As marketers we spend a lot of time presenting our creative ideas in meetings. A great presentation can clinch that big new client, but a bad one can send them running a mile. Structuring your creative ideas into a presentation can be a daunting task, but using a few simple tricks you can create robust presentations that get the client excited about what you have to offer.

Use Less Words

It’s a presentation, so you need to present! It may seem like a basic tip, but so many people get this wrong. There’s more to a presentation than just your slideshow; you also need to speak and convey your ideas in a persuasive manner.

Presentations often get bogged down by large amounts of text, and when the speaker is simply regurgitating the content on the screen behind them, the audience tends to lose interest. If you’re going to say exactly what’s on the screen, you may as well hand out a typed document to your audience. Rather, place key phrases on the presentation slides and show your knowledge by presenting the ideas around them. Let the information breathe and let your audience listen to you.

Be Graphic

This one goes hand-in-hand with the point above and goes to show that effective presentations have fewer words on them. Use images, graphs, charts, maps, and video to get your point across. Your ability to explain the meaning behind these visual aids will give your audience the sense that you are an authority on the subject.

Avoid Templates

While PowerPoint templates may have helped you out when you needed to complete that project at the last minute in high school, using an obvious template in a professional setting will actually make you look like a high school student.

Templates are boring, they’ve been seen a thousand times before, and they just aren’t inspiring. Give your presentations a professional flare by adding custom design. If you’re not a designer, then outsource the work - just make it different. Try out alternative presentation software too: PowerPoint is not the be-all and end-all.

Make Every Slide An Event

Every single one of your slides should have a big impact. There should be no throwaway slides, no slides you intend on skipping over quickly, and nothing boring in your presentation. Treat each slide like an ad. Consider:
Is the headline eye-catching?
Does it have impact?
Does it make the audience want to find out more?

Speak With Your Body Language

While your slides are important, your body language when you present is vital. Even if you use all the tips above to make your presentation exciting, simply standing in front of the screen and talking will still be boring. You’re a presenter, not a tree; so don’t grow roots and stay in place. Use the space around you to move, gesture with your hands and use facial expressions to animate your speech. This ensures that the audience’s eyes are always drawn back to you and therefore they will listen to what you have to say.