired outcome. An example of this is using a company presentation to secure new clients by effectively communicating the value proposition.

Data from LinkedIn shows that presentations with clear objectives are 50% more likely to achieve their desired outcomes, highlighting the importance of having a focused message.

"Setting clear objectives at the inception of the presentation design process ensures that every separate slide, every visual element, and every word spoken is aligned with the goal of showcasing the company in the most effective manner," says Aayush Jain.

Understanding the purposes behind business presentations paves the way for exploring the role they play in decision-making, further demonstrating their importance in the corporate world.

The Role of Business Presentations in Decision-Making

Business presentations are pivotal in the decision-making process, providing a structured opportunity for presenting complex information and recommendations. They serve as a crucial touchpoint, influencing the opinions and actions of stakeholders, from internal team members to external partners and clients.

Imagine the idea of a company presentation as a compass guiding a ship through the treacherous waters of corporate decision-making. Just as a captain relies on a compass to navigate, so do leaders rely on presentations to guide their decisions.

For instance, a well-executed presentation that showcases a comprehensive market analysis and competitive advantages can significantly influence the strategic direction of a company.

Research from the Decision Management Association highlights that decks that effectively present relevant data and analysis can improve decision-making speed and accuracy by up to 40%. A study by the International Business Communication Council found that decision-makers cite clarity, conciseness, and relevance as the top three factors that make presentations impactful in their decision-making process. These insights underscore the importance of strategic focus and data-driven content in business decks.

Key Elements of a Successful Business Presentation in showcasing a company

A successful business presentation hinges on several key elements: clear objectives, audience understanding, powerful storytelling, effective visual aids, and confident delivery. These components work in concert to engage the audience, convey the message effectively, and achieve the presentation's intended outcomes.

For example, incorporating visual aids such as bar graphs and slides can help illustrate complex ideas, much like how a vivid solo can highlight a particular emotion in a musical piece.

A study by the Presentation Institute of America found that presentation decks incorporating visual aids are 67% more effective at maintaining the attention. Additionally, Gallup research indicates that presentations that include storytelling elements are twice as likely to result in a positive outcome.

These findings highlight the critical role of integrating multiple elements to craft a driving and successful presentation.

Company Presentation vs. Public Speech: Understanding the Distinctions

While often intertwined, company presentations and public speech serve distinct purposes and require different skill sets. A business presentation is typically more focused on delivering specific information or persuading an audience regarding an organization-related topic, utilizing visuals and structured content.

Public speech, on the other hand, might focus more broadly on inspiring, informing, or entertaining an audience, often without the support of graphics.

Imagine a business presentation as a guided tour through a museum, where the guide (presenter) points out and explains various artifacts (points of discussion) with the help of visual cues and structured narrative.

Public speech, in contrast, is like a storyteller weaving tales under the moonlight, where the power of voice and story alone captures the audience's imagination. For instance, while showcasing an organization to investors, the focus is on persuading through data and strategic insights, distinct from the broader motivational approach of speaking publicly.

According to a study by the Public Speaking Association, 80% of professionals believe that presentation skills are crucial to achieving business success, yet only 40% distinguish these from public speaking abilities.

A survey by Presentation Magazine found that incorporating elements of public speech into business presentations, such as storytelling and audience engagement techniques, can enhance the effectiveness of the presentation by up to 35%. These statistics highlight the importance of understanding and integrating the strengths of both disciplines to enhance communication impact.

Cultural Considerations in Business or Company Presentations

The global organizational environment demands sensitivity to cultural differences in business presentations. Factors such as communication styles, power distance, individualism versus collectivism, and uncertainty avoidance play significant roles in how decks are crafted and delivered.

Consider the analogy of a chef preparing a meal for an international audience. Just as the chef must understand and respect the dietary preferences and restrictions of their guests, so must a talk show presenter be cognizant of the cultural nuances of their audience.

For example, a company presentation in Japan might require a more formal approach and the use of subtle persuasion, in contrast to the more direct and assertive style preferred in the United States.

Research by Hofstede Insights reveals that decks tailored to the cultural expectations of the audience are up to 70% more effective in achieving their objectives. A study by the International Journal of Business Communication supports this, finding that presentation decks that acknowledge and adapt to cultural differences improve comprehension and engagement among international audiences.

These insights underscore the critical role of cultural awareness in the success of business presentations on a global scale.

Adapting Company Presentations for Virtual Platforms

The shift towards virtual meetings and conferences necessitates adaptations in how company presentations are designed and delivered. Virtual platforms offer unique opportunities and challenges, from technical considerations to maintaining audience engagement in a digital format.

Think of transitioning from a live concert to a virtual performance. While the essence of the performance remains, the dynamics change significantly. The artist must engage the audience without the immediate feedback of live interaction, relying more on the quality of the content and presentation. Similarly, when showcasing a company virtually, the presenter must leverage technology to maintain the attention, using visual and interactive elements effectively.

A survey by Zoom Video Communications indicates that 58% of professionals find virtual presentation decks more challenging to engage the audience than in-person events. However, a report by Microsoft found that presentations that are specifically designed for virtual delivery, incorporating interactive elements like polls and Q&A sessions, see a 40% increase in audience engagement.

These findings highlight the importance of adapting presentation strategies to suit the virtual environment, ensuring that the message is not only delivered but also received and acted upon effectively.

Incorporating Storytelling Techniques while presenting a company

Storytelling in business presentations is a powerful tool to engage and connect with the audience, making complex information more relatable and memorable. It involves weaving a narrative through the presentation, using real-life examples, anecdotes, and metaphors to illustrate points and evoke emotions.

Imagine a business presentation as a novel, where instead of chapters, you have sections of your presentation, each contributing to the overall narrative. Just like a compelling novel hooks the reader from the very start, a great presentation uses storytelling to capture the attention of target audience and keep them engaged throughout.

For instance, starting a presentation with a customer success story sets the stage for a narrative that the audience can follow and relate to, making the subsequent data and analysis more impactful.

According to a study by the Stanford Graduate School of Business, stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone. Additionally, research by the Narrative Institute shows that decks using stories can increase audience persuasion by up to 30%.

These statistics validate the effectiveness of storytelling as a technique to enhance the communicative power of business presentations, making them not just informative but also transformative experiences for the audience.

Conclusion on how company presentation can be a game changer

A business presentation is more than just an act of presentation to an audience; it is a carefully crafted communication tool designed to inform, persuade, and connect. Through a combination of historical evolution, cultural sensitivity, storytelling, and adaptation to digital platforms, business presentations have become an essential component of professional success.

By understanding and implementing the key elements of effective decks, individuals and organizations can significantly enhance their ability to communicate ideas, influence decisions, and achieve their objectives.

Frequently asked questions

How do you introduce a company in a presentation.

To introduce a company in a presentation effectively, start with a compelling opening that grabs the audience's attention from the beginning. Provide a first impression and a brief overview of your company, emphasizing the uniqueness of your brand and the value you bring to clients.

Showcasing milestones can illustrate your company's growth and success, thereby building credibility. When presenting products or services to a client, think on how they address the needs and challenges of your target audience, supported by visuals and concise descriptions.

Incorporating a testimonial can lend authenticity and demonstrate real-world impact. Lastly, introducing your team personalizes your presentation, showing the faces behind the success. Throughout, ensure your presentation is visually appealing and avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information or industry jargon.

What should be in a company presentation?

A company presentation must include a clear visual representation of your company's name, brand identity, and the core products or services you offer, designed to convey feelings of trust and reliability to your client. It should give a brief overview of your company's history, mission, and vision, helping the audience understand who you are and what you stand for. Highlighting key milestones and achievements can demonstrate your company's growth and expertise.

Testimonials or case studies provide social proof and build confidence in your potential customers. Visual elements such as your company logo, color scheme, and visuals like bar graphs or slides should be used to make the presentation more engaging and to help convey complex ideas more effectively.

Remember, the goal is to create a lasting and positive first impression on your audience, making your presentation short and to the point, and ensuring it is visually appealing from start to creating a compelling narrative.

How do I present my company in a presentation?

To present your company effectively in a presentation, begin with a strong and engaging introduction that clearly states what your business is about and why it matters. Be concise throughout, focusing on your bullet points and delivering a clear and impactful message about your company's vision, mission, and what sets you apart from the competition. Use high-quality graphics to support your points, making your presentation more memorable and easier to understand.

Highlight your main products or services, emphasizing their benefits to your target or even test audience. Avoid industry slang and ensure that your presentation progresses smoothly without rushing, allowing your audience to fully absorb the information.

Engaging your audience with relevant examples and compelling storytelling can further enhance the impact of your presentation, making it a powerful tool for presenting your company.

What are the three general types of business presentations?

