high level presentation sample

This simplistic presentation example employs several different colors and font weights, but instead of coming off as disconnected, the varied colors work with one another to create contrast and call out specific concepts.

What I like: The big, bold numbers help set the reader's expectations, as they clearly signify how far along the viewer is in the list of tips.

10. “Pixar's 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling,” Gavin McMahon

This presentation by Gavin McMahon features color in all the right places. While each of the background images boasts a bright, spotlight-like design, all the characters are intentionally blacked out.

What I like: This helps keep the focus on the tips, while still incorporating visuals. Not to mention, it's still easy for me to identify each character without the details. (I found you on slide eight, Nemo.)

11. “Facebook Engagement and Activity Report,” We Are Social

Here's another great example of data visualization in the wild.

What I like: Rather than displaying numbers and statistics straight up, this presentation calls upon interesting, colorful graphs, and charts to present the information in a way that just makes sense.

12. “The GaryVee Content Model,” Gary Vaynerchuk

This wouldn‘t be a true Gary Vaynerchuk presentation if it wasn’t a little loud, am I right?

What I like: Aside from the fact that I love the eye-catching, bright yellow background, Vaynerchuk does a great job of incorporating screenshots on each slide to create a visual tutorial that coincides with the tips. He also does a great job including a visual table of contents that shows your progress as you go .

13. “20 Tweetable Quotes to Inspire Marketing & Design Creative Genius,” IMPACT Branding & Design

We‘ve all seen our fair share of quote-chronicling presentations but that isn’t to say they were all done well. Often the background images are poor quality, the text is too small, or there isn't enough contrast.

Well, this professional presentation from IMPACT Branding & Design suffers from none of said challenges.

What I like: The colorful filters over each background image create just enough contrast for the quotes to stand out.

14. “The Great State of Design,” Stacy Kvernmo

This presentation offers up a lot of information in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming.

What I like: The contrasting colors create visual interest and “pop,” and the comic images (slides 6 through 12) are used to make the information seem less buttoned-up and overwhelming.

15. “Clickbait: A Guide To Writing Un-Ignorable Headlines,” Ethos3

Not going to lie, it was the title that convinced me to click through to this presentation but the awesome design kept me there once I arrived.

What I like: This simple design adheres to a consistent color pattern and leverages bullet points and varied fonts to break up the text nicely.

16. “Digital Transformation in 50 Soundbites,” Julie Dodd

This design highlights a great alternative to the “text-over-image” display we've grown used to seeing.

What I like: By leveraging a split-screen approach to each presentation slide, Julie Dodd was able to serve up a clean, legible quote without sacrificing the power of a strong visual.

17. “Fix Your Really Bad PowerPoint,” Slide Comet

When you‘re creating a PowerPoint about how everyone’s PowerPoints stink, yours had better be terrific. The one above, based on the ebook by Seth Godin, keeps it simple without boring its audience.

What I like: Its clever combinations of fonts, together with consistent color across each slide, ensure you're neither overwhelmed nor unengaged.

18. “How Google Works,” Eric Schmidt

Simple, clever doodles tell the story of Google in a fun and creative way. This presentation reads almost like a storybook, making it easy to move from one slide to the next.

What I like: This uncluttered approach provides viewers with an easy-to-understand explanation of a complicated topic.

19. “What Really Differentiates the Best Content Marketers From The Rest,” Ross Simmonds

Let‘s be honest: These graphics are hard not to love. I especially appreciate the author’s cartoonified self-portrait that closes out the presentation. Well played, Ross Simmonds.

What I like: Rather than employing the same old stock photos, this unique design serves as a refreshing way to present information that's both valuable and fun.

20. “Be A Great Product Leader,” Adam Nash

This presentation by Adam Nash immediately draws attention by putting the company's logo first — a great move if your company is well known.

What I like: He uses popular images, such as ones of Megatron and Pinocchio, to drive his points home. In the same way, you can take advantage of popular images and media to keep your audience engaged.

PowerPoint Presentation Examples for the Best Slide Presentation

Mastering a PowerPoint presentation begins with the design itself.

Get inspired by my ideas above to create a presentation that engages your audience, builds upon your point, and helps you generate leads for your brand.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. This article was written by a human, but our team uses AI in our editorial process. Check out our full disclosure to learn more about how we use AI.

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• Inspiration

23 presentation examples that really work (plus templates!)

• 30 Mar 2023

To help you in your quest for presentation greatness, we’ve gathered 23 of the best business presentation examples out there. These hand-picked ideas range from business PowerPoint presentations, to recruitment presentations, and everything in between.

As a bonus, several of our examples include editable video presentation templates from  Biteable .

Biteable allows anyone to create great video presentations — no previous video-making skills required. The easy-to-use platform has hundreds of brandable templates and video scenes designed with a business audience in mind. A video made with Biteable is just what you need to add that wow factor and make an impact on your audience.

Create videos that drive action

Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.

Video presentation examples

Video presentations are our specialty at Biteable. We love them because they’re the most visually appealing and memorable way to communicate.

1. Animated characters

Our first presentation example is a business explainer from Biteable that uses animated characters. The friendly and modern style makes this the perfect presentation for engaging your audience.

Bonus template:  Need a business video presentation that reflects the beautiful diversity of your customers or team? Use  Biteable’s workplace scenes . You can change the skin tone and hair color for any of the animated characters.

2. Conference video

Videos are also ideal solutions for events (e.g. trade shows) where they can be looped to play constantly while you attend to more important things like talking to people and handing out free cheese samples.

For this event presentation sample below, we used bright colours, stock footage, and messaging that reflects the brand and values of the company. All these elements work together to draw the attention of passers-by.

For a huge selection of video presentation templates, take a look at our  template gallery .

Business PowerPoint presentation examples

Striking fear into the hearts of the workplace since 1987, PowerPoint is synonymous with bland, boring presentations that feel more like an endurance test than a learning opportunity. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Check out these anything-but-boring business PowerPoint presentation examples.

3. Design pointers

This PowerPoint presentation takes a tongue-in-cheek look at how the speakers and users of PowerPoint are the problem, not the software itself.

Even at a hefty 61 slides, the vintage theme, appealing colors, and engaging content keep the viewer interested. It delivers useful and actionable tips on creating a better experience for your audience.

Pixar, as you’d expect, redefines the meaning of PowerPoint in their “22 Rules for Phenomenal Storytelling”. The character silhouettes are instantly recognizable and tie firmly to the Pixar brand. The bright colour palettes are carefully chosen to highlight the content of each slide.

This presentation is a good length, delivering one message per slide, making it easy for an audience to take notes and retain the information.

Google slides examples

If you’re in business, chances are you’ll have come across  slide decks . Much like a deck of cards, each slide plays a key part in the overall ‘deck’, creating a well-rounded presentation.

If you need to inform your team, present findings, or outline a new strategy, slides are one of the most effective ways to do this.

Google Slides is one of the best ways to create a slide deck right now. It’s easy to use and has built-in design tools that integrate with Adobe, Lucidchart, and more. The best part — it’s free!

5. Teacher education

Here’s a slide deck that was created to educate teachers on how to use Google Slides effectively in a classroom. At first glance it seems stuffy and businessy, but if you look closer it’s apparent the creator knows his audience well, throwing in some teacher-friendly content that’s bound to get a smile.

The slides give walkthrough screenshots and practical advice on the different ways teachers can use the software to make their lives that little bit easier and educate their students at the same time.

6. Charity awareness raiser

This next Google slide deck is designed to raise awareness for an animal shelter. It has simple, clear messaging, and makes use of the furry friends it rescues to tug on heartstrings and encourage donations and adoptions from its audience.

Pro tip: Creating a presentation is exciting but also a little daunting. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed — especially if the success of your business or nonprofit depends on it.

Prezi presentation examples

If you haven’t come across  Prezi , it’s a great alternative to using static slides. Sitting somewhere between slides and a video presentation, it allows you to import other content and add motion to create a more engaging viewer experience.

7. Red Bull event recap

This Prezi was created to document the Red Bull stratosphere freefall stunt a few years ago. It neatly captures all the things that Prezi is capable of, including video inserts and the zoom effect, which gives an animated, almost 3D effect to what would otherwise be still images.  

Prezi has annual awards for the best examples of presentations over the year. This next example is one of the 2018 winners. It was made to highlight a new Logitech tool.

8. Logitech Spotlight launch

What stands out here are the juicy colors, bold imagery, and the way the designer has used Prezi to its full extent, including rotations, panning, fades, and a full zoom out to finish the presentation.

Sales presentation examples

If you’re stuck for ideas for your sales presentation, step right this way and check out this video template we made for you.

9. Sales enablement video presentation

In today’s fast-paced sales environment, you need a way to make your sales enablement presentations memorable and engaging for busy reps.  Sales enablement videos  are just the ticket. Use this video presentation template the next time you need to present on your metrics.

