about presentation style

The 8 Types of Presentation Styles: Which Category Do You Fall Into?

Updated: December 16, 2020

Published: September 24, 2018

Types of Presentations

• Visual Style
• Freeform Style
• Instructor Style
• Coach Style
• Storytelling Style
• Connector Style
• Lessig Style
• Takahashi Style

Everyone on the internet has an opinion on how to give the “perfect” presentation.

One group champions visual aids, another thinks visual aids are a threat to society as we know it. One expert preaches the benefits of speaking loudly, while another believes the softer you speak the more your audience pays attention. And don’t even try to find coordinating opinions on whether you should start your presentation with a story, quote, statistic, or question.

But what if there wasn’t just one “right” way to give a presentation? What if there were several? Below, I’ve outlined eight types of presentation styles. They’re used by famous speakers like Steve Jobs and Al Gore -- and none of them are wrong.

Check out each one and decide which will be most effective for you.

Types of Presentation Styles

1. visual style.

What it is: If you’re a firm believer slides simply exist to complement your talking points, this style is for you. With this speaking style, you might need to work a little harder to get your audience engaged, but the dividends can be huge for strong public speakers, visionaries, and storytellers.

When to use it: This style is helpful when speaking to a large audience with broad interests. It’s also great for when you need to throw together slides quickly.

Visual style presenter: Steve Jobs

2. Freeform Style

What it is: This impromptu style of presenting doesn’t require slides. Instead, the speaker relies on strong stories to illustrate each point. This style works best for those who have a short presentation time and are extremely familiar with their talking points.

When to use it: Elevator pitches, networking events, and impromptu meetings are all scenarios in which to use a freeform style of speaking. You’ll appear less rehearsed and more conversational than if you were to pause in the middle of a happy hour to pull up your presentation on a tablet.

Freeform style presenter: Sir Ken Robinson

3. Instructor Style

What it is: This presentation style allows you to deliver complex messages using figures of speech, metaphors, and lots of content -- just like your teachers and professors of old. Your decks should be built in logical order to aid your presentation, and you should use high-impact visuals to support your ideas and keep the audience engaged.

When to use it: If you’re not a comfortable presenter or are unfamiliar with your subject matter (i.e., your product was recently updated and you’re not familiar with the finer points), try instructor-style presenting.

Instructor style presenter: Al Gore

4. Coach Style

What it is: Energetic and charismatic speakers gravitate towards this style of presenting. It allows them to connect and engage with their audience using role play and listener interaction.

When to use it: Use this presentation style when you’re speaking at a conference or presenting to an audience who needs to be put at ease. For example, this style would work well if you were speaking to a group of executives who need to be sold on the idea of what your company does rather than the details of how you do it.

Coach style presenter: Linda Edgecombe

5. Storytelling Style

What it is: In this style, the speaker relies on anecdotes and examples to connect with their audience. Stories bring your learning points to life, and the TED’s Commandments never let you down: Let your emotions out and tell your story in an honest way.

When to use it: Avoid this style if you’re in the discovery phase of the sales process. You want to keep the conversation about your prospect instead of circling every point or question back to you or a similar client. This style is great for conference speaking, networking events, and sales presentations where you have adequate time to tell your stories without taking minutes away from questions.

Storytelling style presenter: Jill Bolte Taylor

6. Connector Style

What it is: In this style, presenters connect with their audience by showing how they’re similar to their listeners. Connectors usually enjoy freeform Q&A and use gestures when they speak. They also highly encourage audience reaction and feedback to what they’re saying.

When to use it: Use this style of presenting early in the sales process as you’re learning about your prospect’s pain points, challenges, and goals. This type of speaking sets your listener at ease, elicits feedback on how you’re doing in real time, and is more of a dialogue than a one-sided presentation

Connector style presenter: Connie Dieken

7. Lessig Style

What it is: The Lessig Style was created by Lawrence Lessig , a professor of law and leadership at Harvard Law School. This presentation style requires the presenter to pass through each slide within 15 seconds. When text is used in a slide, it’s typically synchronized with the presenter’s spoken words.

When to use it: This method of presentation is great for large crowds -- and it allows the speaker to use a balance of text and image to convey their message. The rapid pace and rhythm of the slide progression keeps audiences focused, engaged, and less likely to snooze.

Lessig style presenter: Lawrence Lessig

8. Takahashi Style

What it is: This method features large, bold text on minimal slides. It was devised by Masayoshi Takahashi , who found himself creating slides without access to a presentation design tool or PowerPoint. The main word is the focal point of the slide, and phrases, used sparingly, are short and concise.

When to use it: If you find yourself in Takahashi’s shoes -- without presentation design software -- this method is for you. This style works well for short presentations that pack a memorable punch.

Takahashi style presenter: Masayoshi Takahashi

Slides from one of Takahashi’s presentations:

Whether you’re speaking on a conference stage or giving a sales presentation , you can find a method that works best for you and your audience. With the right style, you’ll capture attention, engage listeners, and effectively share your message. You can even ask an  AI presentation maker  tool to create presentations for you in your preferred style

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The 8 most powerful presentation styles

Whatever you’re presenting - a business pitch, a company-wide message, a training course - you’ll want to make the maximum impact. We’ve got tips from the experts on delivering presentations that pack a punch.

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Types of presentation styles

There’s a lot of theory around presentation styles. Which is unsurprising given they're still such a critical part of business communication . So whether you're using multiple, quick-fire slides to data-driven presentations packed with facts and figures, or taking a storytelling approach using anecdotes to capture your audience - there are all kinds of techniques you can use to present.

But while it’s helpful to know about different presentation types, most of us will have the same questions about how to make presenting work for us. How can we achieve what we want to with our presentations? How can we connect with people? And how can we make sure we’re engaging - not boring - our audience? Here’s what the experts think.

1. Know why you’re presenting

Before you get into creating beautiful slides and rehearsing your script in front of the mirror, it’s worth stepping back and thinking about what you want your presentation to do.

A person who knows plenty about this is Jesse Evans, self-described Customer Education and Training Geek at Workplace . “Whether you're presenting or you're teaching, you're always in the position of persuading people,” he says. “You're trying to change a behavior. That's always the goal. There's something you want somebody to do differently, or to think differently afterwards.”

David Bliss, founder of training and coaching company Brunel Harper , agrees. “You need to know your story journey,” he says. “What is it you want to achieve? What do you want your audience to feel? What do you want them to do at the end of this, and how will you know they’re going to do it?”

Once you know the answers to these questions, you can start shaping your presentation.

2. Presenting is not about you

Every presenter worries about them - how should they introduce themselves? How are they coming across? What presentation technique should they use? But getting too hung up on these things is a mistake, according to the experts.

Long intros, for example, are a no-no. People just aren’t interested. “Establish just enough about yourself that you seem credible, that you’re worth listening to - and then convince them with the things you say and the way you say them, that you are, in fact, credible,” says Jesse.

“A presentation is only about the audience,” David agrees. “Too often, presentations become about that person's experience or that company's experience and knowledge. But, in fact, if you're presenting to a group of people, they're only interested in what they need to understand. It is a given that you have the expertise and the skill.”

3. Presenting techniques: Question. Listen. Respond

“‘Never tell somebody something that they can tell you’ is the most important rule you’ll ever learn,” Jesse says. To get people to tell you things, you need to ask questions, but you first need to create a safe space for people to participate. Encourage people to speak and be brave enough to wait for responses. “Follow the seven-second rule,” Jesse instructs. “Ask a question, always repeat it, but give them at least seven seconds to respond. And don't respond to the first thing that comes in out of sheer relief.”

If people are very reluctant and you’re presenting virtually, private chat can be your friend - talking about questions you see there (even if there aren’t any yet) can encourage people to join in.

Once they start talking, validate what people say. "Always answer and acknowledge by name,” Jesse tells us. “Build up enough of this and people will feel pretty good and be willing to take risks.”

Also, think about how you respond. “Heighten your listening skills, but, most importantly, only use the language that your audience uses,” says David. “Don't reinterpret it. When you use their language it informs the person who’s asked the question that you’ve listened to them fully.”

4. Be flexible when presenting

It’s the day of the big pitch. Your team collaboration has been slick and put in hours of rehearsals. But just when you think things are running smoothly, the prospective client throws a curveball of a question. Problem? Not necessarily, says David. Dealing with changes of direction can be crucial to success.

“I always say get interaction very early on and your audience will tell you what they really want to know, and it might not be what you've prepared,” he says.

“The teams who actually listen out for any kind of verbal cue from people, where they think, ‘Actually, they're also asking about this. How do we adapt in the moment?’ are often the ones that get the work because they're deemed to be flexible. They listen. They're all about what they're hearing rather than about what their agenda is.”

5. PowerPoint is not your presentation podium

At some point, all presenters will think - a lot - about their slides. So how do you make sure they work to make your presentation better rather than bog it down?

“PowerPoint is there to give you some visuals and help people remember core concepts. It's not there to be your script.” Jesse insists. “PowerPoints are like podiums. Having one - if you use it well, can be great - but many people end up hanging on it, and they’re static. That means you’re not using your space, and you’re not really engaging. But PowerPoint’s not really the problem, it’s the way people use it.”

The key is not to overload people with super-complicated slides.

“Use slides to punctuate points in time and tee up questions,” Jesse explains. “Visual clutter is obviously a legitimate problem, so for visuals, have just a few, especially when it comes to words - only a few words on a slide, and a relatively clean space so that the brain only has to focus on the important stuff.”

6. Think presentation techniques

Whatever your overall approach, there are a few tried and trusted techniques for getting your messages across.

For demonstrating decision-making, for example, Jesse advocates the ‘I do, we do, you do’ format. Demonstrate the process and the line of thinking, then work on an applied situation together that mirrors the decision making process. Finally, you give the audience a chance to figure out a second scenario on their own and then use questions make sure they came to the right conclusion for the right reasons.

Or try problem-solution:

• Think of the things you want people to do differently
• Encourage audiences to tell you about the problem they're trying to solve
• Position what you want them to do as the solution

Jesse explains: “For example, in my presentation skills class, I'll say, ‘What makes a presentation boring?' Think about virtual presentations you've joined before, and consider the things speakers did that made it a bad experience."

“They’ve told you that these things are problems, so everyone's on the same page. Now when you give them this new behavior change, you position it as a solution to a problem that they've decided is a legitimate problem.”

7. Virtual works for presentations

The pandemic has transformed how we do presentations . Suddenly, we’re in front of a screen rather than a training or conference room. And that’s not just different - it can be better.

“Everybody can talk,” says Jesse. “You have a chatbox. Everybody can jump in and ask a question to get help. That gives you more ability to engage people, but it means that you have to do it differently.

“I think the biggest sin that you could ever commit in virtual - and everybody does it - is to say that you're going to have an open Q and A at the end, and ask viewers to hold their questions until then."

To stop this happening, you need help - someone to pick up questions in chat. “You want one volunteer per 50 people,” says Jesse. “I've presented to thousands of people, and had a small army of specialists who take questions as they come in - you can still make sure everyone's got this amazing experience even though there are literally thousands of them.”

When you’re presenting virtually , you’re the Director - so get the staging right. “Your eye levels and head levels should match the audience,” says David. “You should be able to look directly into the camera. It’s very important that you’re lit from two directions so there are no shadows. And your background should be neutral so people aren’t wondering what the book in the background is or thinking that your plant needs watering."

“Raise your gestures slightly higher than you normally would. Use them to create emphasis and be aware that they need to be clearly seen.”

8. Be yourself when you present

Whatever techniques you use, success will partly hinge on how real and credible you seem as a person. So how do you find your unique presentation style?

“One of the key things about presentations is that we need to trust the person speaking to us,” says David. “If we see someone with all their foibles, we trust it more than if we feel someone's trying to perform something.

“Communicating and presenting is not rocket science,” he continues. “You can do technical things that enable you to get better and more fluid - but they're just disciplines, and it's not too different from driving a car.

“The key is not the technical ability - to move and to gesture and to have a strong voice. What you have to overcome first is, ‘Do I believe I should be there?’ If you don't, or if there's any element of imposter syndrome or insecurity, you have to tackle that first.”

“I think there's always this weird tension between the things that you know are effective and the things that are authentic to you,” says Jesse. “If you're really lucky, it turns out they're very similar things. Before you can develop your style - and it's important because audiences can smell a lack of authenticity - you have to learn what does, in fact, work.

“Too often we say, ‘All options are equally valid.’ They're actually not. There are some things that work, there are some things that don't work, some things that will work for you that might not work for someone else, but there is actually a mechanical series of things to learn.

“So first you have to figure out what actually works, then you figure out how you can put your personality into it.”

You might also be interested in:

• Effective meeting strategies
• Business communication strategies and why organizations need them
• Corporate communication and how to get it right

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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Presentation Types and Styles Explained

Table of Contents

From high school, then all through college, and now in the workplace — presentations have been a pillar of passing down knowledge to various audiences. 

But, what are presentations? 

They are a tool used to inform and educate audiences in a fun and informative way. 

Well, that is the simple way of explaining their purpose and meaning. 

We want to dig in deeper, and that is what this article will bring to you — a deeper understanding of different types and styles of presentation, so you never get overwhelmed or confused when you need to make a presentation. 

We will discuss: 

• Different types and styles of presentations,
• The purpose of using presentations in the workplace, and 
• How to utilize and recognize types and styles of presentations.

