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Blog Graphic Design Visual Presentation: Tips, Types and Examples
Visual Presentation: Tips, Types and Examples
Written by: Krystle Wong Sep 28, 2023
So, you’re gearing up for that big presentation and you want it to be more than just another snooze-fest with slides. You want it to be engaging, memorable and downright impressive.
Well, you’ve come to the right place — I’ve got some slick tips on how to create a visual presentation that’ll take your presentation game up a notch.
Packed with presentation templates that are easily customizable, keep reading this blog post to learn the secret sauce behind crafting presentations that captivate, inform and remain etched in the memory of your audience.
Click to jump ahead:
What is a visual presentation
15 effective tips to make your visual presentations more engaging, 6 major types of visual presentation you should know , what are some common mistakes to avoid in visual presentations, visual presentation faqs, 5 steps to create a visual presentation with venngage.
A visual presentation is a communication method that utilizes visual elements such as images, graphics, charts, slides and other visual aids to convey information, ideas or messages to an audience.
Visual presentations aim to enhance comprehension engagement and the overall impact of the message through the strategic use of visuals. People remember what they see, making your point last longer in their heads.
Without further ado, let’s jump right into some great visual presentation examples that would do a great job in keeping your audience interested and getting your point across.
In today’s fast-paced world, where information is constantly bombarding our senses, creating engaging visual presentations has never been more crucial. To help you design a presentation that’ll leave a lasting impression, I’ve compiled these examples of visual presentations that will elevate your game.
1. Use the rule of thirds for layout
Ever heard of the rule of thirds? It’s a presentation layout trick that can instantly up your slide game. Imagine dividing your slide into a 3×3 grid and then placing your text and visuals at the intersection points or along the lines. This simple tweak creates a balanced and seriously pleasing layout that’ll draw everyone’s eyes.
2. Get creative with visual metaphors
Got a complex idea to explain? Skip the jargon and use visual metaphors. Throw in images that symbolize your point – for example, using a road map to show your journey towards a goal or using metaphors to represent answer choices or progress indicators in an interactive quiz or poll.
3. Engage with storytelling through data
Use storytelling magic to bring your data to life. Don’t just throw numbers at your audience—explain what they mean, why they matter and add a bit of human touch. Turn those stats into relatable tales and watch your audience’s eyes light up with understanding.
4. Visualize your data with charts and graphs
The right data visualization tools not only make content more appealing but also aid comprehension and retention. Choosing the right visual presentation for your data is all about finding a good match.
For ordinal data, where things have a clear order, consider using ordered bar charts or dot plots. When it comes to nominal data, where categories are on an equal footing, stick with the classics like bar charts, pie charts or simple frequency tables. And for interval-ratio data, where there’s a meaningful order, go for histograms, line graphs, scatterplots or box plots to help your data shine.
In an increasingly visual world, effective visual communication is a valuable skill for conveying messages. Here’s a guide on how to use visual communication to engage your audience while avoiding information overload.
5. Employ the power of contrast
Want your important stuff to pop? That’s where contrast comes in. Mix things up with contrasting colors, fonts or shapes. It’s like highlighting your key points with a neon marker – an instant attention grabber.
6. End with a powerful visual punch
Your presentation closing should be a showstopper. Think a stunning clip art that wraps up your message with a visual bow, a killer quote that lingers in minds or a call to action that gets hearts racing.
7. Tell a visual story
Structure your slides like a storybook and create a visual narrative by arranging your slides in a way that tells a story. Each slide should flow into the next, creating a visual narrative that keeps your audience hooked till the very end.
Icons and images are essential for adding visual appeal and clarity to your presentation. Venngage provides a vast library of icons and images, allowing you to choose visuals that resonate with your audience and complement your message.
8. Show the “before and after” magic
Want to drive home the impact of your message or solution? Whip out the “before and after” technique. Show the current state (before) and the desired state (after) in a visual way. It’s like showing a makeover transformation, but for your ideas.
9. Add fun with visual quizzes and polls
To break the monotony and see if your audience is still with you, throw in some quick image quizzes or polls. It’s like a mini-game break in your presentation — your audience gets involved and it makes your presentation way more dynamic and memorable.
10. Use visuals wisely
Your visuals are the secret sauce of a great presentation. Cherry-pick high-quality images, graphics, charts and videos that not only look good but also align with your message’s vibe. Each visual should have a purpose – they’re not just there for decoration.
11. Utilize visual hierarchy
Employ design principles like contrast, alignment and proximity to make your key info stand out. Play around with fonts, colors and placement to make sure your audience can’t miss the important stuff.
12. Engage with multimedia
Static slides are so last year. Give your presentation some sizzle by tossing in multimedia elements. Think short video clips, animations, or a touch of sound when it makes sense, including an animated logo . But remember, these are sidekicks, not the main act, so use them smartly.
13. Interact with your audience
Turn your presentation into a two-way street. Start your presentation by encouraging your audience to join in with thought-provoking questions, quick polls or using interactive tools. Get them chatting and watch your presentation come alive.
When it comes to delivering a group presentation, it’s important to have everyone on the team on the same page. Venngage’s real-time collaboration tools enable you and your team to work together seamlessly, regardless of geographical locations. Collaborators can provide input, make edits and offer suggestions in real time.
14. Incorporate stories and examples
Weave in relatable stories, personal anecdotes or real-life examples to illustrate your points. It’s like adding a dash of spice to your content – it becomes more memorable and relatable.
15. Nail that delivery
Don’t just stand there and recite facts like a robot — be a confident and engaging presenter. Lock eyes with your audience, mix up your tone and pace and use some gestures to drive your points home. Practice and brush up your presentation skills until you’ve got it down pat for a persuasive presentation that flows like a pro.
Venngage offers a wide selection of professionally designed presentation templates, each tailored for different purposes and styles. By choosing a template that aligns with your content and goals, you can create a visually cohesive and polished presentation that captivates your audience.
Looking for more presentation ideas ? Why not try using a presentation software that will take your presentations to the next level with a combination of user-friendly interfaces, stunning visuals, collaboration features and innovative functionalities that will take your presentations to the next level.
Visual presentations come in various formats, each uniquely suited to convey information and engage audiences effectively. Here are six major types of visual presentations that you should be familiar with:
1. Slideshows or PowerPoint presentations
Slideshows are one of the most common forms of visual presentations. They typically consist of a series of slides containing text, images, charts, graphs and other visual elements. Slideshows are used for various purposes, including business presentations, educational lectures and conference talks.
2. Infographics
Infographics are visual representations of information, data or knowledge. They combine text, images and graphics to convey complex concepts or data in a concise and visually appealing manner. Infographics are often used in marketing, reporting and educational materials.
Don’t worry, they are also super easy to create thanks to Venngage’s fully customizable infographics templates that are professionally designed to bring your information to life. Be sure to try it out for your next visual presentation!
3. Video presentation
Videos are your dynamic storytellers. Whether it’s pre-recorded or happening in real-time, videos are the showstoppers. You can have interviews, demos, animations or even your own mini-documentary. Video presentations are highly engaging and can be shared in both in-person and virtual presentations .
4. Charts and graphs
Charts and graphs are visual representations of data that make it easier to understand and analyze numerical information. Common types include bar charts, line graphs, pie charts and scatterplots. They are commonly used in scientific research, business reports and academic presentations.
Effective data visualizations are crucial for simplifying complex information and Venngage has got you covered. Venngage’s chart templates enable you to create engaging charts, graphs,and infographics that enhance audience understanding and retention, leaving a lasting impression in your presentation.
5. Interactive presentations
Interactive presentations involve audience participation and engagement. These can include interactive polls, quizzes, games and multimedia elements that allow the audience to actively participate in the presentation. Interactive presentations are often used in workshops, training sessions and webinars.
