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101 Business English Presentation Phrases

english teacher presenting to english language students useful business english phrases to use in business meetings and presentations

In business, first impressions are everything. That’s why it’s so important to use the right phrases when communicating with clients, customers, and business associates. If you’re looking to get ahead in your career, learning some business English presentation phrases can be a real asset. These phrases are designed to help you communicate more effectively in a business setting, and they can be used in a variety of situations.

By familiarizing yourself with these phrases, you can make a positive impression and improve your chances of success in an upcoming presentation. In this blog, we’ll walk you through some of the best phrases for non-native speakers. From introducing yourself to wrapping up your presentation, we’ve got you covered. So whether you’re giving a sales pitch or delivering a keynote speech, be sure to bookmark this page and refer back to it for the public speaker’s needs.

101 Phrases for Presentations

Greeting your audience.

Greeting your audience is an important part of building English Presentation skills . It sets the tone for the rest of your presentation, and it helps to create a connection with your audience. There are a few different ways to greet your audience, and the best option will depend on the situation. No matter how you choose to greet your audience, remember to smile and make eye contact, as this will help create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

1. Thank you for being here today.

2. It’s great to see all of you.

3. I’m glad you could make it.

4. Thank you for your time and attention.

5. It’s a pleasure to be with you today.

6. I appreciate your interest in what I have to say.

Beginning your Presentation

Beginning your presentation is an important opportunity to set the tone and make a good first impression. There are a few key phrases and vocabulary for presentations that can be useful in this situation. By using these business English phrases , you can start your presentation in a confident and professional way.

7. I’m excited to share with you what we’ve been working on.

8. I know you’re busy, so I’ll get right to the point.

9. As you know, our company is-

10. I’d like to start by telling you a story about-

11. I have some innovative ideas that I think you’ll find interesting.

12. Let’s get started by talking about our goals.

Referencing Information and Sources

In business, it is important to be able to reference information and sources accurately. This means knowing how to cite sources correctly and providing a list of references at the end of a document or presentation. By being accurate and consistent in your communication skills, you will show that you are a credible and trustworthy business person.

13. According to-

14. As shown in-

15. Demonstrated by-

16. Verified by-

17. Reported by-

18. According to our research-

Give an Outline for the Presentation

When giving a presentation, it is important to be clear, concise, and organized. One way to achieve this is to provide an outline for the presentation. An outline helps to focus the presentation, keep it on track, and ensure that all the important points are covered. It also allows the audience to follow along and take notes if they wish. Providing an outline at the beginning of a business presentation can help set the stage for effective communication and informative delivery.

19. Here is an overview of what will be covered.

20. Focusing on the main points-

21. First of all-

22. I’m going to cover three main points today.

23. Let me start by giving some background information.

24. Allow me to give a brief outline of our discussion.

Explaining Visual Data

This involves more than just reading off numbers from customer surveys- it also requires an understanding of how the data is related and what conclusions can be drawn from it. For instance, someone who can explain visual data might point out that a particular chart shows an increase in sales over the past year, and then explain what factors in the sales strategy might have contributed to this increase. In today’s business world, being able to explain visual data is a valuable skill that can help you stand out from the crowd.

25. This chart shows-

26. As you can see from this graph-

27. As demonstrated by this diagram-

28. This table indicates that-

29. These results indicate that-

30. We can conclude from this information that-

Hypothesize

Businesses often use hypotheses to drive their research efforts and to focus their attention on specific areas of interest. By formulating hypotheses, businesses can hone in on the most promising leads and investigate them more thoroughly. This helps to ensure that valuable resources are not wasted on dead-end investigations. With the right hypothesis, you will have the ability to craft amazing presentations.

31. We think that [X] because of [Y]. For example, [Z].

32. It is possible that [X], and here’s why: [Y] and [Z].

33. We hypothesize that [X] is caused by/due to [Y].

34. Our theory is that [X] happens when/if [Y].

35. Based on what we know, we predict that [X].

36. We conjecture that [X] is the result of [Y].

Stating Your Point

When you state your point, you are effectively summarizing the main idea of the actual presentation in a single sentence. This sentence should be clear and concise, and it should directly address the question or issue at hand. In business English, stating your point is often seen as the most important part of a presentation or pitch. This is because investors and clients need to have a clear understanding of what they are trying to achieve to make a decision.

37. Therefore, we can conclude that-

38. Based on this information, we recommend that-

39. We suggest that you use-

40. This is why-

41. I strongly believe that-

42. What this means for our company is-

Beginning a New Section of the Main Body

These phrases signal to your audience that you are transitioning to a new topic, and help to keep your presentation flowing smoothly. By using these phrases, you can help to keep your audience engaged and ensure that you have a clear, well-structured presentation.

43. As we move on to the next part of our presentation, I want to remind you of our goal.

44. Now that we’ve covered X, let’s move on to Y.

45. Let’s transition now to the next section of our presentation.

46. Now is a good time to take a few minutes to transition to the next part of our presentation.

47. Are there any questions before we move on?

48. Before we continue, does anyone have any questions?

Delivering Main Presentation Points

When delivering a presentation, it is important to focus on the main points that you want to get across to your audience. This can be difficult to do, especially if you are nervous or have a lot of information to cover. However, there are some simple phrases that you can use to make sure that your main points come across loud and clear.

49. The most important thing to remember is-

50. The key point to take away from this is-

51. What this means for you is-

52. The bottom line is-

53. To put it simply-

54. In other words-

Introduce Solutions

When you’re presenting business solutions to clients, colleagues, or upper management, it’s important to use language that is both clear and persuasive. This requires informal language and strong communication effectiveness. To that end, here are a few key phrases to keep in mind when introducing business solutions.

55. We have a solution that will-

56. Our team has come up with a solution that will-

57. We’ve developed a solution that will-

58. We have the perfect solution for your problem-

59. Introducing our newest solution-

60. Our latest and greatest solution is-

Useful Words and Phrases

Using these phrases can help to make your presentation more professional and polished. Additionally, they can also help to ensure that your audience understands the key points that you are trying to communicate. When selecting business English phrases for your presentation, be sure to choose ones that are appropriate for the level of formality desired.

61. As an example

62. In conclusion

63. To summarize

64. Thank you for your time

65. Furthermore

66. Moreover

Discussion Questions

When leading a discussion, it is important to ask open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. These types of questions encourage others to share their opinions and experiences. In addition, discussion questions should be relevant to the topic at hand and should be framed in a way that promotes constructive dialogue. By asking thoughtful questions and actively listening to the responses, you can use discussions to foster understanding and collaboration within your team or organization. It also allows your audience to deconstruct any complex messages you have delivered.

67. How will this proposal impact our bottom line?

68. What are the risks associated with this plan?

69. What are the potential benefits of this plan?

70. How does this plan compare to other options?

71. What are the challenges associated with implementing this plan?

72. What are the next steps?

Interacting with the Audience

Interacting with your audience is key to keeping their attention during a presentation. There are several ways to do this, such as making eye contact, using gestures and body language, and speaking in a clear and engaging voice. Asking questions is also a great way to interact with your audience, as it not only helps to keep them engaged but also allows you to gauge their understanding of the material.

73. Does that make sense?

74. Do you have a goal in mind?

75. Are you following me so far?

76. Do you have any questions?

77. Have I painted a clearer picture?

78. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

Concluding Your Presentation

When you reach the end of your presentation, it’s important to conclude effectively in order to leave your audience with a strong impression. By using one of these business English phrases, you can conclude your presentation professionally and effectively.

79. We appreciate your interest in our company.

80. Your input is invaluable to us.

81. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or require further information.

82. Thank you for your time and attention.

83. Together, we can make a difference.

84. Time for questions.

Ending the Presentation

Ending the presentation is just as important as starting it. Your goal is to ensure that your audience has taken away the key points from your talk and to leave them with a positive impression of you and your business. This allows you to address any concerns they may have and leaves them with a positive impression of you as a business professional. By using these simple phrases, you can ensure that your presentation ends on a strong note.

85. We look forward to working with you in the future.

86. This concludes our presentation. Are there any questions?

87. Just a quick recap-

88. Thank you for your business.

89. We appreciate your interest.

90. I hope I was able to answer your questions.

Thank your Audience and Close your Presentation

When you thank your audience for listening to your presentation, you are showing your appreciation for their time and attention. This is a polite way to end your talk, and it can help to leave a positive impression. No matter how you choose to express your thanks, closing with this business English vocabulary will show that you are professional and courteous.

91. Thank you for your trust in us

92. Thank you for partnering with us.

93. Thank you for your efforts.

94. Thank you for choosing us.

95. Thank you for your time today.

96. Thank you for considering us as a partner.

10 Simple Steps to Effective Business Presentations

1. research thoroughly.

Whether you’re giving a presentation to potential investors or presenting new data to your colleagues, it’s essential that you research thoroughly and present effectively. Knowing how to research and present is a critical business skill.

To research thoroughly, you need to understand your audience and what they’re looking for. What questions do they have? What information do they need? Once you know what your audience is looking for, you can begin your research.

Start by looking for reputable sources of information. Check out books, articles, websites, and other materials that will help you learn more about your topic. When you’re doing your research, be sure to take good notes. This will help you keep track of the information you find and make it easier to organize your thoughts when you’re ready to start writing your presentation.

2. Plan Your Points

In business, first impressions are everything. If you’re giving a presentation, you want to come across as confident, knowledgeable, and professional.

The best way to do this is to plan your points carefully. Make sure you know what you’re going to say, and structure your points in a way that will be easy for your audience to follow. Use business English presentation phrases to make your points clearly and confidently. And don’t forget to practice before the big day! By taking the time to prepare, you’ll give yourself the best possible chance of success.

3. Gather Phrases and Jargon

Whether you’re giving a business presentation or delivering a speech, using the right phrases and jargon can help you to engage your audience and get your point across effectively. Here are a few tips on how to gather the right phrases and jargon for your next presentation:

Do your research. Before you start writing your presentation or speech, take some time to research your topic and audience. This will help you to identify the key points you need to make, and the jargon and phrases that will resonate with your audience.
Identify your purpose. What do you want to achieve with your presentation or speech? Once you know your purpose, you can choose the words and phrases that will help you to achieve it. For example, if you’re trying to sell a product, you’ll need to use language that is persuasive and compelling.
Keep it simple. Use language that is easy to understand, even if it means avoiding technical terms and jargon. Remember that your goal is to communicate effectively, not to impress with your vocabulary.
Be natural. The best presentations and speeches sound effortless as if the speaker is having a conversation with the audience. To achieve this natural tone, avoid reading from a script or teleprompter; instead, focus on memorizing key points and using language that feels natural to you.

4. Develop Visual Aids

Before you begin developing your visual aids, it is important to take a step back and consider your audience. What type of information are they looking for? How much detail do they need? Once you have a good understanding of your audience, you can start developing visual aids that are both informative and engaging.

There are a few key business English presentation visual tips that will help you to develop effective visual aids. For example:

Use clear and concise language
Focus on one main idea per slide
Avoid using too much text around the visual

By following these simple guidelines, you can ensure that your visual aids are easy to understand and visually appealing. Additionally, be sure to proofread your slides before sending them out or presenting them in front of a group. A few small typos can easily detract from an otherwise well-crafted presentation.

5. Practice Out Loud

When you’re preparing for business English vocabulary presentations, it’s important to Practice Out Loud as much as possible. This will help you get comfortable with the material and ensure that you deliver your points effectively. There are a few key business English presentation phrases that you can use to make sure that your presentation is polished and professional.

For example, beginning your presentation with a brief overview of what you’ll be covering is a great way to set the stage and engage your audience. As you move through your presentation, be sure to use clear and concise language.

And finally, conclude your presentation with a strong call to action or summary of the key points. By following these simple tips, you’ll be well on your way to delivering an effective business presentation.

6. Prepare for the Unexpected

Presenting to a group can be daunting, even for experienced speakers. The key to success is to be prepared for the unexpected. While it’s impossible to anticipate every possible scenario, there are some steps you can take to ensure that you’re ready for anything.

First, brush up on your business English presentation phrases. Knowing how to effectively communicate your message will help you stay calm and focused if something unexpected happens.
Second, make sure you know your material inside and out. If you’re well-versed in the subject matter, you’ll be able to think on your feet and address any questions or concerns that come up.
Finally, remember to breathe. Taking a few deep breaths before you start will help you relax and focus on delivering your best presentation.

By following these simple tips, you can prepare for the unexpected and give an outstanding performance.

7. Body Language

When giving a business presentation in English, it is important to use body language effectively to engage your audience and convey your message clearly. There are a few key things to keep in mind:

Make eye contact with individuals around the room; this shows that you are speaking to them directly and helps to build rapport.
Use gestures to emphasize key points ; avoid crossing your arms or fidgeting, which can make you appear nervous or untrustworthy. Finally,
Speak clearly and at a moderate pace ; if you speak too quickly, your audience may not be able to understand you, and if you speak too slowly, you may lose their attention.

8. Manage Your Nerves

Nerves are a perfectly normal response to presenting and public speaking. After all, you are basically putting yourself out there to be judged! The key is learning how to manage your nerves in a way that allows you to present effectively.

One way to do this is to focus on your business presentation phrases. This will help you to stay on track and sound confident, even if you are feeling nervous inside. Another tip is to take some deep breaths and relax your body before you start speaking. This will help to calm your nerves and allow you to focus on delivering your presentation.

Finally, remember that it is okay to be nervous. Embrace the feeling and use it to fuel your passion for the topic at hand. With these tips in mind, you will be sure to deliver an effective presentation.

9. Ask Questions

When you are asked to present in front of an audience, whether it is for business or academic purposes, it is important to ask questions to engage your audience and effectively communicate your message. Asking questions allows you to gauge your audience’s understanding of the material, ensure that they are paying attention, and elicit feedback.

Furthermore, questions can help to clarify points that may be confusing and provide opportunities for further discussion. However, it is important to ask questions in a way that is respectful and does not put your audience on the defensive. For example, avoid leading or loaded questions, and rephrase if necessary.

When used effectively, questions can be a powerful tool for making presentations more engaging and effective.

10. Be Open to Feedback

Giving a presentation can be nerve-wracking, but there are some things you can do to help ensure that it goes well. One of the most important things is to be open to feedback. This means being willing to listen to what other people have to say about your presentation, and then making changes based on their feedback.

It can be tempting to just stick with what you have, but if you’re not open to feedback, you’ll likely end up with a presentation that doesn’t quite hit the mark. So next time you’re getting ready to give a presentation, make sure you’re open to feedback, and you’ll increase your chances of giving a great talk.

This blog has provided 101 of the best English phrases to use in presentations, as well as tips and tricks for presenting effectively. These phrases have been grouped into categories, such as introducing yourself, dealing with difficult questions, and closing your presentation. By using these phrases, you can be confident that you are conveying your message clearly and professionally.

In addition, the tips and tricks included in this blog will help you to avoid common mistakes when giving presentations. By following these tips, you can ensure that your presentations are engaging and informative. Thanks for reading!

Frequently Asked Questions

Any good presentation skills training will tell you that there are five key elements to success: planning, preparation, delivery, design, and practice. By taking the time to plan your presentation, you can ensure that your ideas are well organized and that you have a clear objective. Preparation is also essential, and this means knowing your audience and understanding their needs. When it comes to delivery, it is important to be confident and to project your voice clearly. The design of your presentation should be clean and professional, and you should use practice slides to get a feel for the flow of the presentation. By following these simple tips, you can be sure that your next presentation will be a success.

First, you want to make sure that you are well-prepared. This means having a clear understanding of your audience and your goals for the presentation. It also means having all of your materials ready to go, including slides, handouts, and any other visual aids. Second, you want to be sure to deliver your presentation with confidence. This means speaking clearly and confidently, making eye contact with your audience, and using body language to convey your points. Finally, you want to make sure that you leave a lasting impression. This can be done by ending on a strong note, providing follow-up materials, or even offering a call to action.

The best business presentations are those that are able to engage the audience and keep their attention focused on the speaker. There are a few key elements that can help to make a presentation more engaging. First, it is important to have a clear and well-organized structure. This will help the listener to follow the presentation and understand the main points. Second, it is helpful to use visual aids to illustrate key points. This can make the information more memorable and easier to understand. Finally, it is important to be passionate about the topic. When the speaker is enthusiastic, it can be contagious and make the audience more interested in what is being said. By keeping these things in mind, you can help ensure that your next business presentation is engaging and successful.

When giving a business English presentation, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First, it is important to be clear and concise. This means using language that is easy to understand and getting straight to the point. It is also important to be respectful and professional. This means avoiding slang and casual language and maintaining a polite tone throughout the presentation. Finally, it is important to be well-prepared. This means having all of your materials ready in advance, and rehearsing your presentation so that you are confident and deliver smoothly. By following these tips, you can ensure that your business English presentation is successful.

A business presentation typically has four distinct stages: introduction, body, conclusion, and Q&A. The introduction is your opportunity to grab the audience’s attention and give them an overview of what you’ll be discussing. The body is where you provide more detailed information about your topic. The conclusion should summarize your key points and leave the audience with a strong impression. Finally, the Q&A section gives the audience a chance to ask questions and get clarification on anything they didn’t understand. By following these four simple steps, you can ensure that your business presentation is engaging, informative, and well-organized.

Learn from History – Follow the Science – Listen to the Experts

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Bethany MacDonald

Bethany MacDonald has contributed articles LillyPad.ai since 2020. As their Blog Lead, she specialises in informative pieces on culture, education, and language learning

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52 Phrases for Better Flowing English Presentations

/ Steven Hobson / Business English , English Presentations , Vocabulary

English Presentations - Impactful English

Do you give English presentations at work, but feel that you could communicate your message in a more objective, fluid way?

Maybe you have an English presentation coming up and want to make sure that your speech is clear and structured so that your audience doesn’t lose concentration and stays with you all the way to the end.

A technique that can help you achieve objective, clear, and structured English presentations, is to use linking phrases that join the separate parts of your presentation together.

English presentations normally consist of an introduction, the main body, individual parts of the main body, and the ending or conclusion.

To help maintain your audience’s attention, you need to signal when you are going from one part to another.

In this article, I teach you 52 phrases that do exactly this – linking the different parts together, and therefore, making your presentation flow better. You’ll find that these phrases will act as ‘signposts’ for the audience when you finish one part and start another.

52 Phrases to Improve the Flow of Your English Presentations

The introduction.

All good presentations start with a strong introduction.

There are a number of different ways you can begin your English presentation. Here’s a simple, but effective introduction structure which works for most types of business presentations:

Introduce – Introduce yourself and greet your audience. Introduce the presentation topic – Explain the reasons for listening. Outline – Describe the main parts of the presentation. Question policy – Make it clear to your audience when they can ask questions: during or at the end?

Here are some phrases which you can use to structure the introduction in this way:

1. Good morning/afternoon (everyone) (ladies and gentlemen). 2. It’s a pleasure to welcome (the President) here. 3. I’m … (the Director of …)

Introduce the presentation topic

4. By the end of the talk/presentation/session, you’ll know how to… / …you will have learned about… / 5. I plan to say a few words about… 6. I’m going to talk about… 7. The subject of my talk is…

8. My talk will be in (three parts). 9. In the first part… 10. Then in the second part… 11. Finally, I’ll go on to talk about…

Question Policy

12. Please interrupt if you have any questions. 13. After my talk, there will be time for a discussion and any questions.

Main Body

Now that you have finished the introduction, we now need to transition to the main body, and its individual parts in a smooth way.

There are three parts of the main body of a presentation where linking phrases can be used:

Beginning the Main Body Ending Parts within the Main Body Beginning a New Part

Here are some phrases which you can use for these parts:

Beginning the Main Body

14. Now let’s move to / turn to the first part of my talk which is about… 15. So, first… 16. To begin with…

Ending Parts within the Main Body

17. That completes/concludes… 18. That’s all (I want to say for now) on… 19. Ok, I’ve explained how…

Beginning a New Part

20. Let’s move to (the next part which is)… 21. So now we come to the next point, which is… 22. Now I want to describe… 23. Let’s turn to the next issue… 24. I’d now like to change direction and talk about…

Listing and Sequencing

If you need to talk about goals, challenges, and strategies in your English presentation, listing phrases can help link these together and improve the flow of your speech. If you have to explain processes, sequencing phrases are helpful:

25. There are three things to consider. First… Second… Third… 26. There are two kinds of… The first is… The second is… 27. We can see four advantages and two disadvantages. First, advantages… 28. One is… Another is… A third advantage is… Finally…

29. There are (four) different stages to the process. 30. First / then / next / after that / then (x) / after x there’s y. 31. There are two steps involved. The first step is… The second step is… 32. There are four stages to the project. 33. At the beginning, later, then, finally… 34. I’ll describe the development of the idea. First the background, then the present situation, and then the prospect for the future.

After you have presented the main body of your English presentation, you will want to end it smoothly.

Here are typical sections transitioning from the main body to the ending of the presentation, and then inviting the audience to ask questions:

Ending the Main Body Beginning the Summary and/or Conclusion Concluding An Ending Phrase Inviting Questions and/or Introducing Discussion Thanking the Audience

Ending the Main Body

35. Okay, that ends (the third part of) my talk. 36. That’s all I want to say for now on (the 2017 results).

Beginning the Summary and/or Conclusion

37. To sum up… 38. Ok, in brief, there are several advantages and disadvantages. 39. To conclude… 40. I’d like to end by emphasizing the main points. 41. I’d like to end with a summary of the main points.

42. I think we have seen that we should… 43. In my opinion, we should… 44. I recommend/suggest that we… 45. There are three reasons why I recommend this. First, … / Second, … / Finally,…

An Ending Phrase

46. Well, I’ve covered the points that I needed to present today. 47. That sums up (my description of the new model). 48. That concludes my talk for today.

Inviting Questions and/or Introducing Discussion

49. Now we have (half an hour) for questions and discussion. 50. So, now I’d be very interested to hear your comments.

Thanking the Audience

51. I’d like to thank you for listening to my presentation. 52. Thank you for listening / your attention. / Many thanks for coming.

