Achieve the perfect pitch

Training – not some God given gift – is the key to delivering highly persuasive presentations to clients, colleagues or investors, according to a recent article in The Australian on how to make 'the big pitch'.

The piece suggests one common pitfall for untrained presenters is the overuse of computer-generated visual aids as these props can inundate the audience with messages.   

The following tips are offered for presenters wishing to hone their skills:

1. Make technical information easy to understand

2. Keep your PowerPoint show simple and brief

3. Get professional help with structure and flow 

4. Rehearse your presentation

5. Set a time limit and keep to it

6. Stick to your planned structure

Comments

[David Brewster]

Here Here to this! It is incredible how many opportunities to improve the clarity and understanding of staff, customers and investors are lost in a quagmire of poor presentation skills.

While everyone has been bored stupid by PowerPoint heavy presentations, most of those same people opt for that easy way out when it comes to preparing their own talks.

A tip from me: learn your first 5 minute by heart and talk directly to your audience without any aids. They'll sit up and take notice because they will listen to you - and because you will already be different.