Venngage’s interactive presentation tools enable you to create immersive experiences that leave a lasting impact and enhance audience retention. By incorporating features like clickable elements, quizzes and embedded multimedia, you can captivate your audience’s attention and encourage active participation.
6. Poster presentations
Poster presentations are the stars of the academic and research scene. They consist of a large poster that includes text, images and graphics to communicate research findings or project details and are usually used at conferences and exhibitions. For more poster ideas, browse through Venngage’s gallery of poster templates to inspire your next presentation.
Different visual presentations aside, different presentation methods also serve a unique purpose, tailored to specific objectives and audiences. Find out which type of presentation works best for the message you are sending across to better capture attention, maintain interest and leave a lasting impression.
To make a good presentation , it’s crucial to be aware of common mistakes and how to avoid them. Without further ado, let’s explore some of these pitfalls along with valuable insights on how to sidestep them.
Overloading slides with text
Text heavy slides can be like trying to swallow a whole sandwich in one bite – overwhelming and unappetizing. Instead, opt for concise sentences and bullet points to keep your slides simple. Visuals can help convey your message in a more engaging way.
Using low-quality visuals
Grainy images and pixelated charts are the equivalent of a scratchy vinyl record at a DJ party. High-resolution visuals are your ticket to professionalism. Ensure that the images, charts and graphics you use are clear, relevant and sharp.
Choosing the right visuals for presentations is important. To find great visuals for your visual presentation, Browse Venngage’s extensive library of high-quality stock photos. These images can help you convey your message effectively, evoke emotions and create a visually pleasing narrative.
Ignoring design consistency
Imagine a book with every chapter in a different font and color – it’s a visual mess. Consistency in fonts, colors and formatting throughout your presentation is key to a polished and professional look.
Reading directly from slides
Reading your slides word-for-word is like inviting your audience to a one-person audiobook session. Slides should complement your speech, not replace it. Use them as visual aids, offering key points and visuals to support your narrative.
Lack of visual hierarchy
Neglecting visual hierarchy is like trying to find Waldo in a crowd of clones. Coupling this with video transcription can make your presentation more comprehensive and engaging. Use size, color and positioning to emphasize what’s most important. Guide your audience’s attention to key points so they don’t miss the forest for the trees.
Ignoring accessibility
Accessibility isn’t an option these days; it’s a must. Forgetting alt text for images, color contrast and closed captions for videos can exclude individuals with disabilities from understanding your presentation.
Relying too heavily on animation
While animations can add pizzazz and draw attention, overdoing it can overshadow your message. Use animations sparingly and with purpose to enhance, not detract from your content.
Using jargon and complex language
Keep it simple. Use plain language and explain terms when needed. You want your message to resonate, not leave people scratching their heads.
Not testing interactive elements
Interactive elements can be the life of your whole presentation, but not testing them beforehand is like jumping into a pool without checking if there’s water. Ensure that all interactive features, from live polls to multimedia content, work seamlessly. A smooth experience keeps your audience engaged and avoids those awkward technical hiccups.
Presenting complex data and information in a clear and visually appealing way has never been easier with Venngage. Build professional-looking designs with our free visual chart slide templates for your next presentation.
What is a visual presentation?
A visual presentation is a method of presenting information through visual aids such as slides, images, charts and videos. It enhances understanding and retention by illustrating key points and data visually. Visual presentations are commonly used in meetings, lectures, and conferences to engage and inform the audience effectively.
What is the role of storytelling in visual presentations?
Storytelling plays a crucial role in visual presentations by providing a narrative structure that engages the audience, helps them relate to the content and makes the information more memorable.
What software or tools can I use to create visual presentations?
You can use various software and tools to create visual presentations, including Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, Prezi and Venngage, among others.
What is the difference between a visual presentation and a written report?
The main difference between a visual presentation and a written report is the medium of communication. Visual presentations rely on visuals, such as slides, charts and images to convey information quickly, while written reports use text to provide detailed information in a linear format.
How do I effectively communicate data through visual presentations?
To effectively communicate data through visual presentations, simplify complex data into easily digestible charts and graphs, use clear labels and titles and ensure that your visuals support the key messages you want to convey.
Are there any accessibility considerations for visual presentations?
Accessibility considerations for visual presentations include providing alt text for images, ensuring good color contrast, using readable fonts and providing transcripts or captions for multimedia content to make the presentation inclusive.
Most design tools today make accessibility hard but Venngage’s Accessibility Design Tool comes with accessibility features baked in, including accessible-friendly and inclusive icons.
How do I choose the right visuals for my presentation?
Choose visuals that align with your content and message. Use charts for data, images for illustrating concepts, icons for emphasis and color to evoke emotions or convey themes.
How can I adapt my visual presentations for online or virtual audiences?
To adapt visual presentations for online or virtual audiences, focus on concise content, use engaging visuals, ensure clear audio, encourage audience interaction through chat or polls and rehearse for a smooth online delivery.
What is the role of data visualization in visual presentations?
Data visualization in visual presentations simplifies complex data by using charts, graphs and diagrams, making it easier for the audience to understand and interpret information.
How do I choose the right color scheme and fonts for my visual presentation?
Choose a color scheme that aligns with your content and brand and select fonts that are readable and appropriate for the message you want to convey.
How can I measure the effectiveness of my visual presentation?
Measure the effectiveness of your visual presentation by collecting feedback from the audience, tracking engagement metrics (e.g., click-through rates for online presentations) and evaluating whether the presentation achieved its intended objectives.
Follow the 5 simple steps below to make your entire presentation visually appealing and impactful:
1. Sign up and log In: Log in to your Venngage account or sign up for free and gain access to Venngage’s templates and design tools.
2. Choose a template: Browse through Venngage’s presentation template library and select one that best suits your presentation’s purpose and style. Venngage offers a variety of pre-designed templates for different types of visual presentations, including infographics, reports, posters and more.
3. Edit and customize your template: Replace the placeholder text, image and graphics with your own content and customize the colors, fonts and visual elements to align with your presentation’s theme or your organization’s branding.
4. Add visual elements: Venngage offers a wide range of visual elements, such as icons, illustrations, charts, graphs and images, that you can easily add to your presentation with the user-friendly drag-and-drop editor.
5. Save and export your presentation: Export your presentation in a format that suits your needs and then share it with your audience via email, social media or by embedding it on your website or blog .
So, as you gear up for your next presentation, whether it’s for business, education or pure creative expression, don’t forget to keep these visual presentation ideas in your back pocket.
Feel free to experiment and fine-tune your approach and let your passion and expertise shine through in your presentation. With practice, you’ll not only build presentations but also leave a lasting impact on your audience – one slide at a time.
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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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Home Blog Business Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ Examples)
Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ 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
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
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 .
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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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11 Critical Types of Business Presentations (+ Templates)
Learn about the different types of business presentations with examples that drive results. Discover how to choose the right type of presentation for your use case.
Dominika Krukowska
8 minute read
Short answer
What are the main types of business presentations?
There are 11 main types of business presentations:
- Pitch deck presentations
- Sales deck presentations
- Product marketing presentations
- White papers
- Case studies
- Report presentations
- Education & academic presentations
- Business proposal presentations
- Sports sponsorship proposals
- Business plan presentations
You need the right collateral for every aspect of your business in order to succeed.
In today's business world, delivering a compelling presentation isn't just a nice skill - it's a vital one. But if you're not familiar with all the types of presentations your business might need, it's like trying to build a house without all the necessary tools.
Some parts of your business might not get the support they need to stand strong. This can lead to unclear messages, disengaged audiences, and missed opportunities.
