PowerPoint Presentations Suck – Get to the Point
Are you tired of starting a meeting where they claim they’re going to do a demo, but they spend the first 15 to 20 minutes showing you a static slide deck? Everybody is so busy, so let’s get straight to the point. Open up the demo, and let’s start diving in immediately.
Begin with a live demonstration or a compelling use-case. Set the stage by immediately highlighting the real-world impact of your solution. Even more impactful is using representative data or solving a problem that the customer actually has.
In this post, I’ll explore the pitfalls of traditional, slide-heavy presentations, discuss actionable strategies to enhance audience engagement, and convince you to present your solution dynamically. I’ll also examine technical and business perspectives to help you communicate value effectively.
The Problem with Traditional Presentations
Traditional presentations tend to rely heavily on static slides loaded with text, diagrams, and buzzwords. Nothing puts an audience to sleep like showing boring slides. You’re going to look around and see people pretending to listen, but they’re not. They don’t care one bit. Trust me. No one is going to pay attention to the storyteller unless they are exceptionally good at storytelling or they are showing the actual demo. And to be honest, I haven’t met many exceptional storytellers lately. So let’s focus on the demo in this post.
Warning: An overload of static content can signal that you might be masking a lack of confidence in the solution’s practicality. This risks disengaging even the most interested audience.
Common Presentation Pitfalls
Here are some of the most common mistakes that can derail a presentation:
Starting Late:
No more. Let’s see if the audience is here. Let’s see if people are trickling in. None of that.If the meeting starts at 10, start at 10.More than likely, the meeting will be recorded for the very few people who will ever come back to listen to it anyway. So let them catch up some other way.The point is, don’t waste anyone’s time. Other folks are there at 10 a.m., so start at 10 a.m.NoteNote: Begin promptly to establish respect for your audience’s time. At the same time, don’t call out anyone who’s late. That’s perfectly fine as well. But it’s up to them to figure out what they’ve missed and to catch up, which most professionals can do very easily when they’re only five minutes late.
Malfunctioning Equipment:
No matter what happens, know your story and be willing to tell your story without any equipment whatsoever. It’s not that hard to try this. Make the story personable and talk to the folks in the room. I know it might be harder through telework, Zoom meetings, and team meetings, but be engaging with your story regardless of the equipment that you have.ImportantImportant: Always perform a technical run-through before your presentation to minimize the risk of equipment failure. This should be obvious, but you’ll be surprised at how many people do not do this. For example, if you want to play a video within your presentation and you hit the play button, can the audience hear that audio? Is your audio from your computer going to transmit to theirs? I don’t know. Until you test it. Figure it out and test it.
An even better solution is to not play a video during your presentation in the first place. Try that.
Over-Apologizing:
Constant apologies for technical hitches or delays can undermine your credibility. Instead, focus on resolving issues quickly and professionally.Boring Slides:
Spoiler alert! All of your slides are boring.Going Off-Track:
More than likely, you’re going to be talking to some technical folks and some business-minded folks. Stick to the business topics and the business acumen as much as possible. When you get into a tangent and start talking technical, keep it extremely short. Let the technical folks know that you understand what you’re talking about, but save that stuff for another time.
The fundamental flaw in these approaches is the failure to demonstrate the actual solution in real-time. Your audience craves immediacy and authenticity.
The Static Screenshot Dilemma
Imagine this scenario:
Example Presentation Gone Wrong
Problem Statement:
An organization needs a tool that can scan PDF files and convert them into editable text.
What the Presenter Does:
1. Opens with a long, text-heavy agenda slide. (Maybe my opinion is rare, but I should know the agenda before I even click accept to the meeting). 2. Displays an architecture diagram loaded with technical jargon. 3. Delivers a monologue filled with buzzwords like “automation” and “AI.”
4. Shows a series of theoretical diagrams outlining workflows.
5. Finally, after 30 minutes of buildup, attempts to reveal the software—if it functions at all.
This approach forces the audience to endure a barrage of irrelevant details before ever seeing the solution in action. Trust me, half your audience has already checked out, and they’re on their phones, multitasking and doing something else anyway.
Note: The longer you delay the demonstration, the higher the risk that your audience’s interest will diminish.
Dynamic Solutions: Show, Don’t Tell
To really engage your audience, replace static content with dynamic, real-time demonstrations. Let’s explore actionable steps to do so.