The three general types of business presentations are:

• Pitch Deck Presentation: This type focuses on showcasing to investors or partners, highlighting the business model, market opportunity, and financial projections to secure funding or strategic alliances.
• Sales Deck Presentation: Aimed at potential clients or customers, this type showcases the company's products or services, demonstrating their value proposition and how they solve specific problems or meet specific needs.
• Product Market Slide Deck: This presentation type is used to introduce a new product or service to the market, detailing its features, benefits, and competitive advantages to generate interest and drive adoption.

What are the three parts of a professional company presentation?

A professional business presentation is structured into three main parts:

• Introduction (10-15%): Start by capturing the audience's attention with an engaging opening, set the context, and briefly outline what the presentation will cover. This sets the tone and expectations from the very beginning.
• Body (75-80%): The core of your presentation, where you delve into the details of your company presentation, highlighting the company profile, showcasing your products or services, and discussing key points in further detail. Use this section to convey your main message, supported by visuals, examples, and data to enhance understanding and retention.
• Conclusion (10-15%): Summarize the key points made throughout the presentation, reinforce the main message, and provide a clear call to action or outline the next steps. The conclusion should leave a lasting impression, ensuring your company and its offerings remain top of mind for your audience.

What is the most important element in a powerpoint company presentation?

The most important element in a business presentation is clarity of message. Showing the company's goals, values, and objectives in a clear, concise manner ensures that the audience understands the company profile core message. Visuals, storytelling, and engaging content support this clarity by reinforcing the message and keeping the audience's attention focused.

How has technology impacted business presentations?

Technology has revolutionized business presentations by enabling more dynamic, interactive, and visually appealing presentation desks. Tools like PowerPoint, video conferencing software, and interactive polls have made it easier to engage with the audience, whether in-person or virtually. Technology also allows for broader reach, enabling slide decks to speak to global audiences through webinars and online meetings.

What are the key differences between business presentations and public speech?

Business presentations often focus on numerous aspects of a company, its products, or services to a specific audience with a clear objective, such as persuading, informing, or decision-making. Public speech, while it can share these goals, is broader and may not always involve creating a business context. It focuses more on the delivery, rhetoric, and engagement with the audience on various topics.

How can storytelling be incorporated into business presentations?

Storytelling can be incorporated by framing the presentation around a compelling narrative point that relates to the audience's experiences or challenges. Using real-life examples, customer testimonials, and a clear narrative arc can make the business presentation more engaging and memorable. Storytelling helps to humanize the company and makes complex information more relatable.

What are the best practices for designing a business presentation?

Best practices include keeping the design simple and professional, using a consistent color scheme and font, minimizing text on slides, and making good use of visuals and graphs. It's also important to tailor the presentation to the audience, focus on key messages, and practice delivery to ensure smooth flow and timing.

How can one adapt a business presentation for an international audience?

To adapt a presentation for an international audience, consider cultural sensitivities, use clear and simple language, avoid local jargon, and incorporate relevant global examples or case studies. It's also helpful to be mindful of time zone differences for live decks and to provide translations or subtitles if necessary.

What are the benefits of practicing a presentation before delivering it?

Practicing a presentation helps in refining the delivery, timing, and transitions between topics. It builds confidence, reduces anxiety, and allows the presenter to adjust pacing and emphasis based on the flow of the presentation. Practice also helps in identifying and correcting any potential issues with the content or delivery.

How can visuals enhance the effectiveness of a presentation?

Visuals, such as charts, graphs, images, and videos, can help illustrate and reinforce key aspects, making complex information easier to understand. They capture and retain the audience's attention, add interest to the presentation, and can evoke emotional responses that enhance persuasion and recall.

What role does the audience play in shaping the content of a presentation?

The audience's needs, interests, and level of knowledge significantly shape the content and delivery of a presentation. Understanding the audience allows the presenter to tailor the content to address their specific questions, concerns, and expectations, making the presentation more relevant, engaging, and effective.

How can feedback be used to improve future presentations?

Feedback provides valuable insights into what worked well and what could be improved in terms of content, delivery, and engagement strategies. Constructive criticism helps identify areas for improvement, while positive feedback can reinforce effective practices. Incorporating feedback into future decks ensures continuous improvement and better audience engagement.

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Table of Contents  

1) A brief introduction to Presentation Skills 

2) Importance of Presentation Skills in personal life 

3) Importance of Presentation Skills in professional life 

4) Tips to improve your Presentation Skills 

5) Conclusion 

A brief introduction to Presentation Skills  

Presentation skills can be defined as the ability to deliver information confidently and persuasively to engage and influence the audience. Be it in personal or professional settings; mastering Presentation Skills empowers individuals to convey their ideas with clarity, build confidence, and leave a lasting impression. From public speaking to business pitches, honing these skills can lead to greater success in diverse spheres of life.  You can also refer to various presentation skills interview questions and answer to build you confidence! This blog will also look into the advantages and disadvantages of presentations .It is therefore important to understand the elements of presentations .

Importance of Presentation Skills in personal life  

Effective Presentation skills are not limited to professional settings alone; they play a significant role in personal life as well. Let us now dive deeper into the Importance of Presentation Skills in one’s personal life:    

Expressing ideas clearly   

In day-to-day conversations with family, friends, or acquaintances, having good Presentation skills enables you to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly. Whether you're discussing plans for the weekend or sharing your opinions on a particular topic, being an effective communicator encourages better understanding and engagement. 

Enhancing social confidence  

Many individuals struggle with social anxiety or nervousness in social gatherings. Mastering Presentation skills helps boost self-confidence, making it easier to navigate social situations with ease. The ability to present yourself confidently and engage others in conversation enhances your social life and opens doors to new relationships. 

Creating memories on special occasions  

There are moments in life that call for public speaking, such as proposing a toast at a wedding, delivering a speech at a family gathering, or giving a Presentation during special events. Having polished Presentation skills enables you to leave a positive and lasting impression on the audience, making these occasions even more memorable. 

Handling challenging conversations  

Life often presents challenging situations that require delicate communication, such as expressing condolences or resolving conflicts. Strong Presentation skills help you convey your feelings and thoughts sensitively, encouraging effective and empathetic communication during difficult times. 

Building stronger relationships  

Being a skilled presenter means being a good listener as well. Active listening is a fundamental aspect of effective Presentations, and when applied in personal relationships, it strengthens bonds and builds trust. Empathising with others and showing genuine interest in their stories and opinions enhances the quality of your relationships. 

Advocating for personal goals  

Whether you're pursuing personal projects or seeking support for a cause you're passionate about, the ability to present your ideas persuasively helps garner support and enthusiasm from others. This can be beneficial in achieving personal goals and making a positive impact on your community. 

Inspiring and motivating others  

In one’s personal life, Presentation skills are not just about delivering formal speeches; they also involve inspiring and motivating others through your actions and words. Whether you're sharing your experiences, mentoring someone, or encouraging loved ones during tough times, your Presentation skills can be a source of inspiration for others. 

Exuding leadership traits  

Effective Presentation skills go hand in hand with leadership qualities. Being able to communicate clearly and influence others' perspectives positions you as a leader within your family, social circles, or community. Leadership in personal life involves guiding and supporting others towards positive outcomes. 

Unlock your full potential as a presenter with our Presentation Skills Training Course. Join now!  

Importance of Presentation Skills in professional life  

Effective Presentation skills are a vital asset for career growth and success in professional life. Let us now explore the importance of Presentation skills for students and workers:  

Impressing employers and clients  

During job interviews or business meetings, a well-delivered Presentation showcases your knowledge, confidence, and ability to communicate ideas effectively. It impresses employers, clients, and potential investors, leaving a positive and memorable impression that can tilt the scales in your favour. 

Advancing in your career  

In the corporate world, promotions and career advancements often involve presenting your achievements, ideas, and future plans to decision-makers. Strong Presentation skills demonstrate your leadership potential and readiness for higher responsibilities, opening doors to new opportunities. 

Effective team collaboration  

As a professional, you often need to present projects, strategies, or updates to your team or colleagues. A compelling Presentation facilitates better understanding and association among team members, leading to more productive and successful projects. 

Persuasive selling techniques  

For sales and marketing professionals, Presentation skills are instrumental in persuading potential customers to choose your products or services. An engaging sales pitch can sway buying decisions, leading to increased revenue and business growth. 

Creating impactful proposals  

In the corporate world, proposals are crucial for securing new partnerships or business deals. A well-structured and compelling Presentation can make your proposal stand out and increase the chances of successful negotiations. 

Gaining and retaining clients  

Whether you are a freelancer, consultant, or business owner, Presentation skills play a key role in winning and retaining clients. A captivating Presentation not only convinces clients of your capabilities but also builds trust and promotes long-term relationships. 

Enhancing public speaking engagements  

Professional life often involves speaking at conferences, seminars, or industry events. Being a confident and engaging speaker allows you to deliver your message effectively, position yourself as an expert, and expand your professional network. 