10. Zuroa sales deck

If you’re after a sales deck, you can’t go past this example from Zuora. What makes it great? It begins by introducing the worldwide shift in the way consumers are shopping. It’s a global phenomenon, and something we can all relate to.

It then weaves a compelling story about how the subscription model is changing the face of daily life for everyone. Metrics and testimonials from well-known CEOs and executives are included for some slamming social proof to boost the sales message.

Pitch presentation examples

Pitch decks are used to give an overview of business plans, and are usually presented during meetings with customers, investors, or potential partners.

11. Uber pitch deck

This is Uber’s original pitch deck, which (apart from looking a teensy bit dated) gives an excellent overview of their business model and clearly shows how they intended to disrupt a traditional industry and provide a better service to people. Right now, you’re probably very grateful that this pitch presentation was a winner.

You can make your own pitch deck with Biteable, or start with one of our  video templates  to make something a little more memorable.

12. Video pitch template

This video pitch presentation clearly speaks to the pains of everyone who needs to commute and find parking. It then provides the solution with its app that makes parking a breeze.

The video also introduces the key team members, their business strategy, and what they’re hoping to raise in funding. It’s a simple, clear pitch that positions the company as a key solution to a growing, worldwide problem. It’s compelling and convincing, as a good presentation should be.

13. Fyre Festival pitch deck

The most epic example of a recent pitch deck is this one for Fyre Festival – the greatest event that never happened. Marvel at its persuasion, gasp at the opportunity of being part of the cultural experience of the decade, cringe as everything goes from bad to worse.

Despite the very public outcome, this is a masterclass in how to create hype and get funding with your pitch deck using beautiful imagery, beautiful people, and beautiful promises of riches and fame.

Business presentation examples

Need to get the right message out to the right people? Business presentations can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

Simply press play and let your video do the talking. No fumbling your words and sweating buckets in front of those potential clients, just you being cool as a cucumber while your presentation does the talking.

Check out two of our popular templates that you can use as a starting point for your own presentations. While they’re business-minded, they’re definitely not boring.

14. Business intro template

Modern graphics, animations, and upbeat soundtracks keep your prospects engaged as they learn about your business, your team, your values, and how you can help them.

15. Business explainer template

Research presentation examples.

When you’re giving a more technical presentation such as research findings, you need to strike the perfect balance between informing your audience and making sure they stay awake.

As a rule, slides are more effective for research presentations, as they are used to support the speaker’s knowledge rather can capture every small detail on screen.

With often dry, complex, and technical subject matter, there can be a temptation for presentations to follow suit. Use images instead of walls of text, and keep things as easy to follow as possible.

16. TrackMaven research deck

TrackMaven uses their endearing mascot to lighten up this data-heavy slide deck. The graphs help to bring life to their findings, and they ensure to only have one bite-size takeaway per slide so that viewers can easily take notes.

17. Wearable tech research report

Obviously, research can get very researchy and there’s not a lot to be done about it. This slide deck below lays out a ton of in-depth information but breaks it up well with quotes, diagrams, and interesting facts to keep viewers engaged while it delivers its findings on wearable technology.

Team presentation examples

Motivating your team can be a challenge at the best of times, especially when you need to gather them together for….another presentation!

18. Team update template

We created this presentation template as an example of how to engage your team. In this case, it’s for an internal product launch. Using colorful animation and engaging pacing, this video presentation is much better than a static PowerPoint, right?

19. Officevibe collaboration explainer

This short slide deck is a presentation designed to increase awareness of the problems of a disengaged team. Bright colors and relevant images combine with facts and figures that compel viewers to click through to a download to learn more about helping their teams succeed.

Recruitment presentation examples

Recruiting the right people can be a challenge. Presentations can help display your team and your business by painting a dynamic picture of what it’s like to work with you.

Videos and animated slides let you capture the essence of your brand and workplace so the right employees can find you.

20. Company culture explainer

If you’re a recruitment agency, your challenge is to stand out from the hundreds of other agencies in the marketplace.

21. Kaizen culture

Showcasing your agency using a slide deck can give employers and employees a feel for doing business with you. Kaizen clearly displays its credentials and highlights its brand values and personality here (and also its appreciation of the coffee bean).

Explainer presentation examples

Got some explaining to do? Using an explainer video is the ideal way to showcase products that are technical, digital, or otherwise too difficult to explain with still images and text.

Explainer videos help you present the features and values of your product in an engaging way that speaks to your ideal audience and promotes your brand at the same time.

22. Product explainer template

23. lucidchart explainer.

Lucidchart does a stellar job of using explainer videos for their software. Their series of explainers-within-explainers entertains the viewer with cute imagery and an endearing brand voice. At the same time, the video is educating its audience on how to use the actual product. We (almost) guarantee you’ll have more love for spiders after watching this one.

Make a winning video presentation with Biteable

Creating a winning presentation doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. Modern slide decks and video software make it easy for you to give compelling presentations that sell, explain, and educate without sending your audience to snooze town.

For the best online video presentation software around, check out Biteable. The intuitive platform does all the heavy lifting for you, so making a video presentation is as easy as making a PowerPoint.

Use Biteable’s brand builder to automatically fetch your company colors and logo from your website and apply them to your entire video with the click of a button. Even add a  clickable call-to-action  button to your video.

Share your business presentation anywhere with a single, trackable URL and watch your message turn into gold.

Make stunning videos with ease.

Take the struggle out of team communication.

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17 PowerPoint Presentation Examples That Show Style and Professionalism

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By Iveta Pavlova

in Inspiration

6 years ago

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There are way too many bad PowerPoint presentation examples that can bore you to death. Well, today’s post is not about them. We believe that it’s always important to show the good examples out there and follow their lead. We admit it, it was pretty hard to dig out the good PowerPoint presentation examples from the mass. We’ve added our opinion on each piece and why we believe it’s worthy of being included in this collection. Let’s begin!

You may be interested in  The Best Free PowerPoint Templates to Download in 2022

1. The Sketchnote Mini-Workshop by Mike Rohde

An eye-catchy PowerPoint presentation example whose content is fully hand-written. What we love about this design, is the high personalization level that is achieved via handwriting. It almost feels like the author is drawing and writing in front of the viewers’ eyes. A digital presentation that conveys a physical feeling.

2. 10 Ways to Spread The Love in The Office by Elodie A.

The following presentation is a real eye candy. We can’t help it, the cartoon style lives in our hearts. An incredibly appealing PowerPoint presentation that brings positive vibes and a good mood through vibrant cartoon illustrations. It gets bonus points for the usage of bullet points and little text.

3. The Great State of Design with CSS Grid Layout and Friends by Stacy Kvernmo

A presentation that tells a story is always a good example that everyone should follow. This PowerPoint presentation has a lot of slides that tell different mini-stories. The way they are depicted is really engaging – they almost look like a sequence of frames that make up a video. This technique really nails the viewers’ attention.

4. We live in a VUCA world by Little Dragon Films

A classy design of a PowerPoint presentation example – a dark theme and white font on top with just a single color accent – red. Such designs are really suitable for serious topics like this one. To soften the contrast between the black background and white font, the author has used a gradient on the background which gives the illusion of soft light in the middle of the design.

5. 2017 Marketing Predictions—Marketo by Marketo

A design that was made over a year ago but it’s still really trendy. In the following PowerPoint presentation example, we can see the combination of 3D shapes, beautiful hand-written fonts, negative space techniques, and more. The overall feeling is of futuristic design. Moreover, they used the color of 2018 – Ultra Violet for their color scheme. Maybe, they did predict the future after all.

6. 10 Ways Your Boss Kills Employee Motivation by Officevibe

Who doesn’t like to see a familiar face? We know your audience does! It’s proven that if you show a familiar face to your viewers, you nail their attention and boost their engagement level. This is the technique used in the following PowePoint presentation. Moreover, the inner slides of the presentation are also cartoons with big conceptual illustrations and little text. The formula for a really good presentation.

7. How to Successfully Run a Remote Team from Weekdone.com

We haven’t really seen many PowerPoint presentation examples with top-view illustrations. The following presentation really reminded us that when presenting to an audience, you should always think: How to make your design stand out from the rest? Well, this one really caught our eye. In addition, we love the bright colors, geometric shapes, and overall flat feeling, all of which are among the graphic design trends for 2022 .

8. SXSW 2018 – Top Trends by Matteo Sarzana

People love visuals and this is an undeniable fact. The whole PowerPoint presentation is built on high-quality photos, each including a little tagline in the middle. We love the consistency, we love the factor of surprise, and we love the high engagement level this presentation creates. Just make sure to back up such presentation type with a good speech!

9. How to study effectively? by sadraus

Semi-transparent overlays, geometric shapes, a video inside… Everything about this PowerPoint presentation screams “modern”. The grayscale coloring is accompanied by a fresh green color accent. The choice of images clearly suggests that the target audience is young people. The overall feeling that we get from this PowerPoint presentation – is youthful and modern.

