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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

How to make a good presentation

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

presentation is top notch

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

presentation is top notch

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

presentation is top notch

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Peloton Pitch Deck - Conclusion

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

presentation is top notch

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

Venngage Real Time Collaboration

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

presentation is top notch

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

presentation is top notch

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

presentation is top notch

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

presentation is top notch

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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How to Deliver Presentations That Are Awe-Inspiring, Not Yawn-Inducing

Corey Wainwright

Updated: October 10, 2022

Published: April 11, 2013

I just returned from Michael Stelzner’s Social Media Marketing World conference, and had the chance to meet with some exceptional marketers and attend some captivating sessions.

presentation is top notch

It was also located in San Diego, which didn’t hurt.

My time there got me thinking of a few things, one of which was … what about the greatest sessions made them so great? Why were the best speakers , well, the best?

What an astute question. If you have to give presentations -- whether in front of your CMO or a keynote address in front of thousands -- these are the things your audience, whether they know it or not, really wishes you were doing. These tips will help you deliver a top-notch presentation, and ensure your audience leaves that room awe-inspired.

→ Free Download: 10 PowerPoint Presentation Templates [Access Now]

Let your guard down. Get personal.

Assume all your audience knows about you is what's in your bio. If you have a bio. And even if you have a bio, most probably haven't read it.

So really, assume they know nothing.

You have some authority just by virtue of being on stage, but it isn't enough to seize the audience's undivided attention. To grab their ears, you have to grab their hearts. And yes, I heard how corny that sounded in my head, but I'm going with it.

Generate some empathy by letting your guard down and allowing your audience to see who you really are. Be genuine. Tell them a story about yourself -- one they can relate to. It takes courage to share something private about yourself, but that's exactly why it helps captivate an audience.

Remember, the audience is on your team. They want you to succeed. Just think back to any presentation where the speaker bombed, and you'll remember how painful and awkward that was to see. If you're willing to get a little personal with your audience, they'll give a little, too, helping you succeed by being engaged in your presentation, and receptive to your points.

Use slides to complement your presentation; not as a crutch.

I had the opportunity to see Sheryl Sandberg speak at a breakfast last week to promote her new (and excellent) book Lean In . I've also seen videos of Sheryl's presentations at a couple other venues, and was just as impressed as I was with her speech at the breakfast. Her content was, of course, top notch. But lots of people have top-notch content. What stood out to me was the fact that she didn't rely on a single PowerPoint slide the entire time. Not a one.

Sheryl's on the far end of the spectrum -- she's a talented, practiced public speaker who has learned how to tell a compelling enough story without needing any other visual aids. Most people aren't there yet, nor do they have to be. The best presenters I saw at SMMW used slides in their presentations, but only as a complement to their content, not as a crutch. That means the slides were simple, not visually distracting, and they had very few words on them. Sometimes, no words at all.

The best case I saw of this was in a session held by Douglas Karr, author of Corporate Blogging for Dummies . His slides were largely images that were either complements (often humorous ones) to the point he just made that helped naturally transition into his next topic, or visual examples that he could speak to without requiring the audience to dissect a bunch of words on a slide.

If your audience wanted to consume this information in written format, they'd go looking for a book or a blog post. They're here to hear you speak about something, not read about it. Plus, if they're spending all their time reading your slides, they're not hearing a darn thing you're saying.

Tell a story.

I've hinted at it a couple times already, so let's just call a spade a spade. Your audience wants a story. Over and over again, I see the best speakers opting for compelling, illustrative stories over a laundry list of facts, figures, tactics, and strategies. This isn't to say you don't use the latter to support your case -- you do, and you should. Simply think of the story as the allegory for your overall thesis.

Stories are engaging, they generate empathy, and they stick with listeners; as such, your overall thesis lives on in people's minds long after a presentation is over.

Don’t keep tootin’ your own horn.

It makes sense for you to draw from personal experiences -- it’s part of letting your guard down, establishing credibility, and bonding with your audience. Furthermore, it makes sense that you draw on examples from your own life or business, because it’s the content you’re most familiar with.

But … and I mean this in the nicest way possible … shut up about yourself already.

Find examples from other people and companies to help illustrate your points and support your stories. At SMMW, for instance, the closing keynote speaker Dave Kerpen told, as I recall, only one story about himself. His keynote presentation covered seven main points, but only one point was really about him. (And it was a great story, by the way. Check out how he paid for his wedding here . Also, that story covers the "tell a story" and "get personal" portions of this blog post. Well played, Dave.)

Tell some stories from your own work, but find examples from other companies, too. It adds variety, which helps everyone in the audience find something they can closely relate to in your content. There are tons of people out there doing amazing things; it's good to pay it forward and share the spotlight.

Focus on inspiration over tactics.

Let's talk about the role that more prescriptive, tactical advice plays in public speaking.

I love educating people. I love giving them prescriptive advice. I love giving them tactics and strategies to walk home with that they can implement right away to see real results in their business. It's why I do what I do, and some of the content I get most excited about -- no matter what format it takes.

But while tactics are important for actually moving the needle, inspiration is what puts you in the frame of mind to actually put those new tactics and strategies into place. And when it comes to the nitty gritty, public speaking really isn't the best forum for it. When you're delivering a presentation, focus on three things, and in this order:

  • Inspiring your audience
  • High-level takeaways
  • Nitty gritty tactics for implementation

This order gets your audience excited, self-confident, and ready to implement whatever takeaways and tactics you recommend while you're speaking. Frame of mind is everything . Get people walking out of your room all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

( Tip: Prepare a one-sheeter with nitty-gritty tips based off your presentation. Amy Porterfield (and a few others) did this at SMMW with her presentation about using Facebook to launch a new product. It let people actually listen to her higher level takeaways, and leave the room with more detailed instructions they could take home with them.)

Slow your roll.

When you're passionate about a topic, it's easy to start talking really really fast likethissoyoucangeteverythingin.

Trust me, I get it. I do this all the time.

Slow down. To an almost comically slow pace. This is an old theater trick (I used to do Shakespeare theater; if you didn't already know, I'm a very cool person). When you're giving a presentation of any sort, you cannot speak as you would in a small group conversation. Slow it down, provide actual spaces between each word, and enunciate your syllables. It will feel ridiculous to you. But I guarantee that it will not sound ridiculous.

You'll just have to trust me on this one, guys. But I promise that your audience will appreciate that they can understand all the great content you've prepared!

Make ‘em laugh.

Finally, just make people laugh if you can. This is really more of a bonus trick, I suppose -- I've seen amazing live presentations where no jokes are cracked. But adding a sense of levity can make even mediocre presentations far more enjoyable -- probably because it really does show a willingness to be open and personable. And those are hugely likeable qualities.

The last session I saw at SMMW -- other than the keynote, which also made me laugh -- was from the previously mentioned Douglas Karr . It was hilarious. The guy is just really, genuinely funny. It made consuming the content he was presenting flat out more enjoyable. It would have been a great session without the jokes; but the humor had everyone leaving with a smile on their face. That's a pretty stellar way to leave a 45-minute session about social media reputation management.

What else do you admire about great presentation as an audience member?

Image credit: Smart Destinations  

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Hans Schumann - Executive Career & Life Coach in London

How to keep the attention of your audience

02/02/2018 by Hans Schumann

presentation is top notch

This is Part 2 of my series of articles about preparing a top-notch presentation.

Part 1:  How to create your content

Part 2: How to keep the attention of your audience (this article)

Part 3: How to prepare yourself for your presentation

Part 4: How to manage your fear of public speaking

In part 1 I covered how to create your content. There is one more crucial step to add, which is to include elements that will get the attention of your audience and prevent them from nodding off while you are speaking. This what I am going to cover now in this Part 2.

So let’s get started:

1. Start with a bang!

Don’t be fooled into thinking that your audience is dying to hear your fascinating business update or sales proposal. You will have to fight hard to keep their attention.

Most presenters start their presentation with a “WOW” effect or with a question to the audience that gets them their attention right away. This could be something like:

  • A shocking statistic , e.g. “ Ninety-five per cent of all start-ups fail in their first year. You could be one of them.”
  • An unsettling question , e.g. “If you lost your job today, how long could you survive without an income?”
  • A question to the audience : “Hands up if you think your business is ready for the upcoming changes in data protection law. And now hands up those of you who have no clue what I am talking about!”
  • A story with a suspension effect , e.g. “When I went bankrupt in 2001, I thought my life was over. At the end of this presentation you will find out how I rebuilt my seven-figure business and how you can do the same.”
  • A brilliant joke (being German, I am not even going to try to give you an example for this).

Whilst some of these strategies are (arguably) a bit overdone nowadays, they work pretty well.

Yet starting with a bang is not enough.

You also need to keep the attention of your audience throughout your presentation. Whilst a good introduction will raise their attention at the beginning, it will fall again pretty quickly unless you make your presentation lively, interactive, funny or add more “WOW” elements all the way through.

Occasional questions to the audience also lift their attention span. Even if they are rhetoric questions and you don’t take answers, the mere act of asking them will make your audience think of possible answers, and this brings back their attention.

2. How to never, ever start your presentation

Never ever start your presentation by saying something like:

“Sorry, I got the boring topic to present to you. There is not much I can do to make this interesting”

“It’s hard to make this interesting, so I will be quick”. 

I hear people saying this a lot – and it kills the attention of your audience immediately. It’s your job to make the content interesting and engaging. If it’s not relevant to your audience, why would you even talk about it?

3. Use animated vocal patterns

Even if you have created amazing content, you will lose your audience if you recite it in a monotonous voice. I have heard people presenting the vision of their company to their staff with a flat monotonous voice that would have made a funeral speech sound more animated.

I appreciate that we in the UK are naturally a bit more reserved when we are presenting. A full-on Anthony Robbins-style motivational speech with shouting and jumping across the stage may not be your natural style; and luckily that’s not required at all! The following will do the job:

  • use a wide range of different vocal patterns by changing the intonation, speed and volume of your voice
  • stress important parts of your sentences
  • show your own passion for the topic

Here is a test for you: record yourself practising your speech and listen to it afterwards. How interesting is your vocal pattern? Then listen to a few TED talks and noticed how their speakers use a wide range of vocal patterns.

4. Be brief!

People love short presentations, and in our digital age the attention span of audiences is often very low. That’s why TED talks are limited to 18 minutes.

