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How To Make a Company Profile Presentation with Examples and Templates

Imagine a presenter who can resonate with their target audience so effectively that they inspire the required trust and confidence to get new relationships started. That’s the primary goal of a successful company profile presentation. 

As Nancy Duarte has said in her book Resonate , “Presenting ideas can either evoke puzzled stares or frenzied enthusiasm, which is determined by how well the message is delivered and how well it resonates with the audience.” Precisely because we know how vital this is to any business, we’re revising how to write a productive company profile in this article. 

We’ve included company profile examples in this article to learn from others on how to best present your company. In this article, we’re strictly referring to company profile presentations.

What is a company profile?

As we’ve described before in our company profile templates category, a company profile is a resource organizations can use for creating presentations that describe the essential aspects of a company.

Company profile uses

A company profile is meant to assist in presenting a company to an audience. With that understanding, it can help with topics ranging from sales to internal company presentations, for example: 

Introducing the company to its new employees

If we understand this resource as a polished portfolio or dossier, it’s easier to conceive how it can back up almost any pitch for diverse collaborations. The tool is suitable for showing a company’s philosophy, intentions, and plans to an audience. 

Acquiring new investors

Promote your brand with it, or use the resource to persuade investors during fundraising for your company. You can also rely on it to present your company to prospects by crafting a professional company presentation.

Marketing presentations

Another aspect to consider is that company profiles are great for media presentations, back up any sponsorship opportunities, and get new collaborators to pitch in with our global company vision and plans.

How to create a company profile presentation: step-by-step instructions

Putting a company profile presentation together helps to focus on each slide at a time. Focus on the meaningful content of your company profile and use slides to complement your message. 

Here is a run-down of each slide, one by one, to help put your company profile together. Alternatively, you can create your company profile presentation deck using SlideModel’s AI Presentation Maker tool and prepare your presentation for final PowerPoint edits. 

Step 1 – Company Profile Cover Page

Your first slide can include your company logo , a title that typically reads “Company Profile”, and a sub-title. A quick one-liner description can be entered here or a meaningful short text with a motto or phrase.

Step 2 – Mission & Vision

In general, you’re seeking to include the vision and mission slides in these first part of a company presentation. The classic piece of advice here is to state a company’s mission to give out what you’re looking to achieve. If you have doubts on what to include in a mission and vision slide, learn here how to prepare a successful vision statement .

Very much tied to the above, start by seeking a compelling introductory section for a company presentation. 

Step 3 – What we do

Next, introduce your services or products in a medium-sized slide text. Nancy Duarte again guides us with valuable wisdom on this aspect as she recalls how “communicating only the detailed specifications or functional overviews of a product isn’t enough.” Look for an emotional rapport in your product introduction as much as possible. Ideally, you’ll address consumers’ or your audience’s pain points in a way that compels them to hear more. 

On this last note about your audience, go deeply into their ways of thought, desires, interests, and needs to determine the problems and challenges they’re facing. Clearly defining what your proposed solution of value will be throughout your company pitch is a great way to present your company profile. 

Far from overdoing it, focus on your main business areas to present your top three to six. Use images or icons for visual support. Include a supporting text on a service description, and the benefits of these for your target audience. 

Step 4 – About the Company

And enter your company description in the next slide. This is usually presented with the header “About Us.” If your growth is at the point where it makes an impact once the story is told, include it. The same applies to any awards or key certifications you may have in your name. If you’ve made it to the news or media in great light, or if there’s any vital history that can be an impressive point for your company’s reputation, it may be worth adding those here. 

If you don’t want to start from scratch, you can use the About Us slide templates for PowerPoint.

In a nutshell, use all of your relevant bragging rights as you see fit. Stress any significant milestones your company could have achieved by the time you present. And narrow down your niche and any location-specific expertise you may have working to your advantage. 

Step 5 – Present the Team

Follow with your team slide through a Meet the Team slide design. Show a few images of your leading talent. As usual with a team slide, consider the most common recommendations on who to highlight and what to include. You’re looking for the most reputable milestones of your team members’ careers as a highlight of their background to make a shining difference. If a particular person or group makes a stellar difference by being an experienced part of your team, include the following slide with just those party’s credentials and best references. 

Step 6 – Company major milestones

Then move to portray the company’s significant milestones in a timeline visually . The idea is to make your roadmap visually clear in your corporate presentation or company profiles. For that, title each part of the process, give it a brief description, and extend timeline indications onto a separate slide, if you prefer. 

Step 7 – Relevant Data

If you need to add PowerPoint chart templates , the next few slides would be a proper section to include these into the corporate presentations. Give descriptions of the data you’re presenting. Include a mix between pie charts, line and bar graphs, and other formats as you move along. 

Our Company Profile PowerPoint template , for example, includes a world map that allows users to pinpoint company locations around the globe. The idea is to make the company’s global reach a lot more visible, which will help enhance your company overview slides. 

All of the above coincides with a total of 15 slides we put together as part of this company PowerPoint-friendly material. Edit its background, move data around, and customize it as you see fit.

From here on, we suggest adding positive reviews via Client Testimonials or feedback left on review sites. For this purpose, you can reuse one of our editable client testimonial slides for PowerPoint & Google Slides. You can even add a client portfolio if you already have a great, solid base. Any good words about you from relevant parties will reinforce your credibility as the final touch and your conclusion slide.

Why use company profile templates?

Using PowerPoint presentation templates for company profiles is the first step toward a professional job. The primary justification for this choice is how much easier it is to edit, add, remove, or re-write a slide compared to other formats. Depending on how often you’ll need to customize this resource to pitch an audience, making quick changes can be easy and convenient.

Also, consider how quickly a company is going to face alterations in terms of products, finances, milestones, and diverse goals. Adding or removing a slide is very easy!

While we’re touching upon edits, keep your texts short and relevant descriptions. Avoid long blocks of content or jam-packed illustrations, even using graphs, tables, or others. As with any slide for any purpose, keep your presentation as lean as possible. 

Alternatively, you can access our free company profile template to create an excellent company presentation.

Recommendations on company profiles

Speaking of purpose, define what the company profile is set out to achieve. An investment plan or trade portfolio can be a part of why a company profile is needed. Align objectives in this sense with the overall content. 

If it isn’t evident, add the company logo to the company profile presentation. If you’re using pictures, make sure they’re of the highest quality, as this speaks professionalism. Some logo maker tools offer preset presentation sizes which makes the process easier.

As for contact details, seek to include email, phone, corporate address, and even a website mention. Adding these details is a way to let potential clients quickly learn more about your company. Social media accounts are also a must in terms of outreach and potential customers checking the company’s trajectory. To make it convenient and for a streamlined access to your contact information, add a digital business card with relevant contact details including website link and social media handles.

Company profiles might not be the best place to include financial reports or any corporate problems you’re dealing. On the contrary, they’re intended to draw people to your business and make them fall in love with a brand, its mission, and its vision. 

That’s why it’s so important to seek to appeal to your audience’s emotions. How you can call upon an emotional connection with what you’re presenting is a great guiding principle as you build your next company profile presentation material, script, setting, and performance. Every aspect counts! Control what happens rather than leaving it to chance. 

Examples of successful company profiles

Study cases for eco-friendly companies.

From a two-page company profile for a food waste management solution company to an 88-page document of the exact nature of one of Australia’s Equity Trustee companies, we’re detailing various company profile examples for a clearer idea of what these can include. 

MAEKO made a clear statement in just a couple of slides, clearly defining its mission & vision, its niche, the offered solution for a world-class problem, and displaying its products’ end purpose.

The annual report from Equity Holdings Ltd. instead presents data in a consolidated way that both shareholders and potential business partners can quickly appreciate. Though lengthy, the main goal behind this approach is to provide complete insights into each aspect of the trust’s management, profits & losses.

We hope this has helped, and, of course, let us know if you’d like to see more or different. We’re here to help you excel every step of the way. Also, check out our step-by-step guide on how to make a PowerPoint Presentation .

1. Company Profile PowerPoint Template - The Basic Structure

For business executives, sales teams, and entrepreneurs, the Company Profile PowerPoint Template proves to be a powerful tool for kicking off a quick and impactful presentation. As described in the article, it contains the basic structure for a powerful Company introduction covered in 15 slides.

Blue & light gray themed, it’s fully compatible with all versions of PowerPoint, Keynote, and also Google Slides. Pie chart graphs, linear graphs, and bar graphs slides included to create detailed data reports.

Use This Template

2. Company Profile PowerPoint Template with SWOT Analysis & Pricing

This template will give you the tools for a fully-detailed company introduction. Listing slides to showcase scenarios such as “problem vs solution”, SWOT analysis, global market solutions, pricing lists, and way more, it’s a compendium of 20 slides intended for business success.

In a dashing white and teal color combination, with gray accents, this template is the perfect asset to present data in a visually appealing way. Fully compatible with all versions of PowerPoint, Keynote, and Google Slides.

3. Professional Company Profile PowerPoint Template

Present your company in a stellar fashion thanks to this Company Profile template. With subtle gradients and a clean layout, this template’s design moves far from the classy-styled presentation into a carefully crafted design with vivid tones. Dark purple, red, and orange tones make up this template in striking combinations to gather the public’s interest.

100% compatible with all PowerPoint versions, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides.

4. Executive Styled Company Profile Template

Make a memorable introduction for your company with the help of this Company Profile template for PowerPoint. This template can boost your pitch in a steel gray tone with terracotta and teal accents. Featuring slides for organigrams, goals and milestones, core values, timelines, and more, 22 slides are ready to edit and rearrange as fits your company the best.

Compatible with all PowerPoint versions, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides.

5. Flyer One-Pager Company Profile Template

Easy to distribute, even easier to create. A vividly toned one-pager company profile template is a practical solution for conferences, meetups, and any kind of large business exhibition. Quickly deliver the vital data that makes your company a profitable place to invest. Get hold of potential new clients, or just attract potential employees with the help of this flyer format of a company profile.

Fully editable in all versions of PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides

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Business PowerPoint Templates, Company Introduction, Company Profile, Company Profile Presentation Filed under Presentation Ideas

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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How to Make a Company Profile Presentation (Tips & Examples)

Learn how to make a company profile presentation with our expert tips and company profile presentation examples. Try interactive templates for a personal touch.

Dominika Krukowska

9 minute read

Short answer

What is a company profile presentation?

A company profile presentation is a short, visually appealing presentation that tells your company's story — covering its mission, history, key achievements, and future aspirations. It's perfect for making a great first impression on clients and investors, showing them what makes your business special in a clear and engaging way.

Without a compelling company profile, you’re just another logo in a sea of businesses

In a world where every niche is crowded with competitors, both fresh startups and established giants, standing out is not just tough; it's a survival game.

Not having a strong company profile presentation can lead to missed opportunities and potential customers slipping through your fingers.

But here's the good news: I believe your company can not only compete but also shine.

Stick with me, and you'll learn to create a company profile presentation that not only stands out but also holds its own against the big players. I’m going to walk you through easy-to-implement, effective ways to elevate your company profile from just another name to a standout brand.

Let’s get started!

What makes an effective company profile presentation?

An effective company profile presentation blends engaging storytelling, interactivity, and personalized content that speaks directly to your audience. It's about making a connection, tailoring your message to resonate with viewers, and highlighting your company's journey, mission, and successes.

What should a company profile presentation include?

When you're putting together a business profile presentation, think of it as telling your business's story in a way that's both engaging and informative.

It's your chance to connect with your audience, whether they're potential investors, clients, or partners, and give them a real sense of what your company is all about.

Here's a breakdown of what to include to make your business profile presentation shine.