Linking phrases are like the skeleton which holds your presentation together.

Not only do they improve the flow and help guide the audience, but by memorizing them they can also help you remember the general structure of your presentation, giving you increased confidence.

To help you memorize, I recommend saying the linking phrases on their own from the beginning to the end of your presentation while you practice.

I also suggest memorizing the introduction word for word. By doing this, you will get off to a great start, which will settle your nerves and transmit a positive first impression.

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:

1. The Impactful English Academy : Join like-minded professionals from around the world in The Impactful English Academy. The comprehensive online courses will teach you the system and strategies I have used to help 100’s of professionals speak English more fluently, confidently and professionally. Click here to learn more.

2. One-to -one Coaching : Get access to my guidance and a customised program that has helped, managers, directors, CEO’s, doctors and Government officials worldwide transform into confident and articulate communicators in English. Click here to book a Discovery session with me.

3. Onsite and Online Company Training: Equip your team with the essential communication skills they need to thrive in today’s global marketplace. My tailored onsite and online training programs empower professionals to communicate effectively and confidently in English in international business environments. C lick here to schedule a meeting with me.

Author: Steven Hobson

Steven is a business English coach, a certified life coach, writer, and entrepreneur. He helps international professionals build confidence and improve fluency speaking English in a business environment.

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35 Best Business English Presentation Phrases

You know that feeling as your throat get tight and dry. You swallow... g ulp.

You begin to have those feelings that you know so well, as you feel...

Can you relate to that terrible feeling of having to give a presentation in English?

You are a business executive, and you know you are not supposed to feel this way as a leader of your company. But, just the thought of an upcoming presentation significantly raises your stress level.

Giving a great presentation in any language is difficult.

Giving a great presentation in English as a non-native English business executive is a more difficult task. The good news is that there are many SKILLS you can learn to become a very effective presenter.

Although there are a few key components of every good presentation, this article will focus on the importance of using the The 35 Most Effective Business Presentation Phrases.

Let’s first take a moment and look at what makes an effective presentation.

An Effective Presentation

There are a few essential components for an effective presentation. The first step is great preparation for your upcoming presentation.

Preparation

Preparation is the most important part of every presentation. Before you give any presentation, you must have a plan for success.

The first step is to Know Your Audience. Who are you presenting to?

What is the Message Your Audience Needs or wants to hear from you?

What Call to Action do you want to leave your audience with?

Only after you have planned your presentation, it is time to move on to the actual presentation, which will include the following three sections:

Introduction

As stated earlier, this article will focus on the 35 Most Effective Business Presentation Phrases . This list will create great transitions and allow your presentation to flow naturally so that your audience is engaged in each step of the process.

Beginning with your Introduction

Your goal for the beginning of your presentation is to connect and engage with your audience.

You have prepared by getting to know your audience and now you want to introduce your message to your audience in a way that your audience can RELATE to your message.

Please do not start your presentation with

“Hi, my name is ______”

As you are aware, I’m a believer in beginning your presentation in a way that will connect and engage with your audience. Let's look at three great ways to start your presentation.

An effective presentation will begin in one of these ways:

There are times when a more traditional greeting will be appropriate and in these situations, you can greet your audience and specifically address your audience.

1. It is a pleasure to be here with the _______ (group/team/association) this morning/afternoon/ evening...

Example Sentence: it is a please to be here with the Digital Marketing Association this morning.

2. A special welcome to the _________ (group/team/association)...

Example Sentence. A special welcome to the XYZ Manufacturing Association.

After you have properly started your effective presentation with a question/story/statistic, you may say something like...

3. I'm ___________ and I'm so excited to be here with the ________________ (group/team/association).

Example Sentence: I'm John and I'm so excited to be here with the sales team today.

Remember, do not use the "I'm ____ and I'm going to talk about____" as your first words - you only can do this after you have made an engaging introduction!

After you have successfully introduced your presentation and engaged your audience, it is time to begin discussing the content of your presentation.

Transition from the Introduction to the Message

After you have given an engaging introduction and connected with your audience, you are ready to begin speaking about your topic.

Don't just read your slides to your audience. They will not be engaged. Instead, use your slides as a guide and the key is to move from one slide to the next in an interesting way . This is called a "transition" and most of the phrases in this section will help you transition like a pro.

After all, who wants to listen to a speaker continue to say: Next... Next.... Next... Next???

Here are some effective ways to transition from the introduction to the content of your presentation.

Remember, an effective presentation includes you serving your audience with a message they need.

Tell your audience up front what the message of the presentation is.

4. As a member of ___________ (refer to the group/team/association) you can relate to today's message of _____________

Example sentence: As a member of the ABC Digital Marketing team, I'm confident you can relate to today's message of knowing your audience.

5. As you are aware...

Example Sentence: As you are aware, it is important to keep up with the latest trends in your industry.

6. Let me start by providing some background information...

Example sentence: Let me start by providing some background information on the newest technology tools available.

Each of these above phrases are useful ways to engage your audience by giving them information at the beginning that they can relate to.

Now, let's explore how you can use different phrases that help with your transitions, provide more details, link to additional topics, emphasize your points, refer to your important information/data/numbers, explain charts/tables/graphs and restate your points.

Transitioning to the Next Topic

Before you move on to your next point, be sure to make it clear to your audience that you’re now starting a new topic. Let them know exactly what that new topic will be. The two phrases below are very similar in meaning, and they can both be used for transitions.

These are SO much better than saying "next..."

7. Turning our attention now to...

Example sentence: Turning our attention now to the second main issue today...

8. Let's move on to...

Example sentence: Let’s move on to our second sales initiative.

Providing More Details

One of the essential parts of your message is to give more detail to some sections of your content because it will be helpful to your audience.

Remember, the key is that you only go into more detail because you know your audience will be interested in this detail, and they can use this information.

9. To elaborate on...

Example sentence: Let me elaborate on this idea...

10. I'd like to expand on...

Example sentence: I’d like to expand on this point about expanding our sales team.

Linking to Another Topic

As mentioned above, use linking words to create flow with your presentations. Effective presentations have flow.

When you think of flow, think of looking at the water in a river at a specific spot. The water is moving. The water was somewhere before it came to this spot and it will flow to a different place after it passes this spot.

This is the same in a presentation. You keep your audience engaged using flow, by telling them about topics you discussed earlier, and also that you will discuss later in the presentation.

As you can see, I used a linking phrase "as mentioned above" in the first words of the first paragraph of this section above. This is the example of using linking words in written form.

Below (another written linking word), you will see how you can use a different linking phrase when you are speaking.

11. As stated earlier.. .

Example sentence: As stated a few minutes earlier, our industry is changing rapidly.

12. As mentioned earlier...

Example sentence: As I mentioned earlier in my presentation, the key to effective communication is knowing your audience.

13. As referenced earlier...

Example sentence: As referenced at the beginning of my talk today, preparation is critically important.

Each of these three phrases are self-explanatory and the linking phrases remind your audience that you discussed something earlier.

Again, you can create nice flow for your audience when you discuss a point and then later in your presentation, while referencing that same point, you remind your audience that you did discuss this point earlier. It can also be used to emphasize a point or theme.

14. As I mentioned at the beginning...

Example sentence: As I mentioned at the beginning of the presentation, we’ll see a decrease in expenses if we implement this strategy.

15. As you may recall, this relates to my earlier point that...

This phrase will help you connect points in your presentation. It shows the connection between two different ideas.

Example sentence: As you may recall, this point relates closely to the earlier point about the importance of accountability.

16. This ties in with...

Example sentence: This ties in with the point I made earlier regarding the expansion of our manufacturing facility.

Explaining to your audience that you will be discussing something later in your presentation is a key aspect of using flow.

17. This point will be mentioned in a few minutes...

Example sentence: In a few minutes, it will go into more detail about emphasizing a point.

18. This important point will be discussed later in detail...

Example sentence: This important point about having a great conclusion will be discussed later in my talk today.

The two above mentioned phrases are very effective in guiding your audience to where you are going in your presentation.

19. In a few minutes, you will hear this from ________ (one of your team members)...

Example sentence: In a few minutes, you will hear from Susan Jones, our CFO, about the importance of financial forecasting.

This is a really nice way of creating flow when you are able to reference another presenter that will speak after you.

Emphasizing a Point

An essential part of all presentations is creating emphasis. Everything in your presentation is important, but you need to emphasize the most important parts for your audience. These phrases below are excellent.

20. This is significant because...

Significant is one of my favorite words. It is another word for important. One of the keys of being an excellent communicator in English is using different words that have similar meanings.

Example sentence: This is significant because we are planning to grow our workforce 20% this year.

21. This is meaningful for the following reason(s)..

Example sentence: This is meaningful because the implementation of this recommendation will have an impact on multiple departments in our organization.

22. To reinforce this point...

Example sentence: Showing the significance of a better hiring process reinforces this point I am making with this data.

23. Please draw your attention to…..

Example sentence: Please draw your attention to the revenue growth projections on this page.

Referring to Information, Data and Numbers

Let's turn our attention now to referring to information and data. In a presentation, you will often use data, facts, and studies that help support your message. These meaningful terms and phrases will help you refer to this significant information.

24. According to the ___ study, ...

Example sentence: According to the XYZ study, 84% of workforce efficiency is tied to a meaningful benefit package.

25. Based on our recent findings, ...

Example sentence: Based on our recent findings, only 22% of our clients continue to use our services after six months.

26. This data shows …

Example sentence: This data shows that more than 92% of our clients continue to be highly satisfied with our customer service one year after they received our product.

Before moving on the next section, you might find this article on How to Naturally Say Numbers and Dates in Business English helpful for your next presentation.

Explaining Charts, Tables and Graphs

Most presentations use charts, tables or graphs to help support your message. Knowing how to use phrases describing these will create an effective presentation.

27. To illustrate this point...

The word “illustrate” is very effective and it is a great word to use when you are describing a chart, table or graph.

Example sentence: This chart illustrates my earlier point about how more meaningful benefits impact worker satisfaction.

28. This table provides a breakdown of …

A “breakdown” refers to the details within specific figures or numbers. A breakdown is helpful to provide a more detailed picture of the situation. .

Example sentence: This table provides a breakdown of the 10 most important client feedback messages.

Explaining charts, tables and graphs often involves complex information. Below is a short video from the English Leadership Academy's Executive Video Blog, titled What if You Were Able to Explain Complex Ideas in a Simple Way? that gives tips and strategies to make complex information more easily understandable by your audience.

Restating Your Point

Sometimes in order to emphasize your point, you have to state it in a way that’s easier for your audience to understand and remember.

This process is commonly referred to as paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is an essential skill for non-native English speakers that allows them to say the same thing with different words to enhance communication effectiveness.

This often involves rephrasing, clarifying or simplifying the point you are trying to make.

29. In fact, …

Use this phrase to restate your point in another way.

Example sentence: In fact, it is necessary that we make a change to our current policy to attain this goal.

30. In other words...

Example sentence. In other words, we don't stack up well against our competitors in this area.

31. To put it simply, …

Explaining complex messages in a presentation can lead to confusion. Your audience will benefit when you simplify complex messages.

Example sentence: To put it simply, if we follow these recommendations, we'll achieve our goals six months sooner.

To summarize, by this point in the presentation, you have given your audience the message they needed or wanted.

You have emphasized the points that are especially important to them.

You are now ready to finish your presentation in the best way!

Now we reach a crucial aspect of the presentation and let's finish strong.

Concluding Your Presentation

Most people spend a lot of time working on the introduction and content of their presentation, but they do not spend any time preparing for their conclusion.

As stated earlier, you are presenting for your audience because they have a need or a want.

To emphasize this point, it is a great idea to challenge your audience to THINK in a different way. It is even better to challenge your audience to DO something different in the future.

In other words, create a call to action!

Let's now look at how you can summarize your presentation in a professional way.

32. In the final analysis...

Example sentence: In the final analysis, it is critical that the company needs to immediately enhance our sales strategy to achieve our quarterly targets.

33. In conclusion, let me reiterate my message...

As part of your conclusion, you might want to emphasize your main points to leave the audience with a clear message of what you discussed. This is very effective to restate your main message!

Example sentence: In conclusion, let me reiterate my earlier message that time is of the essence for our team to solve this issue in the next 10 days.

34. I want to challenge you to do/think ….

Example sentence: You've heard the compelling arguments for a new mindset shift, and now I challenge YOU to begin making the necessary changes in the next five days!

Finally, as you reach the end of your presentation, you'll need a transition from the completion of your presentation to the Question and Answer (Q&A) portion of your presentation.

35. Thank you for your attention today, and we’ve got time for a few questions. Who would like to ask the first question?

This is a nice phrase that let's your audience know you have concluded your formal remarks and you are open to answering a few questions.

I appreciate your attention to this topic today and now I'd like to leave you with a challenge below.

My Challenge to You

I challenge you to begin preparing your future presentations in a different and more effective way.

Can you use at least three of these above-mentioned phrases in your next presentation?

You can do this!

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35 Best Business English Presentation Phrases [Executive English]

35 best business english presentation phrases.

Executive leaders do not give many presentations, but being confident in the 35 best business English presentation phrases will make each presentation memorable.

You know that feeling as your throat gets tight and dry. You swallow… g ulp.

And then you begin to have those feelings that you know so well, as you start to feel…

Can you relate to that terrible feeling of having to give a presentation in English?

You are a business executive, and you know you are not supposed to feel this way as a leader of your company. But, just the thought of an upcoming presentation significantly raises your stress level.

Giving a great presentation in any language is difficult.

Undoubtedly, giving a great presentation in English as a non-native English business executive is a more difficult task. The good news is that there are many SKILLS you can learn to become a very effective presenter.

Although there are a few key components of every good presentation, this article will focus on the importance of using The 35 Most Effective Business Presentation Phrases.

Let’s first take a moment and look at what makes an effective presentation.

An Effective Presentation

It is important to realize that there are a few essential components for an effective presentation. The first step is great preparation for your upcoming presentation.

Preparation

Preparation is the most significant part of every presentation. Before you give any presentation, you must have a plan for success.

The first step is to Know Your Audience. Who are you presenting to?

What is the Message Your Audience Needs or wants to hear from you?

Finally, what Call to Action do you want to leave your audience with?

Only after you have planned your presentation, it is time to move on to the actual presentation, which will include the following three sections:

3 Essential Components of a Presentation

Introduction

Beginning with your Introduction

Most important, your goal for the beginning of your presentation is to connect and engage with your audience.

At this point, you have prepared by getting to know your audience and now you want to introduce your message to your audience in a way that your audience can RELATE to your message.

Please do not start your presentation with

“Hi, my name is ______”

As you are aware, I’m a believer in beginning your presentation in a way that will connect and engage with your audience. Let’s look at three great ways to start your presentation.

Presentation Introduction of Story Question or Statistic

An effective presentation will begin in one of these ways:

After you have started your presentation in this way, you can now greet your audience and introduce yourself, if necessary.

1. It is a pleasure to be here with the _______ (group/team/association) this morning/afternoon/ evening…

Example Sentence: it is a pleasure to be here with the Digital Marketing Association this morning.

2. A special welcome to the _________ (group/team/association)…

Example Sentence. A special welcome to the XYZ Manufacturing Association.

Following your good start of your effective presentation with a question/story/statistic, you will say something like…

3. I’m _ and I’m so excited to be here with the ______ (group/team/association).

Example Sentence: I’m John and I’m so excited to be here with the sales team today.

Remember, do not use the “I’m ____ and I’m going to talk about____” as your first words – you only can do this after you have made an engaging introduction!

After you have successfully introduced your presentation and engaged your audience, it is time to begin discussing the content of your presentation.

Presentation Content Deliver With Feeling and Flow

Transition from the Introduction to the Message

After you have given an engaging introduction and connected with your audience, you are ready to begin speaking about your topic.

Don’t just read your slides to your audience. They will not be engaged. Instead, use your slides as a guide and the key is to move from one slide to the next in an interesting way . This is called a “transition” and most of the phrases in this section will help you transition like a pro.

After all, who wants to listen to a speaker continue to say: Next… Next…. Next… Next, as they move from slide to slide???

Here are some effective ways to transition from the introduction to the content of your presentation.

Remember, an effective presentation includes you serving your audience with a message they need.

Tell your audience up front what the message of the presentation is.

4. As a member of _ (refer to the group/team/association) you can relate to today’s message of ___

Example sentence: As a member of the ABC Digital Marketing team, I’m confident you can relate to today’s message of knowing your audience.

5. As you are aware…

Example Sentence: As you are aware, it is important to keep up with the latest trends in your industry.

6. Let me start by providing some background information…

Example sentence: Let me start by providing some background information on the newest technology tools available.

Each of these above phrases are useful ways to engage your audience by giving them information at the beginning that they can relate to.

Now, let’s explore how you can use different phrases that help with your transitions, provide more details, link to additional topics, emphasize your points, refer to your important information/data/numbers, explain charts/tables/graphs and restate your points.

Transitioning to the Next Topic

These are SO much better than saying “next…”

7. Turning our attention now to…

Example sentence: Turning our attention now to the second main issue today…

8. Let’s move on to…

Example sentence: Let’s move on to our second sales initiative.

Providing More Details

In short, one of the essential parts of your message is to give more detail to some sections of your content because it will be helpful to your audience.

Remember, the key is that you only go into more detail because you know your audience will be interested in this detail, and they can use this information.

9. To elaborate on…

Example sentence: Let me elaborate on this idea…

10. I’d like to expand on…

Example sentence: I’d like to expand on this point about expanding our sales team.

Linking to Another Topic

As mentioned above, use linking words to create flow with your presentations. Effective presentations have flow.

Whenever you think of flow, think of looking at the water in a river at a specific spot. The water is moving. The water was somewhere before it came to this spot and it will flow to a different place after it passes this spot.

In the same manner, this is true in a presentation. You keep your audience engaged using flow, by telling them about topics you discussed earlier, and also that you will discuss later in the presentation.

As can be seen, I used a linking phrase “as mentioned above” in the first words of the first paragraph of this section above. This is the example of using linking words in written form.

Below (another written linking word), you will see how you can use a different linking phrase when you are speaking.

11. As stated earlier.. .

Example sentence: As stated a few minutes earlier, our industry is changing rapidly.

12. As mentioned earlier…

Comparatively, here is an example sentence: As I mentioned earlier in my presentation, the key to effective communication is knowing your audience.

13. As referenced earlier…

Example sentence: As referenced at the beginning of my talk today, preparation is critically important.

Each of these three phrases are self-explanatory and the linking phrases remind your audience that you discussed something earlier.

14. As I mentioned at the beginning…

Example sentence: As mentioned at the beginning of the presentation, we’ll see a decrease in expenses if we implement this strategy.

15. As you may recall, this relates to my earlier point that…

This phrase will help you connect points in your presentation. Significantly, it shows the connection between two different ideas.

Example sentence: As you may recall, this point relates closely to the earlier point about the importance of accountability.

16. This ties in with…

Example sentence: This ties in with the point I made earlier regarding the expansion of our manufacturing facility.

After all, explaining to your audience that you will be discussing something later in your presentation is a key aspect of using flow.

17. This point will be mentioned in a few minutes…

Example sentence: In a few minutes, I will go into more detail about emphasizing a point.

18. This important point will be discussed later in detail…

Example sentence: This important point about having a great conclusion will be discussed later in my talk today.

The two above mentioned phrases are very effective in guiding your audience to where you are going in your presentation.

19. In a few minutes, you will hear this from ________ (one of your team members)…

Example sentence: In a few minutes, you will hear from Susan Jones, our CFO, about the importance of financial forecasting.

The above sentence is a very effective way of creating flow when you are able to reference another presenter that will speak after you.

At this point, do you see how you might use some of these 35 best business English presentation phrases when you give your next talk?

Emphasizing a Point

An essential part of all presentations is creating emphasis. Everything in your presentation is important, but you need to emphasize the most significant parts for your audience. These phrases below are excellent.

20. This is significant because…

Significant is one of my favorite words. It is another word for important. One of the keys of being an excellent communicator in English is using different words that have similar meanings.

Example sentence: This is significant because we are planning to grow our workforce 20% this year.

21. This is meaningful for the following reason(s)..

In the same manner, here is an example sentence: This is meaningful because the implementation of this recommendation will have an impact on multiple departments in our organization.

22. To reinforce this point…

Example sentence: Showing the significance of a better hiring process reinforces this point I am making with this data.

23. Please draw your attention to…..

Example sentence: Please draw your attention to the revenue growth projections on this page.

Referring to Information, Data and Numbers

Let’s turn our attention now to referring to information and data. In a presentation, you will often use data, facts, and studies that help support your message. These meaningful terms and phrases will help you refer to this significant information.

24. According to the ___ study, …

Example sentence: According to the XYZ study, 84% of workforce efficiency is tied to a meaningful benefit package.

25. Based on our recent findings, …

Example sentence: Based on our recent findings, only 22% of our clients continue to use our services after six months.

26. This data shows …

Example sentence: This data shows that more than 92% of our clients continue to be highly satisfied with our customer service one year after they received our product.

Before moving on the next section, you might find this article on How to Naturally Say Numbers in Business English helpful for your next presentation.

Explaining Charts, Tables and Graphs

Of course, most presentations use charts, tables or graphs to help support your message. To clarify, knowing how to use phrases describing these will create an effective presentation.

27. To illustrate this point…

Also, the word “illustrate” is very effective and it is a great word to use when you are describing a chart, table or graph.

Example sentence: This chart illustrates my earlier point about how more meaningful benefits impact worker satisfaction.

28. This table provides a breakdown of …

A “breakdown” refers to the details within specific figures or numbers. A breakdown is helpful to provide a more detailed picture of the situation.

Example sentence: This table provides a breakdown of the 10 most important client feedback messages.

Another key point is that explaining charts, tables and graphs often involves complex information. Below is a short video from the English Leadership Academy’s Executive Video Blog, titled What if You Were Able to Explain Complex Ideas in a Simple Way? that gives tips and strategies to make complex information more easily understandable by your audience.

