Office Meetings: How to Improve Your Presentation

Business presentations are a part of everyday life for many people. Presentations are intended to deliver information, new ideas, or changes to a group of employees all at the same time. Presentations can be given to just a few co-workers or to an entire company. Developing an effective and interesting presentation can be difficult. There are several tips that will help to improve any business presentation.

Include Animations, Videos or Graphics

Animations, videos, or printed graphics will create interest during a presentation. Pages of nothing but text can become dull. Text-only presentations also do not make a strong impression. It is important to including some graphics or points of visual interest when designing a handout, slide or display board. Don't go overboard either, and swamp a page in photos or graphics. Make sure they are used to highlight important information.

Design Displays Around One Point

It can become easy to fill a single slide, or piece of paper with multiple ideas. This is confusing for the audience. Each display should be focused on a single point. This makes it easier for the audience to focus on the concept. A presentation display should keep the main point in the center of the page with few extraneous elements along the borders.

Use the Right Paper

It is important to choose the right paper when developing a presentation. Colored paper is a good way to divide handouts, or highlight important charts. Heavyweight textured stock like what is available when you click here is a good choice for handouts intended to be reviewed and used later. Glossy paper is appropriate when showing photographs or photorealistic graphics. Ultra-white matte paper can increase the contrast on a display board so it is easier to see from a distance.

Create a Narrative

The entire presentation should be wrapped in a narrative. Narratives keep audiences interested and make transitions easier. The purpose of the narrative is to structure the presentation and create anticipation. A simple narrative could be a running example like a fictional company that appears regularly during the presentation to help illustrate how each points builds towards a conclusion.

Establish a Visual Theme

An interesting presentation should have a consistent visual theme. The theme should be custom-made. An interesting visual theme should have a set color palette, matching bullet points, or icons and a defined structure for informational pages. A custom visual theme will make the presentation more memorable, and easier to organize and understand. Presentations without a set theme can become confusing.

Anyone who is giving a business presentation should understand the audience. It is best to develop the presentation for the specific audience instead of creating generic displays. A relevant presentation that speaks directly to the audience will always be more interesting and engaging.