A business communication presentation is an informational presentation, usually in the form of PowerPoint slides, that is accompanied by a brief speech. Presentations can have many different objectives, ranging from marketing and advertising to research and measurement or employee engagement. Presentations can be given to audiences ranging from a small group of 10 to 15 colleagues to a conference room filled with several hundred potential clients.
In large companies, there is often a communications director who is responsible for managing both internal and external communications. This helps ensure that messages remain consistent for all business communication presentations. At smaller companies, however, presentations may be crafted by people working at many different levels within the organization. An approval process for presentations may be required, depending upon the nature of the project.
If you’re in charge of creating a business communication presentation, keep in mind that people have very short attention spans. Do not bore your audience with unnecessary details. Keep your presentation as simple as possible, picking three to five key points to emphasize. If you must cover a lot of material, briefly review the key points in the middle of your presentation to make sure your audience remembers everything that is being said.
As far as design is concerned, simple is best for a business communication presentation. Incorporate your company colors and logo, if appropriate. Keep your font choices to two or three different typefaces at the most, making sure that all your text is easy to read. Use photos if they help support the message of your presentation, but avoid clip art that is no more than unnecessary clutter. Animation and sound effects should be used cautiously, since many people find these additions to be irritating in a professional environment.
Depending upon the purpose of your presentation, your company may want to make it available online for others to view. Online presentations combining PowerPoint slides with downloadable audio or video are becoming an increasingly popular way for corporations to market themselves to prospective clients or potential employees. For example, consumers researching a large purchase often want to view a company’s sales presentations as part of their comparison shopping process.
Creating a business communication presentation is a popular topic of discussion for college level business courses. However, there are also a number of continuing education classes and online tutorials devoted to helping people prepare more effective presentations. If you are not confident in your communications skills, consider taking advantage of these resources to be an investment in your future career success.