Lesson
Tuesday,
the fourth
of May
Theme:
How Do I Design a
Successful Company Presentation?
A company
presentation is a great way to introduce your company to customers, partners or
stakeholders in the context of a sales or marketing discussion. Making an
effort to create the most professional PowerPoint presentation possible really
pays off, as it reinforces your audience’s impression of your company as
professional and authentic.
Use of company presentations
Company
presentations can be used in many situations:
§ on
your own website
§ for
training external employees, to explain company values and priorities
§ employee
onboarding, to inform new colleagues about the company at a glance
§ celebrating
a company anniversary
§ for
welcoming customers and suppliers at an open day
§ to
introduce the company on portals and network pages on the internet
§ on
social media (e.g. Xing, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)
§ in
sales talks during customer visits
§ at
trade fairs and congresses
§ at
universities, to inspire potential new employees
§ on
video portals and platforms such as YouTube
1. Show what makes your company special
It is very tempting to simply present data, figures and facts in a company presentation, but too much information of this kind can overwhelm your audience, even turning them off completely. Avoid sentences like “We are the best” or “Our company is great”, though, because such boasts usually leave a bad impression.
2. Keep it simple
Although you need to
include the important aspects of your company – locations, customers, company
structure, products, competencies, portfolio and certifications – try not to
overwhelm your audience with this information. Nobody can remember hundreds of
facts about the company anyway, even if you use suitable visual aids (pictures,
infographics, etc.). In company presentations, as in so much else, less is
sometimes more.
3. Tailor your company presentation to each customer
individually
You’re naturally going to present your company to
potential employees in a very different way to presenting to external
industries, for example. Each target group and industry has individual
needs and makes different demands on a company presentation. It simply won’t
work to create one company presentation and reuse it again and again. Of course
it takes time and effort to adapt your presentation to each audience, but it is
genuinely worth it, leading as it does to improved success rates.
4. Use pictures, but not necessarily from your brochure
Including pictures
or drawings in your presentation can help establish an emotional relationship
with your audience. However, these don’t necessarily have to be the
high-quality pictures from your brochure; using images of colleagues at their
everyday work can come across as more authentic and make you look approachable.
5. Storytelling WORKS – even in company presentations
Storytelling is a
great way to capture an audience and hold their attention for as long as
possible. If you’re telling an interesting story, people will
listen. Find something exciting to relate about your company.
6. Check your grammar and spelling
Another point that
sounds obvious, but is unfortunately often overlooked. When you’re presenting
your company, errors in spelling and grammar make a negative impression, and
can ruin all your hard work. Get your presentation proofread by an outside
person; fresh eyes can spot the errors that are often accidentally overlooked
by those familiar with the subject of your presentation.
7. Choose your words well
Sentences that
induce curiosity or tension in the listener can be a great way to get your
audience’s attention. Starting a phrase with a word such as “Imagine…” involves
your audience emotionally in what is happening. It is particularly potent when
you sketch an example – for example around your service – and so make it clear
to the audience how your company can help them.
8. Introduce your team
Even your products or services are exceptional, it is a good
idea to introduce your employees as part of
company presentation. Everyone knows that behind a good product or service
there is a team of people who develop or produce these products or implement
the services. A team slide is a
great way to present the human side of things, enhanced by an organigram or
organizational chart.
9. Include testimonials
Testimonials can add
a lot to a successful company presentation. Use this opportunity to ask
the customer if you can use their opinion on your website or for your company presentation
as a reference. For some presentations it can also be worth letting employees
have their say. Colleagues can be very effective as advertising ambassadors
within a company presentation.
What should be covered in a company presentation?
These tips are
certainly a good start to creating a professional company presentation. It can
be a challenge, though, to determine what exactly to include in the
presentation.
–
Set out the facts about your company
The most important facts about your company should appear in the
first few slides of your presentation. Company name, type of legal
entity, year of foundation, number of employees and product groups all need to
appear here. In order not to overload the spectator with numbers, though, this
is where it is useful to add striking visuals; for example, flat design icons or striking diagrams.
–
Present your company structure with an organizational chart
Instead of
presenting each employee on a separate slide, it can be very effective to use
an organizational chart. It is a great way to present the hierarchy of a
company and show its structure. Should your company be part of a group, you can
also show the interrelationships between companies clearly in this way.
–
Present your certification
This can be a rather
dry topic, but certification is mandatory in many industries. If a company does
not have the relevant certification (e.g. safety certification), cooperation is
out of the question. Certifications are therefore extremely important,
especially in the manufacturing industry. Naturally, the need for certification
varies from industry to industry, and you’ll have to assess whether this is
relevant your company, but if it is, it is a vital part of your presentation.
–
Present key facts and figures
Admittedly, this can
also be a double-edged sword. A company naturally wants to present itself in
the best light in a company presentation, so (for example) high potential
expenses for further development may be best unstated. Some key figures
relating to finance, however, help to create a solid and professional
impression. There are no hard-and-fast rules, as each audience is
different, but a lack of financial information could give a negative
impression.
–
Highlight your expertise
Although it is often
included as part of a general introduction to a company, it can be extremely
effective to present the particular expertise and competencies of your company
as a separate section of your presentation. Highlighting your strengths
as a company can be even more compelling with the addition of striking visuals
– graphics, icons and images, for example, which give your audience a strong
and clear impression of what you do best.
How do I hold a company presentation?
So, with the help of a few tips above, you’ve created your
amazing company presentation. You also need to consider how you present it. The way you present
needs to reflect the relationship between you and your audience. In an
informal, mostly internal meeting, for example, you don’t need to stand and give
a “classic” presentation, whereas remaining seated when presenting to a
potential new customer would be highly inappropriate.
Giving your company presentation
It’s vital to be
100% certain of your facts when presenting. If you’re not used to public
speaking or are unfamiliar with all the content, it pays to practice the
presentation a few times. Being on top of the facts and figures really
boosts the effectiveness of your presentation. Practicing also helps you
to inject a bit of passion and commitment into your delivery; even if your
presentation is wonderful, just standing reading out the contents of your
slides in a monotone can alienate your audience. A bit of practice and
you’ll be presenting your company in the best way possible!
Prepare a shorter version of the company presentation
Social media and company portals generally require short and snappy, and are not the place for a comprehensive, all-encompassing company presentation complete with all the facts and figures. It is therefore useful to create a shorter version of your company presentation to promote your company via digital channels or as a basis for your website. This gives you an even wider range of options when it comes to tailoring your presentation to get it just right for your audience.
Check out examples of how you can present a company in
different ways, follow the link:
https://biteable.com/blog/presentation-examples/
Homework
What should a company presentation include?
How do you structure a business presentation?
How do you introduce your company?
What are the 4 types of presentation?
Send a photo to my email till 17:00
You are free to ask questions