Influencing stakeholders and decision-makers  

As you climb the corporate ladder, you may find yourself presenting to senior management or board members. Effective Presentations are essential for gaining support for your ideas, projects, or initiatives from key stakeholders. 

Handling meetings and discussions  

In meetings, being able to present your thoughts clearly and concisely contributes to productive discussions and efficient decision-making. It ensures that your ideas are understood and considered by colleagues and superiors. 

Professional development  

Investing time in honing Presentation skills is a form of professional development. As you become a more effective presenter, you become a more valuable asset to your organisation and industry. 

Building a personal brand  

A strong personal brand is vital for professional success. Impressive Presentations contribute to building a positive reputation and positioning yourself as a thought leader or industry expert. 

Career transitions and interviews  

When seeking new opportunities or transitioning to a different industry, Presentation Skills are essential for communicating your transferable skills and showcasing your adaptability to potential employers. 

Take your Presentations to the next level with our Effective Presentation Skills & Techniques Course. Sign up today!  

Tips to improve your Presentation Skills  

Now that you know about the importance of presentation skills in personal and professional life, we will now provide you with tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills .

1) Know your audience: Understand the demographics and interests of your audience to tailor your Presentation accordingly. 

2) Practice regularly: Rehearse your speech multiple times to refine content and delivery. 

3) Seek feedback: Gather feedback from peers or mentors to identify areas for improvement. 

4) Manage nervousness: Use relaxation techniques to overcome nervousness before presenting. 

5) Engage with eye contact: Maintain eye contact with the audience to establish a connection. 

6) Use clear visuals: Utilise impactful visuals to complement your spoken words. 

7) Emphasise key points: Highlight important information to enhance audience retention. 

8) Employ body language: Use confident and purposeful gestures to convey your message. 

9) Handle Q&A confidently: Prepare for potential questions and answer them with clarity. 

10) Add personal stories: Include relevant anecdotes to make your Presentation more relatable.   

All in all, Presentation skills are a valuable asset, impacting both personal and professional realms of life. By mastering these skills, you can become a more effective communicator, a confident professional, and a persuasive influencer. Continuous improvement and adaptation to technological advancements will ensure you stay ahead in this competitive world. 

Want to master the art of impactful Presentations? Explore our Presentation Skills Courses and elevate your communication prowess!  

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Home Blog Business Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ Examples)

Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ Examples)

A business presentation is a purpose-led summary of key information about your company’s plans, products, or practices, designed for either internal or external audiences. Project proposals, HR policy presentations, investors briefings are among the few common types of presentations. 

Compelling business presentations are key to communicating important ideas, persuading others, and introducing new offerings to the world. Hence, why business presentation design is one of the most universal skills for any professional. 

This guide teaches you how to design and deliver excellent business presentations. Plus, breaks down some best practices from business presentation examples by popular companies like Google, Pinterest, and Amazon among others! 

3 General Types of Business Presentations

A business presentation can be given for a number of reasons. Respectively, they differ a lot in terms of content and purpose. 

But overall, all types of business presentations can be classified as:

• Informative
• Persuasive 
• Supporting 

Informative Business Presentation 

As the name suggests, the purpose of an informative presentation is to discern the knowledge you have — explain what you know. It’s the most common type of business presentation out there. So you have probably prepared such at least several times. 

Examples of informative presentations:

• Team briefings presentation 
• Annual stakeholder report 
• Quarterly business reviews
• Business portfolio presentation
• Business plan presentation
• Project presentation

Helpful templates from SlideModel:

• Business plan PowerPoint template
• Business review PowerPoint template
• Project proposal PowerPoint template
• Corporate annual report template

Persuasive Business Presentation 

The goal of this type of presentation is to persuade your audience of your point of view — convince them of what you believe is right. Developing business presentations of this caliber requires a bit more copywriting mastery, as well as expertise in public speaking . Unlike an informative business presentation, your goal here is to sway the audience’s opinions and prompt them towards the desired action. 

Examples of persuasive presentations:

• Pitch deck/investor presentations
• Sales presentation  
• Business case presentation 
• Free business proposal presentation
• Business proposal PowerPoint template
• Pitch deck PowerPoint template
• Account Plan PowerPoint template

Supporting Business Presentation 

This category of business PowerPoint presentations is meant to facilitate decision-making — explain how we can get something done. The underlying purpose here is to communicate the general “action plan”. Then break down the necessary next steps for bringing it to life. 

Examples of supporting presentations:

• Roadmap presentation
• Project vision presentation 
• After Action Review presentation 
• Standard operating procedure (SOP) PowerPoint template 
• Strategy map PowerPoint template 
• After action review (ARR) PowerPoint template 

What Should Be Included in a Business Presentation?

Overall, the content of your business presentation will differ depending on its purpose and type. However, at the very minimum, all business presentations should include:

• Introductory slide 
• Agenda/purpose slide
• Main information or Content slides
• Key Takeaways slides
• Call-to-action/next steps slides

We further distill business presentation design and writing best practices in the next section (plus, provide several actionable business PowerPoint presentation examples!). 

How to Make a Business Presentation: Actionable Tips

A business presentation consists of two parts — a slide deck and a verbal speech. In this section, we provide tips and strategies for nailing your deck design. 

1. Get Your Presentation Opening Right 

The first slides of your presentation make or break your success. Why? By failing to frame the narrative and set the scene for the audience from the very beginning, you will struggle to keep their interest throughout the presentation. 

You have several ways of how to start a business presentation:

• Use a general informative opening — a summative slide, sharing the agenda and main points of the discussion. 
• Go for a story opening — a more creative, personal opening, aimed at pulling the audience into your story. 
• Try a dramatic opening — a less apparent and attention-grabbing opening technique, meant to pique the audience’s interest. 

Standard Informative Opening 

Most business presentation examples you see start with a general, informative slide such as an Agenda, Problem Statement, or Company Introduction. That’s the “classic” approach. 

To manage the audience’s expectations and prepare them for what’s coming next, you can open your presentation with one or two slides stating:

• The topic of your presentation — a one-sentence overview is enough. 
• Persuasive hook, suggesting what’s in it for the audience and why they should pay attention. 
• Your authority — the best technique to establish your credibility in a business presentation is to share your qualifications and experience upfront to highlight why you are worth listening to. 

Opening best suited for: Formal business presentations such as annual reports and supporting presentations to your team/business stakeholders. 

Story Opening 

Did you ever notice that most TED talks start with a quick personal story? The benefit of this presenting technique is that it enables speakers to establish quick rapport and hold the listener’s attention. 

Here’s how Nancy Duarte, author of “Slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations” book and TED presenter, recommends opening a presentation: 

You know, here’s the status quo, here’s what’s going on. And then you need to compare that to what could be. You need to make that gap as big as possible, because there is this commonplace of the status quo, and you need to contrast that with the loftiness of your idea. 

Storytelling , like no other tool, helps transpose the audience into the right mindset and get concentrated on the subject you are about to discuss. A story also elicits emotions, which can be a powerful ally when giving persuasive presentations. In the article how to start a presentation , we explore this in more detail.

Opening best suited for: Personal and business pitches, sales presentations, other types of persuasive presentations. 

Dramatic Opening 

Another common technique is opening your presentation with a major statement, sometimes of controversial nature. This can be a shocking statistic, complex rhetoric question, or even a provocative, contrarian statement, challenging the audience’s beliefs. 

Using a dramatic opening helps secure the people’s attention and capture their interest. You can then use storytelling to further drill down your main ideas. 

If you are an experienced public speaker, you can also strengthen your speech with some unexpected actions. That’s what Bill Gates does when giving presentations. In a now-iconic 2009 TED talk about malaria, mid-presentation Gates suddenly reveals that he actually brought a bunch of mosquitoes with him. He cracks open a jar with non-malaria-infected critters to the audience’s surprise. His dramatic actions, paired with a passionate speech made a mighty impression. 

Opening best suited for: Marketing presentations, customer demos, training presentations, public speeches. 

Further reading: How to start a presentation: tips and examples. 

2. Get Your PowerPoint Design Right

Surely, using professional business PowerPoint templates already helps immensely with presentation deck design since you don’t need to fuss over slide layout, font selection, or iconography. 

Even so, you’ll still need to customize your template(s) to make them on brand and better suited to the presentation you’re about to deliver. Below are our best presentation design tips to give your deck an extra oomph. 

Use Images, Instead of Bullet Points 

If you have ever watched Steve Jobs’s presentations, you may have noticed that he never used bullet-point lists. Weird right? Because using bullet points is the most universal advice in presentation design. 

But there’s a valid scientific reason why Jobs favored images over bullet-point texts. Researchers found that information delivered in visuals is better retained than words alone. This is called the “ pictorial superiority effect ”. As John Medina, a molecular biologist, further explains :

“Hear a piece of information, and three days later you’ll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you’ll remember 65%.”

So if your goal is to improve the memorability of your presentation, always replace texts with images and visualizations when it makes sense. 