We will also show you: 

• Famous presenters for each style, 
• How you can use each presentation style, and
• A quote for each style to work as a useful reminder if you ever get confused.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

What are the purposes of presentations?

Sometimes, when a term is widely used, to the point where we subconsciously know the meaning and its purpose, it’s hard to pinpoint the true definition from memory. 

So, let’s start with the basics — what is the definition of presentations? 

Presentation is a manner of passing down knowledge from the speaker to the audience. A presentation can be a: 

• Demonstration,
• Lecture, or 
• Speech. 

The purpose of a presentation is whatever goal you set up to achieve. Those goals can be:

• To educate, 
• To persuade, and/or 
• To entertain.

According to LinkedIn’s article 4 goals for any speech, pitch or presentation , when you combine the goals we mentioned, your presentation will become powerful, meaningful, and impactful. The goals mentioned above are general and can be applied to any situation. Different types and styles of presentation can lead to different results. With the right type and style, you can: 

• Better your work and image with clients,
• Be more effective when presenting new ideas or solutions, and
• Ensure more progressive career growth.

These are only some of the business goals you can achieve with the right presentation type and presenting style. The more types and styles you try out, the more skillful you become, which helps you achieve your goals more efficiently.

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What are the different presentation types?

Presentation types illustrate the way you structure your presentation . 

We’ve mentioned the 4 purposes of presentations — every goal or purpose corresponds to a certain type. Before you can choose a structure, you need to answer the question “ What is the purpose of this presentation? ” 

And methods and techniques, which we’ll talk about later, help you maintain that structure.

Once you know what you want to achieve with your presentation, you can choose its type. 

Here’s what you need to know about each presentation type:

Type #1: Informative presentations 

Informative presentations are analytical and, as the name states, informative. With this type of presentation, your end goal is to inform and educate . 

Your audience only has to listen and soak up all the knowledge that is given by you. 

With this type of presentation, you can report on new findings and new data or deliver a lecture. 

Since the goal is to educate, your presentation must be precise and correct. Make sure that the information you are communicating has real value. When presenting, try to engage your audience with visuals of your data to help them understand.

Type #2: Persuasive presentations

To use persuasive presentations, you must answer the question “ What do I want my audience to do after listening to me ?”

The point of this type of presentation is to persuade your audience, change their minds, or offer a new point of view, so that they take action .

Persuasive presentation comes in handy if you are presenting a new product or a service and you want your audience to feel the urge to buy said product.

When you use this presentation type you must exude confidence, since you are your audience’s only source of information for your product. 

Type #3: Motivational presentations

You’ve probably heard of motivational speakers, and if you haven’t, here’s a quick crash course. Motivational presentations have a purpose to inspire and change people’s minds . 

Most people who use this type of presentation have a story to tell. These people use their own experiences as key points in their presentations to help the audience to relate to them. 

Since the goal is to inspire and change people’s minds, you have to have a powerful topic to discuss. 

Remember to cater to your audience and adjust your presentation to them and their level.

Type #4: Instructive presentations

Instructive presentation is technical, precise, and often longer than other types we mentioned. This type is here to offer instructions to an audience. 

So, if your goal is to explain step by step how to achieve a goal or do a task— an instructive presentation should be your choice. 

When you are delivering this type of presentation you need to make sure that every instruction is clear, understandable, and easy to follow.  

How to determine which presentation type you should use?

To choose the correct type for your presentation, you must determine your goal. Once you have your goals clear, it will be easy to see which type works best with your presentation. 

Here are some helpful questions that will help you to narrow it down to one type: 

• What do I want the audience to take away from my presentation?’
• What am I trying to give the audience? Is it information, a lecture, or a look into a new product/feature?
• What obstacles are keeping me from delivering my presentation effectively?

Determining the correct type for your presentation is a trial-and-error process. You will find that some types are more your speed, while others might give you trouble. But, keep in mind that the end goal should always be to give your audience what they came for. 

No matter which type you prefer, they all exist for a reason. Give them all a chance, and remember that practice makes perfect.

Presentation methods and techniques

When you define the type of your presentation, it’s time to get into methods and techniques for delivering a presentation. 

There are a lot of ways you can deliver your presentation, and here is our take on it. 

Presentation methods

A method is how you approach your problem . 

When it comes to presentation methods, we linked them with public speaking. Methods cover:

• How you choose to deliver your presentation and 
• How you structure your speech. 

Here are the 4 main methods:

Method #1: Impromptu or unscripted 

The impromptu method applies to speeches that are: 

• Not prepared , 
• Emotionally charged, and 
• ‘Given on the spot’. 

This method of speaking is purely done by improvising, so there are no written rules on how it should be done. 

Improvising and making up your speech as you go is not a wrong way to deliver your presentation. Still, instead of basing your entire speech on your ability to ramble on, incorporate this method in segments where you see fit or feel inspired to do so. 

Method #2: Memorizing 

The memorizing method implies that the speaker needs to know their speech word for word. 

It is mostly used in oratory contests for high school and college students. This method is difficult, and you would need to spend a lot of time reading and memorizing your text.

But, this method is the easiest when it comes to performance anxiety. Since the text is perfectly constructed and your only job is to memorize and relay it to the audience, it’s less nerve-racking. 

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The memorizing method, while being challenging at its core, can be freeing once the speaker is on stage. With this method, you can practice your body language to go with the text. And since the text is scripted and perfected, the speaker can move around the stage as they see fit.

Method #3: Extemporaneous

Extemporaneous is a synonym for impromptu and unscripted — so why is a synonym to a method we’ve already covered, now a completely new method? 

Well, that is because when it comes to the extemporaneous method, we think of a speaker that allows help during their performance . 

The extemporaneous method is a combination of the first two methods we mentioned. This method allows the speaker to prepare their speech and use notes and key points as an aid to keep on course. However, they will not learn their presentation by heart, but use their own words and speak in a conversational manner.

Method #4: Scripting 

The scripting method used to require a written speech from which the orator reads to the audience. Nowadays, we can see this method used by news outlets, with a teleprompter. 

So, to make use of this method, you need to write down your speech and read it proficiently to your audience. 

When it comes to in-person presentations and public speaking, this method is not the go-to. 

You shouldn’t spend the whole presentation just reading off of papers. When we present, we need to maintain eye contact and overall connection with the audience — and holding a piece of paper in front of the audience will get in the way of that connection.

Presentation techniques 

Presentation techniques are what you use before and during the presentation to make it compelling, informative, and easier to understand . 

Here are some of the techniques that we find quite useful: 

Technique #1: Practice

As a presenter, you want to make sure that everything goes smoothly — and for that to happen, you need to practice. The key to giving the best presentation is to practice relentlessly. 

Some useful tips to help you make the most of your practice are to: 

• Practice in front of a friend. — Practicing in front of a friend will not only help you with performance anxiety, but a friend might also have some useful tips on how to perform better. 
• Film yourself practicing. — When you film yourself giving your presentation aloud, it will help you to get used to cameras and the spotlight. Also, the camera will capture every mistake you make, and from there you can see what needs to be worked on.
• Practice in the auditorium. — It will do you good if you can practice giving your presentation in a meeting room or the auditorium. If you practice in the place you will be presenting, you will get used to the space, and it will be familiar to you on the day of your presentation.

Technique #2: Use visuals 

There is no need to overwhelm your audience with endless blocks of text. Think about how you can transform the data or information into a simple visual . 

The important thing to remember is that your audience might not be on the same level of knowledge as you. So, use visuals to help them follow your point. 

Technique #3: Incorporate stories 

No matter how informative and to the point your presentation is, including a story that is illustrating your point can be very helpful to your audience. 

Not only is storytelling a great way to engage and entertain your audience, but it is also a great way to show how your information is relevant to real-world events.

If you are curious to see what more you can do to prepare for your presentation, check out our article: 

• How to prepare for a presentation: Your 9-step guide to a successful presentation

Technique #4: Incorporate appropriate style 

Your presentation style is how you choose to deliver your presentation as a speaker. Style builds on the methods we have mentioned earlier, and it comes down to how you choose to speak to your audience. You can be a storyteller or a coach to your audience, and with each style comes a different influence. 

Methods and techniques are a great starting point when you are approaching your presentation structure and topic. 

But, there are different styles of presentation that you also should consider before walking up to that stage. Let’s learn more about them.

What is a presentation style?

A style is your preferred way of doing things, and when it comes to presentations, a style is how you choose to deliver your speech . Everything from your vocabulary to your tone defines your presenting style. 

If you are not sure what your personal presentation style is, you can always pick and choose from the already-established styles. Those include: 

• Storyteller, 
• Instructor, 
• Closer, 
• Connector, 
• Coach, 
• Lessig style, and
• Visual style.

Let’s get into more detail about each one of them.

Style #1: The Storyteller

The storytelling style consists of a (usually personal) story or anecdote. 

This style is used when the presentation doesn’t have any data or numbers that need to be explained. 

You can use this style to emphasize your point and to easily relay your goal to the audience. 

The storytelling style is great for the beginning of the presentation, as it is there to capture the audience’s attention. 

Formality level for the Storyteller style: Low

Since this style uses the speaker’s personal experiences and anecdotes to help the audience relate to the topic easily, the language used is conversational. There is no need for any excessive formality , and the speaker can address the audience in a friendly and familiar tone.

The Storyteller style characteristics

What characteristics should you be aware of when you want to utilize this style? 

The vocabulary that storytellers use is simple and conversational. Think about how you tell a story to your friends, colleagues, or family. Once you have that in mind, becoming a storyteller on stage won’t be a problem. 

Since the formality level is low, there is no need to overcomplicate things or to use synonyms for words that already have simpler and more known versions. 

Your story should have an introduction, where you will introduce the problem. Then, you can move into the main plot point that explains your topic. And finally, you should have a conclusion where you can circle back to the beginning and where you will untangle the web you cast and leave your audience with a final thought.

The pros of the Storyteller style 

Now let’s look at some of the pros of this style: 

• It’s easy to follow. 
• It illustrates your problem and solution in a creative way.
• It’s relatable and, therefore, more influential to the audience.

The cons of the Storyteller style 

Here are the cons of being the storyteller type: 

• A story that’s too long or not interesting enough can leave your audience bored. 
• Getting too caught up in the story can make your presentation longer than it should be.

Who is the Storyteller style best suitable for?

This style is great if you want to truly connect with your audience and have them feel as if you speak to them, rather than at them. Many people don’t like to be lectured, and if you are trying to make a point or a message stick out, try out the storytelling style.

Famous presenter with the Storyteller style

The storytelling style is preferred among TED talk speakers. 

But, when we think of storytelling, one particular speaker comes to mind — Nick Vujicic. He overcame great obstacles and has learned how to take what’s best from life. So now, when he tries to spread his message of endurance, he puts his trust into the storytelling style and lets his emotions and experiences speak to his audience. 

Quote by Nik Vujicic that embodies the Storyteller style

“ What really matters are the lives you touch along the way and how you finish your journey .” ― Nick Vujicic

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Style #2: The Instructor

The instructing style of presenting shares some traits of the storytelling style. It still uses the power of metaphors to get the message across to the audience. 

But, the difference is that the instructing style has more of a commanding voice . The instructor can carefully align the story and the data in a logical and compelling manner, leaving the audience convinced and educated.

Formality level for the Instructor style: Medium

A lot of politicians use the Instructor style when they are trying to influence a larger crowd. Since this style has a higher formality level than the storytelling one, it allows the speaker to use more serious vocabulary and address the audience as superior. 

The Instructor style characteristics:

The Instructor’s style is characterized by logic and command. As we mentioned, the speaker who is fond of the Instructor’s style needs to be able to handle the facts and connect with the audience. 

So, the main characteristics of this style would be: 

• More formal use of language, 
• Commanding voice, and  
• Persuasive nature.

The pros of the Instructor style 

Let’s take a look at some of the pros of this style: 

• It helps get a complicated message across. 
• It’s persuasive. 
• It’s fairly easy to use. 

The cons of the Instructor style 

Here are some of the cons to be aware of: 

• The speaker could be deemed distant or cold. 
• The audience can lose interest if the presentation is too focused on pure data. 

Who is the Instructor style best suitable for?

This style is great if the speaker has a complicated topic to discuss with a less knowledgeable audience. This style is used mainly for lectures and political speeches. 

Famous presenter with the Instructor style

A famous presenter with the Instructor style is none other than the former Vice President of the United States, Al Gore. He uses metaphors, data, his own personal experience, and even visuals to bring complex issues closer to a wide audience.

Quote by Al Gore that embodies the Instructor style

“ When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, holler. ” — Al Gore

Style #3: The Closer style

The Closer style of presenting is a style that demands action from the audience . Presenters who opt for this style want their audience to not only learn something new but to get up from their seats with a newfound urge to make a change. 

This style is a personification of a call to action. The presentations made in this style are short, since the speaker has a goal in mind. They then use this style to convincingly reach said goal.

Formality level for the Closer style: Medium

This style is a great tool to connect with the audience. So, to make a connection between the speaker and the audience, the formality level drops. But instead of treating the audience as friends, the speaker simply talks to them. 

The Closer style characteristics

The Closer style is persuasive and somewhat commanding. People who are fond of the Closer style cut right to the chase and make their audience get to a decision. With this presentation style, there are no boring statistics or data. The key points are clear and delivered with a short and clear explanation.