1) The story of your business

Begin with the origins of your company. This isn't just about dates and facts; it's about sharing the journey, the ups and downs, and the lessons learned along the way.

This narrative helps your audience connect with your business on a personal level, understanding where you come from and what has shaped your company.

2) Core principles and goals

Your mission, vision, and values aren't just corporate jargon; they're the heart and soul of your business. They guide your decisions and actions.

Clearly presenting these principles helps your audience understand what your business stands for and what you're striving to achieve.

3) Milestones and success stories

Highlight the key moments that have defined your company's journey. This could be anything from launching a groundbreaking product to expanding into new markets.

These milestones not only showcase your achievements but also demonstrate your growth and adaptability.

4) Awards and recognitions

Displaying awards and recognitions adds a layer of trust and credibility. It shows that external bodies have endorsed your company, which can be a powerful tool in building confidence in your brand.

5) The team

People connect with people, not just brands. Introduce the key figures in your company, highlighting their expertise and roles.

You can also include employee testimonials that offer a genuine look into your company culture and the people who make everything happen. This humanizes your company and builds trust by showing the faces behind the business.

6) What you offer

Clearly outline what your company offers. This section should be straightforward, explaining your products or services and how they benefit your customers.

Keep it simple but informative, ensuring your audience understands your value proposition.

7) What makes you different

In a competitive market, it's crucial to highlight what sets you apart. Discuss your unique selling points and how they differentiate you from your competitors. This is your chance to explain why your company is the better choice.

8) Financial health and growth

Share key financial data that showcases your company's stability and growth potential. This reassures your audience of your business's health and prospects, which is particularly important for investors and partners.

9) Future plans and aspirations

Describe your goals and how you plan to achieve them. This shows that you're not just focused on the present but are actively planning for future growth and success.

10) Clear call to action

Finish your presentation with a clear invitation for your audience to take the next step. Whether it's exploring a partnership, trying out your products, or discussing investment opportunities, make it easy for them to know how to engage with your company.

How do you create a company profile presentation?

Creating a company introduction presentation is more than just listing facts about your business; it's an opportunity to tell a compelling story that resonates with your audience and offer a window into the soul of your business.

Here’s how to create a captivating company introduction presentation in a few easy steps:

1) Understand the purpose of your presentation

Before you start, it's crucial to understand why you're creating this presentation. Is it to attract investors, inform potential clients, or introduce your company to new employees?

Knowing your audience and purpose shapes the content, tone, and style of your presentation, ensuring it resonates with the right people in the right way.

2) Start with a strong introduction

Your introduction is your first impression. Start with something that grabs attention – your company's mission statement, a brief but intriguing history, or an engaging anecdote about how your company came to be.

This isn't just about providing information; it's about setting the stage and getting your audience interested in what comes next.

Here’s an example of a deck with a strong introduction:

3) Personalize your presentation

Customize your presentation to speak directly to your audience's interests and needs. If you're addressing potential clients, focus on how your products or services solve their specific problems. For investors, emphasize business performance and growth potential.

You can also add dynamic variables to your company profile and import relevant data like your reader’s name or company directly from your CRM. This simple trick will get 68% more people to read your deck in full , and share it internally 2.3x more often.

Here’s a great example of a personalized slide:

4) Incorporate scrollytelling

Scrollytelling can transform a static presentation into an interactive experience, especially for digital formats.

As the viewer scrolls, new elements of your story appear, keeping them engaged and curious about what's next. This technique works wonders for keeping your audience hooked.

Here’s what scrollytelling looks like in practice:

5) Tell your story authentically

Share your company's journey with authenticity. Talk about the challenges you've faced and how you overcame them, the milestones you've achieved, and the reasons behind starting your business.

Authentic storytelling creates a deeper, more emotional connection with your audience.

If you’re looking for inspiration, we have a handy guide including the best presentation storytelling examples and techniques .

6) Add interactive elements

Interactive elements like clickable links, embedded videos, or tiered slides can significantly enhance your presentation's engagement level. These elements provide additional layers of information and interaction without overloading your slides with text.

7) Simplify complex information

Data visualization slides and infographics are powerful tools for presenting complex information in a digestible format.

Whether it's market trends, growth statistics, or financial data, visual representations make it easier for your audience to understand and remember key points.

Here’s a great example of using data visualization in a presentation:

8) Guide your audience to the next step

End your presentation with a clear call to action. What do you want your audience to do next? Whether it’s visiting your website, contacting your team, or exploring a partnership, make this step clear and easy to follow.

Interactive presentation makers let you integrate your calendar into your deck, making it easier than ever for readers to book a meeting with you.

Here’s what a next step slide looks like:

Company profile examples that make your business stand out

Creating a compelling company profile presentation is an art. It's about striking the perfect balance between informative content and engaging storytelling.

To help you master this craft, let's dive into some standout examples of company profile presentations.

Each one shows just how well creativity and clear thinking can work together to really bring out what a company does best and where it's headed, in a way that's both unique and easy to understand.

Jump ahead to page section

Company highlights

This company highlights template presents your journey, market growth, and customer satisfaction. It's ideal for companies like SMEs, startups, and enterprises looking to illustrate their success in AI-driven innovation.

What makes this company profile presentation great:

Using a mix of storytelling and data to highlight a company’s evolution and expertise.

Interactive elements like clickable data points and embedded testimonials bring the company's impact and client experiences to life.

The presentation strategically targets diverse business segments , demonstrating the company's versatility and wide-ranging applications in AI solutions.

Company profile overview

This template is ideal for businesses seeking to present a comprehensive overview. It effectively communicates your company's mission, vision, achievements, and future goals, making it suitable for all types of businesses aiming to establish a strong brand narrative.

Key metrics like annual revenue growth and customer retention rates are highlighted, demonstrating market impact and growth trajectory.

It cleverly segments its audience , detailing how its AI solutions cater to the specific needs of SMEs, startups, and large enterprises, demonstrating a tailored approach.

The company uniquely positions itself by emphasizing its specialized team , highlighting their expertise in driving AI innovation.

Enterprise snapshot

This template is designed for large-scale organizations. It effectively showcases your company's scale, capabilities, and market position, making it ideal for enterprises aiming to highlight their industry dominance and innovative solutions.

It uses tiered slides with tabs , effectively catering to different use cases and readers, allowing for a personalized presentation journey.

The presentation features easily editable logo placeholders , offering the flexibility to showcase past clients' logos, enhancing credibility and trust.

The ability to embed a case study directly into the presentation, providing tangible evidence of a company’s impact and success in real-world scenarios.

Corporate spotlight

This template is a concise yet impactful tool for highlighting your company's background, values, capabilities, and accomplishments. It's perfect for businesses wanting to emphasize their unique selling points and industry standing.

A smart Call-to-Action (CTA) that's strategically placed to engage viewers and encourage them to schedule a call directly from the company profile deck.

The fully interactive layout of the presentation invites viewers to actively engage with the content, creating a more immersive and memorable experience.

Data visualization elements transform complex data into easily digestible and visually appealing information, enhancing understanding and retention.

Company introduction

This template is tailored for businesses in the finance and technology sector. It effectively communicates your company's solutions, market challenges, and how you address them, making it ideal for companies looking to establish credibility.

The average reading time on the cover slide sets clear expectations for the audience and reduces bounce rate by almost a quarter .

The use of grayed-out content strategically highlights key information, guiding the viewer's focus to the most important aspects of the presentation.

Running numbers dynamically showcase key achievements and growth metrics, capturing attention instantly.

Corporate profile

This corporate profile emplate offers a succinct yet powerful presentation of your company. Highlight your unique selling points and industry standing, making a strong impression on your audience.

A video on the cover slide immediately sets the tone for the company's innovative approach and boosts engagement by up to 32% .

A perfect balance between image and text placeholders ensures a visually appealing layout that communicates effectively without overwhelming the audience.

A built-in analytics panel allows companies to track viewer engagement and gather valuable insights for future presentations and strategies.

General business overview

This general business overview template is a versatile tool for businesses across various industries. It showcases your company's innovative solutions, market growth, and customer satisfaction, suitable for companies aiming to highlight their market impact and user-centric approach.

The presentation begins with a strong, user-centric message , emphasizing commitment to enhancing user experiences and streamlining operations.

The ability to add testimonials and case studies can enhance credibility and showcase the real-world impact of your company’s solutions.

A library of data visualization elements to highlight the most important growth metrics in an interactive way.

Company insights

This company insights template is perfect for businesses looking to showcase their innovative solutions and market impact. It highlights your company's growth, customer satisfaction, and industry solutions, ideal for companies aiming to illustrate their success and expertise.

It offers the option to integrate dynamic variables , which enables a personalized experience for each viewer to enhance engagement and relevance.

The ability to use an AI assistant for crafting messages and generating images , showcasing a forward-thinking approach in presentation design.

The presentation design allows for the addition of multiple smart CTAs , giving presenters the flexibility to guide viewer interaction and drive specific actions.

Company overview

This template emphasizes your company's innovative solutions, market growth, and customer satisfaction, making it suitable for e-commerce, startups, and large enterprises aiming to demonstrate their user-centric approach and success.

An intuitive editor makes it easy for users to create and customize their presentations.

Thanks to various CRM integrations , you can personalize your deck at scale, allowing for tailored messaging that resonates with each unique audience segment.

The option to extract branding elements directly from the company website, ensuring brand consistency and a cohesive visual identity across the presentation.

Company intro

This template showcases your company's innovative solutions, industry challenges, and the benefits of your services, making it ideal for companies aiming to demonstrate their expertise and capacity for digital transformation and financial empowerment.

Using dynamic variables makes personalization quick and easy while ensuring that 68% more people will read your presentation in full .

The layout of the presentation automatically adapts to any changes made, so you don’t have to worry about ever breaking the design.

The option to make changes even after it has been sent , offering flexibility and control over the messaging and content.

Company presentation

This template is perfect for 'About us' decks or company overviews. It tells the story of your business in a way that engages and resonates with the audience, making it ideal for companies looking to create a compelling narrative about their journey and achievements.

A mobile-responsive design ensures it looks great and functions smoothly on any device, enhancing accessibility and viewer engagement.

The option to embed videos directly into the deck adds a dynamic and interactive element that can effectively convey the company's story and values.

The scroll-based design of the presentation creates a seamless and intuitive user experience, guiding viewers through the content in a natural and engaging way.

How to design a company profile presentation?

Designing a compelling company profile presentation is about more than just listing your achievements and services. It's about creating a narrative that resonates with your audience and showcases your company's unique value.

Here’s how to make your company introduction presentation stand out:

1) Tell your company's story visually

Start with a strong visual narrative. Use images, infographics, and timelines to illustrate your company's journey, achievements, and future goals. This approach helps your audience connect with your story on a deeper level.

2) Incorporate your branding

Ensure your presentation reflects your company's branding. Use your brand colors, logos, and fonts consistently throughout the presentation. This does more than just give a polished look; it really helps hammer home what your brand is all about. Use all the toolstack you need for a hgh-end design, from logo creators to brand color palletes.

3) Use data visualization components

When presenting data, such as market growth, financials, or customer demographics, use charts and graphs. This makes complex information more digestible and engaging.

4) Personalize for different audiences

Tailor your presentation to your audience. Whether it's potential investors, clients, or partners, make sure the content speaks directly to their interests and needs.

Also, thanks to CRM integrations, you can extract information such as first name or company name, and use it to personalize your business profile presentations at scale in just a few clicks.

5) Add interactive elements for engagement

Consider adding interactive elements like clickable links, embedded videos, or animated product demos. This interactivity keeps the audience engaged and makes your presentation more memorable.

6) Prioritize clarity and readability

Organize your content in a way that's easy to follow. Use bullet points, short paragraphs, and clear headings. If you have a lot of information, consider using expandable sections or tabs.