10. Study: The Future of VR, AR, and Self-Driving Cars by LinkedIn

A presentation about the future should look futuristic, right? The following PowerPoint presentation example is proof that you should always connect the subject of your presentation to its design. Everything in this presentation speaks of futuristic: the choice of fonts, colors, effects, and even some elements look like holograms from the future.

11. 9 things I’ve learned about SaaS by Christoph Janz

A PowerPoint presentation example created in a consistent style by using a blue theme. Why did we include this presentation? We love the fact that the author has shown an alternation of text and visuals (from slides 7 to 22). This technique is proven to hold the attention of the viewer. Moreover, the way the graphics are presented (on a napkin) draws the interest even more.

12. How To Achieve Something Extraordinary In Life by Sultan Suleman Chaudhry

A PowerPoint presentation example that shows consistency and style by using a strict color scheme: orange, beige, and deep blue. Orange and blue are one of the most popular contrasting combinations widely used in all kinds of designs. If you are not sure what colors to go with, simply choose a tested color scheme.

13. New trends to look out for 2018 winter season by FemmeConnection

Geometric shapes and negative space techniques are among the  graphic design trends for 2018  which is why we see them often in PowerPoint presentation examples and other designs. In the following presentation, we can see a collection of women’s clothes presented in a very engaging way with the help of rounded geometric shapes, negative space technique, and the color pink.

14. Fear of Failure by Sultan Suleman Chaudhry

Speaking of the usage of geometric elements in the presentation’s design, let’s see another example. An elegant design decorated with circles, triangles, and more geometric details. What else we love about this presentation is that it only has one color accent – light yellow which looks classy and pleasant for the eye.

15. The Three Lies About Your Age by Sean Si

A great choice of fonts, beautiful semi-transparent geometric elements, and trendy futuristic colors. This is one of the PowerPoint presentation examples that we absolutely love. The story is engaging and the design is extremely appealing – a combination that keeps the viewers’ eyes on the screen from the beginning till the end.

16. Secrets to a Great Team by Elodie A.

Bright, fun, using lots of illustrations and cartoon characters – definitely our kind of PowerPoint presentation. Why do we love it so much? Well, cartoons are real ice-breakers between you and your audience. Moreover, cartoon characters are easier to relate to than a real human face. If you need to connect on a deeper level with your audience, this is your kind of presentation!

You’d probably like to learn  4 Invaluable Presentation Design Tips You Wish You Knew Earlier

17. How to Build a Dynamic Social Media Plan by Post Planner

A great presentation PowerPoint example with watercolor illustrations and backgrounds that look hand-drawn. We also see semi-transparent colorful overlays, high-quality conceptual photos, and great, useful content. What more would you want from a presentation, right?

We always love to hear your opinion about stuff. So, what do you think of these PowerPoint presentation examples? Do you think that you’ve created a presentation better than these? We’d love to see your own creations in the comments below if you want to share them with us.

You may also be interested to read these related articles:

• 7 Most Popular Software for Presentations
• 4 Invaluable Presentation Design Tips You Wish You Knew Earlier
• 70 Inspiring Presentation Slides with Cartoon Designs
• Need PowerPoint Backgrounds?The Best Places to Check Out [+ Freebies]

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Iveta Pavlova

Iveta is a passionate writer at GraphicMama who has been writing for the brand ever since the blog was launched. She keeps her focus on inspiring people and giving insight on topics like graphic design, illustrations, education, business, marketing, and more.

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20 Really Good PowerPoint Examples to Inspire Your Next Presentation

By Sandra Boicheva

2 years ago

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You might have the most amazing idea that you wish to share with the world, but you might not get the results you want if the delivery isn’t good. Although as a tool, PowerPoint is pretty easy to use and intuitive, creating a good PowerPoint presentation is not a simple task. There is a lot of things to consider when designing your slides from the words you use, to the copy structure, data visualization, and overall design. This is why today we gathered 20 really good PowerPoint examples of presentations that flawlessly deliver their messages. These creative ideas will surely inspire you to make your next presentation your best one, as they all share good design and engaging storytelling.

“If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.” – Harvey Diamond

1. Idea to Identify: The Design of Brand

This is a long one. Here we have a 242 slides presentation that exposes the myriad facets of design and how they impact the brand identity. The presentation has a lot of data to show and spreads it throughout more than 200 slides to make it easy to read and follow. In all, this is the best way to present a lot of information: instead of overwhelming the viewers with text walls, the presenter simply adds more slides.

• Author:   Sudio Sudarsan

2. Jeunesse Opportunity Presentation 2021

This is a great example of brand presentation with company profile, product system, plan, and reward. It gives a similar experience to browsing a website.

• Author:   DASH2 – Jeunesse Global

3. Accenture Tech Vision 2020

A short and sweet presentation about how companies prepare for data regulation and how this impacts the customer experience. 

• Author:   Accenture

4. APIs as Digital Factories’ New Machines

A comparison presentation of how companies capture most of the market value. It explains well how to view the economy from a different perspective and adopt customer-centric thinking. The presentation has a lot of value, it’s well structured and it’s a good read in only 28 slides.

• Author:  Apidays

5. 24 Books You’ve Never Heard Of – But Will Change Your Life

This is a great example of how repeating slides design for the same type of content isn’t a synonym for being unimaginative. It’s pretty straightforward: it promises 24 titles, an inspirational introduction, and a slide for each book that will change your life.

• Author:   Ryan Holiday

6. 10 Memorable David Bowie Quotes

Not always presentations must have a specific educational or conventional goal. Sometimes, it could be a cool personal project meant to inspire your audience. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love David Bowie? A presentation with 10 memorable quotes by him is worth watching. 

• Author: Stinson

7. Creative Mornings San Diego 

• Author:   Anne McColl

8. Digital 2020 Global Digital Overview

A report heavy-data presentation about everything you need to know about mobile, internet, social media, and e-commerce use around the world in 2020. It’s a long read but comprehensive and well-illustrated with data visualization.

• Author:   DataReportal

9. Blitzscaling: Book Trailer

One of the most well-made presentations about informative topics such as startup’s life-cycle and where the most value is created. It’s designed as a book, consistent, with lesser text as possible, and imitates animation by adding new content on copies of the same slide. 

• Author:  Reid Hoffman

10. Poor Self-Esteem: Just Beat It!

A very valuable presentation that takes on the reasons for low self-esteem and how to overcome it. The design is very simple and comprehensive and even suitable for social media carousel posts.

• Author:   SlideShop.com

11. You Suck At PowerPoint!

This presentation is more than a decade old and still checks out. After all, you could expect great presentation design from someone who talks about design mistakes and how to overcome them.  61 slides of a fun experience and a great read.

• Author:  Jesse Desjardins

12. Pixar’s 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling

Pixar’s 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling, originally tweeted by Emma Coats, in a 24-slides presentation with a custom design. 

• Author:   Gavin McMahon

13. A Complete Guide To The Best Times To Post On Social Media

A fun little presentation with great value. It takes on the most effective times to post on social media, send an email, or publish a blog.

• Author:   TrackMaven

14. Fix Your Really Bad PowerPoint

The next presentation honors Seth Godin and his wisdom. It uses his book’s insights to visualize all the tips in 45 engaging slides.

• Author:   HighSpark

15. 10 Lessons from the World’s Most Captivating Presenters

This presentation is for presenters who wish to become better. And what better way than getting inspired by the world’s greatest presenters and accessing some of their secrets. 

• Author:   HubSpot

16. Crap. The Content Marketing Deluge

For starters, this presentation has a very captivating title and opening. Winning the attention from the very start, it continues with consistent clean design and great content. It delivers exactly what it promised. 

• Author: Velocity Partners

17. Displaying Data

More insightful advice and tips from professional presenters that check out to this very day. It’s a great presentation about visualizing your data in the best way possible and it also delivers it with design.

• Author:   Bipul Deb Nath

18. 5 Storytelling Lessons From Superhero Stories

Custom-made presentation with illustrations made specifically for the occasion, and brilliant execution. It shows it’s definitely worth it to spend time making your presentation more personal and from scratch. 

19. 10 Things your Audience Hates About your Presentation

Another custom presentation with icons-style illustrations about how to avoid cringe when making presentations. 

• Author:   Stinson

20. The Designer’s Guide to Startup Weekend

You will work hard all weekend long but you will also find new friends, mentors, and the chance to promote yourself. A pretty wholesome presentation with a custom design where the presenter shares her own experience in the world of startups.

• Author:  Iryna Nezhynska

That’s It!

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Home Collections Creative slides Linear Single High Level Presentation Example

High Level Presentation Example PPT Template Google Slides

First-class High Level Presentation Example Template

Infographics are the best for a visual representation of information or data. It is an effective tool to present data and explain complex issues that can quickly lead to insight and better understanding. Use this Modern High-Level Presentation Example PPT Template for your data representations.