The pros of the Closer style 

Here are some of the pros of the Closer style: 

• The presentation is short.
• The Closer is confident and knows how to deliver a point.
• The audience rarely gets bored with this style.

The cons of the Closer style 

Take a look at some of the cons of this style: 

• Some audiences aren’t ready to make a quick decision.
• Some audiences might feel that this style is too harsh or rash.

Who is the Closer style best suitable for? 

The Closer style is best to use when you need your audience to make a decision or to give them the urge to make things happen. 

This style is mainly used by CEOs and salesmen.

Famous presenter with the Closer style

Many presenters use this style, but the one that stands out the most is the philosopher Ruth Chang. She has delivered great presentations on how to make hard decisions. She keeps her presentations short, sweet, and straight to the point. 

Quote by Ruth Chang that embodies the Closer style

“A world full of only easy choices would enslave us to reasons.” — Ruth Chang

Style #4: The Connector style

The Connector style speaker is most comfortable engaging with the audience . Some could say that the storytelling style is very similar to the Connector in that sense. Both styles base their presentations on the connection with the audience. The difference here is that the Connector is both a presenter and a member of the audience — and they are comfortable in both roles. 

This style of presentation (as the name suggests) allows the speaker to connect to the audience, and therefore deliver the materials easier. One way that this style connects the speaker and the audience is through Q&A.

Formality level for the Connector: Low 

Since this style’s main purpose is to connect the speaker to the audience, the formality level is low. The speaker appears as one of the audience, even though they are on stage. To keep the audience engaged and get them to ask questions, the Connector treats the audience as friends and acquaintances. 

The Connector style characteristics

The user of this style needs to appear as if they are one of the members of the audience, but they just happen to be on the stage instead in a seat. One of the main characteristics that stand out for this style is the eagerness of the speaker to engage with the audience. When a speaker is a Connector, they will constantly ask questions and listen to the audience’s opinions.

The pros of the Connector style

Let’s take a look at the pros of this style: 

• The audience is engaged and encouraged to participate.
• The presentation flows at a relaxed pace.
• The audience feels connected to the subject.

The cons of the Connector style

• Audience might not be comfortable with asking questions.
• The presentation might be longer than planned. 
• Too many opinions will derail the presentation.

Who is the Connector style best suitable for?

The great thing about the Connector style is that it can be used in any presentation and any setting. Since the main goal of this style is to connect the speaker and the topic with the audience, there are no rules or limits as to where it can and where cannot be used.

Famous presenter with the Connector style

Padraig Hyland is a TED Talk speaker and a specialist in audience engagement, so it is only natural that he uses the Connector style. He has delivered countless speeches on how to be a great presenter and how to connect with any audience.

Quote by Padraig Hyland that embodies the Connector style

“ To successfully navigate the current disruption, organizations need to nourish their authentic leadership voice and create a new story that engages their people on the journey .” — Padraig Hyland

Style #5: The Coach style

What is a coach? In every sense of the word, a coach is a person who guides you, teaches you, and helps you achieve your goals. 

It is the same with the coaching style. The person who uses this style guides their audience with their own enthusiasm for the subject. The Coach style is mainly used in motivational speeches, as it allows the coaches to interact with the audience and share knowledge on a topic they feel passionate about.

Formality level for the Coach style: Medium

The Coach style serves as a guide . It gives the speaker freedom to use their knowledge and personal experience to drive the audience to feel the same passion about the subject as the speaker does. To achieve that level of familiarity with the audience, the formality level drops, and the speaker talks to the audience as a teacher and, well, as a coach would.

The Coach style characteristics

The Coach style allows the speaker to guide their audience from point A to point Z, through knowledge and passion, which makes the presentation interactive and informative. 

This style of presentation can be seen in motivational speeches, lectures, and speeches delivered by sports coaches. The main characteristic that follows this style is that it is delivered by enthusiastic speakers.

The pros of the Coach style 

Here are some of the pros of this style to look into: 

• It allows the speaker to connect to the audience through enthusiasm. 
• Presentations in this style are interactive and engaging. 
• It gives the audience step-by-step instructions on the topic.

The cons of the Coach style 

Let’s examine some of the cons: 

• The speaker’s passion can be overwhelming to the audience.
• The speaker can forget to ask for feedback . 

Who is the Coach style best suitable for?

The Coach style, since it serves as a guide, is commonly used by motivational speakers and in self-help presentations. 

They tend to choose this presentation style because it allows them to connect with the audience while still delivering a detailed step-by-step on the topic they are discussing.

Famous presenter with this style

There are a lot of motivational speakers today that are a fan of the Coach style, but the one that caught our attention is Mel Robbins. She is a lawyer and a motivational speaker that helps her audience to form healthy habits and attain discipline to achieve their goals.

Quote by Mel Robbins that embodies the Coach style

“ You have been assigned this mountain so you can show others that it can be moved .” — Mel Robbins

Style #6: The Lessig style

If you are in a time crunch, but you have a lot of material to cover, then the Lessig style is the perfect style for you. 

The Lessig style was invented by Lawrence Lessig, and it states that a speaker should spend only 15 seconds on each slide or point during a presentation . This style usually agrees very well with the visual style. 

Since not all presentations have slides, this style cannot be used with any type of presentation. However, if you have too many slides and too many points to make, then the Lessig style can help you use your time slot well.

Formality level for the Lessig style: Depends

The Lessig style is not a style of speaking per se, but a style for presentation time management . So, the formality of the language you use will be up to you and your topic. You can decrease or increase the formality level and the Lessig style would still be the same.

The Lessig style characteristics

The main characteristic of this style is that it includes slides or at least some visual aid. 

This style is also the one that is not concerned with your verbal cues and style of speaking. If you choose to try out this style you can combine it with any of the styles we previously mentioned.

The pros of the Lessig style 

Here are the pros of this style: 

• It’s easy to use. 
• It helps you keep track. 
• It saves time.

The cons of the Lessig style

Here are some of the cons of this style: 

• It is not applicable to presentations without slides. 
• Sometimes the suggested 15-second rule isn’t enough. 
• The presentation may feel rushed or unfinished.

Who is the Lessig style best suitable for?

The Lessig style bases its rules on slides and visual aids, so it’s best suitable for presentations that consist of slides. The topics for this style are endless, and it is up to the speaker to see where this style works best in their presentation.

The most logical choice is, of course, the founder of this style — Lawrence Lessig, a lawyer and a political activist. 

Quote by Lawrence Lessig that embodies the Lessig style

“ Technology means you can now do amazing things easily .” — Lawrence Lessig

Style #7: The Visual style

Presentations can be all about the slides, data, or videos, and there are also powerful presentations that are delivered with only the speaker on the stage. But, technology is not something to shy away from . There are great advantages to using technology and feeding your audience with visuals that will support your claims. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

Formality level for the Visual style: Depends

The formality of this style doesn’t depend on the visuals used, but on the speaker and the topic. The great thing about the visual style is that it can be used with almost any topic and type of data. So, when using this style of presentation, you can choose the level of formality you feel comfortable with.

The Visual style characteristics

The Visual presentation style’s main characteristics are the visuals, as the name suggests. The visuals can be anything from a picture, video, or creatively shown data and statistics. 

This style can be used together with any other style that we mentioned, as long as you add some pictures or other visual elements.

The pros of the Visual style 

Here are the pros of the Visual style: 

• Visuals help the audience understand the presentation better — sometimes, they can illustrate your point better than your own words. 
• Visuals can help you move your presentation forward. 

The cons of the Visual style 

Here are some of the cons of the Visual style: 

• Overusing visuals in your presentation can take focus away from you. 
• Visuals can be redundant. 

Who is the Visual style best suitable for?

If you are creative enough or confident enough to not let the glamor of visuals take over your spotlight, you can incorporate visuals into any workplace presentation. Visuals can be helpful almost everywhere, and they can aid your audience if the topic is too complicated for them to follow.

Famous presenter with the Visual style

One of the best visual presenters is Steve Jobs. He was one of the founders of Apple, and every year he used to give a great visual presentation or a rundown of Apple’s new product releases.

Quote by Steve Jobs that embodies the Visual style

“ For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through .” — Steve Jobs

How to determine which presentation style to use?

If you are wondering which style to use, first you need to ask yourself what kind of audience will be attending your presentation . Once you have an idea of who you will be talking to, you can start to think about your presentation style. 

Also, you need to know what is the purpose of your presentation and what you wish to achieve. 

Beyond that, try out different styles until you find the one you are comfortable with.

Collaborate easily with Pumble — Even when creating presentations

If you’re working on a presentation with your colleagues — no matter what type of a presentation it might be — you’ll probably find yourself in need of an efficient communication tool. 

Luckily, Pumble, a team communication app , makes your collaboration more simple and efficient, while keeping communication lines open at all times. 

Here are all the ways Pumble can help you create various types of presentations:

• Thanks to the voice call feature, you can stay connected to your colleagues while you work together on the presentation. 
• If there is a problem you have to address , you can always give them a quick video call and share your screen with them so you can brainstorm or problem-solve together. 
• If you need a second (or third, fourth, etc.) opinion , you can always ask for it on some of the Pumble channels . 
• If you have to provide further explanations or continue the discussion without cramming the channel space, you can continue your conversation in threads or reach out to particular colleagues via direct messages .   

Finally, one of the best things about Pumble is that you can never lose important information or shared files because it has unlimited history . 

If all these features look appealing to you, don’t waste time! Try Pumble for free today !

Jana Pavlovic is a communication author and researcher. She enjoys educating herself and others on various team collaboration and technology topics. She found that working from home in a hybrid-type company is her perfect combination for work-life balance, and she’s eager to share her new-found knowledge with you.

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Presentation Styles

Presentation styles and how they differ from presentation types – identify your strengths as a presenter to impress your audience.

Are We Talking about Presentation Types?

when you say Presentation Styles, are you talking about Presentation Types? Actually, no. Often, many people confuse “ presentation styles ” and “ presentation types .” Presentation Styles are the public speaking techniques that an individual uses when he or she delivers a speech. Most presenters will develop a style that works for that presenter and stick to it. A presentation type is the purpose of the talk. For instance, some presentations are designed to inform the audience about new material. Others are designed to persuade. Still others are created to entertain. You will often see presentation types labeled in a public speaking class with names like, “Presentation to Inform” or “Persuasive Speech”. So, the type is outcome or purpose of the speech. The Style is the way that the speaker delivers the material. Two different speaker will often be able to deliver the same, exact type of speech with two separate and distinctive styles.

How Do I know My Particular Presentations Style?

When I first began training to be a professional speaker, I decided to join a Toastmaster Club to get more practice. I went to this club for the better part of a year, before I quit in frustration. Since I already had quite a bit of presentation training by that point, I already had a good idea of many of my strengths and weakness as a presenter. The first time that I gave a formal speech in the club, I got good positive feedback. I felt pretty good about myself. However, as I began progressing through the prepared speeches, some of the feedback began to get a little odd. I just assumed that this was because the Grammarian changed each week, and some were better than others at coaching. I didn’t realize until much later what my real resistance was, though.

It turns out that each of these coaches were providing me feedback based on what worked for THEM when they presented. Since each of these people had a different style than mine, some of the feedback was accurate, but a lot of the feedback really fell flat. I noticed the same thing as I took more and more presentation classes. Many of the instructors in these classes were just trying to get their students to do exactly what they did. In fact, if you ask most people who go through a presentation skills class, they will say, “It didn’t really work for me.”

Oddly enough, after I had been a speaking coach for a couple of years, one of my students invited me to his Toastmaster Club. It was a totally different experience. The presenters there were just like me. They had a blunt and frank delivery mixed with humor. I felt right at home. They were using my style.

By the way, I’m not telling you to keep interviewing coaches or keep visiting different clubs until you find a style that suits you. Just the opposite actually. If you do this, you will likely stunt your growth as a presenter. In retrospect, even though I was more uncomfortable at the first club, I would have grown more there if I had stuck with it.

The Solution was Discovered by Hippocrates about 2300 Years Ago.

When I first began training instructors to teach public speaking classes, I realized that I needed a way for these less experienced coaches to identify true strengths and weaknesses of each presenter that they were coaching. Early on, I bought some of these personality temperament tests and had class members complete them. For the most part, that worked pretty well. However, from time to time, the tests would be unbelievably inaccurate. It was odd. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they didn’t. So, I spent months researching, and I eventually traced the theory back to the source. I just read what Hippocrates wrote. When I did, it was SO SIMPLE! Anyone could understand it. Anyone could use it. So, I made it a part of the Fearless Presentations ® class .

This simple understanding is one of the things that makes the Fearless Presentations ® coaches so much better than other speaking coaches.

The Answers to Two Simple Questions will Determine Your Presentation Styles

• Are your INDIRECT or DIRECT?

Indirect people tend to be more cautious. They would rather do things right the first time than redo the action. Direct people tend to be faster to take action. They want to capitalize on opportunities. They realize that they may make a mistake but see mistakes as part of the learning process. Indirect people are often described as being thorough or detailed. Direct people are often described as being energetic.

• Are you EMOTIONAL (People Oriented) or LOGICAL?

Don’t let the word Emotional confuse you. By emotional, we just mean more people oriented. They are more in tune with other people and sensitive to the wants and needs of others. Logical people tend to be more “nuts and bolts” or “black and white” kind of people. They look at data to make decisions. These presenters want facts and proof.