Fewer Slides is Better

No matter the value, a long PowerPoint presentation becomes tiring at some point. People lose focus and stop retaining the information. Thus, always take some extra time to trim the fluff and consolidate some repetitive ideas within your presentation. 

For instance, at McKinsey new management consultants are trained to cut down the number of slides in client presentations. In fact, one senior partner insists on replacing every 20 slides with only two slides . Doing so prompts you to focus on the gist — the main business presentation ideas you need to communicate and drop filler statements. 

Here are several quick tips to shorten your slides:

• Use a three-arc structure featuring a clear beginning (setup), main narrative (confrontation), ending (resolution). Drop the ideas that don’t fit into either of these. 
• Write as you tweet. Create short, on-point text blurbs of under 156 symbols, similar to what you’d share on Twitter. 
• Contextualize your numbers. Present any relevant statistics in a context, relevant to the listeners. Turn longer stats into data visualizations for easier cognition. 

Consistency is Key 

In a solid business presentation, each slide feels like part of the connecting story. To achieve such consistency apply the same visual style and retain the same underlying message throughout your entire presentation.

Use the same typography, color scheme, and visual styles across the deck. But when you need to accentuate a transition to a new topic (e.g. move from a setup to articulating the main ideas), add some new visual element to signify the slight change in the narrative. 

Further reading: 23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

3. Make Your Closure Memorable 

We best remember the information shared last. So make those business presentation takeaways stick in the audience’s memory. We have three strategies for that. 

Use the Rule of Three 

The Rule of Three is a literary concept, suggesting that we best remember and like ideas and concepts when they are presented in threes. 

Many famous authors and speakers use this technique:

• “Duty – Honor – Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, and what you will be” . Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
• “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” are the unalienable rights of all humans that governments are meant to protect.” Thomas Jefferson 

The Rule of Three works because three is the maximum number of items most people can remember on their first attempt. Likewise, such pairings create a short, familiar structure that is easy to remember for our brains. 

Try the Title Close Technique

Another popular presentation closing technique is “Title Close” — going back to the beginning of your narrative and reiterating your main idea (title) in a form of a takeaway. Doing so helps the audience better retain your core message since it’s repeated at least two times. Plus, it brings a sense of closure — a feel-good state our brains love. Also, a brief one-line closure is more memorable than a lengthy summary and thus better retained. 

Ask a Question 

If you want to keep the conversation going once you are done presenting, you can conclude your presentation with a general question you’d like the audience to answer.

Alternatively, you can also encourage the members to pose questions to you. The latter is better suited for informational presentations where you’d like to further discuss some of the matters and secure immediate feedback. 

Try adding an interactive element like a QR code closing your presentation with a QR code and having a clear CTA helps you leverage the power of sharing anything you would like to share with your clients. QR codes can be customized to look alike your brand.

If you are looking for a smoother experience creating presentations on the fly, check out the AI PowerPoint maker —it offers everything you can ask forfrom presentation design in a couple of clicks.

12 Business Presentation Examples and What Makes Them Great 

Now that we equipped you with the general knowledge on how to make a presentation for business, let’s take a look at how other presenters are coping with this job and what lessons you can take away from them. 

1. N26 Digital Bank Pitch Deck 

This is a fine business pitch presentation example, hitting all the best practices. The deck opens with a big shocking statement that most Millennials would rather go to the dentist than step into a bank branch. 

Then it proceeds to discuss the company’s solution to the above — a fully digital bank with a paperless account opening process, done in 8 minutes. After communicating the main product features and value proposition, the deck further conceptualizes what traction the product got so far using data visualizations. The only thing it lacks is a solid call-to-action for closing slides as the current ending feels a bit abrupt. 

2. WeWork Pitch Deck

For a Series D round, WeWork went with a more formal business presentation. It starts with laying down the general company information and then transitions to explaining their business model, current market conditions, and the company’s position on the market.

The good thing about this deck is that they quantify their business growth prospects and value proposition. The likely gains for investors are shown in concrete numbers. However, those charts go one after another in a row, so it gets a bit challenging to retain all data points. 

The last part of their presentation is focused on a new offering, “We Live”. It explains why the team seeks funds to bring it to life. Likewise, they back their reasoning with market size statistics, sample projects, and a five-year revenue forecast. 

3. Redfin Investor Presentation 

If you are looking for a “text-light” business presentation example, Redfin’s investor deck is up to your alley. This simple deck expertly uses iconography, charts, and graphs to break down the company’s business model, value proposition, market share, and competitive advantages over similar startups. For number-oriented investors, this is a great deck design to use. 

4. Google Ready Together Presentation 

This isn’t quite the standard business presentation example per se. But rather an innovative way to create engaging, interactive presentations of customer case studies .

The short deck features a short video clip from a Google client, 7-11, explaining how they used the company’s marketing technology to digitally transform their operations and introduce a greater degree of marketing automation . The narrated video parts are interrupted by slides featuring catchy stats, contextualizing issues other businesses are facing. Then transitions to explaining through the words of 7-11 CMO, how Google’s technology is helping them overcome the stated shortcomings.

5. Salesforce Business Presentation Example 

This is a great example of an informational presentation, made by the Salesforce team to share their research on customer experience (CX) with prospects and existing customers.

The slide deck errs on the lengthier side with 58 slides total. But bigger topics are broken down and reinforced through bite-sized statistics and quotes from the company leadership. They are also packaging the main tips into memorable formulas, itemized lists, and tables. Overall, this deck is a great example of how you can build a compelling narrative using different statistics. 

6. Mastercard Business Presentation

This slide deck from Mastercard instantly captures the audience’s attention with unusual background images and major data points on the growth of populations, POS systems, and payment methods used in the upcoming decade.

Perhaps to offset the complexity of the subject, Mastercard chose to sprinkle in some humor in presentation texts and used comic-style visuals to supplement that. However, all their animations are made in a similar style, creating a good sense of continuity in design. They are also using colors to signify the transition from one part of the presentation to another. 

In the second part, the slide deck focuses on distilling the core message of what businesses need to do to remain competitive in the new payments landscape. The team presents what they have been working on to expand the payment ecosystem. Then concludes with a “title close” styled call-to-action, mirroring the presentation title.

7. McKinsey Diversity & Inclusion Presentation 

This fresh business slide deck from McKinsey is a great reference point for making persuasive business presentations on complex topics such as D&I. First, it recaps the main definitions of the discussed concepts — diversity, equity, and inclusion — to ensure alignment with the audience members. 

Next, the business presentation deck focuses on the severity and importance of the issue for businesses, represented through a series of graphs and charts. After articulating the “why”, the narrative switches to “how” — how leaders can benefit from investment in D&I. The main points are further backed with data and illustrated via examples. 

8. Accenture Presentation for the Energy Sector

Similar to McKinsey, Accenture keeps its slide deck on a short. Yet the team packs a punch within each slide through using a mix of fonts, graphical elements, and color for highlighting the core information. The presentation copy is on a longer side, prompting the audience to dwell on reading the slides. But perhaps this was meant by design as the presentation was also distributed online — via the company blog and social media. 

The last several slides of the presentation deck focus on articulating the value Accenture can deliver for their clients in the Energy sector. They expertly break down their main value proposition and key service lines, plus quantify the benefits. 

9. Amazon Web Services (AWS) Technical Presentation 

Giving an engaging technical presentation isn’t an easy task. You have to balance the number of details you reveal on your slides to prevent overwhelm, while also making sure that you don’t leave out any crucial deets. This technical presentation from AWS does great in both departments. 

First, you get entertained with a quick overview of Amazon’s progress in machine learning (ML) forecasting capabilities over the last decade. Then introduced to the main tech offering. The deck further explains what you need to get started with Amazon Forecast — e.g. dataset requirements, supported forecasting scenarios, available forecasting models, etc. 

The second half of the presentation provides a quick training snippet on configuring Amazon SageMaker to start your first project. The step-by-step instructions are coherent and well-organized, making the reader excited to test-drive the product. 

10. Snapchat Company Presentation

Snapchat’s business model presentation is on a funkier, more casual side, reflective of the company’s overall brand and positioning. After briefly recapping what they do, the slide deck switches to discussing the company’s financials and revenue streams.

This business slide deck by Snap Inc. itself is rather simplistic and lacks fancy design elements. But it has a strong unified theme of showing the audience Snapchat’s position on the market and projected vector of business development. 

11. Visa Business Acquisition Presentation 

If you are working on a business plan or M&A presentation for stakeholders of your own, this example from Visa will be helpful. The presentation deck expertly breaks down the company’s rationale for purchasing Plaid and subsequent plans for integrating the startup into their business ecosystem. 

The business deck recaps why the Plaid acquisition is a solid strategic decision by highlighting the total addressable market they could dive into post-deal. Then it details Plaid’s competitive strengths. The slide deck then sums up all the monetary and indirect gains Visa could reap as an acquirer. 