This template can be used for all levels of management for high-level views of data. This Modern High-Level Presentation Example PPT Template is a four nodded one. Each node is represented by an icon. There are icons like a graph, target, and so on. The nodes are arranged horizontally in a delicate manner. The data elements are represented with a circular ring. Each node has separate rings of green, blue, orange, and red colors. Each node has a separate caption and description area for a detailed explanation. 

This template is suitable for all kinds of proportional data representation. It displays analytical data elements. 

This is an easily editable template. It has an instant download feature. This pre-built template is now available at the most affordable price. Use this template to create a massive impact on your audince.

Features of this template:

• 100% customizable slides and easy to download.
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• Well-crafted template with instant download facility.
• Four nodded template with infographic feature.
• Pre-built template at the most affordable price.
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Top 10 High-Level Project Plan Templates with Samples and Examples

Kavesh Malhotra

Efficient project management is essential for the successful execution of any project, be it in IT, construction, marketing, or any other domain. A high-level project plan serves as the roadmap that guides your project from initiation to completion. It provides a strategic overview of your project’s goals, resources, timelines, and milestones. In this blog, we will explore ten high-level project plan templates tailored to industries. Each of the templates is 100% customizable and editable.

Plan, organize, and manage your projects more effectively with versatile  Top 10 Project Planner Templates .

High-Level Project Plans Matter

High-level project plans are instrumental for a multitude of reasons. They:

• Set the Direction : These plans lay out the project's fundamental objectives, ensuring that the team's efforts are in sync with organizational goals.
• Allocate Resources : High-level project plans guarantee that the project has everything required for successful execution.
• Manage Risks : Potential risks are identified early in the project through these plans, allowing the development of mitigation strategies.
• Monitor Progress : These plans form the foundation for tracking your project's progress, ensuring it remains on schedule and aligned with objectives.

In the initial phases of your project, defining a precise timeline is crucial. The search process timeline   should be included within your high-level project plan. This will help your team understand when and how each stage will unfold. Likewise, binding contractual agreements are often at the core of a project. Your high-level project plan must include any   binding contractual agreements , ensuring that all parties involved are aware of their obligations.

Enhance your project management further with  Top 7 Project Plan Templates  comprehensively designed for many industries.

Let's now delve into ten high-level project plan templates that meet your project's specific demands to the T.

Template1: High-Level Project Plan PPT Bundles

Each project commences with an introduction. When initiating your project, a high-level project plan introduction slide sets the tone for the process. This cover slide serves as the prologue to your high-level project plan, featuring your company's name and essential details. It provides a visual snapshot of the project's origin, offering contextual clarity. Download this cover slide that serves as the starting point where your project's vision is encapsulated with your company's identity and crucial details.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Template 2: High-Level Product Marketing Project Plan PPT Template

With the growing need for IT companies to branch into product marketing, a high-level project plan becomes a roadmap. For IT companies entering the realm of product marketing, this half-yearly plan provides a comprehensive roadmap to accomplish marketing objectives. The color-coded priority indicator helps you be clear on what you want you want to do at critical phases of the project. It segments the plan by months, elucidating the key milestones. It includes phases and activities to be performed under it, like research and specifications.   Download this layout that outlines critical steps to be taken at each stage.

Template 3: Annual High-Level Construction Project Plan

Construction projects are long-term endeavors, and an annual high-level plan maintains the project's trajectory. This template delineates an entire year’s worth of project milestones and tasks for professionals in the construction industry. It aims to acquaint stakeholders with critical activities to be performed and the time required to complete specific tasks. It includes activities such as searching for contractors, performing on-site work, and arranging frames and fittings. Download this annual high-level project plan that acts as a guiding force in the construction industry, where projects span considerable lengths of time.

Template 4: Weekly High-Level Project Plan for an Event Company

In the events industry, where every detail matters, a weekly high-level project plan proves invaluable. This slide aims to give the team, project review committee , and the management an overview of the upcoming tasks and the tasks at hand. The key elements covered here are tasks, ownership, timeline, progress, etc. Download this weekly high-level project plan that offers a granular breakdown of tasks and deadlines, ensuring that nothing is overlooked in the lead-up to your event.

Template 5: High-Level Social Media Marketing Project Plan

This PPT Slide represents a social media marketing plan for an event company. This high-level plan spotlights the pivotal activities of strategic metrics and goals across social media channels. It also highlights the project duration and the critical phases of a campaign, ensuring the seamless execution of strategies. Download this must-have marketing project plan for the successful execution of event campaigns.

Template 6: High-Level Website Development Project Plan

In website development projects, a high-level project plan becomes a compass, guiding the way to a successful outcome. This slide showcases major tasks and activities to be performed, such as research and specifications , interface and usability, building and programming, etc. It leverages the company to track and monitor the progress. It also defines the project milestones, objectives, scope, and more. Download this presentation that proves invaluable for web developers, project managers, project review committees , and stakeholders.

Template 7. High-Level Project Plan for Key Personnel with Deliverables

The success of a project often hinges on the contributions of key personnel. And, a high-level project plan becomes a critical resource in projects where key personnel impact the outcome. This slide aims to acquaint key personnel with their responsibilities and accountability related to the project they are catering to. It includes deliverables, frequency, project leads, priority, mode of delivery, etc. Furthermore, binding contractual agreements with key personnel are vital to ensure a smooth project flow. Clear expectations and deliverables need to be agreed upon and documented. Use this template to define roles and expectations, ensuring that everyone involved understands their responsibilities and comprehends their deliverables.

Template 8: High-Level Project Plan for Application Development

Application development projects come with their own unique set of challenges. With precision a key requirement here, a high-level project plan becomes an indispensable. This slide highlights information necessary for execution, such as the project's goal, objectives, scope of work, milestones, risks, and resources. Alongside this, research and specifications in the application development process are critical to ensure that project aspects are planned and executed. Download this high-level plan that offers a structured approach to accomplishing development objectives.

Template 9: High-Level Multiple Project Plan Presentation Template

Maintaining an overview is paramount in a complex environment with multiple projects. A high-level project plan is a compass for keeping everything in check in multifaceted settings with multiple concurrent projects. Also, portfolio management plans play a pivotal role in juggling multiple projects and allows for a comprehensive understanding of the project landscape and its dependencies. This slide aims to optimize resource planning and management across projects. It includes project name, priority status, resources, schedule, value, risk aligned, project owner, and project manager. Download this layout that aids in managing and aligning the progress of multiple projects within the same portfolio.

Template 10: High-Level Project Plan for Product Development

Product development is a multifaceted process. And, a high-level project plan simplifies the journey in the intricate landscape of product development. This pre-set aids the team in focusing on the project's requirements and deliverables and then tracking them over time. It includes stages of product development, timeline, and activities to be carried out during these phases. Download this high-level plan that dissects the process into critical milestones, enhancing manageability and transparency.

ON THE HIGHWAY TO SUCCESS

High-level project plans are indispensable tools for effective project management. They set the direction, allocate resources, manage risks, and monitor progress. With the right template, you can streamline your project management and enhance your project's chances of success.

Furthermore, streamline your project reporting with  Top 10 Executive Project Status Report Templates . Go ahead and download these templates to empower your projects and take them to new heights.

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• [Updated 2023] An All-Encompassing Guide to Project Planning (With 30+ PowerPoint Templates to Help You Get Started)
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Communication, facilitation, ​powerspeaking blog: tips and strategies for crafting presentations, how to present to senior executives [23 proven strategies].

by Carrie Beckstrom     Jun 4, 2021 10:45:46 AM

If you’re preparing to make a pitch to senior executives, you can throw most of what you’ve learned about making presentations in the trash.

Why? Because this is an entirely different audience. An executive presentation is not about inspiring and persuading, but is instead about presenting meaningful data to top decision-makers as quickly and concisely as possible. As a matter of fact, you should start with your bottom line (what you need from them). And work your way from there.

As a company that lives and breathes communication, we are dedicated to transforming your organization's communication skills, so you can watch people succeed at engaging and influencing others, achieving results, and driving business to new heights.

And today, we are going to reveal our favorite tips for a powerful executive presentation to decision-making leaders to help you get your point across efficiently, earn your audience’s attention, and know when and how to go in for the "ask."

So if you want more success from your business presentations, then you'll love this list of tips, techniques, and strategies.

Keep reading to get started with our tried and true tips!

Don't have time to read the whole checklist right now? 

Save the PDF version to your desktop and read when it's convenient for you.

Tip 1 Understand the executive mindset

Tip 2 Consider executives’ personality styles

Tip 3 Give yourself enough time to gather data

Tip 4 Find and leverage a sponsor

Tip 5 Prepare for possible questions or objections

Tip 6 Follow the 10/30 Rule

Tip 7 Set the context and confirm the time slot

Tip 8 Use the PREP model if your time gets cut

Tip 9 State the outcome you want early

Tip 10 Always use a valid business reason

Tip 11 Follow with the essential data—and do a deep dive only if asked

Tip 12 Focus on analytical proof

Tip 13 Be proactive and transparent when delivering unpleasant news

Tip 14 Remember that executives want a dialogue—not a data dump

Tip 15 Read the room

Tip 16 Use the Headline + Evidence model

Tip 17 Paraphrase complex questions to gain clarity

Tip 18 Address heated feedback and challenging questions in the moment

Tip 19 Answer the question-behind-the-question (before it is even asked)

Tip 20 Rely on the “notice and ask” strategy to refocus the discussion

Tip 21 Be personal to re-engage a disengaged executive

Tip 22 Acknowledge disagreements between top executives, but don't intervene

Tip 23 Conclude with a quick summary and resolve any noteworthy issues before your final ask

Let's dive right in.

