Make your next presentation one to remember

Leaders are often called on to make a presentation. What kind of presentation you give depends on what you need: for example, a CIO might make a presentation to their board about strategic initiatives, or a startup CEO might present to VCs for seed funding. While these are very different contexts, they share the same practice to make a successful presentation - they need to deliver and be memorable.

To make your next presentation on to remember, follow this advice:

Develop new body language

Your audience will respond to your body language. Use that to your advantage. Practice the body language you want, make it a practice then a habit. For example, when your open palms are visible above the waist, people read that as a positive, trustworthy, and more welcoming expression.

Use images, not words 

A fast way to lose your audience's attention is to show a slide that is overstuffed with text. No one wants to read a slide, especially if you are basically iterating what's on the screen. Instead, show an image to tell a story, and focus your point around that story. If you aren't confident enough to use just an image for your slide, try using a photo on half of your slide, plus a few short bullet points on the empty half of the slide.

Don't forget the headline

If your slide has a title then content, remember that the title is part of your message. Make it say something active. The title is an opportunity to communicate a main point, too. For example, if a slide in your presentation shows photos of your executive team so you can discuss how your team has valuable experience, don't title the slide 'our team.' Instead, 'we bring expertise to your organization' is a more active way to introduce your team, and leaves your audience with the message you want them to take away.

Practice your message

You need to prepare before a big presentation. I don't recommend memorizing the talk word-for-word; if you get off-track at any point in the delivery, it's hard to get back onto the main point if you've only memorized the presentation. Instead, know the high points of your message, and what your audience needs to take away. Then you won't get stuck like this classic example from a few years ago: