Business Communication: How to Create Successful Business Presentations

Giving a business presentation involves standing in front of a live audience and talking to them about a topic usually with the aid of slides displaying images, diagrams and text. It could also include addressing a virtual audience during an online meeting or recording a presentation for a podcast.

Presentations are often given in the context of a meeting. The purpose of the presentation is usually to share information that’s relevant to the meeting objective and, in some cases, to persuade the audience to support a strategy or project, or buy a product. For example, if a company is undergoing change, management may use presentations to engage groups of stakeholders by explaining the reasons for the change and to ask for feedback.

Many organisations also use presentations as part of the recruitment process. Applicants are asked to give a presentation to demonstrate their communication skills, their ability to address live audiences and their understanding of key concepts related to the role for which they are being interviewed.

Business professionals may also give and attend presentations at conferences related to their field. Oral presentations are also used in educational settings. Management students often give presentations in the course of seminars or for assessment purposes. These presentations are usually followed by a discussion during which the speakers answer questions from the audience.

What makes an effective presentation?

Think about one or two presentations you’ve attended or delivered in the past. Consider the features that made these presentations an effective way of communicating with an audience, and what made them less effective in their communication.

The most effective presentations are made by people who have a clear goal which they achieve by talking to an audience in a well-organised and engaging manner.

Key Features of an Effective Presentation

• A good presentation is tailored to its specific audience and context. This is a key principle of business communication. If you know your audience, you will be able to select the most appropriate content, organisation visuals and language.
• A good presentation has a clear goal. To be an effective presenter you need to know what you want to achieve from your talk. You will know which key points and information you want your audience to remember and act upon by the end of your talk. Having a clear goal in mind helps to organise your presentation.
• An effective presentation is clearly organised. To ensure that your audience understands and remembers the key information and points you want to deliver, you need to make sure your presentation is clearly structured. It should have an introduction, main body and conclusion, and each part of your talk should clearly contribute to your goal.
• A good presentation is easy to follow. Presentations take place in real time and, unless they are recorded, the audience is not able to review what has been said to improve their understanding or remind themselves. Therefore, you need to divide your presentation into short, well-linked sections each dealing with one theme. Your presentation should flow.
• An effective presentation is a rich medium of communication. While the level of interaction possible in a face-to-face meeting is not normally achievable, effective presenters expertly and confidently combine words, visuals and body language, such as gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice, to reinforce their message. These features as well as a colloquial, engaging style allow you to show your interest and personal involvement with both your topic and audience.
• A good presentation facilitates a two-way interaction between participants. A well-prepared presentation gives presenters and their audiences an opportunity to engage with each other in many ways. Presenters achieve this by establishing eye contact and responding to the audience’s reactions by adjusting the speed of delivery, building in pauses and repetition, and increasing or reducing the amount and complexity of content. To further engage the audience, presenters may circulate preparatory materials or an abstract a few days before the talk. At the end of their presentation, they will also respond to any questions or comments from their audience. Indeed one of the goals of presentations given during business meetings can be to stimulate a discussion on the points raised.

Establishing Your Context

The first step to a successful presentation is to think about the purpose of your presentation, the context in which you will deliver it and the audience you will be addressing.

Ask yourself the following questions.

• What is the purpose of your presentation?

Think about why you are giving your presentation and your main objective. If you have a goal in mind, it will be easier to think of ways to achieve it by selecting the appropriate content and structure.

• What is the context of my presentation?

Your context may be your department or another department within your organisation, or you may have to present to external stakeholders, such as your clients or business partners. If possible, consider the specific culture of the department or departments and how presentations are normally given in these contexts.

If you present in the course of a meeting, you will need to consider the overall purpose of the meeting, how your presentation will fit into this and how it will help to achieve the purpose. For example, you will need to familiarise yourself with the meeting agenda to see if other people will be presenting before and afterwards, and what they will be talking about. This will help you to avoid duplicating what others have already said and covering topics which are due to be covered in more depth by other speakers.

You also need to think about the background to your presentation. For example, if you present the outcome of a project, it helps to remind you of its initial purpose. Also, how it fits with the overall strategy of your organisation and the work done by other colleagues and departments, along with strategies adopted by the competition. This awareness will help you to provide your audience with the context of your project.

Finally, think about the physical context, the seating arrangements and IT equipment that will be available on the day. For example, the room may not have a reliable internet connection and the screen may be small. This information can help you plan your presentation.

• Who are my target audience?

Your audience is an important part of the context of your presentation. Ask yourself who these people are, what role they have within your organisation, and in what way they are involved in the context, strategy or project you will be talking about. You will need to find out what they already know about the topic of your presentation, what they expect from it and their potential attitudes towards your presentation topic.

It also helps to decide what you want your audience to understand and do as a result of your presentation. You may want them to simply keep in mind the information you present for the subsequent discussion and, then later, when they carry out their own projects and make decisions. You may also be aiming to gain their support and influence their decisions. Being aware of your audience will help you to plan your content so that it fulfils their expectations and pre-empts any questions or criticism.

• How do you feel about giving this presentation?

Whether you are an experienced presenter or this is your first presentation, your context, purpose and audience may be new. Being aware of the challenges will help you plan.

Other Points need to be Considered   

Expert presenters normally end their introductions with an outline or with a statement that provides the purpose of their talk.

If you have more time and want to grab your audience’s attention in a more creative way, you could:

• Start with a short video that introduces the theme of your presentation. This is particularly appropriate for product launches or if the purpose of the presentation is persuasion, e.g. to convince a retailer to accept you as their supplier. Video could also be used to portray a problematic situation for which the presentation offers some solutions or asks for support.
• Open with an image that raises awareness of the topic and the issues that the presentation will cover. It could illustrate a product, problem or situation.
• Use a prop such as the product itself to show to your audience.
• Start with a quote that raises awareness of a need, problem or achievement, or a commonly accepted truth or belief.
• Introduce your topic by telling a short story. Most people immediately connect with stories, particularly if they are authentic and make a clear point.
• Ask a rhetorical question related to your topic.
• Take a quick poll asking a question requiring a yes/no answer such as ‘How many of you have ever … ?’ Choose a question that will secure a predictable response and use this as a way to show the relevance of the topic of your presentation.   

Concluding a Presentation 

Effective presentations usually end with a well-signposted conclusion.

In this last part, speakers normally reiterate their main claim and the key points they made during their talk. They may also include recommendations and outline the next steps.

Like this post? Please scroll to the top and give it a thumbs up, and share it to your social networks. Thanks!

Like my thinking? Want more?

Click the Follow button at upper right to get my LinkedIn Publisher posts in your LinkedIn home stream. You can also follow me on Twitter @varunmittalSEO