Knockout presentations: How to get them right 

The ability to deliver a compelling presentation is more than just a skill, says Nicholas Svensson at SMART Technologies, it’s a critical leadership competency

 

We’ve all been there. Sitting through yet another monotonous presentation, where the speaker clicks through slides, and the audience zones out. These ineffective presentations don’t only mean wasted time, but also, adversely affect productivity levels. 

 

Whether you’re pitching a new strategy, sharing quarterly results, or inspiring organisational change, a presentation can mean the difference between a team that’s informed and ready to go or one that’s disengaged and struggling to receive the key messages or takeaways - effectively, meaning ideas are lost, collaboration is stifled and participants miss the goals of the presentation altogether. In fact, research indicates that up to 10 hours of extra work can be required, per presentation, to clarify any points that were not communicated effectively the first time. 

 

With this in mind, here are some tips and tricks to deliver knock-out presentations, ensuring engagement from the team and yielding higher meeting efficiency and effectiveness. .

 

1 Know your audience

Successful presentations begin long before the meeting itself. The key is to take a moment to consider how your audience best receives information.

 

We’re all inundated with information, data feeds, dashboards, scrolling banners and more.  Catching someone’s attention long enough to relay your point takes preparation and a plan.

 

Keeping a presentation simple and not too word-heavy is key. One of the most common presentation mistakes is overloading slides with text, which in turn makes more work for your audience to read through. A good presentation and more importantly, a good presenter, will do the work for their audience. 

 

Using bullet-points, incorporating visuals, and using modern technology keeps the presentation visually engaging, and leaves room for the presenter to wow the audience through their own words. 

 

Ultimately, your audience won’t remember everything. Static slides with endless text are forgettable. Make your presentations memorable by integrating storytelling, visuals, and interactive elections to connect with your audience more meaningfully. This will ultimately leave a lasting impact, and deliver the most important messages.

 

2 Inspire interaction

Presentations wherein one person speaks and the rest of the team listens often fall flat. The one-sidedness makes for a passive audience, which more often than not, has stopped paying attention. Just like in school, we all feel more connected to the content being presented when it’s relatable, engaging, and when we have a chance to be part of the conversation, not simply spoken at. 

 

It is up to the presenter to ensure that the team is actively engaging, feels included, and that their opinion is valued. Introducing options for input, and using interactive tool where the team can annotate slides and answer questions in real time, can help to not only interact with the team, but also help shape outcomes and real-time collaboration through discussions.

 

Interaction can also be tricky when the presentation has not been designed with the hybrid worker in mind. Post-pandemic, hybrid working has stuck and the modern workforce now engages in different ways of working, which means that any presentations that have an in-office audience, are bound to have team members dialling in as well.

 

When it comes to remote workers, it is easier for them to feel disconnected from the conversation, mostly due to the fact that they have fewer ways to interact with the content. Therefore, it is imperative to engage both in-office and remote attendees through the use of collaborative tools. These could be shared documents, or live chat functions, which ensure that everyone feels that they are contributing equally, no matter where they are based. 

 

3 Know your tech tools 

Effective presentations are not just about delivering content but also about engaging your audience in innovative ways. Leveraging the right technology can make the difference between a forgettable presentation and one that leaves a lasting impression. 

 

There are many tools that allow you to create dynamic, visually appealing presentations. These tools allow you to incorporate interactive elements, such as animations and transitions, which hold the audience’s attention. Certain technology tools also offer cloud-based access, enabling easy collaboration and real-time feedback from remote teams.

 

Businesses can utilise interactive displays to bring interactivity to conversations to bridge the gap between in-office and remote attendees by seamlessly integrating with platforms such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom. This enables all attendees to work on a document together, which allows for better interaction, collaboration and engagement amongst meeting attendees as presentations can lead to discussions, wherein everybody can contribute equally, no matter where they are located.

 

A strategic imperative

In the evolving landscape of business communication, mastering the art of presentations is no longer optional - it’s a strategic imperative. The most successful leaders understand that a presentation is more than information transfer; it’s an opportunity to inspire, engage, collaborate and unite teams across physical and digital boundaries.

 

By prioritising audience understanding, embracing simplicity, and leveraging interactive technologies, presenters can transform mundane meetings into dynamic conversations that drive genuine engagement and productivity.

 

The future of effective presentations lies in adaptability, empathy, and strategic communication. Whether addressing in-office teams or connecting with remote workers, the goal remains the same: to create meaningful interactions that resonate, motivate, and ultimately propel organisational success.

 

In an age of information overload, those who can cut through the noise and truly connect with their audience will emerge as the most influential leaders.

 

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Nicholas Svensson is President & CEO at SMART Technologies

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and aerogondo