BY Tim Londergan
I’m impressed by those who can explain complex information in understandable ways. These trusted presenters have a gift to make information flow from their head to yours. Interestingly, this is a skill that can be learned!
Your sales slides can sing and tell fascinating stories using these strategic prompts.
Your Sales Slides Need Singular Focus
Your slideshow presentation is a device allowing your audience to focus while you maintain control. Your mission is to guide the transfer of ideas, concepts or information from your understanding to theirs. Presentation mentor, Stephen Welch offers many tips, here are just three:
- Give your audience one thing to focus on at a time. Remember, you’re guiding them on a journey. Don’t lose them and don’t reveal the destination too soon.
- Time your presentation to return attention to you and your physical presence. Don’t depend on the sales slides to do all the work. Your role is to engage with the audience.
- Allow your audience to process the information before moving on. Make eye contact and be assured they are caught up before proceeding to the next slide. The challenge is to pace the slide show to your audience’s comprehension.
A bonus tip from the author: “Don’t make your audience have to choose between listening to you and reading slides.” The information should flow in a linear fashion, so each segment receives ample attention.
A SIMPLE Framework for Complex Communication
Francis J. Flynn, writing for Fast Company describes how physicist Richard Feynman earned the reputation as “the Great Explainer.” Apparently, Feynman was notorious for breaking down complex scientific material to express its most essential detail. His dialogues inspired lecturers to define his communication gift as SIMPLE.
SIMPLE is an acronym for the list of cues that can make your sales slides soar. Each term in the list represents a tool that will help you explain things more clearly.
- Slogan
- Image
- Metaphor
- Parable
- Example
You can use one or several of these cues to clarify your thoughts and concepts through your sales slides. For instance, using a slogan that captures the essence of the message and repeating it creates a memorable tag line. Similarly, powerful metaphors bring forth images like hitting a nail on the head.
Invite Your Audience to Take Part
An interactive presentation goes beyond the basics to invite audience participation. SalesFuel’s Jessica Helinski reviews this concept that can help your audience engage more deeply. Additionally, interactive elements can help personalize the experience to make your presentation more memorable.
Multimedia tools can enliven your presentations with appealing visuals or customer testimonials. Digital elements may also allow real-
Demonstrations or visual aids add a dynamic element to amplify your presentation. Using animated images or text to further your point is another great way to energize your sales slides.
Communication Skills Last Throughout Your Career
Clear communication separates great leaders from all the rest. What’s more, honing communication skills will become something you will leverage for the rest of your work life. The ability to turn complex thoughts into simple, easy to digest morsels can make you the envy of your colleagues.
Connecting with a parable or telling a memorable story goes far beyond text on a slide. What’s more, designing sales slides that flow effortlessly and demystify the mysterious can be your superpower.
The ability to summarize features and benefits to a specific audience in a clear manner is first-
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