Answering These 5 Questions Will Guarantee You a More Convincing Presentation

September 1, 2014 Management & Leadership, The Manager's Resource Handbook

5 Easy Tips for Making a Killer Presentation

Whether during an average day at the office, via web meeting, or while attending a major conference, we have all sat through someone else’s presentation. Some presentations were mind-blowing and memorable, others were mediocre; and I’m willing to bet there are still others that you’ve witnessed that were downright awful, and you walked away confused at the very least. We at MRH wanted to highlight some very basic things you can do to ensure your presentation is solid, sound and convincing to your audience. Nobody wants to be the person who finishes talking to the sound of silence. Questions, comments, applause – anything is better than silence. Fortunately, in order to make a great presentation, you need to answer just five essential questions your for your audience. With that, let’s take a closer look at these five questions that are essential for making a better presentation and engaging your audience.

1. Why Am I (Are You) Here?

The first question your presentation must answer for your audience is why they are there to begin with. Many times, speakers begin making a presentation, but do not even explain why the participants are in the room (or on the phone). Ground your audience in what is to come, and why they are there. Before getting knee-deep into fancy PowerPoint slides, take a minute to explain the need for the discussion. Perhaps you need a decision to be made. Maybe you need the audience’s feedback on a matter. Or perhaps you are simply trying to create awareness. Regardless of the reason, be sure to clearly state it.

In a similar manner, if speaking at a conference, take a minute to introduce your background and your credentials. The audience is there to listen and learn from your remarks. Make sure you give them a couple reasons to stick around and listen to you rather than head out to make a phone call.

2. Why is This Important?

After you tell the audience why they are there, you next want to help them understand why they should care. Make it abundantly clear to the audience why their attendance, the topic and the overall discussion is important. For example, talk about the impact of the decision you are asking them to make. Or discuss the background or the problems that have occurred and why the decision or the discussion is necessary. Draw the conclusion for the audience and avoid leaving things to interpretation.

When scheduling a meeting, or hosting a discussion with a group of individuals, remember that you’re asking them for their precious time (and giving up some of your own, as well). Explaining why the discussion is necessary will ensure the audience is fully vested and attentive.

3. Do You Have Data to Back Up Your Position?

To make a persuasive argument or deliver a pitch that motivates your audience to take action, it is always best to have data and objective evidence supporting your position. Even if you are presenting to a room full of your firm’s executives, effectively using data shows your message is grounded in fact rather than bias.

The information you present can be based on historical trends that are widely accepted or a just simple set of relative data points. Keep in mind that data is data, and finding the exact information to support your position may not be possible. However, there is usually some information that you can collect that illustrates the key points. For example, if you are trying to convince the board to invest in developing a new product, you may not have specific market feedback (although it would obviously help). Instead, you may want to point to how your competitor increased sales by 25% since unveiling a similar product. Simply put, even a basic set of evidence is better than just a hunch.

4. Are There Alternatives and Did You Consider Them?

When you are presenting information or a specific view point, it’s important to offer some alternatives. It is likely that the audience is considering those other options, so acknowledge they exist. Address them, discuss them and compare them openly

By doing so, you not only strengthen your own credibility by demonstrating you are fair and balanced, but you are also showing you have looked at other options and used the information available to you to make a recommendation that is best for all parties. It also allows the audience to ask questions and probe the comparison, which in turn, allows you to address them. Part of putting together a persuasive proposal or presentation is showing you are being objective and open with the data and options available to you.

5. So … What’s Next?

In many cases, when you are presenting to a group of individuals, you are typically spending time with them to gain buy-in, approval or alignment. Regardless of the audience (superiors, clients, employees), it’s always best to close your presentation with Next Steps or something similar that helps cast a trajectory for the future.

Letting the audience know that there is more to come, or that you have a plan to meet a longer term objective helps solidify and strengthen your entire argument since it shows you have done your homework and are working towards a specific goal. Without including the next steps, you leave yourself open to criticism that your position or stance on the given topic is unclear or not fully developed.

In closing, there are many business settings in which we must put together a convincing argument to another party. By adequately and coherently answering these five questions, you can ensure your presentation is well developed and sound. Try it out next time and test your success!