The author of an article on the topic of effective presentation published on presentationmagazine.com was advising one of his clients on presenting a sales pitch. They came to a slide which illustrated the wide range of business sectors to which the given product was applicable.
They wanted to demonstrate the vast potential the product had in all of those sectors. The potential was measured by the number of contacts, meetings and clients. Although experts are usually asked to train other people to make their own powerful and persuasive presentations, there are times when a true expert notices an opportunity that others have missed.
A simple trick can enliven a dull presentation
Slides like this one usually contain a slick illustration or diagram that is visually appealing. That is the normal way, which everyone is used to. But now the client was told he should grab some post-it notes and write the names of current and potential future clients on them. During the presentation the client should literally and physically add these post-it notes to the screen onto which the slide was projected.
The effect was dramatic. The presentation now looked a lot more raw and energetic. When people do something like this, their audience often gets excited: they talk about what they have seen and it is more likely that they will be willing to meet the presenter again. Why are such techniques effective?
1) It is something different
Most people have seen plenty of presentations. All of them followed the standard format and tended to be somewhat sterile. To capture the curiosity and attention of the audience, you must deviate from the boring norm.
2) It is risky
If you do something that could go wrong, you show that you believe in what you are doing and are not afraid to take risks.
3) It boosts the pace
When your presentation is coming to a close, it is an excellent idea to add some extra passion, emotion and energy.
-jk-