Before you try to deliver your next presentation to executives, keep this in mind...

Most people fail with their first attempt to wow the top executives for one simple reason:

C-level executives demand an entirely different approach from presenters than does a general business audience. SVP of Strategy and Business Development at Workato , Markus Zirn says,  

“You have to throw out everything you learned from traditional presentation training. It’s not about making a speech that educates, persuades, inspires, or leads. It’s about raw decision-making.”

With that little caveat out of the way, it’s time for our first strategy…

Understand the Executive Mindset

Executives are impatient, bottom-line-focused leaders who don't care about the minutiae of your project or expertise. They want you to get to the point, step away from your slide deck, and be ready for a dynamic dialogue.

During your presentation, they might multitask and switch topics quickly, make calculations in their heads at lightning speed, and they may be challenging when analyzing data. Be ready for this.  

Understanding the executive's mindset as you are going in for the pitch will help you succeed. Watch the video below on Audience Analysis and getting started.

Here's just one executive you'll hear from...

"If it is a C-suite presentation and you’re actually asking for an outcome, you need to know what are the hot points of the CFO, or the treasurer’s office, or the VP of finance."

Consider executives’ personality styles

Think of each executive who will be in the room.

How do they prefer to have information presented to them?  Where are they on the risk profile?  Are they highly conservative, or are they innovative and open to experimentation?  How will your proposal affect their areas of responsibility? 

Starting with your audience in mind helps you strategize how to present your information.

Give yourself enough time to gather data

Weeks ahead of your presentation to executives, you may need to: meet with people in various functional areas for input and/or buy-in; check in with your manager; research executives’ hot buttons; and prepare slides or documents to send ahead. Don’t underestimate the time it will take to do all of this.

And speaking of being prepared, make sure you’ve considered the environment in which you’ll likely be with them—namely, virtual. If presenting to executives weren’t challenging enough, today’s digital interactions present another layer of things to consider.

Check out this great article, “ Digital Communication Skills: Is Your Message Getting Across? ,” by digital presenting and training guru Cindy Huggett. Great suggestions not only for putting your best digital self forward with senior executives, but also tips you can use in any virtual-meeting situation.

Find and leverage a sponsor

Find someone who knows the group you’re presenting to who is willing to not only help you prepare as your guide, but can also advocate for you during the meeting. Use your sponsor to check the validity of your logic ahead of time, rehearse with and get feedback from, and agree on when you should look to them for help during the executive meeting. 

Debrief with your sponsor after the meeting to gain insights and lessons you can use in the future.

Prepare for possible questions or objections

Consider including a slide that states the answers to anticipated questions or concerns rather than waiting for them to be brought up. This is a great way to demonstrate that you’ve kept your audience in mind when preparing your presentation.

Follow the 10/30 Rule

If you have 30 minutes on the executives’ meeting agenda, plan to present 10 minutes of material. The remainder of the time will likely be devoted to discussion and interaction and not necessarily in sequence.

R emember that your role is to facilitate a conversation, not just deliver a presentation.

Set the context and confirm the time slot

You don’t need an entertaining, attention-getting opening, but you do need to set the context as you start and get an agreement on timing. Thirty minutes originally may have been planned, but the meeting timeline can change. 

Start by saying, “I understand we have scheduled 30 minutes. Does that timing still work?”

Rajeev Goel, Co-Founder and CEO at PubMatic, and Monica Poindexter, Vice President, Inclusion & Diversity/Employee Relations at Lyft, will give you tips on overcoming the presentation challenges in regards to context.

Use the PREP model if your time gets cut

Don’t be surprised if what you thought would be a 30-minute meeting is cut to 10 minutes because the executives have another more urgent matter to discuss. Use the “PREP” model to craft your abbreviated pitch before the meeting:

State the outcome you want early

State the outcome you want from your presentation early. What do you want the executives to say “yes” to?

Be specific. For example, “I want your support” is vague. “I want you to approve a $500,000 investment in new centrifuge equipment this quarter” is specific.

Get that key message out first...

Always use a valid business reason

Clearly state what value or ROI your ask will bring in terms of revenue increase, cost reduction, protection from risk, competitive advantage, or other business drivers. It can’t be just a “nice to have” proposal. 

For example...

“The bottom line is, we’re seeking your approval for five new FTEs in account management roles for an investment of $750,000. The reason is that we have a $2M revenue opportunity with the launch of [XYZ project]. These account managers will focus on the top 20% of our customer base to ensure we maximize the sales opportunity.”

Follow with the essential data—and do a deep dive only if asked

Instead of drowning listeners in data, lead with the top two to three key points and supporting evidence that best support your ask and business reason. The key points should be answers to the primary questions you think the executives will have about your proposal. 

Keep in mind that execs want the 10,000-foot view and how it affects the organization's bottom line.  

Focus on analytical proof

Senior decision-makers don’t need to be entertained. So while your logic may follow a “storyline,” hard data is what will be more convincing.

If you have a customer success story or a brief anecdote that supports your point, use it. But remember, unlike a general audience, the C-level executives in the room will grow impatient with stories unless they’re succinct and tie directly to your proposal.

Be proactive and transparent when delivering unpleasant news

There are four steps to presenting bad news:

• Get it out at the beginning
• Be candid about what happened
• Explain how you will fix it
• Offer options and recommendations. 

You can use this 4-step framework to present bad news in a way that speaks to executives.

Let's take a look at a hypothetical example. You have to explain to them why a consultant they hired quit, and you need to rectify the situation...

1. G et it out at the beginning

The consultant you approved quit unexpectedly.  A response to the audit she was supposed to help us with is due next week. Today I want to talk about the path forward. 

2. Be candid and explain how you will fix the situation

By the end of this meeting, I’d like your approval to:

Respond to the audit in a generic way with help from the audit team

Collaborate with the internal process improvement team to assess our local processes 

Collaborate with my counterpart to create one agreement that combines the best aspects of our process and theirs 

3. Offer options on why it makes business sense 

No additional cost of hiring a consultant

We’ll be able to leverage the existing processes to create a process that is consistent across the globe

4. Offer final recommendations   

With all of that in mind, today I’d like to talk about how we should change our audit process and why I’m confident this plan will receive regulatory approval.

Is there anything else you’d like me to add?

If you have bad news, don’t try to gloss over it. Use the framework to present it in a way that speaks to executives.

Remember that executives want a dialogue—not a data dump

Expect questions and energetic discussions to occur before you have presented all of your material.

(Remember the 10/30 Rule: If you have 30 minutes, prepare only 10 minutes’ worth of “presentation.”) Respond to questions when they come up.

Use facilitation skills to refocus the discussion after a topic change.

Here are a few more tips to enhance your facilitation skills:

Read the room

Notice the process of the discussion as well as the content. When there is cross-talk, interruptions, or rapid-fire questions, you can observe first and then choose an appropriate intervention.

Reading the room can be especially challenging in virtual meetings. You want to encourage everyone to turn on their webcam. Solicit feedback via chat. Stop the presentation and do a quick “reality check” if you notice disengagement or tension.

Use the Headline + Evidence model

Again, this is a time-pressed audience that wants brief, focused answers to their questions. Use the “Headline Response” model to help you do just that.

Paraphrase complex questions to gain clarity

Instead of restating an executive’s question verbatim, use synonyms when you paraphrase.

Remember, you don’t know what is on someone’s mind. So, always check for accuracy after paraphrasing. “Did I get that right?” or just “Right?” gives the questioner a chance to agree or disagree. If your understanding wasn’t accurate, try again.

Address heated feedback and challenging questions in the moment

Especially if someone is upset, a deeper level of listening is required. Reflect on both the content and the feeling you noticed (skeptical, concerned, frustrated, etc.) and answer the question as best you can.

Always check to see if you got it right. Never say, “I know how you feel,” because you don’t, actually. 

Answer the question-behind-the-question (before it is even asked)

If you get resistance or objections to your ideas, often executives are concerned with key business drivers such as top-line and bottom-line impact, competitive positioning, and risk management.

When you paraphrase their questions, check for these concerns and be ready to address them directly.

Listen for the question-behind-the-question.

Rely on the “notice and ask” strategy to refocus the discussion

You are not in a position to tell the executives what to do.

But if the discussion goes in a different direction, you can say, “I notice our discussion is now focused on X. May I get your guidance? Would you like to keep going in this direction, or would you like to go back to our topic?” 