7) End with a strong Call to Action

Conclude your presentation with a clear call to action. Whether it’s inviting questions, scheduling a meeting, or directing them to your website, make it easy for your audience to take the next step.

Interactive company profile presentation templates

Starting from scratch on a company profile presentation can be a real challenge. You need to figure out not only what to say but also how to say it in a way that truly represents your brand.

That's where interactive company profile presentation templates are a lifesaver. They give you a solid foundation with professional designs and layouts, so you can focus on customizing the content to tell your company's unique story.

Grab one and see for yourself.

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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How to give a good presentation that captivates any audience

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What are the main difficulties when giving presentations?

How to create an effective presentation, after that, how do i give a memorable presentation, how to connect with the audience when presenting.

If you’ve ever heard someone give a powerful presentation, you probably remember how it made you feel. Much like a composer, a good speaker knows precisely when each note should strike to captivate their audience’s attention and leave them with a lasting impression.

No one becomes a great public speaker or presenter without practice. And almost everyone can recall a time one of their presentations went badly — that’s a painful part of the learning process.

Whether you’re working within a small creative team or a large organization, public speaking and presentation skills are vital to communicating your ideas. Knowing how to present your vision can help you pitch concepts to clients, present ideas to your team, and develop the confidence to participate in team meetings.

If you have an upcoming presentation on the horizon and feel nervous, that’s normal. Around 15-30% of the general population experience a fear of public speaking . And, unfortunately, social anxiety is on the rise, with a 12% increase in adults over the last 20 years . 

Learning how to give a good presentation can dismantle your fears and break down these barriers, ensuring you’re ready to confidently share your point of view. 

It’s the week before your presentation, and you’re already feeling nervous . Maybe there’ll be an important mentor in the room you need to impress, or you’re looking for an opportunity to show your boss your value. Regardless of your countless past presentations, you still feel nervous. 

Sharing your vision and ideas with any sized group is intimidating. You’re likely worrying about how you’ll perform as a presenter and whether the audience will be interested in what you offer. But nerves aren’t inherently negative — you can actually use this feeling to fuel your preparation.

It’s helpful to identify where your worries are coming from and address your fears. Here are some common concerns when preparing for an upcoming presentation:

Fear of public speaking: When you share your ideas in front of a group, you’re placing yourself in a vulnerable position to be critiqued on your knowledge and communication skills . Maybe you feel confident in your content, but when you think about standing in front of an audience, you feel anxious and your mind goes blank.

It’s also not uncommon to have physical symptoms when presenting . Some people experience nausea and dizziness as the brain releases adrenaline to cope with the potentially stressful situation . Remember to take deep breaths to recenter yourself and be patient, even if you make a mistake.

Losing the audience’s attention: As a presenter, your main focus is to keep your audience engaged. They should feel like they’re learning valuable information or following a story that will improve them in life or business.

Highlight the most exciting pieces of knowledge and ensure you emphasize those points in your presentation. If you feel passionate about your content, it’s more likely that your audience will experience this excitement for themselves and become invested in what you have to say.

Not knowing what content to place on presentation slides: Overloading presentation slides is a fast way to lose your audience’s attention. Your slides should contain only the main talking points and limited text to ensure your audience focuses on what you have to say rather than becoming distracted by the content on your slides.

Discomfort incorporating nonverbal communication: It’s natural to feel stiff and frozen when you’re nervous. But maintaining effective body language helps your audience stay focused on you as you speak and encourages you to relax.

If you struggle to incorporate body language into your presentations, try starting small by making hand gestures toward your slides. If you’re working with a large audience, use different parts of the stage to ensure everyone feels included. 

Each presenter has their own personal brand and style. Some may use humor to break the ice, while others might appeal to the audience’s emotional side through inspiring storytelling. 

Watching online presentations, such as TED talks, is an excellent way to expose yourself to various presentation styles and develop your own. While observing others, you can note how they carry themselves on stage and learn new ways to keep your audience engaged.

Once you’ve addressed what’s causing your fears, it’s time to prepare for a great presentation. Use your past experience as inspiration and aim to outshine your former self by learning from your mistakes and employing new techniques. Here are five presentation tips to help you create a strong presentation and wow your audience:

1. Keep it simple

Simple means something different to everyone.

Before creating your presentation, take note of your intended audience and their knowledge level of your subject. You’ll want your content to be easy for your intended audience to follow.

Say you’re giving a presentation on improving your company’s operational structure. Entry-level workers will likely need a more straightforward overview of the content than C-suite leaders, who have significantly more experience. 

Ask yourself what you want your audience to take away from your presentation and emphasize those important points. Doing this ensures they remember the most vital information rather than less important supporting ideas. Try organizing these concepts into bullet points so viewers can quickly identify critical takeaways.

2. Create a compelling structure

Put yourself in your audience member’s shoes and determine the most compelling way to organize your information. Your presentation should be articulate , cohesive, and logical, and you must be sure to include all necessary supporting evidence to strengthen your main points.

If you give away all of your answers too quickly, your audience could lose interest. And if there isn’t enough supporting information, they could hit a roadblock of confusion. Try developing a compelling story that leads your audience through your thought processes so they can experience the ups and downs alongside you. 

By structuring your presentation to lead up to a final conclusion, you’re more likely to keep listeners’ attention. Once you’ve reached that conclusion, you can offer a Q&A period to put any of their questions or concerns to rest. 

3. Use visual aids

Appealing to various learning styles is a great way to keep everyone on the same page and ensure they absorb your content. Visual aids are necessary for visual learners and make it easier for people to picture your ideas.

Aim to incorporate a mixture of photos, videos, and props to engage your audience and convey your key points. For instance, if you’re giving a presentation on anthropology subject matter, you could show your audience an artifact to help them understand how exciting a discovery must have been. 

If your presentation is long, including a video for your audience to watch is an excellent way to give yourself a break and create new jumping-off points for your speech.

4. Be aware of design techniques and trends

Thanks to cutting-edge technology and tools, you have numerous platforms at your disposal to create a good presentation. But keep in mind that although color, images, and graphics liven things up, they can cause distraction when misused.

  Here are a few standard pointers for incorporating visuals on your slides: 

• Don’t place blocks of small text on a single slide
• Use a minimalistic background instead of a busy one
• Ensure text stands out against the background color
• Only use high-resolution photos
• Maintain a consistent font style and size throughout the presentation
• Don’t overuse transitions and effects

5. Try the 10-20-30 rule

Guy Kawasaki, a prominent venture capitalist and one of the original marketing specialists for Apple, said that the best slideshow presentations are less than 10 slides , last at most 20 minutes, and use a font size of 30. Following this strategy can help you condense your information, eliminate unnecessary ideas, and maintain your audience’s focus more efficiently.

Once you’re confident in creating a memorable presentation, it’s time to learn how to give one. Here are some valuable tips for keeping your audience invested during your talk: 

Tip #1: Tell stories

Sharing an anecdote from your life can improve your credibility and increase your relatability. And when an audience relates to you, they’re more likely to feel connected to who you are as a person and encouraged to give you their full attention, as they would want others to do the same.

Gill Hicks utilized this strategy well when she shared her powerful story, “ I survived a terrorist attack. Here’s what I learned .” In her harrowing tale, Hicks highlights the importance of compassion, unconditional love, and helping those in need.

If you feel uncomfortable sharing personal stories, that’s okay. You can use examples from famous individuals or create a fictional account to demonstrate your ideas.

Tip #2: Make eye contact with the audience

Maintaining eye contact is less intimidating than it sounds. In fact, you don’t have to look your audience members directly in their eyes — you can focus on their foreheads or noses if that’s easier.

Try making eye contact with as many people as possible for 3–5 seconds each. This timing ensures you don’t look away too quickly, making the audience member feel unimportant, or linger too long, making them feel uncomfortable.

If you’re presenting to a large group, direct your focus to each part of the room to ensure no section of the audience feels ignored. 

Tip #3: Work on your stage presence

Although your tone and words are the most impactful part of your presentation, recall that body language keeps your audience engaged. Use these tips to master a professional stage presence:

• Speak with open arms and avoid crossing them
• Keep a reasonable pace and try not to stand still
• Use hand gestures to highlight important information

Tip #4: Start strong

Like watching a movie trailer, the first seconds of your talk are critical for capturing your audience’s attention. How you start your speech sets the tone for the rest of your presentation and tells your audience whether or not they should pay attention. Here are some ways to start your presentation to leave a lasting impression:

• Use a quote from a well-known and likable influential person 
• Ask a rhetorical question to create intrigue
• Start with an anecdote to add context to your talk 
• Spark your audience’s curiosity by involving them in an interactive problem-solving puzzle or riddle

Tip #5: Show your passion

Don’t be afraid of being too enthusiastic. Everyone appreciates a speaker who’s genuinely excited about their field of expertise. 

In “ Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance ,” Angela Lee Duckworth discusses the importance of passion in research and delivery. She delivers her presentation excitedly to show the audience how excitement piques interest. 

Tip #6: Plan your delivery

How you decide to deliver your speech will shape your presentation. Will you be preparing a PowerPoint presentation and using a teleprompter? Or are you working within the constraints of the digital world and presenting over Zoom?

The best presentations are conducted by speakers who know their stuff and memorize their content. However, if you find this challenging, try creating notes to use as a safety net in case you lose track.

If you’re presenting online, you can keep notes beside your computer for each slide, highlighting your key points. This ensures you include all the necessary information and follow a logical order.

Tip #7: Practice

Practice doesn’t make perfect — it makes progress. There’s no way of preparing for unforeseen circumstances, but thorough practice means you’ve done everything you can to succeed.

Rehearse your speech in front of a mirror or to a trusted friend or family member. Take any feedback and use it as an opportunity to fine-tune your speech. But remember: who you practice your presentation in front of may differ from your intended audience. Consider their opinions through the lens of them occupying this different position.

Tip #8: Read the room

Whether you’re a keynote speaker at an event or presenting to a small group of clients, knowing how to read the room is vital for keeping your audience happy. Stay flexible and be willing to move on from topics quickly if your listeners are uninterested or displeased with a particular part of your speech.

Tip #9: Breathe

Try taking deep breaths before your presentation to calm your nerves. If you feel rushed, you’re more likely to feel nervous and stumble on your words.

The most important thing to consider when presenting is your audience’s feelings. When you approach your next presentation calmly, you’ll put your audience at ease and encourage them to feel comfortable in your presence.

Tip #10: Provide a call-to-action

When you end your presentation, your audience should feel compelled to take a specific action, whether that’s changing their habits or contacting you for your services.

If you’re presenting to clients, create a handout with key points and contact information so they can get in touch. You should provide your LinkedIn information, email address, and phone number so they have a variety of ways to reach you. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all template for an effective presentation, as your unique audience and subject matter play a role in shaping your speech. As a general rule, though, you should aim to connect with your audience through passion and excitement. Use strong eye contact and body language. Capture their interest through storytelling and their trust through relatability.

Learning how to give a good presentation can feel overwhelming — but remember, practice makes progress. Rehearse your presentation for someone you trust, collect their feedback , and revise. Practicing your presentation skills is helpful for any job, and every challenge is a chance to grow.

Enhance your presentation skills

Discover coaching that transforms your public speaking and boosts your confidence in presenting.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

6 presentation skills and how to improve them

How to write a speech that your audience remembers, how to make a presentation interactive and exciting, 3 stand-out professional bio examples to inspire your own, tell a story they can't ignore these 10 tips will teach you how, reading the room gives you an edge — no matter who you're talking to, your guide to what storytelling is and how to be a good storyteller, writing an elevator pitch about yourself: a how-to plus tips, 18 effective strategies to improve your communication skills, similar articles, how to pitch ideas: 8 tips to captivate any audience, the 11 tips that will improve your public speaking skills, 30 presentation feedback examples, how to not be nervous for a presentation — 13 tips that work (really), 8 clever hooks for presentations (with tips), stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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Improve your slideshow or demonstration by learning how to wow your audience with an engaging presentation and seamless experience.