So, the Direct/Logical presentation will deliver just enough facts to prove his or her point, and then move on. They are concise and decisive. The Indirect/Logical is thorough and analytical. For them, a few facts are good and too many facts is just enough. The Direct/Emotional presenter wants things to be upbeat and entertaining. For them, the fewer facts, the better. The Indirect/Emotional presenter will want to please the audience with a few details. They are often the most in-tune with what the audience wants but tend to be more nervous about their performance.

The Four Main Presentation Styles

In this article, I’m just going to give a summary of the four different presentation styles. However, each summary will have a link to more details about each group can maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses. So, once you know your style, click the appropriate link to find out more details about how to become a better speaker.

The Authoritative Style (Direct/Logical)

The Energetic Style (Direct/Emotional)

The Analytical Style (Indirect/Logical)

The Empathetic Style (Indirect/Emotional)

Maximizing Your Strengths While Minimizing Weaknesses.

No single presentation style is going to be perfect for every presentation. However, some presentation styles fit better for some presentations. For instance, an Empathetic Style presenter will do much better delivering a Eulogy than an Authoritative Style. The Energetic presenter will often give a better motivational keynote than the Analytical Style presenter. With all that being said, though, just because your delivery is of a certain style, doesn’t mean that you can’t be a fantastic presenter when you deliver different TYPES of presentations.

The key to making a great impression on your audience is to maximize your natural strengths and minimize your natural weaknesses . An easy way to do this is to look at the strengths of other presentation styles and adopt some of those things to include in your own style. For instance, if you are an Analytical or Empathetic speaker, purposefully speak a little faster to add some energy into your delivery. If you are an Authoritative or Energetic Style of presenter, spend more time researching or preparing your speech. (Don’t just fly by the seat of your pants like you normally do.) If you are an Authoritative or Analytical presenter, interact with your audience a little more. Make your presentations a two-way conversation versus a one-way.

That is one of the main reasons why the Fearless Presentations ® class is so successful. Our instructors aren’t going to try to force each class member into a presenter mold based on their own strengths. The instructor, instead, will identify those natural strengths that each presenter has. Then, the instructor will help nurture those strengths. Finally, the coach will add in a few strengths from other presentation styles so that the speaker is more relatable. This process works 100% of the time.

To look for a Fearless Presentations ® class in your area , click here.

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

• Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
• How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
• How much interaction you want from the audience
• Any time constraints there are for your talk
• What setting you are in
• Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

• What is your presentation’s aim?
• Who are the audience?
• What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

• Introduce your general topic
• Explain your topic area
• State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
• State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
• Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
• Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

• The length of the talk.
• Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
• If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

• Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
• Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
• Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
• Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

• Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
• Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
• Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
• Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
• Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

• Explain why the product is valuable.
• Describe why the product is necessary.
• Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
• Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
• Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

• Briefly frame the issue.
• Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
• Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
• Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

• Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

• Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
• Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
• After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

• An intro slide outlining your ideas
• A  summary slide  with core points to remember
• High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

• Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
• A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
• Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
• Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

• There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
• The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
• The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

• 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
• 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
• 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

6 Most Effective Presentation Styles

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking

Have you ever been an audience member who was not wholly involved in a speech or a speaker who discovered their audience dozing off? Both scenarios have the potential to be disheartening and fruitless.

What can you then do to improve the effectiveness of your presentation?

There are various styles in which you can present your content. Out of a plethora of choices, some of the most effective ones include – the Visual, Storytelling, freeform and instructor style of presentation. Each of them has their own set of methods and guidelines, however, they are known to be extremely beneficial and are used by speakers all over the world.

What is a Presentation Style? 

Let us first take a brief look at what a presentation style is before moving on to the most effective techniques that you can use.

A Presentation style is a way of giving a presentation orally. In other words, a particular presenting type is an approach you adopt or employ to deliver your content. There are numerous presenting styles or methods you can use when giving public speeches or presentations such as –

• Visual Presentation Style
• Coach Presentation Style
• Instructor Presentation Style
• Lessig Presentation Style

Out of hundreds of methods and ways, there are a few that are more effective and yield better much better results when used appropriately. They include –

1. Visual Style 

The visual presentation style uses visual components to support the verbal subject. In other words, this approach uses charts, photos, graphs, and other visual aids in addition to speaking to assist the audience in visualizing and comprehending the material.

Advantages of Using a Visual Presentation Style 

The relevance and effectiveness of visual and verbal communication are well known, making the visual style of presentation one of the finest to adopt. This is also a remarkably effective strategy as it aids the audience in more easily understanding complicated or in-depth talking points. When used in conjunction, visual and verbal communication aid in better understanding and retention.

How Can You Use a Visual Presentation Style? 

If you plan to use this style in your upcoming presentation, then these are some steps you can follow-

1] Be thorough with your content  – it is essential to know your content well to prepare visuals related to it. 

2] Pick up only the key points and add them on slides  – key pointers can be one sentence that conveys the primary information you want to share. 

3] Use graphs or charts to convey numbers or statistics  – Simply saying numbers can confuse consumers. Therefore, charts and graphs make it easier to comprehend when you speak about them.

4] Include relevant pictures or videos in each slide or alternative ones  – Using images and videos can be beneficial because they give your audience something to look at while you speak, which helps them understand and retain what you are saying.

Things To Avoid When Using a Visual Presentation Style

Now that you know how to use a visual style, it is equally imperative to be mindful of a few common mistakes so that you do not make them. 

1] Slides only complement your speech  – do not put-up paragraphs and read from them. It will only bore the audience and disengage them from it. Instead, only add critical words or phrases on which you can verbally elaborate. 

2] Don’t use a fancy unreadable font  – a visually presenting slide does help but using a fancy font will only make it not understandable. Thus, it is crucial to stick to standard readable fonts and sizes.

3] Don’t rush through  – just because you have a slide that allows people to read and understand some of the content does not mean you can speed up. Allocate sufficient time to each topic so that the audience has time to grasp and understand. 

Example of a Speech That Uses a Visual Presentation Style 

Wondering what a visual presentation style looks like? Check out this video where Steve Jobs introduces Mac Air to the world. This is an apt video showcasing what a visual presentation should be like!  

2. Storytelling Style

The storytelling style of presentation is a method where the speaker uses anecdotes and examples to connect with the audience. This technique is among the greatest and most effective because it enables the audience to relate to another lay person’s experiences, thereby allowing them to understand the practicality and reality of the topic. 

Advantages Of Using a Storytelling Style

Using a storytelling style allows you to –

1] Share real-life experiences on the topic , letting people know its practicality. For instance, if your topic is “optimism and positivity in life,” you can offer examples of how being positive has benefited you in various circumstances and examples of how things have gone when you haven’t been hopeful.

2] It allows the audience to provide their input , which helps you understand if the audience is grasping the message you want to convey. This is a subtle yet constructive way of engaging the audience and gaining feedback.

3] It also permits for an informal and naturally flowing talk . Most of the speeches are very structured and formal. Even though this has a construct, you can adapt it to the conversations and knowledge of the audience.

How To Use the Storytelling Presentation Style? 

Using the storytelling method also requires backend work. If you wish to adopt this style for your upcoming presentation, here are steps that you can follow – 

1] Develop the structure of your speech  – first, it is helpful to write down the topic and each subtopic you will cover. 

2] Include relevant stories, anecdotes, and experiences  – once you have the overall flow of your speech, then you can fill the relevant gaps with your own stories and experiences. 

3] Keep some time for an audience input  – allocate 1-2 minutes wherein you take the backend and allow the members from the audience to comment or share their experiences that are relevant to the topic. 

Things to avoid when using the storytelling method 

Every method has specific pointers to be careful of, and storytelling is no exception. Here make sure to – 

1] Not make it like a formal delivery  – Try not to overly formalize and grandiloquent it since this will take away from the storytelling element.

2] Only share the positives  – Sharing real experiences is one benefit of the storytelling technique. Thus, use this approach to communicate the topic’s applicability by outlining its advantages and disadvantages.

Here is a video of Andrea Gibbs, who talks about “The Power of Storytelling” by sharing anecdotes and experiences from her personal life. 

The storytelling format is much popular among motivational speakers who use personal experiences to motivate people for the better.

3. Connector Style 

The connector style of presenting, as its name suggests, includes the speaker establishing a connection with the audience. This indicates that the speaker actively engages the audience by asking frequent follow-up questions and seeking meaningful feedback. Speakers widely use this strategy to strengthen connections with audiences by demonstrating how they all are similar.

Advantages Of Using a Connector Style of Presentation 

The connector style of presentation, much like the storyteller, has a lot of benefits. Among the many, the most important ones include – 

1] It allows you to establish a deeper connection with the audience , which helps you understand them and if they can comprehend the message you want to convey. 

2] The audience is able to participate actively . Usually, the audience only listens passively, but this format allows them to respond and express their opinions, keeping them actively engaged the entire time. 

3] You can receive immediate feedback . In most other presentation methods, this perk is not present. It’s beneficial to get insightful feedback because it enables you to comprehend your audience’s viewpoint and adapt your information for contextual understanding. Furthermore, it enlightens you as to which areas require more effort. 

Guidelines While Using the Connector Presentation Style 

1] Start with a personal story or connecting activity that grabs the audience – this method helps keep the audience engaged from the very start. 

2] Practice nonverbal gestures – keeping eye contact with the audience, smile, and use your hand gestures to convey your presence and complete attention to the audience. 

3] Cater to the audience throughout – this form of presentation means that you and the audience are entirely involved. Thus, keeping a check on them is of utmost importance. Keep checking if they are interested and if not, include relevant activities to gain their attention back. 

Things to Avoid When Using the Connector Style 

When using the connector style, do not take up most of the time telling self-stories or doing self-talking. It is vital to keep your content brief but meaningful while allowing the audience to give their inputs and viewpoints on it. 

1] Don’t read from scripts or recite the information . Keep the content naturally flowing like a back-and-forth conversation that can be moulded as per the answers and feedback of the audience.

2] Don’t use visuals to complement your talks. The connector style relies primarily on you and your stories, so don’t use graphics to convey any messages unless they are some pictures to show on a relevant topic. 

Many speakers use the connector style because it helps them connect deeply with the audience, when used correctly, it does allow the speaker to develop meaningful relations with the audience and convey relevant and helpful messages.

4. Instructor Style 

Many presenters adopt the instructor style of presenting when educating their audience on a challenging or complicated subject. To simplify a complex issue so that the audience may more readily grasp, this method entails the use of well-known phrases, figurative language, metaphors, and pictures.

Advantages of the Instructor Style of Presentation 

The instructor presentation style is more formal, like a teacher or professor delivering a lecture. But this format, for reasons of its own, is beneficial because –

1] It allows you to logically explain the subject with the help of relevant visuals, examples, and supplements. For example, if you take up the topic of “Investing in your 20’s”, you can start by explaining what an investment is, the types of investments available, pros and cons of each etc. while supporting it with relevant videos, stats, and graphics.

2] When used correctly, the method can be highly persuasive as it builds decks in a logical order and uses impactful visuals as evidence to support the ideas. Continuing the same example, if you logically go on explaining and supporting, most of the audience will have been convinced to make some sort of investments.

3] Lastly, this method allows you to educate and aware the audience appropriately . You can use your knowledge and skills on the subject matter to convey the message effectively. If you have personally had some experiences, this method allows you to share them to help the audience become aware.

Things to Avoid When Using the Instructor Style of Presentation 

When employed improperly, this formal presentation can prevent a speech from succeeding. As a result, it’s crucial to use the procedure correctly by avoiding the following:

1] Skipping the basics on the assumption that the audience will already know – it is essential to start and cover the basics and then make your way up to the complex topics.

2] Don’t only go on speaking from one topic to the other – even though there isn’t a lot of audience participation, including small segments with quizzes and discussions to know if the audience understands the content. 

3] Don’t use jargon or complex language to communicate – the topic might be challenging to comprehend. Hence, you should avoid using difficult words or jargon that people are largely unaware of. Instead, using straightforward and basic terms will be beneficial. 

The instructor style is much used by a famous speaker  Al Gore  who advocated and educated people on climate change. This is one video where you can see the effective use of instructor presentation style. 

5. Takahashi Style 

Named after its creator, Masayoshi Takahashi, Text is the main component of a Takahashi presentation. It is a technique that employs simple visuals, mainly large block fonts. A Takahashi presentation doesn’t include charts, photos, or pictures, just a few essential big font words. 

Advantages of using a Takahashi Presentation Style 

There are several benefits that make it desirable to adopt this highly distinctive style. Some of them include –

1] The speaker can easily elaborate on a topic because the slides, which have a few essential key phrases, provide the audience with brief information beforehand.

2] The slides include simple and unambiguous phrases concerning the speaker’s topic, preventing any distraction or deviance from the subject.

3] It combines the two essential components of a presentation—clear, concise text and eye-catching visuals—making it ultimately beneficial for everyone’s use. 

Guidelines when using a Takahashi Presentation Style 

If you want an actual Takahashi presentation, there are some key pointers to keep in mind – 

1] Do not include text more than needed – make sure to add a few words or a maximum of 2 sentences. Anything beyond that will make it crowded and messy, and unappealing to the audience. 

2] Keep the slides simple – an authentic Takahashi presentation is black and white to avoid distraction. Therefore, it is best to avoid any colours and stick to this standard format. 