Be personal to re-engage a disengaged executive

You don’t want to catch anyone off guard, so give a little context when you ask someone directly for their thoughts (as a re-engagement strategy).

For example, “Jaime, given that what we are trying to do here is to reduce response time, in your experience, will this new approach work in the field?” 

Acknowledge disagreements between top executives, but don't intervene

You may look to your sponsor to help calm things down, but don’t intervene.

Conclude with a quick summary and resolve any noteworthy issues before your final ask

As you end your presentation, summarize and check to be sure you are clear on what decisions or agreements have been made and what your next steps will be. 

“I explained x and y; you also brought up a and b. Do I have your go-ahead now to purchase the new equipment for $500,000 this quarter?”

Presenting to senior executives is often a nerve-wracking, high-stakes situation. But as these leaders will tell you, it can be a great opportunity to grow, and to increase your value to the organization.

I hope you’ve found these tips enlightening and helpful. L earning to think like senior executives and present to them means learning new habits—and breaking old ones. But wow, I know it’s hard. And we present a lot of information to take in with our 23 Tips.

So, here’s one final piece of advice: start small. Pick one or two tips to apply to your next presentation. And check out this quick-read article, “ 4 Steps to Making New Habits Stick ,” by Cindy Solomon, founder, and CEO of the Courageous Leadership Institute. It will help you learn how to make the most of small steps toward new habits.

But before you get started using them for your next presentation, I’d like to hear from you.

Which presentation tip from this list was your favorite?

...Or maybe you have a suggestion that I didn't cover here?

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below.

Join Us in Conversation . . .

Master the Art of Q&A

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Home Blog Business Executive Summary: A Guide to Writing and Presentation

Executive Summary: A Guide to Writing and Presentation

Executive summaries precede nearly every type of business document. Despite being the shortest part, they often leave the biggest impression on the reader. Yet, many writers choose to treat an executive summary as an afterthought. (And some presenters too!). Why? Because writing an executive summary is a seemingly hard task. But our mission is to prove otherwise! 

What is an Executive Summary?

An executive summary is a preface to a larger business document such as an annual report, business plan, or whitepaper, succinctly summarizing the key discussion points. Effectively, an executive summary offers a preview of the content, so that the reader could form a baseline opinion about the contents prior to diving into a deep reading session. 

The University of Arizona offers a more elaborated executive summary definition which also notes that an executive summary should:

• Restate the purpose of the follow-up document
• Highlight the key discussion points and most notable facts 
• Relay any notable results, conclusions, or recommendations

Though an executive summary is just a foreword to a bigger report, it’s one of the most labor-intensive items as you have to condense a lot of information into a high-level summary. Oftentimes, an executive summary also gets prominent placement in the follow-up presentation, done on the report.  

Executive Summary Examples

Nearly every type of business document will have an executive summary. Some are better structured and presented than others. But it’s not just limited to business documents. Executive summaries are also used in scientific projects, articles, and education. Below are several admirable executive summary examples you may want to use as an inspiration for writing. 

Accenture: Gaming: The Next Super Platform 

This executive summary for an industry report opens with some big quantifiable claims, clearly communicating the main agenda — describing the size and state of the global gaming market. The gaming industry is a huge market. The pullout texts on the sidebar further detail the scope of the document. Plus clarify for whom this report is intended. 

IBM: Cost of a Data Breach Report 2020 

IBM conducts an annual joint report on cybersecurity with Ponemon Institute. They open the executive summary with a brief recap of their mission and past research. Then dwell on this year’s findings and methodology. If you are writing an executive summary for a similarly massive original research, it’s worth focusing more on your techniques for obtaining data and arriving at the conclusions as IBM did. 

Deloitte Digital: Exploring the value of emotion-driven engagement

Deloitte selected a more narrative style for this executive summary, mixing some key data points and methodology with the core messaging of the report. This is a good example of structured data presentation . On one hand, you have an engaging narration flow. On the other, the summary covers all the important discussion points. 

Executive Summary Format

As the above executive summary examples illustrated, there is no one fit-it-all format for writing an executive study. The best approach depends on your report type, purpose, and contents. 

That being said, an executive summary needs to fulfill several earlier mentioned criteria — offer a preview, provide key information at glance, showcase any results, recommendations. That’s what most readers expect to see on the first page after all. 

The easiest way to approach writing is to draft a preliminary executive summary outline featuring the following subsections:

• General introduction, explaining the key problems discussed 
• Main problem statement(s)
• Selected findings or recommendations 
• The importance of discussed points 

Since you’d also be likely working on presenting the executive summary to other stakeholders , it helps you keep the above structured as bullet points at first. So that you could easily transfer the main ideas to your executive summary PowerPoint slide . 

How Long Should an Executive Summary Be?

As a rule of thumb, an executive summary should not go longer than one vertical page. That is an equivalent of 300-500 words, depending on the typeface. For longer reports, two pages (a horizontal split) may be acceptable. But remember, brevity is key. You are working on a trailer for a movie (the full report). 

How to Write an Executive Summary: a 3-Step Framework 

You can start with the aforementioned loose format and then adapt it to your document type. Remember, you don’t need to follow all the recommendations to a T. Instead, mix some ideas to make your executive summary sound both professional and engaging. Here are several tips for that:  

1. Start with a Problem Statement 

Think of the first paragraph as if of an opening slide for a presentation : you need to make a big compelling statement that immediately communicates your agenda. Set the scene for the reader. There are several ways to do so:

• Answer the “why now” question in the opening paragraph 
• Address the urgency of the matter 
• Highlight the importance of the discussed issue 

Alternatively, you can also go for a more traditional opening and explain the background of the research and discussed issue. For example, if you have conducted a go-to-market strategy evaluation for the team you can start by saying that “This report analyzed online furniture brand performance in 5 target EMEA markets in terms of market share, local brand recall, brand preference, and estimated online sales volumes.” Afterward, briefly communicate the main aim of the report. 

2. Present the Main Discussion Points 

Next, flesh out what’s included in the scope of this report to properly manage the reader’s expectations. You can use the report’s section subheads as key discussion points or come up with snappier, more descriptive statements. 

Here are several good writing practices to follow: 

• Use bullet points and numbered lists to break down text blocks. 
• Quantify the biggest findings when possible. Style them as “call-outs”. 
• Mention the limitations of your report and what it does not account for. 
• Discuss the used research methods and data sources. 

Finally, summarize the findings in one concluding paragraph if you have space. Or style it as a featured quote to draw the reader’s eye towards crucial information. 

3. List the Recommendations or Next Steps 

The bottom part of the page, around 100-150 words should be allocated towards underlining the results, conclusions, and follow-up action expected from the reader. Summarize what you have found during the course of your research. Mention if you have identified any specific type of solution or a type of recommended action. 

Once you are done, send over an executive summary draft to a team member who hasn’t seen the complete report. Ask for their feedback. Can they tell what the report content is after reading the summary? Does the summary intrigue them? Is it descriptive enough for someone without any other context into the matter? Use the critique to further improve the document. 

How to Prepare an Executive Summary Presentation 

High chances are that you’ll also be asked to write the copy for the executive summary presentation, and perhaps even design it too. So let’s get you up to speed on this aspect as well.

How Does an Executive Summary Slide Look Like in PPT?

There’s no ultimate look for an executive summary slide as most presenters customize it to best reflect the content they’d want to showcase. But if you want some universal example, here’s our executive summary slide template : 

You can build an entire slide deck tailored for an executive summary or business presentation by using our AI Presentation Maker . Fill the topic, analyze & edit the proposed outline, and select a design. That’s it! You can create an engaging executive summary slide deck with any number of slides.

What Makes a Good Executive Summary Slide?

A good executive summary slide visually communicates all the important information from the full report. Typically, it’s an even more condensed version of the written executive summary, prefacing the document. Thus to create a good executive summary slide, be prepared to do some ruthless editing.

Include a condensed version of the: 

• Main problem statement or report agenda 
• Key findings. Prioritize quantifiable ones
• Recommendations and next steps.

Also, you will need some PowerPoint design mastery to ensure that an executive summary in your PowerPoint presentation looks compelling, but not cluttered. Prioritize white space. Here is where a good executive summary template can make your life easier. To minimize the number of texts, add icons and other simple visualizations. Trim headers and subheads to give the slide even more breathing room.

For those looking to create an engaging and visually appealing presentation, consider utilizing professional presentation templates to enhance the visuals of your executive summary slide. These templates are specifically designed to help presenters convey their message effectively and with style, ensuring that your audience remains captivated and fully understands the key points of your report.

How to Write an Executive Summary for a Presentation

Most likely you won’t need to write a brand new copy for this slide, but rather adapt the text at hand. That already makes your job a lot easier when summarizing a presentation into an executive summary slide. Still, you don’t want to mess anything up. So stick with the executive summary template you’ve chosen and fill in the gaps using our tips. 