Restating Your Point

Sometimes in order to emphasize your point, you have to state it in a way that’s easier for your audience to understand and remember.

Specifically this process is commonly referred to as paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is an essential skill for non-native English speakers that allows them to say the same thing with different words to enhance communication effectiveness.

This often involves rephrasing, clarifying or simplifying the point you are trying to make.

29. In fact, …

Use this phrase to restate your point in another way.

Example sentence: In fact, it is necessary that we make a change to our current policy to attain this goal.

30. In other words…

Example sentence. In other words, we don’t stack up well against our competitors in this area.

31. To put it simply, …

Explaining complex messages in a presentation can lead to confusion. Your audience will benefit when you simplify complex messages.

Example sentence: To put it simply, if we follow these recommendations, we’ll achieve our goals six months sooner.

To summarize, by this point in the presentation, you have given your audience the message they needed or wanted.

You have emphasized the points that are especially important to them.

You are now ready to finish your presentation in the best way!

Now we reach a crucial aspect of the presentation and let’s finish strong.

Presentation Conclusion Needs Call to Action

Concluding Your Presentation

Most people spend a lot of time working on the introduction and content of their presentation, but they do not spend any time preparing for their conclusion.

As stated earlier, you are presenting for your audience because they have a need or a want.

To emphasize this point, it is a great idea to challenge your audience to THINK in a different way. It is even better to challenge your audience to DO something different in the future.

In other words, create a call to action!

Let’s now look at how you can summarize your presentation in a professional way.

32. In the final analysis…

Example sentence: In the final analysis, it is critical that the company needs to immediately enhance our sales strategy to achieve our quarterly targets.

33. In conclusion, let me reiterate my message…

As part of your conclusion, you might want to emphasize your main points to leave the audience with a clear message of what you discussed. This is very effective to restate your main message!

Example sentence: In conclusion, let me reiterate my earlier message that time is of the essence for our team to solve this issue in the next 10 days.

34. I want to challenge you to do/think ….

Example sentence: You’ve heard the compelling arguments for a new mindset shift, and now I challenge YOU to begin making the necessary changes in the next five days!

Finally, as you reach the end of your presentation, you’ll need a transition from the completion of your presentation to the Question and Answer (Q&A) portion of your presentation.

35. Thank you for your attention today, and we’ve got time for a few questions. Who would like to ask the first question?

This is a nice phrase that let’s your audience know you have concluded your formal remarks and you are open to answering a few questions.

In addition to the above phrases, you might find this article helpful as well 25 Powerful English Presentation Phrases to Impress Your Audience.

I appreciate your attention to this topic today and now I’d like to leave you with a challenge below.

My Challenge to You

I challenge you to begin preparing your future presentations in a different and more effective way.

Above, you have been provided with 35 best business English presentation phrases. Can you use at least three of these above-mentioned phrases in your next presentation?

You can do this!

Additional articles and videos related to 35 Best Business English Presentation Phrases:

Confidently Speak English As A CEO in 4 Steps

How To Improve Your Executive Business English in 12 Steps

How to Be the Same Highly Effective Leader in English That You are in You Native Language [free ebook]

Vocabulary and Phrases for Making Presentations in English

Here’s a step-by-step guide for making presentations in English. You’ll find the phrases you need for each step of your presentation.

After you give your opening statement, give a brief overview of your presentation. Say what your presentation is about, how long you will take and how you are going to handle questions.

For example, a presentation to sales staff could start like this: “Welcome / “Hello everyone.”

(Opening statement) “As you all know, this company is losing its market share. But we are being asked to increase sales by 20 – 25%. How can we possibly increase sales in a shrinking market?”

(Overview) “Today I am going to talk to you about how we can do this. My presentation will be in three parts. Firstly I am going to look at the market and the background. Then I am going to talk to you about our new products and how they fit in. Finally, I’m going to examine some selling strategies that will help us increase our sales by 20%. The presentation will probably take around 20 minutes. There will be time for questions at the end of my talk.”

Useful language for overviews

“My presentation is in three parts.” “My presentation is divided into three main sections.” “Firstly, secondly, thirdly, finally…” “I’m going to… take a look at… talk about… examine… tell you something about the background… give you some facts and figures… fill you in on the history of… concentrate on… limit myself to the question of…

“Please feel free to interrupt me if you have questions.” “There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.” “I’d be grateful if you could ask your questions after the presentation.”

The main body of the presentation

During your presentation, it’s a good idea to occasionally remind your audience why your presentation and ideas are important or relevant.

“As I said at the beginning…” “This, of course, will help you (to achieve the 20% increase).” “As you remember, we are concerned with…” “This ties in with my original statement…” “This relates directly to the question I put to you before…”

Keeping your audience with you

Remember that what you are saying is new to your audience. You are clear about the structure of your talk, but let your audience know when you are moving on to a new point. You can do this by saying something like “right”, or “OK”. You can also use some of the following expressions:

“I’d now like to move on to…” “I’d like to turn to…” “That’s all I have to say about…” “Now I’d like to look at…” “This leads me to my next point…”

If you are using index cards, putting the link on the cards will help you remember to keep the audience with you. In addition, by glancing at your index cards you will be pausing – this will also help your audience to realise that you are moving on to something new.

Phrases for introducing visuals

It’s important to introduce your visual to the audience. You can use the following phrases:

“This graph shows you…” “Take a look at this…” “If you look at this, you will see…” “I’d like you to look at this…” “This chart illustrates the figures…” “This graph gives you a break down of…”

Give your audience enough time to absorb the information on the visual. Pause to allow them to look at the information and then explain why the visual is important:

“As you can see…” “This clearly shows …” “From this, we can understand how / why…” “This area of the chart is interesting…”

Summarising

At the end of your presentation, you should summarise your talk and remind the audience of what you have told them:

“That brings me to the end of my presentation. I’ve talked about…” “Well, that’s about it for now. We’ve covered…” “So, that was our marketing strategy. In brief, we…” “To summarise, I…”

Relate the end of your presentation to your opening statement:

“So I hope that you’re a little clearer on how we can achieve sales growth of 20%.” “To return to the original question, we can achieve…” “So just to round the talk off, I want to go back to the beginning when I asked you…” “I hope that my presentation today will help you with what I said at the beginning…”

Handling questions

Thank the audience for their attention and invite questions.

“Thank you for listening – and now if there are any questions, I would be pleased to answer them.” “That brings me to the end of my presentation. Thank you for your attention. I’d be glad to answer any questions you might have.”

It’s useful to re-word the question, as you can check that you have understood the question and you can give yourself some time to think of an answer. By asking the question again you also make sure that other people in the audience understand the question.

“Thank you. So you would like further clarification on our strategy?” “That’s an interesting question. How are we going to get voluntary redundancy?” “Thank you for asking. What is our plan for next year?”

After you have answered your question, check that the person who asked you is happy with the answer.

“Does this answer your question?” “Do you follow what I am saying?” “I hope this explains the situation for you.” “I hope this was what you wanted to hear!”

If you don’t know the answer to a question, say you don’t know. It’s better to admit to not knowing something than to guess and maybe get it wrong. You can say something like:

“That’s an interesting question. I don’t actually know off the top of my head, but I’ll try to get back to you later with an answer.” “I’m afraid I’m unable to answer that at the moment. Perhaps I can get back to you later.” “Good question. I really don’t know! What do you think?” “That’s a very good question. However, we don’t have any figures on that, so I can’t give you an accurate answer.” “Unfortunately, I’m not the best person to answer that.”

What to say if things go wrong during your presentation

You think you’ve lost your audience? Rephrase what you have said:

“Let me just say that in another way.” “Perhaps I can rephrase that.” “Put another way, this means…” “What I mean to say is…”

Can’t remember the word?

If it’s a difficult word for you – one that you often forget, or one that you have difficulty pronouncing – you should write it on your index card. Pause briefly, look down at your index card and say the word.

Using your voice when making presentations

Don’t speak in a flat monotone – this will bore your audience. By varying your speed and tone, you will be able to keep your audience’s attention. Practise emphasising key words and pause in the right places – usually in between ideas in a sentence. For example “The first strategy involves getting to know our market (pause) and finding out what they want. (pause) Customer surveys (pause) as well as staff training (pause) will help us do this.”

Don’t forget – if you speak too fast you will lose your audience!

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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Elevate Your Presentations: Mastering English Presentation Words and Phrases

The art of delivering a compelling presentation lies in the finesse of your language skills. It’s about crafting resonating sentences, choosing captivating words, and initiating a dialogue that piques curiosity. One must know how to maneuver through this landscape, from setting the scene with a powerful introduction to concluding with a thought-provoking statement. That’s where this guide comes in. It will give you key presentation sentences, phrases, and words to help elevate your communication skills.

Presentation Starting Phrases

In the realm of presentations, first impressions matter tremendously. Your opening words set the stage for the rest of your discourse, establishing the tone and drawing in your audience. The right choice of phrases can create a compelling introduction that commands attention and sparks interest. Here, we will explore a selection of presentation-starting words and phrases to help you set a strong foundation:

I’d like to start by…
Today, I’m here to discuss…
Let’s begin with a look at…
Good morning/afternoon/evening, my name is…
It’s a pleasure to be here today to talk about…
Let’s dive straight into…
I would like to kick off with…
Firstly, let’s consider…
Have you ever wondered about…
Thank you for joining me as we explore…
Today’s focus will be on…
Let’s set the stage by discussing…
The topic at hand today is…
To start, let’s examine…
I want to begin by highlighting…

Crafting an engaging opening with the presentation starting words, is akin to opening the first page of a riveting novel. These phrases serve as a doorway, inviting your audience into the fascinating narrative you are about to share.

Setting the Scene: Key Presentation Phrases

Now that you have your audience’s attention, the next crucial step is to set the scene. It involves using key phrases to keep your audience engaged, clarify, and effectively communicate your main points. A well-set scene guides the audience through your presentation, helping them understand your narrative and easily follow your arguments. Let’s look at some essential phrases that can help you accomplish it:

Moving on to the next point, we see...
Delving deeper into this topic, we find...
An important aspect to consider is...
It leads us to the question of...
Another critical point to remember is...
To illustrate this point, let me share...
On the other hand, we also have...
Furthermore, it’s critical to note that...
Let’s take a moment to examine...
As an example, let’s look at...
The evidence suggests that...
Contrary to popular belief...
It’s also worth noting that...
Digging into this further, we discover...
Expanding on this idea, we can see...
Turning our attention to...
The data indicate that...
To clarify, let’s consider...
To highlight this, let’s review...
Putting this into perspective, we can infer...

These phrases help establish your narrative, maintain audience interest, and structure your arguments. They serve as signposts, guiding your audience through the presentation and facilitating understanding and engagement.

Transitioning Gracefully: Phrases for Presentation Flow

Transitioning between points or sections in your presentation is like steering a ship through water. Smooth navigation keeps your audience aboard, maintaining their interest and comprehension. Seamless transitions contribute to a coherent and compelling narrative, preventing abrupt jumps or confusing shifts in your discourse. The following phrases are powerful tools that can ensure your transitions are smooth and effective:

Moving forward, let’s consider...
With that said, let’s turn our attention to...
Now that we’ve discussed X, let’s explore Y...
Building upon this idea, we can see that...
Transitioning to our next point, we find...
Shifting gears, let’s examine...
Let’s now pivot to discussing...
Following this line of thought...
Linking back to our earlier point...
Let’s segue into our next topic...
It brings us neatly to our next point...
To bridge this with our next topic...
In the same vein, let’s look at...
Drawing a parallel to our previous point...
Expanding the scope of our discussion, let’s move to...
Having established that, we can now consider...
Correlating this with our next point...
Let’s transition now to a related idea...
With this in mind, let’s proceed to...
Steering our discussion in a new direction, let’s delve into...

These phrases connect threads, linking your ideas and ensuring your presentation flows smoothly. They give your audience cues, signaling that you’re moving from one idea or point to the next, making your discourse easy to follow.

Concluding Your Presentation in English

The conclusion is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your audience. It’s a chance to wrap up your arguments, restate your main points, and leave your audience with a clear and compelling message to ponder. Here are some phrases that can assist you in crafting a memorable conclusion:

To sum up our discussion today...
In conclusion, we can say that...
Wrapping up, the key takeaways from our talk are...
As we come to an end, let’s revisit the main points...
Bringing our discussion to a close, we find...
In the light of our discussion, we can infer...
To synthesize the main points of our discourse...
To recap the primary themes of our presentation...
As we conclude, let’s reflect on...
Drawing our discussion to a close, the principal conclusions are...
As our dialogue comes to an end, the core insights are...
In wrapping up, it’s essential to remember...
Summarizing our journey today, we can say...
As we bring this presentation to a close, let’s remember...
Coming to an end, our central message is...

These phrases help you consolidate your arguments, summarize your main points, and end on a high note. A well-structured conclusion ensures your audience understands your presentation, its key messages, and its implications.

Polished Presentation Vocabulary

Apart from structured sentences and transitional phrases, the vocabulary you use can add a touch of sophistication. An expanded lexicon enriches your language and enhances your ability to express complex ideas with clarity and precision. Let’s explore a list of presentation words that can add depth and dimension:

Elucidate - make something clear, explain.
Pivotal - of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else.
Insights - an accurate and deep understanding.
Nuanced - characterized by subtle distinctions or variations.
Leverage - use something to maximum advantage.
Perspective - a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something.
Synthesize - combine into a coherent whole.
Salient - most noticeable or important.
Correlation - a mutual relationship or connection between two or more things.
Framework - a basic structure underlying a system or concept.
Paradigm - a typical example or pattern of something.
Repercussions - an unintended consequence of an event or action.
Contemplate - look thoughtfully for a long time.
Manifestation - an event, action, or object that embodies something.
Escalate - increase rapidly.
Inherent - existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute.
Validate - check or prove the validity or accuracy of.
Consolidate - make something physically more solid.
Compelling - evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way.
Delineate - describe or portray something precisely.

These words add a layer of sophistication to your presentation, conveying your thoughts and ideas more precisely. They expand your expressive capacity and lend an authoritative and professional tone to your speech. By integrating these words into your presentation, you can deliver your message with clarity and depth, engaging your audience more effectively.

The Corporate Edge: Navigating the Nuances of Business English Presentations

In the corporate world, effective communication is the linchpin of success. It’s an art that lies at the heart of all business interactions, from high-stakes meetings to persuasive pitches. And when it comes to delivering such a presentation, the task becomes even more critical. The business English presentation phrases you use, how you present your points, and the overall language command play a significant role in conveying your message effectively.

Presenting in a business setting often involves explaining complex ideas, discussing financial matters, and persuading potential clients or stakeholders. Here, the language must be precise, the tone - professional, and the content - structured. Unlike informal or academic ones, business presentations carry a certain degree of formality and specific jargon that sets them apart. However, business English idioms and expressions can help soften the formality, adding a touch of personality to your language.

Navigating the labyrinth of business English also involves acknowledging the importance of research and planning. A well-researched presentation reflects your dedication, expertise, and credibility. It shows you respect your audience’s time and are prepared to deliver value. It’s not just about memorizing facts and figures; it’s about understanding your topic thoroughly and answering queries convincingly.

Another characteristic of business presentations lies in their persuasive nature. Often, they are geared toward persuading clients, investors, or team members toward a particular course of action. Consequently, using persuasive techniques such as presenting benefits, sharing testimonials, or demonstrating success stories becomes prevalent. You’re not just providing information; you’re trying to influence decisions and drive action.

An essential but often overlooked aspect of business presentations is the importance of a strong opening and closing. The opening is your chance to grab the audience’s attention and make them invested in your talk, so knowing how to start a business presentation is essential. Conversely, the closing is your final shot at reinforcing your message and making a lasting impression.

Finally, business presentations often involve handling criticism or skepticism, especially when proposing new ideas or challenging existing norms. Here, your ability to accept feedback gracefully, address concerns effectively, and maintain your composure can significantly impact the outcome.

Learn Vocabulary for Presentations with Promova

Looking to expand your vocabulary for presentations and improve your language skills online ? Promova is here to help! Our platform offers various resources and courses to help learners of all levels master new words and expressions quickly, effectively, and confidently.

With personalized lessons from certified tutors , you can get one-on-one instruction that caters to your specific needs and learning style. Additionally, our app allows you to access interactive exercises, quizzes, and vocabulary lists anytime and anywhere for easy practice on the go. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner looking to fine-tune your language skills – we have got you covered.

Don’t let language barriers hold you back any longer – start your learning journey with Promova today and take the first step toward achieving your goals! Try it out now with a free lesson and see how easy and effective our approach is.

As we conclude, it’s clear that effective presentations in English rely on various linguistic elements. A strong beginning, transitions, and a powerful conclusion, all while using precise vocabulary, are critical. The ability to craft compelling sentences and phrases, set the scene effectively, and transition smoothly between ideas are essential for a successful presentation. And the correct vocabulary can add depth and dimension to your discourse while conveying professionalism.

What role does body language play in presentations?

Body language can significantly impact how your message is perceived. Effective use of gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions can amplify your points, show enthusiasm, and engage the audience. Conversely, negative body language can detract from your message.

How important is it to know your audience before a presentation?

Knowing your audience is crucial. It informs the level of detail you need to include, the words and phrases you use, the examples you choose, and even the humor you might incorporate. Tailoring your presentation to your audience’s knowledge and interests can significantly enhance its effectiveness.

What if I make a mistake during my presentation?

Everyone makes mistakes. If you stumble during your presentation, take a moment, compose yourself, and move on. Don’t let a minor error disrupt your flow. Remember, the audience is there to listen to your ideas, not critique your performance.

Are there some resources with more phrases for presentations?

Indeed, many resources are available if you’re seeking to delve deeper into the world of presentation phrases. The Cambridge Dictionary and Merriam-Webster Dictionary offer many valuable collocations, from simple expressions to sophisticated vocabulary.

Home Blog Business Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ Examples)

Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ Examples)

Business Presentation Ultimate Guide plus examples

A business presentation is a purpose-led summary of key information about your company’s plans, products, or practices, designed for either internal or external audiences. Project proposals, HR policy presentations, investors briefings are among the few common types of presentations.

Compelling business presentations are key to communicating important ideas, persuading others, and introducing new offerings to the world. Hence, why business presentation design is one of the most universal skills for any professional.

This guide teaches you how to design and deliver excellent business presentations. Plus, breaks down some best practices from business presentation examples by popular companies like Google, Pinterest, and Amazon among others!

3 General Types of Business Presentations

A business presentation can be given for a number of reasons. Respectively, they differ a lot in terms of content and purpose.

But overall, all types of business presentations can be classified as:

Informative
Persuasive
Supporting

Informative Business Presentation

As the name suggests, the purpose of an informative presentation is to discern the knowledge you have — explain what you know. It’s the most common type of business presentation out there. So you have probably prepared such at least several times.

Examples of informative presentations:

Team briefings presentation
Annual stakeholder report
Quarterly business reviews
Business portfolio presentation
Business plan presentation
Project presentation

Helpful templates from SlideModel:

Business plan PowerPoint template
Business review PowerPoint template
Project proposal PowerPoint template
Corporate annual report template

Persuasive Business Presentation

The goal of this type of presentation is to persuade your audience of your point of view — convince them of what you believe is right. Developing business presentations of this caliber requires a bit more copywriting mastery, as well as expertise in public speaking . Unlike an informative business presentation, your goal here is to sway the audience’s opinions and prompt them towards the desired action.

Examples of persuasive presentations:

Pitch deck/investor presentations
Sales presentation
Business case presentation
Free business proposal presentation
Business proposal PowerPoint template
Pitch deck PowerPoint template
Account Plan PowerPoint template

Supporting Business Presentation

This category of business PowerPoint presentations is meant to facilitate decision-making — explain how we can get something done. The underlying purpose here is to communicate the general “action plan”. Then break down the necessary next steps for bringing it to life.

Examples of supporting presentations:

Roadmap presentation
Project vision presentation
After Action Review presentation
Standard operating procedure (SOP) PowerPoint template
Strategy map PowerPoint template
After action review (ARR) PowerPoint template

What Should Be Included in a Business Presentation?

Overall, the content of your business presentation will differ depending on its purpose and type. However, at the very minimum, all business presentations should include:

Introductory slide
Agenda/purpose slide
Main information or Content slides
Key Takeaways slides
Call-to-action/next steps slides

We further distill business presentation design and writing best practices in the next section (plus, provide several actionable business PowerPoint presentation examples !).

How to Make a Business Presentation: Actionable Tips

A business presentation consists of two parts — a slide deck and a verbal speech. In this section, we provide tips and strategies for nailing your deck design.

1. Get Your Presentation Opening Right

The first slides of your presentation make or break your success. Why? By failing to frame the narrative and set the scene for the audience from the very beginning, you will struggle to keep their interest throughout the presentation.

You have several ways of how to start a business presentation:

Use a general informative opening — a summative slide, sharing the agenda and main points of the discussion.
Go for a story opening — a more creative, personal opening, aimed at pulling the audience into your story.
Try a dramatic opening — a less apparent and attention-grabbing opening technique, meant to pique the audience’s interest.

Standard Informative Opening

Most business presentation examples you see start with a general, informative slide such as an Agenda, Problem Statement, or Company Introduction. That’s the “classic” approach.

To manage the audience’s expectations and prepare them for what’s coming next, you can open your presentation with one or two slides stating:

The topic of your presentation — a one-sentence overview is enough.
Persuasive hook, suggesting what’s in it for the audience and why they should pay attention.
Your authority — the best technique to establish your credibility in a business presentation is to share your qualifications and experience upfront to highlight why you are worth listening to.

Opening best suited for: Formal business presentations such as annual reports and supporting presentations to your team/business stakeholders.

Story Opening

Did you ever notice that most TED talks start with a quick personal story? The benefit of this presenting technique is that it enables speakers to establish quick rapport and hold the listener’s attention.

