Business presentations have a bit of a bad reputation – famous for being sleep-inducing. What’s more, it’s fair to say that the majority of firms aren’t getting the most out of them.

Although it might be funny to mock them, boring business presentations are a missed opportunity. Not only do they fail to convey their core message, but they also waste the time of all those involved, presenter included. Companies need ways to improve the quality of their presentations, from the moment the projector transparencies start displaying information. It’s all about digging deep.

Stimulate With Paradoxes

In a traditional presentation, it’s customary to use some stylised facts to motivate the discussion. Presenters will introduce status quo thinking and prepare their audience for the content ahead. Although instructive, the problem with this approach is that it tends to switch off important parts of the brains of the participants. They see a stylized fact, and immediately relax their critical faculties, causing them to become less engaged with the content.

Smart presenters know how to get around this psychological quirk. Rather than introducing well-accepted facts, they point out apparent paradoxes in the subject matter, asking participants to try and resolve them. Paradoxes never exist in reality – instead, they are a useful tool for helping people think better about a problem or situation. Those who can resolve paradoxes help solve significant problems.

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Don’t Make Them Laugh

Going deep usually isn’t funny. But some presenters, even in a business setting, can’t resist the temptation to get a laugh. Although it might seem like a good idea to get people laughing, it does little to help improve engagement. A much better approach is to stick to the facts and generate interest by making the presentation interesting (or as interesting as possible).

How do you make it interesting? You could appeal to their intellectual curiosity, competitiveness or even vanity. Get them going on an emotional level, and you’ll have them hooked.

Speak As Plainly As Possible

Although you’re in a business setting, there’s no reason to presume that all the people in your audience are up to date with the lingo. Speaking simply, plainly and Socratically can often be helpful, especially if you want to go deep. Speaking plainly helps people to follow what you’re saying, helping them to stay engaged.

Use Great Props

Props can be an excellent way to make a presentation more memorable and engaging. The most useful accessories are those that encapsulate a new concept. For instance, perhaps your company is expanding into China. You could use a countdown timer to show how long it is between the opening of new stores or branches.

Props are also a great tool for artistic and marketing presentations. Accessories help to demonstrate a concept, making it more visceral than a simple description.

Focus On Delivery

Staff will remember more of what you say if it is delivered convincingly and confidently. Practice your delivery. Concentrate on omitting “ums,” “ahs,” “kind ofs” and other verbal tics that could interrupt your flow.