Team presentations are becoming a more and more common medium for delivering content. Just look at Apple. They’ve adopted a team presentation style for every technology release they do. In fact, they have decided that no matter how long the entire presentation is, no single presenter will talk for more than 10 minutes at a time. Why, you ask? Why take the extra time to develop other presenters when you could have just one person do the task? The short answer: Neuroscience. According to recent studies, our brains have a stopwatch that runs out after 10 minutes. That means after 10 minutes, the presenter must shift in order to restart the audience’s stopwatch.
With the science to prove it, we, as presenters, must learn the art of team presentations to help elevate our engagement and keep our audience wanting more.
At Ethos3, we’ve found 4 keys that will help you knock your next team presentation out of the park.
Create a single outline.
When presenting as a team, it’s important to start with a single outline. By starting with a single outline, you ensure that your presentation will feel cohesive and connected no matter who is presenting. This can be the product of a team brainstorm, but it must be written in a consistent voice.
Leverage the team’s strengths.
Once you have written a single outline, it’s time to dive in to the research. At this point you can divide up the content according to each team member’s strengths and passions. When assigning these roles, be sure that each team member is willing to present on what they research. This will create an authentic feeling from each presenter while they deliver on their passion area.
Plan your transitions.
The quickest way to lose your audience during a team presentation is to not plan your transitions. Transitioning between people may seem simple, but if it’s not thought through, it can eat up vital minutes of the presentation. Make sure that each team member knows who will be presenting after them and how to introduce them. Most importantly, practice these transitions before you get on stage to prevent awkward moments that could make your audience feel uncomfortable.
Make your Call to Action together.
Unity is a powerful motivator. When it comes to making your final call to action, make sure that your entire team is present. This allows your audience to feel like they are joining a unified team and like they are of something bigger than just them. It’s important to note that having everyone present does not mean everyone needs to speak; in fact, we would recommend against that method, since, when a group of people try to make the same call to action, it can get muddy and confused. But make sure everyone is present and visible, and then have your most inspiring presenter make the final ask.
Team presentations can seem overwhelming and convoluted, but they don’t have to be. In an ever-changing culture, we as presenters must learn to adapt with the times. Team presentations increase engagement and ultimate drive involvement. With these 4 keys, you have everything you need to take your next team presentation and make it the best one yet.
Looking for more tips to delivering a great presentation? Check out the Presentation Mentor online course today.