It’s easy to make the mistake of overloading your presentation. You may be passionate about the subject and keen to share all those details that are fascinating to you. Yet the more you try to squeeze into your presentation, the more you run the risk of diluting your message so that your audience will switch off or miss your core meaning. Simplicity can be powerful.

So once you have completed your draft presentation, go through it again with a fresh awareness and ask yourself whether everything you set out to cover is really necessary. I also recommend rehearsing your presentation to check whether you can stick to the allocated time.

4. Establish personal credibility

When you enter the stage or meeting room, one of the questions that people may ask themselves is: “Why should I be listening to him/her?”

It can be useful to establish your credibility upfront by explaining why you are talking to the audience; e.g. “I was invited to talk to you because I have been facilitating cultural changes in FTSE   100 organisations for the last 10 years.”

Consider also how your outfit can support your credibility (or not!). Do you look like someone experienced in the area you are about to cover? This may seem superficial, but the reality is that people will judge you on the way you present yourself, whether that’s through your outfit, your body language or the competence that shines through your vocal pattern.

You now you have created your content (see Part 1) and added lots of elements that will help you get the attention of your audience.

The next step is to prepare yourself by rehearsing and checking out the venue. I will cover this in Part 3 : How to prepare yourself for your presentation .

If you would like to talk to me about ways to prepare an upcoming presentation or about improving your public speaking and influencing skills generally,  contact me on [email protected] or  book a free Discover Call here.  I would love to hear from you.

I also offer presentation training in virtual reality , which is really fun.

presentation is top notch

About Hans Schumann

Hans Schumann is an Executive Career & Life Coach in London , with a background in law and financial services. A serious health crisis with an autoimmune disease, which was triggered by a burnout, made him housebound for almost two years and prompted him to re-evaluate his life. He decided to leave the golden cage of corporate life and reconnect to his passion for personal growth.

He now helps executives, professionals and business owners create and thrive in lives they truly love. Most of his clients are in established careers, but at a point where they are ready to up their game and create deeper fulfilment and greater success. For some of them that’s about changing or progressing in their career. For others it’s about becoming more effective in what they already do, growing as leaders or creating a more balanced lifestyle.

Hans works on a wide range of topics, such as career change, life planning, personal effectiveness, confidence, stress management and leadership skills.

His services include: 

Life Coaching Career Coaching Executive Coaching   Confidence Coaching Stress Coaching Enneagram Coaching

Hans is also the author of the self-coaching book: “Falling in Love With Your Job” , available on Amazon.

Hans Schumann Coaching

“Let’s get started! Request a FREE Discovery Call to discuss your personal goals and challenges.”

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Hans Schumann offers  Life Coaching, Career Coaching, Executive Coaching,   Stress Coaching .  and Enneagram Coachin g. He works on a wide range of topics, such as career change, life planning, personal effectiveness, confidence, stress management and leadership skills.

Hans Schumann Coaching – 13 St Luke’s Avenue, Clapham, London SW4 7LG

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5 top notch presentation tips

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  • Posted: 08/06/2014

Having top notch presentation skills is integral when trying to convey ideas and educate your audience. The key is doing so in a way that retains your audience’s attention while selling the ideas, projects and concepts you are speaking about. Your audience is choosing to listen to what you have to say. Use their time wisely!

Here are 5 top notch presentation tips:

1. Tell a story. Take the time to really plan  your presentation. Tell a story you’re passionate about and set clear goals as to what you want your presentation to accomplish.

2. Less is more. Realize you can’t possibly communicate every single thing you know in your presentation, so choose the most important parts and articulate them clearly. Keep the slides and visuals as simple as possible, focusing on key messages.

3. Prepare and practice . Know your materials inside and out, backwards and forwards so that you’re comfortable presenting without a presentation. If you’re confident conveying your message, your audience will be more comfortable and willing to receive the information.

4. Think in 10 minute increments. Research has shown that the brain gets bored after 10  minutes. Design your presentation to provide “soft breaks” like showing a video, revealing a comical or unusual image or asking your audience a question.

5. Details. Details. Details. Nothing is more embarrassing than an evident typo or unmistakable formatting error on a visual aid. A simple grammar and spell check will go a long way in producing professional looking deliverables to your clients. Keep your font sizes consistent wherever possible and be sure to consider what your presentation will look like when it’s projected, which can be very different than on your desktop.

Caroline Kealey

Related articles, is communications too important for the communications department, london calling, a call for leadership: more signal, less noise.

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6 Ways To Give A Top-Notch (And Engaging) Presentation

6 Ways To Give A Top-Notch (And Engaging) Presentation

If you want to increase your presentation skills and keep everyone in the room engaged — while helping you either close a deal or get you noticed by upper management — remember one thing: it’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. You can cover all the points in your talk, pitch or lecture, but if you drone on and on and don’t engage people, your work won’t get you noticed.

Follow these tips to create top-notch presentation skills to boost your career and make you a pro at public-speaking.

Research Your Audience

The first step in creating a top-notch presentation is to find out what your audience wants to hear. That’s different than deciding what you want to tell them.

Sure, you can still have an agenda — such as making a sales pitch or informing co-workers of a new company launch — but you need to make sure you emphasize the things that are important to your listeners.

Researching your audience means going beyond who they are. Find out their pain points. What do they need help with? How can you make them more successful? Why is what you’re presenting important to them? Once you know this, you’ll know what to emphasize in your presentation.

Research Your Topic

Back up what you’re saying with facts, figures, data and news, not with personal opinion that’s unsupported. Places like government , academic and industry websites should be your best friend, as these are places with industry experts that support your claims and give your audience more bona fide information.

Ask some of your potential attendees what they want to learn and what they’ve heard about the topic recently. Make sure to see what others who have presented your topic have included in their talks, and use a similar structure.

Organize Your Presentation

Whether you use a dry erase board, flip chart, handouts or a computer program, building your presentation skills lives or dies with content organization that includes an overview, the main body and a recap. Start your presentation by using a simple outline, list the main points you want to make, then include sub-heads that support what you’re saying in your main categories.

While writing your presentation, look for a solution to a problem, or a way for your attendees to take advantage of an opportunity. Starting with that thought process as you create your presentation will help you subtly deliver the information you want them to hear.

Use a simple three-step process to organize each talk you give.

  • Tell ‘Em What You’re Going To Tell ‘Em
  • Tell ‘Em
  • Tell ‘Em What You Told ‘Em

Start your presentation with an overview of what people will learn from this presentation. Don’t go into any details during your intro — just present the highlights that are coming, which tells your listeners why this presentation is important to them.

Organize the main body of your talk into bite-size sections that focus on one topic, so the information can be consumed easily. Order your sections to create smooth transitions from one topic to the next.

Finish your presentation with a summary and recap of your information, highlighting the key points people should take away from your talk and refer to in notes. You can follow this summation with a Q&A and action items.

presentation skills to group

Use Multiple Presentation Tools

It’s important to use various tools to deliver your message while looking to build your presentation skills. That will avoid making all of your information start to sound the same, run together and create a drone-like effect.

PowerPoint is still a go-to presentation tool for many people, but there are plenty of other ways to showcase your information. Also, switching back and forth between PowerPoint, a dry erase board, enlargements and props (like product samples) helps break up your talk and make it more interesting.

Avoid giving attendees detailed handouts early in your presentation. They’ll start reading them and miss what you’re saying.

Practice Your Presentation Skills Beforehand

Prepare your presentation early enough so you can practice it and improve your presentation skills before stepping to the plate in front of the real audience.

Start by timing your presentation by reading it out loud, paying close attention to how fast you’re talking. You’ll be more nervous when you deliver your talk live, and this often leads to talking faster. If you have an hour to fill, don’t assume the time you use during a practice run is the same amount of time you’ll use to deliver your talk for real.

Record at least one pass of your test runs so you can hear what you sound like. Do you speak in a monotone? Do you get nervous and start speaking fast, which causes your voice to rise? If so, practice speaking low and slow.

Practice eye contact, moving your gaze to different areas in the room, including side-to-side and close and farther back. Make sure to add plenty of short pauses when you speak, especially after long statements.

Set Up The Room Correctly

Ever fall asleep during a presentation? You’re not the only one. Drowsiness isn’t triggered just by boring speakers, other factors do, in fact, play a big role — like poor lighting.

If you turn off the lights in your room for a video presentation, attendees’ brains start releasing melatonin, which causes drowsiness. If possible, only turn off the lights in the front of the room above your viewing screen.

If your room will be full of people, the room temperature will rise once they start filling the room. Keep the temperature cool before they arrive to account for body heat.

Make sure people in the back of the room can hear you and see your smallest on-screen text or charts.

Remember, organization is key. When you put lots of effort into a presentation, you don’t want anything to interfere with your message. Take time to manage anything that can affect your talk, including your organization, speaking manner, delivery tools and room factors.

Making sure you put your best effort into the “how you say it” part of presentations will make you stand out as a potential management candidate who is polished and professional.

All images via Getty

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presentation is top notch

How to deliver a top-notch business presentation

Creating a top-notch business presentation requires consistent approach.

Business presentations play a vital role in every step of corporate business development initiatives. A business presentation should convey the message in a simple, effective manner, with a right blend of text and visuals, beautifully presented, visually appealing to the audience. A powerful business presentation leaves a lasting impression in the audience mind through creative visuals, crisp information, highlight to the key points overall presented neat and professional.

Whether you’re pitching a new project, outlining HR policies, or seeking investment, a business presentation is a powerful tool for communicating key information about your company. These purpose-driven summaries can be tailored to internal or external audiences, and are designed to showcase your plans, products, or practices in a clear and compelling way. From project proposals to investor briefings, there are many different types of business presentations to choose from.

Understanding business presentation

To begin with, we shall see what a business presentation, key slides to be included, types of business pitches and the general design tips to improve the business presentations

1️⃣ What is business presentation?

A business presentation is a professional and structured way to introduce new products, ideas, or practices to an audience. Typically, it involves the use of audio-visual aids such as projectors, presentation software, whiteboards, charts, and other materials to convey information effectively. The goal of a business presentation is to inform and persuade the audience, whether it be potential clients, investors, or colleagues.

