1) Have An Angle.
One great way to begin a creative presentation is to define what your objective or angle will be. Having some kind of theme can make your presentation unique. As Lyndon Johnson once said about audiences, “If they’re with you at the takeoff, they’ll be with you in the landing.” By this he meant that if you are able to get an audience’s attention at the beginning of a presentation, then they are much more likely to stay with you throughout the duration. Experts suggest thinking about to whom you will be speaking, and focusing your presentation with them in mind. As any salesperson knows making the sale depends on connecting with your audience. By directing your message to a specified target, you will naturally engage your audience, thus making your chosen presentation topic more relatable.
2) Create A Dialogue.
Studies show that we spend 37% of our time in business meetings or presentations, and I think we can all agree that nothing is more boring than a presenter who fails to engage with their audience or simply reads from a PowerPoint presentation. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you shouldn’t create a PowerPoint presentation (although in certain cases it may be a good idea to go without PowerPoint). PowerPoint can be a helpful resource during lengthy presentations. However, it is also extremely important to create interactive presentations. Whether you choose to create a PowerPoint presentation, use more visually appealing tools like Prezi, or ditch the slide format all together, you should aim to create a presentation that sparks dialogue. It is the most valuable thing you can do while presenting to a client or anyone for that matter.
One way to encourage dialogue during your presentation is to ask questions. In fact, public speaking expert Lisa B. Marshall asks her audience to interrupt her at the beginning of every presentation. She finds that this makes her audience members feel comfortable throughout the presentation and also more conversational. By reminding your audience that they should be interacting with you throughout the presentation, they will be more willing to listen. If you begin your presentation with a question, you will gain your audience’s attention from the start, and create a more conversational atmosphere for the remainder of the presentation.
Another way to spark dialogue during a presentation is to ask audience members their opinions on certain topics. If you are presenting to a group of your employees, seeking the opinions of those who have knowledge on a certain topic can create an environment that encourages more conversation. However, I wouldn’t recommend simply asking audience members at random about certain topics, as this could make them feel uncomfortable if they lack experience on the subject.
3) Use Social Media!
Social media is an extremely important part of the daily routine for any business. Therefore, it makes sense that when discussing unique presentation ideas, social media should be put to use. If you are presenting to a larger audience, one creative presentation idea is to utilize social media to promote more conversation. Tell your audience members to use your designated hashtag or to tweet at you, so that you can refer to their comments throughout the presentation without too much disruption. This is a unique way to get their attention without asking them to answer questions directly.4) Consistency is NOT Always Key.
Here’s another creative presentation idea that might shock some of you. Normally, I find myself repeating “consistency is key” over and over in business situations. However, if you’re looking for creative presentation ideas, then consistency is NOT always key. Consistency during a presentation can be boring, and you might even find yourself putting your audience to sleep rather than exciting them about whatever message you are trying to convey. Therefore, if you always begin by giving a PowerPoint presentation, it might benefit you to change up the pace at some point. Being more interactive with your audience through group activities or videos without PowerPoint can bring their attention back to the topic of discussion and make it more memorable in the long run. Finding ways to put together creative presentations can be difficult in the corporate world. Although PowerPoint presentations can be extremely bland, there are many strategies you can implement that will keep your audience entertained and engaged. Some of the best presentation ideas include having an angle that your audience can connect with, creating a dialogue by asking questions, using social media, and not being so consistent throughout your presentation that you bore your audience. Hopefully you find these tips valuable and put them to use in your next presentation! What creative ideas have you used to make presentations more engaging? Please share your stories below.ABOUT CATMEDIA:
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