12. Pinterest Earnings Report Presentation 

Annual reports and especially earnings presentations might not be the most exciting types of documents to work on, but they have immense strategic value. Hence, there’s little room for ambiguities or mistakes. 

In twelve slides, this business presentation from Pinterest clearly communicates the big picture of the company’s finance in 2021. All the key numbers are represented as featured quotes in the sidebar with diagrams further showcasing the earning and spending dynamics. Overall, the data is easy to interpret even for non-finance folks. 

To Conclude 

With these business presentation design tips, presentation templates , and examples, you can go from overwhelmed to confident about your next presentation design in a matter of hours. Focus on creating a rough draft first using a template. Then work on nailing your opening slide sequence and shortening the texts in the main part of your presentation when needed. Make sure that each slide serves a clear purpose and communicates important details. To make your business presentation deck more concise, remove anything that does not pertain to the topic. 

Finally, once you are done, share your business presentation with other team members to get their feedback and reiterate the final design.

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Advantages and disadvantages of powerpoint presentations in business.

PowerPoint has been around since the mid-1980s and has helped business professionals sell their products and woo clients. Over the course of the past 20 or so years, other visual presentation software has emerged, programs such as Prezi, Visme, Keynote and Haiku Deck claim to offer flashier, more creative and more personalized presentation options. But let’s face it—not all visual presentations are created equally—and it has little to do with the software, and more with the user.  There are pros and cons when it comes to using visual presentations, so here are a few to consider before your next board room meeting, interview or training. 

Advantages of a Visual Presentation

In all professional spheres, we use technology to communicate, teach and a lead. Our language is increasingly digital, and more often than not, that means visual. Here's why having a smartly designed slide can and should be more than just text and color on a screen. 

Advantages of using visual aids in a presentation

• They tell a compelling story — A presentation should ultimately complement the presenter’s story by providing structure, allowing the presenter to delve deeper by providing additional verbal details. The use of images help the audience gain a fuller understanding of the verbal content.
• Helps audience connect to the content  — Since many people are visual learners, a visual presentations can help the audience better connect to the content.
• Keeps the audience engaged  — When the audience has visual content to look at during an oral presentation, it can help keep the audience engaged versus losing focus.

Disadvantages of a Visual Presentation

While there are advantages to using visual presentations such as PowerPoint, there are also setbacks and traps even the most seasoned presenters can easily fall into. Though making a PowerPoint or Google Slide often seems like the obvious next step in sharing information with a group at work, you may want to consider why and if you really need one to tell your story.  Before you create one out of habit, think about these potential drawbacks:

• Poorly created presentations detract from the content  — It does not matter how many different software programs exist, a poorly created visual presentation, and by that I mean, ones with distracting or confusing themes, inconsistent font usage, too much text per page and not enough white space, pixilated images, and so forth, serve to pull down the content, and they look unprofessional.
• Presentations can distract the audience  — Poorly created presentations or presentations that are too busy or have too many bells and whistles can distract the audience. When the audience focuses too much on the visual component of the presentation, they lose portions of the oral content.
• Presenters can become lazy and rely too heavily on presentations versus telling the story —  Too often presenters create their slides and merely read off the slides instead of using the slides as a guide. This makes for a boring presentation. Ultimately, the presenter wants to add verbal content to the visual presentation such as examples and anecdotes to round out the presentation.
• Technical difficulties can get in the way of success  — When a presenter relies too heavily on visual presentations to communicate their message, panic can set in when there is an audio-visual glitch. This can leave the presenter feeling overwhelmed and incapable to make their presentation, which again makes the presenter look ill-prepared, and ultimately, unprofessional.

It does not matter what presentation software is used, presenters must understand there are pros and cons to using visual presentation aids. A presenter must understand the scope of the content and the needs of the audience before deciding the best method to present their material. Many a great TEDTalk uses no visual presentation aids, but that may not be the best approach for all audiences or all topics. The key to a great presentation is the ability to tell a story, some stories require nothing more than than the verbal telling of the story, while other require images or other multimedia to compliment it.

Interested in the skills you need to master before your next presentation?

Read our blog post on the art of public speaking>

Why PowerPoint Is Important? (The Benefits Explained)

Presentations can be a great way to share ideas and information, but they can also be overwhelming and dull if not done correctly.

Fortunately, PowerPoint offers a number of features to help you create compelling presentations that can engage your audience and effectively deliver even the most complex concepts.

In this article, we will explore the basics of PowerPoint and why it is important, as well as the many benefits it can offer.

We will discuss how PowerPoint can help improve presentations, the role visuals can play, and the various features available to make the most of your presentations.

By the end of this article, you will be well-equipped to create and deliver powerful and engaging presentations with PowerPoint.

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Powerpoint is an important tool for presenting information in a visual and organized manner.

It allows people to present complex information in an easy to understand and engaging way.

It also enables the presenter to highlight the most important points and helps to keep the audience focused.

Powerpoint is an invaluable tool for anyone looking to present their ideas effectively.

The Basics of PowerPoint

PowerPoint is an important tool for businesses, as it can help to create professional-looking presentations.

It is a presentation software program developed and distributed by Microsoft, and it is available for both Windows and Mac operating systems.

With PowerPoint, users can create slides with text, graphics, animations, and other elements.

It also has features such as the ability to embed audio and video, as well as the ability to animate objects.

Additionally, PowerPoint allows users to easily create attractive visuals and engaging presentations.

PowerPoint also has a number of features that make it easier to organize and deliver complex concepts in an understandable manner.

For instance, it offers a variety of slide layouts to help users structure their presentations in an organized way.

It also provides a range of tools to help create visuals that can help audiences to better retain information.

Furthermore, PowerPoint has a range of animation and transition effects that can be used to make presentations more dynamic and engaging.

In addition, PowerPoint supports the use of templates and themes, which can help to give presentations a more professional look.

It also allows users to easily collaborate and share their presentations with others.

This makes it easier for businesses to collaborate on projects and ensure that all stakeholders have access to the same information.

Finally, PowerPoint offers a number of features that can help to improve presentations, such as the ability to add notes and comments, as well as the ability to insert charts and graphs.

The Benefits of Using PowerPoint

PowerPoint is an incredibly useful tool for businesses, as it provides a range of benefits when it comes to creating presentations.

Firstly, PowerPoint helps users to easily create professional-looking slides with text, graphics and animations.

This makes it easier to create a visually appealing presentation, which can help to engage audiences and make it easier to retain information.

Furthermore, PowerPoint allows users to organize and deliver complex concepts in an understandable manner.

This means that it is easy to break down complex topics into more manageable chunks, making it easier for audiences to understand the concepts being presented.

Additionally, PowerPoint’s features make it easier to create compelling visuals that can help to keep viewers engaged.

Another benefit of using PowerPoint is its ability to help businesses save time.

Presenters can easily create presentations with PowerPoint’s templates and features, allowing them to quickly and efficiently create presentations that are both informative and visually appealing.

This saves businesses time and money, as they dont have to spend time and resources on creating presentations from scratch.

Finally, PowerPoint can be used in a variety of different ways.

It can be used to create presentations for meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops and more.

This makes it a great tool for businesses that need to create presentations for different types of events.

Additionally, PowerPoint can be used to create digital presentations that can be shared online, making it easier to reach a wider audience.

Overall, PowerPoint provides businesses with a range of benefits that make it an essential tool for creating effective and engaging presentations.

With its easy-to-use features, businesses can quickly and easily create visually appealing presentations that are both informative and visually appealing, helping to engage audiences and make it easier to retain information.

Additionally, PowerPoint’s features make it easier to organize and deliver complex concepts in an understandable manner.

Finally, it can be used in a variety of different ways, making it a great tool for businesses that need to create presentations for different types of events.

How PowerPoint Helps Improve Presentations

PowerPoint is an essential tool for businesses, as it helps to make presentations more effective and engaging.

It makes it easy to create professional-looking slides with text, graphics, animations, and other visuals.

This helps to keep audiences engaged and ensure that they are able to retain the information better.

PowerPoint also helps to organize complex concepts and deliver them in an understandable manner.

With its powerful features, businesses can create compelling presentations that are both informative and visually appealing.

This allows them to present their ideas in an organized and easy-to-understand format.

Moreover, the wide range of features that PowerPoint offers makes it easier to create presentations that are both visually appealing and easy to understand.

This includes features such as backgrounds, transitions, images, and animations.

These features can help to add depth and interest to presentations, making them more engaging and memorable.

The use of PowerPoint also makes it possible to quickly and easily update presentations.

This is especially useful for businesses that need to make changes to their presentations on a regular basis.

With PowerPoint, they can make changes in a matter of minutes, without having to start from scratch.

Finally, PowerPoint is a great tool for businesses to share their presentations with the world.