A typical business presentation includes a slide deck and speech presented virtually or in person. However, an excellent presentation incorporates storytelling and data visualization techniques. It should engage your audience and encourage them to take action.

Give a great presentation by designing an aesthetically pleasing slide deck in the right format for your needs. Next, work on your storytelling skills and take your presentation software for a test run. Plus, don't forget to prepare for the unexpected.

Consider the presentation type and format

A business presentation can refer to keynote speeches, investor or sales pitches , and project status reports. You may want to teach your audience about your products or persuade them to purchase. Alternatively, your presentation may kick off a new project by defining the steps needed to progress.

According to SlideModel , there are three general presentation types:

• Informative: Educate your audience during a team briefing, business plan presentation, or stakeholder report.
• Persuasive: Sway your audience and prompt them to act with an effective sales, business case, or investor presentation .
• Supporting: Convey your action plan to decision-makers during a business meeting with leadership or a public speaking event.

Your business presentation format will vary according to your audience and topic. For instance, demonstrating a product at your client's business may play out differently than virtually walking them through an online demo. Think about the presentation tools you will use and any supplementary materials you will hand out or send digitally.

Use storytelling techniques

Bring your speech and slideshow to life through storytelling. Elena Valentine, the CEO and co-founder of Skill Scout Films , told Relevance , "As presenters, good stories allow us to be both an expert and a human at the same time." Storytelling involves sharing relatable details that help you forge a connection with attendees.

Your presentation is a journey with a set arc, including a clear beginning, middle, and end. It should guide your audience to a conclusion and speak to their emotions. Keep your topic, central message, and purpose in mind when crafting the narrative.

[ Read more: 7 Ways to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills ]

Also, consider having a second person help with your in-person or virtual presentation. They can work behind the scenes to assist attendees with audio or video problems, moderate the chat, or troubleshoot technical issues.

Create a compelling slide deck

Define your main point with a headline on each slide and make them scannable. According to Zoho , the 10-20-30 rule is an effective way to create a business presentation. This method uses 10 slides for a 20-minute presentation with 30 points or larger font sizes. In addition, American Express recommends centering text and using high-contrast slides.

Use data visualization tools to turn vital statistics into bar graphs and pie charts. Also, consider ditching the bullet points and replacing them with infographic-style graphics. Many software tools, including PowerPoint , provide slide layouts and font templates, which can be a time-saver. Don't forget to summarize your presentation's main takeaways and tell your audience what to do next with a call-to-action (CTA).

Get familiar with your presentation technology

Although your audience may be patient, you lose precious minutes fumbling with devices and software. If possible, set up your system beforehand and run through your presentation several times. Play around with different presentation modes and views to create an optimal experience.

If you're presenting outside your office or home, try arriving at the venue early to connect your devices and explore the technical setup. Also, consider having a second person help with your in-person or virtual presentation. They can work behind the scenes to assist attendees with audio or video problems, moderate the chat, or troubleshoot technical issues.

[ Read more: 6 Virtual Event Platforms For Small Businesses ]

Prepare for the unexpected

Presenting to an audience can be stressful, and those feelings are amplified when something goes wrong. Your presentation software won't load, or an in-person event switches to virtual. However, the show must go on.

Follow these tips to avoid problems at the last minute:

• Bring backup devices in case of hardware failures, such as a tablet or laptop.
• Have a mobile hotspot and login details ready as a backup internet connection.
• Keep a PDF version of your presentation on your device.
• Save a backup copy on a drive not connected to the cloud.
• Upload supplementary materials to your website and keep the links handy.
• Run through your backup presentation methods, so you're comfortable with them.

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How To Introduce Your Company In a Presentation: Best Presentation Tips

Hello, are you busy brainstorming How To Introduce your company in a presentation? we all know how hard this could be especially when this is your first time but worry no more because here this blog post will provide you with a variety of tips and techniques for how to effectively introduce your company in a presentation. Your introduction sets the stage for the rest of the presentation, so it is important that you use it to get your audience on board with your ideas from the get-go.

There are three main purposes for an introduction:

• You want to get your audience interested in what you have to say
• Establish who you are
• Set expectations about what they can expect from this specific talk.

The first thing that you should do when preparing a presentation is to develop a strong introduction. Your introduction sets the stage for everything else in your talk, so it’s critical that you use it to get your audience on board with your ideas from

Presentations are an integral part of the business culture, and they’re often given on a weekly basis. Presentations are also one of the most influential ways of communicating to your audience. They can be used for new employee onboarding, company overviews, or product launches. However, this doesn’t mean that they’re easy to create. In fact, many people struggle with how to introduce their company in a presentation. This blog breaks down everything you need to know about powerful presentations by providing tips on how to introduce your company in a presentation.

Also Read:  Things You Should Know Before Partnering with Another Company

When you have a presentation coming up, it’s important to have a great introduction. It’s going to be what your audience remembers about you and your company. A good introduction should set the tone for the rest of the presentation, create a sense of anticipation, and leave your audience wondering what they’re going to hear next. If you want to make a great first impression, follow these tips on how to give an effective introduction to your company:

• Introduce yourself with confidence.
• Tell them about your company at its most basic level.
• Restate the goal of the presentation in one sentence, if possible.
• Give an outline of what content will be covered in the presentation

You’ve got your PowerPoint slides. You’ve practiced your speech. You’re ready to present, but just one problem: How do you introduce your company, and what does it do? You may be tempted to dive right into the presentation by showing off your best work or talking about the newest product, but that’s not always the best approach. Sometimes, the best way to introduce a company is to first explain who they are and why people should care.

This post will teach you how to introduce your company in a presentation and make sure your audience is ready to take on anything you throw at them.

Also Read:  The Best Strategies for Increasing Offline Sales for Small Business Owners

Preparing for a presentation is one of the most challenging tasks for any professional. It’s hard to keep your thoughts organized and it can be difficult to find the right words to say. Here are some tips that will help you introduce your company in a clear, concise way that will set an appropriate tone for the rest of your presentation.

Introducing Yourself

The first thing you should do is introduce yourself and your company. You should begin by explaining what you do and why your company has the potential to succeed. Make sure you emphasize the benefits of your business. This can be a bit tricky. Instead of naming your company, try using the word “your” in front of it. This will help you better connect with your audience.

Start With The Basics A lot of sales professionals make the mistake of going straight into all of the features of their company. Instead, it’s always better to start by focusing on the fundamentals. Start by introducing yourself and then explain the company’s name. If you have a website, let them know. Try to keep your presentation short and sweet.

How to introduce your company

Saying something that isn’t true or showing enthusiasm for a competitor will only backfire on you in a presentation. Your speech should contain helpful information for everyone involved. Make sure you are aware of the background of the people you are meeting, make some use of statistics and select an image that conveys your brand values. This can be a photograph of your company logo, a video of your vision, or a generic shot of you smiling in front of your office.

Why Your Company Is Different

One of the most important things that a speaker or presenter should do when preparing for a presentation is to remember why they’re presenting in the first place. For example, if you’re presenting to a room full of startup founders, you need to make sure to emphasize why you think your company is better than all the others. Make sure that you don’t focus too much on the details, but rather emphasize why your product is better and why your idea is a good investment for them.

Give Time for Answers If you don’t have much time to fill in the audience’s minds, it’s going to be hard to persuade them to buy your company’s product. In the beginning, you will have more time to explain why you think your company is the best, but in the end, you will have to give your answers quickly.

What Your Company Do or Sell

Before you start talking about your company, it’s important to say a few words about what exactly it does or sells. That will make the rest of your presentation flow much smoother and set the proper tone for your audience.

You can start by saying something like this:

“My company does something that solves problems and gives value to people in the market.” Don’t Get Too Confused Sometimes, it can be easy to confuse your audience by using too many different words. When you say that you’re selling a “product,” you may lose some of your listeners’ interest as soon as they realize you’re actually talking about a service. Instead of saying “we sell solutions,” try saying “we provide marketing solutions to companies.

Why Your Company Is Important

Create a few sentences to explain why your company is important and how your product or service is unique. What Makes Your Business Different Always share your unique selling proposition, i.e., the unique features and benefits of your product or service. What is Your Current State? Usually, there is some history you will want to share with your audience, but don’t make it long, A short one- or two-sentence rundown will provide some context about your company’s past, present and future.

Who Does Your Business Serve? Since you’ll be discussing your company’s ability to provide services to other companies, you will want to know who your potential clients are. Describe who their customers are and what their needs are.

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Keep it short and to the point

The first thing that you need to consider before giving a presentation is the length of your presentation. If you’re giving a 30-minute presentation, you’ll want to keep your presentation short and use good sound-bites and keep your words short and simple. Avoid long slides and excessive talk When presenting, you’ll want to focus on the audience and their response to what you’re saying.

However, you’ll need to be careful not to go over the three to the five-minute mark. For example, if you want to give a four-minute presentation, you’ll want to use no more than two slides and keep your language simple. You’ll be sure to win your audience’s attention by keeping them engaged and motivated to listen to what you have to say.

How To End The Introduction

If you’re presenting to a large group or a large crowd, it’s important to end the presentation with a strong statement that summarizes the message of the rest of the presentation. Here are some tips for the end of a presentation that can keep your audience engaged: Tell them what you’ve achieved so far. Verify your audience’s knowledge. Recount what you’ve presented so far. Learn From Your Mistakes For this section, you should take a moment to reflect on what you’ve learned from the presentation.

By pausing to evaluate how you can improve upon your presentation, you’ll be much better prepared for your next presentation. Here are a few tips for thinking about what you can learn from your mistakes: Learn from your mistakes. Forgive yourself. Prove that you are resilient.

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What not to do

Don’t even consider using this type of slide. It’s so basic and it shows the presenter’s unprofessionalism. Use this slide to list the company’s services and target customers. Do not use an info graphic to present the company. Even if it’s a simple infographic that shows the company logo, it’ll make your talk come across as amateurish. You can use a quote or something like this, but avoid using words in these slides and use images instead. What to do When introducing your company, create a welcome message that’s tailored for each audience.

Begin by saying something like “Hi. My name is ______ and I’m the president of _____.” You can write it out in a paragraph or even a bullet list. For this slide, you can focus on the services the company offers in each field.

Understand the purpose your presentation

Before you begin, you should have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish during your presentation. This includes, for example, the benefits of your product or the benefits of your team, and what a positive impact it will have on a specific market segment. Identify the audience Think about who you are speaking to, what their interests are, and their goals.

Research relevant content Look for relevant content that will engage your audience, and that’s in line with the goals you have set for your presentation. This could include industry articles or interesting videos. Determine your messaging Write down your goals and the order in which you want to go through each of these goals during your presentation.

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Prepare for questions

When you’re getting ready to present, prepare questions for the team members of your meeting so that you can answer them on your own time. It’s important to stay on topic but it can be extremely distracting when you’re the only one answering questions in front of everyone else. Pick your best material Think about what was most memorable about the product launch and the executives who introduced the product to you. Don’t try to recreate it in a one-size-fits-all presentation format. It will come off as insincere. Instead, use the best parts of the product launch presentation. That will come across as impressive and relate to the audience in a relatable way.

Practice Makes Perfect

It doesn’t matter how well you memorize your speech, the most important thing is to practice. It will help you to understand each of the essential aspects of your presentation. You might even find it helpful to engage in some hypnosis to increase your confidence.