2️⃣ Different purposes for business presentations

Companies use business presentations for varied purposes; to sell an idea or a product, for training purposes, to communicate internally and many more. A presentation, not well presented, may distract the audience, causing boredom eventually has less impact; less to assimilate, absorb and remember after attending the session.

It is crucial to make presentations lively, to keep the audience actively engaged, all through the sessions. It comes in handy to understand the technical know-how of delivering a professional business presentation.

Top-notch Business Presentation

Top-notch Business Presentation

Business presentations, be it a induction meeting, sales pitch, marketing pitch, investor meeting, board meeting or any type of business meetings, designing business presentations at each stage plays a crucial role. Each of these business pitches will have unique set of slide design and approach.

We give below the key slides to be included in a business presentation.

3️⃣ 7 key slides to include in a business presentation

When creating a business presentation, it’s important to include a variety of slides that effectively communicate your message.

Some key slides to consider including are:

  • Introduction
  • Company overview
  • Market analysis
  • Product or Service description
  • Financial projections

Additionally, incorporating visual aids such as graphs, charts, and images can help to enhance the overall impact of your business presentation.

Four aims of presentations

The Purpose of a Presentation: Inform, Persuade, Inspire or Entertain.

When it comes to giving a presentation, there are typically four main aims: to inform your audience, to persuade them to your point of view, to inspire them to take action, or to simply entertain them. Depending on the context and your goals, you may focus on one or more of these aims in your presentation. Whether you’re giving a business pitch, a motivational speech, or a comedy routine, understanding your purpose can help you craft a more effective and engaging presentation.

Business presentation template saves time and brings consistency

Before designing any presentation, using a template can enhance the overall consistency. Businesses can seek the help of professional presentation design agencies to build professional templates aligned to their branding. A PowerPoint template, also known as a PPT template gives a set of pre-designed layouts that can be used to build future slides giving a professional and cohesive look down the line.

Presentation slides templates offer a wide range of options for different themes and topics, allowing you to customize your presentation to fit your specific needs. By using a template, you can easily create a PowerPoint presentation just by incorporating the content into the pre-defined set of design layouts. While building a PowerPoint presentation template or presentation PPT template, extra care should be taken to design the layouts aligned to company branding. A poorly designed PPT slide templates often creates a low-quality impression in the audience mind.

Choosing the right theme for PowerPoint presentation and getting them reflected in the presentation template brings in consistency and saves the time that is being spent on recreating the design layouts many times.

Slideshow templates are pre-designed presentations that provide a professional and organized layout for presenting information. Along with the professional PPT templates, a carefully chosen background for presentation slides can greatly enhance the overall impact of the presentation. With a PowerPoint professional template, you can effectively convey your message and captivate your audience

To further elevate the presentation, utilizing presentation software, such as PowerPoint, can add interactive elements and smooth transitions. With a focus on PowerPoint design, a professional PowerPoint template can be the key to a successful and impactful presentation PPT that effectively delivers the intended message.

We have highlighted the 7 key slides and the 4 aims of a business presentation. For effectively designing a business presentation, we have to follow some basic steps to perfect the design process.

Let us see some professional tips for business presentation design

4️⃣ 10 amazing steps for a top-notch business presentation

If you want to deliver a successful business presentation, there are 10 key steps you should follow.

1. Take the time to prepare thoroughly

This means researching your topic, organizing your thoughts, and creating a clear outline.

2. Focus on organization

Make sure your presentation flows logically and is easy to follow.

3. Practice your delivery

Be concise in your delivery, avoiding unnecessary details and jargon.

4. Visual Aids

Use visual aids and other accessories to enhance your message and keep your audience engaged.

5. Engage with your audience

Avoid reading directly from your PowerPoint slides, instead using them as a guide.

6. Explain complex concepts

Use a map or other visual aid to help your audience understand complex concepts.

7. Be confident while presenting

Dress professionally to make a good impression. It’s also important to be confident, clear, and concise in your message.

8. Let the audience participate

Give your audience something to do, such as asking for feedback or encouraging them to take action based on your presentation.

9. Knowing your audience

To effectively communicate your message in a business presentation, it’s important to know your audience. Consider their level of knowledge on the topic, their interests, and their goals. Use this information to tailor your presentation to their needs and make it more engaging and relevant to them.

10. Engaging your audience through storytelling

By incorporating storytelling into your business presentations, you can capture your audience’s attention and make your message more memorable. Use personal anecdotes, case studies, and examples to illustrate your points and connect with your audience on an emotional level. This can lead to more effective communication and better outcomes for your business.

5 types of business pitches

1️⃣ investor pitch.

An investor pitch is a presentation given to potential investors that outlines a business idea, product, or service and explains why it is a good investment opportunity. It typically includes information on the market, competition, financial projections, and the team behind the business. Creating a successful investor pitch requires careful planning and preparation.

2️⃣ Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that you can use to spark interest in what you or your company does. It should be short enough to deliver in the time it takes to ride an elevator, hence the name. The goal is to quickly and effectively communicate your value proposition and leave a lasting impression on the listener.

3️⃣ Sales Pitch

A sales pitch is a persuasive message that aims to convince someone to buy a product or service. It typically includes information about the benefits of the product or service, as well as any unique features or advantages it may have over competitors. A good sales pitch should be tailored to the needs and interests of the target audience, and should be delivered in a clear and compelling way.

4️⃣ Product Pitch

A product pitch is a persuasive presentation or proposal made to potential customers or investors in order to sell or promote a product or service. It typically includes information about the product’s features, benefits, and unique selling points, as well as pricing and availability. The goal of a product pitch is to convince the audience to take action, whether that means making a purchase, investing in the product, or simply learning more about it.

5️⃣ Informative Presentation

An informative presentation is a type of speech that aims to educate the audience about a particular topic or idea. It is designed to provide information, facts, and insights to help the audience understand the subject matter better. An effective informative presentation should be well-organized, engaging, and easy to follow, with clear and concise information that is relevant to the audience.

Structuring a business presentation

When it comes to structuring a business presentation, it’s important to follow a clear and concise format. Start with an introduction that outlines the purpose and structure of your talk, followed by a body that covers the main points in detail. Finally, wrap up with a conclusion that summarizes your key takeaways and emphasizes the significance of your presentation. By following this three-part structure, you can ensure that your slides are well-organized and creating a top-notch business presentation.

1️⃣ Starting with an effective introduction in a business presentation

The introduction of a business presentation is crucial as it sets the tone for the rest of the presentation. It is the first opportunity to engage with your audience and establish your credibility. A well-crafted introduction should include a brief overview of the topic, your background and expertise, and the key points you will be discussing. Visual aids such as charts or graphs can also be used to enhance the introduction and capture the audience’s attention.

2️⃣ Body of your business presentation should be organized logically

The body of your business presentation should be organized in a logical and easy-to-follow manner. Start with an introduction that sets the stage for your presentation, then move on to the main points or topics you want to cover.

3️⃣ MECE principle

The MECE principle (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) is a framework used in business to ensure that information is organized in a clear and logical way. To apply this principle to your business presentation, start by breaking down your content into distinct categories that are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. This will help you to present your information in a way that is easy to understand and digest for your audience.

4️⃣ Effective conclusion

There are several ways to effectively conclude a business presentation:

  • Summarizing the main points
  • Providing a call to action
  • Leaving the audience with a memorable quote or story

It’s important to end on a strong note and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Factors that determine the effectiveness of a business presentation

There are four important factors that determine the effectiveness of a business presentation.

  • Informative
  • Visual appeal

1️⃣ Informative

A slideshow or a PowerPoint presentation must involve all these four factors to create a top-notch presentation. The audience eagerly looks for new information nicely presented, on each slide that would kindle their interest.

Top-notch Business Presentation - Informative

Top-notch Business Presentation – Informative

2️⃣ Inspiring

It is essential to capture the attention and inspire the audience with problem and solutions, innovative ideas, technology updates, key takeaways, quotes, resolutions, anecdotes, and lessons. The creative visuals help the audience to remember the context vividly.

Top-notch Business Presentation - Inspiring

Top-notch Business Presentation – Inspiring

3️⃣ Visual Appeal

Colorful slides add value to the presentation and aid the presenter to put across the key points through stunning oration. The color scheme, visuals should flow through the narration; should not be the focus but should add visual value to the key points, being touched upon.

They are used as tools to get the point across, visually more appealing. A business presentation that is interactive with the active involvement with the audiences leaves a lasting impact.

Top-notch Business Presentation - Visual Appeal

Top-notch Business Presentation – Visual Appeal

4️⃣ Connection

Such presentations suitably designed to provide ample scope for active interactions with some fillers like question-and-answer sessions, games, role-playing activities does stimulate and uplift the audience.

The use of Ice Breakers and Team building exercises also helps in keeping the audience lively, all through the sessions. A presentation that adheres to the above four basic factors makes it top-notch.

Top-notch Business Presentation - Connection

Top-notch Business Presentation – Connection

Other Key Points to focus for creating a Top-notch business presentation

A slideshow deck is a collection of slides that convey information and ideas in a visually appealing manner. PPT slides or PowerPoint presentation slides built using a perfect theme can add more value to the slideshow deck. Be it a PowerPoint template for IT presentation or for that it matter, be of any industry, templates bring in consistency across varied slide decks.

One can get professional design ideas for inspiration by looking at varied PowerPoint examples and PowerPoint samples for presentation. PowerPoint Examples of presentations can include business proposals, educational lectures, and marketing pitches. To define presentation context, one has to strategically position the slides content tailored to the audience needs. PowerPoint slides with tailored content, creative designs, and effective presentation delivery are sure to win the game.

Keep the content simple, logical and clear. Do not include every content on the slides; write two to three main points. Adapt the skill to tailor the content according to the audience. The key messaging of the presentation slides is effectively measured by the ‘ presentation moment of truth ‘ being reflected clearly to the audience.

Design your presentation as legible as possible. Adding too much text to the slide makes it messy. The colors used in the presentation should reflect the branding of the company or should match with the theme of the deck. Images should provide clarity and not detract from the content.

3. Delivery

Engaging the audience throughout the show is a win. Eye-contact, interactive sessions, body language, the tone and overall energy of the speaker are important to engage and connect with the audience.

A presentation is a collaborative effort of content, designing, and the delivery. The quality of business presentations can be improvised with the help of latest technologies and devices that adds more value to your work.

4. Design ideas inspiration

Wrapping it up, 7 basic steps to deliver a successful business presentation.