That's where this post comes in. Consider it your blueprint for building a solid presentation foundation. You'll learn about all the different types of business presentations, when to use them, and how to make them work wonders for you. In just a few minutes, you'll be ready to turn every presentation into a sturdy pillar for your business success.
Let’s get started!
What are the main business presentation types?
Business presentations come in various forms, each serving a unique purpose and fitting into a specific stage of the sales funnel.
There is a basic set of presentations that no business can flourish without. You should become familiar with these critical presentation types.
11 essential types of business presentations:
1. Pitch deck presentations
Pitch deck presentations are designed to showcase a product, startup, or idea to potential investors. They are typically used during fundraising rounds and are crucial for securing the necessary capital for your business.
Here’s an example of a pitch deck presentation:
Cannasoft - Investment pitch deck
A hard-hitting investment deck of a publicly traded tech company dedicated to medical cannabis manufacturers.
If you want to learn more about pitch decks and how to create one, check out our guides:
What Is a Pitch Deck? A Beginner's Guide to Greatness
What to Include in a Pitch Deck (Slides 99% of Investors Want)
Create a Winning Pitch Deck Investors Love (Examples & Tips)
2. Sales deck presentations
Sales deck presentations are aimed at convincing prospects to buy your product or service. They highlight the unique selling points and benefits of your offering, and explain why you’re the perfect solution provider for your prospects’ specific pain points.
Here’s an example of a sales deck presentation:
Orbiit - Visually narrated sales deck
Visually narrated sales deck of a virtual networking platform telling AND showing readers what's in it for them.
To find out more, read our article on how to make a sales pitch deck that turns ‘Maybe’ to ‘Yes!’ .
3. Product marketing presentations
Product marketing presentations are used in the awareness stage to introduce a new product or feature to the market. They focus on the benefits of the product and how it meets the needs of the target audience.
Here’s an example of a product marketing presentation:
Mayku - Physical product deck
A welcoming physical product deck for immersive introduction to a revolutionary vacuum-forming solution.
4. White papers
A white paper is an in-depth analysis of a problem and its solution. It's a way to establish your expertise and thought leadership in a particular area. White papers are often used in the consideration stage of the funnel to educate potential customers about a complex issue related to your industry or product.
Here’s an example of a white paper:
Drive - Automotive research white-paper
A white-paper showing high-level research on electric vehicle charging wrapped in a stunning interactive experience.
5. Case studies
Case studies showcase a customer success story or outcome. They provide real-world examples of how your product or service has helped a customer, making them a powerful tool for building trust and credibility.
Here’s an example of a case study:
Boom25 - Interactive case study deck
Fun, engaging, and interactive case study of a UK cashback service: mixing business with entertainment.
If you want to learn more, check out our guides:
What Is a Case Study & Customer Success Story?
5 Steps for Writing a Case Study for Business (+Templates)
12 Steps to Create a Business Case Study That Converts
Case Study Format Types: Match Format with Business Goals
6. Report presentations
Report presentations are used to share data-driven insights and findings in the consideration stage. They make complex data accessible and engaging, helping your audience understand and remember the information.
Here’s an example of a report presentation:
Meta - Interactive corporate report
Insights and trends from Israel's thriving consumer-facing industry. A comprehensive review of the B2C ecosystem's performance and future prospects.
7. One-pagers
A one-pager is a brief, informative overview of your solution sent to potential customers in the awareness stage. It's a quick way to communicate the key features and benefits of your product or service, meant to pique the prospects’ curiosity enough to move them down the sales funnel.
Here’s an example of a one-pager presentation:
Octopai - Outbound sales one-pager
An outbound one-pager identifying a problem in modern-day analytics and offering an easy-to-grasp solution.
To find out more about one-pagers, read these guides:
What Is a One-Pager: Types, Benefits & Main Use Cases
Make One-Pagers That Grab Attention, Engage & Convert
Create a Sales One-Pager (Examples, Writing Tips, Templates)
Create a Business Plan One-Pager (+ Proven Templates)
How to Create a Startup One-Pager That Wows Investors
How to Create a Product One-Pager (That Gets People Excited)
8. Education and academic presentations
Education and academic presentations are used for teaching or presenting research findings. They are designed to simplify complex concepts and foster deep understanding.
Here’s an example of an academic presentation:
Research proposal
This school research presentation template is perfect for students who need to present their findings from a research project. The template includes space for a title, introduction, main body, conclusion, and bibliography.
If you need more guidance, we have a blog post on how to write a research proposal , including tips and templates.
9. Business proposal presentations
Business proposal presentations are used to close deals at the end of a sales cycle. They summarize your offering and why it's the best choice for the prospect.
Here’s an example of a business proposal presentation:
RFKeeper - Retail proposal deck
A dynamic, highly visual proposal deck for a retail software provider, designed to grab and keep attention.
For tips on how to create your own, check out our posts:
How to Write a Business Proposal (Examples & Templates)
Make a Winning Business Proposal Presentation in 12 Steps
10. Sports sponsorship proposals
Sports sponsorship proposals are used to secure funding and support for a sports team. They highlight the benefits that the sponsor will receive in return for their investment.
Here’s an example of a sports sponsorship proposal presentation:
Football sponsorship proposal
This bright and energetic template reflects the dynamic nature of sports. With a combination of text-based and interactive slides, you'll easily convey the history of your organization, as well as the team's main drivers and objectives, to make sponsors instantly realize the value for their money.
11. Business plan presentations
Business plan presentations detail a company's strategy and objectives. They are often used to secure funding from investors or to align team members around a common vision and plan.
Here’s an example of a business plan presentation:
General Business Plan
This template has everything you need to create a visual summary of your business idea. Thanks to a range of interactive slides, you'll be able to convey your vision in a way that impresses investors and gets you the necessary buy-in.
If you want to see real-life examples of each presentation type, check out our master post containing 52 perfect presentation examples to set you apart .
What are the main types of presentation use cases?
Presentations are a versatile tool that can be used in a variety of scenarios, both within and outside an organization. Here are some of the key use cases for presentations:
External use cases
Sales: Persuading potential customers to purchase your product or service through compelling storytelling and showcasing benefits.
Funding : Convincing investors to provide capital for your business by demonstrating potential for growth and profitability.
Thought leadership: Establishing your expertise and authority in a specific field by sharing unique insights and perspectives.
Investor relations: Communicating important company information to investors to maintain trust and transparency.
Donor communication: Engaging and updating donors on the impact of their contributions to maintain their support and involvement.
Conference or event presentations: Sharing insights or research findings at a public event to engage the audience and build your reputation.
Partnership presentations: Proposing a collaboration or partnership to another business by highlighting mutual benefits.
Product launch presentations: Introducing a new product to the market with a compelling narrative that highlights its unique features.
Client presentations: Updating clients on progress or delivering project results to maintain their satisfaction and trust.
Training and education presentations: Teaching a new skill or concept to an external audience to enhance their knowledge and skills.
Public relations presentations: Managing the public image of your company by addressing public concerns and highlighting positive actions.
Government or regulatory presentations: Communicating with government agencies or regulatory bodies to ensure compliance and maintain good relations.
Social responsibility presentations: Showcasing your company's efforts to give back to the community to enhance your company's reputation and public image.
Internal use cases
Team meetings: Discussing project updates or new initiatives with your team to ensure everyone is aligned and informed.
Training and onboarding: Introducing new employees to company policies and procedures through employee onboarding software to ensure they are well-equipped to perform their roles.
Strategic planning: Outlining your company's strategic goals and plans to ensure all employees are working toward the same objectives.
Performance reviews: Providing feedback on an employee's performance to help them improve and grow in their role.
Internal reporting: Sharing company performance data with internal stakeholders to keep them informed and make data-driven decisions.
Town hall meetings: Addressing the entire company on key updates or changes to ensure transparency and maintain employee trust.