Know Your Audience

It’s important that you get to know who you’re going to present your company to. A big mistake many professionals make is that they assume that they know what their audience wants and how they’ll react to the presentation. If you really want to succeed, you’ll need to study up on what your potential audience wants and how they will react to your presentation.

Determine a Focus

The best way to make the most out of your presentation is to have a clear focus. Determine what you are trying to achieve in the.

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There’s no better way to build a positive experience for your customers than to deliver a full presentation that makes the conversation as productive and pleasurable as possible.

The great thing about presenting is that your knowledge and expertise are able to shine through in the conversation. This can also be a plus for companies who want to get a foot in the door with potential clients. It may be tough to explain what your company does, but with the right knowledge you can confidently explain your product or service in a friendly and positive manner.

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Latest article

The Excellence of Mayo Clinic.

Updated: May 02, 2022

Published: September 11, 2019

There’s a reason many people despise public speaking. Defining your presentation style , putting together engaging slides, getting your point across clearly, handling unexpected questions, and squeezing a laugh out of the audience is a lot to consider.

Still, nearly all of us have to give business presentations every so often — especially salespeople . And the most daunting part of preparing for any presentation is that there’s always room to improve. 

Even the most seasoned speakers headlining at conferences or reps who top the leaderboard every month can improve their storytelling, deliver their message more clearly, and perfect their physicality. And so can you.

There are an infinite number of presentation tips out there, so we’ve distilled the vast pool of tips down to what will make the biggest impact on your presentation — and we’ve left you with actionable takeaways you can apply to your presentations today.

How to Make a Business Presentation

1. make a plan.

Things won’t go according to plan if you don’t even have a plan in the first place. Before building your slide deck , create an outline that includes the main points and pieces of evidence you want to get across.

This outline will act as your anchor while you build a slide deck and give your presentation, pointing you toward the key arguments you know you need to touch on.

I like to start with the bare bones: introductory remarks , the three points I hope my audience remembers from my talk, and concluding remarks. Then, I add sub-points to each of those three points that comprise the meat of my presentation.

These bullet points become helpful later, too, when I’m putting together my slides. They show me how much material I have on each takeaway, which allows me to split my content into the appropriate number of slides.

A well-delivered, memorable introduction and conclusion are essential ingredients of a presentation. Don’t overlook them in your outline.

Even a couple of quick bullet points on exactly what you plan to cover in each will help you set an engaging, confident tone at the start and wrap up in a way that helps your material stick in your audience’s mind.

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2. Choose a slide deck

Select a slide deck that matches the tone of your presentation. There are three primary factors that can influence your deck style:

• The formality of your workplace . A good litmus test is your company’s dress code. For example, if you wear business formal attire to work, stick with a slide deck with neutral colors like navy, white, grey, and black, and keep your fonts sharp. If your workplace is more casual or prizes creativity over ceremony, consider a more colorful deck, but keep it to two to three complementary colors to avoid creating slides that are too busy.If you’re looking for a slide deck that’s creative but not overwhelming, consider something like this ( you can download this slide deck template for free here ):

• The content you’re presenting. Serious research and financial data, for example, are suited for more professional decks. Informal recaps, brainstorms, and planning sessions may give you more bandwidth to use brighter colors.Here’s an example of a slide that would be well-suited for data:

Download the Slide Deck Template for Free

• Your personal brand . If you’re known at work for your sense of humor or your GIF reaction time on Slack, you’ll be able to get away with a more friendly font and colorful template. If you lean into professionalism and want to express rigor in your analysis or ideas, select a deck with few distractions — keep the colors neutral.

We had our designers here put together a set of free business presentation templates that you can start using today. 

3. Lead with a story and a laugh

One of the reasons it’s so easy to get wrapped up in TED Talks for hours on end is that nearly every presenter begins with a compelling story.

Whether it’s the harrowing tale of a near-death experience or a heartwarming recap of the speaker’s daughter’s first day of preschool, a great story engages the audience’s attention. It should also allow the speaker to build a personal connection with listeners and serve as a memorable cornerstone of the presentation.

When possible, begin your presentations with a story. The key, once you’ve shared your story, is to succinctly tie its main point back to the focus of your presentation.  

Don’t feel you must tell a story that’s groundbreaking or unique — in fact, relatable stories will be most effective at breaking through to your audience.

For example, a marketing director at HubSpot recently began a presentation about her team’s redesign project by sharing a personal anecdote about her struggles clearing weeds in her garden.

Finally, add humor where it feels natural. Getting a laugh out of your audience within the first minute will put them at ease and set a positive tone for the information they’re about to take in. 

4. Add verbal signposts

One of the best pieces of presentation advice I’ve ever gotten came from a college professor who believed our brains needed what he called “signposts”: verbal cues that could stick in an audience’s mind even as the details slipped away. 

He challenged us to distill our presentations down to three key takeaways and come up with one-to-three-word phrases that represented each point. Then, we were to reference those three cues or signposts in our introduction — just before diving into their details — and once again at the end.

If there were slides involved, he also had us select a simple image for each signpost that would be repeated throughout the deck.

Here’s an example: if you were giving a presentation pitching a website redesign, you might talk about all of the benefits a redesign would bring. Your website would be more visually consistent with your brand, the user experience would vastly improve, and you’d improve loading time to boost your search rankings.   

The signposts for this presentation might be: 

• Brand Consistency
• Improved UX

Even if the audience forgot the mechanics of how each of these areas would improve with the redesign, they would walk away with three easy-to-remember phrases that summarized the value of your proposed project.

Since taking that professor’s class, I’ve watched and created presentations completely differently. I always look for a speaker’s signposts and incorporate my own into every presentation I build. Signposts help me retain more material and communicate my points more directly.

5. Rely on images and charts rather than text and tables

Humans process images faster than text. And, as a speaker, it’s a disconcerting experience to see your audience squinting their eyes as they try to make out a hundred tiny words or numbers on your slides, scribbling down as much information as they can before you skip to the next section.  

To avoid this issue, rely on images whenever possible. Keep the attention on you, the expert, by selecting an image or two to drive home your point. Don’t try to squeeze all of your information on a single slide.

6. Incorporate audience interaction

We all dread sitting through boring presentations. And no matter how experienced a speaker you are, there’s inevitably going to be a low-energy point of your talk during your first dry run.  

To keep the energy up, add in a quick moment of audience interaction. There are many different ways to re-engage listeners with participation:  

• Quiz them and have them raise their hands to vote on options.
• Ask a question.
• Have them turn to a neighbor and share one reaction to what they just heard.
• Have people stand up momentarily if they agree with a given statement.

Movement will engage attention in a new way and refresh the energy of the room, carrying you through to the end of the presentation.

7. Hold a couple of non-essential data points until the Q&A at the end

You will always want to use adequate data to make a business case and provide a meaningful, truthful presentation. However, it’s okay if you’re not able to fit every detail into your presentation. 

In fact, if you intend to hold a question and answer session at the end of the presentation , leaving a couple of interesting but non-essential data points out during the presentation can give you impressive material to work with during the Q&A.

Anticipate several questions you’re likely to get or have a colleague watch a practice run-through and come up with three questions for you. Then, choose a couple of pieces of evidence not included on the slides themselves and have them in your mental back pocket to support your answers. 

Data always speaks more loudly than statements that don’t have a specific piece of evidence behind them. Remember, you’re an expert on your presentation topic — and additional, specific points can only help you when it comes to demonstrating your expertise.

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How To Give An Effective Presentation (With Examples)

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Even if you have great ideas, nobody will listen if you don’t know how to give a compelling presentation.

In your career, how you frame your ideas will be the key to influencing those who matter. Learn how to give a compelling presentation, and you’ll enjoy an advantage over the competition.

Key Takeaways:

Understand your purpose for presenting, structure your presentation in a logical manner, and prepare as much as possible.

Remember to breathe during your presentation! This will help keep you calm and focused.

Structure your presentation with a beginning, middle, and end.

Keep your presentation as concise and clear as possible.

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How to structure your presentation, top tips for writing an effective presentation.

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Understand your purpose and environment. This is the first step to giving any effective presentation. You want to know what you are getting yourself into. Ask yourself:

Why am I giving this presentation? What are my reasons?

What am I trying to accomplish?

Who is my audience?

Where is my presentation going to be?

When is my presentation? How much time will I have to speak?

This information allows you to structure your presentation so that it remains relevant and appropriate. Once you understand the who, what, where, when, and why of your presentation, you can then begin to focus on the “how”.

Tell a story with a logical and engaging structure. Your presentation needs to connect with you audience. This means you need to incorporate the ancient art of story telling. You need to present your purpose in such a way that hooks your audience in, takes then on a journey, and concludes with some feeling of fulfillment.

Essentially, you need a beginning, a middle, and an end. Each point of your presentation should flow into the next. Each point should build off one another to manifest the purpose of your presentation. In most cases, this is some kind of argument or goal you are trying to accomplish. Your structure is the framework of establishing this argument or goal.

Practice and prepare. This ensures that you understand your material and you give yourself the chance to make changes ahead of time. Consider recording yourself to evaluate your performance and/or ask others to watch you practice. Do you research to make sure you have your information correct.

Also, do you research on the presentation environment. Know where you are going to speak and what resources you will have or need to bring. Nothing will be perfect, but the more you practice and prepare, the more equipped you are to handle challenges, such as feelings of performance anxiety or technical issues.

You may think practice and preparation will limit you, but in fact it frees you to be in the moment during your presentation.

Present (and remember to breathe). Be present and in the moment during your presentation. Remember to breathe. If you have practice and prepared enough, you will find most of what you need to do will come without thinking. Stay relaxed and work through each step of your presentation at a steady pace. Don’t rush yourself, nor ramble on some random tangent. Stick the points and keep moving forward.

Conclude and evaluate. Wrap everything up in a logical manner that hammers home your purpose. Then, you may or may not need to answer questions. Once you are done, congratulate yourself! Give yourself some time to reflect and consider what worked and what didn’t. Use this reflection to improve future presentations.

Every effective presentation uses an easy-to-follow structure that includes:

A compelling introduction.

The purpose of the introduction is to briefly sum up what you’re going to talk about and convey why the topic is relevant to the audience.

Make sure to:

Start with an attention-grabber. You need to make the audience feel invested in your presentation as early as possible.

There are a million different strategies to do this, such as:

Cite a shocking statistic. A surprising statistic makes the audience realize that they’re uninformed about the subject, inviting them to listen and learn more.

Tell a brief anecdote. Humans love stories. If you capture the audience’s emotional attention, then you’ll have their intellectual attention too.

Clearly convey what the subject of your presentation is.

After all effective presentations, the audience should be able to recall its core message clearly.

Body of evidence.

The body is where you present evidence to support the core message you stated in your intro.

Make sure that the body section of your presentation:

Split each argument into clearly distinct sections. Think back to a compelling TED talk or presentation you’ve watched. You can probably still recall the main points and arguments that were given.

Use rhetorical techniques . The reason that most effective presentations include many of the same elements is that they’re proven to work.

Use tools such as repetition to drive a point home.

Humans respond well to numbers and statistics. If you can quote a percentage or figure to highlight your point, then definitely take that opportunity.

Conclusion.

Use the conclusion to sum up your key takeaways.

You want to loop back to your original statement using what you said during the body of the presentation, but in a new and memorable way.

This is your last chance to make a lasting impression on the audience, so don’t just lazily repeat what you’ve already said.

Many presenters mistakenly treat the conclusion as an afterthought that’s added in as a custom. In fact, it’s probably one of the most important parts of your entire presentation.

Most compelling presentations follow several similar guidelines that hold true whether the audience is a large crowd or a few company administrators .

