Understanding the Purpose<\/h2>\n
You must fully understand the results you’ll be presenting prior to even beginning preparation for your presentation. These presentations can often serve as moments that spur decision making, consensus building, and stakeholder alignment on your commerce-driving team. <\/p>\n
To help facilitate these things, ask yourself the following questions as you begin to prepare: <\/p>\n
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- Why are you presenting these results?<\/li>\n
- What outcomes are you seeking?<\/li>\n
- How can your presentation contribute to better decision making or gain trust in your recommendations?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Understanding the answers to these questions will guide your presentation strategy and help you tailor your approach to your commerce-driving team.<\/p>\n
Preparation Phase<\/h2>\n
The success of your presentation lies in careful preparation. As the old adage goes, \u201cby failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.\u201d <\/p>\n
Following the best guidelines will ensure that your presentation is far from a failure. <\/p>\n
Know Your Audience<\/h3>\n
To craft a persuasive presentation, you must understand your audience members. Consider their motivations, goals, and priorities. Put yourself in their shoes and think about what information or insights would resonate with them the most. Tailoring your message to their needs will increase the chances of gaining their support or approval.<\/p>\n
Determine the Best Form and Channel<\/h3>\n
Consider the most effective way for your audience to consume information and make decisions. Some may prefer data-driven reports, while others might respond better to visual presentations or interactive discussions. Choosing the appropriate format and channel will enhance the impact of your message.<\/p>\n
Define Clear Next Steps<\/h3>\n
Identify the actions or decisions you want your audience to take after the presentation. Clearly articulate these next steps and explain how they align with broader organizational goals. Providing a roadmap for implementation will facilitate decision-making and increase the likelihood of your recommendations being embraced.<\/p>\n
Building an Impactful Presentation<\/h2>\n
Now that you’ve gathered the necessary insights and data, it’s time to build a compelling presentation. Consider the below steps as a roadmap: <\/p>\n
Synthesize Relevant Data<\/h3>\n
Start by synthesizing the data that supports or validates your key points. For example, if you’re evaluating the effectiveness of a new SMS channel, gather key metrics and compare them with other channels. Identify profitable customer segments and areas for improvement. These insights will serve as evidence for your recommendations.<\/p>\n
Craft a Story<\/h3>\n
Presenting data alone is not enough. To convince and engage your audience, you need to build a story that guides them through your observations and leads to a final decision. Utilize a framework like “Care + Do + Impact” by Avinash Kaushik<\/a>, to structure your narrative effectively.<\/p>\n
Care:<\/strong> Begin by explaining why your audience should care about the topic. Highlight the industry benchmarks, performance gaps, or missed opportunities that demand attention. Start with a quick overview. <\/p>\n
\u201cFrom my experience, it’s necessary to provide a quick overview of the situation and context,\u201d said Michaela Janikova, Bloomreach Senior Business Consultant. \u201cAs a marketer, I am always familiar with the campaign, but that familiarity doesn\u2019t always extend to my superiors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Do:<\/strong> Clearly outline what actions or changes need to be implemented. Provide specific recommendations based on the insights you’ve gathered. Explain how these actions align with organizational goals and contribute to better outcomes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe essential thing is to present only relevant results<\/a>,\u201d Janikova said. \u201cThis means resisting the temptation to present everything and instead selecting only key KPIs and reports for the specific campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n
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