Even the hardest-hitting corporate executives sometimes need to
punch up their presentation skills. Nick Paulus, an executive
and business coach who offers online articles on effective
business presentations, recently recounted his observations
during an event sponsored by a highly esteemed investment bank.
According to Paulus, "Although it was a big event, it was still
lacking some of the basics."
At the event, Paulus found four mistakes that are all too common
in today's business presentations:
1. The presenter - who was the company CEO - stood behind a
conference lectern. While this traditional approach provides the
speaker with a certain image and level of comfort, a conference
lectern places a barrier between the speaker and his audience.
It's much more effective - particularly when using PowerPoint
presentations - to have a headset microphone or a wireless lapel
microphone, and engage your audience by utilizing the entire
area of the stage.
2. Adorning the wall behind the CEO was a giant banner
trumpeting the name and logo of the investment bank. If the
event were being covered by the media, you'd want the company's
name and logo broadcast and photographed. In the absence of
media coverage, though, such banners are so common that they
lose all effectiveness. The guests know where they are, and the
space behind the speaker can be used for a more creative purpose.
3. The screen was huge, but the projector was poor. If you are
using a large screen for your business presentation, the
projector must be up to the job. Using a 2000-lumen projector in
daylight conditions and at a distance that commands 3000 or 4000
lumens takes the punch out of a business presentation and
reflects poorly on the presenter.
4. The slide quality would be considered acceptable for a junior
communication team, but was unacceptable for the international
audience in attendance. Two-dimensional, poorly contrasted
graphs, small text that is difficult to read, and limited
graphical creativity can spell doom for even the most compelling
information. If you want to deliver substantive materially
professionally, use graphics and animate your PowerPoint
presentations.
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