Selling Your Project: How To Give An Engaging Presentation

When you have to present and sell your project to an audience or conduct any kind of public speaking engagement, it can be a nerve-wracking and intimidating process. Taking centre stage and holding people’s attention doesn’t have to be a scary experience, it can be a lot of fun with the right preparation. Take a look at these presentation tips from seasoned pros. When you are getting ready to present your project, follow this advice and you will have a better chance of success.

Interact With The Audience

When you are giving a presentation you can feel isolated and under pressure. It is difficult to stand in front of people and deliver an engaging speech and maintain a steady pace. If you interact with your audience, the atmosphere changes. You will find it easier to talk to your audience if you connect with them. The success of your project depends on getting them on board. Start getting them involved and invested early.

To make your presentation one that they will remember, consider using live audience polling. Some apps can help you out, like this quick, easy polling platform with real-time results. You can use Vevox to take instant live polls of your audience, asking them questions and getting them to participate in the process. This is not only a great technique for relaxing the atmosphere, but it also helps sell you and your product to your audience.

Make Materials A Supplement, Not A Script

The worst presentations to endure are the ones that have everything on the slides. If you are using a program like PowerPoint or using materials either on stage or on handouts, do not just get up there to read the text. This makes your project presentation feel more like school than a selling opportunity. Any materials you use should supplement your speech, not be a record of it. This gives you more space to use for images too, one of the most powerful tools in marketing.

Remember branding when you design and create your supplementary and marketing materials. The quality you use will speak of your ambition, as well as the quality of your project. Investing in high-quality technology, promotional brochures, and clear printed handouts will lead to more people investing in you and your idea. Make your materials uniform. They should all share the same style, colour scheme, and font as well as the same quality.

Take The Audience On A Journey

Part of a presentation is the entertainment factor. You can utilise techniques like storytelling, humour, and nostalgia to make your presentation more memorable and engaging. Every project is a story. You have the beginning already. Start by telling your audience what brought you and your project to them and why it is important. Tell them about the opportunity that is waiting for them, and how they can participate in the next chapter of the story.

The end of your presentation should not finish with where you are now, but where you and your audience will be if they invest in the project, or you. Whether you have an invention, a real estate project, or simply an idea that needs to be developed, the object of the presentation is the same. They need to buy into the project and have confidence in you as its leader. You are the hero of this tale, and the completed project is the prize.

Do Not Be Afraid Of Eye Contact

You need the audience’s attention, and you are going to have to earn it. Starting confidently can be difficult. The presentation may be held somewhere you have never been before, perhaps at your audience’s office, which can feel like enemy territory. If you are going to be successful and get the project off the ground, you will have to be comfortable playing both at home and away.

Making eye contact with audience members is a great way to assert yourself and display confidence from the start. You need to be careful with it though. Do not focus on one person; instead, move your eyes around the room. Engage with each person. Switch your focus on each person in time with your speech and the rhythm of the presentation.

Hold A Q&A After You Finish Your Presentation

Once you are done it can be tempting to get out quickly. You will feel under pressure during your presentation, but you should always endure it a little longer and make sure everyone has the opportunity to get more information from you. If you have made a successful presentation you should expect at least a few questions, often on specifics. You will need to know your facts and figure to host a successful question-and-answer session so be well-prepared.

Sell your project presentation and you will massively improve your chances of success. Be prepared and have a plan. Engage with your audience. It will not be so nerve-wracking if you follow some of these top tips when you plan your next presentation.