Organising an event demands quite a lot: a flawless welcome, a warm atmosphere, delicious catering, appealing speakers, a nice goody bag, … And a great deal of attention goes into this. But the real reason an event is organised is rarely just for the food or the coming-together of people. Although both are of course very important and above all enjoyable 😉.

The real reason is often far more substantive. A turning point in the company, a very important moment, new products or the celebration of successes. During an event we want to inspire, inform or thank customers, suppliers, employees, … That is precisely why the content part of an event is so important. This is the moment to bring a message that is not forgotten.

Unfortunately, we so often see that this part is only thought about at the very last moment. “Oh yes, we also have to say something!” The result is an incoherent story, a sloppy presentation and above all a momentum that is lost and not remembered.

But how should it be done then? A professional presentation holds attention with a strong story, reinforces the message of your event and ensures your audience remembers you. A few tips to think about beforehand:

1. Write down the presentation's most important message in one sentence. What you, as the speaker, want people to remember from your story. That is your core message.
2. Now think about all the elements in your story that support and reinforce this core message. If they do not, then they may be left out. That weighs down your presentation.
3. Explain in your presentation why this moment, this decision, ... is so important for the company, the organisation, but also and above all for the people in the room. That is the ‘what's in it for me' principle.
4. End with a ‘BANG'. Provide a powerful ending to your argument. A strong appeal or an impactful call-to-action.

Other things you can think about to turn the content part of the event into an important memory:

• Of course, strongly visually supportive slides are an indispensable part of the total presentation. They provide a visualisation of what is being said. In doing so they help the audience to understand the story better and therefore to remember it. Good slides, then… do not forget 😉
• If there are several speakers, it is good to have a moderator on stage. A day chair, host, ... whatever you want to call it. He/she welcomes a speaker onto the stage. But afterwards the moderator can also have a brief conversation with the speaker. That conversation serves as clarification or repetition. “Have I understood correctly that ...” In this way the moderator voices the audience's questions.
• A visual music bumper that is shown and played as a speaker comes onto the stage and also as he/she leaves the stage. A bumper is a visual animation with rousing music that draws the audience's attention. It creates a recognisable momentum and thereby also a clear division between the presentations.
• Rehearse your presentation thoroughly beforehand. You do not want to stand on stage and have to read your story out word for word. Do this, if need be and preferably, with a coach who watches from a distance and adjusts your language use, intonation and posture. Good preparation ensures a calm and self-assured passage on stage. Be sure to read my tips on how to connect with your audience.

So do not let your event go to waste through poor-quality presentations. Are you an Event or Project Manager? Contact us without obligation and discover how we take your event to a higher level with impressive presentations.

Would you like to see how we approach a presentation at a conference? Then come to one of the following conferences where we will be present and for which we have free tickets available; send me a message if you would like to attend:

• OMconference on Monday 6 October in Antwerp. OMconference is the place where marketers, decision-makers, HR managers and entrepreneurs come together to make the difference. Expect engaging stories, real-life cases and advice you can get to work with straight away.
• Festivak on 5 and 6 November in Mechelen. Festivak is the trade fair for all your events. Do you organise sports or city events, festivals, corporate events or seminars? Then be sure to drop by and make your next event a real success!