Tips for impactful business presentations

Unfortunately, business presentations have gained a reputation at many organizations for being dry, buzzword heavy and lacking substance. This can often lead to audiences tuning out before the key message for the presentation is shared. Not only does this result in disappointment for the speaker, but audience members also leave dissatisfied and feeling that their time could have been better spent. To make sure that your organization's presentations have impact, consider these tips before taking the stage:

• Present, don't report: An effective speaker will engage with the audience and get them thinking about new concepts and ideas, not just bombard the room with statistics and figures. Adding graphics and other media to your presentation can help to retain the audience's attention and also help appeal to visual learners. 
• Avoid jargon: Many presenters feel that using industry "buzzwords" will help gain them gain authority. Unfortunately, over-reliance on these terms can often have the negative effect of making them sound pompous and difficult to relate to. 
• Have a clear purpose: Presenters should let their audience know the reason they deserve their attention as soon as possible. This can be accomplished by sharing the specific take-away at the beginning of the presentation. When an audience is aware of how the speaker will benefit them, they are more likely to remain focused and engaged. 

Sometimes, changing perceptions of the utility of presentations at an organization can require a change of venue to "shake things up." On Point Executive Center's Tampa meeting rooms can breathe new life into your presentations, especially when speakers take advantage of our new 70-inch touchscreen smartboards. This technology allows presentations to take advantage of a new interactive element, and notes and presentation materials can be shared instantly on up to 50 screens.