Are You Getting Your Point
Across?
By Kathy Villella
A consultant’s ability to influence a client’s behavior can mean the difference between a successful project and one that fizzles. And an effective client presentation is often what’s needed to move a client team into action.
Now that Microsoft PowerPoint has been around for awhile, many consultants rely on the software to deliver all or most of their messages. In some cases, using PowerPoint is a good choice. In other instances, another approach may be more effective.
How do you decide which tool and presentation strategy to use?
Start with Who and Where
The venue and audience size should drive how you deliver your message. Other factors include how formal the gathering will be and the level of commitment you want from the audience.
Presenting to large gatherings is usually to impart information or to introduce/demonstrate something new, not usually to get high-level commitment and action from the audience. Given that, on-screen slides usually serve large venues and audiences well, especially when the presenter is too far away for the audience to see facial expressions and other nonverbal communications.
When the gathering is small enough that the audience can effectively focus on the presenter, on-screen slides can still be effective. But the presenter needs to keep the audience’s attention, and not let listeners focus solely on the screen.
Several proven tactics will help you keep audience focus. For example, blacking out the screen periodically, and never turning your back on the audience and “presenting to the screen” will keep you at the center of attention.
Smaller gatherings allow for more interaction with the audience. Use that interaction to your advantage by always being ready to answer questions. And don’t neglect the opportunity to meet with audience members after the presentation for one-on-one or small-group discussions. In smaller meetings, you can directly ask audience members to support your perspective.
Many consultants use small gatherings to request decisions, such as asking for specific future behaviors from management or employees, or for approval to spend company funds. In these situations, a PowerPoint presentation may not be the wisest choice.
Instead, you may want to consider the whitepaper approach. With a well-constructed text document that contains a few key conceptual charts and data-driven graphs, you can facilitate a fact-based, highly interactive exploration of a topic
This approach minimizes the “instruct and persuade” tone of on-screen presentations and encourages deeper exploration of the issues.
Beyond Your Slides
Whether you’re delivering a proposal presentation or a final report, it’s common for clients to make their decisions after you leave the room. Once you’ve made your argument, or asked for a commitment, don’t leave the client’s interpretation of your perspective to chance. Be sure to give your audience reference material that contains your findings, interpretations, and recommendations in a complete and compelling format.
You may have used PowerPoint slides during your presentation, but it’s unlikely that your slides alone will include enough interpretation. Consider adding a companion piece to your presentation: a self-interpretive text document with graphics imported from your presentation. Leave this behind as a point of reference.
For larger gatherings, a brochure or handout, developed for the occasion, that includes the high points of your presentation and your contact information, may be all you need. Some consultants add a lead-in or take-away field to presentation slides that helps the audience members interpret the slide content.
You can add even more punch to your handouts by using an effective, but seldom-used technique. Some speakers create a double-sided print-out of their presentations with carefully written text messages on the back side of each slide.
This format makes a strong connection for your audience with what they’ve seen onscreen and what they will read. The appropriately worded text messages are basically your presentation narrative. You can add the lead-in phrase and/or take-away thought to really drive each point home.
Before You Open PowerPoint
Before you make decisions about how to deliver your presentation, ask yourself three simple, but important, questions:
- What are the objectives of the presentation?
- How much time do I have?
- Will the message/communication stick with the audience after I’m finished?
Answering these three questions thoughtfully often leads to surprising and innovative solutions.
Clarify Your Objectives
As you consider the presentation objectives, clarify your intent by answering the questions below:
- Establishing credibility: Why should the audience listen to you? Audiences will rarely act on your recommendations before you’ve established your credibility.
- Setting tone: Is the gathering formal or informal? Are you attempting to influence, persuade, or ask your audience for a commitment? How you answer these questions will impact how you deliver your presentation and prepare supporting materials.
- Delivering a clearly defined message: Will the audience be empowered to make decisions or act based on your message? The clarity of your message is crucial to get the outcome you want.
- Interpreting data: Does the material you’re presenting stand on its own, or does your content rely heavily on interpretations? Be sure you understand this and be prepared to support the statistical findings you present.
- Delving deeply into the subject matter: How deep should you go into the subject, and where should the boundaries be? Keep the details in the presentation at an appropriate level. Know what that level is before creating your message.
- Creating follow-up opportunities: What is the most effective way to encourage the client to take the discussion to the next level?
I Have How Much Time?
Now that you have identified your goals, can you accomplish them all within the timeframe you’ve been given? Using your allotted time strategically can help you ensure that your message gets across and that your client has all the information needed to move forward.
If time is short, resist the urge to simply pare down an existing, longer presentation. You can easily overlook essential content resorting to this approach. Instead, assess each situation independently to achieve maximum results.
To help you get the most from the time you have, consider these questions:
- Do you have enough time to accomplish all of your objectives? If not, rethink your presentation strategy.
- Is the presentation a stand-alone opportunity, or will you be able to meet with groups of attendees afterward to continue the discussion?
- Will there be social time after the presentation, and will it be appropriate to continue talking about the subject?
- Have you scheduled subsequent meetings?
- Are handouts appropriate before your presentation, after, or both?
Given the amount of time you have and the structure of the meeting, you can decide what content to present in the meeting. You may have options to clarify your perspectives after the meeting, so develop your presentation content with this in mind.
Reinforce Your Message
Is your presentation covering broad topics, or are you asking your audience to take a deep dive into complex, analytical content? The answer to this question will influence the scope and depth of the material you leave behind to make sure your message sticks.
If you’re presenting broad concepts or strategic directives, consider leaving behind only minimal material. If you’re offering a sales proposal, detailed recommendation, or other action-oriented communications, a comprehensive leave-behind is often the best choice.
Respect your audience by delivering complete and comprehensive information, whatever form it takes. Your impact can be extended far beyond the moment you step from the spotlight if you’re thoughtful, creative, and spend the time to develop high-impact presentation materials.
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Kathy Villella is cofounder of PowerFrameworks. She has provided presentation development support for twenty years. For nearly fifteen years, she supported client engagement teams and supervised and trained others at McKinsey & Company. Visit www.powerframeworks.net to find out more.
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