3] Keep the font as large as possible – once you have put the content on the slide, make sure to increase the font as much as it can fit best on the slide. The reason is that large fonts attract attention and can embed the core messages in the reader’s mind. 

If you found this method interesting and want to learn more about it, tap on this video where Luminita Florea tells you all about the Takahashi style of presentation. 

6. The Lessig Style

Much similar to the Takahashi Method, The  Lessig Presentation Style has been inspired by the work of Stanford law professor, Lawrence Lessig. This style employs the use of a single word, short quote, or photos that are in sync with the speaker’s speech. 

Advantages of using The Lessig Presentation Style

1] Each slide in a Lessig presentation concentrates on one concept or topic. This makes it simple for the audience to understand and absorb each idea separately. 

2] This presentation method functions like a movie, with each slide presenting succinct information for only 10 to 15 seconds. Because of its conciseness and pace, this style works well in keeping the audience hooked to the content. 

3] This method allows for much better retention and memory because of dual coding, i.e., via the visual and verbal mode of communication. More often than not, the word or quote put up is read aloud by the speaker, allowing the audience to hear and see it, thus etching a strong memory for the same. 

Guidelines to remember when using the Lessig Presentation Style

This minimalistic presentation has much to be careful of. Some of the important guidelines include – 

1] Not more than a word or quote – it is important to keep the slides less with only a key word or quote or picture in rare cases.  Adding more than that will take away the essence and quality of the Lessig Style.

2] Use contrast – since the slide contains just one word, quote or picture it is important to highlight and enlarge it so that it doesn’t skip the eye of the audience in any way. Although this kind of presentation allows you to use colour, using a standard black and white is recommended. 

The Lessig style of presentation is one of the most effective and captivating approaches, and many presenters use it in their speeches. Tap below to see an example of such a presentation and its effect! 

Regardless of the style you choose, there are several styles that you should absolutely avoid using because they could make your presentation go awry. Tap on this video where we tell you exactly what to styles you have to say a BIG NO to.

Presentations are an integral part of the professional life. Whether you are a professional speaker or a corporate employee, or a teacher, every role will at some point require you to present, persuade or educate an audience. It is thus helpful to know about some of the most effective styles so that you can make the most of them in your next presentation!

We hope that this article has helped you learn the most effective presentation styles, ways to adopt it and pitfalls to avoid!

Happy Presenting!

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18 Presentation Design Tips For Success

By Midori Nediger , May 15, 2023

Bad presentations. We’ve all had to sit through them.  Heck, we’ve probably all given one or two. I know I have.

You know the type: twice as long as they need to be, slides chock-full of text, no visuals in sight. 

How can you ensure you don’t fall victim to these presentation faux-pas when designing your next presentation for your team, class, or clients?

In this blog, I’ll walk you through tips on how to design an impactful presentation along with presentation templates that can help you deliver it with style to leave a lasting impression.

Tips for designing and delivering an impactful presentation

What makes a presentation memorable?

It usually comes down to three things:

• The main idea.
• The presenter.
• The visuals.

All three elements work together to create a successful presentation. Just like how different presentation styles serve different purposes, having a good presentation idea will give the audience a purpose for listening.

Here are some top tips to consider to help you design and deliver an impactful presentation:

• Include less text and more visuals in your presentation design
• Identify one core message to center your presentation design around
• Eliminate any information that doesn’t immediately support the core message
• Create a strong presentation outline to keep you focused
• Use text to reinforce, not repeat, what you’re saying
• Design your presentation with one major takeaway per slide
• Use visuals to highlight the key message on each slide
• Use scaffolding slides to orient your audience and keep them engaged
• Use text size, weight, and color for emphasis
• Apply design choices consistently to avoid distraction
• Split a group presentation by topic
• Use a variety of page layouts to maintain your audience’s interest
• Use presentation templates to help you get started
• Include examples of inspiring people
• Dedicate slides to poignant questions
• Find quotes that will inspire your audience
• Emphasize key points with text and images
• Label your slides to prompt your memory

1. Include less text and more visuals in your presentation design

According to David Paradi’s annual presentation survey , the 3 things that annoy audiences most about presentations are:

• Speakers reading their slides
• Slides that include full sentences of text
• Text that is too small to read

The common thread that ties all of these presentation annoyances is text. Audiences are very picky about the text found in presentation slide decks .

In my experiences speaking at conferences and in webinars over the past few years, audiences respond much more positively to presentations that use visuals in place of text.

Audiences are more engaged, ask more questions, and find my talks more memorable when I include lots of visual examples in my slide decks. 

I’m not the only one who has found this. We recently surveyed nearly 400 conference speakers about their presentation designs and found that 84.3% create presentations that are highly visual.

A great example of a high visual presentation is the iconic AirBnB pitch deck design , which includes no more than 40 words per slide. Instead of repeating the speaker’s script on the slides, it makes an impact with keywords, large numbers, and icons:

Learn how to customize this presentation template:

To help you take your presentations to the next level, I’d like to share my process for creating a visually-focused presentation like the one above. I’ll give you my top presentation design tips that I’ve learned over years of presenting:

• Class presentations
• Online courses

You can then apply this process to our professional presentation templates  or pitch decks , creating unique presentation decks with ease! Our user-friendly editor tools make customizing these templates a breeze.

To leave a lasting impression on your audience, consider transforming your slides into an interactive presentation. Here are 15 interactive presentation ideas to enhance interactivity and engagement.

We’ll cover the most important steps for summarizing lengthy text into a presentation-friendly format. Then we’ll touch on some presentation design tips to help you get visual with your slide decks. Read on for the best creative presentation ideas .

2. Identify one core message to center your presentation design around

We know from David Paradi’s survey that audiences are easily overwhelmed with lots of text and data, especially when presentations are long.

(You when you see a presentation with lots of text and data and it’s long)

So unlike in a white paper , report , or essay , you can’t expect to tackle many complex ideas within a single presentation.

That would be a recipe for disaster.

Instead, identify a single central message that you would like to communicate to your audience. Then build your presentation around that core message.

By identifying that core message, you can ensure that everything you include in your presentation supports the goal of the presentation .

As seen below, a great presentation tells you exactly what you’re going to learn (the core message), then gets right to the facts (the supporting information).

To ensure you create an asset that’s clear, concise, impactful, and easy to follow, design your presentation around a single core message.

3. Create a strong presentation outline to keep you focused

Think of your outline as a roadmap for your presentation. Creating a strong presentation outline straight away helps make sure that you’re hitting all of the key points you need to cover to convey a persuasive presentation .

Take this presentation outline example:

• Introduction and hellos
• Vision and value proposition
• Financial profit
• Your investment
• Thanks and questions

These are all things that we know we need to talk about within the presentation.

Creating a presentation outline makes it much easier to know what to say when it comes to creating the actual presentation slides.

You could even include your presentation outline as a separate slide so that your audience knows what to expect:

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

4. Eliminate any information that doesn’t support the core message

Next, use that core message to identify everything that doesn’t belong in the presentation.

Aim to eliminate everything that isn’t immediately relevant to the topic at hand, and anything remotely redundant. Cut any information that isn’t absolutely essential to understanding the core message.

By cutting these extra details, you can transform forgettable text-heavy slides:

Into memorable slides with minimal text:

Here’s a quick checklist to help you cut out any extra detail:

Get rid of:

• Detailed descriptions
• Background information
• Redundant statements
• Explanations of common knowledge
• Persuasive facts and figures
• Illustrative examples
• Impactful quotes

This step may seem obvious, but when you’re presenting on a topic that you’re passionate about, it’s easy to get carried away with extraneous detail. Use the recommendations above to keep your text in check.

Clarity is key, especially if you’re presenting virtually rather than in-person. However, Lisa Schneider (Chief Growth Officer at Merriam-Webster) has had plenty of experience making that adjustment. She recently shared her tips for adapting in-person presentations into virtual presentations on Venngage that you can check out. 

Watch: How to design a presentation [10 ESSENTIAL TIPS]

5. Use text to reinforce, not repeat, what you’re saying

According to presentation guru  Nancy Duarte , your audience should be able to discern the meaning of your slides in 6 seconds or less.

Since your audience will tend to read every word you place on each slide, you must keep your text to an absolute minimum. The text on your slides should provide support for what you’re saying without being distracting.

Never write out, word for word, what you’re going to be saying out loud. If you’re relying on text to remember certain points, resist the urge to cram them into your slides. Instead, use a tool like Venngage’s speaker notes to highlight particular talking points. These can be imported into PowerPoint — along with the rest of your presentation — and will only be viewable to you, not your audience.

For the actual slides, text should only be used to reinforce what you’re saying. Like in the presentation design below, paraphrase long paragraphs into short bulleted lists or statements by eliminating adjectives and articles (like “the” and “a”).

Pull out quotes and important numbers, and make them a focus of each slide.

6. Design your presentation with one major takeaway per slide

As I mentioned above, audiences struggle when too much information is presented on a single slide.

To make sure you don’t overwhelm your audiences with too much information, spread out your content to cover one major takeaway per slide.

By limiting each slide to a single simple statement, you focus your audience’s attention on the topic at hand.

My favorite way to do this is to pick out the core message of whatever I’m talking about and express it in a few keywords, as seen in this presentation slide below.

This helps ensure that the visuals remain the focus of the slide.

Using the text in this way, to simply state a single fact per slide, is a sure-fire way to make an impact in your presentation.

Alternatively, pull out a significant statistic that you want to stick in your audience’s minds and make it a visual focus of the slide, as seen in this popular presentation by Officevibe .

This might mean you end up with a slide deck with a ton of slides. But that’s totally ok!

I’ve talked to many professionals who are pressured by their management teams to create presentations with a specific number of slides (usually as few as 10 or 15 slides for a 30-minute presentation).

If you ask me, this approach is completely flawed. In my mind, the longer I spend sitting on a single slide, the more likely I am to lose the interest of my audience.

How many slides should I use for a 10 minute presentation?

A good rule of thumb is to have at least as many slides as minutes in your presentation. So for a 10 minute presentation you should have at least 10 slides .

Use as many slides as you need, as long as you are presenting a single message on each slide, (as seen in the lengthy presentation template below). This is especially important if you’re presenting your business, or delivering a product presentation. You want to wow your audience, not bore them.

7. Use visuals to highlight the key message on each slide

As important as having one major takeaway per slide is having visuals that highlight the major takeaway on each slide.

Unique visuals will help make your message memorable.

Visuals are a great way to eliminate extra text, too.

You can add visuals by creating a timeline infographic to group and integrate information into visual frameworks like this:

Or create a flowchart  and funnels:

Or by representing simple concepts with icons, as seen in the modern presentation design below. Using the same color for every icon helps create a polished look.

Using visuals in this way is perfect for when you have to convey messages quickly to audiences that you aren’t familiar with – such as at conferences. This would also make the ideal interview presentation template.

You can alternatively use icons in different colors, like in the presentation templates below. Just make sure the colors are complimentary, and style is consistent throughout the presentation (i.e. don’t use sleek, modern icons on one slide and whimsically illustrated icons on another). In this example, presentation clipart style icons have been used.

Any time you have important stats or trends you want your audience to remember, consider using a chart or data visualization to drive your point home. Confident public speaking combined with strong visualizations can really make an impact, encouraging your audience to act upon your message.

One of my personal favorite presentations (created by a professional designer) takes this “key message plus a visual” concept to the extreme, resulting in a slide deck that’s downright irresistible.

When applying this concept, don’t fall into the trap of using bad stock photos . Irrelevant or poorly chosen visuals can hurt you as much as they help you.

Below is an example of how to use stock photos effectively. They are more thematic than literal and are customized with fun, bright icons that set a playful tone.

The content and visual design of a presentation should be seamless.

It should never seem like your text and visuals are plopped onto a template. The format and design of the slides should contribute to and support the audience’s understanding of the content.

8. Use scaffolding slides to orient your audience and keep them engaged

It’s easy for audiences to get lost during long presentations, especially if you have lots of slides. And audiences zone out when they get lost.

To help reorient your audience every once in a while, you can use something I like to call scaffolding slides. Scaffolding slides appear throughout a presentation to denote the start and end of major sections.

The core scaffolding slide is the agenda slide, which should appear right after the introduction or title slide. It outlines the major sections of the presentation.

At the beginning of each section, you should show that agenda again but highlight the relevant section title, as seen below.

This gives audiences the sense that you’re making progress through the presentation and helps keep them anchored and engaged.

Alternatively, you can achieve a similar effect by numbering your sections and showing that number on every slide. Or use a progress bar at the bottom of each slide to indicate how far along you are in your presentation. Just make sure it doesn’t distract from the main content of the slides.

You can imagine using this “progress bar” idea for a research presentation, or any presentation where you have a lot of information to get through.

Leila Janah, founder of Sama Group, is great at this. Her  Innovation and Inspire  talk about Sama Group is an example of a presentation that is well organized and very easy to follow.

Her presentation follows a logical, steady stream of ideas. She seems comfortable talking in front of a crowd but doesn’t make any attempts to engage directly with them.

9. Use text size, weight and color for emphasis

Every slide should have a visual focal point. Something that immediately draws the eye at first glance.

That focal point should be whatever is most important on that slide, be it an important number, a keyword, or simply the slide title.

We can create visual focal points by varying the size, weight, and color of each element on the slide. Larger, brighter, bolder elements will command our audience’s attention, while smaller, lighter elements will tend to fade into the background.

