Editor’s note: Upekha Makumbura is the digital marketing executive of London School of Marketing. This is an edited version of a post that originally appeared here under the title, “Mastering the art of presentations as a marketer.
As Marshall McLuhan famously said, the medium is the message. What you say is fundamentally affected by how you say it – and marketers know more than anyone that this is true. Strong presentation skills are crucial for transmitting the points you want to get across, especially when you intend to inform, persuade or motivate your audience. These skills take practice to master but once you have them they will set you in good stead for all your marketing communications.
Be informative
Have you ever switched off while someone else was making a presentation? It’s not enough that your audience is trapped in a room with you: you have to give them a reason to listen. Marketers often make presentations that are specifically intended to share information, for example when marketing managers review past progress with their team, or address other areas of their company. When you make a presentation of this sort you need to make sure that your audience is gaining information that they value and understand why you are making your points.
Look for facts to support your key points, fill in background research to back up any conclusions you draw and consider what your audience is mostly likely to be interested in. However, don’t overwhelm them with reams of unintelligible data or overcomplicated explanations. There is only so much that can be absorbed in one sitting, so make sure you select and emphasize the most important points. The golden rule is that less is more, especially when it comes to slides. It can be useful in some contexts to provide links to further reading so that if audience members are interested in pursuing a specific point, they will know where to look.
Be persuasive
Ultimately, persuasion lies at the heart of every marketing communication. Marketers will often make presentations to clients and consumers, to pitch new products, ideas and approaches. The aim is to convince your audience to accept your proposal. That means you need to convince them of the problem that your proposal is a solution to.
To make a successful persuasive presentation, you need to lay out your argument in a logical sequence that will lead your audience on a journey with you. To make that journey seamless, your listeners should always understand the connection as you move from one point to the next. Start with an introduction that grabs attention. Leading with an anecdote that presents the problem at a human level will immediately help the audience to identify with it and draw them into your argument. You will then need to define the issue that needs to be changed or resolved before you propose the product, service or concept that will address it. Your conclusion should reiterate the main points – it is at the beginning and the end of a presentation that you are likely to have their full attention. You can tie the presentation up neatly by returning to the theme of your introduction – if you used an anecdote at the beginning, it can be useful to return to it at the end, this time discussing it in the context of your proposal.
Always keep in mind the goal of your audience – to learn something they didn’t know before. Make sure that you are giving them facts they will find useful. This shows that you are addressing their need, which will in turn make them more attentive to your argument.
Be motivational
Usually, the purpose of a presentation is to encourage an audience to take action. Whether you want to motivate your team by offering information they can use to enhance their work, or encourage your customers to invest in your product or services, you need to make sure the audience are on your side. This is not an easy task. In fact, the Business Blueprint blog cites a survey in which only 40 percent of respondents in Australia found workplace presenters to be engaging, while 75 percent “believed they would gain more respect for their knowledge and expertise in the business world if they were better public speakers.”
To engage your audience, you need to engage with them. If you want to change their minds, you need to consider what opinions they already hold. What will reinforce ideas they already have? What will surprise them? What will make them resist your message? If you have a marketing qualification, such as a CIM professional diploma, you will recognize many of the challenges and opportunities involved at this point, and have the means to address them. Getting into the mind-set of your audience will help you tailor your presentation to achieve optimal results.
Above all, aim to be positive and engaging in your style. Connecting with your audience on a human level will help them to connect with your viewpoint. The trick to this comes down to confidence. Thoroughly researching your topic beforehand, and rehearsing your presentation several times, will help you feel more prepared. Also think about how you will present yourself: dress appropriately for the environment but in an outfit you feel comfortable in. Stand up straight, avoid referring notes and make regular eye contact with your audience. When answering questions, take a moment to gather your thoughts. This shows that you are taking the question seriously, comprehending what is being asked and framing your answer to address it precisely. This is your presentation, feel in control of it.
Many find public speaking a daunting task. However, being able to present yourself to a group is an important skill, and once you have developed it, there is no limit to where it can take you.