You're presenting to a room of executives. How can you make sure your message is heard loud and clear?

Prepare, practice, engage, and breathe. (1) Rehearse your presentation multiple times to ensure smooth delivery. Practice in front of a mirror or with a colleague to get feedback on your delivery and timing. (2) Address concerns proactively by anticipating potential questions or concerns from the executives and addressing them during your presentation. This demonstrates thoroughness and helps build trust. (3) Command the room by projecting confidence through your body language. Maintain eye contact, stand tall, and use gestures purposefully. This non-verbal communication can reinforce your message. (4) Break down complex information into manageable sections. (5) Lastly, smile, have fun, and ask engaging questions to keep their attention.

Firstly, I do not accept making a presentation prepared by third parties. If you want to sell an idea you need a “plot”. A way to win over your audience and persuade your audience. Tell a story and reach a Grand Finale! All the tips above are valid and very important but my contribution is: Don't get hung up on the PPT! This should only be a support point and a way to ensure that no item is forgotten. This supporting material also cannot be self-explanatory so as not to generate competition with the presenter. Otherwise, the tendency is for your audience to start reading instead of listening to you. Preferably use teasers, graphics and pictures! Hugs

Best presentation training I've ever had: 1. Tell them what you're going to say 2. Say it, maximum 3 key points 3. Remind them what you just said Less is more!

I think the most critical part is knowing your audience and keeping the content focussed on what it is they are looking for. If even out of a set of people you know who the real decision maker is, that much the better. Keep the presentation focussed on what the decision makers(s) need and be thorough with the content. Avoid flashy presentations to executives, keep the style sober, they WILL NOT be taken in by the glitz in your presentation.

Step into your audience shoes and speak in their language. Understand their requirement. Presentation should be in simple language, easy to understand, right to the point. It should include visuals and data which would make presentation interesting. Keep your audience engaged by asking them questions, or take their opinion. Guide them towards implementing the solution that answers their questions.

Start with "Why?" Always know why you're there - focus on clarity, conciseness, and engagement. Craft a compelling narrative with a clear objective. Begin with a strong opening to grab attention, followed by a structured presentation with key points. Use simple language, avoid jargon, and incorporate visuals for impact. Maintain eye contact, speak confidently, and encourage interaction. Tailor your message to address their concerns and emphasize the value of your proposal. Rehearse to ensure a smooth delivery, and be prepared to adapt based on audience reactions. End with a concise summary and open the floor for questions to enhance understanding and engagement.

I have found that having an outline slide of what I am presenting on helps me to keep my focus. It has to be aligned with the message or theme of the presentation. Align the message with the audience in attendance so they can understand the message. Maintain eye contact with the audience as well

The message must to be clear and straight to the point. Avoid having lots of slides. Two or three (max) slides shall be used to help you to deliver the message. Present facts, data, investment, return on investment and why your project is relevant and shall be approved.

Scream! Just Kidding. It's critical to start with why this topic impacts them/the business so that it catches their attention. Be direct and specific knowing that the audience only wants to get a concise message and fully understand why this topic is important and any next steps they should take. Keeping the audience's attention, understanding why it's critical to the business, and a solid summary will always keep you focused on the message and keep the audience engaged.

I believe a widely overlooked framework when crafting a message is the EPIC framework. Accordingly when delivering a message to any target audience, especially business executives you need to rely on the following: 1- Empathy: where you should put yourselves in the shoes of the target audience to be able to design a compelling and relatable message. 2- Purpose: where you should define a clear purpose for your message that is catered with their interest and yours. It should be your compass. 3-Insights: where your message relies on evidence-based insights are holistic rather than monolithic. This helps convince the executives with the importance of your idea. 4- Communication: where you communicate concisely using storytelling.

Stop thinking about what you want them to know - start thinking about what they want to hear. Often, we're so involved in the detail of what we're delivering that we lose track of what is actually important to the wider business. Before you speak to Execs, try and get in front of the people in the organisation that know them best; learn from their mistakes and understand what messages will land with them. Always align your objectives with that of the business and those leading it - if you can't do that, you need to rethink the work you're doing.

