Persuasive Presentations
Jeff Ritchie
WWII
Presentations (60 points total)
 Audience
– your client and WWII students
 Persuasive- Different Purposes
– illustrates how project meets client's needs
– explains and showcases your project
– argues why the client should choose your
project over others
 PowerPoint presentation
 15 minutes minimum, 20 maximum
Two types of Presentations New Business Presentations
 Project Presentations
Two types of Presentations New Business Presentations
 Project Presentations
New Business Presentations
– (AKA “shootout” presentations)
 Formal, competitive presentations
– solicits new clients
– builds reputation of presenter
– demonstrates skills and expertise
 Define the problem for the client
– might not have a unified idea of the problem
– do not really know/recognize the problem
 present the problem as they know it
 then make a counter recommendation as to the real problem
Purpose of new business
presentations
 Persuade client that
– Your project will meet their needs
– That you are credible
 can deliver on your promises
– Under budget
– On schedule
Cost of New Business Presentations
 Costs mount- determine the budget for the
presentation and stick to it.
 Costs of Functional Prototype and presentation
 5 employees
 3 weeks to produce
 40 hours week (conservative)
 @ 50 dollars/hour
 (5emp)x(3x40hrs)x$50/hr=$30,000
Two types of Presentations New Business Presentations
 Project Presentations
Project Presentations You’ve already landed client
 Persuasive- Purpose
– your project/solution to their problem
 is sound and
 meets the client’s needs
 Begin with the basic information
 Move quickly to persuasion
 Focus- how the Project meets client’s needs
Questions to ask when creating a
project presentation
 Who is the decision maker?
 On what basis will the decision be made?
Anticipate Resistance Points:
 Resistance points are objections to new ideas
– that possibly challenge the client’s current business
practices
– that possibly differs from the client’s understanding of
the problem/market
– that possibly challenge a key player’s power/position
– that possibly infringes on the “turf” of a key player (for
instance the marketing VP)
 Tactfully deal with them
– Acknowledge
– Accommodate
– Refute
Project Presentations usually have







An opening
A statement of position
A description of Strategy
A Media Rationale
A demonstration of the Creative
Supporting evidence for your argument
A plan for the Evaluation of the project’s
effectiveness
 An explanation/justification of the Budget
 The closing that reinforces the argument
The opening Establishes tone
 Establishes identity
 Grabs attention
Basic Sections of a Project
Presentation









The opening
The statement of position
Strategy
Media
Creative
Supporting evidence
Evaluation
Budget
The closing
The statement of position sets the goals and objectives
 identifies the problem
 proposes a solution
Basic Sections of a Project
Presentation









The opening
The statement of position
Strategy
Media
Creative
Supporting evidence
Evaluation
Budget
The closing
Strategy Outlines the key strategy decisions such as
– primary and secondary audiences
– behavioral objectives
Basic Sections of a Project
Presentation









The opening
The statement of position
Strategy
Media
Creative
Supporting evidence
Evaluation
Budget
The closing
Media:
 presents the media rationale
 explains how media choice furthers goals
and objectives of the client
Basic Sections of a Project
Presentation









The opening
The statement of position
Strategy
Media
Creative
Supporting evidence
Evaluation
Budget
The closing
Creative:
 Presents the creative strategies of the
project
 Illustrates and explains project
 emphasizes return on design
– shows how project’s functions and features
 maximize workflows
 further behavioral objectives and goals
 reinforces/creates client brand identity
Basic Sections of a Project
Presentation









The opening
The statement of position
Strategy
Media
Creative
Supporting evidence
Evaluation
Budget
The closing
Supporting evidence provides relevant data and research findings
 logically developed justifications
Basic Sections of a Project
Presentation









The opening
The statement of position
Strategy
Media
Creative
Supporting evidence
Evaluation
Budget
The closing
Evaluation:
 Presents proposals for evaluating the
success of the project
Basic Sections of a Project
Presentation









The opening
The statement of position
Strategy
Media
Creative
Supporting evidence
Evaluation
Budget
The closing
Budget:
 this section wraps up the costs for all
aspects of the project
 emphasizes return on design
 explains/justifies cost overruns
Basic Sections of a Project
Presentation









The opening
The statement of position
Strategy
Media
Creative
Supporting evidence
Evaluation
Budget
The closing
The closing
 summarizes benefits
 restates benefits
 reinforces purpose of presentation
– to persuade client that the project will meet their
needs
Basic Sections of a Project
Presentation









The opening
The statement of position
Strategy
Media
Creative
Supporting evidence
Evaluation
Budget
The closing
Beginnings, Middles, and Endings
 People more attentive at the beginning and ending
 Beginnings
– Introduce all key points
 Endings
– summarize key points
 Middles
– don’t introduce new points
– for elaboration and discussion
– Keep attention
Dramatic techniques to keep
attention





Change of pace
Dynamic visuals
Little plays
Leading questions
Exaggerated statements for dramatic effect
Make your presentation A showcase for your project
 Demonstrate it solving their problem or
meeting their needs
 Highlight specifics of project
Selecting and Planning Visuals
 Use visuals throughout
 Use visuals as signposts of your logic
 Visualize key phrases, relationships,
comparisons and numbers
Functions of visuals
 Memorability
 Reinforce logic
 Key points- don’t just say “sales”- say “sales
jump 17%”
 Clarity- show them what you mean
 Identity and image- show them who you are,
make them remember you
Six Effective Visual Characteristics






Visibility
Legibility
Simplicity
Clarity
Correctness
CONTROL
Visibility





Check out the room beforehand
Kodak study
(assuming the screen correct height)
1/25 the height of the screen
60 inch tall screen x 1/25= 2 ½ inches projected
 Or the low-tech route
 visible from the back of the room you will use
Legibility
 Use
Sans Serif fonts
Bold
No more than two fonts per figure
 Avoid
Italics
Underlining
outlines
shadows
All Caps
Simplicity
 One idea per visual
Clarity
 The point of the graphic must remain clear.
 Don’t cut out too much
Correctness
 No typos
 The same rules apply to presentation
graphics as applies to resumes Mistakes take away from the ethos of the
presenters
CONTROL
 Control the visual
 Make it do what you want it to, given the
audience
 Take it away from the audience so that they
focus on you.
Six Effective Visual
Characteristics






Visibility
Legibility
Simplicity
Clarity
Correctness
CONTROL
Forecasting and Summarizing
 Can you remember the last points?
 What is the most effective means?
Remember as well




Contrast
Repetition
Alignment
Proximity
Revelation and Release
Revelation
 Start off on a blank slide
 Reveal information- don’t let them read it
ahead of you
 Danger in giving out handouts before
discussion
 How will the audience use them?
Release




Forecast the end…in conclusion
Summarize your main points
Allow for feedback/questions
End on a blank slide
Equipment
 What type of equipment
 Always have a backup in another media
 Check the media/room beforehand
Length of the presentation
 try to have a graphic every minute
 15-20 minutes of presentations
 15-20 slides
Oral Nature of Presentations
 Forecast and Summarize
 Involve the Audience
Forecast and Summarize




Specific Advance Organizers
Summaries at strategic spots
Transitions
Repeat Memorable words
Involve the Audience
 Refer to people, not to abstractions- Uncle
Joe Stalin
 Use interesting Facts, figures, and
quotations
Use concrete information
 “Think about how your audience will interact with the
information, not how they should interact with it.”
 Provide
–
–
–
–
examples
illustrations
little narratives
analogies
Summary- Oral Nature of
Presentations
 Forecast and Summarize
 Involve the Audience
Questions?