Change management: Guiding employees through a period of significant change to ensure smooth transition and maintain morale.
Employee engagement and recognition: Celebrating employee achievements and fostering a positive company culture to boost morale and productivity.
Training workshops and seminars: Providing in-depth training on specific topics to employees to enhance their skills and knowledge.
Internal marketing and branding: Promoting company values and culture to employees to foster a sense of belonging and commitment.
How do I choose the right type of presentation for my business?
Choosing the right type of presentation for your business is like picking the right tool for a job. It's all about understanding your needs and resources.
Here's a simple guide to help you make the right choice:
1) Presentation objectives
Start by defining what you want to achieve. Are you aiming to educate, persuade, or inspire? Your objective will shape the type of presentation you need. For instance, if you're looking to secure funding, a compelling pitch deck is your ticket.
2) Target audience
Your audience is your compass. Their needs and expectations will guide your presentation's content and style. For example, a sales deck might resonate with potential customers, while a thought leadership white paper could be more suitable for industry peers.
3) The message
What key message do you want to convey? Ensure your presentation type allows for this message to be communicated effectively. For example, if you're eager to share your company's green thumb, a social responsibility white paper can beautifully showcase your eco-friendly initiatives and their positive effects.
4) Resources
Finally, always take stock of your resources. Time constraints and available data can influence your choice. A one-pager could be more practical than an extensive sales deck when you’re short on time or manpower.
What are the best types of tools to create and improve my presentation?
Creating a compelling presentation is not just about the content, but also about the delivery.
Here are some tools that can help you elevate your presentation game:
Storydoc: This tool allows you to transform static slides into highly-engaging and converting interactive web presentations. It's perfect for creating memorable narratives that captivate your audience from start to finish and gets them to take action.
Think-Cell: If your presentation involves data, Think-Cell is a must-have. It simplifies the creation of complex charts and enhances data visualization, making your insights more digestible and impactful.
VideoScribe: Want to add a touch of animation to your presentation? VideoScribe allows you to create high-quality whiteboard-style animation videos, adding a dynamic element to your content.
Mentimeter: This gamified presentation software allows you to engage your audience with live polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions, making your presentation a two-way conversation.
Pitcherific: Pitcherific helps you create and practice your pitch speech, making it a great tool for preparing investor presentations.
Create your presentation from a template
Your digital presentation is your passport to powerful communication. Why settle for static, lifeless slides when you can turn your presentation into a dynamic, interactive adventure?
Think of your key messages as stepping stones on an exciting journey, one that keeps your audience engaged from the opening slide to the grand finale. Interactive presentation templates are the perfect vehicle for this journey.
Each template is a canvas waiting for your unique touch.
Grab a template and use it to create your best presentation yet.
Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.
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10 Business Presentation Examples | Say Goodbye to PowerPoint!
Renderforest Staff
11 Apr 2023
13 min read
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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How Not To Ruin Your Business Presentation
Updated on: 3 March 2023
One might well believe that the process of preparing a business presentation could consist of a mix of anxiety compounded by a number of associated problems.
Yet it may not even occur to you that listening to a tedious and monotonous presentation could be a dreadful experience (or, to be honest, pure torture).
An overuse of text …. and the audience just zones out. Actually, it’s this very example where words can turn into powerful weapons – weapons that can stifle everyone’s attention in one fell swoop.
Dull presentations may not only reduce sales but also erode a company’s reputation.
So, in order to prevent listeners from becoming the victims of the presentation and, in fact, show them a trustworthy company culture, we’ve prepared for you a list of research-based business presentation tips . Use them to ace your next business presentation!
In case you want to skip right to the tips:
- Pay attention to eye-contact
- Focus attention on your appearance and posture
- Try to engage the audience
- Practice makes perfect
- Try to assure everyone that your point of view is right
- Do not create something really complicated and intricate
- Do not overfill the presentation with unnecessary information
- Use those colors and fonts that are easy to see and read
- Visuals, visuals and once again ….. visuals!
- Show a genuine interest in what you’re talking about
How do people perceive the information? In order to understand how you can influence the audience, you should, first of all, learn about the ways that information is perceived.
Gregory’s Top-Down Processing Theory
Richard Gregory, a British psychologist, was convinced that perception is a process which is based on top-down processing. It means that information is pretty ambiguous, so in order to interpret it, we need to assess our expectations, convictions, and knowledge that comes along with the experience.
As you can probably appreciate, we create an idea about something big from tiny details that already exist in our mind.
If we were to talk about some experiments that prove this theory, it would be appropriate to mention one particular test. Gregory demonstrates using a Charlie Chaplin mask.
Yeah, it may seem that nothing is untoward with this ordinary mask yet, when you see the hollow part of it, it reconstructs the man’s face in 3-dimension even though it is concave and this reconstruction will be based on past experience and expectations.
What else do we know about this theory?
- About 90% of information is lost by the time it reaches the brain;
- Received visual information is combined with past experience and this very fact, actually, constructs our perception of reality;
- The recognition of images is based on contextual information.
Regarding the top-down processing theory, such tips about info design can be detailed thus:
Sanocki and Sulman’s Color Relations Experiment
Thomas Sanocki and Noah Sulman conducted an experiment in order to find out how the combinations of colors influence short-term memory.
They chose a variety of harmonic and disharmonic color palettes. At each step of the experiment, they showed people two different palettes, one at a time, within a particular period of time of each other.
Testees had to work out whether the palettes were identical. In addition to this, they were asked to say which combinations of colors were considered to be pleasant or unpleasant.
So, how did the colors affect our visual perception?
- Those palettes that had matched colors, and not more than three colors, were more noticeable
- The contrast between background and text can help to concentrate focus on the context
- It’s possible to remember various color combinations simultaneously
Regarding Sanocki and Sulman’s color relations experiment, such tips about info design can be denoted as follows:
Binocular Rivalry Phenomenon
During the experiment, Frank Tong, Ken Nakayama, J. Thomas Vaughan and Nancy Kanwisher drew a conclusion: when people look at two different pictures at one time, they are subjected to a phenomenon known as a binocular rivalry.
One of them dominates, while the other one is suppressed.
So, it means that we don’t perceive two pictures simultaneously. We perceive them one after the other and, moreover, even see them as two rivals for a dominant image.
Regarding binocular rivalry phenomenon, such tips about info design can be denoted thus:
Larson and Ricard’s Experiment on Typography Influence
Kevin Larson and Rosalind Picard conducted an experiment and found out how typography influences a reader’s mood. Actually, they implemented two particular aspects of research and twenty people took part in each of them.
They gave testees The New Yorker magazine and twenty minutes to read it. The first group got the text with a bad typography, while the second group – with a good one.
Over the course of the research, people were interrupted and asked how much time had passed from the beginning of the experiment. It turned out that people who were in a great mood found this task easy to accomplish.
Moreover, they thought that they spent a lesser amount of time on reading. After the first part of the research, people were asked to pin a candle to the wall with the help of the thumbtacks in such a way that wax didn’t drip.
Finally, testees who were reading text with a good typography showed more interest in the articles than the others. Furthermore, no one from those who were reading text with a bad typography could solve the task with the candle, while the other group of people was more successful.
It can mean that good typography has an impact on dealing with problems.
Regarding Larson and Picard’s experiment on typography influence, such tips about info design can be summed up as follows:
Castelhano and Henderson’s Scene Perception Study
Monica Castelhano and John Henderson found out how color influences our ability to perceive the gist of a scene.
Their experiment had three particular tests. Students were shown hundreds of photos of nature and different objects in a certain sequence. The colorful photos were presented along with monochromatic ones. Moreover, they also showed photos with abnormal colors.