To ensure your message resonates effectively with executives, focus on three key elements: clarity, relevance, and engagement. Craft a concise and compelling narrative that clearly articulates your main points. Tailor your message to address the specific concerns and priorities of your executive audience, demonstrating a keen understanding of their challenges. Use vivid examples and stories to make your content relatable and memorable. Lastly, engage your audience through strategic pauses, eye contact, and interactive elements, fostering a connection that transcends the spoken words. By combining these elements, you'll not only capture their attention but also leave a lasting impact that aligns with their strategic objectives.

Building a presentation is like playing LEGO. Depending on the situation, you will use different bricks. Some components of structure can also be covered verbally... not always on a slide. Overall I find that providing CONTEXT at the beginning is required 90% of times. Please also ensure that your conclusion is aligned with your overall objective. A call to action can be a great conclusion... but that may not always be what you want to achieve. There are other options.

Understanding the appropriate verbiage to employ, determining the optimal moments for communication, and discerning the consequential subtopics to incorporate hold paramount significance.

Structuring your presentation effectively ensures clarity by organizing information logically, using a clear introduction, main points, and conclusion. This helps the audience follow your message easily and enhances overall comprehension. Use a logical flow, concise points, and a strong opening and closing for impact.

We use the same part of our brains to understand language that is written as when it is spoken. That means your audience can't read the text on your slides and listen to what you are saying. You are more important than the slides so make sure you design them to have as few words as possible on them. Use photos, diagrams, charts, animations, to support your message and you'll find the audience pays attention to you.

When designing slides for a presentation, consider the following tips: 1. Simplicity - Keep slides uncluttered with a clear focus on key points. - Limit text to essential information. 2. Visuals - Use high-quality images, charts, and graphs to enhance understanding. 3. Consistency - Use the same layout for each slide type (title, content, etc.). 4. Readability - Use legible fonts and appropriate font sizes. 5. Bullet Points - Avoid overcrowding slides with too much text. 6. Transitions - Use slide transitions sparingly for a professional look. 7. Branding - Incorporate your organization's branding elements. 8. Conclusion 9. Feedback - Get feedback on your slides for improvements.

When using slides it’s important to remember that they are there to enhance and/or emphasize the topic or point you are trying to make. Less is always more. And remember facts resonate but clear stories resonate the most.

I have always felt that the way you make your presentation, understanding your crowd and the content is very important to convey your idea effectively. There are cases when slides are over populated with words which can lead to you loosing the audience half way through the presentation. For me, it’s always 70-30% for pictures vs text in a presentation, as my past experience revealed to me images catch the attention of your audience much better than over explained texts. Also a touch of humour can always help you if the situation is not demanding a serious discussion.

Slides should be clear and comprehensive. Only critical information should be included on each slide. It is also integral that your main message is succinctly included on the slide and stated at the start. I try to abide by the 1-6-6 rule - 1 message per slide. 6 bullet points/figures. No more than 6 words per bullet point. Overcrowding a slide with more often results in losing your audience. Have 3 main takeaways for a presentation. And make sure your audience leave with that. Design your presentation so that these three main takeaways are emphasized on multiple occasions.

Mastering the 4 key attributes of your voice (pace, volume, emphasis and intonation) is always critical here... but presenters should also master the specific challenges created in face-to-face, virtual or hybrid presentations. Not all presentations setting are the same. We now teach these subtile context-dependent nuances/chalenges and how to address them.

Delivery is so key! How you present sets the tone for the whole message. For example if you have a good message but poor delivery it’s not going to come across - Additionally, consider incorporating visual aids, such as compelling slides or relevant props, to enhance your message. Tailor your delivery to the audience's level of understanding, ensuring clarity and accessibility. Encourage audience interaction through questions or discussions to create a more dynamic and engaging presentation experience. Lastly, be adaptable and responsive to the audience's reactions, adjusting your delivery style as needed for maximum impact.

Emotional storytelling is crucial in presentations as it has the ability to captivate the audience and create a deeper connection. Stories evoke emotions such as empathy, enthusiasm and identification, which make the presentation more vivid and memorable. People remember stories better than pure facts, which makes the message of the presentation stick in the mind. In addition, emotional storytelling enables the speaker to transform complex ideas and abstract concepts into tangible and understandable experiences, making it easier to convince and inspire the audience. In short, emotional storytelling arouses interest, creates loyalty and gives a presentation a powerful impact.

