Top-notch Business Presentation Ideas to Engage Audiences in 2023

Business presentations are part of what it means to be an entrepreneur, but these are often perceived as boring, uninteresting, or uncreative. Numbers approve – 79 percent of individuals agree that most presentations are humdrum, which is huge. Indeed, marketing pitches, monotonous sales updates, and training programs delivered averagely abound the market, so understandably, consumers are looking for something out of the ordinary that urges them to action.

Entrepreneurs search for methods to make their presentations worth people’s attention to advertise your business and avoid that embarrassing moment when one leaves the presentation scrolling through their Instagram feed or engaging in other distractions.

So, whether presenting your next marketing strategy, the results of your work at a business meeting, or a proposal to potential customers, you need to take into account several factors, such as:

Storytelling

It is nothing new under the sun that people tend to remember stories rather than facts, and this is because the human brain is designed to react to stories as an entertainment and survival mechanism. So, it is no wonder that stories have become some of the most powerful communication tools. Words that play a part in stories are likelier to be memorized than words sequenced within a series of facts.

Companies started to acknowledge this and focus on this method every time a critical presentation takes place. You may wonder what stories have to do with business presentations since you have to introduce details about products and services to the public. Well, they are more connected than you think. Consumers appreciate stories more than mere promises and praises, so do not hesitate to inspire your audience with suggestive stories about how your company came into existence, what determined you to take this route, or what inspired you the most. Stories can be used strategically to leave an impactful message in the consumers’ minds or make a strong statement, as they are convincing but not in a pushy manner. You may have heard presentations that urge people to action using words like “you need this” or “this is what you have been looking for” – avoid these. Consumers are sick with these kinds of phrases that, in time, have become to mean nothing. 2023 and the years to come are about purposefulness, so make the most out of your marketing presentations and think about an inspiring story so as not to find yourself in a situation where people scroll on social media instead of listening to you.

Music

According to research conducted by Ronald A. Berk at the John Hopkins University, the power of music is unsurpassed. The scientist claims that music enclosed in a PPT presentation can engage listeners and help them retain the exposed facts. And it is not just science that says that – we all felt the power of music at least once. Have you ever seen a movie without music? Of course not. Music is key in establishing a presence, grabbing attention, and putting people in a better mood. So, if until now, you were afraid to add music to your business presentations, it is time to change your mind. It can lighten up the public’s mood and make presentations stand out if chosen carefully, so take your time to document what music best suits your display. And be mindful of copyright infringement. If you cannot produce your own music, you can use royalty-free presentation music, which is just as powerful and suggestive.

Interactivity

You may think about audiences as listeners, but you forget that these individuals can also be critics. No one comes to listen to a one-hour-long presentation if nothing happens in that time. It has been confirmed that the average individual’s attention span is drifting, so it is essential to keep them focused and intervene from time to time with an innocent joke or question at a crucial moment. Therefore, consider making these people active partners in your discussion and not just passive listeners.

You can inspire consumers to action in various manners, including:

role playing
audience case studies
questions and answers
partner brainstorms
humor
body language

The last two practices can be the recipe for success if used correctly. Humor, for example, can break the tension up and engage even the pickiest investors and clients. Of course, you do not have to crack jokes every five minutes but only be lighthearted and cheerful. This will make you look more confident and relaxed; thus, the chances for people to get your message are higher. Body language is also critical to making your voice heard, so ensure you use eye contact and expressive gestures to interact with your audience and not just give a learned-by-heart talk.

Visuals

Visuals are ideal for grounding abstract ideas, especially when there are too many words to cover a specific topic. All the more so since individuals retain only 20 percent of the information presented in the form of text. But with visual presentations, things are different – people keep 80 percent of the information in mind.

Charts, graphs, and pies help explain and demonstrate critical points and ideas. Thus, think about ways in which you can incorporate them into your business presentations. If you have to introduce numbers to your audience, you just cannot throw them in plain text or mention them in passing. So, create a suggestive and well-thought chart to turn abstract into concrete and help your audience remember these numbers at the end of the day. You can also include GIFs and emojis, as they are more appropriate for these times. It’s not 2000, after all, but 2022 and soon 2023, so explore these features without hesitation.

Do not forget about the design of your presentation, which is just as paramount as the rest of the factors. If your display’s appearance does not appeal to the audience, it is all in vain – you are likely to lose them. You do not have to be a design expert to create inspiring presentations but just focus on more visuals and less text. Besides, thousands of templates on the Internet scream their heads off “Don’t put that info on a blank page, just don’t!”