The perfect presentation – is there such a thing?

What makes a perfect presentation? It doesn’t just include excellent PowerPoint slides; they are only one part of a successful presentation. You must always adapt the form and content to the target audience to achieve the greatest possible success.

Presenting is an absolute key skill today

. The ability to present convincingly is one of the key skills in business and public life today. There are countless occasions where a presentation now belongs. It starts at school, continues during studies or vocational training and accompanies a large number of professionals throughout their working lives. Professional success depends to no small extent on whether a person can present professionally. Not so long ago, with a little luck, you could somehow get around this issue. Today, presenting is part of the working world.

The optimal presentation style for all occasions is the pipe dream of all presenters

. Countless books have been written about presentations. The more books you read on the subject, the more different opinions about how to present properly can be found. Many authors find that the pyramid principle developed in the 1960s for McKinsey is the ultimate method for the structure for a perfect presentation. Other experts argue that only through proper storytelling can important messages be conveyed with confidence. One author recommends showing only single keywords on a slide, the next presentation professional asserts that text has no place in modern presentations and that only imagery leads to the goal. I myself have been dealing with the topic of presentation for decades. Over the years, I too have read dozens of books on how to present properly and have also written a few reference books on the subject myself. I am invited again and again to give presentations to explain my knowledge about the right methods. And of course, I too have been searching for the ultimate blueprint for the perfect presentation. Clients who want to have Professional PowerPoint presentations created by a presentation agency would of course like to have the ultimate for their money. So what might the perfect presentation look like that leaves nothing to be desired?

What are the basic rules for successful PowerPoint presentations?

. . But with the right method it is such a thing. I have often seen how experienced speakers have used a generally accepted method and yet only moderately received by the audience. For as useful as relying on the pyramid principle can be in one case, it can be less effective with a different topic and a different audience. Storytelling is a great tool, but in certain situations the method is completely out of place. You will most likely not be able to reach everyone in the audience with a particular presentation method. What one audience member finds too dry and overloaded with information, another may find too superficial and shallow. You will probably never be able to please everyone. But if the vast majority of the audience gives you positive feedback, you’ve done it right.

Professional preparation for the target audience significantly increases the chances of success

. There are speakers who go to an event with your presentation and then are surprised by who is in the audience that day. They rely on their experience and expertise and assume that they will already hit the right note. This is very reckless, because one failed opening can already ruin the entire presentation. For example, it is often a good start to create a good atmosphere with a little joke. However, this can just as easily go awry if the jokes are not appropriate to either the occasion or the audience. Therefore, it is a very good idea to find out as much as possible about the audience before the presentation. Often you don’t have a homogeneous group in front of you, but most of the time you can find out something about whether there are young or old people sitting in the seats, academics or workers, people who want to be entertained or people who are looking for a solution to a problem. The more you can find out about your audience, the better you can adapt to them when designing your presentation. The particular audience will determine what is a good or bad presentation. Many presenters do not consider this simple fact in their preparation. Most focus their attention on what information they want to convey. But just as important is the question of who the information should go to. When working with a good PowerPoint agency, your contacts will place great emphasis on audience analysis to tailor a presentation to the needs of the expected audience.

For different audiences, the perfect audience will look different each time

. A universal presentation that works equally well for every occasion and every audience is a tempting notion. But when creating a PowerPoint presentation, you need to consider many important factors at once. Companies often underestimate the amount of effort it takes to make a presentation a real success. Even if you want to design the individual PowerPoint slides yourself, it’s a good idea to consult an experienced presentation agency for strategic advice. The PowerPoint experts have vast experience in what form of presentation is effective with which target audience. This will significantly increase the chances of success for your next presentation. For more tips and tricks on presenting, sign up here for our newsletter.