In general, it turned out that people can pick up on the gist of a scene in just a few seconds. In addition to this, it was found that colors tend to define the structure of objects.
Regarding Castelhano and Henderson’s scene perception study, such tips about info design can be summed up as follows:
Secrets Are Revealed: Here are 10 Business Presentation Tips to Stand By
To begin with, you should pay attention to some ordinary, but, nevertheless, crucial points that will help you to give an exciting and persuasive presentation.
Pay Attention to Eye-Contact
Frankly speaking, eye-contact can be considered one of the most important things when reaching out to an audience.
It’s not a big secret that people who use minimal eye-contact can sometimes be considered as not being very confident and even disinterested.
If you’re not used to public presentations, you can always try looking over the heads of the listeners or find a particular object in the room on which to focus (anyway, it should not be really far away from you, so choose something in the middle distance).
Focus Attention on Your Appearance and Posture
It is said that first impressions are half the battle.
As you can probably appreciate, the dress code is a prime rule that you must follow. Just dress formally and acknowledge your brief brush with fame. By the way, keep in mind that you should stand up straight, so no slouching!
Try to Engage the Audience
Actually, you can ask a lot of questions. They can create interest and intrigue your listeners.
In addition to this, ask them to pose some questions of their own if they are interested in specific details that were not mentioned.
Practice Makes Perfect
Without a doubt, everyone has heard this phrase. If we’re talking about presentations, you should definitely look through your notes a lot of times, check out the technology ( projector, PowerPoint slides, laptop etc.) and be sure that it works.
Furthermore, it would be nice to rehearse your speech and find out how you look and sound. By the way, when you start to talk, a lot of anxiety and stress will disappear.
Now we will proceed to more specific rules in order to help you develop a superb business presentation.
Try to Assure Everyone that Your Point of View is Right
It’s a well-known fact that you present the information not for yourself, but for the audience.
That’s why you should capture their attention in order to make them believe in you being right. Channel all your efforts into achieving this as your goal.
Do Not Create Something Really Complicated and Intricate
To tell the truth, a simple presentation with understandable explanations that are accompanied by some graphics can turn out to be a marvelous purveyor of information. Just emphasize your words with some images and success will follow.
Do Not Overfill the Business Presentation with Unnecessary Information
To start with, you should just stick to the point. It’s crucial to focus on this very point and organize the presentation around it. Do not be distracted and do not distract an audience from the most important issues.
If you want to add something special to your presentation, you can take a glance at these two PowerPoint templates made by TemplateMonster. Each of them can help you to add a visual trick to your repertoire.
Evolution is a brand new multipurpose PowerPoint template that will provide your presentation with a spectacular look. It comes with 5 pre-made colors and 5000 total slides which are fully editable. Bring your business to the next level using this template!
Ultimate is a template that will serve as a perfect addition to your presentation. It has tons of slides which can be edited and, moreover, 5 pre-set colors. Add some brightness and create a positive impression using this template!
As we have touched on the topic of PowerPoint presentations, we should share some tips about making them a little bit more interesting and absorbing.
Use Those Colors and Fonts that are Easy to See and Read
You have already read about experiments on information perception, but, actually, let’s go back to this aspect one more time to make some additions.
Don’t ignore the fact that colors should have adequate contrast, otherwise it will be really difficult or even impossible to read. Moreover, pay attention to the font size and do not use small letters.
Visuals, Visuals and Once Again ….. Visuals!
No one wants to read slides full of text. Research has shown that one of the most annoying things that can be inflicted on their audience by presenters is slides overflowing with an excessive amount of text.
If you want to present numeric data, use some diagrams and graphs to do it. To tell the truth, there are numerous different ways to present information through visual presentations. Have no doubt about that and try to use them to their best advantage.
Creately can help you make your presentation more impressive with the help of visual aids.
You have a chance to create various flowcharts, organizational charts, mind maps, infographics and so and so forth.
All of these diagrams will help you simplify complex ideas and make the presentation visually pleasurable and exciting.
Grab this opportunity and spice up your speech using this great service!
Show a Genuine Interest in What You’re Talking About
The last tip should be considered a common sense one to every possible presentation.
Now let’s just imagine that you’re not the one who is going to present something, but the one who is going to watch and listen.
What do you want to hear? You want to be confronted by a persuasive and interesting presentation during which you won’t have any desire to pick up a pillow and sleep, sleep, sleep…
Ideally, what do you want to see? Someone who is really excited about the presentation? Someone who shows a passionate interest in what he/she is talking about?
That’s why you need to become this very person. Push yourself beyond the limits and make it possible to achieve your long-awaited goal.
Anymore Business Presentation Tips?
So, if you want to follow this spectacular path to success, you should definitely take into consideration all the rules that you’ve just read. With their help, you won’t ruin your business presentation.
By the way, if you want to find out plenty of useful tips regarding business presentations, you can download this book and learn everything that you need to know about this very topic.
Color schemes, icons, quotes, and pieces of advice on many other things are already waiting for you. Just follow this step-by-step guide and you will, without a doubt, impress everyone with your presentation.
We really hope that this article has been useful to you. If you have any additions or thoughts, feel free to share them in the comments section.
Thanks for reading and may your presentation be the best!
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10 must-have slides in a business presentation
Nearly every professional, regardless of their role and field, will create and deliver a business presentation at some point in their career. Creating a slide deck takes a lot of preparation, including planning the content, structuring the slides, designing with appealing visuals and rehearsing the pitch.
The 10-20-30 rule is a commonly used and much-praised structure for creating a business presentation. Following the 10-20-30 rule, the presenter should not present more than 10 slides, should not exceed 20 minutes, and should not use font sizes less than 30 point. Created by Guy Kawasaki , this method is for presenters to create and deliver impactful presentation.
For a business deck, presenting your content in 10 slides can be a challenging task, as your messaging needs to be concise yet persuasive. Here are 10 slides that you should include in your business presentation to make your slide deck a success.
1. Title slide
This is the introduction slide that gives your audience an overview of what your presentation is about. Include important details like your topic, company name, logo, date of presentation, presenter name, and designation.
What makes a good title slide?
If you’re promoting a product or a service to your audience, then use a picture of it in the title slide instead of stock images. Provide crucial details that help your audience understand what they can expect from the session. Use a clean, simple font style in an appropriate size with a contrasting background to make the title easy to read.
2. Problem statement
The objective of a business presentation should be to offer a solution to a business problem. Use this slide to define the problem for which you’re proposing a solution. Make your points clear, concise, and persuasive by highlighting the impact it has on the business.
What makes a good problem statement slide?
State the business problem you’ve set out to solve. Involve your audience by asking them if they have a solution to the above problem and then explain how your idea can impact the business. Make your content precise and easy to read without overwhelming your audience with too much information.
Define the goals you’re aiming to achieve through this presentation and list them as stages in your plan. Demonstrate your goals as points with a realistic timeline for each milestone.
What makes a good goals slide?
Goals help set the direction for your business plan. Let’s say you’re launching a new product in the market and need to list the various milestones you’re aiming to accomplish to get the product to your audience. Instead of showcasing them as plain bullet points, break them down into milestones with timelines. Explain them in a few words and emphasize key points with animation effects and icons to make it visually appealing.
4. Solution or Strategy
Now that you have mentioned the problem and set goals for your business, use this slide to talk about how you’re planning to achieve them. Write an overview of your strategy and plan of action and highlight the key points.
What makes a good solution slide?
Introduce your strategy with an impressive title and emphasize important content using text effects. Make your content compelling by highlighting the benefits of your strategy and presenting your solution as a narrative with eye-catching visuals and icons.
5. Analysis
Your market, SWOT, and competitor analysis form an essential component in laying out your business plan in detail. Use supporting data in your business presentation to walk your audience through the analysis.