Here’s how Nancy Duarte, author of “Slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations” book and TED presenter, recommends opening a presentation:

You know, here’s the status quo, here’s what’s going on. And then you need to compare that to what could be. You need to make that gap as big as possible, because there is this commonplace of the status quo, and you need to contrast that with the loftiness of your idea.

Storytelling , like no other tool, helps transpose the audience into the right mindset and get concentrated on the subject you are about to discuss. A story also elicits emotions, which can be a powerful ally when giving persuasive presentations. In the article how to start a presentation , we explore this in more detail.

Opening best suited for: Personal and business pitches, sales presentations, other types of persuasive presentations.

Dramatic Opening

Another common technique is opening your presentation with a major statement, sometimes of controversial nature. This can be a shocking statistic, complex rhetoric question, or even a provocative, contrarian statement, challenging the audience’s beliefs.

Using a dramatic opening helps secure the people’s attention and capture their interest. You can then use storytelling to further drill down your main ideas.

If you are an experienced public speaker, you can also strengthen your speech with some unexpected actions. That’s what Bill Gates does when giving presentations. In a now-iconic 2009 TED talk about malaria, mid-presentation Gates suddenly reveals that he actually brought a bunch of mosquitoes with him. He cracks open a jar with non-malaria-infected critters to the audience’s surprise. His dramatic actions, paired with a passionate speech made a mighty impression.

Opening best suited for: Marketing presentations, customer demos, training presentations, public speeches.

Further reading: How to start a presentation: tips and examples.

2. Get Your PowerPoint Design Right

Surely, using professional business PowerPoint templates already helps immensely with presentation deck design since you don’t need to fuss over slide layout, font selection, or iconography.

Even so, you’ll still need to customize your template(s) to make them on brand and better suited to the presentation you’re about to deliver. Below are our best presentation design tips to give your deck an extra oomph.

Use Images, Instead of Bullet Points

If you have ever watched Steve Jobs’s presentations, you may have noticed that he never used bullet-point lists. Weird right? Because using bullet points is the most universal advice in presentation design.

But there’s a valid scientific reason why Jobs favored images over bullet-point texts. Researchers found that information delivered in visuals is better retained than words alone. This is called the “ pictorial superiority effect ”. As John Medina, a molecular biologist, further explains :

“Hear a piece of information, and three days later you’ll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you’ll remember 65%.”

So if your goal is to improve the memorability of your presentation, always replace texts with images and visualizations when it makes sense.

Fewer Slides is Better

No matter the value, a long PowerPoint presentation becomes tiring at some point. People lose focus and stop retaining the information. Thus, always take some extra time to trim the fluff and consolidate some repetitive ideas within your presentation.

For instance, at McKinsey new management consultants are trained to cut down the number of slides in client presentations. In fact, one senior partner insists on replacing every 20 slides with only two slides . Doing so prompts you to focus on the gist — the main business presentation ideas you need to communicate and drop filler statements.

Here are several quick tips to shorten your slides:

Use a three-arc structure featuring a clear beginning (setup), main narrative (confrontation), ending (resolution). Drop the ideas that don’t fit into either of these.
Write as you tweet. Create short, on-point text blurbs of under 156 symbols, similar to what you’d share on Twitter.
Contextualize your numbers. Present any relevant statistics in a context, relevant to the listeners. Turn longer stats into data visualizations for easier cognition.

Consistency is Key

In a solid business presentation, each slide feels like part of the connecting story. To achieve such consistency apply the same visual style and retain the same underlying message throughout your entire presentation.

Use the same typography, color scheme, and visual styles across the deck. But when you need to accentuate a transition to a new topic (e.g. move from a setup to articulating the main ideas), add some new visual element to signify the slight change in the narrative.

Further reading: 23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

3. Make Your Closure Memorable

We best remember the information shared last. So make those business presentation takeaways stick in the audience’s memory. We have three strategies for that.

Use the Rule of Three

The Rule of Three is a literary concept, suggesting that we best remember and like ideas and concepts when they are presented in threes.

Many famous authors and speakers use this technique:

“Duty – Honor – Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, and what you will be” . Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” are the unalienable rights of all humans that governments are meant to protect.” Thomas Jefferson

The Rule of Three works because three is the maximum number of items most people can remember on their first attempt. Likewise, such pairings create a short, familiar structure that is easy to remember for our brains.

Try the Title Close Technique

Another popular presentation closing technique is “Title Close” — going back to the beginning of your narrative and reiterating your main idea (title) in a form of a takeaway. Doing so helps the audience better retain your core message since it’s repeated at least two times. Plus, it brings a sense of closure — a feel-good state our brains love. Also, a brief one-line closure is more memorable than a lengthy summary and thus better retained.

Ask a Question

If you want to keep the conversation going once you are done presenting, you can conclude your presentation with a general question you’d like the audience to answer.

Alternatively, you can also encourage the members to pose questions to you. The latter is better suited for informational presentations where you’d like to further discuss some of the matters and secure immediate feedback.

Try adding an interactive element like a QR code closing your presentation with a QR code and having a clear CTA helps you leverage the power of sharing anything you would like to share with your clients. QR codes can be customized to look alike your brand.

If you are looking for a smoother experience creating presentations on the fly, check out the AI PowerPoint maker —it offers everything you can ask forfrom presentation design in a couple of clicks.

12 Business Presentation Examples and What Makes Them Great

Now that we equipped you with the general knowledge on how to make a presentation for business, let’s take a look at how other presenters are coping with this job and what lessons you can take away from them.

1. N26 Digital Bank Pitch Deck

The Future of Banking by N26. An example of a Business Presentation with a nice cover image.

This is a fine business pitch presentation example, hitting all the best practices. The deck opens with a big shocking statement that most Millennials would rather go to the dentist than step into a bank branch.

Then it proceeds to discuss the company’s solution to the above — a fully digital bank with a paperless account opening process, done in 8 minutes. After communicating the main product features and value proposition, the deck further conceptualizes what traction the product got so far using data visualizations. The only thing it lacks is a solid call-to-action for closing slides as the current ending feels a bit abrupt.

2. WeWork Pitch Deck

For a Series D round, WeWork went with a more formal business presentation. It starts with laying down the general company information and then transitions to explaining their business model, current market conditions, and the company’s position on the market.

The good thing about this deck is that they quantify their business growth prospects and value proposition. The likely gains for investors are shown in concrete numbers. However, those charts go one after another in a row, so it gets a bit challenging to retain all data points.

The last part of their presentation is focused on a new offering, “We Live”. It explains why the team seeks funds to bring it to life. Likewise, they back their reasoning with market size statistics, sample projects, and a five-year revenue forecast.

3. Redfin Investor Presentation

Redfin Investor Presentation for Business. A Technology-Powered Real Estate Company.

If you are looking for a “text-light” business presentation example, Redfin’s investor deck is up to your alley. This simple deck expertly uses iconography, charts, and graphs to break down the company’s business model, value proposition, market share, and competitive advantages over similar startups. For number-oriented investors, this is a great deck design to use.

4. Google Ready Together Presentation

This isn’t quite the standard business presentation example per se. But rather an innovative way to create engaging, interactive presentations of customer case studies .

Interactive Online Presentation example by Google, from Customer Insights. Google Ready Together Presentation.

The short deck features a short video clip from a Google client, 7-11, explaining how they used the company’s marketing technology to digitally transform their operations and introduce a greater degree of marketing automation . The narrated video parts are interrupted by slides featuring catchy stats, contextualizing issues other businesses are facing. Then transitions to explaining through the words of 7-11 CMO, how Google’s technology is helping them overcome the stated shortcomings.

5. Salesforce Business Presentation Example

This is a great example of an informational presentation, made by the Salesforce team to share their research on customer experience (CX) with prospects and existing customers.

Business Presentation Example by Service Salesforce on How to Know Your Customer. A look into the Future of Customer Experience.

The slide deck errs on the lengthier side with 58 slides total. But bigger topics are broken down and reinforced through bite-sized statistics and quotes from the company leadership. They are also packaging the main tips into memorable formulas, itemized lists, and tables. Overall, this deck is a great example of how you can build a compelling narrative using different statistics.

6. Mastercard Business Presentation

This slide deck from Mastercard instantly captures the audience’s attention with unusual background images and major data points on the growth of populations, POS systems, and payment methods used in the upcoming decade.

Business Presentation by MasterCard on Technology and Payment solutions. The Unfinished Revolution.

Perhaps to offset the complexity of the subject, Mastercard chose to sprinkle in some humor in presentation texts and used comic-style visuals to supplement that. However, all their animations are made in a similar style, creating a good sense of continuity in design. They are also using colors to signify the transition from one part of the presentation to another.

In the second part, the slide deck focuses on distilling the core message of what businesses need to do to remain competitive in the new payments landscape. The team presents what they have been working on to expand the payment ecosystem. Then concludes with a “title close” styled call-to-action, mirroring the presentation title.

7. McKinsey Diversity & Inclusion Presentation

This fresh business slide deck from McKinsey is a great reference point for making persuasive business presentations on complex topics such as D&I. First, it recaps the main definitions of the discussed concepts — diversity, equity, and inclusion — to ensure alignment with the audience members.

Business Presentation Example by McKinsey Company on Diversity Wins: How inclusion matters.

Next, the business presentation deck focuses on the severity and importance of the issue for businesses, represented through a series of graphs and charts. After articulating the “why”, the narrative switches to “how” — how leaders can benefit from investment in D&I. The main points are further backed with data and illustrated via examples.

8. Accenture Presentation for the Energy Sector

Similar to McKinsey, Accenture keeps its slide deck on a short. Yet the team packs a punch within each slide through using a mix of fonts, graphical elements, and color for highlighting the core information. The presentation copy is on a longer side, prompting the audience to dwell on reading the slides. But perhaps this was meant by design as the presentation was also distributed online — via the company blog and social media.

Business Presentation Example by Accenture on Accelerating Innovation in Energy.

The last several slides of the presentation deck focus on articulating the value Accenture can deliver for their clients in the Energy sector. They expertly break down their main value proposition and key service lines, plus quantify the benefits.

9. Amazon Web Services (AWS) Technical Presentation

Giving an engaging technical presentation isn’t an easy task. You have to balance the number of details you reveal on your slides to prevent overwhelm, while also making sure that you don’t leave out any crucial deets. This technical presentation from AWS does great in both departments.

Business Presentation created by AWS explaining how to build forecasting using ML/DL algorithms.

First, you get entertained with a quick overview of Amazon’s progress in machine learning (ML) forecasting capabilities over the last decade. Then introduced to the main tech offering. The deck further explains what you need to get started with Amazon Forecast — e.g. dataset requirements, supported forecasting scenarios, available forecasting models, etc.

The second half of the presentation provides a quick training snippet on configuring Amazon SageMaker to start your first project. The step-by-step instructions are coherent and well-organized, making the reader excited to test-drive the product.

10. Snapchat Company Presentation

Snapchat’s business model presentation is on a funkier, more casual side, reflective of the company’s overall brand and positioning. After briefly recapping what they do, the slide deck switches to discussing the company’s financials and revenue streams.

This business slide deck by Snap Inc. itself is rather simplistic and lacks fancy design elements. But it has a strong unified theme of showing the audience Snapchat’s position on the market and projected vector of business development.

11. Visa Business Acquisition Presentation

VISA Acquisition of Plaid Business presentation.

If you are working on a business plan or M&A presentation for stakeholders of your own, this example from Visa will be helpful. The presentation deck expertly breaks down the company’s rationale for purchasing Plaid and subsequent plans for integrating the startup into their business ecosystem.

The business deck recaps why the Plaid acquisition is a solid strategic decision by highlighting the total addressable market they could dive into post-deal. Then it details Plaid’s competitive strengths. The slide deck then sums up all the monetary and indirect gains Visa could reap as an acquirer.

12. Pinterest Earnings Report Presentation

Pinterest Business Presentation Example with Annual Report

Annual reports and especially earnings presentations might not be the most exciting types of documents to work on, but they have immense strategic value. Hence, there’s little room for ambiguities or mistakes.

In twelve slides, this business presentation from Pinterest clearly communicates the big picture of the company’s finance in 2021. All the key numbers are represented as featured quotes in the sidebar with diagrams further showcasing the earning and spending dynamics. Overall, the data is easy to interpret even for non-finance folks.

To Conclude

With these business presentation design tips, presentation templates , and examples, you can go from overwhelmed to confident about your next presentation design in a matter of hours. Focus on creating a rough draft first using a template. Then work on nailing your opening slide sequence and shortening the texts in the main part of your presentation when needed. Make sure that each slide serves a clear purpose and communicates important details. To make your business presentation deck more concise, remove anything that does not pertain to the topic.

Finally, once you are done, share your business presentation with other team members to get their feedback and reiterate the final design.

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Business Presentations, Corporate Presentations, Design, Design Inspiration, Examples, Executive Reports, Inspiration, Presentation Ideas Filed under Business

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Blog > English Presentation Structure (Introduction, Closing) & useful Phrases

English Presentation Structure (Introduction, Closing) & useful Phrases

02.21.20 • #powerpoint #presentation #english.

When giving a presentation in english, there are certain guidelines you should follow. Maybe you haven't got a lot of experience presenting - or you would simply like to refresh your already existing knowledge - we're here to teach you the basics about presenting and provide you with a free list of useful phrases and the basic structure you can in your presentation!

1. Structure

The general structure of a presentation is the following:

Introduction

It is up to you to design these three parts. Using videos or everyday-examples can be a great way to introduce the audience to the topic. The important thing is that you capture the audience's attention from the beginning by making an interesting introduction. The main part is where you present your topic, ideally divided into sections. You can be creative with it - incorporate images, videos, stories or interactive polls . We generally recommend using different kinds of elements, as that makes the presentation more lively. Make sure your main part is well structured, so your audience can follow. In the conclusion, you should give a short summary of the points you made without adding any new information. You can also make an appeal to your audience in the end.

2. Useful Phrases

Here you'll find several phrases that you'll need in every presentation. Of course, you should adapt them and use them in a context that is suitable for your setting. The phrases are divided into subcategories so you can find what you're looking for more easily.

Starting your Presentation

In your introduction, you should:

Welcome your audience

Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone!

Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to my presentation about...

Introduce yourself

I am ... (from company ...) and today I would like to introduce you to the topic of ...

My name is ... and I am going to talk about ... today.

Icebreakers (for audience engagement)

Icebreaker polls are an amazing way to engage your audience instantly. They function as a fun and playful element at the beginning, giving you the perfect start you need to give a successful presentation. Click here to read our detailed post about icebreaker polls!

Mention the presentation topic and the reason for giving the presentation

I am grateful to be here today and tell you you about...

I would like to take this opportunity to talk about ...

I am here today to talk to you about ...

The reason why I am here today to talk about ... is ...

The purpose of this presentation is to ...

My goal today is to ...

Hopefully, by the end of the presentation, you will all know more about ...

Give a short overview of the content

To make it as understandable as possible, I divided my presentation into ... parts. In the first part, I will concentrate on ..., the second part will be about ..., ...

First of all, I will give you a short introduction, then we will move on to ...

... and finally, I will give you some insights to ...

Here are a few phrases that you could use during the whole presentation, but especially in the main part.

Engage your audience

In order to raise the audience's attention and improve their engagement, it is extremely important to make contact with them. A great way to do so is by adding interactive elements such as polls. If you would like to know more about this topic, read our article on How To Boost Audience Engagement . You can also use a software like SlideLizard , which allows you to conduct live polls, do Q&A sessions with your audience, share your resources and many more benefits that take your presentation to the next level.

Please raise your hand if you ...

Have you ever thought about ... ?

I would like to do a poll about ...

Please ask any questions as soon as they arrive.

On one hand, … on the other hand…

Comparing … with …, we can see that…

Clearly, … makes more sense than …

Whereas Option A is …, Option B is …

Making new points

Firstly,… Secondly,…

What also has to be mentioned is…

Next, I would like to bring up the topic of…

That being said, now we are going to take a look at…

Let's move on to the next topic.

On the next slide,…

The last thing I would like to mention is…

We made a whole blog post about how to pose questions in your presentation: The Right Way to do a Question Slide .

Talking about images or videos

In this image you can clearly see that ...

We are now going to take a look at a picture/video of ...

I'm going to show you a video by ... about ... now.

I've prepared a video about ...

Talking about statistics and charts

I am now addressing this graph that refers to the results of study XY.

In the graph on this slide, you can see that ...

The average is at ...

This graph clearly shows that the majority ...

According to this graph, the focus should be on ...

What that study tells us for practice is that we should ...

Emphasizing

I would like to emphasize the importance of ...

Moreover, it has to be said that ...

I want to stress the importance of ...

We always have to remember that ...

This is of high significance because ...

That part is especially important because ...

When something goes wrong

I am sorry, but it seems like the projector isn't working.

Could someone please help me with ...?

Is anybody here who knows how to ...?

Could someone give me a hand with ...

I would like to apologize for ...

I apologize for the technical problems, we are going to continue in a minute.

I am sorry for the inconvenience.

End of Presentation

In the conclusion, you should...

Sum up the main points

In conclusion I can say that…

To sum up the main points,…

With all mentioned aspects taken into consideration, I can say that…

Make an appeal

So please, in the future, try to be conscious about...

Please take a moment to think about...

I would like to encourage you to...

Thank your audience and say goodbye

It was a pleasure being here today.

Thank you for listening and goodbye.

Thank you for being such a great, engaged audience. Goodbye.

Thank you so much for listening, see you next time.

What is the structure of a presentation?

Your presentations should always have an Introduction, a Main part and a Conclusion.

What is a good way to begin a presentation?

You can start by introducing yourself, giving an overview of your topic, telling a little story or showing the audience an introductory video or image.

What are good phrases to use in English presentations?

There are many phrases that will make your presentation a lot more professional. Our blog post gives you a detailed overview.

About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

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The big SlideLizard presentation glossary

Hybrid event.

When an event consist of both virtual and in-person parts, this is called a hybrid event. This type of event is popular as it combines the benefits of both online and live events.

Break-out-Room

In live online training, it is sometimes useful to divide the students into small groups for certain exercises, as it would be impossible to have conversations at the same time. Break-out-rooms are used so that people can talk to each other without disturbing the others. When the exercise is over, they are sent back to the main room.

Audience Demographics

Audience Demographics are the characteristics of listeners like age, gender, cultural backgrounds, group affiliations and educational level. The speaker has to consider all these characteristics when adapting to an audience.

Informative Presentations

An information presentation is created when no solution is currently available. Facts, data and figures or study results are presented and current processes are described.

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15 Expert Tips for Giving a Powerful Business Presentation

Written by: Mahnoor Sheikh

A powerful business presentation is much more than just a bunch of nice-looking slides.

Whether you’re presenting to venture capitalists, senior management or potential customers, you need to make a great first impression and stand out from the dozens of other speakers they’ll encounter.

For some people, presenting in front of even a handful of listeners can be a nightmare. And when it's a room full of important business folks, like investors or your boss, things get even worse.

If that sounds like you, don't worry. We have a way to calm your nerves and bring back your confidence.

In this post, you'll find 15 expert tips to help you deliver an unforgettable business presentation.

Ready to create your business presentation? Our presentation maker can help you create a professional slide deck quickly and easily using ready-made templates.

1 Know your material.

Before you can convince anyone else, you need to be completely sold on your idea or product. It’s important that you know the points you are making, inside and out.

When you present before an audience, you’ll likely be using visual aids, notes and/or slides. While these tools can help, make sure they aren’t the sum of your expertise.

These are only tools to aid you in your ability to communicate.

Don't rely on them too much or you’ll come across as unsure and boring. Your knowledge of your subject should be beyond your cue-cards so that you can effectively answer any questions that crop up.

You need to inspire confidence. If you bring up a point that is on your slide, back it up with statistics that you’ve encountered or quotes that relate to your topic.

2 Be enthusiastic.

Believe me, vibes matter.

No one wants to hear you drone on about a subject you don’t care for. If you’re tired and bored of your own presentation, your audience is probably feeling the same way.

Anyone listening to you should know how passionate you are about the subject. This will be very apparent in your body language , like the way you speak, make eye contact and walk around on the stage.

Harvard professor Amy Cuddy studies how body postures can communicate power.

Before her highly successful TED talk, she spent time striding, standing tall and extending her body. These movements got her into the zone of feeling powerful and passionate.

It’s also important that you properly energize yourself before a business presentation.

Do some warm-up exercises, like stretching or vocal exercises.

Check out this video on vocal exercises to practice before an important speech or presentation:

You can also do other things that get you focused and energized. Go through inspirational quotes or listen to music. Make sure you’ve drunk enough water and keep a bottle with you during your presentation.

3 Arrive early to set up.

One of the things that can mess up your business presentation is not being familiar with the space you’ll be speaking in. Make sure you arrive at your venue at least an hour in advance.

Set up anything you’ll need , like a projector, laptop or speakers.

If the venue already has all the equipment set up, make sure everything is compatible and working fine. Transfer any files from your USB or download them off of your email or cloud.

Next, check if there are any impediments to your being heard or seen.

Sit at different locations in the audience area to make sure the stage is visible, and the speaker can be heard at the very back. This will help you assess how loud you should be.

Check to see if the projection is visible in the lighting you have, and adjust the lights accordingly.

Another big advantage of arriving early is that you get to meet and greet some of your audience members. This will help you feel more confident on stage as you’ve already broken some of the ice .

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4 Be comfortable with your own self.

You’ve prepped well, you know your stuff inside-out and your visual aids are ready. The next big questions are: What should you wear? How should you act?

It can be tricky deciding what to wear to give a killer business presentation, but your look will likely depend upon your comfort and who your audience is.

Lauren McGoodwin, founder and CEO of Career Contessa, recommends :

“When dressing for a presentation, it’s important to wear something you’re comfortable in, and something that makes you feel confident.”

She also says that you should wear something that allows you to move and gesture freely.

But regardless of what you wear, it’s important to be your best self.

Many people are nervous speaking in front of an audience, so rehearse beforehand and have a friend, colleague or any objective observer monitor you.

If you come across as jittery—always shifting your weight from one leg to another, moving your hands too much, shaking, etc—it’s a good idea to take a note of all that and work at establishing a firm presence on stage before your big day.

