18 Effective and Engaging Business Presentations

Whilst public speaking is a common anxiety, delivering a persuasive and impressive presentation is an important business skill. Unlike writing a report, where you have time to think about what you want to write, you can edit for brevity and content, and you can discuss with colleagues about what to leave in and what to leave out, public speaking requires extensive planning followed by “throwing out the plan” once the presentation begins.

Public speaking and verbal presentation

Making a successful business presentation requires effective planning and the ability to think on your feet and adapt to the circumstances. You get immediate feedback when you speak face-to-face with a small group so you’ll know immediately if you performed well and sold your message. Because of this opportunity for active and dynamic feedback, if you are a good listener and observer, you can also make adjustments to improve your delivery “on the fly.”

Effective language

Your language will be different for a verbal presentation compared to a report or essay writing style.^[1]

Engaging presentation delivery 

How well your message is received is often the result of how effective and engaging your delivery is. ^[2].

Effective slides and structure

It is vital to structure your presentation in a logical way so that the audience can follow your argument. Just as any written assessment requires several drafts and editing, writing an oral presentation requires you to draft, redraft, and edit your work. There are several ways to structure a talk but an easy and simple way is by dividing the presentation into the introduction, body, and conclusion, just as you would an essay.^[3]

Body language

What you say isn’t the only thing that matters when giving a presentation: the audience will also pay attention to how you say it. Your presentation starts from the moment you walk in the room, not from the moment you open your mouth. So here’s how to make a lasting impression.^[4]

Preparation

Being prepared will allow you to present confidently, adapt to your audience and win your audience over. Before you present, consult this presentation checklist.