What makes a good analysis slide?
If your slide deck is for a product launch, then validate your strategy by including your analysis of the market, competitors, and your target customers to understand your position in the business. Instead of plain text, use charts and tables to explain your insights for these numbers. Bring your data to life with animation and text effects.
6. Financial plan and revenue
Your business presentation should include your financial plan, revenue projections, and other relevant metrics necessary to measure the success of your business strategy.
What makes a good finance slide?
Present the budget required for different business stages like research, development, execution, marketing, etc. Use charts to break down your finances in planned stages. Add visuals and bring your charts to life with animation and effects.
Every business deck needs supporting data to validate your analysis and plan. Use charts and tables to help your audience understand your business position better.
What makes a good data slide?
For business presentations like project management, add data to compare and analyze your plan and identify areas of improvement. Determine the best chart style to showcase your numbers and highlight the compelling data points, then add a line or two of your own conclusions from these numbers and explain them in detail during the presentation.
8. Timeline
Setting up a timeline for your business is crucial as it establishes the direction, priorities, and roadmap for achieving your business goals. You can also use a timeline to showcase your company’s journey by featuring various milestones, starting with its inception and highlighting some of your prominent projects to date.
What makes a good timeline slide?
Make your timeline slide less text-heavy and more visual with a timeline chart to take your audience through the various milestones. Add visuals, icons, and path animations to make your timeline visually engaging.
Introducing your team members forms an integral part of your business presentation as its sends a strong message of your company’s expertise. For a small business, you can introduce all your employees, while bigger companies should introduce members crucial for the operation of your company.
What makes a good team slide?
For presentations like a project report or sales pitch, it’s necessary to include your team slide as the audience needs to know the members involved in the project. Include headshots of your team members with their title/designation, along with a short description of their role in the business.
10. Q&A or End Slide
This will be the closing slide of your business presentation and must leave a lasting impact on your audience. If you want to answer audience questions, schedule your Q&A session at the end of your presentation.
What makes a good end slide?
A good end slide recaps your overall presentation and contains your company’s important details. Close your presentation with a rhetorical question to make a thought-provoking impact on your audience.
For nearly every type of business presentation or pitch, these ten slides will help you create a strong framework for your slide deck. However, don’t forget that different sorts of business presentations have their styles and needs based on the objective, industry, and the target audience. To learn more about some best practices for creating a presentation template for every industry, take a look at our previous blog post .
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7 Essential Storytelling Techniques for your Business Presentation
All memorable presentations have at least one story. Just think about it. Without a story, presentations would fall flat - unless you’re Tony Robbins. Luckily, there are many storytelling techniques for business presentations that you can use to engage an audience, change their perspective, and get them to take action.
Here you’ll learn all about the power of storytelling in presentations and seven techniques to start creating more persuasive presentations today!
What is Business Storytelling?
If storytelling is about using a story to make an emotional connection with your audience, business storytelling attaches that well-defined story to your business purposes.
You might be familiar with names like Richard Branson, Tim Cook, or Sheryl Sandberg. They’re very well-known business leaders, and the three of them appeared on the Time 100’s list of most influential people in the world. But there’s something else they have in common: They all happen to use stories to get their ideas across.
Richard Branson once said:
“Entrepreneurs who make a difference are, in effect, professional storytellers.” - Click to tweet
But you don’t have to be an entrepreneur or a famous CEO to start sharing compelling stories. Everyone can benefit from storytelling in a business. Whether you want to pitch a project, close sales deals, or get your team excited about one of your ideas, good stories can take you there.
To sum it up, business storytelling uses stories to make people care enough about your company, product, or project and take your desired action.
But, Why Is Storytelling Vital for Your Business Presentations?
No matter what type of presentation you’re working on: sales decks, status reports, business plans, data findings, project proposals…all of them aim to influence a decision .
And here’s where the power of storytelling comes in! While data appeals to your logical side, stories speak to your emotions . Do you remember the last time you felt moved by a movie or book? Well-crafted stories put you in the character’s shoes, and you start to understand their challenges as if they were your own. This is called empathy .
The same can happen in a business setting. Storytelling can make your audience relate to the problems or issues you’re presenting. But there’s more. If we go to the biological side, stories increase our levels of dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins. These are chemicals in our body associated with our capacity to relax, trust, and bond with others. In this scenario, people are more likely to embrace the ideas and solutions you offer .
So, if you ask what difference storytelling can make in your presentations, the answer is simple. When you use stories, you build a stronger connection with your audience, making it easier for them to understand and support your ideas.
Maya Angelou said it best:
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
And that’s definitely something stories can help you with.
These are some other benefits of using storytelling in your business presentations:
- Shows the human side of your company
- It helps your audience understand complex information
- It makes your ideas memorable
- It enables you to stand out among your competitors
- It moves people to action
Presentation Topic vs. Presentation Message vs. Presentation Purpose
Before even thinking of a compelling story, you need to define three key aspects of your presentation: topic, central message, and purpose .
Most people jump right into the slides and insert information on the go. And let's be honest, all of us tend to do this. But taking a few minutes to define these three elements will make a huge difference in how you present your ideas. And, most importantly, it will help you focus on what you really want to say. Let’s go quickly over each point:
Presentation Topic
This one is very simple. It’s a plain answer to “ What is your presentation about? ”. Let’s say you stumble with a colleague on your way to a meeting, and he asks you: “Hey, Alex, what you’ll be talking about today?” You don’t want to be late, so you summarize it in a few words. Short and to the point. That’s your presentation topic.
For example:
- A marketing campaign proposal for product XYZ
- The results of our latest market research in Idaho.
- The monthly subscription to our flagship service.
I know this step may sound basic, but trust me, it’ll make sense in a bit.
Presentation Message
Sometimes called your “big idea” or “central message.” This is a statement around your topic (hence, the importance of defining it first). In simple words, it’s what your audience should take away from your presentation . Ask yourself, “What do you want people to remember at the end?”
Let’s answer according to the previous examples:
- Video marketing on social media is the best way to introduce product XYZ to younger audiences.
- We can appeal to more of our customers in Idaho if we partner with local entrepreneurs.
- You can save up to 50% of the department budget with a monthly subscription to service A.
Your presentation message is the main idea you’re trying to “sell” to a specific audience. And knowing it early is key for building your story. We’ll come back to this concept later on.
Presentation Purpose
Finally, your presentation purpose, as its name says, is the reason why you’re making a presentation in the first place. What do you want to achieve? What’s the change you want to make in your audience? Your purpose is crucial to structure a convincing presentation.
These are some examples:
- Get your manager’s approval for a marketing campaign
- Get the board members to agree on increasing the budget for the Idaho team.
- Close a monthly subscription deal to our flagship service with a multinational company.
7 Storytelling Techniques for your Business Presentations
Now that we’re clear on our key concepts let’s see how to use storytelling in your business presentations. These are seven techniques that will help you craft better stories, build compelling presentations, and boost the impact of your ideas.
Storytelling Technique #1: Find Authentic Stories
In a world of fake news, people yearn for what’s real. So you don't want to use fictional stories. You need authentic ones.
Luckily, everything you do has a story behind it . You just have to be perceptive enough to catch them. And believe me, it’s easier to use an existing story than making up one.
For example, at 24Slides , our sales team tends to show clients the WHY of the business and WHO are the people behind it. Contrary to what others might believe, the 24Slides’ purpose story garners positive reactions from our clients and even increases their interest in learning more about the company.
Now, where do you find YOUR business stories? Here are some ideas:
- Your customer reviews
- The employees’ success stories
- Your company’s mission
- Challenges you’ve overcome with your team
Be aware that your story is not the same as your presentation message . But your story MUST support your message (aka “your big idea” - we talked about this in the previous section)
Storytelling Technique #2: Use Narrative Structures
Have you ever shared a joke and didn't get the explosive response you were expecting? Yeah, we've all been there.
