3 Ways to Get More From Your Presentation Folders

If you are making a business presentation or presenting a new product, it is almost certain that you will want to use attractive presentation folders to make the right first impression. But how can you get more from your presentation folders to ensure that they give your presentation the edge? Here are three tips to help you make an impact.

1. Create a Quality Product

High-quality presentation folders are fundamental if you want to make the right impression. There is nothing worse than handing over a folder that does not accurately represent your company values, and if you want to impress your prospects then a quality folder is absolutely essential. This will also increase the odds that your prospects will hold onto your personalised folders for longer rather than putting them to one side.

2. Focus on Originality

If you want your presentation folders to get noticed then a custom design will be almost mandatory. You don’t have to win any awards, but it is important that your folders are both attractive and original to ensure that they stand out from the crowd. That means a professional design that takes advantage of the wide variety of sizes, styles, colours and materials available

You could opt for a leather-look finish, choose gloss or matt laminating or employ an original colour scheme, all of which will help to make your folders stand out from the rest.

3. Entice Your Readers

One effective way to encourage readers to actually open your presentation folders rather than putting them to one side is to entice them with an interesting tag line. This is a classic sales technique which could drastically increase your chances of getting people to take notice of the contents of your folder.

Tease the readers, provide them with an incentive to read past the cover, offer to provide a solution to a problem – there are numerous ways to entice your readers to look past the cover, and it is worth spending time thinking about this before designing your presentation folders.

Conclusion

Get More from Your Folders

You need your presentation folders to make the right impression for your company. Don’t make the mistake of designing unoriginal and uninspiring folders. Instead, make sure your presentation folders are attractive, original and inspiring, and they are certain to produce more positive results.

Presentation Tips for Beginners

An effective, compelling presentation has three clear parts: the introduction, the body and the conclusion.

Try to involve your audience. Inject variety through the use of a whiteboard or PowerPoint bullet points. Invite comment or feedback whenever possible. Questions or comment from the audience provide valuable breaks as well as a chance to regather your thoughts.

Remember – you are there to communicate with your audience, not to talk at them. So use language they find compelling. Paint pictures of events and ideas they can see in their mind. And keep them thinking with occasional questions. Keep them well informed about the structure and length of your presentation. If in doubt – cut it out.

PowerPoint

Keep PowerPoint text to an absolute minimum.

Brief bullet points are fine. But sentences and paragraphs should be avoided. Never read a presentation directly from PowerPoint

PowerPoint is best when used as a prompt. Too much information will send your audience to sleep. Keep them alert through the inclusion of photos, sound files or interesting background graphics.

Top Tips:

1. Encourage questions

2. Introduce props, MPEG clips or product samples

3. Be conversational – don’t rely entirely on notes

4. Smile – it projects confidence

5. Use repetition to ensure key facts sink in

6. Pause for effect on key points

Tips for presenting to a hostile audience:

1. Anticipate the tough questions.

2. Explain early you may not have all the answers.

3. Listen carefully to the question and look directly at the person asking.

4. If you need time to think, repeat the question aloud.

5. Whenever possible, provide an answer linked back to your speech.

6. If you cannot link back, acknowledge their concern and promise to investigate.

7. When appropriate, suggest another person or avenue that might be helpful.

8. Remain calm and helpful. Never show temper or exasperation.

9. Avoid bad body language: crossing arms, shaking head.

10. Keep things moving – respond to another member of the audience.

Do’s and Don’ts for Great Presentations

Preparing for a presentation can be stressful. You have to choose a topic, consider who will be in your audience and you have to create the content of presentation/speech. While all of these are important, it is crucial to know what to do and what not to do on stage. If you have a stellar presentation prepared but aren’t using open body language or lack professionalism, your presentation will not have as much power as it could.

Prior to a presentation ensure that you establish communication with the individual that is hiring you. This should be done in person or over the phone, not by email. Ask questions to gain more information on the expectations and requirements of the presentation. Research the company and your topic to ensure your topic is relevant.

While planning your presentation consider your topic, make sure it is clear and that you can describe it in one sentence. Anything longer indicates you have too many topics for one presentation. Having too many topics can become confusing to the listener and your presentation may not seem organized. Follow the structure of a good speech. The Rule of 3 consists of an introduction, body and conclusion.

Do’s for a great presentation:

1. Be confident, smile and be YOU.
2. Know your topic and presentation inside and out. Cut out any unnecessary facts/information.
3. Practice and practice again. Record your presentation, review and make changes.
4. You “you” more than “I”, this will help the audience feel they are involved and will help them engage in the presentation.
5. Be prepared for possible “hecklers” or “saboteurs”, know what you are going to do if this happens.
6. Display professionalism with your attire and way of being.
7. Use key words that will connect with the audience, talk slow and pronounce your words. Effectively use pausing for effect and provide the audience with a moment to think about what you have just said.
8. Pay attention to your body language, it sends off messages that you may not want to send. Do not cross your arms or legs, face away from the audience or pace. Stand confidently, with open body language and be calm.

DON’TS for Great Presentations

1. Do not use abstract words such as things, instead say the thing is or use words that are more fitting and professional.
2. Do not start a sentence with “um, ah, so, now”, this makes your presentation seem unprepared and your audience will lose interest.
3. Do not end your sentences with “right, huh, eh” – the end of the sentence should be the strongest point. Pause when appropriate for effect and let the audience think about it.
4. Do not read off of your slides or handouts, these should only be used for supporting documentation.
5. Do not let someone in the audience distract you – answer their questions briefly and effectively and then move on to the next question or your presentation.
6. Do not overwhelm your audience with too much information or too many different points. LESS is always more.

The only way to being successful is being prepared. Knowing your presentation well, what you will do if a situation is to occurs on stage and being professional are the main tools to helping your presentation thrive. Taking into consideration the list of Do’s and Don’ts mentioned above will make your presentation that much stronger and meaningful.