Presenters want to see action. Most presentations aim to sell a product or service, or draw up interest in a company or cause. An important presentation skill to learn is how to make each slide inspire an action. This trick will make your content more compelling and your audience more engaged. Use these strategies to infuse action in your deck.
Say What You’re Going to Say
One way to get your audience’s attention is to tell them straight up what they are in for. Tell your audience what they will walk away knowing by the end of your presentation. Marketing guru Neil Patel writes for The Crazy Egg that stating what your audience will learn early on is more impactful. People are easily distracted today with smartphones and short attention spans. Telling your audience within the first few minutes what your goals are will keep them interested.
Be in the Present
Keep your presentation content in the present tense. This presentation skill will help your content stay consistent. Psychology Today reports writing in the present tense makes for better articles. This also makes your presentation actionable. Use words like, “discover”, “learn”, “make”, or “reach out” and others to engage your audience in your mission.
Focus on Visuals
The best way to make your message memorable is by visuals. Patel says visuals make content easier for audiences to understand. They capture the eye’s attention better than text. He says great visual can “connect the dots and serve as an effective way to bridge information together.” Investing in a great design is a useful presentation skill because audience will always enjoy looking at images over text.
Involve Your Audience
Getting your audience involved in your presentation may be a challenge but it’s worth it. A fun presentation skill to include is conversation. Save time for a Q & A session or hold an open discussion throughout your presentation. Make your slides actionable by including questions you want to discuss. Invite your audience to make statements and ask questions. This can lead to more leads in your business and more supporters of your cause.
Tell Real Stories
Audiences will better visualize your message with real world examples. Patel says, “if there’s any doubt or confusion in the minds of your readers, you can quickly eliminate it by providing some examples.” Information from case studies or customer stories can work to provide real examples. Including your personal story for how you got to where you are today is also a presentation skill to build stronger connections. Stories help make complex concepts easier to understand.
Make a Clear CTA
Your call to action should be the big finale to your presentation. This is the moment where you make your pitch and provide the audience with your next steps. The more specific your CTA is, the better. This presentation skill is a must have if you want to see a strong follow up. Patel recommends using these elements in your CTA:
Make it short and sweet.
Convey the benefits.
Make readers curious.
Use persuasive language help make your CTA more actionable.
Get your audience to act with these strategies to make your presentation actionable. Focusing on content, design and audience interactions will make your calls to action more successful. With this presentation skill, you will see better results from your deck.
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