What Presentation Skills Do You Need in Business – 8 Top Tips

What presentation skills will help you succeed in business? What are the presentation skills in business you need? How to give better business presentation?

Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball

Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London.  Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page. 

Why You Need Great Business Presentation Skills

Great presenters stand out. They have mastered key business presentation skills that help them communicate effectively, influence others, and advance their careers. You too can develop these essential presentation skills to boost your success.

You can become a better cyclist, runner or tennis player with practise. And you can become a better presenter with practise.  It takes knowledge and practice to improve your presentation skills.

Why business people need great presentation skills

1. Great presenters get followed

2. Great presenters create connections

3. Good presenters unite people

4. Powerful presenters drive change

5.  Good presenters win hearts and minds

Why Are Presentation Skills Essential in Business?

Most business leaders agree that strong presentation skills are crucial to success. When you see someone deliver a great presentation, it might seem like a natural talent, but the reality is that anyone can develop excellent business presentation skills with the right training and practice.

At Benjamin Ball Associates, we have developed a fast and effective process to help professionals refine their presentation skills. That’s why leading organisations trust us for business presentation training. Call us today for in-house coaching.

Below, we share key insights into what presentation skills you need in business and how to develop them.

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The Best Business Presentation Skills You Need – 8 top tips

Powerful Business Presenting Skills Are Valuable

You become more persuasive and you become recognised. Remember: presentation skills is not just about big audiences. It could be a team meeting; a company get-together or an impromptu talk. Any of these is your chance to show your skills as a great presenter.

Let’s review the skills outlined above:

1. Understand that your audience is selfish

Great presenters talk about their audience, not about themselves They involve their audience from the beginning. To get people to join you, you need to understand – and empathise – and show them that you have their interests at heart.

For example, one of our clients is the MD of a large utility company. A few years ago he had to give a Health and Safety presentation to his staff. He knew they would come to the presentation with a ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude.

But he wanted them to properly understand how important safety was to their company. So, he started with a story.

He said, “A few years ago I was managing a building site. In my first two weeks on a new job, we had a crane collapse. That night, I had to knock on a door – and tell a woman that her husband was dead –
all because of an accident on my site.

“I never want any of you to have to go through what I went through that day. And that’s why we are talking about health and safety today.”

In fewer than 80 words, our client had grabbed their attention and opened their minds.  All because he understood their self-interest. From then on, he knew they were listening.

Have a look at our presentation skills training to learn how you can learn these same skills.

2. Don’t dilute your message

If you mix red and blue paint, you get green.  If you mix yellow and red, you get orange.  But if you mix red, green, blue and a few others, you will end up with a dull brown mess.

Presentations are the same.  Too many ideas dilute what you say and muddy your messages. Your presentation will be more vivid with fewer but stronger messages.

3. Simplicity is clarity

Complex ideas are hard to understand and easy to forget. When you have great presentation skills, you make the complex simple. This takes time. As US President Woodrow Wilson said: “If I am to speak ten minutes, I need a week to prepare; if fifteen minutes, three days; if half an hour, two days; if an hour, I am ready now.”

Some quick ways of improving your presentation skills include:

1. Cut your long sentences into short phrases. The shorter the better.
2. Use short, simple words. This will make you appear more intelligent, capable and confident.
3. Include plenty of pauses – one every 6-10 words. You’ll sound more authoritative.

Steve Jobs said,

“Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard
to get your thinking clean to make it simple.
But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

Why Pick Benjamin Ball Associates for Your Coaching

At Benjamin Ball Associates, we’ve been coaching business people to improve their business communication skills for over 15 years.  Our coaching is fast and effective.  We work with individuals and with companies, one-to-one and in groups.  Call us today to learn more.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

Our most popular training courses include:

• Presentation Coaching
• Public Speaking Coaching
• Investor Pitch Support and Coaching

Trusted by some of the most successful companies globally

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

Speak to an expert. Get a free consultation

4. Speak to the heart as much as the head

Great presenters never underestimate how important it is to help people feel good. People will only listen to you if they want to.

As Carol Buchner said: “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

How you say what you say will therefore help them to listen. Here are some proven techniques to demonstrate great presentation skills:

1. Tell relevant stories to bring an idea to life.
2. Use personal pronouns (I, we, us and you) so what you say feels more personal.
3. Show that you care by sharing your personal feelings.
4. Use language that conveys emotion. For example, talk about hope, excitement, passion and fear.

See how Sam Laidlaw, former CEO of Centrica incorporated many of these ideas in this talk at the Royal Society of Arts:

“Thank you James and good evening everyone. It is a great privilege
to give a speech in such a beautiful and historic room.

“I am told this is where Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone,
and Marconi, the radio. I can’t promise such a technological revolution today.
But I do want to talk about a revolution in our industry.

“The energy sector has been through some exhilarating – and challenging – times.
From the discovery of North Sea Oil and Gas to the liberalisation of our energy markets,
we have seen remarkable change in recent decades.

“When I first joined the energy sector in 1981….”

Learn more about our presentation skills training and how it can help you transform your presentation skills.

