Don't let the PowerPoint presentation take away your enthusiasm. Don't get stuck in the order of your slides.

When we begin a new presentation project I always ask the client two questions:

1. Tell me briefly what exactly you do and why you do it so well? (elevator pitch)
2. Show me the current presentation and tell me how you present it in a commercial conversation.

To the first question I often get a very enthusiastic and dynamic story. An engaging company story that is told from passion and enthusiasm for the company and product. But then the PowerPoint is brought out and suddenly I get a completely different story and a tense need to follow the slides of the presentation. This often begins with the history of the company and a list of services and products. Gone is the passion, gone is the enthusiasm.

The traditional order in the company presentation often takes the enthusiasm and the joy of presenting away from the presenter. It does not feel natural and we are stuck in the slides. Because of the use of the PowerPoint we can no longer get our 'own' story out. And the dry list of facts is surely not the way you would tell the company story to a friend on a sunny terrace?

For the viewers too, the enthusiastic and passionate story is much more engaging to listen to than the boring list of facts. The enthusiastic story is much more credible, comes across as sincere and will therefore be better remembered.

So make sure the presentation follows your story. Tell your story with passion and enthusiasm and make sure the slides are supportive of that story. And above all, not the other way around.

Anyone can make a PowerPoint. But when your reputation is at stake then you had better leave that to experts. Do you want to know more about how your story and the PowerPoint can help each other? Send me an email quickly.