How to Put Together a Killer Sales or Marketing Presentation

Presentations are something we all have to deal with at one point or another. Whether it is presenting a fresh new idea to your boss or holding a workshop on some critical skill, everyone has had a fair share of exposure to presentations.

Approaching the creation of these demonstrations can be a tricky task. Nerves aside, no one wants to be responsible for a boring presentation. But what elements make up a stellar presentation? And are there tools to take a little bit of the pressure off? Let’s take a look.

How Do I Create a Killer Presentation?

As with most things in life, preparation is key for a good presentation. When creating your slides, you should keep a few things in mind. Ask yourself who your audience is made up of, what would keep them engaged and how you want to approach your presentation knowing these answers. Obviously, every presentation will have variations based upon the topic, audience and tone but there are a few quick tips that can help make every presentation more engaging.

Tell a Story: Who doesn’t love a good story? We know we do. Try crafting your presentation to read more like a story than a series of bullet points. Backup your information with some interesting anecdotes from first-hand experience. This alone can do wonders for livening up your demonstration. According to Fast Company, 92 percent of people want content that takes the form of a story. Presentations are inherently a form of marketing with the end goal of getting people to buy into what you have to say.. So, give the people what they want and craft your next presentation accordingly.

10-20-30 Rule: According to Life Hack contributor Scott H. Young, this rule, developed by Guy Kawasaki, is applicable to every presentation in the world – regardless of whether you are presenting the next big thing or recapping company policies. No presentation should be more than 10 slides, last longer than 20 minutes or have text that is less than 30 point font. Keeping your presentation short and digestible is the key to keeping your audience’s attention. Follow the 10-20-30 rule and you should be golden.

Engage with Visuals: Including visuals is a crucial part of any stellar presentation. Getting your audience’s attention is one thing, but holding it is another. Simply adding enticing imagery can improve memory retention and engagement rates considerably. Did you know that of all the information transmitted to the brain 90 percent is visual? Well, according to Buffer, the stats on visuals don’t end there. The brain processes visual images 60,000 times faster than text. Not to mention that 50 percent of your brain is involved in the process of digesting visuals. If the main goal of your presentation is to make an imprint on your audience’s memory, look no further than visual stimulation. Moreover, content including attractive images saw a 94 percent increase in customer engagement compared to content without, explained MDG Advertising. Engaged customers AND increased memory retention – what’s not to love?

Think Outside the Box: When it comes to presentations, it is always good to approach them in a unique fashion. Ditch the standard PowerPoint set up and find some more interesting ways to display your information. Thinking outside the box can go a long way toward keeping your audience engaged. Viewers don’t want to see the same type of format every time they sit down for a presentation – spice it up!

When crafting your next presentation keep these quick tips in mind.

What Tools Make Presentations Effective?

No matter what you are looking to do, there is usually a tool to help make it easier – presentations are no exception. There are hundreds of apps and websites that can help you create more enticing content for your next presentation. We cut it down to our top five favorites. Check them out:

Piktochart: The best way to present numbers is in the form of an infographic or a chart. Piktochart makes that simple by providing users with easy-to-use templates to create customizable visual assets for presentations. The end product can be shared online, accessed anywhere and easily printed.

Haiku Deck: If you are looking for simplicity with a modern touch, look no further than Haiku Deck. The site/app allows users to focus more on imagery and graphics and less on cluttered words. Haiku Deck is highly customizable and gives users examples of cool ways to format presentations.

Adobe Kuler: Color themes are very important when creating a powerful presentation. And without a design background, it can difficult to decide how to coordinate colors into
appealing themes. That is where Adobe Kuler comes in. If you see an image with a color scheme you enjoy, just upload the image and the site will tell you which exact shades were involved.

KeyNote for iCloud: KeyNote provides users with smooth transitioning capabilities and stellar slide animations. The site lets you upload your own content and allows for a visually-captivating presentation experience.

Mimeo: When you need to ensure high print quality for your presentation, Mimeo has got you covered. Appearance is everything when presenting, and we can help make sure your next presentation is printed in the best format possible. From paper to binding all the way down to cover styles and tabs, we help our customers out with all their print-related needs.