As seen in the presentation template above, this technique can be especially useful for drawing attention to important words within a long passage of text. Consider using this technique whenever you have more than 5 words on a slide.

And if you really want your audience to pay attention, pick a high-contrast color scheme like the one below.

When picking fonts for your presentation, keep this technique in mind. Pick a font that has a noticeable difference between the “bold” font face and the “regular” font face. Source Sans Pro, Times New Roman, Montserrat, Arvo, Roboto, and Open Sans are all good options.

The last thing to remember when using size, weight, and color to create emphasis on a slide: don’t try to emphasize too many things on one slide.

If everything is highlighted, nothing is highlighted.

10. Apply design choices consistently to avoid distraction

Audiences are quick to pick out, and focus on, any inconsistencies in your presentation design. As a result, messy, inconsistent slide decks lead to distracted, disengaged audiences.

Design choices (fonts and colors, especially), must be applied consistently across a slide deck. The last thing you want is for your audience to pay attention to your design choices before your content.

To keep your design in check, it can be helpful to create a color palette and type hierarchy before you start creating your deck, and outline it in a basic style guide like this one:

I know it can sometimes be tempting to fiddle around with text sizes to fit longer bits of text on a slide, but don’t do it! If the text is too long to fit on a slide, it should be split up onto multiple slides anyway.

And remember, a consistent design isn’t necessarily a boring one. This social media marketing presentation applies a bright color scheme to a variety of 3-column and 2-column layouts, remaining consistent but still using creative presentation ideas.

11. Split a group presentation by topic

When giving a group presentation it’s always difficult to find the right balance of who should present which part.

Splitting a group presentation by topic is the most natural way to give everybody the chance to attempt without it seeming disjointed.

When presenting this slide deck to investors or potential clients, the team can easily take one topic each. One person can discuss the business model slide, and somebody else can talk about the marketing strategy.

Top tips for group presentations:

• Split your group presentation by topic
• Introduce the next speaker at the end of your slide
• Become an ‘expert’ in the slide that you are presenting
• Rehearse your presentation in advance so that everybody knows their cue to start speaking

12. Use a variety of page layouts to maintain your audience’s interest

Page after page of the same layout can become repetitive and boring. Mix up the layout of your slides to keep your audience interested.

In this example, the designer has used a variety of combinations of images, text, and icons to create an interesting and varied style.

There are hundreds of different combinations of presentation layers and presentation styles that you can use to help create an engaging presentation . This style is great for when you need to present a variety of information and statistics, like if you were presenting to financial investors, or you were giving a research presentation.

Using a variety of layouts to keep an audience engaged is something that Elon Musk is an expert in. An engaged audience is a hyped audience. Check out this Elon Musk presentation revealing a new model Tesla for a masterclass on how to vary your slides in an interesting way:

13. Use presentation templates to help you get started

It can be overwhelming to build your own presentation from scratch. Fortunately, my team at Venngage has created hundreds of professional presentation templates , which make it easy to implement these design principles and ensure your audience isn’t deterred by text-heavy slides.

Using a presentation template is a quick and easy way to create professional-looking presentation skills, without any design experience. You can edit all of the text easily, as well as change the colors, fonts, or photos. Plus you can download your work in a PowerPoint or PDF Presentation format.

After your presentation, consider summarizing your presentation in an engaging manner to r each a wider audience through a LinkedIn presentation .

14. Include examples of inspiring people

People like having role models to look up to. If you want to motivate your audience, include examples of people who demonstrate the traits or achievements, or who have found success through the topic you are presenting.

15. Dedicate slides to poignant questions

While you might be tempted to fill your slides with decorative visuals and splashes of color, consider that sometimes simplicity is more effective than complexity. The simpler your slide is, the more you can focus on one thought-provoking idea.

16. Find quotes that will inspire your audience

A really good quote can stick in a person’s mind for weeks after your presentation. Ending your presentation with a quote can be a nice way to either begin or finish your presentation.

A great example of this is Tim Ferriss’ TED talk:

Check out the full talk below.

17. Emphasize key points with text and images

When you pair concise text with an image, you’re presenting the information to your audience in two simultaneous ways. This can make the information easier to remember, and more memorable.

Use your images and text on slides to reinforce what you’re saying out loud.

Doing this achieves two things:

• When the audience hears a point and simultaneously read it on the screen, it’s easier to retain.
• Audience members can photograph/ screencap the slide and share it with their networks.

Don’t believe us? See this tip in action with a presentation our Chief Marketing Officer Nadya gave recently at Unbounce’s CTA Conference . The combination of text and images on screen leads to a memorable presentation.

18. Label your slides to prompt your memory

Often, presenters will write out an entire script for their presentation and read it off a teleprompter. The problem is, that can often make your presentation seem  too  rehearsed and wooden.

But even if you don’t write a complete script, you can still put key phrases on your slides to prompt jog your memory. The one thing you have to be wary of is looking back at your slides too much.

A good presentation gets things moving! Check out the top qualities of awesome presentations and learn all about how to make a good presentation to help you nail that captivating delivery.

Audiences don’t want to watch presentations with slide decks jam-packed with text. Too much text only hurts audience engagement and understanding. Your presentation design is as important as your presentation style. 

By summarizing our text and creating slides with a visual focus, we can give more exciting, memorable and impactful presentations.

Give it a try with one of our popular presentation templates:

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• Presentation Skill

Top 10 Different Types of Presentation Styles: Which to Choose?

Guest Writer

• Published on December 1, 2022

Table of Contents

You’re about to give a presentation, but you need to figure out the best presentation style to give to your audience. There are many different types of presentation styles to choose from. How do you know which one is right for your specific situation?

This article will describe the most popular types of presentations and give you a brief overview of each, so you know which type of presentation is best for you based on the context and your target audience.

This should help you make a more informed decision about which style is best for your needs so that you can deliver it the most effectively. Let’s get started!

What are the different types of presentation styles?

There are many different presentation styles, and the best style for any given situation depends on the purpose of the presentation and the audience that will be viewing it.

For example, a scientific presentation might use data visualizations to communicate complex information, while a sales presentation might focus on delivering an engaging and persuasive speech. Other presentation styles include using props or demonstrating products, giving a TED-style talk, or using PowerPoint slides . Ultimately, the goal is to choose a style that will best help you achieve your desired outcome.

In this article, we will start by discussing the broader presentation types, such as seminars, meetings, and training sessions, and move on to more specific presentation types, like informative presentations, persuasive presentations, sales presentations, etc.

Here are the top types of presentation styles:

Training Sessions

Informative presentation, persuasive presentation, sales presentation, motivational presentation, business presentation, instructive presentation, elevator pitch.

We’ll end with how you can deliver your presentation: orally, visually, or remotely.

A seminar is a small, informal class typically conducted by a university professor to allow for personalized instruction and student interaction. Seminars often focus on discussions of scholarly articles or papers, and students are often expected to prepare for the session by reading the assigned material.

The intimate size of seminars allows for a more in-depth exploration of the topic than would be possible in a large lecture class. The format also encourages student participation and debate.

Seminars can be an excellent way to learn about a particular subject and develop critical thinking skills.

A meeting is a gathering of people assembled to achieve a common goal through discussion and deliberation. Meetings can be conducted in person or remotely and involve many people. The size and structure of a meeting will vary depending on its purpose, but all meetings typically involve some form of discussion or information sharing.

The participants in a meeting may share their ideas and opinions, debate various topics, or make decisions about a course of action.

To be effective, meetings typically require some level of planning and organization. This can include setting a schedule or appointing a leader.

By planning and preparing for a meeting properly , its participants can ensure that it is productive and efficient.

A training session is a time for employees to learn or improve new skills. Training can take many forms, but it typically involves some combination of lectures, group activities, and hands-on practice. The goal of a training session is to help employees be better equipped to do their jobs and to improve the overall quality of the workplace.

To be effective, training must be tailored to the needs of the individual employees and the specific demands of their jobs. An effective training program will also include regular follow-up and assessment to ensure that employees retain what they have learned.

Businesses can improve employee morale, strengthen retention rates, and boost productivity by investing in employee training.

An informative presentation is a presentation that provides information about a particular subject. An informative presentation aims to educate the audience about a specific topic.

It is essential to be clear and concise when giving an informative presentation . The presentation should be well-organized and easy to follow.

It is also essential to use reliable sources of information and provide citations. Informative presentations can be given in various formats, such as PowerPoint presentations, lectures, or speeches.

Regardless of the format, the goal is always to provide the audience with accurate and up-to-date information.

A persuasive presentation is a speech to convince the audience to accept a particular point of view or take a specific action. The goal of persuasive presentations is to change the audience’s beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors.

To be effective, persuasive presentations must be well-researched and carefully planned. The speaker must be clear and concise and address any objections the audience may have.

Persuasiveness will also often depend on the delivery of the presentation, as passionate and charismatic speakers are more likely to win over an audience than those who are dry or monotone.

A successful persuasive presentation can be the difference between winning over a new customer or losing a sale.

A sales presentation is a formal meeting between a potential buyer and a seller in which the seller presents their product or service to convince the buyer to make a purchase. Sales presentations can take many forms, from highly scripted and rehearsed pitches to more informal conversations.

Regardless of the format, the best sales presentations have some aspects in common. These include:

• An engaging opening
• A detailed overview of the product or service
• A demonstration of how the product or service can benefit the buyer
• A clear call-to-action

With these elements in place, a sales presentation can be an effective way to close a deal.

A motivational presentation is a speech or presentation given to motivate the audience to take action. The speaker typically uses stories, analogies, and personal experiences to inspire the audience and encourage them to pursue their goals.

Well-crafted motivational presentations can be an excellent way to boost morale, build team spirit, and promote positive change. However, it is essential to ensure that the content is appropriate for the audience and that the delivery is dynamic and engaging. Otherwise, the presentation may fail to achieve its intended purpose.

A business presentation is an event where businesses discuss essential topics related to their work. Plus, business presentations typically involve a large audience and may be held in person or virtually.

This types of presentation often include PowerPoint presentations and other visual aids and may involve guest speakers’ speeches. Business presentations allow businesses to share information with their employees, customers, and other interested parties.

They can also be used to promote new products or services or to unveil new initiatives. Business presentations can be an effective way to communicate complex information concisely and engagingly.

In the business world, the correct presentation style can make a massive difference in the success of a project or initiative. By understanding the different presentation styles and when to use them, people can ensure that their presentations are effective and engaging.

An instructive presentation is a type of presentation that is designed to teach its audience something new. Unlike a traditional presentation, which may provide information or entertain its audience, an instructive presentation is focused on delivering instructional content.

This can include anything from teaching a new skill to offering tips and tricks for using a particular product. When giving instructive presentations, it is essential to identify the goals and objectives of the instruction. This will help to ensure that the audience walks away with the desired knowledge or skill.

Additionally, it is essential to use clear and concise language, as well as visual aids such as diagrams, charts, and images, to effectively communicate the instruction.

With careful planning and execution, instructive presentations can be an excellent way to educate an audience on various topics.

An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech you use to sell yourself, your product, or your company. You make an elevator pitch when you want to convince someone to invest in your idea, give you a job, or buy your product. 

The name “elevator pitch” comes from the idea that you should be able to explain your idea in the time it takes to ride an elevator (about 30 seconds). An elevator pitch is sometimes called an “elevator speech” or an “elevator statement.” 

A good elevator pitch is clear, concise, and engaging. It should explain what you do, why it’s valuable, and who it’s for. An effective elevator pitch will make the listener want to hear more about your product or idea. 

You might use an elevator pitch in a job interview, meet someone at a networking event, or pitch your product to a potential investor. An elevator pitch is not just for entrepreneurs– anyone who wants to sell an idea can benefit from having a good elevator speech.

How can you deliver a presentation?

You can deliver a presentation in three main ways: orally, visually, or remotely.

Oral Presentation

An oral presentation is a type of presentation in which the presenter speaks to an audience without visual aids such as slides. Oral presentations can be used to present information, share ideas, or give a persuasive speech.

When giving an oral presentation, it is essential to be well-prepared and to practice beforehand. This will help ensure that the presentation flows smoothly and that the audience understands the presented information.

Additionally, it is crucial to be aware of body language and tone of voice to engage the audience and deliver a successful presentation.

Visual Presentation

A visual presentation is a presentation that uses visuals to communicate information. These visuals can include:

• Infographics

The aim of a visual presentation is to make the information easier to understand and remember. Our brains are hardwired to respond to visuals, so using them in presentations can effectively engage your audience and get your point across.

When done well, visual presentations can be incredibly powerful tools for conveying information. However, it’s important to use visuals wisely. Overloading your slides with text or using low-quality images can make your presentation confusing and less effective. Make sure you choose the right font that has high readability and use images sparingly, so people don’t get too distracted and miss the point of your presentation.

If you plan to use visuals in your next presentation, choose them carefully and use them sparingly. With some thought and creativity, you can create a visual presentation that will engage and inform your audience.

Remote Presentation

A remote presentation is a presentation that is given over the internet, typically using video conferencing software . This type of presentation has several advantages over in-person presentations, including reaching a wider audience and saving time and money by avoiding travel.

Additionally, remote presentations can be recorded and shared, allowing viewers to watch the presentation at their convenience. While there are many benefits to giving a remote presentation, there are challenges, such as ensuring that everyone can hear and see the presentation.

