If you’re giving a big presentation, you have a lot of decisions to make. You’ll need to consider the type of presentation you will be giving, what type of speaking skills you have, what presentation style you have and what aids, if any, you will be using. In this article, we provide descriptions of business presentations, presentation styles and a few tips for giving an effective presentation.
Why use presentations in business?
Professionals use presentations for four basic purposes:
To inform
Informative presentations are common in the corporate world, typically to inform listeners about a specific event, project or to give the audience basic information. For instance, a stockbroker might use an informative presentation to tell clients about projected changes in the stock market.
To instruct
Instructional presentations exist to give those in the audience specific directions or orders, possibly in teaching audience members new skills or presenting key information. This type of presentation may run longer than other types, depending on how complex the subject is. An instructional presentation from a building contractor, for instance, might detail all the steps needed to plan construction, install water and electrical systems and more.
To persuade
Persuasive presentations are those in which the speaker works to convince members of the audience to accept a proposal or the speaker is trying to make a sale. For example, a city councilperson may use a persuasive speech to urge the rest of the council to allot more tax money for a new park.
To aid decision making
Professionals may use decision-making presentations when their company needs to settle on specific policies or to make choices about the company’s organizational structure. These types of presentations are interactive because the presenter introduces an idea or set of ideas that the entire group in attendance will need to work on.
Types of presentation styles
In general, there are six presentations styles:
1. Coach
Coach-style presentations work best for presenters who are enthusiastic about the topic they are speaking about. To make this work for you, you will need to find a balance between speaking and getting reactions and feedback from the audience. You will also need to speak and share information at an appropriate pace.
The coach-style presentation is popular among motivational speakers. You might need to rely on coach-style presentations if you are at a conference or in any situation where you need to assuage the fears of your audience. Sometimes, salespersons or sales representatives use this style.
2.connector
The connector-style presentation is one in which the speaker highlights what they have in common with the audience. Listeners feel that the speaker is “one of them” and are thus more receptive to the presenter’s message.
This type of presentation might also include a freeform question and answer session. Listeners may feel comfortable participating because the speaker typically uses gestures when they speak, which can encourage audience members to participate in the discussion.
To use this style effectively, you should be organized and pay close attention to detail, but be comfortable on stage and in the audience. For example, you might need to use this style if you are a community outreach specialist. You will need to talk to leaders of the community to promote awareness of your organization and to convince members of the community to take part in a particular action.
3. Freeform
Freeform presenters generally know what they want to say without a great deal of planning, rules or structure. If you would like to try this style, consider keeping yourself to two or three key points, use some humor, and share some stories with your audience. However, if you need a few reminders of what to say, feel free to have a few flashcards on hand, but make sure that the information on those cards is concise.
The freeform style might work best for you if you are a sales representative in informal situations. If you have a thorough knowledge of what your company does and you have your talking points memorized, you may not need to take too many notes since you have practice speaking about your product.
4. Instructor
The instructor style may be best for people who need to convey a complex message to persuade the audience to consider or adopt a certain viewpoint. To use this style effectively, consider using figures of speech, metaphors and visual aids to help the audience conceptualize what you are talking about. Also, find a way to balance focusing on the subject matter and your audience.
This approach could be ideal if you are an educator, since teachers essentially give daily presentations to their class. During your presentations, you would break down detailed topics to inform your audience.
5. Storytelling
The storytelling style is a great way for speakers to connect with their audiences. This style works best when you provide anecdotes that align with your main points and if you can use words that elicit emotion for the listener.
If you work in a communications field, the storytelling style might work best for you. An example of the storytelling style at work is radio-announcing, especially sports announcing. Many sports announcers not only talk about the basics of the sport they are covering, but they often use anecdotes from their past to relate to current developments.
6. Visual
Speakers who use this style tend to use large and colorful slides with small quantities of text. This is a great style for speakers who believe slides should only compliment their speech or who have a short time to prepare and present. For example, if you are an ecologist giving a presentation to a city planning commission, you could have slides of local wildlife and/or graphs that depict the environmental impact of the new town hall.
Things to consider when choosing your presentation style
There are various other factors you will need to consider before settling on the type of presentation style you will use, including:
The meeting you will attend
Each of the six types of business presentations has a different level of audience interaction. Depending on the type of interaction you want from your audience, some styles might work better than others. For instance, a connector-style presentation may work better for a smaller group since the speaker only needs to focus on a few people.
Where you will be giving the presentation
Your presentation’s location partially informs the type of your presentation. If you must address a crowd in a conference hall, you will likely have to address a large audience, which could lead you to a style suited well to large groups, such as the storytelling or visual style.
The number of people in attendance
Depending on the size of your audience, you might be able to have a limited amount of interaction with audience members, if at all. You may also be unfamiliar with your audience, which lends to the level of formality.
The level of formality
If you are attending a formal conference, the instructor or visual styles might work best. You might also consider handing out information, like papers that include your main points, so listeners can follow along and remain engaged during your presentation.
The type of information you will be sharing
If you are sharing a significant amount of information, the instructor style might work best for your presentation. The freeform style will work best if you do not have to remember too much but are familiar with the subject matter.
The level of experience you have
Depending on your experience with public speaking, you might need aids to help you. For example, if you’re just starting out in your field, you might include research from experts and cite them in your presentation to boost your credibility.
Visual aids
Things like slide shows and video clips can help you keep the audience’s attention and enhance your speech. Certain presentation s.tyles may lean heavily on visual aids, while others do not require them.
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