Keep it simple.

Recently I was writing a presentation for the global marketing lead of a Fortune 500 company.  As I was writing, I kept thinking, keep it simple.

Short.  The goal is not to speak for the entire meeting time but rather to engage in a dialogue.  To do that, I plan to use half the time or less.  Brevity forces me to refine my message and focus on what’s most important.

Illustrate.   Use pictures and stories to illuminate the data and the findings.

Macro.  For this audience, the presentation should be very high level.  It is tempting to dwell in the details but that it is why you have an appendix.  Put the details there in case you need them.

People.  We often talk about customers as segments or numbers but they are people with families, careers and interests.  Humanize your data to make it more relevant and memorable.

Light.  In addition to short, the presentation should be light on text.  The temptation is to write down everything you want to say but you should speak to each slide rather than read it. 

Engaging.  You are often competing with someone’s phone or laptop for their attention.  An engaging presentation will keep their eyes on your presentation instead.  They are also more likely to remember it.

I hope you find these ideas helpful.