With careful planning and execution, however, a remote presentation can effectively communicate with a large audience.

Now that you’ve read about the different presentation styles, it’s time to choose one. Which style will work best for your audience and your purpose?

Keep in mind that there is no single correct answer – it all depends on what you want to accomplish with your presentation, the context, and the audience you will be presenting to. If possible and appropriate, try using visual aids to convey your message, like PowerPoint.

Armed with this information, you’ll be able to select a style that will help you deliver your message effectively and engage your audience.

Let’s visit RRPicks to  download free PowerPoint templates . But wait, don’t go anywhere and stay here with our  RRGraph Design  Blog  to keep up-to-date on the  best pitch deck template  collections and design advice from our  PowerPoint experts .

Author Bio : Janine Heinrichs is a graphic designer who writes at Janine Designs Daily . Her mission is to show people that the faster and more effective way to become a graphic designer is not by going to school; it’s by being bold and putting your work out into the world. Her work has been featured on popular design sites like Creative Boom.

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8 Popular Presentation Types You Should Be Using [+7 Presentation Styles]

Table of Contents

Presentations play a vital role in communication, serving as essential tools for conveying information and messages to audiences, whether it’s for individuals, businesses, or professionals. They are used to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, and introduce new ideas or products.

Presentations encompass demonstrations, introductions, lectures, or speeches that serve diverse purposes in various spheres, such as education from high school to college and in professional settings, to impart knowledge to different audiences. Given the distinct contexts and objectives, understanding the range of presentation types becomes crucial, enabling one to choose the most fitting approach for a specific setting, audience, and ultimate objective, effectively communicating to achieve the desired results.

This article will explore eight widely used presentation types, which you can effectively employ based on your specific objectives, and seven presentation styles to enhance your overall delivery.

Why Should You Learn About Different Presentation Types

Learning about different presentation types is essential for several reasons:

1. Tailor Your Message

Knowing various presentation styles helps you customize your content for different audiences, ensuring your message resonates with their interests and preferences.

2. Achieve Specific Goals

Each type of presentation serves distinct purposes, such as informative or persuasive presentations, allowing you to target specific objectives precisely.

3. Enhance Communication Skills

Familiarity with diverse presentation types improves your overall communication abilities, including organizing information, delivering it clearly, and engaging your audience effectively.

4. Boost Creativity and Innovation

Understanding different styles encourages you to experiment with unique approaches, using storytelling, interactive elements, or multimedia to create memorable experiences for your audience.

5. Gain a Broader Perspective

Exposure to various presentation techniques offers insights into effective communication strategies, inspiring continuous improvement and refinement of your skills.

6. Personal and Professional Growth

Learning about different presentation types is an investment in your development as a communicator, making you a more valuable asset in any setting that requires impactful communication.

7. Confident and Memorable Presentations

By leveraging the right presentation type, you can deliver confident, compelling, and memorable presentations that leave a lasting impact on your audience.

8 Popular Presentation Types You Should Know in 2023

Learning and understanding different presentation types is crucial for effective communication and engagement with diverse audiences. Here are eight popular presentation types you should know:

1. Informative Presentations

Informative presentations are a common type of communication designed to provide valuable information, facts, and insights to the audience. The primary goal is to educate and enhance the audience’s knowledge on a specific topic or subject matter. These presentations are widely used in various settings, including academic environments, corporate training sessions, conferences, and public events.

An effective informative presentation should be well-organized and structured, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The presenter should thoroughly research the topic, gather relevant data, and present it in a compelling and easy-to-understand manner. Visual aids, such as charts, graphs, and images, can enhance the audience’s understanding and retention of the information.

The success of an informative presentation depends on the presenter’s ability to engage the audience, maintain their interest, and deliver the content clearly and concisely. It is essential to avoid overwhelming the audience with too much information and instead focus on delivering key points that are relevant and impactful.

Informative presentations are crucial in disseminating knowledge, raising awareness, and fostering learning among diverse audiences. They are valuable tools for sharing expertise, addressing complex issues, and building credibility and authority in various fields.

2. Persuasive Presentations

Persuasion is an art through which an individual influences the opinions, thoughts, and actions of others. Persuasive presentations are designed to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint, take specific action, or support a particular idea, product, or cause. The primary goal is to influence the audience’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors through compelling arguments and emotional appeal. These presentations are commonly used in sales pitches, marketing campaigns, political speeches, and advocacy efforts.

An effective persuasive presentation should have a strong and persuasive message supported by evidence, examples, and compelling stories. The presenter must understand the audience’s needs, values, and concerns and tailor the presentation to address them effectively. Visual aids and rhetorical devices can be employed to enhance the persuasive impact of the message.

Engaging the audience and building trust is critical in persuasive presentations. Presenters should establish credibility, demonstrate expertise, and use compelling language to build rapport with the audience. It is essential to acknowledge opposing viewpoints and address potential objections to strengthen the compelling argument.

Persuasive presentations can influence opinions, drive action, and bring about meaningful change. They require effective communication skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to connect with the audience on a personal level.

3. Demonstration Presentations

Demonstration presentations are a type of presentation whose main objective is to show the audience how something works or how to perform a specific task. The presenter typically showcases a product, a process, or a skill through live action, step-by-step instructions, or interactive exercises. These presentations are common in training sessions, product launches, and educational settings.

The success of a demonstration presentation relies on clear and concise communication. The presenter must break down complex processes into easily understandable steps and use visual aids, such as videos, slides, or physical props, to enhance the demonstration. Hands-on experiences or audience participation can also be incorporated to make the presentation more engaging and memorable.

The key to a compelling demonstration presentation is to make it practical and relatable to the audience’s needs and interests. Presenters should anticipate questions, provide troubleshooting tips, and ensure that the audience leaves with a clear understanding of the demonstrated concept or skill. A well-executed demonstration presentation can leave a lasting impression on the audience and foster a deeper connection between the presenter and the attendees.

4. Storytelling Presentations

Storytelling presentations are a powerful and engaging way of delivering information or ideas using narratives and storytelling techniques. Instead of relying solely on data and facts, storytelling presentations use compelling stories to connect with the audience on an emotional level and convey the message effectively.

In storytelling presentations, the presenter crafts a narrative that follows a structured plot, including a beginning, middle, and end. The story often revolves around relatable characters, real-life experiences, or hypothetical scenarios. The goal is to captivate the audience’s attention, evoke emotions, and make the content memorable.

Storytelling presentations are widely used in various contexts, including business pitches, marketing campaigns, educational presentations, motivational presentations, and public speaking events. They are particularly effective for conveying complex ideas, influencing decisions, and building strong connections with the audience.

To create an impactful storytelling presentation, presenters must identify the central message they want to convey and build a story that supports and reinforces that message. A well-crafted storytelling presentation can leave a lasting impression, inspire action, and make the information more relatable and relevant to the audience.

5. Interactive Presentations

Interactive presentations are a dynamic and engaging way of involving the audience in the presentation process. Unlike traditional one-way presentations, interactive presentations encourage active participation and feedback from the audience, making the experience more memorable and effective.

Presenters use various tools and techniques to interact with the audience in interactive presentations. This can include polls, quizzes, Q&A sessions, live demonstrations, interactive slides, and audience participation activities. Presenters can gauge their understanding, address specific questions or concerns, and tailor the content to suit the audience’s needs by involving the audience.

The benefits of interactive presentations are numerous. They promote better retention of information, increase audience engagement and attention, and foster a sense of collaboration between the presenter and the audience. Interactive presentations are particularly effective in educational settings, training workshops, team-building sessions, and events where audience interaction is crucial for the presentation’s success.

Presenters should carefully plan and design interactive elements to create a compelling interactive presentation to align with the presentation’s objectives and the audience’s preferences. This may include choosing appropriate technology tools, preparing interactive content, and maintaining a dynamic and approachable presentation style to encourage audience participation.

6. Multimedia Presentations

Multimedia presentations incorporate various forms of media elements, such as text, images, audio, video, animations, and interactive features. These presentations leverage technology to deliver information compellingly and engagingly, appealing to both visual and auditory senses.

The presenter combines different media elements in a multimedia presentation to create a seamless and coherent narrative. For example, slides with text and images may be interspersed with video clips, audio narration, or animations to illustrate key points or add emphasis. This multi-sensory approach enhances the audience’s understanding and retention of the content, making the presentation more memorable and impactful.

Multimedia presentations are commonly used in business settings for sales pitches, product launches, and marketing campaigns. They are also prevalent in educational environments for teaching complex concepts, conducting training sessions, and delivering online courses. Moreover, multimedia presentations are used in various events, conferences, and public speaking engagements to captivate the audience and convey information effectively.

To create a successful multimedia presentation, presenters must carefully select and integrate media elements that align with the presentation’s objectives. Additionally, attention should be given to the presentation’s design, flow, and timing to ensure a cohesive and visually appealing experience for the audience.

7. Pitch Presentations

Pitch presentations are concise and compelling presentations designed to persuade potential investors, clients, or stakeholders to take action, such as investing in a project, partnering with a company, or supporting a new idea. These presentations are commonly used in the business world – startup environments and entrepreneurial ventures to secure funding, form partnerships, or gain support for a business concept.

Pitch presentations typically follow a structured format, focusing on the problem the presenter aims to solve, the proposed solution or product, the market opportunity, and the potential return on investment. They are often delivered orally, supported by visual aids like slides or multimedia elements to enhance the message’s impact.

A successful pitch presentation requires clear and concise communication, showcasing the value proposition, unique selling points, and differentiation from competitors. Presenters must be confident, engaging, and well-prepared to effectively convey their ideas and capture the interest and trust of their audience. The goal is to leave a lasting impression and compel the listeners to take the desired action, making pitch presentations crucial in various business and entrepreneurial endeavors.

8. Conference or Keynote Presentations

Conference or keynote presentations are high-profile presentations delivered at major events, conferences, or industry gatherings. They are typically delivered by thought leaders, industry experts, CEOs, or influential figures who are invited to share their insights, knowledge, and expertise with a large audience. These presentations highlight the event and are often scheduled as the main attraction or the closing session.

Keynote presentations are designed to inspire, motivate, and inform the audience about the latest trends, innovations, or developments in a particular field. They are also a form of motivational presentations that aim to leave a lasting impact on attendees, leaving them with valuable takeaways and new perspectives. These presentations are usually longer than regular presentations and are carefully curated to captivate the audience and maintain their attention throughout.

Effective conference or keynote presentations require strong storytelling, engaging visuals, and powerful delivery. Presenters must connect with the audience personally, using their charisma and stage presence to leave a memorable impression. These presentations can significantly influence the opinions and decisions of the attendees, making them an essential element of successful conferences and events.

By mastering these eight presentation types, you can adapt your communication approach to suit different contexts, engage your audience effectively, and achieve your presentation goals in 2023 and beyond.

What is a Presentation Style & 7 Presentation Styles

Presentation style refers to the unique and individual way in which a presenter delivers a presentation or speech. It encompasses various elements, including the tone of voice, body language, use of visual aids, speaking speed, and overall demeanor during the presentation. The presentation style can greatly impact how the audience perceives and engages with the presented content.

Presenters may have different styles, from formal and authoritative to casual and conversational. Some presenters may prefer a more interactive and engaging approach, while others may focus on delivering information in a straightforward and informative manner.

The choice of presentation style should align with the presentation’s objective and the audience’s preferences. A well-developed presentation style can enhance the effectiveness of the message and create a positive and memorable experience for the audience.

7 Presentation Styles

Presenters can adopt various presentation styles to engage their audience and effectively convey their message. Here are seven common presentation styles:

1. Storyteller Style

The Storyteller’s presentation style revolves around crafting a compelling narrative that captivates the audience. The presenter uses storytelling techniques, such as vivid descriptions, personal anecdotes, and emotional appeals, to create a memorable experience.

By weaving a story around the main message or content, the Storyteller engages the audience emotionally, making the information more relatable and easier to remember. This style is often used in motivational speeches, marketing pitches, and presentations where the goal is to evoke emotions and leave a lasting impact on the audience.

Aside from the above examples, a motivational presentation also leverages uses the storyteller style to motivate their audience and get them to achieve their desired outcome.

2. Instructor Style

A structured and informative approach characterizes the Instructor’s presentation style. Presenters using this style act as educators, providing clear explanations, demonstrations, and examples to convey information effectively. The focus is on straightforwardly sharing knowledge and expertise, making complex concepts understandable for the audience.

The Instructor style is commonly used in academic lectures, training sessions, and workshops, where the goal is to facilitate learning and provide valuable insights to the audience.

3. Closer Style

The Closer presentation style emphasizes the persuasive aspect of a presentation. Presenters using this style focus on influencing the audience’s beliefs or actions. They often use powerful arguments, logical reasoning, and evidence to convince the audience to take a specific course of action or adopt a particular viewpoint.

The Closer style is commonly used in sales pitches, business presentations, fundraising events, and political speeches, where the goal is to win over the audience and achieve a specific outcome.

4. Connector Style

The Connector presentation style emphasizes building connections with the audience. Presenters using this style strive to establish rapport, create a sense of community, and foster engagement. They often use personal anecdotes, humor, and audience interaction to make the audience feel involved and connected to the content.

The Connector style is commonly used in team meetings, workshops, and networking events, where the goal is to build relationships and create a positive atmosphere.

