What can we say about the perfect presentation? It doesn't exist! However, delivering the best possible presentation should still be the goal. With that in mind, here are a few keys to delivering a (nearly) perfect presentation:


Know your audience. Developing an understanding of who they are, where they are, and where they want to be is crucial. The audience wants a presentation that relates to them directly, not a generic pitch.
Develop the right message. Think of the presentation as the outline of your story. The slides and the bullets should highlight your key points. The goal of the slide is not to give all of the information; it's to put you in a position to bring the story to life.
Keep things concise. Need some ideas on how to keep things succinct? Read our last Tip, "Is Less More?" 
Start strong. Presenters can get a presentation off to a great start by clearly stating their goal for the meeting and sharing the agenda at a high level (without having to read it from the slide). Show the audience you know why you're there and you're ready to go.
Tell a story. Stories engage an audience, and help people to consider possibilities and envision outcomes.
Rehearse. There is simply no substitute for rehearsal, yet many people don't take the time to do it. Rehearsal helps you to master the content, which gives you confidence, which enhances your presence and delivery.
Deliver it with passion. If a presenter delivers in a ho-hum fashion, why should the audience respond with anything but the same? Passion can inspire people, and inspired people take action!
Close well. The reason you deliver presentations isn't to check a box. It's for the action a presentation can drive. Always end your presentation with an effective call-to-action and a compelling close.


Remember, while none of us will ever deliver a "perfect presentation", that doesn't mean we should stop trying!


 

Announcing the "2018 State of B2B Sales" study results! 

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