The 7 basic steps to deliver a successful business presentation are:

  • Know your audience
  • Define your objective
  • Plan and organize your content
  • Use visual aids effectively
  • Practice your delivery
  • Engage your audience
  • Evaluate your performance

Top presenters often make use of the platforms like Ted Talk , Pecha Kucha and others to sharpen and improve their public speaking skills to showcase their business ideas to larger audience.

So be sure that you take advantage of these techniques and guidelines for your next effective business presentation. By following these basic guidelines, you can be sure to craft a perfect business presentation that looks more professional and inspiring the audience for a better call to action for your business success.

Competitor Analysis - Corporate Presentation

  • How do you deliver a good business presentation?

Firstly, it is important to prepare thoroughly by researching the topic, understanding the audience, and creating a clear and concise structure for the presentation. Secondly, the delivery should be confident, engaging, and tailored to the audience’s needs. The use of visual aids such as graphs and charts can also enhance the message and keep the audience’s attention. Finally, be prepared to answer questions and address any concerns the audience may have.

2. How do you deliver a unique presentation?

Delivering a unique presentation requires a combination of creativity, preparation, and knowledge of your audience. It is important to research your topic thoroughly and identify key points that will resonate with your audience.

From there, incorporate visual aids, storytelling, and engaging activities that will keep your audience interested and involved. Utilizing different presentation techniques, such as humor, analogies, and real-life examples, can also make your presentation stand out.

3. What are 7 basic steps to deliver successful presentation?

The 7 basic steps to deliver a successful presentation are:

  • Evaluate and improve your presentation

4. What are the 7 tips so you can deliver an effective presentation?

To deliver an effective presentation, it’s important to engage with your audience by making eye contact and avoiding distracting behaviors like chewing gum or fidgeting. Be aware of nervous gestures like tapping or rocking, and dress appropriately for your profession. Remember, the goal is to communicate your message clearly and confidently, so practice beforehand and be prepared to answer questions. And don’t forget to breathe and take pauses to emphasize important points.

5. What are the 5 P’s of powerful presentation?

The 5 P’s of powerful presentations are:

  • Preparation
  • Performance
  • PowerPoint or visual aids

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How can you deliver a top-notch presentation to colleagues and clients when you’re working from home?  Business Optimizer considers practical and presentational tips for success.

We’re all figuring out new ways of doing things, given the new working from home situation most of us now find ourselves in.

For most of us, delivering a presentation ranks right up there with running a marathon or having a tooth pulled!  Switching to an online format might seem like an easier option than getting up physically in front of a large audience, but online presentations also come with their own challenges – both practical and presentational.

What are the secrets of delivering a top-notch presentation for your clients?

Getting the practicalities right

Before you even consider giving an online presentation, there are a few practicalities you will need to work through.  These include:

  • Getting the technology right: tools like Microsoft Teams combine video conferencing capabilities with the ability to share desktops so that your audience can see you and your slides.
  • Get the background and lighting right for your work area: a neutral background with natural lighting will be best to make sure you are well lit.
  • Do a practice run with a colleague before scheduling with your client.  The Internet lit up last week with the story of the boss who, when taking a meeting on Microsoft Teams, accidentally turned herself into a potato using a WhatsApp filter and didn’t know how to remove it!  Don’t let user error mess up your meeting – test out your setup before you go live.

Getting the presentation right

As well as practicing with the technology arrangements, you’ll also need to practice your presentation, just as you would with an auditorium or sales conference delivery. 

While you don’t want to over-prepare and risk sounding too rehearsed, you do want to have a good grasp of the key points you need to communicate as you progress through your presentation.

Then try these few extra pointers which can help to make your delivery super-slick.

  • Talk to your audience, not at them: build rapport through the judicious use of humor, ask engaging questions and seek feedback as your progress through the presentation.
  • Tell anecdotes – but make them concise.  Funny or dramatic stories that add color to your points are a great way to help your presentation stick in the minds of your audience, but keep them tightly scripted so you don’t end up getting lost down the random and tangential wanderings of your own mind.
  • Inject some personality into your voice.  You probably need to be a bit more animated than you would be in normal speech.  This may feel a little exaggerated at first, but practice until you feel comfortable with it.  Because you are limited in the physical and visual clues you can give your audience about how you want them to respond to your points, your voice has to work that much harder.
  • Look at your audience; try not to get distracted by your own image or your slides – spend some time looking directly to camera when making important points.
  • Don’t be afraid of silence.  Pause after important points to give your audience time to think about them and allow them to sink in.
  • Allow time at the end to encourage questions and strive to answer them as fully and honestly as possible.
  • Follow up with any further answers you weren’t able to give immediately as soon as you can.  You may want to share the full slide deck with your audience afterwards as a short video that they can refer back to later.  Anything you can do to differentiate yourself at this stage will pay off.

As with any change, giving presentations online does take a little work before you are totally comfortable with it.  But with these tips, there’s no reason why you can’t be achieving as much – or more – success than you had delivering presentations in person.  It may even change the way you work for good!

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The perfect pitch—how to present like a pro! Tips from KASHEW

The perfect pitch—how to present like a pro! Tips from KASHEW

presentation is top notch

Hey guys, we are back with the third part of our blog series—sharing our insights and learnings from our Hult Prize journey with you, keep reading to get our top 5 tips on the perfect pitch!

Pitching it is an art! But good news—it can be learned.

Let’s face it, no one is born as the perfect presenter, not even those amongst us, who are confident and don’t shy away from presenting will be great at pitching from the get-go.

Our first pitch was nerve-wracking, however, as Per mentioned in our last article —once we decided we had nothing to lose, it relieved some pressure for us. Plus singing in the bathroom as if we were going to perform at a karaoke bar might have helped in our case.

But jokes aside where we did really improve and learn was to get feedback and tips week after week within pitch presentations as part of the Hult Prize competition and accelerator program. We had to pitch on a weekly basis amongst 33 other teams, for the judges to feedback and rank us and had the ability to learn from our and other teams’ feedback and iterate. And yes…pitching it is an art! But good news—it can be learned! Practice and feedback are inevitable on the way to the perfect pitch!  

We’ll share our best-kept secrets in this blog post through our top 5 tips to present, whether it is a pitch for the Hult Prize competition or your own startup, school, or work. These top 5 tips will prepare you and help you understand what it takes to deliver a top-notch presentation.

1.Get your audience’s attention — 7s rule

Have you ever noticed that you started telling someone a story and you felt like the person is not actually listening anymore, 30 seconds in? Or the other way around, say in the classroom, the professor starts telling a story, but you lost track and thought about lunch?

A good way to approach pitching is imagine you’re explaining it to your grandma or a 7-year old.

We have all heard it before, but for pitches the most important thing to remember is the 7-second rule. Whether you are pitching something or presenting, the first few seconds often determine if your will audience keep listening. In most pitch scenarios you have only about 4-6 seconds of your judges (or potential investors) attention as they are busy people and must listen to countless pitches in a day/week/month. So, remember, make them count!

Tell them who you are—a brief intro of your company’s name and yourself followed immediately by what you do and why. A good way to approach pitching is imagine you’re explaining it to your grandma or a 7-year old. Keep it simple and concise. The clock is ticking against you. This is probably the part of your pitch that you will have to practice and iterate over and over before you get it right.

2. Don’t read a script

presentation is top notch

 Think of it this way, would you rather listen to someone that sounds like they work for a call center, or someone who shows real enthusiasm, and seems to engage with you and really know what they talk about, instead of sounding scripted.

Our advice is: write your pitch, practice it, to the point where you can pitch freely, and don’t look at your notes. It’s ok to forget the exact words, as that will show authenticity.

3. Slow it down, then slow it down again

One feedback point that we have heard a lot, and you may have too, is the pace at which you present! It’s common thing that we rush through presentations because we want to get through our part and get off the stage (at least for the introverts amongst us!), or we are trying to fit all the words in time and not forget to mention what we wrote down.

I know we all may think we are not rushing at all—but guess what, the moment you pitch and particularly when you try to squeeze a lot of content into four minutes (for example), you set yourself up to rush through the content. By doing this you lose your audience and your audience will struggle to follow if you explain important concepts of your business! Remember, for the audience it might be the first time hearing all your ideas, so the brain needs time to process.

Our pro tip—if you have a four-minute pitch, write your content so it only covers 3.5minutes, and when you think you already talk slow, slow it down even more. That way you won’t run out of time and won’t try to rush through your part, yet your audience will be able to follow and understand your concept. And remember it’s ok to go off script or leave parts out. There is always a Q&A for that.

4. Tell a compelling story

Now, this is the more difficult part, but also a part that we all may overthink or oversee at times. Ultimately, we don’t want to throw out a lot of facts at our audience without first building a connection.

Telling not only a story, but a compelling one, means you need to connect with your audience on an emotional level. This is often the part where the ‘ why’ is so important.

For the Hult Prize the impact component is one of the most important parts of your storytelling. How are you going to make an impact, and why you? How does that relate to you as a team or person? Speak from your experience and be relatable to connect with your audience on an emotional level rather than just on a factual basis.

presentation is top notch

5. Be mindful of time

Timing is key and this relates to point 3. It’s so important to use your time wisely, because if you go over the time they will just cut you off, but also make strategic use of the time you do have. 

To practice that, we did pitches of different lengths from 4-7 minutes . But no matter the length, and back to our point 3 to slow it down—you want to make sure you have enough content to fill your pitch time, but not too much that you run into the issue of rushing through it.

The best way of knowing, practice your pitch over and over, measure the time and if you find yourself always ending 30 seconds early, however much you slow it down, you know you can add a point or two, if you find yourself just finishing on the dot, by slightly rushing through the end—you must make cuts. And this is non-negotiable.

presentation is top notch

That being said there is obviously a lot more to learn but you will already be setting yourself apart from the competition by following some of the tips above and incorporating them early on in your pitch. But remember to have fun first and foremost and enjoy yourself!  

presentation is top notch

Baharak Arjomandi

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5 Tools to Help You Create a Top Notch Presentations

5 Tools to Help You Create a Top Notch Presentations

Are you a business professional? Well, most likely the time will come when you will need to demonstrate a successful presentation for your colleagues. Maybe you want to persuade your boss to pay attention to your next amazing idea or attempt to close a deal with a client. You may be a teacher in need of great resources in order to effectively pass on your knowledge to a class. Or a student trying to impress a professor. Whatever profession you are in, creating the best presentation with the use of high-quality images, video, and animations is key to success.