How you act also depends upon your personality.

Adopt your natural position. If you’re comfortable standing in place, don’t force yourself to stride across the stage. If your voice is gentle, no need to yell, just get a microphone.

Keep your everyday demeanor and bring out the best you.

5 Open strong.

We live in an era where audiences have low attention spans and expect to be entertained. Start your business presentation with a bang so as to set the tone for the rest of your presentation.

You could start off with a statistic that shocks the audience into sitting up and taking note or with a quote that instantly makes them listen.

Don’t forget to put them at ease by reassuring them: “I know you may be wondering…”, “…that fact may seem shocking, but research backs it up because…” etc.

You could also start with an interesting image , an attention-grabbing video or a touching personal story.

Remember, first impressions are everything.

You need to convey to your audience that your business presentation will be worth their while and not just a run-of-the-mill lecture where you dispiritedly talk at them.

6 Set goals for your business presentation.

At the very beginning of your presentation, lay out the goals you hope to meet during your time on stage. This tells the audience why they should listen to you and what they have to gain from paying attention.

As these goals are met, both you and your audience will feel a sense of purpose and achievement at effective communication. Here's a customizable presentation slide template in Visme for goals.

business presentation - set goals slide visme template

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Your audience will be more likely to remain tuned in if they can see the objectives of the presentation being fulfilled and this in turn will make them more likely to deem your talk a ‘success’.

These goals will also help your audience remember crucial points of your business presentation, which will ensure that you have a productive Q&A session.

7 Tell a story.

Stories connect with people much more than statistics, academic points or even quotations do.

A story can be personal, of course, but it can also be the story of a brand or even a story about consumers.

Steve Jobs was a great corporate storyteller and he shone at every Apple product launch presentation. Check out this video of Jobs presenting at the launch of the iPhone in 2007.

Steve Jobs framed his company’s new innovations in terms of stories of revolution. Macintosh “changed the whole computer industry” and the iPod “changed the whole music industry”.

These were stories of change that brought the product, the consumer, and the exciting time they were living in all together—it made the audience go on a journey.

You can work in a similar way by highlighting the problems (the villain) and how your product, business or idea (the hero) will lead your audience closer to a solution. Telling stories can make your business seem like part of a grand narrative that your audience wants to become a part of.

Then, of course, there are personal stories. These usually appear at the beginning, but a good presentation makes effective use of them throughout.

Tell your audience how you got to where you are, and what makes you believe in your business.

Remember to keep it short, but interesting.

The goal is to establish an emotional connection with your audience so your message hits home. Don’t overdo it or deviate from your actual point.

If you’re looking for more storytelling techniques to incorporate into your presentation, check out this Visme video on presentation structures used by top TED speakers:

8 Interact with your audience.

A business presentation can get boring and sleep-inducing real fast if you just talk “at” your audience instead of talking to them.

Turn your presentation into a conversation by involving your audience in the discussion. Ask them questions, take their feedback and connect with them via anecdotes (“I know we’ve all felt this way”.)

You can also get them to sit up and work with you. For example, they could be asked to raise their hands if they agree during certain points of the presentation.

Interacting with your audience during your business presentation will help prevent the dreaded “ death by PowerPoint ” and keep them wide awake and attentive.

9 Use visual aids.

Visuals help people retain information for longer periods of time, so use them generously throughout your presentation to make sure your message hits home.

And no, visual aids don’t necessarily mean boring PowerPoint slides.

Pictures, videos and art are also great mediums to get your points across and intrigue the audience. Visual flowcharts can help summarize complex topics.

And if you really do want to use presentation slides, use a tool like Visme to create ones that look professional and stand out from the rest. Check out these editable business presentation templates .

Use data visualization, like bar graphs, pie charts and more to make numbers look interesting.

Visme lets you create over 15 different types of graphs and tons of data widgets, like progress bars and radials, for your business presentation. You can also tap into the flowchart maker, array maker, map engine and other tools to help you visualize information. Here's a sneak peek at how it works:

As for the slides, make sure you don’t stuff them with text.

If you put bullets up on the screen, make sure they are visible and condensed. No one wants to see entire paragraphs up there when you’re talking to them at the same time.

A quote or two is fine, but don’t overdo it.

10 Add some business-friendly humor.

During long presentations, there is nothing more relaxing than a speaker who can make you laugh.

If you just keep talking in a serious tone, it’ll seem like you’re droning on. A friendly, conversational style and light jokes can make sure that you retain your audience’s attention.

But remember, this is a business presentation. Don’t go overboard with comedy or your audience won’t take you or your presentation seriously.

We recommend using humor only if you’re naturally good at. If not, don’t force it.

11 Make startling statements.

Every once in a while, shock your audience into sitting up and focusing.

Challenge their existing beliefs with solid knowledge and statistics. While a startling fact or statistic can be a great way to begin a presentation, it is also important to use these statements throughout.

Don't overdo it so it loses its appeal, but around thrice during an hour-long presentation should be good.

12 Remember the 10-20-30 rule.

Venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki came up with this handy presentation rule in 2005 .

Here’s an infographic that sums it up:

business presentation - infographic 10 20 30 rule guy kawasaki

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Kawasaki sat through many, many bad presentations and figured out this rule to make sure presentations stop being so repetitive and boring.

10 slides give presenters an ample amount of space to summarize their argument. Any more information and the audience is likely to lose focus and doze off.

20 minutes is how long the average person can pay attention without losing his mind wandering. Kawasaki says that, in an ideal world, the last 40 minutes of the presenter’s hour will be utilized in a Q&A session.

A font size of 30 points means that everyone can read a presentation, even from the back of the room, and the presenter is forced to put minimal text up on the screen.

Keep in mind that Kawasaki is talking about a specific situation, a pitch for a room full of venture capitalists.

While his points can be generalized, a business owner may also find themselves in a situation where they aren’t perfectly applicable. It would be good to revise them slightly in different situations.

13 Make eye contact and smile.

You don’t have to stand there and speak like a machine. Your audience will respond better to the presentation if you personalize your interactions with them.

Make sure you meet the eyes of multiple members of the audience so that they feel like you are paying attention to them individually.

Eye contact can reassure your audience that you value their time and are grateful for their presence and it can also drive home the message that you are confident in your pitch.

Smile at audience members when you meet their eyes! If you’re nervous, locate five or six friendly faces in the crowd and keep coming back to them for encouragement.

14 Be prepared for tough questions.

Don’t underestimate the power of the Q&A session!

Your answers can make or break your business presentation. A good presenter knows their material completely and is ready to face difficult questions.

Here's an editable presentation slide template in Visme for Q&A sessions:

business presentation - question answer qa session slide visme template

Remember, people will trust in you and your business venture if they are sure you know what you’re doing.

If you’ve ended your presentation on an awkward silence, ask some questions yourself and use language that makes it apparent that you know the concerns of your audience.

Start with phrases like “Now, you may be wondering if…”. This sets the crowd at ease and allows them to comfortably voice their concerns.

15 Close on a high.

It is very important to have a closing note after the Q&A session. You shouldn’t need a slide for this part, but you can use one if you want.

The way you conclude your presentation should be powerful and ensure that the audience remembers you. Like your opening, you can end with a personal story or quotation. Or remind them about the goals and summarize the main points quickly.

Make sure the end is euphoric and shows that your ideas can achieve success. This will ensure that your listeners place their confidence in you and leave feeling satisfied and uplifted.

Make Your Business Presentation a Success

The secret to giving a successful business presentation is putting your heart and soul into connecting with your audience and truly showing them the value in your ideas.

This list of professional tips can empower you in small ways, leading to big outcomes.

If you’re already feeling pumped about your next business presentation, create one that doubles your impact using Visme’s presentation maker .

What do you struggle with the most when it comes to giving business presentations? Let us know your thoughts, questions and feedback in the comments below.

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About the Author

Mahnoor Sheikh is the content marketing manager at Visme. She has years of experience in content strategy and execution, SEO copywriting and graphic design. She is also the founder of MASH Content and is passionate about tea, kittens and traveling with her husband. Get in touch with her on LinkedIn .

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Updated for 2024 | 30 useful phrases for presentations in English

For non-native speakers giving a presentation in English can be quite a challenge. There are just so many aspects to consider.

Firstly, the audience. Do you know them well? If so, more informal language can be used. Or are they unfamiliar to you? If this is the case, then more formal expressions should be adopted. Whether you use more formal or informal language, it is important to engage the audience through positive body language and a warm welcome. Your tone of voice and changes in intonation are additional useful tools and you might consider asking them relevant questions (real or rhetorical ).

The audience also needs to see a clear and logical structure to follow you effortlessly. Useful linking expressions, when delivered well, provide effective ‘bridges’ guiding the audience from one point to the next.

Here are 30 useful phrases for presentations in English for effective structure and linking.

Introduction

Good morning/afternoon everyone and welcome to my presentation. First of all, let me thank you all for coming here today.
Let me start by saying a few words about my own background.
As you can see on the screen, our topic today is......
My talk is particularly relevant to those of you who....
This talk is designed to act as a springboard for discussion.
This morning/ afternoon I’m going to take a look at the recent developments in.....

Presentation structure

In my presentation I’ll focus on three major issues.
This presentation is structured as follows....
The subject can be looked at under the following headings.....
We can break this area down into the following fields....
It will take about X minutes to cover these issues.
Does everybody have a handout / copy of my report?
I’ll be handing out copies of the slides at the end of my talk.
I can email the PowerPoint presentation to anyone who would like it.
Don’t worry about taking notes, I’ve put all the relevant statistics on a handout for you
If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them
If you don’t mind, I'd like to leave questions until the end of my talk /there will be time for a Q&A session at the end...

Sequencing phrases

My first point concerns...
First of all, I’d like to give you an overview of....
Next, I’ll focus on.....and then we’ll consider....
Then I’ll go on to highlight what I see as the main points of....
Finally, I’d like to address the problem of.....
Finally, I’d like to raise briefly the issue of....

Highlighting information

I’d like to put the situation into some kind of perspective
I’d like to discuss in more depth the implications of....
I’d like to make more detailed recommendations regarding....
I’d like you to think about the significance of this figure here
Whichever way you look at it, the underlying trend is clear
I’d just like to finish with the words of a famous scientist/ politician/ author.......
Now let’s go out and create opportunities for...!

Improve your confidence in spoken English with our General English course or Individual English training in our centre in London or online.

Hopefully, these phrases help you to vary your vocabulary for clear, well-structured presentations with a logical joined-up flow. The most important thing, of course, is that you are comfortable and confident in your delivery, which helps the audience feels relaxed and ready to be engaged by your subject matter. Good luck!

Glossary

Rhetorical - (of a question) asked in order to produce an effect or to make a statement rather than to elicit information

Audience - spectators or listeners at a public event such as a play, film, concert, or meeting

Effectiv e - successful in producing a desired or intended result

Springboard - springboard is also something that provides an opportunity to achieve something

Handout - a document given to students or reporters that contains information about a particular subject

Q&A – an abbreviation for ‘question and answer’

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About The London School of English

The London School of English has over 100 years of history teaching English and communication skills to adult learners. It is the joint #1 English language school in the UK according to the British Council inspections, the highest rated English language school in the world on Trustpilot, and the best value for money school according The English Language Gazette.

Our practical, individualised approach enables our clients to learn effectively and make rapid progress. Courses include General English, Individual English training, Legal English, Business and Professional English, IELTS preparation and Academic English. We also offer bespoke business solutions for staff training and assessment.

You can learn English with our expert trainers in our London centre at 15 Holland Park Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, or you can choose to study English online in groups or in individual classes. Contact us online or via phone +44 (0) 207 605 4142.

Posted: 13 February 2020

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How to Start a Presentation: 5 Templates and 90 Example Phrases

Starting a presentation effectively means capturing your audience’s attention from the very beginning. It’s important because it sets the tone for the entire presentation and establishes your credibility as a speaker.

Effective Openers: 5 Templates

Your presentation’s beginning sets the stage for everything that follows. So, it’s important to capture your audience’s attention right from the start. Here are some tried-and-true techniques to do just that.

1. Storytelling Approach

When you start with a story, you tap into the natural human love for narratives. It can be a personal experience, a historical event, or a fictional tale that ties back to your main point.

Example Introduction Template 1:

“Let me tell you a story about…”

Example : “Let me tell you a story about how a small idea in a garage blossomed into the global brand we know today.”

2. Quotation Strategy

Using a relevant quote can lend authority and thematic flavor to your presentation. Choose a quote that is provocative, enlightening, or humorous to resonate with your audience.

Example Introduction Template 2:

“As [Famous Person] once said…”

Example : “As Steve Jobs once said, ‘Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.'”

3. Questioning Technique

Engage your audience directly by opening with a thoughtful question. This encourages them to think and become active participants.

Example Introduction Template 3:

“Have you ever wondered…”

Example : “Have you ever wondered what it would take to reduce your carbon footprint to zero?”

4. Statistical Hook

Kick off with a startling statistic that presents a fresh perspective or underscores the importance of your topic.

Example Introduction Template 4:

“Did you know that…”

Example : “Did you know that 90% of the world’s data was generated in the last two years alone?”

5. Anecdotal Method

Share a brief, relatable incident that highlights the human aspect of your topic. It paves the way for empathy and connection.

Example Introduction Template 5:

“I want to share a quick anecdote…”

Example : “I want to share a quick anecdote about a time I experienced the customer service that went above and beyond what anyone would expect.”

How to Start a Powerpoint Presentation: 45 Example Phrases

Starting a PowerPoint presentation effectively can captivate your audience and set the tone for your message. The opening phrases you choose are important in establishing rapport and commanding attention. Whether you’re presenting to colleagues, at a conference, or in an academic setting, these phrases will help you begin with confidence and poise:

1. “Good morning/afternoon/evening, everyone. Thank you for joining me today.”
2. “Welcome, and thank you for being here. Let’s dive into our topic.”
3. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to present to you all about…”
4. “Thank you all for coming. Today, we’re going to explore…”
5. “Let’s begin by looking at the most important question: Why are we here today?”
6. “I appreciate your time today, and I promise it will be well spent as we discuss…”
7. “Before we get started, I want to express my gratitude for your presence here today.”
8. “It’s a pleasure to see so many familiar faces as we gather to talk about…”
9. “I’m thrilled to kick off today’s presentation on a topic that I am passionate about—…”
10. “Welcome to our session. I’m confident you’ll find the next few minutes informative as we cover…”
11. “Let’s embark on a journey through our discussion on…”
12. “I’m delighted to have the chance to share my insights on…”
13. “Thank you for the opportunity to present to such an esteemed audience on…”
14. “Let’s set the stage for an engaging discussion about…”
15. “As we begin, I’d like you to consider this:…”
16. “Today marks an important discussion on a subject that affects us all:…”
17. “Good day, and welcome to what promises to be an enlightening presentation on…”
18. “Hello and welcome! We’re here to delve into something truly exciting today…”
19. “I’m honored to present to you this comprehensive look into…”
20. “Without further ado, let’s get started on a journey through…”
21. “Thank you for carving time out of your day to join me for this presentation on…”
22. “It’s wonderful to see such an engaged audience ready to tackle the topic of…”
23. “I invite you to join me as we unpack the complexities of…”
24. “Today’s presentation will take us through some groundbreaking ideas about…”
25. “Welcome aboard! Prepare to set sail into the vast sea of knowledge on…”
26. “I’d like to extend a warm welcome to everyone as we focus our attention on…”
27. “Let’s ignite our curiosity as we begin to explore…”
28. “Thank you for your interest and attention as we dive into the heart of…”
29. “As we look ahead to the next hour, we’ll uncover the secrets of…”
30. “I’m eager to share with you some fascinating insights on…”
31. “Welcome to what I believe will be a transformative discussion on…”
32. “This morning/afternoon, we’ll be venturing into the world of…”
33. “Thank you for joining me on this exploration of…”
34. “I’m delighted by the turnout today as we embark on this exploration of…”
35. “Together, let’s navigate the intricacies of…”
36. “I’m looking forward to engaging with you all on the subject of…”
37. “Let’s kick things off with a critical look at…”
38. “Thank you for your presence today as we shine a light on…”
39. “Welcome to a comprehensive overview of…”
40. “It’s a privilege to discuss with you the impact of…”
41. “I’m glad you could join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking presentation on…”
42. “Today, we’re going to break down the concept of…”
43. “As we get started, let’s consider the significance of our topic:…”
44. “I’m thrilled to lead you through today’s discussion, which centers around…”
45. “Let’s launch into our session with an eye-opening look at…”

Starting a Presentation: 45 Examples

Connecting with the audience.

When starting a presentation, making a genuine connection with your audience sets the stage for a successful exchange of ideas. Examples:

“I promise, by the end of this presentation, you’ll be as enthusiastic about this as I am because…”
“The moment I learned about this, I knew it would be a game-changer and I’m thrilled to present it to you…”
“There’s something special about this topic that I find incredibly invigorating, and I hope you will too…”
“I get a rush every time I work on this, and I hope to transmit that energy to you today…”
“I’m thrilled to discuss this breakthrough that could revolutionize…”
“This project has been a labor of love, and I’m eager to walk you through…”
“When I first encountered this challenge, I was captivated by the possibilities it presented…”
“I can’t wait to dive into the details of this innovative approach with you today…”
“It’s genuinely exhilarating to be at the edge of what’s possible in…”
“My fascination with [topic] drove me to explore it further, and I’m excited to share…”
“Nothing excites me more than talking about the future of…”
“Seeing your faces, I know we’re going to have a lively discussion about…”
“The potential here is incredible, and I’m looking forward to discussing it with you…”
“Let’s embark on this journey together and explore why this is such a pivotal moment for…”
“Your engagement in this discussion is going to make this even more exciting because…”

Building Credibility

You present with credibility when you establish your expertise and experience on the subject matter. Here’s what you can say to accomplish that:

“With a decade of experience in this field, I’ve come to understand the intricacies of…”
“Having led multiple successful projects, I’m excited to share my insights on…”
“Over the years, working closely with industry experts, I’ve gleaned…”
“I hold a degree in [your field], which has equipped me with a foundation for…”
“I’m a certified professional in [your certification], which means I bring a certain level of expertise…”
“Having published research on this topic, my perspective is grounded in…”
“I’ve been a keynote speaker at several conferences, discussing…”
“Throughout my career, I’ve contributed to groundbreaking work in…”
“My experience as a [your previous role] has given me a unique outlook on…”
“Endorsed by [an authority in your field], I’m here to share what we’ve achieved…”
“The program I developed was recognized by [award], highlighting its impact in…”
“I’ve trained professionals nationwide on this subject and witnessed…”
“Collaborating with renowned teams, we’ve tackled challenges like…”
“I’ve been at the forefront of this industry, navigating through…”
“As a panelist, I’ve debated this topic with some of the brightest minds in…”

Projecting Confidence

“I stand before you today with a deep understanding of…”
“You can rely on the information I’m about to share, backed by thorough research and analysis…”
“Rest assured, the strategies we’ll discuss have been tested and proven effective in…”
“I’m certain you’ll find the data I’ll present both compelling and relevant because…”
“I’m fully confident in the recommendations I’m providing today due to…”
“The results speak for themselves, and I’m here to outline them clearly for you…”
“I invite you to consider the evidence I’ll present; it’s both robust and persuasive…”
“You’re in good hands today; I’ve navigated these waters many times and have the insights to prove it…”
“I assure you, the journey we’ll take during this presentation will be enlightening because…”
“Your success is important to me, which is why I’ve prepared diligently for our time together…”
“Let’s look at the facts; they’ll show you why this approach is solid and dependable…”
“Today, I present to you a clear path forward, grounded in solid experience and knowledge…”
“I’m confident that what we’ll uncover today will not only inform but also inspire you because…”
“You’ll leave here equipped with practical, proven solutions that you can trust because…”
“The solution I’m proposing has been embraced industry-wide, and for good reason…”

Organizational Preview

Starting your presentation with a clear organizational preview can effectively guide your audience through the content. This section helps you prepare to communicate the roadmap of your presentation.

Outlining the Main Points

You should begin by briefly listing the main points you’ll cover. This lets your audience know what to expect and helps them follow along. For example, if you’re presenting on healthy eating, you might say, “Today, I’ll cover the benefits of healthy eating, essential nutrients in your diet, and simple strategies for making healthier choices.”

Setting the Tone

Your introduction sets the tone for the entire presentation. A way to do this is through a relevant story or anecdote that engages the audience. Suppose you’re talking about innovation; you might start with, “When I was a child, I was fascinated by how simple Legos could build complex structures, which is much like the innovation process.”

Explaining the Structure

Explain the structure of your presentation so that your audience can anticipate how you’ll transition from one section to the next. For instance, if your presentation includes an interactive portion, you might say, “I’ll begin with a 15-minute overview, followed by a hands-on demonstration, and we’ll wrap up with a Q&A session, where you can ask any questions.”

Practice and Preparation

Before you step onto the stage, it’s important that your preparation includes not just content research, but also rigorous practice and strategy for dealing with nerves. This approach ensures you present with confidence and clarity.

Rehearsing the Opening

Practicing your introduction aloud gives you the opportunity to refine your opening remarks. You might start by greeting the audience and sharing an interesting quote or a surprising statistic related to your topic. For example, if your presentation is about the importance of renewable energy, you could begin with a recent statistic about the growth in solar energy adoption. Record yourself and listen to the playback, focusing on your tone, pace, and clarity.

Memorizing Key Points

While you don’t need to memorize your entire presentation word for word, you should know the key points by heart. This includes main arguments, data, and any conclusions you’ll be drawing. You can use techniques such as mnemonics or the method of loci, which means associating each key point with a specific location in your mind, to help remember these details. Having them at your fingertips will make you feel more prepared and confident.

Managing Presentation Jitters

Feeling nervous before a presentation is natural, but you can manage these jitters with a few techniques. Practice deep breathing exercises or mindful meditation to calm your mind before going on stage. You can also perform a mock presentation to a group of friends or colleagues to simulate the experience and receive feedback. This will not only help you get used to speaking in front of others but also in adjusting your material based on their reactions.

