Give Engaging Presentations: Tips for Business Leaders
March 24, 2025
How can you be more engaging when you present? What makes an engaging presentation? How do you engage your audience in business presentations? What tips will make a presentation more engaging?
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.
Create Engaging Presentations – A Core Business Skill
To deliver an engaging and effective presentation is an essential skill for business leaders. Whether you’re addressing a small group of colleagues or presenting in a large room filled with investors, you need to draw attention and inspire action.
How engaging are you? Many people fall into the trap of creating boring PowerPoint presentations with slides that overwhelm the audience. So, what’s the best way to engage your audience, maintain their attention, and make sure your message is understood?
Why Audience Engagement is So Important
Engaging your audience is crucial because it keeps them involved and invested in your presentation. When you engage your audience, you create a connection that goes beyond just sharing information – you get them to sit up, listen and pay attention.
Engagement can take many forms, For example, by inviting questions, encouraging discussion, or incorporating interactive elements, you make sure that your message resonates. This not only helps your audience retain key points but also makes them feel valued and heard.
Without an engaging presentation, even the most compelling ideas can fall flat. You risk leaving your audience disengaged and less likely to take action. The more you make your audience an active participant, the more impactful your presentation will be.
How to Be More Engaging in Presentations
Let’s explore how to create and deliver an effective presentation, with tips on everything from presentation slides to audience participation. These tips are based on the 15+ years of experience coaching business leaders to be engaging from the team at Benjamin Ball Associates.
10 Essential Tips For Engaging Presentations
How to make Your Presentation Engaging
Let’s review each of those tips in more detail:
1. Answer the So What Question Throughout
The first step in creating a great presentation is to imagine someone in your audience, a bit sceptical, asking ‘So What?’ and ‘What’s In It For Me?’ throughout. You need to understand the members of the audience, their needs, and what they care about. When delivering a live presentation, this will help you tailor your message to their specific interests, whether it’s a group of investors looking for data points or a team interested in understanding new business strategies.
Example: If you’re presenting a case study to a senior management team, stick to the main points that directly address their objectives, such as ROI and long-term strategy. If you’re speaking to junior employees, highlight how the new strategy will impact them day-to-day and involve them in the learning process.
Presentation Tip: Have a look at our recommended presentation preparation process with a clear step-by-step approach to creating a compelling presentation.
2. Start Strong with a Good Story or Question
To create an engaging start, avoid diving straight into your slide deck or having a long rambling introduction. The first few minutes of your presentation are crucial for drawing attention. A good story, a case study, or an interactive question can grab your audience’s attention.
Example: Start with a good story from your personal experiences. Share how you or your company overcame a challenge or implemented a great idea. This will humanise the presentation and immediately engage your audience.
Actionable Tip: Ask an audience question early on, such as “How many of you have faced this issue before?” This gets people thinking and involved right from the start.
3. Avoid a PowerPoint-First Approach
Many presentations are not engaging because the speaker has spent all their time creating PowerPoint slides rather than planning an engaging talk. The most engaging presenters tend to work the other way round. They frequently create a compelling talk first, and then only at the last step do they decide whether they need any visual aids to help the audience.
Example: Watch some TED talks. You’ll notice that few people rely on PowerPoint to get their message across. If you can create a compelling talk first that does not rely on slides, then you’ll be more likely to have a compelling presentation.
Actionable Tip: Only create your PowerPoint slides after you have decided exactly what you are going to say. Use all the tips in [this article] to write a compelling presentation before opening up PowerPoint. You may find that you will do better with no PowerPoint at all.
4. Stick to the Key Points and Keep It Simple
When creating your engaging presentation, work on simplicity and clarity. Presenting data points or complex concepts must never involve overloading your audience with information. Instead, work out what the information means for your audience and distil your content into a few key points.
Example: Instead of showing a slide with endless bullet points, create a visual element such as a graph or chart to communicate complex data in a more digestible format. This is an effective way to use data visualisation that supports, rather than distracts from, your key message.
