How to Create Effective Corporate Presentations

2. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
 What knowledge base does your audience have on the presented
subject?
 An audience will lose interest when information is reviewed that
they know well (Anderson, n.d.).
 Being too technical with an audience without a knowledge base will
result in lack of interest
 Place information and numbers into a context the audience can
understand (Gallo, 2009).
 Consider what information is important to your audience
 Ask yourself what questions your audience may have during your
presentation (Theriault, 2013).
 Frame your presentation around those questions and be sure you
have answered them

3. PLAN YOUR PRESENTATION
 Plan your presentation before opening presentation software
 This allows the presenter to more clearly focus the
presentation on key points
 Visit site before giving your presentation
 View slides and presentation material from where
audience will be seated
 Plan where you will stand and how loud audio needs to
be
(Gallo, 2009)

4. LESS IS MORE
Use attention grabbing statements
Summarize and highlight key points

5. DEFINE GOALS
 Defining your goal at the beginning of the
presentation will :
 Aid the presenter in focusing
 Prevent straying from the presentation topic
 Help the audience to relate to the presentation
 Make it easier to achieve goals in the end
(Theriault, 2013).

6. INVOLVE THE AUDIENCE, KEEP THEM
INTERESTED
 Keep your audience engaged by asking questions
Asking rhetorical questions that are thought provoking
will generate more interest from your audience (Theriault,
2013).
 Keep presentation short
 The brain gets tired and wanders after 10 minutes (Gallo,
2009).
 Break presentation into 10-15 minute increments with
stories or videos in between to keep audience engaged
(Gallo, 2009).

7. CREDIBILITY IS IMPORTANT
 The presenter should establish credibility early on
 An audience is more likely to take interest in a subject
when they know about a presenter’s qualifications to
present on a subject(Theriault, 2013).
 Include references to Sources
 Include references to facts and figures
 Credibility of sources ensures information that is useful
and correct

8. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
 Watching a speaker struggle through a presentation is
uncomfortable for all involved
 Audience focuses less on the message
 Practice will make the presenter more comfortable speaking
 A practiced speaker is more engaging
 Practice will help ensure all points are covered
 Speakers should rehearse presentation on their own and with a
practice audience
(Gallo, 2009)

9. ALLOW TIME FOR QUESTIONS
 A question and answer session following a presentation will
allow the audience to clear up any confusion
 The presenter should prepare their own questions
 In the event that no questions are asked the reader saves
face and still ends the presentation on a high note
 The presented should close with a closing statement after the
questions and answer session to tie up loose ends and highlight
important points one last time
(Theriault, 2013).

10. REFERENCES
Anderson, C. (n.d.). How to give a killer presentation. Retrieved
from http://hbr.org/2013/06/how-to-give-a-killer-
presentation/ar/1
Gallo, C. (2009, October 8). In pictures: 10 presentation tips from
steve jobs. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/08/steve-jobs-presentations-
technology-meetings-09-tips_slide_6.html
Theriault, M. (2014, November 4). 9 tips for more powerful business
presentations. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2013/11/04/9-tips-for-
more-powerful-business-presentations/