It’s not enough to identify WHAT you want to tell, but also HOW you’re going to say it. You need to craft your story in a way that's appealing to your audience. Thankfully, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. I’m going to show you three proven narrative structures you can apply to your stories right now:
A) The Hero’s Journey
Every writing class teaches you this framework. The Hero’s journey or Monomyth starts with the protagonist (Hero) leaving their home and going on an adventure. Here, the hero faces different obstacles and learns a lesson that helps them obtain a victory. Finally, the hero returns home with that newfound wisdom and helps their community.
In short, it’s a story of transformation . And you can divide it into three stages:
- Departure: The transition from the ordinary world to the unknown.
- Initiation: Obstacles appear, lessons are learned, and the hero starts to change.
- Return: The big challenge takes place, and the hero wins thanks to their transformation. By the end, the hero comes back with a reward to their familiar world.
Some successful examples of the monomyth are The Lion King, Star Wars, and Mulan.
B) The Story Mountain
This one is perfect for building tension . You start by setting up a scene and introducing the characters. Then, the conflict appears in a series of small challenges. In the most important part of the story, the problem reaches a high point, and the action begins. After the climax, our protagonist sorts out the problem, and you end the story with a lesson.
I just explained the classical five-act structure that goes through a beginning, conflict, climax, deflation, and resolution. For a shorter version, you can also use the 3-act structure: set up, confrontation and resolution.
Think about which one gives your story a better chance to engage your audience and support your presentation message.
C) In-Medias Res
If you want to grab the attention from the very beginning , this one’s for you. The narrative technique in-medias res (Latin for “in the midst of things'') is used for stories that start in the heat of the action. This is how it works: You open with the climax (or near the end of your story) and keep your audience eager to understand what’s happening. Then you go back to the past and explain how things evolved.
Want a practical example? Watch 12 Years a Slave, Pulp Fiction, or The Greatest Showman. These movies start in-medias res and will help you understand its power.
Storytelling Technique #3: Make your Audience the Real Hero
One might believe that the hero of your story is obviously the company or your product...err. The audience is the real hero! Instead of conveying “THIS is what my product does,” you should go with “This is what YOU can do with my product/idea/solution.”
Let’s say you’re looking for approval of your campaign idea. In a normal scenario, you would list all the wonderful things your idea is, hoping your manager thinks the same and gives you the green light. Well, storytelling can get you there faster.
Share a story where company A is failing to address a consumer’s need. And two months later, before Company A realizes it, Company B already has a fair share of the market. What happened? Company B dared to break the mold in their industry and run a video ad campaign charged with strong consumers’ insights. The result? Company B conquered a new target audience, increased sales, and gained top of mind of the category. And you're confident your campaign proposal can do the same for the company. Now, you proceed to present your idea.
If you really want people to embrace your ideas as their own, they should be able to see themselves in your story. Always.
Storytelling Technique #4: Don’t forget the visual part!
We’ve already covered some points around your story, but what about your presentation? In business, everything influences how people perceive your messages. So, your PowerPoint slides should not only match up to your vibrant story but boost its effect on your audience.
Here’s a quick checklist of things to consider when working in your PowerPoint presentations:
- Use imagery to immerse your audience in the world of your story.
- Your visuals should support the key points of your story. Place them strategically.
- Use your slides to highlight only some phrases or powerful words from your speech. Let them be the ones related to your presentation message.
- Keep a consistent font from cover to cover.
- Colors also communicate! Make sure your color scheme delivers the right perceptions about your topic and persona.
Don’t believe presentation design can add up to your objectives? Check out this before-and-after example from the 24Slides team:
It’s a complete change from an unoriginal blank slide that makes you yawn to a stunning slide with a purpose .
And this even becomes a vital factor when you have to gain a client. Most of the time, you’re up there competing with other businesses, and your goal is to be memorable. Storytelling can do its part, but a branded presentation makes it easy for people to associate your message with your brand. It’s all about increasing the impact.
Storytelling Technique #5: The More Specific, The Better
At this point, it’s clear that the essence of storytelling is striking a chord with your audience. And one thing that helps you craft emotionally charged stories is adding details.
You need to present characters, scenarios, and situations that are easy to relate to. And being specific is what brings the elements of your story to life.
Remember, your stories should activate your audience’s senses . You don’t want people just to nod politely. You want them to FEEL your narrations.
Storytelling Technique #6: Don’t Hide Your Mistakes
When you work on your business stories, it’s very common to avoid mentioning the things that went wrong. But this is the opposite of what you should do.
Mistakes, failures, and struggles are what make your story exciting and more human - Click to Tweet
Just think about it. Would you rather listen to a story where everything is fine, and everyone lives happily forever or a story with challenges, ups and downs, and life lessons?
Next time you consider not sharing the struggles your team faced during a summer sale, think twice. It could lead to a unique story for a business presentation.
Storytelling Technique #7: Change the Status Quo
Nancy Duarte, a communication expert, studied persuasive presentations and identified a structure she called “Sparkline.”
It consists of moving your audience between two scenarios: “What is” and “what could be.” This approach allows you to showcase the value of your idea with more impact.
The “What is” responds to the problem you’re trying to solve or the current situation, while the “What could be” is the ideal situation your solution proposes. So, you spend your presentation going back and forth between these two sides and including stories or media that illustrate your ideas.
“Sparklines” is an excellent method to challenge the status quo in your audience’s mind and open a window for your ideas to be embraced . Plus, it engages people in your speech and spurs action.
Extra Resources to Improve Your Presentation Storytelling
If storytelling for presentations really caught your attention, there are more than techniques to hone your skills. Here are online resources that will help improve your presentation storytelling.
Book recommendation: “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath
Have you ever spent hours putting together a presentation, and when you delivered it, people seemed bored and distracted? No judgment. It has happened to the best of us! This is because you're not making your idea interesting enough for people to pay attention. In “ Made to Stick '', you’ll learn how to use the five elements of the SUCCES framework to make your messages interesting, actionable, and memorable. This is essential reading for anyone who has something to share and is looking for their ideas to be unforgettable.
TEDx Talk: “Why storytelling is more trustworthy than presenting data” by Karen Eber
If you have a hard time implementing storytelling with your sales reports and quarterly reviews, this video is for you. Leadership consultant Karen Eber points out that storytelling and data don’t have to be two opposite things. It’s the conjunction of both what makes people care and open their eyes to the problem you want to solve. She also demonstrates the link between storytelling and neurology masterfully, so it’s a must-see talk for any presenter!
You might also like: How to improve your presentation storytelling with Pecha Kucha Presentations .
Presentation Designers
Who said the one who delivers the presentation needs to design it too?
A great way to improve your storytelling skills is getting rid of the tasks that are slowing you down. Like your presentation design! According to our survey, average executives spend around 4 hours every week working on their PowerPoint slides. That's roughly 20 hours a month you can use to gather the right figures, craft better messages, or rehearse your speech instead.
The 24Slides’ PowerPoint designers can help you work smarter by taking full care of your slides' visual appearance and allowing you to focus on what matters most: Polishing your presentation storytelling techniques.
As in all things, the only way to master these storytelling techniques is practice. It’s normal if you feel nervous at first. After all, you’re getting out of your comfort zone. But once you start using storytelling regularly (and see the results!), it will become your secret weapon for successful business presentations .
You might also like this article: 10 of the Best Productivity Tools for Working in PowerPoint
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A Guide to Creating a Visual Annual Report Presentation
August 25, 2024 / Blog
Annual reports communicate a company’s financial health, achievements, and plans to stakeholders. However, traditional text-heavy reports can be challenging to digest. Transforming your annual report into a visual presentation can enhance engagement and clarity, making it easier for stakeholders to understand and retain key information. Here’s a comprehensive guide to creating a compelling visual annual report.
