Get creative: How to give engaging presentations

Whether it’s outlining an idea with other members of the workplace or even putting a proposition forward to a client, presentations can play a big role in the modern world of work. While they may seem relatively arbitrary, getting them wrong can be incredibly detrimental.

Presenting with impact doesn’t always come naturally, but being a little creative with how you put across information can really engage an audience. Here are a few things to keep in mind the next time you’re stepping up to present and are looking for inspiration:

Find the common ground

If you start a presentation on the wrong foot, the audience will quickly become disengaged. In opening, try to find common ground between you and those you’re speaking to.

Time contributor Eric Barker used the example of a technology showcase. If the presenter goes in explaining that all the iPhone users in his or her audience need to switch to Android, then they’re lost on an emotional level immediately.

Being relatable may seem relatively rudimentary, but if you get it right from the beginning then any audience is likely to be on your side for the entirety of the presentation.

Be a storyteller

The best presentations focus on stories, not statistics. It’s incredibly important that the audience empathises with you, and reeling off a series of bullet pointed facts and figures will not only incite boredom, it will also lead to the information washing over them, making the whole presentation pointless.

Instead, try to be a storyteller. Whether it’s personal experience or something a little more apocryphal, painting pictures with words is something that all of the best presenters manage.

If you’re not comfortable doing this in its own right, be sure to work in a video or animated background elements if you have a screen available. This not only helps take some of the attention from you, but it also provides a memorable experience that the audience is unlikely to forget in a hurry.