With its easy-to-use sharing options, businesses can easily share their presentations with other people, whether they are in the same office or halfway across the globe.

This helps to ensure that everyone involved in the presentation is able to access it and understand it.

In conclusion, PowerPoint is an invaluable tool for businesses that want to create effective and engaging presentations.

Its features make it easy to create professional-looking slides, organize complex concepts, and quickly and easily update presentations.

Furthermore, PowerPoint provides businesses with the ability to easily share their presentations with a large audience.

All in all, PowerPoint is an important tool for businesses, as it helps to improve presentations in a number of ways.

PowerPoint is an incredibly powerful visual tool that can help businesses craft compelling presentations.

With its simple yet powerful graphical features, it allows users to easily create stunning visuals that are sure to pique viewers interest.

PowerPoints visuals can be used to include text, graphics, animations, and even video clips to clearly illustrate complex concepts in a visually appealing manner.

This not only helps to engage the audience, but also helps viewers to better understand and retain the information.

PowerPoint also offers its users a range of different tools to customize their visuals.

From basic shapes and text boxes to more complex objects like charts and diagrams, there is an endless array of possibilities.

Furthermore, users have the ability to add animation and transitions to their visuals, making them more dynamic and engaging.

The ability to make use of PowerPoints powerful visuals can help businesses create a presentation that will be sure to stand out from the rest.

Organizing and Delivering Complex Concepts

PowerPoint is a great tool for organizing and delivering complex concepts.

Its powerful features make it easy to create visually appealing slides with text, graphics, and animations.

This makes it easier for audiences to understand and retain information more effectively.

For example, you can use PowerPoint to create diagrams to illustrate a concept, or to create an interactive presentation that allows the audience to learn at their own pace.

You can also use different colors and fonts to highlight important information or to draw attention to specific points.

Additionally, PowerPoint allows you to easily and quickly create professional-looking presentations, even with limited design skills.

This makes it a great tool for businesses to use when presenting complex concepts to their audiences.

Additionally, PowerPoint provides tools to help you keep your presentations organized, such as a built-in outline feature and the ability to add notes to slides.

This makes it easy to quickly review your presentation and ensure that you have included all the necessary information.

Finally, PowerPoint allows you to easily share your presentations with others, either online or as a printed document.

This makes it easy for businesses to collaborate and share ideas with colleagues and clients.

Making the Most of PowerPoint’s Features

PowerPoint is an incredibly powerful presentation tool, with a wide array of features and capabilities that make it perfect for creating engaging and informative presentations.

It allows users to easily create professional-looking slides with text, graphics, and animations, as well as a range of tools for organizing and delivering complex concepts.

One of PowerPoint’s most useful features is its ability to create effective visuals that can engage audiences and help them to retain information better.

By using transitions, animations, and other effects, the presenter can create captivating visuals that will help to keep their audience engaged.

Furthermore, users can also make use of the wide selection of templates available to create visually appealing slides in no time.

PowerPoint also offers a range of tools for organizing and formatting presentations.

By using tables, charts, and diagrams, users can easily present complex information in an understandable manner.

Additionally, the Outline View feature allows users to quickly create and organize their presentations, while the Notes and Comments features can help to provide more detailed explanations of the content.

Finally, PowerPoint also includes a range of tools for sharing and collaborating on presentations.

Users can easily share presentations with colleagues, and the SharePoint feature allows for real-time editing of documents.

This makes it easy to collaborate on presentations and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

In short, PowerPoint is an incredibly powerful tool for creating engaging and informative presentations.

Its wide selection of features make it easy to create visually appealing and complex visuals, as well as organize and share presentations with ease.

By making use of its powerful features, businesses can ensure that their presentations are both informative and visually appealing, helping to engage audiences and ensure that they retain information better.

Creating Compelling Presentations with PowerPoint

PowerPoint is an incredibly powerful presentation tool that can help businesses create compelling presentations that engage their audiences and effectively communicate complex concepts.

By combining text, graphics, animations, and other visuals, PowerPoint enables users to easily create attractive presentations that are both informative and visually appealing.

PowerPoint’s features also make it easier to organize and deliver complex concepts in an understandable manner.

The ability to add multiple slides and easily rearrange them allows users to structure their presentation in a logical order that is easy to follow.

Presenters can also use PowerPoint to create animations, transitions, and other visuals that make the presentation more engaging and help audiences retain the information they see more effectively.

Furthermore, PowerPoint allows users to add multimedia content to their presentations.

This can include video clips, audio clips, images and other visuals.

With these features, businesses can create presentations that are more dynamic and engaging, and can further help audiences retain the information.

Overall, PowerPoint is an essential tool for every business, and its features make it easy to create compelling presentations that engage audiences and help them to better retain the information.

By combining text, graphics, animations, and multimedia content, businesses can make use of its powerful features to create engaging presentations that are both informative and visually appealing.

Final Thoughts

PowerPoint is an incredibly powerful tool that can be used to create visually appealing and engaging presentations.

It gives users the ability to easily organize and deliver complex concepts in a way that is understandable and memorable.

By taking advantage of its many features, businesses can make use of PowerPoint to create compelling presentations that can help them to reach their goals.

With the right approach, PowerPoint can help you make a lasting impression on your audiences.

James Wilson

James Wilson has extensive knowledge in the information technology industry.His second love, besides dealing with computers, is smart home technology. He is continually updating information to better comprehend this problem and has a deep understanding of the apartment’s support system.

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How to Create Slides That Suit Your Superiors: 11 Tips

When you’re pitching ideas or budgets to execs in your organization, you need to deliver slides that fit those particular people just right. This checklist identifies the key considerations.

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I recently interviewed 20 of my customers, all in senior roles at Fortune 100 companies, and asked them their biggest pain point in presenting to higher-ups and even colleagues. What I heard consistently was that it can feel like Goldilocks bouncing from one option to the next, testing to figure out what’s “just right.” Does the audience want deep reports? Sparse slides? Something in between? Like … what?

Teams often come to presentation meetings with vast amounts of backup content just in case an exec wants to take a deep dive on any given point. There’s often a struggle to anticipate every direction attendees might want to go. It’s frustrating, and it’s not efficient.

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There are many ways to build slides. I’m not just talking about crafting them well versus poorly. I’m talking about all of the important decisions regarding how to organize them, how much text to use, when to lean into a chart, the best ways to use bullets and color, and whether to include an appendix with additional information. Before you make your next proposal or request of the executive team, use this list of 11 tips for your next set of slides as a guide.

Four Things You Must Have in Every Exec’s Slides

Before we drill down into the harder aspects, the ones where your executives’ tastes may vary widely, let’s quickly cover four aspects that you can consider the building blocks — the basics you should never proceed without.

Start with an executive summary. Begin the slide deck with a tight executive summary that follows a three-act structure. First, start with stating the current realities. Second, clearly state the problem or opportunity your idea addresses and its potential impact. Third, explain how your recommendation solves the problem or exploits the opportunity and the next steps you’re proposing.

Have a logical organization. The arc of the deck — the package from beginning to end — should make sense. If your audience reads only the headline of every slide, the order should be coherent and make most of the case for you. The content below each slide’s headline must support the statement made in the title. Remove everything that doesn’t support your point; as writers will tell you, you sometimes need to “kill your darlings” when you’re editing.

Begin the slide deck with a tight executive summary that follows a three-act structure.

Make it skimmable. Help your audience to quickly grasp the point without getting bogged down in details. Create a clear visual hierarchy. Guide the reader’s eye through the content: Use bold headings, bullet points, and numbered lists to break down information into digestible pieces. Highlight key takeaways or conclusions in a different color or font size to draw attention to these critical points.

Focus on concise insights. Succinct statements with clear insights are everyone’s jam. Every slide should serve a purpose and contribute directly to the decision-making process. Distill complex information. Don’t use 100 words when 20 words will nail it. If you’re having difficulty trimming, consider using company-approved AI tools to help you take out the fluff.

Five Preferences to Confirm With the Person You Want to Reach

Now we’ll delve into what your particular audience does and does not want. If you haven’t yet, start by asking the person you’re presenting to what they generally prefer. They probably know themselves well but have not been asked to articulate how they like to receive information.

Ask how dense is too dense. Some executives prefer detailed slides with comprehensive data. Others favor a more high-level approach. You’re weighing how to balance informative content with readability, ensuring that slides are not overloaded yet are sufficiently detailed to support decision-making.

Confirm the delivery format and timing. Some execs like information presented to them. Others prefer a pre-read of the material followed by a discussion. I always recommend our tool Slidedocs (I’ve written a free e-book on them), which are visual documents using both words and images. The templates help presenters organize their thoughts into a document for a pre-read or a read-along. They are designed to be skimmable and able to travel through your organization without the help of a presenter.

I’m a huge fan of pre-reads and prefer to use my time in meetings to ask questions and build alignment. If your audience didn’t review your material in advance, ask at the top of the meeting whether they would like you to present it or would prefer to read through it and then discuss it.