Presenting to executives involves concisely framing the situation, outlining available options, and transparently presenting associated risks. Clearly articulate the consequences of both action and inaction, enabling them to make informed decisions. Emphasize tradeoffs, as every choice involves them. Be prepared to offer deeper insights when requested, but don't overload your presentation. Keep it brief, allowing them to grasp key points without getting bogged down in unnecessary details.

You should also prepare to pivot/improvise. Try to anticipate what questions you’ll be asked, even the off topic ones. Additionally, prep or plan for misconceptions and incorrect assumptions. Feel confident enough to redirect the off topic question. “That’s a great question, but not part of this presentation. Let’s talk after” If you’re asked a question you don’t know the answer to, remember that there’s nothing wrong with saying “ I don’t know, let me get back to you”. How you say it will also make an impression.

It is crucial to plan the length of the Q&A section to avoid misunderstandings. Towards the end, don’t forget to emphasize the number of questions that can fit in the allotted time. Additionally, clear communication ensures an effective conveyance of your main message.

In the Q&A session, it's essential to align your responses with your audience's needs. For example, when facing questions from my CMO, I tailored my answers to highlight areas directly relevant to her decision-making. Planning the Q&A length is crucial to manage expectations and avoid misunderstandings. Emphasizing the number of questions that fit within the allotted time ensures a smooth and focused session. Clear communication during this segment is key for reinforcing your main message and leaving a lasting impression on your audience. Handling questions with professionalism, respect, and honesty enhances the overall impact of your presentation.

Although addressing questions is the last segment of any presentation, it is equally important as other parts of it. Through the Q&A audience analyses the magnitude of presenter's knowledge. Here's how one can ace Q&A: 1. Try to be as honest as possible with your answers. 2. Be crisp yet convincing. 3. Back your answers with examples. 4. Admit when you have no answer to a question. 5. Consider taking feedback.

Figure out what kinds of questions they usually ask and/or topics they are most interested in. Then, be sure you either know or have all the information about those topics easy to access. When all else fails, tell them you'll look and get back to them. I've even told an investor once that I didn't have that number but while my colleague presented, I'd look it up and have it for him by the end of the meeting. Its better to look it up and give them the right answer than accidentally give the wrong one because you weren't sure.

Stay calm, fully listen to each question, and pause before responding. Ensure clarity by paraphrasing to confirm understanding. Be concise, directly addressing the query without unnecessary details. If uncertain, admit it and offer to follow up. Maintain a confident demeanor, even with challenging inquiries. If a question is unclear, diplomatically seek clarification. Foster a positive atmosphere by acknowledging good questions. Don't rush; take a moment to collect your thoughts. Encourage follow-up questions, signaling openness. When facing criticism, respond professionally, acknowledging concerns and proposing solutions. Finally, express gratitude for their engagement in the discussion.

Get yourself noticed through effective engagement by: a) Unveiling a striking revelation at the very onset; b) Contrasting conventional views with compelling counterarguments supported by data; c) Fearlessly confronting perspectives from the senior most guys sitting in the room whose views diverge from your own, thus engaging them in dynamic discussions.

Make sure you have an executive summary. They may be a bit impatient be cause their schedule is always tight. They need to make key decisions and you should encapsulate your points in steps that can help them make the right decisions.

I just use compelling and relevant images with no words at all… The audience is there to listen to you. The “story” that you will be telling. We all like to hear good “stories”. Slides are just like props and fillers for your story. They’re not there to read words on your slides, or be dazzled by the thesis which you have transplanted onto 50 slides. Steve Jobs did it best. And see how his products flew off the shelves.

While every point is equally important, adding some noteworthy insights based on my experience : 1. It is important to make the audience feel comfortable. A small witty quote on the main topic right before the introduction can go a long way into capturing the audience’s attention. 2. Make the experience as easily understandable as possible. Use of too many technical jargons or being too verbose can make your audience feel lost. 3. The way you design your presentation - following a color scheme, less clutter and more information presented by way of charts etc., can make more impact. 4. Ensure that you KNOW the subject. A well researched presentation and a well informed speaker is always what an audience primarily looks for.

I have done my share of presentations to executives and also was a trainer for thought leaders speaker presentations. And by being short and to the point, authentic and timely goes a long way…