Engagement Strategies

Starting a presentation on the right foot often depends on how engaged your audience is. Using certain strategies, you can grab their attention early and maintain their interest throughout your talk:

1. Encouraging Audience Participation

Opening your presentation with a question to your audience is a great way to encourage participation. This invites them to think actively about the subject matter. For instance, you might ask, “By a show of hands, how many of you have experienced…?” Additionally, integrating interactive elements like quick polls or requesting volunteers for a demonstration can make the experience more dynamic and memorable.

Using direct questions throughout your presentation ensures the audience stays alert, as they might be called upon to share their views. For example, after covering a key point, you might engage your audience with, “Does anyone have an experience to share related to this?”

2. Utilizing Pacing and Pauses

Mastering the pace of your speech helps keep your presentation lively. Quickening the pace when discussing exciting developments or slowing down when explaining complex ideas can help maintain interest. For example, when introducing a new concept, slow your pace to allow the audience to absorb the information.

Pauses are equally powerful. A well-timed pause after a key point gives the audience a moment to ponder the significance of what you’ve just said. It might feel like this: “The results of this study were groundbreaking. (pause) They completely shifted our understanding of…”. Pauses also give you a moment to collect your thoughts, adding to your overall composure and control of the room.

How should one introduce their group during a presentation?

You might say something like, “Let me introduce my amazing team: Alex, our researcher, Jamie, our designer, and Sam, the developer. Together, we’ve spent the last few months creating something truly special for you.”

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200+ Essential Business English Phrases and Idioms

If you want to succeed in the connected world of business, English is a very important language to know.

That’s why it’s a good idea to know at least some important business English phrases and idioms.

In this guide, you’ll learn many useful expressions and tips that you can use in any workplace that has English speakers.

Common Business English Phrases and Idioms

Phrases for business communication, expressions about teamwork, expressions about time management, expressions about money and finances, phrases when working on business projects, how to speak during conference calls, how to make an excellent presentation, how to make negotiations, how to politely suggest ideas and solutions, how to improve business english speaking skills, and one more thing....

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1. Get a business off the ground

The business has been registered with its own name, the employees are hired and the product or service is ready to be offered to the public. In other words, the owner got his or her business off the ground.

“After finding the right investors and securing enough capital (money to start with), we finally got our business off the ground and opened our first store in Toronto.”

2. From the ground up

Similar to the last one, if you build a business or project from zero or from the bottom, you’re starting from the ground up .

“Have you read the news about the enterprising 12-year-old who’s building her business from the ground up ?”

3. Long shot

Imagine you’re throwing a dart at a target from a long distance. What are the chances of it hitting the bullseye (the exact center of the target)?

A long shot is an idiom that’s used to describe something that has a very small chance of happening or succeeding.

“Landing such a high-paying job is a long shot but I’m still going to give it a try.”

4. Bring to the table

To bring [something] to the table means to bring something of use or value (skills, experience, etc.) to a job or business activity (project, meeting, etc.).

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“We need someone on the team who can bring project management experience to the table .”

5. Learning the ropes

Imagine that you’re on a sailboat. The first thing you would learn is how to tie knots and work the sails. In other words, you would learn how all the ropes work!

To learn the ropes means to learn how to do your job or a particular task, especially if you have no previous experience. Because of this, it’s commonly used when referring to new employees in training.

If you instead say “to teach someone the ropes,” you can use it to describe a boss or more senior person helping a new employee understand their role and responsibilities.

“Hey Paul, how’s your new job?” “It’s great but I’ve only been there for two weeks so I’m still learning the ropes .”
“I’ve got a great manager who’s been teaching me the ropes, so I’m learning quickly!”

6. Learning curve

A learning curve is used to describe the progress needed to gain experience or learn a new skill set. A steep learning curve indicates the task may be difficult and therefore take more effort.

You can imagine a chart showing a curving line—if it goes up quickly, then it looks like a big hill or mountain.

“She is welcome to join our team, but there will be a steep learning curve .”

7. Go the extra mile

To go the extra mile means to give more effort or do more than what’s expected of you.

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“Anyone would be glad to have Pam on their team. She’s a great team player and is always willing to go the extra mile .”

8. A win-win situation

You might hear that something is a win-win situation, or that something is win-win in both business and regular English. It describes a situation where everybody involved in the event or deal “wins.” Each person gains benefits from the outcome.

In business, it’s often used during negotiations or trades, where both parties receive something that they need from the other.

“The deal is simple, we give them office space and they give us the new equipment that we need.” “It sounds like a win-win situation to me!”

9. Overplay your hand

Be careful that you don’t overplay your hand . Being too confident about your work or showing off too much can lower your chance of success.

This saying comes from card games like poker, where players should always be careful not to show too many of their cards all at once.

“My cousin overplayed his hand and ended up losing his job.”

10. Get down to business

Business meetings usually begin with some small talk while waiting for everyone to arrive. When it’s time to start seriously focusing on the actual work, it’s time to get down to business .

“We’ve got plenty of topics to cover in today’s meeting so let’s get down to business .”

11. Get down to brass tacks

Again: let’s get on with the business at hand. You might hear this at the start of a business meeting, after some brief introductions or socializing.

One possible reason for saying “brass tacks” is because long ago, brass-metal tacks were used as the most basic, required things to hold up furniture.

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“Now that everyone’s here, let’s get down to brass tacks .”

12. A ballpark number / figure / estimate

This phrase, like many other business expressions, is related to sports. The ballpark is the sports ground or stadium where baseball is played.

Giving a ballpark figure means giving an estimate of the value, time or number of something. It’s used when the specific amount or number is not yet known or agreed upon but an estimate is required.

A ballpark is very large! So, this expression is specifically used for giving a very rough estimate or a large range in value.

“To give you a ballpark figure, the new project will take between one and three months to complete.”

13. The bottom line

You may know that the last or bottom line on a financial statement is the most important. It shows the total profit or loss. So the phrase the bottom line is used to refer to the final outcome or the most important point to consider.

“It’s true that we’re very short-handed, but the bottom line is we must still deliver the project on time.”

14. Smooth sailing

Think of the business as a sailboat. The skies are blue and the water is calm. When everything is going well and without any problems, we call it smooth sailing . The opposite situation can be called rough waters .

“Once the company overcame the country’s bureaucracy, it was smooth sailing from then on.”

15. The big picture

The big picture means to look at the overall view of something, or the situation as a whole and not the smaller details.

“I think his presentation was too long and detailed. He should’ve just given us the big picture .”

16. In a nutshell

Have you seen a nutshell? Think of how small it is and how little it can hold. So, in a nutshell means in summary, or in as few words as possible.

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“This book is about successful businesspeople and how they reached the top. In a nutshell , it’s about how to grow a successful business.”

17. Gray area

When you say that something is black and white , it means that there’s a very clear right side and wrong side.

The color gray is between black and white. When something is in a gray area , it means the situation isn’t certain. In a gray area there are no clear rules and it’s hard to say if it’s right or wrong.

“You have many good points in your proposal but there’s one gray area we need to discuss.”

18. Red tape

Red tape refers to strong regulations and rules that you need to follow before you can get your work done. They can make things extra challenging for any worker.

“Our project is stalled because we ran into some red tape .”

19. The wrong end of the stick

The wrong end of the stick refers to a total misunderstanding of a situation, plan or idea.

“Jackie’s not in charge of this project… Mark is. Seems like you got the wrong end of the stick .”

20. Walking papers

If you’re given your walking papers , it means you have received a notice that you’re being fired or laid off from your job.

“Did you hear? The boss just gave Brett his walking papers !”

21. Back to square one

Back to square one means to start over, or to go back to the beginning.

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“I wish I’d saved my spreadsheet before the server crashed. Now I have to go back to square one .”

22. Call it a day

When your work has been completed for the day, or when you decide to stop working on an activity, you can call it a day .

“Now that we’ve completed the outline for the new project, let’s call it a day .”

1. Word of mouth

Word of mouth refers to the spread of information verbally (by speaking). In regards to business, it usually refers to people telling other people about your business, product or service.

Note that this expression is commonly used to talk positively about something.

If someone has a good experience with your product, then they may tell their friend about it, and that friend might tell another friend and so on—and before long, everyone is talking about your product! This is known as word-of-mouth marketing.

“Hi, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you find out about our shop?” “I heard about it through word of mouth . Everybody kept telling me how great your products are!”

2. Touch base

This is another business phrase that comes from a sport. In baseball, the bases are where the batter runs to after striking the ball. In business English, to touch base means to briefly connect with or re-contact someone.

This contact is often short and just used to check in with somebody. For example, if you’re working with a colleague on a project, you can touch base with them about their progress or about a part of the project that you’re waiting for them to finish.

This expression is often used in emails.

“Hi Sarah, I just wanted to touch base with you to see if we’re still scheduled to complete the first phase of the project by next Monday.”

3. On the same page

To be on the same page means to be in agreement or to hold the same views about something with others.

This is a very common English expression and is used in both everyday English and business English.

You might also hear this expression as a question: “Are we on the same page?” This is the same as asking, “Do we agree?”

“Next month we need to cut spending by 20%. Are we all on the same page about this?”

4. Play hardball

Anyone who plays hardball is tough, unchanging and will not take “no” for an answer. Negotiating with these types can be a real challenge!

“Joe’s the nicest guy I know, but he can play hardball when he needs to.”

5. Generate buzz

When a company uses marketing strategies and gets people talking about a product, possibly even before it’s released, it’s called to generate buzz .

When thousands of people talk about a company, they are buzzing and making noise like bees. When people talk, there’s a better chance that they will go check out what all the buzz is about.

“Before its summer release, the movie was already generating a lot of buzz in the media.”

To meet up means to come together to talk. It usually means having a short, informal meeting with a small group of people.

It’s often used with prepositions such as “in,” “at” and “with” to tell where, at what time or with whom you will meet up.

“Since we have a few problems to discuss, let’s meet up in my office.”

7. Schedule a meeting

A schedule is a plan of times and events, but it can also be used as a verb. To schedule means to plan a date and time for a certain event.

To schedule a meeting means to choose a date, time and place to meet with another person or a group of people.

“Let’s schedule a meeting for this Tuesday to discuss any problems.”

1. There’s no “I” in team

There’s no “I” in team means that no one particular person takes all the credit for the achievements of a group effort. It’s kind of a cute phrase because the word “team” is truly not spelled using the letter “I.”

“ There’s no “I” in team ; we failed at this project together.”

2. Team player

Lots of companies want to hire strong team players . They want someone who gets along well with others and supports a collaborative work environment.

“I love doing projects with Kate because she’s such a great team player .”

3. Step up to the plate

Here’s another of those baseball-themed business English expressions! Imagine now a baseball player going up to the home plate to bat. It’s a very important moment that can be pretty scary.

If you step up to the plate , you take on a role or responsibility—usually a difficult one that others don’t want. This is a quality that companies look for in strong leaders.

“After the sales numbers dropped last quarter, David really stepped up to the plate and turned things around for the company.”

4. Pass the buck

When you pass the buck , you make excuses and pass blame to someone else if things don’t go as planned. Someone who passes the buck probably isn’t a great team player, and they’re definitely not a good leader.

“Josh lost us that client, but he tried to pass the buck to Samuel.”

5. Form a team

It means gathering a group of people to work on the project.

“The first thing a project manager does is form a team of staff who are best for the project.”

6. Team up with

Similarly to the above, it means joining together to work as a team.

“Sometimes on a big project, you may need to team up with other companies.”

7. Pitch in

To pitch in means to join in to help with a job or project.

“Everyone will have to pitch in their ideas. We need each team member to share five ideas at the meeting on Monday.”

1. From day one

This means “since the beginning.” You often hear the phrase from day one used in the workplace to talk about something that has been true since the very first day a project or business began.

“We need to hire more people immediately. We’ve been short-handed from day one .”

2. The eleventh hour

The eleventh hour is used to describe something that’s done or happens very close to the end or deadline. Think of 11 p.m. being just one hour away from 12 a.m., the start of the next day.

“The project manager won’t be pleased about them changing the design at the eleventh hour .”

3. Need it yesterday

If your manager says, “I need it yesterday,” they don’t expect you to make a time machine. What your manager really means, “This should have been done sooner. I need it right now.”

“Where is that report? I need it yesterday . I’m going to be late for the meeting now.”

ASAP is an acronym for “as soon as possible.” Unsurprisingly, in business contexts, you’ll hear ASAP quite often—it’s as common in administrative vocabulary as in marketing and everywhere else!

“Please tell Mr. Huang to call his client back ASAP .”

When under pressure, many employees say they are working 24/7: 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This doesn’t mean they are actually working all day, every day, of course.

The term 24/7 is used to express hard work and long hours, usually to avoid finishing projects at the eleventh hour.

“This marketing project is killing me. I’ve been working 24/7 and it just won’t end!”

6. To pencil it in

This expression is used to talk about setting a date for an upcoming event—like a meeting, presentation or lunch—that might not actually happen on the scheduled time or date.

Since you’re only using a pencil (and not something more permanent like a pen), you’re leaving open the possibility of canceling or rescheduling the event.

“Hi Maria, can we meet next Tuesday at 1 p.m. to chat about the upcoming campaign?” “I’m not too sure about my schedule. Let’s pencil it in and see closer to the date, ok?”

7. Start from scratch

This term is used when you need to start something new from nothing. It can also be used when you redo something from the beginning.

“Since we will be starting from scratch on this project, we will make the plan as we go along.”

8. Define the phases

This expression means to break down the project into smaller parts, or phases.

A phase is one part in a series of actions or events. For example, in a library project, the design phase comes before the building phase.

“We must wait for the project team to define the phases before we can start work.”

9. Set deadlines

A deadline is a date or time when a completed job is due. So, to set a deadline means to mark the time when something should be done.

“We have set deadlines for each phase except the design phase. Does anyone know how long the design will take?”

10. Meet the deadline

To meet a deadline means that you finish the task by the deadline. For example, say you need to send in your job application by Friday at 3:00.

To meet the deadline, you send in your job application on Friday at noon. If you send in your job application on Friday at 4:00, you did not meet the deadline (because you were too late).

“We may have to work longer hours to meet the deadline .”

11. Behind schedule

It means that something is overdue or will be done later than planned.

If your project was due on Monday, but it’s now Thursday, you’re behind schedule . The project was supposed to be finished by now, but you’re still working on it.

“When the project manager hears that the project is behind schedule , she will want to know the reason why.”

12. Ahead of schedule

To be completed earlier than planned.

Imagine that today is Monday and your project is due on Friday. If you finish it tomorrow, on Tuesday, then you’ve finished it early and are ahead of schedule.

“The project manager is happy that the project is ahead of schedule and thanked the team for their hard work.”

13. According to schedule

It means that everything is going as planned, with no delays or time-wasting.

“If the project goes according to schedule , you can expect a nice bonus this year.”

14. On schedule

Related to the above, this phrase means that you’re finishing each task on time and not expecting any delays.

“If we can solve all these problems quickly, we will still be on schedule to finish the project by the end of this month.”

15. Target date

It means to have a date to complete something by that time. It’s similar to a deadline, but it’s not as strict.

“If we keep missing the target dates , this project will not be completed on time.”

1. On a shoestring

When you do something on a shoestring , you’re working on a tight budget or with very little money.

“It’s going to be a challenge doing such a big project on a shoestring but we’ll try our best.”

2. Sleeping partner

This is a person closely connected to the company who may even be financing it, but there is no—I repeat, no —romance going on.

A sleeping partner gets this term because they’re not actively helping to manage the company, though they are invested in it.

Another term for this is silent partner .

“Oh, he doesn’t really have any say in the way we work. He’s just a sleeping partner .”

3. Cash cow

Cash cow is a term for a product or investment that provides a steady (or the most) income, usually an amount that is much more than the cost of startup.

For example, the Coca-Cola company sells a lot of products from juices to teas to energy drinks, but the original Coke is likely their cash cow.

“These new products are just additional profit. The cash cow is our line of cameras.”

4. Deep pockets

Someone with deep pockets has a lot of money to spare. Big pockets have a lot of space for carrying money!

For a company, this can be help in the form of a wealthy investor or group of investors.

“Let’s ask Mrs. Henderson for help. She has deep pockets .”

5. Go belly up

If a project or business goes belly up , it has failed to generate profit. This could result in bankruptcy or the company going into receivership . You can guess the meaning if you understand what it means when an animal (like a fish) has its stomach facing up.

“That new restaurant closed down already because they went belly up .”

6. Take a bath

Taking a bath can be a refreshing, relaxing thing. But not in the business world.

If you take a bath , it means you suffered a heavy financial loss.

“The landlord is taking a bath on his property. He has no tenants!”

7. Tighten your belt

Just swap the word “belt” for “budget,” and this will be easy to remember. If you tighten your belt , you’re cutting extra costs and trying to keep your budget lean (small; skinny).

If your company took a bath and losses are severe, it could lead to cuts being made. The company and employees will have to tighten their belts, or reduce how much money is spent.

“We’re going to have to tighten our belts . Unfortunately, our sales last month weren’t as nearly as high as usual.”

8. A slice of the pie

When profits soar (go up), you can guarantee employees will be looking for a share of the wealth, or a slice of the pie . This business English expression simply refers to a portion of profits or benefits.

You can also say a slice of the cake .

“She wants a bigger slice of the pie because she knows she’s the best employee.”

9. The lion’s share

The lion’s share is the “bulk” or “majority” of something.

Many well-run businesses reward hard work and it’s only right that those employees who put in the most time, energy and effort should receive the lion’s share , or the bulk of the profits.

“Paul has been here for 25 years and definitely gets the lion’s share around here.”

10. Golden handcuffs

These aren’t police tools. G olden handcuffs are financial incentives (bait, encouragement) given to employees in order to persuade them not to leave a company.

“Unlocking your golden handcuffs will give you much greater peace of mind.”

11. Golden handshake

Many executives have golden handshake clauses in their contracts. A golden handshake is a financial package that the executive will receive if they lose their job.

“Mr. Smith’s golden handshake served him well. He got $100,000 when he left the company last year.”

12. Kickbacks

The corporate world is tough. It may be tempting to beat out the competition by giving kickbacks , or payments for special favors (like winning a contract).

But kickbacks are often unethical (dishonest) or even illegal—especially if they could be classified as bribes !

“The company is facing a government investigation because they think the executives are getting illegal kickbacks .”

13. Create a budget

To make a plan on the amount of money to spend and how to spend it.

“We need to create a budget that includes the travel expenses of the project team.”

14. Stay on budget

To keep within the amount of money you plan to use, and refuse to spend more.

Here is yet another phrase where the noun, budget , can’t be used in its plural form (budgets).

For example:

“The project manager has reminded us that to stay on budget , we must remember to keep the costs as low as possible.”

15. Increase the budget

To add more money to the amount you planned to spend.

The opposite of this phrase is to decrease the budget, which means to take away from the amount of money that you planned to spend.

“Management has agreed to increase the budget to cover the cost of testing the new car.”

1. Back to the drawing board

To go back to the drawing board means to start over, and look at a failed idea in a new way. You can also use this phrase when you need to rethink a decision.

This expression is commonly used to motivate a team of employees to rework a failure. You can imagine a group of employees removing a failed design from a whiteboard and drawing a new idea. They are starting again by literally going back to the drawing board!

“We didn’t sell any units of our new product.” “OK, let’s go back to the drawing board and design a new one.”

2. To brainstorm an idea

To brainstorm an idea is to openly discuss an idea with your colleagues in a relaxed and free environment.

This is commonly called a brainstorming session or simply brainstorming. The purpose of brainstorming in business is to explore ideas in an open-minded and non-judgmental environment.

“Hi everyone, in this meeting we’re going to brainstorm ideas for this year’s new product. Please feel free to share any ideas you have.”

3. Give the green light

When you’re driving and the traffic light turns from red to green, what do you do? You move ahead, because green means go.

To give the green light term means to give the signal to begin. You can go ahead and now begin the project.

“We can’t start the project until management gives the green light .”

4. Kick off

To kick off means to officially start the project. This phrase is also used in sports.

In football and soccer, the game will kick off (begin) when a player kicks the ball to start play.

“As soon as we kick off the project, we will be very busy.”

5. To think outside the box

To think outside the box means to think in a creative way that is not typical or traditional. You can use this expression in business when you’re talking about ideas.

If someone tells you to think outside the box, then they’re telling you to think of a creative solution or idea that may be unexpected or not obvious.

You can imagine the “box” as a traditional and obvious solution and outside the box as a more creative or abstract solution.

“For our new advertising campaign, we really had to think outside of the box to come up with something that hadn’t been done before.”

6. Fifty-fifty

Fifty-fifty simply means dividing something into equal parts so that both parties get 50%.

“Since I’m as busy as you are, let’s split the work for this project fifty-fifty .”

7. Get the ball rolling

This phrase means to start a new project or business activity. You can imagine the sports of bowling or soccer for this expression.

It can also be used to describe a small action that leads to the beginning of something. This usually starts with one person. For example, a person can get the ball rolling by doing a small task that will eventually become part of a bigger project.

“For our meeting today, Allie will get the ball rolling by talking about our budget goals for this quarter.”

8. Hit the ground running

To hit the ground running is to begin a task or project with lots of energy and enthusiasm. The expression is commonly used when talking about a new project or idea that requires immediate, fast and lively action.

It’s also used when talking about taking advantage of an opportunity.

“We really need to hit the ground running with this idea and get our product on the shelves before someone else does.”

10. Corner the market

When a company becomes more successful than their competitors in developing a product or service, we say they have cornered the market. It’s another way of saying they control the market.

Think of this business as a boxer in the ring. It’s got its opponent in the corner, who can’t move out of the way. Its opponent can only put their gloves up in defense.

“In only a short time, the company has been able to corner the high-definition television market .”

11. Behind the scenes

The behind the scenes of a movie or show shows you the people, tools and directions that are used to make the set.

