What Makes an Effective Presentation Document?

For many of us, to be efficient we start creating a presentation by beginning with the end: We create slides. But that Is completely the wrong path to a great presentation. There are 5 Fundamental Rules to creating a winning presentation deck.

Rule 1: Determine The Purpose. There are three different reasons for the Presentation.

1. Persuasion: Objective Is to get the audience to "buy" your proposition. Use high Impact Images, simple, focused language and flow.

2. Reporting: Designed to both inform and enable decisioning. Provides detailed information along with a perspective.

3. Training: High Comprehension: Focused on getting people to adopt new behaviors. Uses detail and repetition to Increase comprehension and action.
   

Rule 2: Deliver Against Audience Needs. You need to understand how to communicate with your audience In order to be successful. There are three perspectives.

1. Strategic - An Innovative and long-term perspective

2. Collaborative - Engage and co-build solutions together

3. Informative - Provide adequate detail to build confidence and decisioning
   

Rule 3: Establish and Maintain a Consistent Editorial Style. Deploy a consistent communication style that drives comprehension and eliminates distraction.

1. Cropped Statements versus Full Sentences to be more telegraphic and authoritative

2. Casual versus Formal to build intimacy and buy-In

3. Questions to drive action by being passively assertive
   

Rule 4: Make It Easy To Track. Keep the audience focused when reviewing long-format decks.

1. Creating bookmarks and signposting on each page to how the story Is builds

2. Reminds the audience of the Information already covered

3. Weaves together the Individual elements of the story
   

Rule 5: Deliver on your Keyword Script. Using the presentation deck contents as triggers to longer more Informative conversations.

1. Presentation Deck as support, and not read word by word

2. Appendix can be used to make additional Information available for potential additional discussions

3. Leave Behind can provide deeper detail for additional engagement over time.

So next time your are under pressure to create a presentation, Improve your work dramatically by following these 5 Fundamental Rules. It's worth the time.