Here are a few of the most important ones to help you when writing your own presentation:

Use a short, easy-to-follow structure. Be concise. When watching the most effective presentations, it’s easy to identify the introduction, body, and conclusion.

This simple structure makes the presentation easy to comprehend while watching and similarly easy to recall afterward.

Limit the amount of clutter on each slide. Less is more when it comes to making a memorable presentation.

The end result of cramming paragraphs of compelling evidence into a slide is that nobody will process even a single line.

Many marketing experts recommend a six-word limit per slide.

Pay attention to design details. It’s often obvious to audiences from the first minute if a presentation is worth listening to or a complete snore.

This is often due to design decisions that can make or break the presentation. Make sure to use eye-pleasing:

Color schemes. Too much color contrast on a slide can distract from its contents. Too little can make the entire presentation seem boring and ignorable.

Fonts. Imagine how seriously you would take a presentation that uses the same fonts often used in second-grade classrooms.

Choose a font and size that are appropriate for your type of presentation and stick to them consistently throughout each slide.

Format. A single badly-pixelated image can make your entire presentation seem amateur and sloppy.

Practice your delivery . What’s on the screen is only half of the presentation; the other is the actual presenter .

Presentation delivery is composed of two key parts:

Vocal delivery. Research shows that effective speakers know how to appropriately vary the pitch, volume, and pace of their voices.

This isn’t just a gimmick and makes intuitive sense.

If a presenter raises their voice when emphasizing a key point, we assume that they must be confident in their message.

If a speaker pauses after delivering a shocking message, then their point seems more surprising and meaningful.

Research some popular presentations on the internet and observe the different ways that speakers employ their voices as a tool.

Body language . Our brains are wired to pay attention to body language when someone is speaking to us.

Even if someone makes a great point, a stiff posture and dead energy can easily distract from their message.

Of course, you don’t need to swing your arms around and go overboard.

Create “wow” moments. Think back to any memorable presentations you’ve watched. They’re probably memorable not because you remember the majority of their details, but because of one or two moments that really stood out.

A great example is Bill Gates’ 2009 TED talk about his foundation’s efforts to reduce the spread of malaria.

Gates started the presentation off by stating: “Now, malaria is, of course, transmitted by mosquitoes. I brought some here so you could experience this.”

He then promptly walked to the center of the stage and opened a small jar that contained non-infected mosquitos.

The presentation is well-remembered even a decade later because he captured everyone’s attention through surprise.

Polish multiple times. Don’t review your presentation once and call it a day. Perfection requires iteration.

A popular and effective approach is to start by outlining your ideas and structure to make sure you’re satisfied with the foundation.

From there, add in all your details and what you want to say. Don’t be afraid to end up with a messy, bloated monster of a presentation.

The next step is to polish your presentation down to the bare essentials. Examine what information is critical for your core message and what isn’t.

This step is often the most difficult, as it can be challenging to choose what information to eliminate to reach that target of six words per slide.

Practice in front of people. You can practice a million times in front of a mirror, but it still won’t prepare you for stepping in front of an actual crowd.

You need to become accustomed to confidently addressing a group of faces .

Use a remote. Using a remote to advance your slides allows you to face the audience at all times.

Prepare backup material. During the presentation, you’re going to discover that not everything you say is going to resonate with the audience.

Be genuine. Although you want your presentation to be polished and well-practiced, make sure to maintain a sense of authenticity when delivering it.

Use small moments of humor to make your message more memorable and interesting to listen to.

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Justin Parker is a dynamic and driven writing professional in advertising, film, and web-based content. He has over 10 years of experience as a professional writer in these realms, having written for commercials, music videos, feature screenplays, and content for Zippia. Justin holds a bachelor's of fine arts degree in film and television from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

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How to Give a Presentation During a Meeting (Without Screwing Up)

Tips and tricks for being persuasive and keeping your audience engaged.

A methodology for amazing meetings. Say goodbye to boring, long, and unproductive meetings.

Giving a presentation during a meeting may seem easy on the surface, but many factors can get in the way of being effective.

You may be shy and stumble over your words. You may get nervous and rush through things too quickly in hopes of “getting it over with.”

You may even confuse your audience by sharing information in a scattered or illogical way.

It happens to the best of us.

The good news is, with thoughtful preparation, even the shiest among us can give killer presentations that captivate our coworkers.

Here’s how:

• How to start a presentation
• Effective presentation skills ‍
• When to use PowerPoint ‍
• Presentation tips and tricks

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1. How to start a presentation

The best presenters capture audience attention from the beginning. They know that a lackluster start to anything will immediately sow seeds of disengagement.

Whether or not you believe human attention spans are like goldfish , the fact is, a strong start to your presentation will fill the room with energy that perks people up, while a weak start paves the way for staring off into space and discretely checking email.

Here are a few tips to start your next meeting presentation right:

Ask a question

Everyone likes feeling heard. One of the easiest ways to hook an audience from the start is by inviting them to respond to a relevant prompt. If a VP of marketing were giving a presentation about the company’s upcoming brand refresh, they might start by asking something like “How many people here feel like they have a good sense of how we’re perceived as a company?”

Share a story

As humans, we’re wired to pay attention to stories. They’re especially useful when the subject matter at hand isn’t particularly interesting on its own. If a CEO were giving a presentation aimed at motivating the entire company, they might share a story about how many people it once took to operate a battleship.

<div id="2"></div>

2. Effective presentation skills/techniques

Effective presentations are usually the result of careful preparation. Here are a few skills to refine during the preparation phase:

Knowing your audience

Giving an effective presentation means knowing your audience. To earn and sustain their attention, you need to assess what they already know about the subject and how much they care about it.

Use this information to calibrate your approach. You don’t want to assume they’re enthusiastic experts if they’re not, but you also want to respect their intelligence by meeting them where they are without lecturing them.

It’s a delicate balancing act, but when you get it right, you’ll leave them enough room to figure some things out on their own.

WHAT Ask questions that anyone in the audience could answer. ‍ WHY This allows you to engage the room and keep the audience energy level high.

Framing your story

If you’ve ever watched TEDTalks, you know firsthand that many of the best presentations unfold like a detective story. The speaker presents a problem, describes the quest for a solution, and leads the audience to a collective “aha” moment where their perspective shifts and they become even more engaged. 

Take the time to plot your points in a meaningful way so that your message is not only easy to follow, but also easy to remember. That means eliminating any diversions that don’t serve the story. 

When framed correctly, even the most serious and complex subjects can be riveting.

<div id="3"></div>

3. When to use a PowerPoint and when not to

PowerPoints have become the de facto tool of choice for meeting presentations. You can share visuals, advance slides with the click of a mouse, and they don’t take a ton of technical or design chops to look pretty.

The problem is, people tend to hide behind them. While it’s undeniably handy, PowerPoint isn’t the best vehicle for every presentation.

You should use a PowerPoint when:

• You want to review team progress against metrics
• You need to share a revenue report
• You have a lot of technical and/or data-rich information to convey

You shouldn’t use a PowerPoint when:  

• You need to create a strong connection with your audience
• You have an important story to tell (e.g. why the company is pivoting)
• You want to motivate and inspire people

If you’re still on the fence about whether you should use a PowerPoint for your next presentation, consider the goal of the meeting.

When your meeting goal is something straightforward, like assigning action items or reviewing team performance, go for the PowerPoint. 

If you’re aiming to convey something less cerebral—and potentially more emotional—don’t distance yourself from the message. Leave PowerPoint (and all technology) out of the equation.

<div id="4"></div>

4. Presentation tips and tricks

There are a few universal tips that will make your next presentation more effective no matter what it’s about:

Follow a logical structure ‍ Even if you can’t think of a relevant story, the information you present have a clear structure to keep people on track.

Slow down ‍ Speaking too fast breeds boredom and confusion. Even if you think you talk slow, talk slower.

Use questions as segues ‍ In addition to being great presentation starters, asking questions enables the presenter to shift from one topic to another without losing momentum.

Build your confidence ‍ Letting your personality shine through is a surefire way to convince people they should listen. Practice your presentation until it feels like you’re talking to a friend.

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• Presentations

How to Give a Presentation

Last Updated: October 4, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 527,307 times.

Giving a presentation terrifies most of us, especially when talking before a crowd of people about an unfamiliar topic. Never fear! There are ways to make a good presentation. The more presentations you do, the easier they will become!

Preparing For the Presentation

• It's best to have 1 main thesis statement or overarching theme and 3 main points that back-up or flesh-out your main theme. Any more than that and your audience is going to start losing interest. This means that any facts and information that are a part of your presentation should back up these 3 main points and overarching theme.
• For example: If you're giving a presentation about 17th century alchemy, bringing up the history of alchemy is fine (and probably necessary), but don't mire your audience in its history instead of focusing alchemy in the 17th century. Your 3 points could be something like "alchemy in public opinion," "famous 17th century alchemists," and "the legacy of 17th century alchemy."

• Pick your very best supporting facts, information, or quotes for your presentation. Don't bury your audience in information.

• Make sure you're using media to enhance your presentation and not to drown it out. The presentation is key. Anything else is just accessorizing.
• For example: to get back to 17th century alchemy, to back up your information about alchemy in the public opinion, you might want to show images from public pamphlets about the dangers of alchemy and see what people of the time period had to say about it and see what the more famous alchemists had to say about it.
• Also, you want to make sure that you pick a medium that you are comfortable in and thorough in knowledge. If you don't know a thing about PowerPoint, maybe consider writing your main points on a white board, or passing out handouts with your main points and evidence on them. [3] X Research source

• A good tip is to film yourself or audiotape of yourself giving your practice presentation so you can see what distracting verbal and physical tics you have, so that you can work on eliminating them before the presentation itself. (Verbs tics would be things like "um..." and "uh..." and using "like" inappropriately; physical tics are things like shifting your weight from foot to foot or messing with your hair.) To stop yourself from saying "um" or other unwanted tics, be aware you're doing it first, then speak more slowly and deliberately. Breathe deeply and feel free to pause and appreciate the silence. These will all help you to have mastery over your tics.
• Just remember that rehearsals usually run about 20% shorter than your actual presentation, so take that into account if you're running on a time limit.

• For example, if you aren't comfortable wearing heels, don't wear them just for the presentation. You'll be distracted by your discomfort and that will come across in the presentation. There are plenty of good shoe choices that have no or a low heel.
• Clean, nice slacks or a skirt and nice, button-down shirt in neutral colors are always good choices for presentation wear. You also don't particularly want your clothing choice to distract from the presentation, so perhaps avoid that brilliant hot pink shirt.

Giving the Presentation

• Before the presentation, clench and unclench your hands several times to deal with the adrenaline and then take 3 deep, slow breaths.
• Call up a smile, even if you feel like hurling. You can trick your brain into thinking that you're less anxious than you actually are and you'll also be able to hide your nervousness from your audience.

• Make eye contact with your audience. Don't stare at one particular person, but section up the room and make eye contact with someone in each section on a rotational basis.
• Have a big, welcoming smile on your face, with lots of energy, so you start out from a strong and engaging place.
• Ask questions of your audience and take questions during your presentation. This will make it more of a conversation and therefore more interesting.
• Tell an amusing anecdote to illustrate your point. From the above examples about 17th century alchemy, you could find an amusing alchemical anecdote from the time period, or you could talk about your own forays into alchemy.