So how do you do this? Thanks to the worldwide web, there are numerous tools to help you create amazing presentations . Here are a few of the best ones:

Say goodbye to boring presentations that leave your audience fighting sleep. With Prezi, you have the chance to create striking visuals that will intrigue your onlookers and gain their interest. This website is a presentation software that over delivers to its user. It is a resource which attempts to reinvent the way people offer information, share stories, and engage others.

Many people are familiar with the built-in PowerPoint option on their computers but Prezi provides something new. Instead of being restricted by boring templates, this resource provides creative ability to depict a well-told detailed story. Your presentation will not suffer in the world of 'forgetfulness'. Your audience will remember your visual displays and be inspired to action. So whether you are creating a business proposal or a project for school, Prezi has what it takes to make your work stand out.

Are you looking for a cutting edge design? Are you involved in sales and marketing? Canva allows for simple use that anyone can understand. For no cost at all, this platform provides assistance to the least artistic of us. To help, Canva offers numerous templates for your presentation so that all you have to do is choose and add in the information. In this way, you can finally stop fretting over artsy designs and simply plug in your presentation. The best part about this is it now has an iPad app and an Android app . If you are a busy professional that needs to construct a visual in less time, Canva can help put you back on top.

3.  Powtoon

Do you have an idea that you wish to convey to others but don't know how? Have you experienced failure with low-quality images and less than perfect visuals? These components are extremely important in creating a great presentation. Luckily there is Powtoon.

Have you ever heard the old phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words"? Well Powtoon is an online source that allows anyone to animate engaging moving images. In fact it is their mission to improve your creative experience so that you will no longer need other sources like PowerPoint and Keynote. With Powtoon you can improve your presentation with minimalist designs that get straight to the point. The creators behind the thriving source understand that all great businesses have a story to share. Powtoon provides highly interactive options that will gain the traction you are looking for.

Among other tools to help you make presentations is Slides.This is not your average presentation builder. Slides beats the competition with its state-of-the-art quality that will leave your audience educated and entertained. This software got its premiere back in 2014 and continues to assist leaders in creating excellent visuals. Are you design challenged? Slides offers support to everyone. If you are a bit more savvy, you can increase your customization with Powtoon Studio to take your work to the next level. In less than 10 minutes you can design a professional presentation. Engage your audience and gain the influence you deserve by using the Slides service.

5.  Haiku Deck

Have you ever needed a great presentation but did not have your laptop or desktop computer readily accessible? Haiku Deck is a great resource for those who have an iPad. This online source allows you to look like a sales and marketing genius with no cost at all. Quickly create your very own presentation that can be shared all across the web. Haiku Deck uniquely connects to websites, social media platforms, blogs, and any smart device.

Even if you are not skilled in designing compelling visuals, Haiku Deck provides peace of mind with easy tools to help you start. Did we mention that this is all free?

You do not have to be a tech nerd in order to design something that will stand out in a crowd. The next time you have to give a group presentation, business proposal, or communicate with a client, consider any of these online resources for your next project.

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Americans Secretly Learn Haka Dance For Grieving Coworker

Living far from family is never easy, especially when you’re in a different country. The miles can feel insurmountable, particularly when tragedy strikes.

For Jarom Ngakuru, a New Zealander of Māori descent living in the United States, this reality hit hard when he was unable to return home for his grandmother’s funeral.

The Distance Was Heartbreaking

When Jarom Ngakuru's grandmother passed away, he faced the devastating realization that he couldn’t afford to make the trip back to New Zealand to say his final goodbye. The pain of missing such a significant family event weighed heavily on him, leaving him feeling isolated and heartbroken in a foreign land.

Ngakuru's coworkers, aware of his deep sorrow, were determined to find a way to support him. They understood that being unable to attend his grandmother’s funeral was a profound loss, and they wanted to help him honor her memory despite the distance.

Bringing New Zealand To America

In a remarkable act of solidarity and respect, Ngakuru's American colleagues embarked on a heartfelt mission. They secretly learned the Haka, a traditional Māori dance performed at significant events such as weddings, funerals, and other major life milestones. The haka is more than just a dance; it is a powerful expression of respect, love, and unity.

The group of coworkers, led by Ngakuru’s brother-in-law, who is Tongan, dedicated themselves to mastering the intricate moves and deep significance of the haka. They worked tirelessly, and within a day, they were ready to surprise their grieving friend.

Ngakuru was unaware of his coworkers’ plan until the moment they gathered to perform for him. The emotional weight of their gesture was overwhelming. As they danced, the depth of their respect and understanding of his culture shone through, bringing tears not just to Ngakuru’s eyes but to everyone who witnessed the powerful display.

He shared the poignant moment on his TikTok page with the caption, "Hardest part about living in America is that we live so far away. I couldn't make it home for my nan's funeral and I was BROKEN! So my boys at work learned the haka without me knowing and brought home to me."

A Viral Video That Touched Many Hearts

@jaromngakuru Hardest part about living in america 🇺🇸 is that we live so far away. I couldnt make it home for my nans funeral and i was BROKEN! so my boys at work learned the haka without me knowing and brought home to me 🇳🇿🏠 #haka #grateful #maori #newzealand #brothers #fyp #foryou

The video quickly went viral, touching the hearts of countless people. Comments poured in, each one reflecting the profound impact of the haka and the extraordinary act of kindness shown by Ngakuru's coworkers.

"I don't think they even understand how beautiful of an act this is," one person wrote.

"There is so much depth of emotion attached to the Haka I uncontrollably cry every time. This was beautiful," another said.

"Well I'm sobbing like a baby in my office now," a commenter revealed.

"You can feel the mana [spiritual power] and the aroha [love] they have for you. They know your mamae [hurt], what a beautiful tribute to you and our culture. Arohanui [deep affection] for your loss," someone else wrote.

Ngakuru's brother-in-law, who led the haka, explained that he had taught their friends the dance in just one day. The impressive dedication and heartfelt effort showcased the true spirit of friendship and support.

A Lasting Memory

See on Instagram

This incredible act of compassion and cultural respect created a memory that Ngakuru will carry with him forever. It was more than just a performance; it was a profound gesture of unity, understanding, and love. His coworkers’ willingness to embrace and honor his heritage in such a meaningful way brought a piece of New Zealand to America, bridging the distance and providing comfort during his time of grief.

This story is a testament to the power of human connection and the lengths we can go to support one another, even across vast cultural and geographical divides. It reminds us that no matter where we are in the world, we can find ways to bring home to those who need it most.

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Military Family Gets Shocking News On Sister's Wedding Day

Weddings are a time of joy, love, and sometimes, unexpected surprises.

For Helena Morgan, her wedding day was made even more special by the arrival of her younger brother, Army Sergeant William Watson. His presence turned an already beautiful day into a moment of unforgettable emotion and joy.

A Surprise Like No Other

Helena Morgan was preparing for her wedding day on May 4th in American Fork, Utah, with a bittersweet feeling. She believed her brother, William, wouldn’t be able to attend due to his military duties. Little did she know, William had managed to secure a 36-hour leave to be there for her special day.

In a TikTok video that quickly went viral, William surprises Helena at a hair salon, where she is getting ready for her wedding. He walks in carrying several Starbucks drinks, a ruse devised by his fiancée Robyn to mask his arrival. When Helena sees her brother standing at the door, she gasps, covers her mouth, and tears up. The siblings share a heartfelt hug, capturing a moment of pure joy and surprise.

"Baby brother got 36-hours leave to fly across the country and walk me down the aisle," Helena wrote in the video. "Best day of my whole life started with the absolute best surprise."

His Stand In Could Step Aside

Helena had gone to great lengths to include her brother in her wedding day, even ordering a cardboard cutout of him to stand in for photos. The reality of his presence, however, was far more poignant and meaningful. William's surprise visit was not just about attending the wedding; it was about being there for his sister in a way that only a brother can.

Recounting the surprise, Helena said, "He said, 'I have a Starbucks order for Robyn,' who had told me they had DoorDashed Starbucks for us." This clever plan added an extra layer of excitement to the already emotional reunion.

William didn’t just show up for the wedding; he was there to support his sister through every moment. Another TikTok video shared by Helena shows behind-the-scenes photos from the day. "Baby brother helped me finish getting ready and counted me down with deep breaths before we walked," she wrote. His presence and support provided her with the strength and calm she needed on such an important day.

Watch Helena Morgan's Video

@helenamorgan516 baby brother got 36-hours leave to fly across the country and walk me down the aisle 😭 best day of my whole life started with the absolute best surprise 🤍 #weddingday #usarmy (📸: @rob ily)

It Really Was The Perfect Day

The emotional surprise and the entire wedding day are memories that Helena will treasure forever. The bond between Helena and William, highlighted by his unexpected arrival, made the wedding day not just a celebration of love between Helena and her partner, but also a testament to the enduring love and support within their family.

"I'm going to treasure these photos forever 💕 the whole day was perfection," she captioned the photos.

William’s dedication to his sister, despite his demanding role as an Army sergeant, underscores the deep bonds of family and the lengths we go to for those we love. His actions turned a special day into an extraordinary one, filled with heartfelt moments that Helena and her family will cherish for a lifetime.

This story is a beautiful reminder of the power of family, the sacrifices made by those who serve, and the unexpected joys that can make life’s important moments even more meaningful. It’s not just about the grand gestures, but the love and support that underpin them, making every occasion truly unforgettable.

Copyright © 2024 Goalcast

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The Perfect Pitch: Secrets to a Successful Investor Presentation

  • April 12, 2013
  • Kevin Lerner

Secrets to a Successful Investor Presentation

Ten Tips to create a great PowerPoint investor presentation or pitch deck to raise capital, money, and sell your vision.

Presentation expert shares secrets and examples to successful investor presentations.

