Certainly one of the most common tools used by today’s salespeople is the ubiquitous Power Point presentation. You would think, given the difficulty in getting on busy people’s calendars, that the value of a prospect’s time would be understood and reflected in the quality of the presentation. As everyone who has ever sat through a customized version of a Power Point Presentation from afar can attest, sadly this is not the case.
When you have the good fortune to experience a professional presentation, upon reflection, a number of points are clear. The first is the clarity of the message and the intention of the presentation. This is known as the substance of the presentation. The second is the clarity and intention of the format also known as the style of the presentation. Both are then enhanced through the words and actions of the presenter known as presentation skills. The good news is that all three of these factors can be improved through a little thought and a lot of practice.
The first challenge in writing any presentation is to have a clear understanding by the presenter of just what the presenter hopes to get across. As amazing as this may sound, virtually every reader of this column can recall a presentation at whose conclusion you were just not certain what message you had just received. Many amateur presenters do not have the discipline to distill their message down and consequently gravitate toward the school of volume. They believe that the more you say, the better the message or if I simply put up enough information, then surely something will be applicable. This does not work.
The clarity of the format has to do with the ease, comfort, and comprehensibility with which the audience can accept the visual. Most professional presentations generally limit their content to three to five “bullets” per slide. A “bullet” is the term used to describe a topic point for a needed explanation. The explanation need is supposed to be the supporting dialogue of the presenter. Way too often, the slide itself is overloaded with verbiage. The audience then gets caught up in reading as opposed to listening and usually out of sequence with the presenter. This is not recommended for good communications.
And finally the skill of the presenter has a significant impact on the listening experience. High energy with clarity of speaking and an awareness of the responsibility to not be boring are important for anyone seeking to garner any mental shelf space. Another trait of professional presenters is their reluctance to provide handouts before they have given their presentation. You can bet that somewhere along the way they learned the hard way that when you do this your audience reads ahead of you and you cannot control the presentation of the message.
Accepting that our current business climate is tough and recognizing that every company is going to have to sell its way to a better future, think about your presentation and how you might tighten it up. Your customers will appreciate your professionalism, your selling will be more effective, and ultimately you’ll put more money in your own pocket.
John F. Riddell Jr., director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth-Hamilton County, writes each Tuesday about entrepreneurs and their impact on companies and the marketplace. Submit comments to his attention by writing to Business Editor John Vass Jr., Chattanooga Times Free Press, P.O. Box 1447, Chattanooga, TN 37401-1447, or by e-mailing him at business@timesfreepress.com