• Move around, but make your movements deliberate. Don't nervously shift your feet (in fact, it's a good idea to imagine that your feet are nailed to the floor except for those times you deliberately choose to move).
• Use your vocal inflections to create a more dynamic presentation. Vary your voice as you're talking. Nobody ( ever ) wants to sit there and listen to someone drone on and on in dull monotone, no matter how interesting the material (think Professor Binns from Harry Potter; that's what you don't want).
• Try to create a balance between rehearsed and spontaneous. Spontaneous, on the spot, movement and asides can be great as long as you are really comfortable, otherwise they can sidetrack your presentation and make it rambling. Mess around with spontaneous and rehearsed when you're practicing and you'll get a feel for it.

• Quickly introduce your topic and don't assume that your audience is familiar with all the terms, especially if your topic is one that isn't widely known.
• Figuring out why you want (or have to) give this presentation will help you work with an overarching story/theme. Maybe you want to pass the class. Maybe you're convincing people to give you money or join you in a philanthropic endeavor or act for a social or political reason. Channel that desire into your presentation. You're answering the question of why they would want to pass you or why they would want to fund you. That's the story you're telling.

• Make use of pauses, and learn to be comfortable with silences. Silence can be a powerful presentation tool and gives you a chance to take a moment to recompose. By taking pauses, you can slow down your breathing and be more deliberate in your speech, avoiding speaking too quickly.
• Have water with you and take a sip when you feel you're going too fast.
• If you have a friend in the class or meeting, arrange with them beforehand that they will let you know with a signal whether you're talking too quickly. Look over their way occasionally and check your progress.
• If you find that you're running out of time and you haven't finished, simply drop or summarize your leftover material. Acknowledge the leftover material as something that can be discussed later or in the Q&A.

• Make it clear what the listeners now know and why it is important that they have this new information.
• Conclude with examples or stories about your main point and take home message. You might want a slide which summarizes your presentation. For example, you might conclude with a story about the nature of alchemy in the modern era (perhaps in a film) to show its malleable nature.

What Is The Best Way To Start a Presentation?

Community Q&A

• Have a short Q&A session at the end of each subtopic. Q&A sessions will improve audience engagement. It also acts as a welcome break for audience in case of long presentation. For this though, you will need to know the subject you choose well. Make sure you understand and have more than just the basic knowledge about the topic you choose. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Use pictures or visuals. Pictures and visuals show that you know what you're talking about, and it gives the audience a picture of what you're talking about. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Try to have a "leave behind" message, something that your audience can take away that reminds them about your presentation, like a flyer or a book, for example. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Use pictures! A good way to use pictures is through PowerPoint. If you don't have PowerPoint, you can print the pictures onto a board (paper, card board, or larger paper).
• Don't be nervous. Practice and do just like you did in practice. If you are nervous, the audience will know.
• Try to do some hand jesters. Speak loud and clear. Make eye contact with them. Be confident.
• Let the audience have an opportunity to interact with you.

• Don't make your speech too long, unless it is really good, and you have to have done speeches for a long time to have them be that good and long. Stick to short and sweet. Thanks Helpful 50 Not Helpful 11
• Don't put off work to the last minute. Then your work will be most likely sloppy. If you do well under pressure, do your project a bit at a time and maybe it will get done. Or, try doing it all at the beginning, so then you have the whole rest of the time to play or check your assignment. Thanks Helpful 36 Not Helpful 16
• Jokes are usually not okay, especially in a professional setting. A light hearted comment is fine, but don't make it seem like a comedy show. Thanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 3
• If you speak in a too fast/slow or monotone voice, people will not want to hear you! Aim for a conversation voice (but slightly louder) with natural pauses (commas and periods). Develop a tone depending on what you're talking about. It's more interesting and engaging to hear someone speak in a serious tone rather than a monotone when speaking about world hunger. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 2
• If you suffer from twitchy fingers, be mindful to move your hands during your presentation only when necessary, or the audience may notice and feel you are unprepared. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 3

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/young-entrepreneur-council/13-tips-for-giving-a-kill_b_3728093.html
• ↑ https://www.niu.edu/presentations/prepare/index.shtml
• ↑ https://algonquincollege.libguides.com/studyskills/creating-presentations
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-prepare-the-presentation
• ↑ http://www.washington.edu/doit/TeamN/present_tips.html
• ↑ https://counseling.uiowa.edu/self-help/30-ways-to-manage-speaking-anxiety/
• ↑ https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/centers/oralcommunication/guides/how-to-engage-your-audience-and-keep-them-with-you
• ↑ http://hbr.org/2013/06/how-to-give-a-killer-presentation/ar/1
• ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-slow-down-your-speech-when-presenting-sharon-maree-jurd-cfe/
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-conclude-a-presentation

About This Article

Before you give a presentation, spend some time crafting what you will say. Most presentations should center on a thesis, or main idea, and contain about 3 supporting points. Cutting unnecessary content will ensure your presentation is impactful. Once your presentation is done, practice delivering it in front of a mirror or while recording yourself so you can identify and correct any issues. To calm your nerves before you present, try clenching your fists a few times and taking several deep breaths. For more advice about giving presentations, like whether to use visual aides, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Ultimate Mother’s Day Playlist

By Rob Sheffield

Rob Sheffield

The annals of music folklore are full of unforgettable moms. There’s tough mothers, saintly mothers, evil mothers, motorcycle mamas, mothers of invention. Some stars love to do emotional tributes to their mamas, from Tupac to Taylor, from Dolly to Drake. Others celebrate the fearsome bad-ass maternal figures — whether it’s  LL Cool J ’s mama telling him to knock you out, or Rosalita’s mama chasing  Bruce Springsteen  off the porch with a broom. So here’s a few of our favorite mom songs, from pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, and country.

Queen, ‘Tie Your Mother Down’

Don’t do that!

Mr. T, ‘Treat Your Mother Right’

Drake, ‘Look What You’ve Done’

Of all the many women in Aubrey Graham’s songs, none has a place in his heart like his mother Sandi. “Look What You Done” is a highlight from Take Care , where Drake thanks the women of his family: his aunt, his grandmother, but especially his mother. He recalls her health struggles and their arguments, but he promises her, “After all the things that we’ve been through, I got you.” 

Dolly Parton, ‘Coat of Many Colors’

One of Dolly’s most beloved songs—a down-home ballad about growing up in a poor family with a mama who taught her what love is all about, sewing her a coat from a box of rags. Dolly has given the world so many different mother figures, but they’re not all saints—as in “Travelin’ Man,” on the same Coat of Many Colors album, where her mama steals her guy. 

2Pac, ‘Dear Mama’

So many rap classics about the heroic moms who held it down, from Snoop Dogg’s “I Love My Momma” to Biggie’s “Juicy” to Nas’ “Dance.” But Tupac did the most famous of them all with “Dear Mama,” paying tribute to the Black Panther revolutionary Afeni Shakur. As Pac says, “Ain’t a woman alive that could take my mama’s place.”

Victoria Monet, ‘On My Mama’

“When they say, ‘She get it from her mama’? I’m-a say, ‘You fucking right.” Any questions? Respect due to Victoria Monet’s mama and the fierce daughter she raised.

The Beatles, ‘Let It Be’

Paul McCartney sends out a prayer to his real-life Mother Mary, a Liverpool nurse who passed away when he was just a boy of 14. But in times of trouble, he still hears Mary McCartney’s voice, speaking words of wisdom. “Let It Be” has been a light in the darkness for listeners ever since. 

The Beatles, ‘Julia’

John Lennon, like Paul, lost his mother at a young age, and like Paul, he wrote a tribute that taught the world to say her name. “Julia” is a tender White Album love song, from a free-spirited son to his equally free-spirited mother. No rock band ever mythologized their mothers like The Beatles—even Ringo gave his Mum an entire album of her favorite songs in Sentimental Journey .

Taylor Swift, ‘The Best Day’

Taylor has spent her whole life singing the praises of Andrea Swift, but never more beautifully than in “The Best Day.” It’s a tearjerker for sure, telling their whole mother/daughter story. Every time Taylor performs live, one of the fan-fave moments is right before the show when Andrea walks to her seat and gets her own ovation.

Ghostface Killah & Mary J. Blige, ‘All That I Got Is You’

The Wu-Tang Clan’s Iron Man gives it up to the iron woman who raised him, saying, “This is dedicated to all the families that went through the struggle.” He gets real about how his mother (“my earth”) and grandmother kept the family together in the bleakest poverty, even the times when “mommy wasn’t strong enough.” It’s one of the rawest, most poignant rapper’s-mama tributes, with Mary J. Blige adding her heavenly soul vocals. Ghostface updated it in “Momma” on Fishscale , except with a lot more money, promising “I’ll Dior you out.”

The Shirelles, ‘Mama Said’

So much good advice to be learned from the wise moms of Sixties girl-group pop. In Motown, Diana Ross and the Supremes took their troubles to “Mother Dear”; over in Chicago, Jan Bradley sang “Mama Didn’t Lie.” But the sentimental faves have to be The Shirelles, who get through tough times by remembering, “Mama said there’ll be days like this.”

Merle Haggard, ‘Mama Tried’

Hag’s ultimate outlaw tale, sung from behind the bars of a jail cell. He grew up the rebel child of the family, while his saintly mama cried over him. Turning 21 in prison, doing life without parole, Merle recalls how she struggled to raise him right. But as he sings, “That leaves only me to blame, ‘cause mama tried.”

Kacey Musgraves, ‘Mother’

A short interlude on Golden Hour , only 1:18 long, but straight from the heart, as Kacey sings about living too far away from her mother, missing her over the miles from Tennessee to Texas. She revealed that she wrote it after getting a text from her mom while tripping on acid. Now that’s relatable.

Lynyrd Skynyrd, ‘Simple Man’

Can you imagine how tough Ronnie Van Zant’s mama must have been? Now there’s a hard-ass Southern matriarch for you – she probably shot down a lot of free birds in her day. But Marion Van Zant gave Ronnie this advice: “Baby, be a simple kind of man/Be something you love and understand.” And he spent his life doing her proud. Of all the classic-rock mom tributes, “Simple Man” is the one that never fails to get those lighters lifted high and bring a tear to a biker’s eye.

Beyoncé, ‘Ring Off’

Beyoncé pledges her love to Tina Knowles, in one of her most personal songs, in the aftermath of her parents’ divorce. She tells her mother, “Always know you got a daughter who’s proud you took the high road,” and adds, “You a killer, you so sexy!” It ends with words from Tina herself: “If you’re going through it, just know it’s called ‘going through it’—you’re not gonna get stuck there. You’re not gonna die, you’re gonna survive.”

Lucy Dacus, ‘My Mother and I’

Dacus wrote this for Mother’s Day in 2019, but she isn’t going for hearts and flowers, as you can tell from the opening lines: “My mother hates her body / We share the same outline / She swears that she loves mine.” It’s for both her mothers—the one who raised her and the biological one she just met at 19. An astoundingly powerful song about growing up, guilt, and inheritance, with the kicker: “All she has given/All I have taken / All is forgiven / All is forsaken.”

Danzig, ‘Mother’

Glenn Danzig, the musclebound Misfits belter from hell, warns the mothers of the world not to let their children listen to evil music like this. He isn’t wrong.

Jay-Z, ‘December 4’

Has any artist ever created so many classic songs about his mother? Shawn Carter might hold the record, from “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)” to “Smile,” where he stands by Gloria Carter as she comes out. But the Black Album jam “December 4″ is where they co-narrate the whole story of their hard-knock life together. Gloria recalls that he was “the only one who didn’t give me any pain when I gave birth to him.” Jay admits he made up for that later.

Carole King, ‘Where You Lead’

Carole King wrote a classic ode to mom/daughter bonding—without even realizing she’d done it. When she sang “Where You Lead” on Tapestry , she considered it an adult love song. But years later, when it became the Gilmore Girls theme, King finally realized this is what the song was always meant to be. She asked Toni Stern to rework the lyrics, and sang it as a duet with her daughter Louise Goffin.