1. Keep the Tone Consistent 

Use the same tone of voice and word choices in your slide deck as you’ve adopted in the report. If the tone of your presentation speech differs too much with terms used on the slide and in the report copy, some audience members may get confused, and then disengaged. 

2. Focus on Telling a Story 

Stakeholders will have the extra time to read the “dry” report. During the presentation, your main goal is to draw their attention to the most important issue, showcase the value-packed inside the report, and make them eager to learn more by actually flipping the full copy afterward. 

3. Chop Full Sentences into Bullet Points 

Go snappy and present information in a snackable manner. Remember, our brain can only keep 3-5 items at once in the working memory. So you shouldn’t try to overload the audience with a long list of “very important points” in one sitting.  

Also, per a recent presentation survey, among the 3 things that annoy audiences most about presentations are slides that include full sentences of text. So, when working on your presentation summary slide, trim those lengthy texts and move on some of the other points to separate slides. 

4. Don’t Go Data Galore 

Including numbers and data visualizations is a great way to present your executive summary. However, overloading your data slides with data nuggets makes your presentation less impactful. 

As presentation design expert Nancy Duarte explains : 

“Data slides aren’t really about the data. They’re about the meaning of the data. It’s up to you to make that meaning clear before you click away. Otherwise, the audience won’t process — let alone buy — your argument.”

It’s a good idea to spotlight 3 main data points on your executive summary slide. Then use some extra minutes to comment on why you’ve chosen to present these. 

To Conclude

An executive summary is the first page and/or slide a reader will see. That’s why the stakes are high to make it look just right. Granted, that shouldn’t be an issue. Since you now know how to write, design, and present a compelling executive summary to others! 

1. Project Summary PowerPoint Template

Use This Template

2. Simple Executive Summary Slide Template for PowerPoint

3. One Page Strategy Summary PowerPoint Template

4. Executive Summary PowerPoint Template

5. Executive Business PowerPoint Template

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How to Create a Compelling C-Level Presentation

“Your team understood the needs (of our client) and produced collaterals that were professional, balanced, and delivered the key messages without going overboard.”

Although this was a few years ago, I always remember and cherish these words of praise from one of our C-level (titles typically beginning with ‘C’ - Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operation Officer etc.) clients of the management consulting firm I was working for. Coming from him, it certainly meant a lot because I knew the effort it took to design a presentation for them.

When I first began designing presentations, I found myself learning the ropes quite quickly. The primary concepts behind creating impactful presentations – telling a story, crisp messaging, visually appealing design – flowed naturally to me.

But I quickly realized that working on senior executive level presentations was a different ball game altogether. The clients always had processes in place, clear objectives, and tight timelines. The biggest challenge was to connect with the target executives through the presentation within an extremely short time.

The rules for crafting a C-level presentation are very different and require a considerable amount of thought, strategy, and effort. It is always about quality and not volume – the right information over maximum data.

Working on my first senior leadership presentation was utterly chaotic and nerve-racking. As they would be. It got better after that, and when I received this feedback, I knew I had progressed.

After working on countless executive presentations and interacting with numerous top-level leaders, I have arrived at my own roadmap of designing them effectively and efficiently.

The four cornerstones of a successful presentation hinge on:

• making the conclusion your introduction
• anticipating every single question
• being ready with short and long versions
• creating an impactful summary.

I just wish I had known these earlier and avoided much grief!

Make the Conclusion Your Introduction

“We found that, indeed, time is the scarcest resource.” Michael Porter, a Harvard professor, tells CNBC describing a study he spearheaded on “How CEOs Manage Time."

Porter’s study found that 75% of a CEO’s time was taken up well in advance illustrating just how little time executives have when it comes to meetings and presentations. The learning? Make presentations slim enough to fit into their narrow time slots.

Skip the storytelling and bump up the concluding points to your introduction to establish the point of the meeting right away. It’s imperative to get straight to the point when presenting to time-crunched executives by telling them the whys and the hows upfront with supporting information. That means you would need to do an enormous amount of work filtering the information down to just the right amount.

“In our debriefs, CEOs confessed that one-hour meetings could often be cut to 30 or even 15 minutes,” says Porter. Your presentation should be able to convey everything the CEO needs to know within the first five minutes as there are bound to be questions.

Pro tip – Begin working backwards on the presentation in an inverted pyramid fashion. Start with the goal, the end results, and find the data to support it.

Anticipate Questions and Interruptions

Senior-level executives are an impatient lot. They process information in seconds and form mental maps of a situation as soon as five minutes into the presentation. They are always ahead of the presenter, and that’s bound to bring up questions and interruptions.

It is extremely important to ask multiple questions from an executive’s point of view while designing the presentation.

“What will she not like in this slide?” “Is there ambiguity in this data?” “Is the reasoning supported with facts?”

Anticipating questions will also reduce the number of interruptions that are bound to happen.

Knowing the answers to these questions with complete clarity helps provide informed answers transforming even unexpected discussions into productive ones, and leaving a positive impression.

Pro tip – At every sentence or illustration in the slide, pause to ask “so what?” That’s a recurring question that senior-level executives ask themselves as well as the presenter. Bake the answers into the presentation for every “so what?” and you have a comprehensive, convincing deck.

Prepare the Short and Long Versions

Even if the slot for the meeting says “12:30-1:30” senior-level meetings are very unpredictable. Five minutes into the meeting, the key decision-maker could get called away on urgent matters. Although the meeting might continue as planned with the rest of the team, the senior executive would want to go through the deck.

Prepare a scan-friendly version, which packs the most important information in less than ten slides. Highlight a ‘takeaway’ at the end of each slide summarizing the information on it. This is the short version. The longer, more detailed document should have more data that supports the goal of the presentation and beef up the benefits. This is the drill-down data the executive will reach for when the shorter version has suitably convinced them.

Pro tip – Try talking to other members in the senior leader’s team to determine their preferences and understand particular pain points. Knowing these will keep the presentation tailored to the last detail.

End With a Persuasive Summary

A C-level presentation does not end merely with Q&As to be forgotten after everybody disperses. Senior leaders are always looking for results, and at the end of the presentation, they need to know what’s next. They need practical call-to-action points they can implement.

The information in the deck should fall into three primary buckets – objectives, benefits, and next steps. The summary gives a composite picture of all the three sections with emphasis on what the audience should do.

“Presentations are about objectives, benefits, and actions.” says Intel’s former Chief Learning Officer to FastCompany

Ending powerfully with repeated emphasis on the benefits prompts the audience to take concrete steps, which delivers the results that leaders seek.

Pro tip – Draw examples from their business history and give solutions by comparing the effectiveness to their biggest competitors. Shape the presentation to ‘speak’ to the specific crowd you are addressing by knowing their personality traits. In effect, this presentation is like an exclusive book that makes sense only to your specific audience.

After that stressful experience the first time, I worked on numerous senior leadership presentations in the last ten years. With each one, I learnt something new and gained more confidence. Today, I find designing C-level presentations an exciting challenge. But more than anything, there’s something deeply satisfying in the knowledge that I am making not just my clients happy but their customers too. Like a double scoop of ice cream!

Nitin Mahajan is an entrepreneur, strategist, and presentation consultant. He is the voice behind this website and, of course, Qcept. Nitin lives and breathes presentations and his mission is to help businesses grow through quality communication and content.

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14 Practical Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills

• The Speaker Lab
• May 11, 2024

Table of Contents

Ever felt complete dread and fear at the thought of stepping up to deliver a presentation? If so, you’re not alone. The fear of public speaking is more common than you might think, but with the right presentation skills , it’s a hurdle that can be overcome.

In this article, we’ll help you master basic confidence-building techniques and conquer advanced communication strategies for engaging presentations. We’ll explore how body language and eye contact can make or break your connection with your audience; delve into preparation techniques like dealing with filler words and nervous habits; discuss tailoring content for different audiences; and much more.

Whether you’re prepping for job interviews or gearing up for big presentations, being prepared is key. With adequate practice and the proper attitude, you can crush your speech or presentation!

Mastering the Basics of Presentation Skills

Presentation skills are not just about speaking in front of a crowd. It’s also about effective communication, audience engagement, and clarity. Mastering these skills can be transformative for everyone, from students to corporate trainers.

Building Confidence in Presentations

Becoming confident when presenting is no small feat. But fear not. Even those who feel jittery at the mere thought of public speaking can become masters with practice and patience. Just remember: stage fright is common and overcoming it is part of the process towards becoming an effective presenter.

Taking deep breaths before you start helps calm nerves while visualizing success aids in building confidence. Also, know that nobody minds if you take a moment to gather your thoughts during your presentation—everybody minds more if they cannot understand what you’re saying because you’re rushing.

The Role of Practice in Enhancing Presentation Skills

In line with old wisdom, practice indeed makes perfect, especially when improving presentation skills. Consistent rehearsals allow us to fine-tune our delivery methods like maintaining eye contact or controlling body language effectively.