In business, this phrase is used to describe something, usually work, that’s done or that happens away from public view.

“Organizing a roadshow may look easy, but do you have any idea how much hard work we’ve put in behind the scenes ?”

12. Knuckle down

Your boss doesn’t want you to chit-chat and waste time! They want you to knuckle down , or concentrate on your work and get it done.

“All right, quit joking around. We need to knuckle down and finish this report.”

13. Run around in circles

To run around in circles means to keep doing something without achieving any real results. In other words, you’re doing a lot of unnecessary work but not getting anywhere.

“The deadline is coming up, but we’ve been running around in circles because the client keeps changing their mind about the design.”

14. Get up to speed

Did you take some time off from work? Or, did you miss the last meeting?

Either way, you’ll have to get up to speed with everything that you need to know. This expression means to catch up on information, changes or updates that you have missed.

You can also say that the person who is teaching you the missing information is bringing you up to speed.

“It didn’t take me long to get up to speed with the new laws as my co-worker explained them to me perfectly.”

15. To keep an eye on the ball

Imagine you have stepped into the stadium with the baseball bat in your hand. Thousands of people are cheering your name but, in your head, you’re thinking about one thing: You need to keep your eye on the ball.

To keep an eye on the ball means to focus on your task or goal closely. It can also be used to encourage someone to pay attention or to watch out.

“When it comes to business negotiations, you really need to keep an eye on the ball .”

16. Hands are tied

If red tape causes a delay in your project, you’ll have to tell your manager that your hands are tied . There’s just nothing you can do about the unfortunate situation.

“Sorry, we have to extend the deadline. The client hasn’t returned my call yet and my hands are tied .”

17. Go down the drain

A drain is a hole where liquids and waste are sent away. For example, there’s a drain in your sink, shower and toilet.

To go down the drain means that your effort, work or money is wasted or lost.

“If this sales campaign doesn’t succeed, all our hard work will go down the drain .”

18. By the book

Doing something by the book means doing it strictly according to the rules, policies or the law.

“I don’t think John will listen to your suggestion. He insists on doing everything by the book .”

19. Above board

You want to do things above board (the ethical and honest way) in business.

“We only do things above board here. If you want a job, you need to apply like everyone else.”

20. To cut corners

If you’re cutting corners, then you’re not giving your project everything that you should. It means skipping some steps to reach an outcome as quickly or as cheaply as possible.

It’s used in a negative way, because something that’s done by cutting corners might be missing an important part, use cheap materials or not be as good quality overall.

“The company cut corners when making their camera, so it’s very cheap but it stops working after a few months of use.”

21. Put a plan into action

This phrase is used when you want to say that you’re starting to use a plan or idea.

“If we put this plan into action , we may need more time and more people.”

22. Plan ahead

To think carefully before taking action.

“The project manager’s advice is to plan ahead so that the project will go smoothly.”

23. Make a plan

To create a way to do something.

“How should we advertise this new product? Let’s make a plan now.”

24. Stick to the plan

To refuse to change from what you have decided, no matter what happens.

For example, you and your friend have decided to go to a movie Friday night. On Friday afternoon, your friend calls to say there is a sale at your favorite store.

She asks if you want to go shopping instead. You decide to stick to the plan , meaning that you will still go watch the movie.

“Changing the design now will take too much time. Let’s just stick to the plan .”

25. Review the plan

To inspect or look carefully again at the plan.

“If we want to include all these new ideas, we will need to review the plan .”

26. Tasked with

The verb to task means to give a task (small job) to someone. However, this verb is almost always used in the passive form with the preposition “with,” which looks like this: have/has been tasked with .

In that form, the whole phase means to be given a task.

For example, if I have been tasked with calling 20 clients today, that means someone else gave me the job of calling 20 clients.

“Your team has been tasked with finding out why there are so many customer complaints.”

27. Outsource a task

The verb to outsource means to send out the company’s work to someone outside the company.

For example, if you own a small restaurant, you may cook the food yourself but outsource the desserts to be made by a local baker.

“Since the project team is busy, it might be a good idea to outsource some tasks to another company.”

28. Target to complete

The phrase is used when you plan to finish something.

“We must target to complete phase 1 before the year-end holidays when most people will be on vacation.”

29. Achieve the target

To succeed in reaching a goal.

“The project team can expect a free lunch if they achieve the target this month.”

29. Wrap up the project

To wrap it up is a common English expression that means to finish up something. So to wrap up the project means to finish the project.

“Okay, everyone, let’s check all the paperwork and clean up the project room, then we’ll be ready to wrap up the project .”

30. Sign off the project

To formally approve and accept the project as finished.

“All that remains now is to sign off the project and take the whole project team out to celebrate.”

In the workplace, meetings are all about listening and letting people know that you understand what is being talked about.

It’s a good idea in business meetings to speak as clearly as possible and to be firm (strong) but not rude or pushy.

It can be easy to seem pushy if you do not add the all-important “please” and “thank you” to your phrases. These polite terms go a long way in business English.

Beginning a conference call

You will either hear these phrases or need to use them yourself while talking to people on a conference call.

“Let’s give everyone a few more minutes to join.”
“Are we all on?”
“Can I ask that we all state our names, please?”
“I’m here. It’s [your name] in [your city].”
“Can everybody hear me?”

These are useful phrases to check if everyone is present and has joined the conversation. When asked, just respond “yes” and give your name and position, or job at the company.

If you’re using a video conference program, like Google Hangouts or Zoom, it may not be needed to give your name since others can see your information through your video icon. However, it’s still good manners to say hello to everyone when you join.

You can use these phrases to get started:

“Good morning / afternoon / evening, everyone.”
“Hi everybody. Thanks for joining us today.”

It’s also common to hear a bit of small talk before the actual meeting begins. Some phrases you might use or hear spoken are:

“How’s everyone doing today?”
“How’s the weather where you are?”
“Did everyone have a good weekend?”

Note that you may not receive actual answers to these questions. They are mostly rhetorical questions (questions that you do not have to actually answer). Most likely, you will get a few nods or a simple reply like “I’m doing fine, thanks.” Despite this, it’s polite to ask and can help fill the silence before the actual meeting begins.

When it’s time for the meeting to start, the person who is leading the meeting will signal that everybody should quiet down and listen up. Listen for these phrases:

“Okay, everyone, let’s get started.”
“It looks like we’re all here.”
“Thank you all for being here. Let’s talk about today’s objective.”

Asking for clarification during a conference call

When talking on a conference call, there is a chance that your internet connection will be poor, or that the quality of the call will be bad. In these cases, you might miss out on something that someone said.

This happens to native speakers, as well! You should always ask for clarification when you’re not sure, or else you may become more confused or misunderstand completely. Here are some phrases that you can use to make sure you do not miss anything important:

“Could you speak more slowly, please?”
“Could you repeat that, please?”
“Would you mind spelling that for me, please?”
“Could you explain that in another way, please?”
“I’m afraid I didn’t get that.”
“I’m sorry, but could you speak up a little?”
“I didn’t quite hear that, sorry. Can you say that again?”
“I didn’t catch that last bit. Can you say it again, please?”

Taking a break from the conversation

You might need to step away from a conference call. Make sure that you’re polite and clear when you do it.

Try these phrases if you need a break:

“[Your name] speaking. I need to leave for 10 minutes. Is that okay with everyone?”
“I need a moment. I’ll be back in about 10 minutes.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to step away from the call for a few minutes.”

If you’re on an online call, you can leave a message in the chat to avoid interrupting the speaker.

When you return, let everybody know you’re back by saying:

“[Your name] here. I’m back on the line again.”
“This is [Your name], I’m back. Thanks for your patience / Thank you for waiting.”

Being an active participant in meetings

As the meeting goes on, you’ll want to be an active participant. That means speaking up if you have any questions, as well as giving your feedback and thoughts when others speak.

It’s okay if you accidentally speak over somebody or interrupt them. It happens to everyone. You can use these phrases if this happens:

“Sorry, I interrupted you. You were saying…?”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt you. Please, go on.”

Sometimes, you might want to interrupt to ask a question. In this case, you can politely signal that you have a question:

“Am I to understand that…”
“Sorry, but just to clarify…”
“So, what we’re saying is…”
“Sorry to interrupt, but…”

You can also participate in the conversation by agreeing and disagreeing with what others are saying.

Here are some useful phrases for agreeing:

“That’s an excellent point , [person’s name], I agree with you on that.”
“Okay, I think we’re all on the same page here…”
“Yes, I see what you’re saying…”
“I couldn’t agree more.”

You will not always agree with everyone else. Here are some phrases to disagree politely but firmly:

“I’m sorry but I think you may have that slightly wrong…”
“From my perspective, it’s a little different. Let me explain.”
“I see your point, but…”
“I’m not sure I agree with that.”

Planning for future meetings

When it’s time to end the meeting, you may want to set up the next meeting. Whether you’re talking with your co-workers, business partners or clients, here are some phrases to help you schedule future meetings:

“I’d like to set up a meeting with you at your earliest convenience. When are you free?”
“Are you free to talk again next week?”
“When are you available for another meeting?”
“How does 2:30 p.m. Thursday sound?”
“Does Thursday at 2:30 p.m. suit you?”

After the person has agreed to the time, you should confirm one last time just to make sure the other person has really heard.

If you’re working with a global team where there could be confusion as to the time, add the “a.m.” or “p.m.” and the time zone if necessary, just to be sure you have been understood:

“Great, let’s meet again on Thursday at 2:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time then.”
“Okay, I look forward to seeing you at 2:30 in the afternoon on Thursday.”
“Thursday at 2:30 p.m., EST. Looking forward to it, see you then.”
“See you on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Bye for now.”

Check out this post for more phrases you’ll need for your next business meeting:

To run a meeting effectively, you need a stash of business meeting phrases in English. Check out this post to find a list of over 200 business meeting phrases to use in…

Extra Tips When on a Conference Call

Besides using the right language, there are a few other things you can do to boost your professional look.

Learn the software you will be using beforehand. Your conference call will go a lot smoother with just a little preparation before you start. Get on the software and learn where all the key features are. Try a test call to see how things go.
Talk with a friend at work and look at the agenda together. The agenda is a document that will list the topics of the upcoming meeting. You will be able to ask your work friend about the words you do not understand and practice using them.
Use the mute button if you’re not speaking while on an audio conference call. It’s more polite and business-like, and can give you time to really listen and think about what people are saying. Plus, it will make sure that any background noise from your end will not distract the meeting.
Look interested and nod your head when appropriate. It can be a bit strange at first, but try to be as engaged (involved) as possible. Act natural and friendly.
Try out idioms. Some native speakers may use complicated idioms during conference calls. However, remember that a plain-spoken approach with fewer idioms will get your point across more clearly during a business call.

At some point, you may be called on to give a presentation. Business presentations are known for being dull (boring)—not many people enjoy sitting through many PowerPoint slides… do you?

Keep your presentation short, speak clearly and try to waste as little time as possible.

If you’re on a video call, remember that body language is still an important part of your presentation. As you talk, try to look up from your notes as often as possible to engage your audience. If you make a mistake, just stay calm and correct yourself.

Starting your presentation

Begin by introducing yourself. Even though this is a business presentation, it’s okay to be friendly and informal here, to get everyone to feel comfortable and interested in what you have to say. Here are some examples:

“Hi everybody, my name is [your name] and I’m [your role in the company].”
“Good morning / afternoon / evening ladies and gentlemen, I’m [your name].”
“Hi everyone, I’m [your name]. I’ll keep this brief.”
“Thanks for having me here today. I’m [your name].”

Note: remember to use the contraction “I’m” instead of “I am” to sound more friendly and less formal.

Introducing the topic of your presentation

After you have introduced yourself, it’s time to introduce your topic of presentation. Try to say the topic of your presentation in a sentence or two.

This is a good time to practice your “elevator pitch.” Pretend that you and the people you’re speaking to are on an elevator going from the 10th floor to the 1st. You only have about a minute to express your point, and do it in such a way that everyone will understand.

You can start your topic introduction with these phrases:

“Today, I’m here to talk to you about…”
“I’d like to outline our plans for…”
“In this presentation, I’ll discuss…”

After you introduce the topic, you can give the listeners a “map” of your presentation, to help them know what to expect.

“This presentation will take about 20 minutes.”
“First, I’ll start with some general information about…”
“First, I’ll talk about…”
“Then, I’ll look at…”
“Then, we’ll go over…”
“We’ll conclude with some information on…”
“Finally, we’ll talk about how to move forward with…”
“I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have at the end of this presentation.”
“To keep things moving, please hold your questions until the end of the presentation.”

Ending your presentation

You have made it to the end of your presentation! Now comes the easy part: ending it. Once you have given your presentation and are ready to finish, use these phrases:

“Well, that brings me to the end of my presentation.”
“Thanks so much for listening to my presentation.”
“That’s it from me.”
“It was a real pleasure being here today.”
“I’ll be taking questions for the next 10 minutes.”
“That concludes my presentation. Does anyone have any questions?”

When you’re taking part in a negotiation, you might or might not get what you want at first. Here are some phrases that will work for each situation. Remember: Be polite but be firm.

Sometimes in a negotiation, you know you’re not going to win. When you go into a negotiation, you should know what your “deal-breaker” is. A deal-breaker is something that will not be accepted no matter what.

For example, the lowest price you’re willing to accept for a product is $100 per piece. You will walk away if somebody demands a lower price. Perhaps you’re protecting your “bottom line.”

Try these phrases to get the negotiation “back on track” if it seems you’re “not on the same page.” In other words, get the negotiation going in your favor if you’re not in agreement:

“I understand that we can’t do that, but can we discuss some other alternatives?”
“I hear what you’re saying, but our bottom line is very clear on this one.”
“This is a deal-breaker for us, we can’t budge.” (Budge means move, change or give up.)
“Maybe we can find a compromise that works for both of us.”

One of the most powerful phrases you can use during a brainstorming session is one that includes a modal verb. These are special verbs that express ability (“could”), possibility (“might” or “should”) or request (“would”).

They are small but powerful words to use for softening the effect of your tone in a discussion. They make you sound more polite and agreeable.

Making Suggestions

Beginning a sentence with the word “Let’s…” will make you sound positive about working together toward a common goal, for example:

“Let’s hold the product launch here.”
“Why don’t we use the convention center?”

Phrasing your suggestion in the form of a question is a great way to set a softer tone:

“How about holding the launch at the convention center?”
“What if we consider another venue for the launch?”

Beginning a sentence with “I think” or “Maybe,” even if you’re very certain about something, is a good practice:

“I think we should decide on the venue now.”
“Maybe we could decide on the venue now.”

Rejecting Suggestions

Saying “no” to an idea or suggestion comes with a risk of offending someone or hurting their feelings. So we should approach this very carefully.

Starting a sentence on a positive note, even when we’re about to reject someone’s suggestion, is one great way to make it less upsetting:

“That’s a good idea but we may not have the budget for it.”
“Your suggestion sounds good but we’ll need to check the rental rates.”
“I can see some problems with that.”
“Let me think about this.”
“I’m not too keen on using the concourse area for the product launch.”
“I’m not too keen on the idea of the convention center.”
“I’m not really convinced the concourse is a good venue.”
“I’m not really sure we have the budget.”
“I don’t think this would work.”
“I don’t think this would be the best venue for the launch.”

Accepting suggestions

Accepting or agreeing with someone’s suggestion is easy. However, instead of a direct “Yes” or “I agree,” you may want to communicate different degrees (levels) of agreement.

If you’re very sure, you might say:

“That’s a good idea. / That’s not a bad idea.”
“This is just what we need.”
“Let’s try that.”

If you’re not very sure, you might use these phrases:

“This looks like it could work.”
“That might be worth trying.”
“It might work.”
“Maybe. I’m not sure.”

Evaluating suggestions involves reviewing ideas and solutions, and selecting the best one to use. This usually involves discussing each idea or solution in detail and asking questions to generate feedback. Here are some good questions to ask during the evaluation:

“What do you suggest?”
“What are your thoughts?”
“Do you think this will work?”

If an idea or suggestion sounds good but you need more time to think it through, you could use these phrases:

“Let’s look at this again.”
“I think this needs a lot more thought.”
“This idea has potential (possibilities), but it’s not quite there yet.”
“Let’s keep this in mind and come back to it later.”

If you only agree partially (partly) with a suggestion, or accept only certain aspects (parts) of an idea, you could use these phrases to lead into saying which parts you agree and disagree with:

“I agree up to a point.”
“Well, yes and no.”

Now you’re all set to shine at your next brainstorming session.

How can you work on your speaking skills and learn new business English phrases at the same time?

The key is to always keep practicing—and to find the perfect resources for your business purposes!

Forbes and The Economist business sections are for more advanced business English learners. The articles are written for and by native speakers, so the language is very current and can sometimes be complex but well-written.
The Learning Network by the New York Times is specifically made for English learners. Some of the material is targeted toward teenage learners, but the lessons use real New York Times articles and are a perfect way to expand your vocabulary.
Learning English by the BBC is another great source of English-learning material for a wide range of levels. It has grammar lessons, podcasts, vocabulary lists and news articles which can help you slowly make your way to the main BBC Business news website.
Focus on common phrases with multiple applications. For example, short phrases such as “I’m sorry” can be used in a number of different business scenarios. For example: “I’m sorry I’m late to the meeting,” “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that,” “I’m sorry, but I disagree” and so on.
Listen to podcasts. There are many podcasts made for business English learners. This series of podcasts from the British Council, for example, will help you to improve your English in your workplace. They are suitable (appropriate) for learners at an intermediate or advanced level.
Listen to English speakers. Pay attention to every native speaker you encounter. When answering a question they ask you, listen carefully to their choice of words and try to use those same words in your answer.
Practice with interviews. Having pretend interviews or listening to them can be especially good for practicing professional business English.
Watch authentic English videos. You don’t need to have actual English-speaking individuals next to you to benefit from hearing native speech. Head online and watch videos made by English speakers for English speakers. These will be filled with the kind of language you would want to use in real-life.

If learning from authentic English content sounds a bit challenging, FluentU can make native videos easier to learn from.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

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English is the universal language of business all over the world. The better your English gets, the more in demand you will be as an employee. Learn the business English phrases and expressions in this post to help you get started.

Keep listening and keep talking!

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

learn-english-with-subtitled-television-show-clips

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37 Useful Phrases For Presentations In English

Post author: Harry
Post last modified: 07/02/2024
Post category: Business English Vocabulary
Reading time: 10 mins read

Here you will learn at least 37 useful phrases for presentations in English. Improve your business English skills and feel confident when making presentations in English.

Presentation phrases for setting the scene, recapping, ending a presentation in English and more.

Listen to the podcast Speak Better English with Harry or watch it on YouTube at Learn English with Harry .

List of phrases for presentations in English

useful phrases for presentations in English

Hi there, this is teacher Harry, and welcome back to my English lessons where I try to help you to get a better understanding of the English language.

Okay, so what are we going to cover in the lesson today? Well, all of us, myself included, have to make presentations, from time to time to staff or to bosses, or to clients or customers, whoever it may be. And if you’re using English, not as your native language, then it can be a bit of a challenge. You might feel lacking in confidence. You might feel that you’re not up to the other guys.

But you can do it.

So I’m going to give you some useful phrases that you can use in relation to presentations.

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setting the scene

You might just simply say at the presentation particularly if it’s online,

It’s good to see you all here.
It’s great that you could join me.
I’m very pleased to be here.
I’m very pleased to be talking to you today.
I’m very pleased to be presenting to you today.
I’m glad you could all make it.
Thank you all for coming.
Thank you all for joining in.
Thank you all for coming together on Zoom.

Whatever it might be, you can adjust the words to suit the media and the medium by which you’re presenting to your guests. Staff, colleagues, clients.

common phrases for starting off presentations

And then if we talk about other useful expressions and phrases.

It’s a good idea to spend 30 seconds introducing yourself.

So my name is Harry, I work in this department, I’d like to talk to you today about…

The topic of my presentation today is….
I’m planning to tell you about today….
I’d like to introduce you to….

So in those sorts of expressions, you’re setting the scene again, you’re telling them exactly what you’re going to cover. And that’s a really good idea in a presentation because then everybody knows what’s going to be spoken about.

My name is Harry, I work in the marketing department. My presentation today is about a new product. The presentation is probably going to take about 20 minutes. And if you have any questions, then please ask them as we go through the presentation.

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Introducing a talk.

Now, if you want to introduce the talk, you could say:

What I’d like to do in this presentation is…
First of all, I’ll give you a brief overview of…

A brief overview of the product, a brief overview of the background, a brief overview of our plans.

Okay, then I’ll talk about….
And after that, I’d like to show you some market research.
After that, I’d like to show you our projections.
After that, I’d like to show you this specific plan for the launching of this product.

So you go step by step by step.

referring to visuals

So in any presentation, visuals are really important, and they can help you.

And they can also support you if you’re a little bit lacking in confidence about the presentation itself.

And you perhaps don’t want to be the focus of everything.

So the type of phrases you might use in that context would be something like:

You will notice on this chart…
If you look at this slide, we can see…
Have a look at these figures…

As I said, it helps you, it supports you and enables you to just sort of hide a little bit behind those slides that focus on the screen, not specifically on you.

Useful Phrases For Presentations In English

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Finishing off a section.

And when you want to finish off in relation to those sort of aspects, you might just summarise by saying,

Well, that’s all I wanted to say on that particular topic.
If you’ve got any questions, I’d be happy to take them now.
To summarise what I said is…
If you want to contact me offline, just send me an email.
As I promised, I’ve now finished the presentation, it only took 20 minutes.
I appreciate you watching and listening and your attention.
If I have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them now.
Have you any questions?

So again, helpful information directly in them, how they can get in touch with you after your presentation.

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Checking and moving on.

So during the presentation, we want to make sure that the people are listening, but you also don’t want to spend too much time on each particular point.

So you check their understanding so far, and then you move on. So you might say to the people,

Does that sound okay to you?
Do you follow that?
Is it clear?
Can I clarify anything else?
If not, let’s move on.
Let’s look at the next slide.
Now, let’s move on to the really important topic of…
Let’s turn to the topic of budgets.