The Stratford 4, ‘Telephone’

A psychedelic shoegaze guitar tale about a rock & roll mom who’s partied harder than you ever will. Alone late at night, weary from too much dancing and decadence every night, he calls his mother for advice. She tells him, “When I was 22/I was a lot like you,” and orders him to go play some more  Dylan  and  Stones  albums. Coolest rock & roll mom in any song, ever.

Diana Ross and the Supremes, ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’

The Supremes scored a Number One hit with this Motown mama-said classic. When these lonely girls feel like they can’t go on, all they have to do is remember what mama taught them: “You can’t hurry love / No, you just have to wait / Just trust, give it time/No matter how long it takes.” Listen to the woman—she knows what she’s talking about. Diana Ross gives one of her finest vocals, while James Jamerson lays down the mother of all basslines.

LL Cool J, ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’

You know, LL was totally right about the whole “don’t call it a comeback” thing. He’d just had one of his biggest and best hits in 1989, “I’m That Type of Guy.” But somehow the criticism spurred him to prove to Ma Dukes that her boy was indeed the future of the funk, in this old-school rap banger. LL’s mama Ondrea Smith makes a cameo in the video, calling him by his given name “Todd.”

Alicia Keys, ‘Superwoman’

Alicia sends this anthem out to superwomen everywhere, especially the moms, singing, “This is for all the mothers fighting for better days to come.”

Joni Mitchell, ‘Let The Wind Carry Me’

A Seventies meditation on changing gender roles, as Joni Mitchell looks at her own troubled relationship with her mother, re-evaluating her rebellious teen years in light of her adult perspective. A highlight of her most underrated masterpiece, For The Roses .

Funkadelic, ‘Cosmic Slop’

A young man moans over grimy Hendrix-gone-uptown guitars about being haunted by his mama’s deal with the forces of evil: To feed her kids, she sold herself as a dancer to the devil. (Take that,  Ozzy !) He hears her voice calling in his drugged-out head – “Would you like to dance with me?/I’m doing the cosmic slop” – as the guitars voice her soul.

OutKast, ‘Ms. Jackson’

Of all the songs for the baby-mamas’ mamas, this OutKast classic has to be the saddest and most honest. Andre 3000 sings, “Never meant to make your daughter cry.”

Japanese Breakfast, ‘Psychopomp’

A poignant moment on Japanese Breakfast’s breakthrough album. Michelle Zauner devotes Psychopomp to mourning her mother Chongmi, a woman she portrays so beautifully in her memoir Crying in H Mart . It’s a synth-and-guitar setting for a voicemail from her mother consoling her, by saying “gwenchanta,” or “it’s all right” in Korean.

The Beach Boys, ‘Mama Says’

Brian Wilson leads his bros through a brief a cappella tribute to maternal wisdom: “Eat a lot, sleep a lot, brush ’em like crazy/Run a lot, do a lot, never be lazy.” It’s the finale to their classic Wild Honey , ending on a note of family harmony.

2Chainz featuring YG and Offset, ‘Proud’

Three rap legends remind everyone they’re in the game just to make their mamas proud. 2Chainz remembers how they used to trap together out of the same house: “Me and mama got busted at the same time/Went to court and told the judge the same damn lies.” As he said, “We starved together, struggled together, hustled together, smiled together.”

Jan Bradley, ‘Mama Didn’t Lie’

A Chicago soul classic from Jan Bradley. Her mama didn’t raise no fool, teaching her the ways of the world: men are trash, don’t believe a word they say, stay in school. “She said, ‘Girl, stay in your class / You got a whole lot of growing and a-learning to do / So girl, don’t you go so fast.” Jan Bradley’s mama didn’t lie, and neither did Jan.

Madonna, ‘Promise To Try’

Madonna at her most autobiographical. “Promise To Try” was never a hit, or even a single, but it’s the intimate piano ballad at the heart of her classic confessional Like a Prayer . Madonna Louise Ciccone remembers the mother who shared her name, telling herself, “Never forget her eyes/Keep them alive inside.” She dedicated the album “to my mother, who taught me to pray.”

The Spinners, ‘Sadie’

If your mama has a taste for old-school Philly soul—and who doesn’t?—“Sadie” is the one. The Spinners never sounded sweeter, with everyone on the team putting their hearts into it—the genius producer Thom Bell, the house band MFSB, lead singer Phillipe Wynne hailing “the premier of ladies.”

Kanye West, ‘Hey Mama’

Kanye pays tribute to Donda West, a few years before her tragic death, with an emotional powerhouse from the jam-packed back-half of Late Registration , when he was still touching the sky. And there’s a sample of “Sadie.”

Sleater-Kinney, ‘Little Babies’

A catchy, hilarious, but tough-talking guitar rager about moms and daughters, with all of their conflicts. The punk rock goddesses in Sleater-Kinney make “Little Babies” one of the highlights of their classic Dig Me Out , with Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein trading off lines in a good-cop/bad-cop maternal dialogue, until they explode into the irresistibly rowdy chorus. Best rock-mom line: “Are you hungry? Did you eat before the show?” 

B.B. King, ‘Nobody Loves Me But My Mother’

B.B. King sings the blues, with the immortal line, “Nobody loves me but my mother, and she could be jiving too.”

Kate Bush, ‘Mother Stands For Comfort’

You know how sometimes you decide to drop in on your mom for a little surprise visit? Because you’ve just committed a murder and you need a place to hide, and you know she’ll take you in no matter what? Kate Bush makes this one of her most beautifully disturbing odes to motherly devotion.

Bruce Springsteen, ‘Rosalita’

“I know your mama, she don’t like me/’Cause I play in a rock & roll band.” Rosie’s ma is a real hard-ass, but she’s a lot cooler than Sherry’s. To this day, Mama Rosalita is probably still shaking her damn head at that skinny guy from the swamps of Jersey.

Bruce Springsteen, ‘The Wish’

Another Bruce classic, but a very different story: “The Wish” is a tribute to his real-life mother Adele, and an emotional highlight of his Springsteen on Broadway show. He pulls up in a hot rod and tells mom, “We’ll find us a little rock & roll bar and baby, we’ll go out and dance.” They always loved that. “My mother and her two sisters were dancing machines,” he recalls in the Broadway introduction. “When she comes in the door, we make sure there’s music on. She wants to dance.”

The Shangri-Las, ‘Bull Dog’

Four tough-as-leather beehived girls from the mean streets of Queens – including a set of twins – they had the most epic battles with their moms, fighting over greaser boys in hits like “Leader of the Pack.” This time, though, it’s their boyfriend’s mother. “I’m in love with the prettiest boy in the U.S.A./But his momma bought a dog just to keep little me away!” Ma  tries to scare off those lust-crazed Shangri-Las, but it doesn’t work, because no bulldog is as fearsome as a Shangri-La in raging-pheromone mode. If you doubt punk rock women were kicking ass in the Sixties, start here.

The Backstreet Boys, ‘The Perfect Fan’

The boy-band tradition is full of maternal devotion, going back to how New Edition and the New Kids both dedicated their debut albums to their moms. Brian, Howie, Kevin, Nick, and A.J. sum it up with their thank-you to “The Perfect Fan.”

ABBA, ‘Hey Hey Helen’

Abba give some love to the Seventies divorced moms—not a demographic that got much attention on pop radio at the time. But Abba were a lot more candid chronicling the 1970s feminist revolution than supposedly edgier bands. Anni-Frid and Agnetha ask, “Is it worth the pain to see the children cry? Does it hurt when they ask for Daddy?” But they cheer on Helen as she rebuilds her life, to become “a woman of today.” Question: How did Abba’s best mom song get left out of both Mamma Mia movies? 

Junior, ‘Mama Used To Say’

A great one-shot from the Eighties, with Junior Giscombe rising out of the London R&B scene. “Mama Used To Say” was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, with its zippy electro-soul beat and Junior testifying in the voice of a young Stevie Wonder, as he quotes his mother’s advice: “Live your life!”

Patti Smith, ‘Mother Rose’

Nobody tells family stories like Patti Smith—she wrote the all-time greatest baby-sister song (“Kimberly”), while also chronicling her father, her husband, her kids. But “Mother Rose” is a mystic tribute to her South Jersey mom: “She felt our tears, heard our sighs/And turned to gold before our eyes.”

Neil Young, ‘Cinnamon Girl’

“Mom, send me money now”: How many footloose hippies have sent a letter like that back home since 1969? But only Neil Young was honest enough to admit it in a song.

Ernie K-Doe, ‘Mother-in-Law’

And then there’s this less sentimental blast of New Orleans funk, where Ernie K-Doe compares his wife’s meddling mother to Satan. Allen Toussaint provides the ice-coldest nine-note piano solo in history.

The Intruders, ‘I’ll Always Love My Mama’

Another Philly soul classic from Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the Intruders’ most famous hit is a family affair, proclaiming, “She’s my favorite girl!” From their album Save the Children , which also had their heart-tugging version of Paul Simon’s “Mother and Child Reunion.”

BTS, ‘Mama’

J-Hope sings of his gratitude to “Mama,” in a gospel-style standout from the BTS album Wings . It starts out in 2006, when he’s a child learning to dance with her help; it follows her support and encouragement over the years, as she teaches Hobi that failure is the mother of success.

The Five Stairsteps, ‘O-o-h Child’

Few vintage soul sounds can soothe a troubled mind like Aloha Burke’s voice as she sings the opening lines of this dusty Chicago groove: “Ooooh child, things are gonna get easier / Ooooh child, things’ll get brighter.”

Al Wilson, ‘Queen of the Ghetto’

The late, great R&B singer is best remembered today for his Number One hit, “Show and Tell,” one of the Seventies’ suavest love jams. But Wilson got grittier in his ode to a matriarch who did what she had to do to put food on the table – and he’s nothing but proud.

Johnny Paycheck, ‘I’m The Only Hell (My Mama Ever Raised)’

A classic of outlaw country, the twanged-up honky-tonk tale of a bad, bad man who’s done some evil deeds—but he’s always got a soft spot for Mama. (And ONLY for Mama.) Johnny Paycheck, the ornery hombre who sang “Take This Job and Shove It,” makes the whole bar sing along: “She tried to turn me on to Jesus/But I turned to the devil’s ways/And I turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised!”

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How to Present to an Audience That Knows More Than You

• Deborah Grayson Riegel

Lean into being a facilitator — not an expert.

What happens when you have to give a presentation to an audience that might have some professionals who have more expertise on the topic than you do? While it can be intimidating, it can also be an opportunity to leverage their deep and diverse expertise in service of the group’s learning. And it’s an opportunity to exercise some intellectual humility, which includes having respect for other viewpoints, not being intellectually overconfident, separating your ego from your intellect, and being willing to revise your own viewpoint — especially in the face of new information. This article offers several tips for how you might approach a roomful of experts, including how to invite them into the discussion without allowing them to completely take over, as well as how to pivot on the proposed topic when necessary.

I was five years into my executive coaching practice when I was invited to lead a workshop on “Coaching Skills for Human Resource Leaders” at a global conference. As the room filled up with participants, I identified a few colleagues who had already been coaching professionally for more than a decade. I felt self-doubt start to kick in: Why were they even here? What did they come to learn? Why do they want to hear from me?

• Deborah Grayson Riegel is a professional speaker and facilitator, as well as a communication and presentation skills coach. She teaches leadership communication at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and has taught for Wharton Business School, Columbia Business School’s Women in Leadership Program, and Peking University’s International MBA Program. She is the author of Overcoming Overthinking: 36 Ways to Tame Anxiety for Work, School, and Life and the best-selling Go To Help: 31 Strategies to Offer, Ask for, and Accept Help .

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