Step 1: Run the Software Live
Live Demonstrations Work:
A live demo provides an immediate, tangible experience that static slides simply can’t match. It reinforces trust by showing that the solution works as promised.
- Actionable Tip: Double-click your application and let the audience observe its operation in real time. Walk through the key functionalities step-by-step. Start from zero and build up.
- Business Perspective: Decision-makers appreciate live demos because they reduce uncertainty—seeing is believing.
Tip: Even if your software is complex, break down the demo into digestible sections.
Step 2: Use Representative Data
The Power of Real Data:
Integrating data that mirrors your audience’s real-world scenarios not only makes your presentation more relatable but also demonstrates your solution’s practical applicability. It also shows that you understand the customer’s data, problem set, and other issues the organization is facing. And it doesn’t have to be true real scenarios; it can be made-up hypotheticals.
Admit that the stories about the made-up data are hypothetical, but still brand them into their own organization. They will think it’s funny that you made up some crazy scenario, but it sort of makes sense to them.
- Actionable Tip: Request a sample dataset from your audience ahead of the meeting. Use this data during your demo to showcase how your solution performs under real conditions.
- Technical Perspective: This approach validates your software’s robustness by addressing potential edge cases and common challenges.
Important: Make sure the data you use is sanitized and complies with privacy standards to avoid any inadvertent data breaches. Of course, the customer giving you this data should have done this ahead of time, but who knows what you’ll get.
Step 3: Showcase Immediate Results
Creating Instant Impact:
Avoid vague descriptions by immediately demonstrating the process from start to finish. Show the audience how your solution solves the problem as it unfolds.
- Actionable Tip: Illustrate every step—from initiating the scan to displaying the editable text—emphasizing speed and efficiency.
- Alternate Approach: For particularly complex systems, prepare a pre-recorded demo. This provides a safety net should live execution encounter technical difficulties.
Know Your Audience: Speak Their Language
Understanding your audience is crucial. Not everyone in the room is a technical expert; many are business leaders focused on efficiency and impact.
Addressing Diverse Needs
For Business Leaders:
Focus on how the solution streamlines processes, reduces costs, and boosts productivity. Give real-world examples of how it could save the company money. Even if you save a couple of steps for your users, which saves 10 seconds each, you’re also boosting that employee’s morale. They’re not frustrated with small things like, “Why do I have to click three times to get to this document when it could be once?” Even though you don’t see the big holistic view of how that can save money over time, think about it as a way to improve the morale of your workforce. In the long run, they can focus on intellectual tasks and be more comfortable doing them.For Technical Experts:
Highlight the reliability, scalability, and innovative aspects of your solution—but always tie these points back to practical benefits.For End Users:
Emphasize ease of use and the tangible improvements the solution offers over manual processes.
Tailor your message to address the most pressing concerns of each segment in your audience. Simplicity and clarity win over technical complexity.
Framing Your Message
Instead of inundating your audience with the intricacies of your software’s architecture, focus on the value it brings. Use straightforward language and concrete examples to bridge the gap between technology and business impact.
Using Real-World Analogies
Abstract technical details can be challenging for non-technical stakeholders to grasp. Analogies serve as a powerful tool to translate complex concepts into relatable, everyday scenarios.
Example:
Rather than stating, “Our AI-powered OCR tool boasts a 99.8% accuracy rate,” explain it like this:
“Think of it as a digital assistant that instantly transforms your paper documents into editable text—eliminating hours of tedious data entry and reducing the risk of human error.”
Additional Analogy Techniques
- Relatable Comparisons: Compare the software’s function to common tools or processes (e.g., “like a spell-checker for documents”).
- Storytelling: Create a short narrative around how the tool solved a real problem for a similar organization.
Tip: Use analogies that resonate with your audience’s daily experiences. This not only makes your presentation more engaging but also reinforces the practicality of your solution.
Time is Valuable – Get to the Point
In today’s fast-paced world, every minute counts. Your presentation should deliver a clear, compelling message without unnecessary delays.
Key Takeaways
Eliminate Fluff:
Replace endless slides with dynamic, live demonstrations that immediately showcase your solution’s value.Embrace Live Demos:
Demonstrating the software in real time builds credibility and keeps your audience engaged.Speak Their Language:
Tailor your presentation to address the needs and concerns of a diverse audience by focusing on business value over technical minutiae.Leverage Analogies:
Use relatable examples to bridge the gap between complex technical details and practical benefits.
By following these strategies, you not only engage your audience but also position yourself as a prepared, professional, and credible presenter.