5. Talk like a leader. Use more powerful language

Pick words that are lively and fun. Some quick tricks include using more contrasts, metaphors and repetition.

1. Use contrast to imply balance

   (e.g. “There’s nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America”).

   “It’s not about yesterday; it’s not about today.  It’s all about tomorrow.”

   Listen to any great presenter and you’ll hear their presentations packed full of contrasts.

2. Metaphors and analogies are shortcuts for the brain.

   They help you turn a complicated concept into a familiar one.

   Steve Jobs was a master of the metaphor, describing computers as a ‘bicycle for the mind’ and referring to Apple’s switch to different processors as ‘a huge heart transplant’.

3. Spoken language is very different to written language.

   For example, Repetition is poetic and rhythmic to our ears.

   Some of the most memorable lines from speeches use repetition. E.g.  “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!’.

Notice how Sir Stuart Rose (former CEO M&S) uses these techniques in this awards ceremony speech:

“Ladies and Gentlemen – it’s a pleasure to be here this afternoon
at the BCE Environmental Leadership Awards.

“I’m especially pleased to be speaking to you on a subject
I feel so strongly about – sustainability.

“These awards recognise businesses of all sizes – from start-ups to multinationals –
who are winning the battle of meeting today’s commercial demands,
without compromising resources for future generations.

“It is a challenge we all face – but with that challenge comes opportunity.”

 Discover how presentation skills training can give you skills to transform your career.

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6. Start powerfully and end powerfully

The most important part of your presentation is the start. If you start your presentation well, (I mean the first 10 words) you will sound more impressive.

Never use the words “Good morning, my name is XXX and I am here today to talk about…”

You can read more here about how to start your presentation powerfully. We’ve got examples of four powerful ways to start your presentation here.

The second most important part of your presentation is the end.  Your presentation should have a clear goal. For example, to change attitudes, to change behaviour or to inspire action. The start of your presentation hooks your audience; the middle persuades them, and the end seals the deal with a powerful thought or call to action.

7. Lead with a message, not a set of slides

If you use slides with your presentation, make sure they work.  To re-use the words of poet Andrew Lang: “Most people use PowerPoint like a drunk uses a lamp post – for support rather than illumination.”

What does that mean?  Here are the secrets the best presenters use:

1. Create slides AFTER preparing your presentation, not before.
2. Use slides as VISUAL AIDS not handouts – i.e. they add value by illustrating your argument, not repeating what you have said
3. Check that each slide can be read and understood in 3 seconds, so the audience can get back to listening to you, the speaker

Read more about why you need to create a message-led (rather than slide-led) presentation here.

8. Put the time in to practise.

You would never run a marathon without training.  So why try to give an important presentation without proper preparation? The best presenters prepare every communication with respect for the task they face.

Careful presentation preparation means you capture the flow, rhythm and confidence that comes from fine-tuning.

By the time you get up and speak you should know what you are saying inside out – and have tested every important idea. Then, when you finally go live, you can pay attention to your audience’s reaction and whether your delivery is making the impact you want.

We can help you get there faster.

Why You Need to Improve Your Business Presentation Skills

Do your presentation skills inspire, motivate and influence others? They should.

Many presenters are nervous of presenting. Some even avoid it.

According to Forbes magazine:

20 per cent of business leaders say they would do anything to avoid giving a presentation. Yet, 70 per cent agree that presentation skills are critical for career success.

Outstanding presentation skills have elevated people to power.

When Martin Luther King Jr delivered his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, he called for an end to racism. This speech was a defining moment. King was soon named Man of the Year by TIME Magazine for 1963. In 1964, he became the youngest person ever to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Like King, you can grow your influence, authority and career prospects by transforming your impact with presentation skills training.

How To Improve Your Presentation Skills

It’s easy to talk – in the same way it’s easy to kick a ball. Any of us can do it. But if you want to be good at it: to play football rather than just kick a ball – to present persuasively rather than just talk, you need to learn some techniques.

There is good news. It’s much easier to become a great presenter than become a good footballer. And it’s more likely to be more profitable for you.

Learn the Basics of Good Presentation Skills Fast

Typically, it takes 2-6 hours to become more compelling and more confident when presenting. You’ll find small group or 1:1 presentation coaching most effective.  This means you spend time experimenting to discover your personal style.

Once you have learned the basics, it’s then a matter of practice. Many people go away and work on it themselves; some come back to us once or twice a year for a refresher. What are the main things you need to know?

How Our Business Presentation Training Will Help You

At Benjamin Ball Associates we’ve spent over fifteen years supporting major organisations with important communications. We work with leaders from all types of businesses helping them transform their communications.

Working with us, you get practical, easy-to-implement advice that helps you grab attention, make an impact and remain memorable. We build skills, effectiveness and confidence – and we do this every day.

Call our Client Services Director, Louise Angus on +44 (0)20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to discuss how we can help you today.

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Why Choose Us:
Transform your pitches and presentations with tailored coaching

We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.

Some recent clients

Unlock your full potential and take your presentations to the next level.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

Speak to an expert. Get a free consultation