Presentations are the key to securing clients and funding. The art of public speaker has been discussed for thousands of years, and new books are still being published today. In some cases, however, people can over-think their presentations. In reality, presentations do not have to be too complicated. Here are five tips for engaging clients in a presentation.
1. Eye Contact
The psychology of business presentations has been discussed endlessly, and much of this advice deals with engaging those who attend and building connections with them. One of the best ways to start to build this connection is to maintain eye contact throughout the meeting. Staring should be avoided, but eye contact can help make one’s message clear and encourage those in attendance to pay close attention. Eye contact also shows confidence and a willing to engage on an individual basis.
2. Charts, Graphs and Projections
Presenters are often focused on the present, but potential clients think about the future. While it is important to relay why choosing one’s business would be helpful in the short term, long-term projections are useful to encourage clients to make a commitment. Chart and graphs can help provide great material to capture the attention of the audience, and future projections are necessary to captivate them. Presenters may wish to take some time to make these graphical elements as attractive as possible.
3. Modern Ideas
When giving a presentation, it helps to show clients that the business is engaged in modern trends in a productive manner. These days, social media, smart devices and the cloud are all useful topics to capture the attention of prospective clients. Incorporating these ideals into a presentation alleviates clients’ fears that the business will become obsolete or outdated in the future. It is important, however, to ensure that these elements do not come across as contrived; they should seem to be natural parts of what the business provides.
4. Personal Stories
Many books on presentations emphasise addressing numbers, the potential for profit and other hard data as quickly as possible. However, it is also important to connect on a personal level with clients. While telling long stories can come across as pandering, it helps to share inspirational stories when seeking to engage potential clients. In particular, how the business started and what its guiding principles are can help relay what makes the business the best choice for those watching the presentation.
5. Ask Questions
Adaptability is a crucial component that prospective clients look for in businesses. One of the best ways to demonstrate adaptability is to ask clients questions and have answers prepared. These questions give clients a chance to test the presenter, so the presentation team must be equipped to deal with any questions that might arise. By carefully preparing beforehand and thinking of as many potential questions as possible, presenters can be prepared to impress potential clients with their ability to think of effective solutions. If members of the audience do not have questions, it can help to have some demonstration questions prepared.
Brett Kelly is an inspirational figure after attending one of his business presentations. Follow Brett Kelly on twitter @brett_kelly1
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