Ah, the good old work presentation. It inspires some to work harder, wearing all the creative hats they own, and pushes others to nervousness and underconfidence. Delivering a persuasive presentation can make all the difference in the workplace. It can convince the board to launch a new marketing strategy or win over a shining new client.
We’ve heard the standard advice to improve our presentation skills: confidence, clarity, simplicity. But is that enough to ace the dynamic business landscape? Technological advances and visual communication research are springing up surprises by the dozen. You can incorporate much, much more into your corporate repertoire.
#1 Use AI to Create Intuitive Data Visualizations
Artificial intelligence can now do unbelievable things, like write fanfiction for a beloved TV series. It is only reasonable to rope AI for decks. One innovative idea is to conduct AI-driven data analysis and create new visualizations.
The typical American workplace has large volumes of information that only a data scientist can interpret. But Time magazine notes how you can make your decks more data-driven without professional guidance.
ChatGPT has a Data Analyst feature to let you output fascinating visuals from existing datasets. Even Microsoft Excel has an option to achieve this if you have a paid version of Copilot.
You can experiment with various forms of representation, from scatter plots to infographics and pie charts. New perspectives can generate insightful conversations. It helps people remember your presentation and consider it in their decision-making.
Forbes Coaches Council has expert tips on making statistics shine. How about extrapolating to make future predictions based on the numbers? Few can resist a data-backed picture of hope and promise amid the stress of the modern world.
One guideline here is caution about sensitive or confidential data. You can do this by stripping vulnerable info from the datasets before using them.
#2 Let Colors Work to Your Advantage
Colors and presentations have a kind of love-hate relationship. Time and again, communication experts have recommended embracing or avoiding them. It all depends on the tone of your content and the mood of your audience.
The latest research suggests that the ecological valence theory is valid. Most people do favor some colors over others. It points to the need for a cautious selection of shades for the presentation.
Color researcher and psychologist Karen Schloss notes the relevance of the colors for legends on data graphs. The shade can relate to “intensity” in the viewers’ minds. For example, darker colors usually denote a higher number.
You can imbibe similar principles from color theory to design your presentation. So, pastel colors can imply softness, which is sensible for consumer products like towels or toilet paper. Many people view black as an indicator of premium quality. You can tweak this to your advantage to improve your content’s elegance.
Another inventive idea to leverage colors is to try new mediums, like chalkboards instead of PowerPoint. Colorful shades like green and metallic blue make your material pop, leaving a lasting impression.
Non-toxic markers like Loddie Doddie can be erased readily with water so that you can welcome fresh ideas from the attendees. Plus, chalkboards have an inherently artistic vibe. It makes them a good presentation backdrop for creative industries.
#3 Conclude With Probing Ideas to Encourage Feedback
It should not come as a surprise that how you conclude your presentation can decide the outcome of the meeting. For years, employees and consultants have ended discussions with a powerful quote. You may also have opened the forum for questions or given a call to action, like filling out a survey.
All the above have merit. However, a fresh way to wrap things up has emerged as a potential winner. Leave your audience with thought-provoking ideas to further the business.
A recent Harvard Business Review feature recommends sharing 2-3 ideas for encouraging growth provided the directors and board members consent. It is a fantastic way to fast-track validation and feedback from the powers that be.
For instance, suppose you just delivered a talk about your company’s new digital communication strategy. You can conclude with additional ideas for new mediums. Perhaps your organization has not considered platforms like Reddit or LinkedIn in the mix.
Concluding your presentation in this manner invites feedback from the group. You can expect pointed questions and engagement from the audience as they try to understand how the ideas link to business success. It is vital to keep the ideas related to the core content of your presentation to avoid it coming across as a non-sequitur.
Giving a purposeful presentation isn’t science that you can replicate perfectly each time. Moreover, the results depend on so many factors, and the mental states of your audience members can be hard to predict. Try integrating these research-backed strategies to infuse freshness into the talk. A non-boring presentation that perseveres to stand out is already better poised for success.