Find out how much data visualization they prefer. Charts, graphs, photos, and illustrations often communicate complex data more clearly than words alone. When execs can see what you’re saying, they often can better understand the impact of your idea. Does the exec want to understand exact numbers? Bar charts allow them to move their eyes across a series of specifics. Does the exec want to know the shape of a trend over time? Line charts can show the pattern. (See “Classic Charts Communicate Data Quickly.”) Some prefer charts with annotations that draw attention to what you think is the most important point. Others want to make their own conclusions from the data.

One of my clients, the CEO of a massive commercial real estate company, doesn’t want anything visualized. He prefers numbers, only in a table, and only in two colors — black and red. You might think this is archaic. But the fact that he’s clear to his teams about what he wants takes all the mystery out of how to communicate with him.

When the stakes are high, have a conceptual thinker help with diagrams and concepts. If you don’t have one on your team, and when it’s high stakes, find an internal designer to help you or hire one. You can’t afford to have the baby (your idea) thrown out with the bathwater (terrible slides).

Identify which details need spelling out. How well do the people you’re presenting to know the landscape and function of the company and products you’re talking about? For example, if your engineering team threw a slide into a deck about an issue that requires executive approval, do the execs all speak geek? Or do you need to explain the technology so that they will really understand the ask? Either eliminate internal jargon and acronyms or unpack those bits, especially if your proposal deeply involves expertise outside of the executives’ domain.

Ask whether appendices will be useful. When you’re organizing a presentation, you often troll data, read through complicated reports, and even hire external experts to figure out what’s best for the company. Do your execs want access to that supporting data? You can add a document to the end of the presentation as an appendix to show all of the data and source material. This allows the main content of the slides to remain focused and accessible while still providing comprehensive background information for those who want more.

Two Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills

Getting materials in place is the biggest step. They will be your best tools for selling your ideas. But there are two extra areas to pay attention to as a presenter: how you handle questions and how you use every experience to improve.

Anticipate questions, and practice your answers. Before you have your meeting, gather a small team to challenge every point you make. Invite colleagues you trust to role-play as “a rapidly inquisitive exec” or “the doubting naysayer exec” so you are prepared to present your idea well. They’re gonna grill you, and practicing will help you remain unruffled when it happens.

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Ask for feedback after the presentation. Establish a feedback loop with those you presented to. Ask what worked well and how you can improve. If attendees don’t have the time, find people who have had their ideas funded and talk to them about what they did that worked. Advice and some perspective will help you nail your performance even better next time.

Empathetically understanding your audience members and how they process information, whether it’s executives or peers, sets up your ideas for success. Clarity creates efficiency. When a presentation fits just right, you’ve given your great thinking the best chance of moving through your organization and having maximum impact.

About the Author

Nancy Duarte is CEO of Duarte Inc. , a communication company in the Silicon Valley. She’s the author of six books, including DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story (Ideapress Publishing, 2019).

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The pros and cons of using Powerpoint in business presentations

• March 10, 2022

Powerpoint is presentation software that is often used in business settings. It can be a great tool to help you communicate your ideas, or it can be a disaster if not used correctly. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of using PowerPoint in business presentations. We will also give you some tips on effective business presentations with PowerPoint and how to use it in PowerPoint presentation design services!

Table of Contents

PowerPoint pros and cons in Effective business presentations with PowerPoint

A well-designed presentation may engage your audience, properly communicate your point, and advance your professional objectives. But you will face PowerPoint Pros and Cons that make it hard to decision, let’s meet them.

The Pros of Using PowerPoint in Business Presentations

You can insert multimedia formats.

PowerPoint is a robust tool that gives you the opportunity to play with all its functionalities and use it in whichever way best suits your needs. You can add images or videos, and change voiceovers for added effect – there’s really no limit on creativity when using this program!

It facilitates an effective way of communication with the audience

PowerPoint is the go-to program for presentations of all shapes and sizes. It’s easy to use, with a large library that includes animations as well! Plus you can change your style depending on what will work best: if it’s just text slides without any visual cues then rely heavily upon images or videos; otherwise mix things up by including both types within each other’ s presentation frame (Hurst).

Extremely efficient tool

PowerPoint is a powerful and versatile program that offers many features to help you complete your work more quickly. The list of 84 shortcuts can make it easier than ever before, saving time in the long run!

You can choose to create your own design or use existing ones

PowerPoint offers you full control over your slides’ appearance. You have the freedom to customize each individual element of a presentation with ease, giving it an authentic look that’s perfect for yourself!

PowerPoint offers a number of templates to help you create presentations. These include visuals such as images and text that can be easily customized for your specific needs, in addition, it provides design ideas based on what’s included within the program itself!

The master slide is the topmost one in your presentation, and it’s where you set fonts for all of them. You can also add images or logos to make each individual slide more interesting-looking!

It can be used virtually anywhere

Connect your presentation to a USB stick or any cloud storage app and you will have access at all times. This is included with standard professional settings, so no matter where they are located, employees can view it on their own devices!

Visual Appeal

PowerPoint allows you to create visually engaging slides using various elements such as images, charts, graphs, and videos. This helps to convey complex information in an easily digestible format.

The Cons of Using PowerPoint in Business Presentations

High risk of technical issues.

PowerPoint has many different features that can interfere with your presentation. Your computer might stop working, get an update right when you start using it or lose power in the middle of a show-and there are always connectivity issues! There are also specific things PowerPoint does for each individual user like fonts (that won’t work) videos not embedding properly if placed outside their folder containing all related files which could lead to complete confusion on how exactly these items should be used during development time as well since some programs require more memory than others depending upon what kind dialogues will pop up asking whatever question happens next…

Overuse of information

We all know that presentations can be overwhelming with so many options, but this is your one chance to get everything right. Don’t let yourself lose sight of the big picture or spend time figuring out which font will make slides look best when they’re printed out for people who come after you in line!

Predisposal to death by PowerPoint

PowerPoint presentations are common in conferences, business meetings, and universities. The way you present will determine whether or not your audience listens to what’s going on around them! Make sure that their attention is caught from the beginning by coming off as polished (and professional) while also adding some creativity with design choices like fonts/color combinations – just make these decisions early so they don’t distract later when there’s more important work at hand.

Presenters rely too much on slides

When you are too focused on preparing your slides, it can blindside how much work needs to go into actually delivering the presentation. Your audience wants more from a speaker than what they read on paper or screen – otherwise, they could have looked over them themselves!

Overuse of presentations

When you get so used to using a certain tool it starts becoming your presentation style, even for things like reports and status updates. It will take less time but cost more in terms of a fun factor because everyone else wants their turn at being on stage as well!

Overloading Information

The temptation to cram too much information onto a single slide can lead to information overload, overwhelming your audience and diluting your message.

Tips for Using Powerpoint in Business Presentations

• Keep your slides simple and organized.
• Make sure that all of the information is relevant to your topic.
• Use images, videos, and other multimedia elements to add interest.
• Practice your presentation beforehand.
• Be aware of your audience’s needs and interests.
• Stay focused on your message.

Other PowerPoint alternatives for Business presentations:

The presentation software is popular for its non-linear presentations, which allow the user to smoothly pan and zoom from one page of content on your screen without creating an impression that you are moving onto a new slide. This makes it easy enough even if users have never used this type before!

Canva is an easy-to-use PowerPoint alternative. The presentation templates come ready with numerous slides and all you need to do is choose which ones work best for your next meeting or event! Alongside basic features like changing fonts & colors, animated presentations can also be made possible if purchased through our Business plan – just pick out what content/slides from within those options suit YOUR needs most importantly then craft a beautiful-looking final product without worrying about time constraints because we got this covered.

The Slides.com cloud-based presentation software offers a solid, user-friendly alternative to PowerPoint! Its sleek editor workspace allows you to add background images and use various designs or themes while collaborating easily with others through 10 default templates that can also be customized by anyone else who uses this platform – no need for Designer Certification necessary (though it does help). You might want to try out our newest tool: “Slide Share” where users share their own presentations in order to inspire yours even further.

If you want a presentation that looks like it came right off the screen in your favorite Hollywood movie, then Keynote is what you need. With its sleek design and intuitive interface–not to mention all of those powerful features!–this software will make creating presentations easy as pie!

5-Zoho Show

Zoho Show is an online presentation tool that allows you to create and share your presentations with others from anywhere in the world. It has all of PowerPoint’s features, but it also provides some unique add-ons for better branding opportunities like weekly meeting minutes or presenter slideshows!

6-Google Slides

With over 50 million people using Slides every day, it’s no wonder that this presentation app has taken off in popularity. The easy-to-use interface paired with an available Google account makes for a versatile workflow—you can edit your slides from anywhere at any time!

What makes a business presentation great?

