It’s powerful. It can either enthrall or repel. Match or clash. The mysterious element we are describing is tone. And it’s crucial that you, your company, or brand set a tone that reflects the desires and aligns with the characteristics of your particular audience.
What do we mean by “setting the tone” through your writing? For the next section of this post, we are going to pretend to be a running shoe company giving a presentation about a new product style engineered based on current research. Here are a few examples of slides depicting typical presentation tones our clients ask us to establish using the aforementioned scenario:
Conservative
If the running shoe company comes to us with a deck that needs to reflect a conservative or formal tone, we would emphasize a rigid content structure as far as the presentation narrative is concerned. Writing on the slide and in the script will be brief and to the point. For the first example slide, we’ll show a presentation title. For the second example slide, we’ll illustrate statistics-based information.
Slide Example #1 – Presentation Title
The Summit Collection: Our proprietary cushioning reimagined
Slide Example #2 – Statistics-based Information
43% of customers experienced less shock on impact
Contemporary
Now, let’s suppose that the running shoe brand conveys a more contemporary tone in other marketing materials, so they want to carry that over into their sales presentation as well. This type of tone will be informal and conversational. A presenter with an extroverted personality would do a great service to a presentation with a contemporary tone. Taking an informal tone in your presentation might involve using the second person to create the sensation of a discussion between presenter and audience. Let’s compare the following slide examples to the conservative tone.
Slide Example #1 – Presentation Title
Your feet, On Cloud 9
Slide Example #2 – Statistics-based information
Imagine… You could decrease leg pains by 43%!
Optimistic
In this presentation, the running shoe company needs to portray optimism and confidence in their product. This type of tone can be achieved in many ways, a couple of which we have outlined below. For the first example slide, we would suggest using a literary device such as repetition throughout the presentation to accentuate the message that the company’s cushioning is “beyond best” and that the audience can be “beyond best” too. If only with the product. The second example exudes confidence and optimism – ensuring audience members that they will, not that they may, alleviate running pains.
Slide Example #1 – Presentation Title
Beyond Best
Slide Example #2 – Statistics-based information
When you get your pair of Summits, expect 43% more relief on the road
Other ways to manufacture the tone of your presentation include choosing adjectives that correspond to the tone you’re aiming for and utilizing the power of tone development in giving your presentation characters a personality. For more resources to help you with your presentation tone, check out these articles:
3 Phrases Not to Use in Healthcare Presentations
4 Ways to Set the Tone of Your Presentation Design
How to Evoke Emotion Through PowerPoint Template Colors
How Creative Should My Presentation Be?