Actionable Tip: Use short sentences and bullet points to highlight your main points. Avoid cluttering your presentation slides with text. Less is more when it comes to text on slides. Visual design is crucial for keeping the audience engaged.
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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.”
One of the tests of whether a presentation is engaging or not is to analyse who is the centre of attention of the presentation. For example, if the speaker is the centre of attention or the subject matter is the centre of attention, the talk is more likely to be boring.
When you put the audience at the centre of attention and the spotlight is on them, your talk will be much more interesting – and you’ll find it easier to present.
Example: Rather than: “In my presentation today I will tell you about…” Say something like: “Over the next 15 minutes you’ll see how….” Or, rather than “The monthly sales figures show that sales have dropped by 5%…” Say something like: “What you’ll be disappointed about is that sales are down by 5% this month…”
Actionable Tip: For an engaging presentation, use an many personal pronouns as possible. Especially “You, We, Us.”
6. Try Multimedia Elements to Enhance Engagement
While good PowerPoint will never save a boring presentation, when you use visual cues and multimedia elements, you can make your presentation more dynamic and engaging. PowerPoint presentations are often improved by reducing words, reducing bullet points and adding visuals like charts, graphs, videos, images or infographics that help reinforce the points you’re making.
Example: If you’re discussing market trends, a data visualisation slide can draw attention to key changes over time. Adding a video clip that showcases customer reactions or success stories can bring your data to life and maintain audience interest.
Presentation Tip: Cut words from your slides. Pick interesting visuals that make it easier for your audience to understand what you are saying. Use them to reinforce the key points.
7. Practise Your Body Language and Eye Contact
Your body language plays a huge role in keeping your audience engaged. Making eye contact and using purposeful gestures not only shows confidence but also builds a connection with your audience.
Example: Rather than standing behind a podium, move around the room or stage, and have steady eye contact with various members of the audience. This gives the impression that you are speaking directly to them, rather than just reading from a script or delivering a boring presentation.
Presentation Tip: Pay attention to your posture and avoid crossing your arms. Engaging body language can make a significant difference in how your message is received.
8. Engage Your Audience through Active Participation
One of the most effective ways to keep your audience engaged is by encouraging active participation. Never “talk at them”, Instead, use inclusive language (We, You), invite questions and discussions, and create opportunities for them to contribute.
Example: In a smaller meeting or team presentation, divide your audience into small groups to discuss a specific problem or challenge. After a set time, ask each group to share their insights with the larger group. This encourages a more interactive presentation and ensures that everyone remains actively engaged.
Actionable Tip: Use audience questions throughout your engaging presentation, rather than waiting until the end. This keeps the audience involved and allows you to adjust your message based on their feedback.
9. Use Visual Design and Data Visualisation
While design alone will not save a dull presentation, a well-designed presentation slide deck can make a difference. The visual design of your slides should complement your message. That means you should use clear, easy-to-read fonts, balanced colours, and high-quality images that support your narrative. Having a good slide template can help.
Example: When presenting key data points, rather than showing a table full of numbers, use graphs or charts to convey the information more effectively. A good data visualisation can quickly communicate trends and insights, making it easier for your audience to follow your presentation.
Presentation Tip: Keep your presentation slides clean and uncluttered. Use visuals to break up text-heavy slides and highlight key points. This will make it easier for your audience to grasp and remember the information.
10. Conclude with a Clear Call to Action
The conclusion of your presentation should leave a lasting impression and motivate the audience to take action. Whether it’s approving a proposal, initiating a project, or simply reflecting on the ideas presented, your closing remarks should clearly outline the next steps. Read our article on how to end a presentation.
Example: End by summarising your key points and asking the audience to consider the following question: “What can we do differently moving forward?” This question invites your audience to reflect on the presentation and think about how they can act on the information you’ve shared.
Actionable Tip: In larger rooms, it may be helpful to follow up your presentation with an email summary and an invitation for further discussion or questions. This ensures continued engagement even after the presentation ends.
Final Thoughts
An engaging presentation isn’t just about delivering information – it’s about engaging your audience and leaving them with a clear understanding of the message you want to communicate.
