Three Different Ways to Present Concepts that Don't Include PowerPoint
Let's face it, creating another deck isn't going to get you the results you are seeking. That statement causes pain to us as people that have created thousands of PowerPoints over the years. When you have something brilliant, you want to bring forward, knowing your audience and delighting them in new and unexpected ways can yield results more significant than a deck ever would.
The goal of presenting is to connect with your audience, making your time with them as memorable as possible, and in turn, getting buy-in to begin your next big adventure. It might take a bit more thought and prep to think outside the PowerPoint deck, but trust us, it will be worth it!
Three Different Ideas for Presenting that Don't Include PowerPoint.
1. Use an analog.
As a SME, it's not easy to articulate a new idea to people that don't live in your world but will benefit from your big idea. Maybe it is a new way of displaying dynamic content or leaning into an Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategy. These concepts may be unfamiliar to your audience, but chances are you can find real-life examples live today to show how it works, using other companies as your analog.
We recommend having these sites or pages up and ready, then walking the audience through a few different case studies. As you do, you can then begin to thread the story of how you can do the same or something similar. Be ready to provide a narrative of what you like or don't like or how you would do something different so the audience can form reasonable expectations of what you can accomplish. It's also a good idea to either create a simple ROI formula based upon your assumptions or have data from best practice white-papers to show that you've done your homework.
2. Capture a process on paper (all the paper).
When we want to update a process or show a customer journey, we've found that the more visual we can make something, the easier it is to get buy-in to create change. The secret here is that you don't need any specific tools, you can use a word or excel spreadsheet to create these (it doesn't have to be the prettiest, so don't spend too much effort here). It just needs to be clear to the audience what is going on and where the pain points exist.
Often we think we know what is happening or not working, but until it is on paper, it is just in everyone's imagination. Placing it on paper enables the audience to make notes, circle the issues, and become a part of the solution. Once on paper, the tone can quickly change from what we think we know to what can we do about this? That's great - your audience is already thinking of the next step!
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3. Create a dashboard.
If you want to display metrics or insights, creating an MVP dashboard and using your meeting as a demo can drive a productive conversation. Show your audience how they can use the dashboard and share with them what the metrics are telling you — creating language around crucial key performance indicators (KPIs) helps to establish how and why the dashboard is relevant to them.
Follow up with attendees afterward to see how they are using the dashboard or getting feedback on additional data points. Regularly incorporating the dashboard KPIs with a summary of insights and actions to the audience and leadership will keep the dashboard top of mind and in use.
Looking for more time in your schedule to make these ideas come to life? Check out how to manage your calendar to achieve your career goals.