First, let’s answer a simple question: Why does a presenter need planning in the first place? It’s simple. Following a plan allows you to work on the presentation step by step. With this approach, there’s minimal risk of forgetting to add important information or skipping a preparation stage. Additionally, working without a plan makes it easy to become frantic, get distracted, and juggle multiple tasks at once. This, in turn, leads to time overruns and increased fatigue. So, no matter how tight your deadlines are, never neglect the process of creating a plan. Note that AI assistants like Pitch Avatar from R4P can help save time and expedite this process.
Preparation
At this stage, you need to decide on the following:
- Presentation Goal: Clearly state what you want to achieve with the online event. For example, “I want presentation viewers to purchase my product” or “I want viewers to download a demo version of my product.”
- Audience: Have a clear understanding of who your material is addressing. The style and presentation format depend on this. Presenting the same information to children, adults, potential investors, or potential trade representatives requires different approaches.
- Resources and Constraints: Document the resources you have for working on the presentation. This includes money, time, equipment, assistance, presentation duration, etc. This will help you avoid building “castles in the air” and focus on creating a script that you can realistically implement.
Presentation Script Plan
With the main goal of the online presentation in mind, think about the key points, demonstrations, and advantages that will help you achieve it. Each of these ideas becomes a “chapter” of your presentation. Remember this important rule: One idea – one chapter – one slide (if you’re creating a slide presentation). Add interactive elements to the event (Q&A sessions, tests, surveys, etc.), as well as its start and finish, and you’ll have a focused script plan.
Design and Visualization
This stage is often left for last, which is a mistake. Visual elements are better perceived than text. Follow these basic principles for working with design:
Use two main contrasting colors and a maximum of two additional colors.
Ensure all illustrations are in a unified style.
If there’s text on the slides, it should be no longer than 5-7 words and not occupy more than a quarter of the slide area.
Dynamic slides, videos, and interactive elements work better than static slides.
Working on the Presentation Start
For most viewers, the decision to continue watching the presentation is made in the first 15 seconds and the first three slides. By capturing attention at the beginning, you’ll likely keep the viewer engaged until the end of the event. Solve this task in the following ways:
- Create intrigue. Turn the presentation into a coherent story worth listening to the end or outline viewers’ problems, promising to offer solutions during the event.
- Use interactivity. Question-answer sessions, tests, and slides that viewers can manipulate are effective and should be used, at least in part, at the beginning of the event.
Working on the Presentation Conclusion
An ideal conclusion involves asking viewers to perform one simple action after the presentation, contributing to the achievement of your main goal. Whether it’s making a purchase, registering for an event, downloading a demo version, scheduling a consultation, etc.
Working on the Main Part of the Presentation and Editing
After completing the aforementioned steps, you’ll essentially need to “fill in the gaps” and edit the cohesive whole that you’ve created.
Reviewing, Practicing, Evaluating
At this stage, ensure that the resulting presentation truly aligns with the goal you set. The best approach is to conduct a full rehearsal with fresh-eyed individuals who haven’t been involved in creating the presentation. They’ll be better at spotting errors and inconsistencies.
Make any final adjustments based on feedback, and you’re ready to conclude your work.
Good luck, successful presentations, and high incomes!