5. Coach Style

The Coach presentation style focuses on guiding and empowering the audience. Presenters using this style act as mentors, providing support, encouragement, and actionable advice. They aim to inspire the audience and help them achieve their goals.

The Coach style is commonly used in personal development workshops, leadership training, and motivational speeches, where the goal is to motivate and uplift the audience.

6. Lessig Style

The Lessig style, named after law professor Lawrence Lessig, is a presentation style that heavily relies on visual aids, particularly slides. The presenter uses limited text on slides and incorporates compelling images, graphics, and videos to complement their speech.

The Lessig style is highly effective for conveying complex ideas visually and engagingly. This style is commonly used in technology-related presentations, TED Talks, and scientific discussions.

7. Visual Style

The Visual style strongly emphasizes using visual aids to convey information. Presenters using this style use slides, charts, infographics, and other visual elements to support their message. The goal is to enhance understanding and retention by presenting visually appealing, easy-to-follow information.

The Visual style is commonly used in educational presentations, product demonstrations, and data-driven discussions, where the visual representation of information is crucial for audience comprehension.

Each presentation style has its strengths and can be effective based on the presenter’s objectives, the audience’s preferences, and the context of the presentation. A skilled presenter can adapt their style to suit the content and create a memorable and impactful presentation.

Presentation Techniques To Inspire You

Presentation techniques refer to the various methods and strategies presenters use to deliver their message and engage the audience effectively. Some common presentation techniques include:

1. Storytelling

Storytelling technique involves presenting information or messages in the form of a narrative. It captivates the audience emotionally, making the content more relatable and memorable. By weaving stories into presentations, presenters can create a deeper connection with the intended audience and effectively convey complex concepts engaging and impactfully.

2. Visual Aids

Visual aids involve using images, charts, graphs, videos, and other visual elements to support and enhance the presentation’s message. These visuals help clarify complex information, make the content more engaging, and improve audience understanding. Effective use of visual aids can make a presentation more memorable and compelling, especially in an instructional presentation.

3. Eye Contact

The eye contact technique involves maintaining consistent eye contact with the audience throughout the presentation. This non-verbal communication helps build trust and engagement with the listeners, making them feel connected and valued. By looking at individuals and groups, the presenter can gauge reactions and adjust the delivery to keep the audience attentive and involved.

4. Body Language

Body language technique involves using non-verbal cues such as gestures, posture, and facial expressions to enhance communication during a presentation. Positive body language, like open gestures and confident posture, can convey enthusiasm and credibility, while negative cues, like fidgeting or avoiding eye contact, can undermine the message. Mastering body language can improve audience engagement and overall presentation impact.

5. Interactivity

The interactivity technique involves engaging the audience through activities, questions, or discussions during a presentation. Most presenters for an educational presentation use this technique to create a more dynamic and memorable experience for the audience by encouraging participation and feedback. It fosters better understanding, retention, and involvement, making the presentation more impactful and effective.

6. Pace and Tone

The pace and tone technique involves varying the speed and pitch of speech during a presentation. By adjusting the pace, presenters can create emphasis, maintain interest, and add excitement or seriousness to their message. An effective pace and tone keep the audience engaged, enhance clarity, and convey emotions appropriately, making the presentation more compelling.

Humor technique involves using jokes, anecdotes, or lighthearted elements to entertain the audience during a presentation. When used appropriately, humor can break the ice, create a relaxed atmosphere, and make the content more memorable. It helps engage the audience, build rapport, and keep their attention, making the presentation enjoyable and impactful.

8. Call to Action

The Call to Action (CTA) technique prompts the audience to take a specific action after the presentation, such as signing up for a newsletter, visiting a website, or purchasing. It motivates the audience to act on the information presented, turning passive listeners into active participants and achieving the desired outcome or goal of the presentation. Even though this is widely used across various types of presentations, this technique is a must-have for a business presentation.

By combining these presentation techniques and tailoring them to the audience and content, presenters can deliver engaging and impactful presentations that leave a lasting impression on their specific audience.

The 3 Golden Rules of Presentations

Here are the three most prominent golden rules of presentations that you should also consider when creating your presentations:

1. The 10-20-30 Rule

The 10-20-30 rule of presentation is a guideline proposed by Guy Kawasaki, a venture capitalist and former Apple employee. This rule aims to help presenters create more effective and engaging presentations. Here’s what it entails:

• 10 Slides: According to the rule, a presentation should not exceed ten slides. Keeping the number of slides limited ensures that you focus on the most critical points and avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information.
• 20 Minutes: The presentation should ideally be delivered within 20 minutes. This time frame helps maintain the audience’s attention and prevents the presentation from becoming too lengthy and tedious.
• 30-Point Font Size: The text on your slides should be in at least a 30-point font size. Using a larger font size makes the content more readable, especially for audiences seated further away from the screen or for individuals with visual impairments.

The 10-20-30 rule emphasizes simplicity, conciseness, and visual clarity in presentations. By adhering to this guideline, presenters can deliver more impactful messages, engage their audience effectively, and leave a lasting impression.

2. The 5/5/5 Rule

The 5/5/5 rule is a presentation technique designed to help presenters structure their content concisely and engagingly. It suggests dividing the presentation into three distinct parts:

• 5 Slides: Limit the presentation to just five slides. Each slide should focus on a specific key point, and visuals should be used to support the content. This helps keep the presentation focused and avoids overwhelming the audience with excessive information.
• 5 Minutes: Deliver the presentation within a five-minute time frame. This time constraint encourages presenters to be clear and to the point, delivering the most critical information without going into unnecessary detail.
• 5 Sentences per Slide: Each slide should contain a maximum of five sentences. This forces presenters to use concise language and avoid cluttering the slides with too much text, ensuring that the audience can easily grasp the main ideas.

The 5/5/5 rule is an effective way to structure presentations, making them more engaging and impactful. By adhering to this rule, presenters can effectively communicate their message, keep the audience’s attention, and deliver a memorable presentation.

3. The 7×7 Rule

The 7×7 rule is a presentation guideline that suggests limiting each slide to a maximum of seven lines of text with no more than seven words per line. This approach is intended to keep presentations concise, visually appealing, and easy for the audience to follow. By following the 7×7 rule, presenters avoid overwhelming their audience with dense text and create more visually engaging slides.

The principle behind the 7×7 rule is to encourage presenters to focus on key points, use bullet points or concise phrases instead of long sentences, and rely on visuals and graphics to support the content. This approach helps maintain the audience’s attention and makes it easier for them to retain the information presented. Ultimately, the 7×7 rule helps presenters deliver clearer and more effective presentations.

How Can All Time Design Help You Design Visually Appealing Presentations?

As a creative design agency with a team of professional designers, we can help you create visually appealing presentations that stand out and captivate your audience. Here’s how All Time Design can assist you in crafting exceptional presentations:

• Custom Designs: Our team of skilled designers can create custom presentation designs tailored to your specific needs, branding, and audience.
• Creative Concepts: With our expertise in design and creativity, All Time Design can develop innovative concepts and layouts that make your presentations visually stunning.
• Visual Storytelling: We excel in visual storytelling, helping you convey your message effectively through compelling graphics, imagery, and infographics.
• Consistent Branding: All Time Design ensures that your presentations align with your brand identity, maintaining consistency across all your marketing materials.
• Engaging Animations: Our designers can add subtle yet impactful animations to enhance your presentation’s overall appeal and engagement.
• Data Visualization: If your presentation involves data, our designers can skillfully transform complex data into visually appealing, easy-to-understand charts and graphs.
• Professional Polish: With a keen eye for detail, All Time Design ensures that every presentation element is polished, from font choices to color schemes.
• Timely Delivery: We understand the importance of deadlines and deliver high-quality presentations on time, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your project.
• Client Collaboration: All Time Design values client input and collaborates closely with you to incorporate your ideas and feedback into the design process.
• Post-Presentation Support : Even after completing the project, All Time Design provides ongoing support, making adjustments and revisions as needed.

With All Time Design’s expertise and commitment to creativity, you can be confident in delivering visually appealing and impactful presentations that leave a lasting impression on your audience. Click here to get started.

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Cries of Sexism Greet a Nike Olympic Reveal

The sporting giant offered a sneak peek at its track and field outfits for Team U.S.A., and an unexpected backlash ensued.

By Vanessa Friedman

Ever since the Norwegian women’s beach handball team turned the fact that they were required to wear teeny-tiny bikini bottoms for competition into a cause célèbre, a quiet revolution has been brewing throughout women’s sports. It’s one that questions received conventions about what female athletes do — or don’t — have to wear to perform at their very best.

It has touched women’s soccer (why white shorts?), gymnastics (why not a unitard rather than a leotard?), field hockey (why a low-cut tank top?) and many more, including running.

So it probably should not have come as a shock to Nike that when it offered a sneak peek of the Team U.S.A. track and field unies during a Nike Air event in Paris celebrating its Air technology on Thursday (which also included looks for other Olympic athletes, like Kenya’s track and field team, France’s basketball team and Korea’s break dancing delegation), they were met with some less-than-enthusiastic reactions.

See, the two uniforms Nike chose to single out on the mannequins included a men’s compression tank top and mid-thigh-length compression shorts and a woman’s bodysuit, cut notably high on the hip. It looked sort of like a sporty version of a 1980s workout leotard. As it was displayed, the bodysuit seemed as if it would demand some complicated intimate grooming.

Citius Mag , which focuses on running news, posted a photo of the uniforms on Instagram, and many of its followers were not amused.

“What man designed the woman’s cut?” wrote one.

“I hope U.S.A.T.F. is paying for the bikini waxes,” wrote another. So went most of the more than 1,900 comments.

The running comedian Laura Green posted an Instagram reel in which she pretended to be trying on the look (“We’re feeling pretty, um, breezy,” she said) and checking out the rest of the athlete’s kit bag, which turned out to include hair spray, lip gloss and a “hysterectomy kit,” so the women would not have to worry about periods.

When asked, Nike did not address the brouhaha directly, but according to John Hoke, the chief innovation officer, the woman’s bodysuit and the man’s shorts and top are only two of the options Nike will have for its Olympic runners. There are “nearly 50 unique pieces across men’s and women’s and a dozen competition styles fine-tuned for specific events,” Mr. Hoke said.

Women will be able to opt for compression shorts, a crop top or tank and a bodysuit with shorts rather than bikini bottoms. The full slate of looks was not on hand in Paris but more will be revealed next week at the U.S. Olympic Committee media summit in New York. The Paris reveal was meant to be a teaser.

Mr. Hoke also pointed out that Nike consults with a large number of athletes at every stage of the uniform design. Its track and field roster includes Sha’Carri Richardson, who happened to be wearing the compression shorts during the Paris presentation, and Athing Mu. And there are certainly runners who like the high-cut brief. (The British Olympic sprinter Dina Asher-Smith , another Nike athlete, told The New York Times last summer that while she opts to run in briefs, she also leans toward a leotard style, rather than a two-piece.)

What Nike missed, however, was that in choosing those two looks as the primary preview for Team U.S.A., rather than, say, the matching shorts and tanks that will be also available, it shored up a longstanding inequity in sports — one that puts the body of a female athlete on display in a way it does not for the male athlete.

“Why are we presenting this sexualized outfit as the standard of excellence?” said Lauren Fleshman, a U.S. national champion distance runner and the author of “Good for a Girl.” “In part because we think that’s what nets us the most financial gain from sponsors or NIL opportunities, most of which are handed out by powerful men or people looking at it through a male gaze. But women are breaking records with ratings in sports where you don’t have to wear essentially a bathing suit to perform.”

The problem such imagery creates is twofold. When Nike chose to reveal the high-cut bodysuit as the first Olympics outfit, purposefully or not, the implication for anyone watching is that “this is what excellence looks like,” Ms. Fleshman said.

That perception filters down to young athletes and becomes the model girls think they have to adopt, often at a developmental stage when their relationships with their bodies are particularly fraught.

And more broadly, given the current political debate around adjudicating women’s bodies, it reinforces the idea that they are public property.

Still, Ms. Fleshman said, “I’m glad Nike put this image out as the crown jewel of Olympic Team design,” because it may act as the catalyst for another conversation that has been long overdue.

“If you showed this outfit to someone from the W.N.B.A. or women’s soccer, they would laugh in your face,” she said. “We shouldn’t have to normalize it for track and field anymore. Time’s up on that.”

Vanessa Friedman has been the fashion director and chief fashion critic for The Times since 2014. More about Vanessa Friedman

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Kate Mara Goes Preppy in Stella McCartney Loafers at ‘Black Mirror’ SAG-AFTRA Presentation

Melody rivera.

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Kate Mara leaned into the preppy dressing trend wearing a pair of black Stella McCartney loafers to the “Black Mirror” presentation during SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations on Sunday.

Stella McCartney Falabella Chain Loafers

Mara was seen wearing the same loafers during an outing in Los Angeles last week. Lately, Mara has been favoring black footwear pieces. After the presentation on Sunday, she switched to black platform pumps for an FYC Screening of the episode. The pair was similar to the patent leather pointed-toe heels she wore while attending the 2024 Mercy For Animals Hope Gala on Saturday.

About The Shoes

To complete the look, the actress slipped into black Stella McCartney Falabella loafers . The slip-on silhouette featured a vegan patent leather upper accompanied by a chain strap that laid towards the top of the vamp. Her set’s black rubber sole was embellished with silver studs. The set retails for $860.

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