• A great business presentation is clear, concise, and engaging.
• It focuses on the key points of the topic at hand.
• The presenter is knowledgeable about the subject matter.
• The audience is interested in the topic being presented.

What makes a business presentation terrible?

• The presenter is unprepared or uninformed about the topic.
• The slides are cluttered and contain too much information.
• The presenter reads from slides verbatim.
• The presentation is dull and uninteresting.

Microsoft PowerPoint is a powerful tool for crafting compelling business presentations. Its pros, including visual appeal, organization, flexibility, and customization, far outweigh its cons, like information overload and potential boredom. To create effective business presentations with PowerPoint, focus on knowing your audience, crafting a clear storyline, using engaging visuals, and practicing your delivery. When used thoughtfully, PowerPoint can elevate your business communication, driving your message home and helping you achieve your objectives.

What is the negative impact of using PowerPoint in class?

Few things are trickier than when a PowerPoint presentation is oversimplifying and skipping critical topics related to a case. This can make the audience think that the case is far more straightforward than it is, creating a huge gap between reality and perception.

What are the effects of PowerPoint presentations?

A standard PowerPoint presentation has pictures, graphs, diagrams, and bullet points. It improves the memory capacity of the mind. It also helps students remember information for a long time. A PowerPoint presentation can enhance the intellect of students.

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11 Advantages of Using Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

If you suddenly find yourself in a position where you have to present information to other people, you might wonder what software is the best to use to deliver a professional presentation. There are different options to choose from and you just don’t know what to use.

The biggest advantage of using PowerPoint is that PPT files are the most commonly used and widely accepted file formats. PowerPoint is easy to use, cost-effective and boasts a huge online community for support. You also get access to thousands of templates to make your presentation look good.

But, there are several other advantages of using Microsoft PowerPoint for your presentations too. In this article, I’ll some of the most effective benefits of using Microsoft PowerPoint for presentation design!

Note – If you are on the fence but interested in getting PowerPoint, check out this limited-time deal to get Office 365 1-year subscription for the lowest price on Amazon!

1.   Most Widely Accepted File Format

Microsoft PowerPoint is a widely accepted file format where slides are used to convey information. It is a standard component of the Microsoft Office Suite and is compatible with Google Slides, Keynote, and other open-source presentation software.

According to some research results regarding the popularity and use of presentation software, it is estimated that PowerPoint is currently installed on more than a billion computers worldwide ! It is believed that there might be about 30 million PowerPoint presentations created every day.

The advantage of using such a popular and widely used software program is that it is most probably a familiar program for the person you share a presentation with.

2.   Wide Variety of File Export Options

A great advantage offered by PowerPoint is that you can export the whole presentation, or parts of it, in a variety of formats. PowerPoint presentations can also be made available on many different devices, and you can always control what content you want to display.

As you don’t have to send a presentation necessarily in .ppt or .pptx format, the receiver doesn’t require PowerPoint or PowerPoint Viewer to open the presentation.

You can export in PDF format and your layout and design will not be altered. The presentation’s slides can also be saved and exported in .png or .jpg format.

If needed, a presentation can also be exported to a video and saved in Mp4 format. If gifs form part of your presentation, they can be saved and exported as Animated GIFs . 

You always have the print option to export your presentation or parts of the presentation to Word. When you’ve exported it to Word the content can be edited before printing it.

Whichever way of exporting you decide on, you can export the presentation either as a whole or only some of the slides.  And it can be sent as an attachment with an email or you can use the Cloud to facilitate the saving and exporting processes of the presentation.

3.   Provides huge Flexibility in Design & Creativity

PowerPoint provides huge flexibility in design and creativity. You can, for instance, use its visual hierarchy features when you create your slides. With this feature, you assure that the right elements and content catch the eye.

Other features include the merging of shapes, the creation of layers, and the creative use of color. You also get an eyedropper tool in PowerPoint that allows you to use any color from your screen in your presentation!

With the Design Ideas feature , you can create the content of a slide and PowerPoint will offer you a variety of design choices to make it better.

The design features PowerPoint offers can in many aspects be compared to advanced design software solutions like Adobe InDesign. You don’t need separate software to design your slides – PowerPoint provides you with built-in features.

4.   Allows you to Use Creative Templates

The designs of your presentations are what catch the eye and help you to convey your message to your audience. PowerPoint’s creative templates spare you the time of designing your own templates.

However, if you are a good designer yourself, PowerPoint allows you to create your own templates if you want to.

Note – Check out some of the most popular PowerPoint templates on the internet!

When using PowerPoint’s creative templates feature, it automatically generates design ideas to choose from. You get virtually unlimited options because this feature matches the content you are creating to professionally designed layouts in the background.

This template creation feature is a great advantage for users without any design background. It lets you design presentations that look professional even if you don’t have a design background.

5.   Functionality to Use Both Online and Offline

PowerPoint offers you the option to work either online or offline. When you’re using PowerPoint online you can create and share basic presentations directly in your browser. 

But it must be remembered that web-based PowerPoint doesn’t have all the features that you’ll have access to with desktop PowerPoint.  For “normal” presentations the online web version is good enough and you can present your slide show from anywhere where you have internet access.

To utilize all the features of PowerPoint you have to install the software on your desktop device.

PowerPoint offers you the freedom to work online or offline whichever mode suits you the best for a specific presentation. Many PowerPoint users work with both modes – depending on what they are creating and for what purpose.

6.   Allows easy Collaboration and Sharing with other Team Members

PowerPoint is an ideal tool to share and collaborate with team members when you are creating a presentation as a team. You have various options.

You can independently create a presentation and then send it to team members for comments or editing. Or you can work simultaneously on the same presentation with others via web-based PowerPoint or by saving your desktop-created presentation in the Cloud.

7.   Option to Add a vast Variety of Multimedia

PowerPoint provides you with tools to make any presentation more interesting by using multi-media. When using PowerPoint you can in the same presentation have

• text with the option to install additional fonts ,
• videos and video snippets,
• background music,
• a narrator’s voice explaining the visual material on the screen,
• graphics to illustrate tendencies,
• tables to compare information, and more.

And you don’t need separate tools to create interesting presentations – everything is built-in into PowerPoint. You can either just add the various types of files to the presentation or you can add the formats as such into the presentation.   

8.   Suitable for Beginners and Advanced Users alike

The versatility of PowerPoint ensures that on the one hand, presentation creators with advanced design skills are not disappointed with the design tools and possibilities offered by PowerPoint and on the other hand, beginners and people without any designing background can create professional-looking presentations.

 This is one of the most important advantages of PowerPoint – anyone can use it successfully.

9.   Cost is relatively Inexpensive

PowerPoint is normally part of the Microsoft Office package and is included in the Microsoft Office one-off price or subscription. But if you are not a Microsoft Office user, you can purchase PowerPoint from the Microsoft Store at a reasonable price of about $160.

Note – Check out this limited-time deal to get Office 365 1-year subscription for as little as about $60 on Amazon!

Once you’ve purchased PowerPoint you can use it without extra charges to create presentations and to present them for non-commercial purposes. However, there are licensing and relatively small annual fees involved if you use the PowerPoint presentations commercially. 

10. Suitable for Teaching

A PowerPoint presentation in the class is an effective way to reinforce content that has to be retained.

With features like the possibility to record your voice to accompany the PowerPoint slides, it is also easy to convert the presentations that have been used in the class into videos to post online. The students can then review the work done in the class at home.  T

his method works effectively for academic lessons and training sessions.

PowerPoint presentations online can also sometimes be the only way to teach and train students. During the Covid pandemic, for instance, classes are sometimes not possible and online sessions are the only way to keep on teaching.

A large percentage of these online sessions have started as PowerPoint presentations.  

11. Huge Online Community and Microsoft Support for Troubleshooting Issues

Microsoft offers 24/7 support for PowerPoint users and there are literally hundreds of articles online available on how to troubleshoot issues. The huge online community of PowerPoint users is also actively involved on websites like Quora to help fellow users to get solutions for their issues.

Credit to benzoix (on Freepik) for the featured image of this article (further edited)

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The Research-Backed Benefits of Daily Rituals

• Michael I. Norton

A survey of more than 130 HBR readers asked how they use rituals to start their days, psych themselves up for stressful challenges, and transition when the workday is done.

While some may cringe at forced corporate rituals, research shows that personal and team rituals can actually benefit the way we work. The authors’ expertise on the topic over the past decade, plus a survey of nearly 140 HBR readers, explores the ways rituals can set us up for success before work, get us psyched up for important presentations, foster a strong team culture, and help us wind down at the end of the day.

“Give me a W ! Give me an A ! Give me an L ! Give me a squiggly! Give me an M ! Give me an A ! Give me an R ! Give me a T !”

• Michael I. Norton is the Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. He is the author of The Ritual Effect and co-author of Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending . His research focuses on happiness, well-being, rituals, and inequality. See his faculty page here .

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