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Why a visual annual report.
A visual annual report leverages the power of visuals to present data and insights.
Visuals such as charts, graphs, and infographics simplify complex information, making it more understandable and memorable. Moreover, this approach captures stakeholders’ attention and conveys the message more effectively.
Planning Your Visual Annual Report
Effective planning is essential to create a successful visual annual report.
Define the key messages you want to convey. Identify the most important data points and achievements from the year. Decide on the structure of your presentation, ensuring it follows a logical flow from past performance to goals.
Choosing the Right Visuals
Selecting the appropriate visuals is critical in making your annual report engaging. Different types of visuals serve different purposes:
- Charts and Graphs — Ideal for presenting financial data and performance metrics. Bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts can effectively illustrate trends and comparisons.
- Infographics — Useful for summarizing complex information and processes. Infographics can combine text, images, and data to tell a cohesive story.
- Images and Icons — Enhance the visual appeal and break up text-heavy slides. Use high-quality images and icons that align with your brand’s visual identity.
Designing Your Visual Annual Report
Here are some tips for designing your presentation:
Maintain Consistency
Consistency in design elements such as fonts, colors, and layouts creates a professional and cohesive look. Use your company’s branding guidelines to maintain a consistent visual identity throughout the presentation.
Simplify Your Slides
Keep slides clean and uncluttered. Use bullet points to highlight key information and avoid long paragraphs. Limit each slide to one main idea to ensure clarity and focus.
Use Data Visualization
Effective data visualization can make your report more impactful. Use charts and graphs to present financial data, market trends, and performance metrics. Ensure that your visuals are clear, accurate, and easy to interpret.
Incorporate Infographics
Infographics can transform complex information into visually engaging content. Use them to summarize key achievements, illustrate processes, and highlight important data points. Infographics make your presentation more dynamic and easier to understand.
Highlight Key Achievements
Dedicate slides to highlight major achievements and milestones. Use visuals to showcase significant projects, awards, and successes. Highlighting these achievements reinforces your company’s strengths and progress.
Include a Forward-Looking Section
End your presentation with a forward-looking section that outlines your company’s goals and strategies for the upcoming year. Use visuals to illustrate your strategic plan, growth opportunities, and future initiatives. This section helps stakeholders understand your vision and commitment to future success.
Engaging Your Audience
Engaging your audience is crucial for the success of your visual annual report presentation. Here are some strategies to keep stakeholders engaged:
Tell a Story
Narrative storytelling can make your presentation more compelling. Frame your data and insights within a cohesive story that highlights your company’s journey over the past year. A well-told story can resonate with stakeholders and make your message more memorable.
Use Multimedia
Incorporate multimedia elements such as videos and animations to enhance engagement. Videos can bring your report to life by showcasing testimonials, project highlights, and executive messages. Animations can add a dynamic element to your slides, making them more interesting.
Encourage Interaction
Encourage stakeholder interaction by incorporating Q&A sessions, polls, and discussions. Engaging stakeholders in the presentation process fosters a sense of involvement and allows for real-time feedback and insights.
Creating a visual annual report can transform how you present your company’s performance and plans to stakeholders. Incorporating these strategies into your annual report presentation will ensure your stakeholders are well-informed and aligned with your company’s vision.
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4. Charts and graphs. Charts and graphs are visual representations of data that make it easier to understand and analyze numerical information. Common types include bar charts, line graphs, pie charts and scatterplots. They are commonly used in scientific research, business reports and academic presentations.
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 ...
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.
Use clear and legible fonts, and maintain a consistent design throughout the presentation. 2. Visual appeal: Incorporate visually appealing elements such as relevant images, charts, graphs, or diagrams. Use high-quality visuals that enhance understanding and make the content more engaging.
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. ... Researchers found that information delivered in visuals ...
There is a basic set of presentations that no business can flourish without. You should become familiar with these critical presentation types. 11 essential types of business presentations: 1. Pitch deck presentations 2. Sales deck presentations 3. Product marketing presentations 4. White papers 5.
6. Prepare. Many people underestimate how much time they need to set aside to prepare for a presentation. They'll spend days creating content and visuals but only a few hours practicing. Allow extra preparation time to hone your message and feel fully confident in your presentation.
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.
Tip #4: Take Advantage of Powerful Visuals. An engaging presentation takes advantage of visual elements. Think stock photos, icons, illustrations, videos, even charts and graphs. All of those can level up your Visme or PowerPoint presentation design. You want to make sure that your visuals perfectly represent the words on your slides as well.
Practice makes perfect. Try to assure everyone that your point of view is right. Do not create something really complicated and intricate. Do not overfill the presentation with unnecessary information. Use those colors and fonts that are easy to see and read. Visuals, visuals and once again ….. visuals!
Now that you have an idea of good vs. bad visuals, let's talk about 7 types of visuals you can use in your presentation. 1. Use stock photos for your presentation slides. When I'm giving a presentation training workshop, I ask people what types of visuals they should avoid, and a lot of them say "stock photos!".
Here are 10 slides that you should include in your business presentation to make your slide deck a success. 1. Title slide. This is the introduction slide that gives your audience an overview of what your presentation is about. Include important details like your topic, company name, logo, date of presentation, presenter name, and designation.
These are some other benefits of using storytelling in your business presentations: Shows the human side of your company. It helps your audience understand complex information. It makes your ideas memorable. It enables you to stand out among your competitors. It moves people to action.
If you are ready to get started using more effective visuals in your presentations, order your copy of Select Effective Visuals: The Business Professional's Guide to Selecting and Creating Effective Presentation Visuals today. Printed books available from Amazon and other book retailers (list price is $29.95 USD but retailers set their own ...
2 Be Minimal. Using a minimal design composition is one of the unique presentation ideas. The trick is to have just enough information and visual details for the viewer to feel comfortable seeing the slides. A minimal design can instill calm and awe in your audience when done right.
Make sure your visuals support and reinforce your message rather than obscure, distort or simply repeat it. Every visual should have a communication goal; using non-topical visuals for decoration can ruin the chance of getting results from your business PowerPoint presentation. Business PowerPoint Presentation Visuals Quick Tips
A visual annual report leverages the power of visuals to present data and insights. Visuals such as charts, graphs, and infographics simplify complex information, making it more understandable and memorable. Moreover, this approach captures stakeholders' attention and conveys the message more effectively. Planning Your Visual Annual Report
Krasnogorsky District (Russian: Красного́рский райо́н) is an administrative and municipal district (), one of the thirty-six in Moscow Oblast, Russia.It is located in the center of the oblast.The area of the district is 224.99 square kilometers (86.87 sq mi). Its administrative center is the city of Krasnogorsk. Population: 179,872 (2010 Russian census); 149,679 (2002 ...
Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. / 55.82167°N 37.33861°E / 55.82167; 37.33861. Krasnogorsk ( Russian: Красногорск, IPA: [krəsnɐˈgorsk]) is a city and the administrative center of Krasnogorsky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Moskva River, adjacent to the northwestern boundary of Moscow. It has a population of ...
When creating a presentation, you need visuals to help represent your main point. We've compiled over 700 presentation images for any type of slideshow. ... 1 Business Presentation Images. There are so many different types of presentations that you'll need to do in business or in your career. Whether it's a sales presentation, a marketing ...
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Visual aids help clarify and contextualize your points for your audience. Whether you deliver your presentation in person or over the web, the goal is to clearly communicate with your audience. Presentation aids help achieve this goal. Visual aids also help a presenter stay on a predefined train of thought while presenting.
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