When prospective clients ask me if I’ve ever worked to develop an investor pitch deck, I sometimes joke that if I had just 1% of the earnings that my presentations have helped to win, I would be very wealthy. Yes, through the years I’ve seen and worked on hundreds of investment presentations pitched to prospects, investors, or just everyday people. And even though our world may seem more complex than ever, it’s easier than ever to apply these 10 simple strategies for creating and delivering a perfect pitch presentation…

1) It’s a presentation…not a business plan.

its-a-presentation-not-a-business-plan

Time and again, the fatal flaw of most pitch decks is too much information crammed onto a handful of slides. All too often, business executives, presenters, and visionaries view “the pitch deck” as an opportunity to provide on-screen version of their business plan.

A PowerPoint presentation is not a document. Rather, it’s a visual support tool designed to fortify the words and messages of the speaker through visuals and examples.

Great business pitch presentations paint a broad message with a few key words and examples, and then drill-down, page-by-page, to greater detail. Pitch presentations are meant to be shown to accompany the words of a speaker, not as a leave-behind landscape-formatted document.

The presentation should be a broad overview of what makes you different- or better. Leave them wanting more. And then share the detail in your business plan.

2) Limit long bullets and large amount of text.

Limit Long Bullets

All the great speakers and authors know it and preach it: Less is more. Reducing key concepts to just a few words will keep your audience focused on you as a speaker. Rather than a single page of ten busy bullet points, one of my favorite strategies is to span the bullets across ten pages, with each page having the title repeated, and the bullets as the single dominant text element on the page. Each page can be supplemented with graphics.

I recently worked with the CEO of a travel/technology company who was pitching his company to a potential investor. His business plan featured a page with four key travel industry statistics. He wanted me to convert that page into a single-page PowerPoint. I shared that for maximum impact, each statistic should be on its own page. He was insistent, so the compromise was a single-slide all the charts- as an overview slide, and then the subsequent slides had each one of the four statistics enlarged, full-screen.

3) Just Show It!

Just Show It

Don’t just say you’re good at what you do. Show it! In today’s golden age of media, it’s easier than ever to demonstrate your business, product, or concept in action through video or photos. A picture is worth a thousand words, and images that complement your topic will always be remembered better.

4) Share your story with passion and commitment

Share Your Story with Passion and Commitment

It’s a fact: people who are passionate about their vision and dedicated to their success are more likely to succeed. So when pitching your product or company, show that passion! Many investors are looking for out-of-the-box thinkers. By sharing how your solution is better than the others because of YOU and your TEAM, you will get noticed.

It doesn’t always work…and it need not be lengthy, but the genesis of an idea told with passion and conviction can hold the attention of even the most drab investor. But be careful to not come across too pushy or like a used car salesman. Maintain a grounded balance of vision and reality, mixed with your unique personality and experience, and you’ll get what you’re asking for.

5) Look professional

Look Professional

One of the great tenets of public speaking is to always dress better than your audience. Regardless of who you’re speaking to and whatever your business is, money is serious stuff. So it’s important that you look your best! Project an image of confidence and executive management and you’ll be sure to send a subconscious message of professionalism and success, aiding your chances of a investor.

I’ve seen many young startups with a group of hip young people under 25, insisting that their culture is anti-corporate. That maybe the case for their internal work culture, but big business deals command a big appearance, especially if your audience is a bank lender or professional venture capitalist.

6) Involve the audience

Involve-the-Audience-in-investor-presentations

I hate to be lectured, or talked at. Chances are you do too. So for maximum impact, it’s helpful that your investor presentation has audience involvement. If it’s just one person or an audience of 500, audience involvement gets people to remember you. By asking simple questions, even rhetorical questions, you can help build a case to your product.

“Isn’t that true?” “Did you know that…?” “When did you first use…?” These are all simple questions that level the playing field and build cohesion with you and your audience. Similarities unite and help sell. And by involving your audience with the right questions, stories, and examples , you’ll help them to see things from your point of view and share why your solution need them.

7) Let the Headlines Tell the Story

Most PowerPoint slide titles suck. They’re typically 2 or 3 headline fragments, like chapters from a book. I encourage my clients to pitch their presentations using short “headline” titles that summarize the slide content below. A viewer should be able to grasp the concept of your business pitch simply from the headlines.Just like this article has key messages that support the main topic, your pitch presentation should tell your story succinctly through bold titles in short sentences.

By viewing the titles to your titles as brief tweetable news headlines with a goal of maximum intrigue and impact, and you’ll gain the attention of your audience and allow the supporting detail of the slide to be explained verbally or in supportive imagery.

Before & After: Examples of strong headlines that summarize the slide

8) Feature your Finances

Feature Your Finances

Savvy investors look for the Return On Investment; many old-timers simply say, “take me to your financials”. And yet, too many start-ups and their presenters shove their financials in the shadows, featuring more on their company, mission, vision, and strategy to change the world. A pitch presentation that’s asking for money, requires that their financials be well thought-out and displayed.

Rather than a complicated spreadsheet, I often create a “visual dashboard,” a five-year financial outlook featuring four bar-graphs of a company’s key financial indicators: 1) Net Sales 2) EBITA 3) Net Income 4) Valuation / ROI. Each of these high-level slides then has a supporting detail slide that follows.

Assuming each of these indicators demonstrates growth, the four graphs are a potent visual tool to say, “we’re heading for success!”

Using visuals to help people grasp the numbers involved with the business will demonstrate design creativity as well ensure that you’re not shoving the numbers to the back of the deck. Be up-front and be bold: Feature your finances.

9) Give handouts for details

Give Handouts for Details

Despite our mantra to “keep it simple,” some business models and information is simply…complex. Displaying a company’s org chart on a slide with an 8-point-font will weaken and cheapen your message. Instead, keep that org chart, and shrink it down on your slide, and refer to it as a handout. Or, for added value, create a high-level, easy-to-read 2 or 3-level org chart in PowerPoint and give a handout for details.

The same concept applies for business models or other illustrations. Bottom line: If you can’t read it on screen, don’t show it!

I’ve been recommending to some investor clients that they have a separate handout/printout version of their presentation deck. It mirrors the presentation, but contains more detail and is formatted for print. It’s more time and effort, but if it means the difference between an investor yay or nay, it’s worth it!

10) Seek feedback and followup

Seek Feedback and Followup

History’s greatest thinkers and leaders have always gained feedback from their inner circle. If you’re pitching to win a project, and you lose, take the time to ask questions. “What did you like most?” “What do you think caused us to lose the bid?” Just because you’ve lost the pitch, doesn’t mean you’ve lost the relationship or a chance at another opportunity. And just because your presentation flopped doesn’t mean it’s a failure! Maybe it was simply not the right time. Perhaps another company had a lower price. Perhaps it was fixed (gasp!). By seeking feedback, and following up a friendly call or email, you’ll refine your pitch for the next time and learn from your mistakes.

Winning a bid, or gaining investment capital is ultimately a reflection of how well you present yourself and your information. By adopting these proven strategies into your approach, you’ll gain an upper edge in standing out and being successful.

Kevin Lerner is a presentation consultant and expert on presentation design and delivery. His firm, The Presentation Team , has helped hundreds of companies and individuals to create and deliver world-class presentations.

Investor presentation , pitch deck , powerpoint , raise money

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"Kevin Lerner provided best-in-class services when hired to work on promotional materials for the launch of a key product at Motorola. The expertise and quality that he brought to the project were second to none and as a result, he delivered a top-notch presentation that was quickly adopted throughout the organization. Kevin is great to work with, delivers on time, is a great team player and is always willing to go the extra mile."

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Will Flower Republic Services

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Mike Geary James Pirtle Construction

"Kevin brought a high level of creativity, enthusiasm, and deep multmedia experience to our team. He worked dillegently with the team to produce an outstanding proposal which we subsequently won.

Jeff Keller Accenture/L3

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presentation is top notch

Best Practices for Creating a Top-Notch Investment Presentation

presentation is top notch

Raising venture capital is difficult. On top of having a business or product that a VC finds “fundable,” you need to have a system in place to raise capital. This includes everything from identifying the right investors to pitching investors to nurturing investors.

Related Resource: How To Write the Perfect Investor Update (Tips and Templates)

Inevitably, you will have to present or pitch to investors over the course of a fundraise (typically using a pitch deck ). To learn more about how to best pitch and present to your potential investors, check out our tips below:

What is the purpose of an investment presentation?

An investment presentation or pitch is a tool to help founders share their company story and vision with investors. An investor presentation is a visual representation of your company narrative and includes things like metrics, roadmaps, team members, etc.

Kristian Andersen of High Alpha breaks down how founders should think about crafting their pitch deck and story below:

Related Resource: Tips for Creating an Investor Pitch Deck

How long should an investment presentation be?

There is no exact answer when it comes to determining the length of your pitch deck. Different businesses and pitches will require different pitch decks, but we have found that as a rule of thumb founders should shoot for a pitch deck that is 12 slides or less.

We studied our own data from our pitch deck sharing tool and found that the average number of slides in a pitch deck (where 100% of slides were viewed) was 12.2 slides.

presentation is top notch

Related Resource: Pitch Deck 101: How Many Slides Should My Pitch Deck Have?

Many investors agree with somewhere between the 10 to 15 slide range as well. Alex Iskold of 2048 recommends a short pitch deck that should be 10 or fewer slides.

What your pitch deck should look like for your investment presentation

As we mentioned previously, every business is different. The needs for different slides and narratives will differ from business to business. However, there are a few slides that are typically used regardless of the business. Check out a few popular pitch deck slides below:

1) Discuss the company overview

First things first, clearly present your company and what you do. This should be easy to digest and understand for the investors you are pitching.

2) Present the problem

Use data, stories, or a compelling way to present the problem you are solving. Ideally, you’d like your audience to feel the problem or have a good grasp of others experiencing the problem.

3) Present your solution

Once investors understand the problem you are tackling, you need to lay out how your solution solves the problem. Make the case why you and your solution are the ones to solve the problem.

4) Highlight the target market

Next, lay out the target market and what your ideal customer looks like. This can help investors answer the “why now?” question.

5) Illustrate the market opportunity

At the end of the day, investors want to invest in companies that can turn into huge companies. Demonstrate the market and how it is (or has the opportunity) to become a large market.

6) Identify the competition

Investors will want to understand the space. Lay out your competitors and explain how you are different and better than them.

7) Showcase your product

Next, showcase the status of your product and future plans. Use data or customer stories to share how awesome your product is.

8) Share why your team is the one to solve the problem

Show your executive team members and share their relevant experience and skills so investors understand why your team is fit to execute the problem and the solution.

