In we explored the pivot from offline to online in depth as individuals increasingly turn to video communications services likeo support previously in-person interactions. Online conferencing, collaborating, chatting, and even watching movies virtually with friends has become ubiquitous. And while virtual presentations aren’t new, securing a conference room and presenting in person has been the more common historical norm. So, what should presenters keep in mind to ensure their online presentations stand out, engage audiences, and achieve objectives?
Luckily, 73% of people note that they already feel more engaged with slides online than in person (Nolan Haims, “Creating Visual Presentations”). This is especially important for B2B marketers and business development professionals as presentations are typically a key component of advancing opportunities. A strong presentation can drive traffic, generate leads, and create conversions. Strong presenters are able to add analysis and insight to illuminate results and gain buy-in. Below, we outline three tactics that will strengthen your presentations in the new normal of the virtual world.
Say a lot without saying a lot
When presentations require lots of talking, it can be enticing to cram all that text onto the slides. Instead, focus more on visual aspects and displaying succinct takeaways. Most words are not retained, while images and points of emphasis are. This is because Choosing the right imagery promotes faster comprehension and creates stickiness for your point and topic.
B2B presentations are often viewed as needing more verbiage and being facts-and-figures driven, but visuals are arguably as important. One simple and effective way of improving B2B presentations is to add imagery Cuba Email List that makes them more humanistic and aesthetically pleasing. Consider images of your team at work, carefully selected stock photography, or visually-pleasing design flourishes to add life to content. Use graphs and charts that are simple, clutter-free, and intuitive to add context and meaning. For example, rather than writing that 95% of your customers reported “x,” consider creating a comparative visual that illustrates the 95% versus 5% of customers in a striking way.
Plan first, design later
No matter how brief, developing a presentation plan and guidelines before diving straight into design will add much needed structure and direction. And while we just talked about the importance of imagery, outlines should CRYP Email List tart by being text- and takeaway-focused. Build out the presentation narrative slide-by-slide and map out, in order, three things:
- Timing (both for overall presentation length and for individual slides and sections)
- Content (key takeaways and required descriptors)
- Visuals (that will support comprehension and context)