So you pinpoint exactly what you want to cover. When you’re going to cover it and then you move on. So you check that they understand it.

I also find in these types of presentations, particularly if they’re a bit longer than a few short slides, that it’s a good idea to do some recapping.

To recap means to go over what you’ve done before. Not a huge amount of detail because you don’t want to bore them by going through everything, but you recap quite quickly.

Before I move on…
I’m going to recap quickly…
Let me summarise briefly…
Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve covered today.
I’d like to recap the main points.
Let me go over the main points for you once more.

All of those good, acceptable expressions and words that you can use.

coming to an end

And then when you come to the end of the presentation, you want to sign off, you want to finish them. We can say,

Well, this is my key point.
This is the key point in all of this, so let me finish on this.
This is what I want to say to sum up in a few words.
I’d like to finish now by thanking you all for your kind attention.
I look forward to joining you again soon.
I look forward to any questions.
I look forward to receiving your emails.
I’d be happy to take any questions now.

All nice and polite ways of informing people that this is the end.

So there’s somebody out there in the audience who’s asleep, they’ll probably wake up at that point when you say and finally or, in conclusion

Well, hopefully you’ve got something in particular that you can hold onto there. Something that can help you if you’re making presentations in English.

If you have any other queries, come to me, I’m very, very happy to help you. My contact details are www.englishlessonviaskype.com .

And indeed, if you want some help, how to make presentations, if you want some help, how to get through interviews, or you just want general help with your English well, why not try our one-to-one online English lessons .

Thanks for listening. Join me again soon.

More information

For more information on English grammar rules, English collocations and English idioms, check out the links below:

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You can always study English advanced level at Learning English with the BBC and British Council Learn English .

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120 Presentation Topic Ideas Help You Hook Your Audience

Updated: August 15, 2024

Published: August 09, 2023

Cooking is easy. The puzzle is figuring out what to eat. As soon as you know that, you can get started. The same holds for presentations. The sooner you can whip up a good, informative, and catchy topic, the easier the rest of the process becomes.

man presents presentation topics to a group

Pick a good topic that resonates with you and your audience to set a strong foundation. But select the wrong topic, and it becomes difficult to connect with your audience, find mutual interests, or hold their attention.

So, let’s learn how to develop thought-provoking and relevant topics for your presentations. You’ll also find some best practices to make your presentation memorable.

Free Presentation & Public Speaking Kit

Everything you need to become more comfortable and effective during your next presentation, including:

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PowerPoint Presentation Templates
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Table of Contents

How to Choose a Great Presentation Topic in 5 Steps

120 presentation topic ideas, 5 presentation tips.

How to Choose a Great Presentation Topic. Be novel. Begin with the end in mind.

4. Choose an appropriate presentation style.

There are many ways to present a topic. Your personality, the topic at hand, and your audience’s personas will help you determine which style would best fit you and your audience.

Select a presentation style that will communicate the main idea clearly and have a lasting impact on your audience.

For instance, explore a freeform style presenter by Sir Ken Robinson.

5. Engage with your audience.

Work on your presentation skills to make a strong connection with your audience, get through to them and leave a mark.

Think of the presenter as the link between the topic and the audience. A strong or a weak presenter can make a difference between a presentation being a thriving success or a boring failure.

Hone your skills by engaging and interacting with your audience. Make them feel like a part of the presentation and not just spectators. 70% of marketers have found presentations with interactive content to be more effective than those without.

Here are a few ways you can make your presentation interactive:

Start your speech with uncommon questions to your audience. Involve them from the get-go, like ask to raise their hands if X.
Make eye contact to build credibility and show confidence. Don’t stare at your slides or notes. Smile occasionally and talk to the audience directly.
Have an active and confident body language. Don’t stand in the same place the entire time. Move around the stage.
Don’t be monotonous. Speak as you would to a colleague — with enthusiasm.
Ask close-ended questions in between to keep the audience engaged without losing time. Address them using their names to keep things interesting.
Share personal experiences and stories that your audience will find fascinating and relatable.
Practice thoroughly before you present so you’re fluent with the material and delivery.
Energy and excitement can be quite contagious. Make sure you exude enough to spread some to your audience.

Feeling Inspired Yet?

Now you have all the right ingredients for choosing amazing topics and a hundred ideas to drive inspiration from. So, go ahead and start cooking presentations that will blow your audience away.

Don’t forget to choose a super-relevant topic and add meaty information. Do it with excitement to make it enjoyable for you and your audience. Best of luck!

Don't forget to share this post!

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10 Business Presentation Examples | Say Goodbye to PowerPoint!

Renderforest Staff

11 Apr 2023

13 min read

10 Business Presentation Examples | Say Goodbye to PowerPoint!

Have you ever found yourself delivering a presentation to a disengaged audience, wondering where you went wrong? If the struggle to make your business presentation stand out and leave a lasting impression is real, don’t worry – there’s a way out!

In today’s fast-paced business world, traditional slideshows may no longer cut it. Audiences expect more creative and interactive presentations beyond bullet points and stock images. But here’s a dilemma. How do you adopt contemporary trends while staying authentic to your business?

While skimming through dozens of business presentation examples , we found that adjusting one according to your communication goals requires a certain approach and a little technical support. To help you solve the riddle, we’ve compiled 10 outstanding presentations that will surely spark ideas for your business.

If you are ready to embrace a revolution, keep reading, as we’ll give you editable templates as a starting point for your next presentation!

Revamp Your Business Presentations With These 10 Engaging Examples

Informative, motivational, entertaining – presentations come in all shapes. The following business presentation examples can offer insightful solutions, whether you go for an entirely new approach or just tweak an existing template.

Without further ado, let’s dig deeper to see how famous companies meet today’s demand.

Adidas Annual Report 2021

Adidas annual report video presentation example

Image source: Adidas Annual Report 2021

The Adidas annual report for 2021 is a comprehensive and detailed report providing an overview of the company’s performance and financial results over the year. Presented as a combined publication for investors, stakeholders, and everyone interested in the company’s activity, it’s a business presentation example focusing on:

Professionalism
Clean manner

One of the key peculiarities of this report is its abstract style. The way it uses visuals and infographics to present complex financial information and data in an easy-to-understand format tells about its business-oriented approach.

Starting with a letter from the CEO, the presentation goes further with a strategic overview, financial highlights, yearly highlights, sales outlines, and more.

Here is a sneak peek at its visuals!

A six-slide presentation has two times as many pages organically integrated as internal resources. For instance, by clicking on the green box entitled “Letter from the CEO,” you’ll be taken to the page where Kasper Rorsted expresses his gratitude toward each team member and business-related aspirations for the future.

A map depicting the company’s sales by segment has a neat yet bold aesthetic that adds to an overall business feel.

The company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility is highlighted throughout the report, with sections dedicated to topics such as sustainable sourcing, supply chain transparency, and diversity and inclusion. This business presentation example showcases the power of design in business communication, proving that a combination of text and visuals is key to making an impact.

Create Yours With Renderforest

Embracing a minimalistic yet professional approach business presentation ideas is no longer a challenge for those using Renderforest for design-related tasks. The platform has hundreds, if not thousands, of editable slideshow templates for every business purpose.

Here’s your editable business presentation template to create your next annual report. Start by customizing business presentation examples according to your company’s style guide and feel the difference.

Renderforest review 2022 video presentation template

Porsche Company Presentation 2022

Image source: Porsche Company Presentation 2022 The Porsche company presentation is a sleek and polished business presentation example of the company’s current company heads, key statistics for the past year of 2021, brand philosophy, and more. The presentation is presented in a professional and sophisticated manner, with a focus on high-quality visuals and concise, impactful text. We see striking images and graphics as a business presentation example for a luxury brand. Intending to convey the Porsche brand’s essence and identity, presentation makers have included a range of visual elements, from illustrations to car photographs and graphs demonstrating the business growth.

The strategic focus on highlighting Porsche’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility allows the business to stand out against its competitors and speak for itself. As a proof, the following slide depicts the company’s objectives for the future of environmental protection.

Porsche sustainable development business presetation example

Image source: Porsche Company Presentation 2022

Overall, the presentation’s clean aesthetics, consistent color palette, and use of appropriate corporate visuals make it a great business presentation example for other businesses to follow.

Whether you are more into strict or creative presentations, we have yet other business presentation ideas for you. Staying true to your business values is essential, so take the time to personalize the following template and set yourself apart. And if you’re planning on rebranding, the AI business name generator can come in handy.

Pixar’s 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling

Image source: Pixar’s 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling

This extra vivid yet minimalistic presentation provides guidelines for creating compelling and memorable stories. The presentation is demonstrated in a simple and clear manner, with a focus on concise text and playful, colorful visuals.

With its simple design, this guide provides clear and actionable steps for creating stories that engage, inspire, and resonate with audiences. The well-known character outlines evoke a solid connection to the visual content of Pixar’s films.

Here we may also see the constant use of large fonts and bold colors that deliver a powerful and emotional impact on the viewers.

How Google Works by Eric Schmidt

Image source: How Google Works by Eric Schmidt & Jonathan Rosenberg with Alan Eagle

The “How Google Works” presentation is highly informative and visually engaging. It’s a comprehensive overview of the company’s operations and the little secrets behind its success. Presented as illustrated storytelling, the presentation is an excellent example of incorporating relevant facts and figures without overwhelming the audience.

One of the key peculiarities of this business presentation example is the focus on Google’s unique corporate culture and management philosophy. The presentation highlights the corporate emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and open communication and how these values have contributed to the company’s success.

Overall, its clear and appealing design doesn’t bore but works effectively, helping the audience quickly grasp the business model.

Whether for education, corporate identity outline, or simply presenting yourself in a fun and creative way, Renderforest’s business presentation templates stand out from the crowd. Hit the Edit button to customize the following template and fit your brand, style, and message accordingly.

Let’s make a lasting impression with your speech!

HupSpot’s Quarterly Investor Presentation Q4’22

Image source: HubSpot Quarterly Investor Presentation Q4’22

As a polished and professional document, The HubSpot Quarterly Investor Presentation provides an in-depth overview of the company’s financial performance and strategic priorities. The presentation features metrics demonstrating HubSpot’s business progress, including growth in revenue and customer retention.

Through simple visualizations in corporate colors, the presentation has a clear and concise manner of presenting business performance. The key data points are easily identified through charts and graphs, appealing to the business-minded audience.

Infographics work best for such pitch decks as they help deliver relevant information visually attractively. Also, the use of icons makes the document more readable.

Indeed, this is a great example of creating a visually appealing slide deck that investors and executives can easily understand.

Graphs, charts, tables, and infographics are some of the most effective ways to help you clearly communicate your business performance and strategies. For instance, you can incorporate the following slides into your next presentation and emphasize the company’s priorities in a captivating way.

Renderforest’s corporate presentation templates provide creative and eye-catching design elements that will surely leave an impression on the viewers.

Renderforest business presentation template

HupSpot’s 2022 Analyst Day

Image source: HubSpot’s 2022 Analyst Day Presentation

Consistency is the key, and HubSpot’s second presentation proves that. The presentation features the corporate style and has the same icons, clear visualizations, and simple yet informative text blocks that provide a comprehensive overview of business metrics.

It’s an extended 75-page presentation with two constituent presentations covering specific business topics, such as defining the company’s commerce vision, highlighting the best-working practices toward customer acquisition, predicting future performance, etc.

The way these presentations provide valuable insights into the company’s business strategy, corporate integrity, product offerings, and market positions speaks much about professionalism. That said, a well-designed and unified corporate presentation will become your ace in the hole for pitching business ideas and strategies and positioning yourself as a reliable niche representative.

Netflix Culture Deck

Image source: Netflix Culture Deck

Concise and impactful corporate presentations help with new employee onboarding and business development, and Netflix’s Culture Deck is a good example. Through minimal use of visuals, it provides detailed information on how the company fosters a culture of innovation, encourages risk-taking, and empowers employees to make decisions and take ownership of their work.

Although this presentation mainly features plain text blocks on a white background, it is a well-structured, logically organized, and easy-to-follow corporate manual.

Sometimes less is more! That’s the core idea behind Netflix Culture Deck.

Renderforest’s business presentation templates allow you to craft a captivating employee handbook and leave a good first impression on new employees. Select the template that best fits your corporate mindset and message, spice it up with visuals, and you’ll be ready to present your company most effectively.

Coca-Cola | Investor Overview – Updated for Third Quarter 2022

Image source: Coca-Cola | Investor Overview – Updated for Third Quarter 2022

Here’s another case where a company presents a detailed financial performance analysis, strategic initiatives, and market position through easy-to-digest infographics. The colorful and fresh design style leaves viewers with an informative and creative impression.

The presentation contains concise business updates and insights that help business partners comprehend the company’s state and further development opportunities.

Coca-Cola’s Investor Overview is a good example of how a business presentation should look regarding design, usability, and niche-oriented content.

Disney’s Q1 FY23 Earnings

Image source: Disney’s Q1 FY23 Earnings

Disney’s presentation highlights business performance in the context of industry trends and features detailed graphs and diagrams that help business partners efficiently identify recent business updates. It’s a clearly designed overview of the company’s current and future development plans.

Media and entertainment distribution results come in simple bar charts, as shown below.

Performance highlights include updates from parks, experiences, products, and more. Although there is statistics overload, infographics present it in a well-structured way.

Renderforest’s engaging templates can help you get that business presentation ready in no time. Whether you’re creating a business overview, getting ready for a new product launch, or need to send a financial report to your stakeholders, Renderforest provides you with sophisticated editing tools for business presentation ideas .

You’ll get access to all content customization elements, from infographics to maps, charts, graphs, and beyond.

Get everything you need in one place!

Albrecht Solutions | Company Presentation

Image source: Albrecht Solutions | Company Presentation

Last but not least is a company presentation from Albrecht Solutions. Focused on highlighting the company’s history, customer value, and corporate culture ideology, this example features formal visuals, discreet color pallets, and data charts.

It’s a valuable resource for future partners and potential customers interested in learning more about Albrecht Solutions.

Business Presentation Hacks for a Captivating Pitch

Going through each example has advantages, as now you have a certain degree of knowledge regarding the best practices. However, aspects like the delivery manner, laconic speech, and visual storytelling play a crucial role in all business presentation examples discussed above.

Let’s quickly skim through several tips and tricks to help you polish your slides and boost your confidence:

Choose the Right Opening

Start by introducing the presentation topic and yourself. Explain your intent for giving this talk in a few words and get people hooked on your words.

Remain Laconic: Avoid Text Overload

The fewer words, the better! Your audience will thank you for clear, concise presentations that are easy to follow. You can always go into more detail and answer questions afterward.

Tell a Story with Visuals

People fall for stories, so why not use visuals to support your points and illustrate the message you want to convey? Use color schemes and graphics that complement your narrative, as well as charts and diagrams to present data.

Create Visual Consistency with Templates

While looking for consistency and clarity, templates can help. Templates keep the background uniform, give you a range of options to choose from, and create professional-grade presentations in no time.

The best part about Renderforest’s business presentation templates is they are fully customizable, so you can make them your own by adding your text, images, and branding. With a ready-made business presentation kit , even non-designers can make stunning presentations for their audience.

Use Videos to Stand Out

Video content rules almost every industry, and business communication is no exception. Audiences today require visual aids for better engagement and understanding. Incorporating videos into your presentation can be a powerful tool to grab attention and keep your audience interested.

Renderforest’s presentation videos are a fantastic way to create engaging and professional-looking presentations that captivate your audience. Our video presentation templates are designed to be user-friendly and easy to customize, even if you have no prior video editing experience.

From 3D animations to corporate overviews, these business presentation examples with videos are sure to leave a lasting impression.

Incorporate Data Visualizations (Infographics)

The examples analyzed above clearly outline the importance of having visually appealing data. While numbers can be dry and dull, video infographics and animations can water down complex data and make it easier for your audience to digest. Renderforest offers a perfect solution to this.

The Bottom Lines

In conclusion, effective business presentations are essential for any organization to succeed in today’s competitive world. By reviewing 10 outstanding examples from world-known companies, we have seen that there are various ways to make your presentations stand out and leave a lasting impression.

However, creating a professional presentation from scratch can be time-consuming and challenging, especially for those who are not design-savvy.

That’s where Renderforest comes in, offering a wide range of editable presentation templates, infographics, and video presentations that are easy to customize and can elevate your business communication game to the next level.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to impress your audience and achieve your business goals with Renderforest’s user-friendly presentation and logo animation maker tools.

Try them out today!

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You Still Need to Use These 20 Smart Business Buzzwords

Some words may grate on your nerves, but business leaders are still using "disrupt," "synergy" and "ideate." you should too..

Businessman speaking before inattentive colleagues at meeting

Spend any amount of time in a corporate environment and you'll likely notice there are some words that seem to come up on a daily basis. Certain verbiage becomes part of the corporate culture and soon, you may feel as if you need to use it to fit in.

While they can change from one day to the next, most corporate buzzwords have a positive meaning. They're used to boost morale and motivate everyone involved in the conversation. Here are 20 of the top business buzzwords that you should make an effort to work into your vocabulary.

Impact is a powerful word that has become a favorite of business professionals. Grammarians argue that the word is being used improperly, urging you to use "affect" instead, but businesses love it.

2. Corporate Synergy

Half of the people who use this term likely don't even know what it means . It usually refers to coordinating and collaborating more effectively in an organization. You'll want to use it where appropriate on an ongoing basis.

3. Disruption

When something interrupts the status quo, it's termed as a disruption. Many people are tired of this word but it's not going anywhere.

4. Deep Dive

Some may call it brainstorming , but many professionals say they're going in for a deep dive when they need to come up with ideas.

5. Core Competency

When someone is competent, it hardly means that person is outstanding. But in business, core competencies refer to the things a company or a person does best.

6. Incentivize

If you want someone to buy what you're selling, you need to offer an incentive. This word describes that effort. It can also refer to the act of motivating a person to get something done.

7. Outside the Box

These days, it's rare a business doesn't want its workers to think outside the box. Even though the term itself isn't outside the box anymore, it persists in conversations.

8. Bleeding Edge

This is one I've been hearing more and more lately. When being "cutting edge" isn't quite enough, we get this term for being ahead of trends.

9. Move the Needle

This term is often used in sales or marketing, when a certain amount of effort is required to make a noticeable difference.

As if there weren't enough terms for coming up with ideas, here's another one.

Once you've come up with those ideas, you'll need to unpack them to thoroughly examine them.

12. Wheelhouse

A wheelhouse shelters the person steering a boat but in business, it refers to a person's specialty area.

13. Reach Out

Nobody refers to calling or emailing someone anymore. Instead, they "reach out."

14. Deliverable

This is a quantifiable good or service provided as a result of completing a project. A favorite term of project managers, this word has spread like a virus.

15. Amplify

In music, this means an increase in volume. In business, it means to improve. It often is used in the context of social media, since an amplified message is one that is shared more often.

16. Out of Pocket

All this term means is that someone will be unavailable for a period of time.

17. Drill Down

If you want to get to the root of an issue, you merely drill until you reach it. This is the metaphor that has brought this term to the boardroom.

Once a tech term, this word has quickly emerged as the best way to describe sending a message to someone.

19. Bandwidth

Another tech term that has made its way into the corporate environment. In day-to-day context, it is often used to ask if someone has time available to talk or work on a project.

20. Low-Hanging Fruit

Some have requested that this term become obsolete, but it is nowhere close to doing that. It often refers to sales deals that are easier to close than others.

Whether you're pitching your product or networking with others in your field, you may be seen as a more reputable colleague if you use the right terminology when you're talking. The fact is that corporate buzzwords will probably never go away, so it's important to learn to speak the lingo.

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Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto

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software ecosystem
business ecosystem
morphological analysis
business ecosystem modeling
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Business Words
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COMMENTS

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101 Business English Presentation Phrases

101 Phrases for Presentations

Beginning your Presentation

Referencing Information and Sources

Give an Outline for the Presentation

Explaining Visual Data

Hypothesize

Stating Your Point

Beginning a New Section of the Main Body

Delivering Main Presentation Points

Introduce Solutions

Useful Words and Phrases

Discussion Questions

Interacting with the Audience

Concluding Your Presentation

Ending the Presentation

Thank your Audience and Close your Presentation

Popular Business Presentation Phrases

10 Simple Steps to Effective Business Presentations

2. Plan Your Points

3. Gather Phrases and Jargon

4. Develop Visual Aids

5. Practice Out Loud

6. Prepare for the Unexpected

7. Body Language

8. Manage Your Nerves

9. Ask Questions

10. Be Open to Feedback

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn from History – Follow the Science – Listen to the Experts

…it’s a whole new story!

Bethany MacDonald

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Main Body

Listing and Sequencing

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:

Author: Steven Hobson

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35 Best Business English Presentation Phrases

Providing More Details

Linking to Another Topic

Emphasizing a Point

Referring to Information, Data and Numbers

Explaining Charts, Tables and Graphs

27. To illustrate this point...

28. This table provides a breakdown of …

Concluding Your Presentation

35 Best Business English Presentation Phrases [Executive English]

An Effective Presentation

Preparation

Beginning with your Introduction

1. It is a pleasure to be here with the _______ (group/team/association) this morning/afternoon/ evening…

2. A special welcome to the _________ (group/team/association)…

3. I’m ___________ and I’m so excited to be here with the ________________ (group/team/association).

Transition from the Introduction to the Message

4. As a member of ___________ (refer to the group/team/association) you can relate to today’s message of _____________

5. As you are aware…

6. Let me start by providing some background information…

Transitioning to the Next Topic

7. Turning our attention now to…

8. Let’s move on to…

Providing More Details

9. To elaborate on…

10. I’d like to expand on…

Linking to Another Topic

11. As stated earlier.. .

12. As mentioned earlier…

3. I’m _ and I’m so excited to be here with the ______ (group/team/association).

4. As a member of _ (refer to the group/team/association) you can relate to today’s message of ___