You’ll learn better control over filler words through repeated drills. Plus, the extra practice can help you troubleshoot any technical glitches beforehand, saving you the sudden panic during your actual presentations.

Remember that great presenters were once beginners too. Continuous effort will get you there sooner rather than later.

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Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

Body Language and Eye Contact in Presentations

The effectiveness of your presentation can hinge on more than just the words you say. Just as important is your body language .

Impact of Posture on Presentations

Your posture speaks volumes before you utter a word. Standing tall exudes confidence while slouching could signal nervousness or lack of preparation.

If there’s one lesson to take away from our YouTube channel , it’s this: good presenters know their message but great ones feel it through every fiber (or muscle) of their being. The audience can sense that energy when they see open body language rather than crossed arms.

Maintaining Eye Contact During Your Presentation

Eyes are often called windows to the soul for a reason. They’re communication powerhouses. Making eye contact helps build trust with your audience members and keeps them engaged throughout your speech.

Avoid staring at note cards or visual aids too much as this might give an impression that you’re unprepared or uncertain about your chosen topic. Instead, aim to maintain eye contact between 50% of the time during presentations. This commonly accepted “50/70 rule” will help you exhibit adequate confidence to your audience.

If stage fright has gotten a hold on you, take deep breaths before you start speaking in order to stay calm. Make sure that fear doesn’t disrupt your ability to maintain eye-contact during presentations.

If body language and eye contact still feel like a lot to manage during your big presentation, remember our golden rule: nobody minds small mistakes. It’s how you handle questions or mishaps that truly makes a difference—so stay positive and enthusiastic.

Preparation Techniques for Successful Presentations

Presentation skills are like a craft that requires meticulous preparation and practice. Aspects like visual aids and time management contribute to the overall effectiveness of your delivery.

The first step towards delivering an impactful presentation is research and organization. The content should be well-researched, structured logically, and presented in simple language. This will make sure you deliver clear messages without any room for misinterpretation.

Dealing with Filler Words and Nervous Habits

Nervous habits such as excessive use of filler words can distract from your message. Luckily, there are plenty of strategies that can address these issues. For instance, try taking deep breaths before speaking or using note cards until fluency is achieved. In addition, practice regularly to work on eliminating these verbal stumbling blocks.

Avoiding Distractions During Presentations

In a digital age where distractions abound, maintaining focus during presentations has become an even more crucial part of the preparation process. This video by motivational speaker Brain Tracy provides insights on how one could achieve this level of focus required for effective presentations.

Maintaining Confidence Throughout Your Presentation

Confidence comes from thorough understanding of the chosen topic combined with regular practice sessions before the big day arrives. Make use of note cards or cue cards as needed but avoid reading from them verbatim.

Taking control over stage fright starts by arriving early at the venue so that you familiarize yourself with the surroundings, which generally calms nerves down considerably. So next time you feel nervous before a big presentation, remember—thorough preparation can make all the difference.

Engaging Your Audience During Presentations

Connecting with your audience during presentations is an art, and mastering it can take your presentation skills to the next level. Making the message conveyed reach an emotional level is essential, not just conveying facts.

Understanding Your Target Audience

The first step towards engaging your audience is understanding them. Tailor the content of your presentation to their needs and interests. Speak in their language—whether that be professional jargon or everyday slang—to establish rapport and ensure comprehension.

An effective presenter understands who they’re speaking to, what those individuals care about, and how best to communicate complex ideas understandably.

Making Complex Information Understandable

Dense data or complicated concepts can lose even the most interested listener if presented ineffectively. Breaking your key points down into manageable chunks helps maintain attention while promoting retention. Analogies are especially useful for this purpose as they make unfamiliar topics more relatable.

Audience Participation & Questions: A Two-Way Street

Incorporating opportunities for audience participation encourages engagement at another level. It allows listeners to become active participants rather than passive receivers of knowledge.

Consider techniques like live polls or interactive Q&A sessions where you invite questions from attendees mid-presentation instead of saving all queries until the end.

This gives you a chance not only engage but also address any misunderstandings right on spot.

• Treat each question asked as an opportunity—it’s evidence someone has been paying attention. Even challenging questions should be welcomed as they demonstrate an engaged, thoughtful audience.
• Encourage participation. It can be as simple as a show of hands or the use of interactive technologies for live polling during your presentation. This keeps your audience active and invested in the content.

Remember, your presentation isn’t just about putting on a show—it’s about meaningful interaction.

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Presentation Skills in Specific Contexts

Whether you’re nailing your next job interview, presenting an exciting marketing campaign, or delivering insightful educational content, the context matters. Let’s take a look.

The Art of Job Interviews

A successful job interview often hinges on effective communication and confidence. Here, the target audience is usually small but holds significant influence over your future prospects. Body language plays a crucial role; maintain eye contact to show sincerity and interest while open body language communicates approachability.

Bullet points summarizing key experiences are also helpful for quick recall under pressure. This allows you to present your chosen topic with clarity and positive enthusiasm without relying heavily on note or cue cards.

Pitching in Public Relations & Marketing

In public relations (PR) and marketing contexts, presentations need to capture attention quickly yet hold it long enough to deliver key messages effectively. Visual aids are valuable tools here—they help emphasize points while keeping the audience engaged.

Your aim should be highlighting presentation benefits that resonate with potential clients or partners, making them feel as though ignoring such opportunities would mean missing out big time.

Educational Presentations

An educational setting demands its own unique set of presentation skills where deep understanding trumps flashy visuals. You must make complex information understandable without oversimplifying essential details—the use of analogies can be beneficial here.

Keeping the audience’s attention is critical. Encourage questions and participation to foster a more interactive environment, enhancing learning outcomes for all audience members.

Tips for Becoming a Great Presenter

No single method is suitable for everyone when it comes to speaking in public. However, incorporating continuous improvement and practice into your routine can make you an exceptional presenter.

Tailor Your Presentation to Your Audience

Becoming an excellent speaker isn’t just about delivering information; it’s also about making a connection with the audience. So make sure that you’re taking setting, audience, and topic into consideration when crafting your presentation. What works for one audience may not work for another, so be sure to adapt your presentation styles according to the occasion in order to be truly effective.

The Power of Practice

The art of mastering public speaking skills requires practice —and lots of it . To become a great presenter, focus on improving communication skills through practice and feedback from peers or mentors. Try to seek feedback on every speech delivered and incorporate those pointers in your future presentations. Over time, this cycle of delivery-feedback-improvement significantly enhances your ability to connect with audiences and convey ideas effectively.

If you’re looking for examples of good speakers, our speech breakdowns on YouTube provide excellent examples of experienced presenters who masterfully utilize speaking techniques. Analyzing their strategies could give you great ideas for enhancing your own style.

Finding Your Style

A crucial part of captivating any audience lies in how you deliver the message rather than the message itself. Developing a unique presentation style lets you stand out as an engaging speaker who commands attention throughout their talk. Through — you guessed it — practice, you can develop a personal presentation style that resonates with listeners while showcasing your expertise on the chosen topic.

Your body language plays a pivotal role here: open gestures communicate confidence and enthusiasm towards your subject matter, two qualities essential for keeping audiences hooked. Similarly, using vocal variety adds dynamism to speeches by emphasizing points when needed or creating suspense during storytelling parts of your talk.

Cultivating Passion & Enthusiasm

Showcasing genuine passion for the subject helps keep listeners engaged throughout even lengthy presentations. Sharing stories related to the topic or expressing excitement about sharing knowledge tends to draw people in more than mere data recitation ever could.

Recognize that everybody is distinctive; don’t expect identical results from every speaker. The path to becoming a great presenter involves recognizing your strengths and working tirelessly on areas that need improvement.

FAQs on Presentation Skills

What are good presentation skills.

Good presentation skills include a clear message, confident delivery, engaging body language, audience understanding, and interaction. They also involve effective preparation and practice.

What are the 5 steps of presentation skills?

The five steps of presenting include: planning your content, preparing visual aids if needed, practicing the delivery aloud, performing it with confidence, and finally post-presentation reflection for improvements.

What are the 5 P’s of presentation skills?

The five P’s stand for Preparation (researching your topic), Practice (rehearsing your talk), Performance (delivering with confidence), Posture (standing tall), and Projection (using a strong voice).

What are your presentation skills?

Your personal set of abilities to deliver information effectively is what we call your presentation skill. It can encompass public speaking ability, clarity in speech or writing as well as visual communication talent.

Mastering presentation skills isn’t an overnight process, but practice and perseverance will put you well on your way to becoming an effective speaker.

You’ve learned that confidence plays a crucial role in effective presentations, so take deep breaths, make eye contact, and keep your body language open. As always, preparation is key. Tackle filler words head-on and get comfortable with visual aids for impactful storytelling.

Remember the importance of audience engagement — it’s all about understanding their needs and tailoring your content accordingly. This way, complex information turns into digestible insights.

Above all else: practice! After all, nothing beats experience when it comes to improving public speaking abilities.

• Last Updated: May 9, 2024

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