By following the presentation tips outlined above, such as sticking to your key points, using visual elements, encouraging audience participation, and delivering with confidence, you can feel confident your next presentation will make a huge difference. Whether it’s a live presentation or a simple slide deck, the best way to engage your audience is by making your message memorable, interactive, and relevant to them.
Practical Actions to Deliver Engaging Presentations
If you want to create engaging and successful presentations, get in touch.
Our team of expert presentation coaches has been helping business executives polish their presentation skills for over 15 years. We are trusted by some of the world’s largest businesses. Click on the link below or phone Louise Angus on +44 20 7018 0922 to discuss your needs.
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.
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What is the best way to start an engaging presentation?
Start with a strong hook to capture your audience’s attention. You could begin with a relevant story, an interesting case study, or a thought-provoking question. This sets the tone for the rest of your presentation and engages your audience from the beginning. Read how to start a presentation.
How do I keep my audience engaged during a presentation?
Keep your audience engaged by using personal pronouns throughout. Make sure you are talking about what matters to them. You could ask questions, use rhetorical questions and speak about your audience. Always imagine your audience asking ‘So What? throughout.
What should I think about when creating a slide deck?
Aim for simplicity and clarity. Your slide deck should highlight the key points of your presentation using short sentences, visuals, and data visualisation. Make sure all your headlines are messages and not topics. Avoid cluttering your slides with text or details. Stick to a few main points to keep the audience’s attention. Never make your audience want to read your small print.
How can I make my data more engaging?
Instead of showing raw data or complex tables, use data visualisation like graphs, charts, or infographics. This makes it easier for the audience to absorb and understand key data points. Present your data in a way that tells a story, so it’s relatable and memorable.
What role does body language play in an effective presentation?
Body language is crucial for creating a connection with your audience. Maintaining eye contact, using purposeful gestures, and moving around the room can help convey confidence and keep the audience engaged. Avoid standing behind a podium and never read directly from your slides.
How can I make my presentation interactive?
Include audience participation in your presentation by asking questions, encouraging discussions, or using live polls. You can also divide your audience into small groups to discuss specific topics and share their insights. This approach ensures active engagement and keeps your audience involved.
How do I avoid a boring presentation?
Don’t lead with PowerPoint. A boring presentation typically lacks variety and interaction. To avoid this, use a mix of speaking, presentation slides, multimedia elements, and storytelling. Keep your slides visually appealing, stick to the key points, and keep speaking about the things that matter to the audience.
What should I do at the end of my presentation?
Conclude with a clear call to action. Summarise your key points and suggest next steps. Engage your audience by asking them to reflect on what you’ve presented or inviting them to ask questions. This ensures the discussion continues even after the presentation ends. Then give another summary at the end of the Q&A session.
How can I prepare for potential audience questions?
Anticipate the most likely questions your audience might have based on the content of your presentation. Prepare answers in advance, but also be open to spontaneous questions during or after the presentation. This shows that you are confident and prepared, and it encourages engagement. And learn skills for answering questions powerfully.
What if I’m presenting in a large room?
In a large room, make sure your voice is loud and clear, and use visuals that are easily visible to everyone. You can also engage the audience through questions or prompts, and encourage participation through technology (e.g., live polls or Q&A apps). This keeps the room interactive and helps maintain attention from all audience members.
How can I make my presentation more memorable?
Tell a compelling story, and keep your main points simple and clear. Use strong visuals and data visualisation to support your narrative. Encourage audience participation and interaction throughout your presentation. The more involved your audience feels, the more likely they are to remember your message.
How do I structure my presentation to keep it effective?
Structure your presentation with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start with an engaging opening, followed by the main content (key points and supporting visuals), and finish with a strong conclusion and a call to action. This helps the audience follow along and retain the information.
How can Benjamin Ball Associates help me be a better presenter?
We can coach you to prepare and deliver compelling business presentations. Call Louise Angus today on 020 7018 0922 or info@benjaminball.com to discuss how our coaching can help you become an engaging presenter.
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