9) Explain your business model and marketing strategies

Investors want to know that your business has a clear plan and strategy to generate revenue. Clearly lay out your acquisition strategy and sales & marketing efforts to date so investors can understand how your business will attract and close new customers.

10) Present financial data and metrics

Of course, investors want to see the data and metrics behind your business. Lay out key financial and core metrics so investors know the status of your business.

Qualities investors want to see

An investor’s job is to generate returns for their investors (limited partners, LPs). What investors look for in a potential investment will vary from firm to firm but we laid out a few of the common attributes investors want to see in a founder and their business below:

  • Large market
  • Clear customer acquisition strategy
  • Experienced team
  • Strong leadership
  • Traction and growth
  • Coachability

Of course, those are just a few of the traits investors will look for in a founder or startup. Different investors will place a different level of importance on different attributes. It is important to understand what an investor looks for in an investment and tailor your pitch to them.

Related Resource: Startup Metrics You Need to Monitor

Best practices for a top-notch investor presentation

As we’ve mentioned, different investors will look for different attributes in a presentation. However, most things investors look for can be boiled down to a few key areas. Below we lay out a few best practices for putting together a top-notch investor presentation.

Practice your pitch

This should go without saying but make sure you practice your pitch. You should know the ins and outs of your presentation and business. Of course, practicing in front of a mirror or friend can only go so far.

Some founders and investors recommend “ranking” your investors before approaching investors. E.g. Tier 1 investors are the best fit, Tier 3 are less of a fit for your business. If you rank your investors you’ll be able to spend some of your earliest pitches on “Tier 3” (or lower fit) investors to dial in your pitch and prepare for your pitches with better fit investors later on in your fundraise.

Related Resource: How to Pitch a Perfect Series B Round (With Deck Template)

Keep your message simple and clear

Investors see hundreds or thousands of pitches over a given year. Being able to clearly articulate your message and pitch is a surefire way to remove any confusion. By keeping your message simple and clear, you’ll remove any back-and-forth wasted on small details and be able to spend time on what matters most — having a conversation about your business.

Find ways to connect with the investors

At the end of the day, a founder is selling their company to potential investors. Like a good sales process, a good investor pitch starts by building a relationship and trust. When pitching potential investors, find ways to connect with them in advance of the pitch. This could be everything from following and interacting with them on Twitter to going to in-person events where they are present.

Highlight early successes and wins

Get potential investors excited about your business by sharing early successes and wins. This will get the presentation off on the right foot and allow everyone to build excitement around your business. Of course, try to back up your early successes and wins with data when possible.

Know your metrics

Inevitably, investors will want to dig into the metrics and data behind your business. For most investors, this is used to evaluate your business and could be considered the best predictor of success for your business.

However, metrics can also be a barometer for how well you know your business. You don’t need to remember every data point behind your business but need to know how different metrics are calculated and what causes any major fluctuations.

Include engaging visuals and graphics

An investor presentation is a tool used to pitch your business. In order to best engage with your audience, you should aim to have engaging visuals and graphics throughout your presentation. Of course, the underlying data is what is most important but having engaging and easy-to-understand visuals and graphics is a great way to support and improve your pitch.

Leave time for questions

The best pitches and presentations tend to be more conversational. You’ll want to balance feeding your investors with the material they need and also be able to have a constructive conversation about your business. By coming prepared, having a clear and simple presentation, and engaging with your investors beforehand is a surefire way to have a conversation about your business.

Communicate before your presentation

Investors need months of data and interactions to make a decision about a potential investment. In order to best help investors build conviction and have more meaningful conversations, make sure you are engaging with potential investors on a regular basis. This can be in the form of your monthly investor updates or sharing your pitch deck in advance before a meeting.

Sharing your pitch deck in advance of a meeting is a hot topic. Some investors will say you should and some will say the opposite. At the end of the day, it is important for you to feel out the investor and do what you believe is best for you and your business.

Related Resource: 18 Pitch Deck Examples for Any Startup

In-person vs remote investment presentations

Before 2020, investment presentations were generally in-person. However, since the way we work has shifted so have investment presentations. Investors are largely open to receiving pitches and making investment decisions via a remote presentation. Learn more about the pros and cons of both in-person and remote presentations below:

In-person presentation

Before 2020, in-person presentations were the go-to for investment presentations. In-person presentations come with both pros and cons. On the positive side, in-person presentations are typically a better way to build relationships and will make sure an investor’s time is undivided.

On the other hand, in-person presentations can be expensive (both financially and time-wise) for an early-stage startup founder that might not have the resources to travel across the country. This will likely limit the number of potential investors that a founder can meet with over the course of a fundraise.

Remote presentation

Remote presentations and investor pitches have risen in popularity since COVID. Many investors are becoming comfortable with investing in companies remotely and is largely accepted by most investors. Like in-person presentations, remote presentations come with their own unique set of pros and cons.

On the positive side, remote presentations allow founders to meet with more investors as it is more viable financially (and time-wise) to meet with investors remotely. On the flip side, some individuals might find that developing a relationship remotely is more difficult and can take more meetings and a different style of communication to build trust.

Share your pitch deck with Visible

With our suite of fundraising tools, you can easily find investors , share your pitch deck, and track your fundraising funnel. Learn more about our pitch deck sharing tool and give it a free try here .

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Another hit in little Lansing! Our breakfast was top notch- crispy, hot hasbrowns, delicious bacon (we suspected it's local from new albin, but didn't confirm). Both waitresses were very friendly and seemed happy to be there on a Saturday morning. We'll definitely be back!

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Fox News and MSNBC Notch Rating Wins After Trump’s Verdict

In prime time, MSNBC scored a rare Nielsen victory. Earlier, when the news broke, Fox News attracted the biggest live audience.

A news feed displayed in a band stretching around a building says, in part, “Former President Trump guilty on all 34 counts.”

By Michael M. Grynbaum

The jury was unanimous. But the cable news verdict was a split decision.

Viewers around the country scrambled to their television screens on Thursday to learn the outcome of the Manhattan criminal case against former President Donald J. Trump.

Fox News scored the biggest audience for breaking coverage of the 34 guilty counts, pulling in 4.7 million viewers from 5 to 6 p.m., according to Nielsen. That is a huge viewership for a weekday afternoon and easily outstripped the audiences for CNN, MSNBC and the broadcast networks that cut into regular programming with special reports.

By the evening, after word of the verdict had spread, viewership surged for MSNBC. In an exceedingly rare prime-time victory, the left-leaning channel outranked Fox News, the perennial No. 1 cable news station, in both total viewers and adults ages 25 to 54, the most important demographic for advertisers.

From 8 to 11 p.m., MSNBC programs averaged 3.4 million viewers, edging Fox News’s 3.1 million. CNN averaged 1.3 million.

Many Americans learned the news of the verdict from online sites, email alerts and text messages from family and friends. Still, the size of the audiences on traditional television speaks to the keen interest in the extraordinary scene of a former president’s facing a criminal conviction.

Presidential elections typically generate higher news ratings, but 2024 has bucked that trend. The lack of competition in this year’s early primaries, paired with a looming rematch of the same candidates as four years ago, has provided little benefit to news networks. Many Americans are tuning out political headlines, or feel too fatigued by world events to focus on an election that is still five months away.

How the conviction of Mr. Trump might influence voters’ opinions is one of the first moments of genuine uncertainty in this year’s campaign narrative. Next month also brings a major television moment: the race’s first face-to-face matchup in prime time between Mr. Trump and President Biden, in a CNN debate in Atlanta on June 27.

With the exception of Thursday evening, Fox News dominates its cable news competitors in the Nielsen ratings. The channel said on Friday that it had secured an interview with Mr. Trump to air on Sunday’s edition of “Fox & Friends Weekend.” The taped interview will be conducted by the show’s co-hosts, Will Cain, Rachel Campos-Duffy and Pete Hegseth.

Michael M. Grynbaum writes about the intersection of media, politics and culture. He has been a media correspondent at The Times since 2016. More about Michael M. Grynbaum

Inside the Media Industry

The Washington Post: ​​The departure of Sally Buzbee  from the newspaper, where she had been editor since 2021, adds to growing tensions  between the newsroom and its chief executive .

Luring Liberals Back to Cable TV:  Jon Stewart’s and Rachel Maddow’s Monday night programs have become something close to appointment viewing  for Democrats anxious about a close election.

Trump Verdict: ​​In a riveting moment, every major TV network broke in to daytime programming for the announcement of the verdict against Donald Trump. Then the punditry began .

‘Inside the NBA’: ​​Next season could be the last for TNT’s influential and beloved studio show. Charles Barkley, for one, will not be going quietly .

BuzzFeed: ​​Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate who has invested in BuzzFeed, believes the company needs to pivot . He wants to see moves like hiring Tucker Carlson.

Andy Ibáñez comes through in pinch, Tigers top Red Sox in 10 innings to earn series split

presentation is top notch

Boston — It’s been the one constant in a season of ups and downs for the Tigers. They keep scratching.

"It was rough early," manager AJ Hinch said after the Tigers erupted for four runs in the top of the 10th inning to get out of Fenway Park with an 8-4 win Sunday and a split of the four-game series against the Red Sox. "They put a lot of pressure on us. They were scoring in every inning. ... But you've got to hang in there. You play the whole game."

After surviving a ragged bottom of the ninth, Hinch sent up right-handed hitting Andy Ibáñez to pinch-hit for Colt Keith with runners at first and second in the 10th against Boston lefty Cam Booser.

"I like Andy against every lefty in the league," Hinch said. "He is in the at-bat, he's disciplined and aggressive at the same time and he's going to get a good swing off. I don't love hitting for Colt. We're trying to develop a guy who is going to be in there through it all.

"But in that moment, with Andy being on the bench, such a huge weapon for us, I am going to take the bat away from Colt, because of Andy."

Ibáñez smacked a double to break the tie.

BOX SCORE: Tigers 8, Red Sox 4 (10 innings)

MLB STANDINGS

"Their guy was warming up a couple of innings earlier and they told me to get ready," said Ibáñez, through Tigers bilingual interpreter Carlos Guillen. "I started watching video and I noticed he was throwing his cutter a lot. So, I was ready for that pitch."

With two outs and runners on second and third, Javier Báez delivered a two-run single and catcher Carson Kelly an RBI double to give ample cushion.

The postgame celebration seemed unlikely in the early part of the game, especially after the Red Sox chased Casey Mize out of the game in the fourth inning and held a 3-0 lead.

But there were little sparks along the way, several supplied by rookie Wenceel Perez, who had three hits and made a clutch catch with the winning run on third in the ninth, as well as some stout work by the bullpen, that set up the fireworks in the 10th.

"We were having a hard time with their guy," Hinch said of Red Sox starter Brayan Bello. "As they got the lead, the crowd started playing into it. This is as good a home field advantage as there is in the big leagues. But Wenceel seemed to quiet them a little bit with some big hits and creating some opportunities for us."

Gio Urshela started the comeback with a lead-off double in the fifth. He eventually scored on a wild pitch. In the sixth, Perez singled and got to third with one out. Urshela then hit a 266-foot fly ball to left. Third-base coach Joey Cora boldly sent Perez home. The throw from Jarren Duran got to the plate in time, but Perez smartly slid around the plate and touched the back of dish before the tag was applied — 3-2.

In the seventh, after Matt Vierling (two hits) and Riley Greene (two hits) singled and Perez lashed a double to the left-center gap. Vierling scored on the hit and Greene came home on a ground out by Mark Canha.

"I definitely need to be more efficient," said Mize, who endured his third straight short start. "Four innings isn't good enough. Four walks. Long at-bats. That didn't help my pitch count (he was at 82 pitches) and they had a row of lefties coming up.

"Tyler Holton did a great job and our bullpen definitely picked me up. But I gave them too many innings to cover."

Holton restored order, setting down seven straight Red Sox hitters while the Tigers (29-30) before Rafael Devers tied the game at 4-4 in the eighth with a 408-foot homer to the top of the Green Monster in left-center off Alex Faedo.

Not to be overlooked, there were several key defensive plays that kept the Red Sox at bay. Kelly threw out two runners trying to steal second, on both, it was a lightning-quick tag by Báez that got the outs.

"I know we talk about it a ton and it feels like a small thing, but those tags are huge on plays that are coin-flip out or safe," Hinch said. "We did a good job hanging in for a lot of reasons, but our defense pulled us out of a couple of jams."

Urshela, playing first base, made a diving stop with a runner on in the seventh. Keith at second base made a diving grab. And in the ninth, Vierling at third base made a spectacular play behind the bag at third and threw a seed across the diamond to get the second out.

The bottom of the ninth, though, quickly turned into a tightrope walk.

Jason Foley got the last out of the eighth and the first two of the ninth before giving up a single to Rob Refsnyder. Refsnyder had been a key piece in the chess match between Hinch and Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who stacked five straight lefties at the top of his batting order.

Cora wanted Hinch to attack that stack with a lefty in the later innings so he could activate right-handed hitting Refsnyder — using him like Hinch uses Ibáñez. Cora inserted Refsnyder in the seventh against Holton, which is why Hinch countered with right-hander Faedo.

"The last thing you wanted to do (in the ninth) was get to Devers," Hinch said.

So after Refsnyder singled, Hinch brought in lefty Andrew Chafin, expecting Cora to counter with right-handed pinch-hitters. Chafin walked lefty Duran and then right-handed pinch-hitter Jamie Westbrook, a former Toledo Mud Hen, to load the bases. It was Westbrook's first big-league at-bat.

Cora sent up right-handed pinch-hitter Connor Wong, with Devers on deck.

"They had it set up perfectly with Wong getting the biggest at-bat," Hinch said. "There was nothing we could do. We needed strikes and it was set up like that because of a couple walks. AC (Cora) was really disciplined with one of his better hitters. That was a tough spot."

Wong hit a slicing line drive to right field that Perez ran down to end the inning.

"Wenceel ran it down and gave us a chance to put up some runs," Hinch said. "And then we stuck with Chafe. Gutsy win."

Chafin stranded the free runner in the 10th, punching out Devers and right-handed hitting Garrett Cooper.

"Good win, happy flight to Texas," Hinch said.

[email protected]

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Cisco Live 2024: Cisco Announces New AI-powered Innovations and Investments to Help Customers Unlock a More Connected and Secure Future

Cisco Live 2024: Cisco Announces New AI-powered Innovations and Investments to Help Customers Unlock a More Connected and Secure Future

News Summary:

  • AI-powered innovations build customers’ digital resilience by uniquely combining the power of the network with industry-leading security, observability, and data, simplifying adoption, and offering visibility and insight across the entire digital footprint.
  • Cisco Investments has launched a $1 Billion Global AI Investment Fund to advance industry innovation and customer readiness, and support Cisco’s strategy to connect and protect organizations in an AI-powered future.
  • This year’s show headlined by keynote speakers, including Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins; 7x Super Bowl Champion, Entrepreneur & Philanthropist Tom Brady; and from McLaren Racing, CEO Zak Brown and F1 Team Driver Oscar Piastri.

CISCO LIVE, LAS VEGAS, June 4, 2024:  Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) kicks off Cisco LIVE 2024 with new AI-powered innovations and investments that deliver a clear message: AI isn’t just the latest turning point in technology. It’s an efficient, intelligent source of digital resilience that can connect and protect entire organizations and power growth, scale, and an inclusive future for all.  

At its premier networking and security event, Cisco is launching AI-enriched networking, security, and observability solutions across its entire portfolio. These are designed to give customers the visibility and insights they need to connect and protect their entire digital footprint and build digital resilience.

“We're thrilled to share incredible innovation and new AI-powered capabilities for our customers this week at Cisco Live,” said Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO of Cisco. “Cisco is uniquely positioned to revolutionize the way infrastructure and data connect and protect organizations of all sizes, and we are confident we are the right strategic partner for our customers in this era of AI."

Cisco Investments also announced a $1B global investment fund to expand and develop secure and reliable AI solutions. Cisco is making strategic investments in Cohere, Mistral AI, and Sale AI that will advance several critical areas including customer readiness, compute infrastructure, foundational models, model development, and training.

Cisco’s Product Innovations Tackle Customers’ Core Challenges

Cisco customers are in the spotlight, showcasing the pivotal role Cisco plays as a crucial strategic ally in business and technology. Customers featured at Cisco Live include Steve Madden, Room & Board, Marriott, AT&T, Equinix, WWE, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park and McLaren F1 Racing.  

Making AI easier with AI & Networking

Cisco Nexus   HyperFabric AI clusters : This breakthrough AI cluster solution with NVIDIA features a single place to design, deploy, monitor and assure AI pods and data center workloads. It guides users from design, to validated deployment, to monitoring and assurance for enterprise-ready AI infrastructure. 

  • Cisco Networking Cloud: New AI-native Digital Experience Assurance innovations from Cisco ThousandEyes unlock cross-domain assurance for Cisco Networking Cloud and beyond. Customers are now empowered to see and manage every enterprise, cloud, SaaS, and Internet network for exceptional digital experiences to every user, everywhere, every time.

Making AI safer with AI & Security

  • In an increasingly complex and hyper-distributed world, Cisco tips the balance of power in favor of the defenders with new capabilities across the Cisco Security Cloud . Customers gain an AI-fortified security posture backed by market-leading firewall infrastructure, new sources of telemetry, superior network visibility, and AI-native management architecture.
  • A little over one month after the launch of Cisco Hypershield, Cisco is announcing Cisco Hypershield support for AMD Pensando DPUs and Intel IPUs. It enables enterprises to realize an AI-driven, distributed security architecture that seamlessly goes from the cloud to the data centers to the edge while still being highly performing and energy efficient.

Making AI work with AI & Observability

  • Customers benefit from Cisco’s recent landmark acquisition of Splunk with flawless, secure digital experiences powered by unparalleled visibility and real-time insights that help standardize the observability practice – getting customers ahead of future demands and set up for new opportunities.  
  • At the event, Cisco will share that it has combined the power of the Splunk platform with Cisco AppDynamics Application Performance Monitoring (APM) with the introduction of Splunk Log Observer for Cisco AppDynamics . This integration will enable users to drive faster troubleshooting across on-prem and hybrid environments. Cisco is announcing its AI assistant for Cisco AppDynamics to empower users to unlock meaningful guidance and insights to make informed decisions faster and more accurately than ever. 

Making AI work with the Future of Work

  • AI-Powered Contact Center and Hybrid Work Innovations: New capabilities in Webex Contact Center will help organizations design and manage conversational self-service experiences, provide an AI Assistant for contact center agents, and integrate third-party virtual agent solutions.  
  • Additionally, AI Assistant for Webex Suite will soon be generally available to customers. IT admins will benefit from remote device access management in Webex Control Hub, and allnew Desk Reservation with Cisco Spaces makes it easy to find and book desk spaces and Cisco Collaboration Devices.

Enabling AI Skills

  • New AI Fundamentals for Partners: Cisco will announce the first stage of its AI partner specialization training that will equip partners with the knowledge needed to optimize infrastructure for AI workloads using Cisco technology. It will explore AI basics, including key concepts and terms, a taxonomy of AI solutions and an overview of Cisco’s AI strategy, governance and use cases to master AI solution implementation in, on and through Cisco platforms.  
  • New Cisco Certification in AI: Organizations can build an AI-ready workforce with the announcement of Cisco’s new certification in designing modern AI architecture . The vendoragnostic certification will enable employers, employees and jobseekers to gain and validate the skills needed to design modern AI/ML compute and networks now and into the future.

About Cisco Live

Cisco LIVE 2024, the premier networking and security event that brings together the global Cisco community to showcase the latest innovations and inspire attendees to strive for a more inclusive future for all. Welcoming more than 20,000 attendees in-person, with nearly one million more tuning in from around the world via a live-streamed digital event, Cisco LIVE 2024 is set to be Cisco’s most impactful conference to date.

To experience the live keynotes, learn more about Cisco Live news announcements and view additional digital content, visit The Newsroom .

Additional Resources:

        •      Flickr album with on-site photos uploaded daily from Cisco LIVE 2024.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that securely connects everything to make anything possible. Our purpose is to power an inclusive future for all by helping our customers reimagine their applications, power hybrid work, secure their enterprise, transform their infrastructure, and meet their sustainability goals. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @Cisco .

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco’s trademarks can be found at http://www.cisco.com/go/trademarks . Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word ‘partner’ does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

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Outshift Leads the Way with AI at RSA Conference 2024

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