If you’re a business professional who has the opportunity to speak at conferences, you know how important it is to connect with your audience and deliver a message that sticks. Whether you’re presenting as part of a panel, leading a workshop, or delivering a breakout session, your ability to engage your audience and communicate your message effectively is key to your success.
Case Study
Amy was just 10 years old when she gave her first public speech in class. Despite days of preparation, her teacher interrupted her, and the class laughed as she stumbled through her words. Humiliated, she was booed and left the room feeling defeated. From that moment, Amy developed a lifelong fear of speaking in public.
As an adult, Amy avoided speaking opportunities until (in her 30s) she heard from a friend about my Persuasive Presentation Skills Masterclass. In the masterclass, Amy mastered the Three Phases of Presenting—Analysis, Design, and Delivery. She learned how to tailor her message, structure her presentation with engagement and humour, and deliver it with confidence.
Impressively, Amy volunteered to speak at an industry conference to prove she was able. When the day came to speak at her industry conference, she felt in control.
The feedback was clear: “Amy, you were the best speaker of the day!” With my guidance, Amy had overcome her childhood trauma and became a confident speaker ready to take on any business stage.
Anyone can be an exceptional presenter, it’s just a matter of knowing what to do and doing it!
I’ve been teaching presentation skills for decades and I firmly believe that there are three strategic phases to a good business presentation. This three-phase approach will help you create and deliver powerful presentations—they are: Analysis, Design, and Delivery. Mastering these three phases will ensure your presentation truly resonates.
Phase 1: Analysis
Before you dive into creating slides or drafting your speech, you need to understand who you’re speaking to. This first phase, Analysis, is about knowing your audience and their needs. The more you understand about who you’re presenting to, the more you’ll be able to tailor your content to meet their expectations.
In this phase, you should:
1. Understand your audience’s goals: What are they hoping to gain from your presentation? Are they looking for specific information, inspiration, or practical solutions? Understanding their expectations will help you frame your message.
Example: Imagine you’re presenting at a sales conference, and your audience is a mix of junior salespeople and seasoned veterans. Their goals are different—junior reps might be looking for actionable strategies, while veterans may want inspiration or the latest trends. Tailoring your content to address both levels keeps everyone engaged.
2. Consider the context of the event: Is it a small, intimate breakout session or a large conference keynote? The format of the event will impact how you should approach your presentation.
Example: For a small session, you might have time for a deep dive and interactive discussions. For a large keynote, you’ll need to condense your message into powerful takeaways and use visuals to support your points.
3. Define your objectives: What do you want to achieve with your presentation? Write it in one sentence. For example: “To convince the audience to buy my product or service.” Or “To convince the audience to implement my recommendations.” Having a clear goal before you design the presentation will give your presentation purpose and direction.
Phase 2: Design
Once you have a clear understanding of your audience and objectives, it’s time to move into Design. This phase is about crafting your content so it’s clear, engaging, and relevant to your audience. The key is to present your message in a way that is interesting and easy for them to understand and remember.
In this phase, you should:
1. Create a clear structure: Your presentation should flow logically from beginning to end. This includes an introduction that grabs attention, a well-organised middle that dives into your key points, and a strong conclusion that reinforces your message.
In short: Start with a story or a compelling statistic to grab attention, then break your presentation into digestible chunks with key takeaways. A conclusion should circle back to the introduction to reinforce your message and leave a lasting impression.
2. Make your message audience centric Tailor your content to meet the needs and interests of your audience. Use relevant examples and stories that resonate with their experiences to make your points more relatable.
Example: If you’re speaking to tech professionals, use examples from the tech industry. Mention how a new development or trend affects their daily work or future challenges. “The rise of AI tools means your role will evolve to focus on more strategic tasks, such as decision-making and client relationships.”
3. Use visuals wisely: Visuals should support your message, not overwhelm it. Use slides, graphs, videos, handouts, flipcharts to enhance the key points you’re making and help clarify complex ideas. Aim to bleed images to the edges of the slides and use words sparingly.
Example: If you’re explaining a complex process, consider drawing a flowchart or simple graphic that visually demonstrates the steps on a whiteboard or flip chart.
Phase 3: Delivery
The Delivery phase is where you bring everything to life. This is where many presenters struggle—great content can fall flat if it’s not delivered with confidence, energy, and connection. How you deliver your message matters just as much as what you say.
In this phase, you should:
1. Focus on your body language and voice: Your posture, gestures, and facial expressions all communicate your message. Maintain eye contact, stand confidently, and use your body to emphasise key points. Your voice should be varied—use volume, pitch, and pausing to keep your audience engaged.
Example: If you’re telling an exciting story, lean forward to create intimacy and excitement. Conversely, if you need to emphasise a critical point, slow down and deliver it with a deliberate, steady pace.
2. Engage with the audience: Remember, presenting isn’t just about talking at your audience—it’s about creating a connection. Look right at people and chat like you’re at a café. Encourage interaction, ask questions, or even create brief moments for discussion.
Example: Ask your audience to raise their hands if they’ve experienced a similar challenge or invite them to share their opinions on a question like, “How do you see this change affecting your industry?”
3. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse: The more familiar you are with your material, the more confident you’ll feel during your presentation. Practice the content and also how you’ll deliver it. Rehearsing helps you refine your timing and ensures you come across as natural and prepared.
Example: Rehearse in front of a mirror or record yourself. Practicing in different spaces can help you adjust your delivery to different environments, from small rooms to large conference halls.
Why this approach works
The three-phase approach Analysis, Design, and Delivery approach ensures you are well-prepared and confident when it’s your turn to speak. By understanding your audience, structuring your message to meet their needs, and delivering it with confidence, you’ll engage them in a way that leaves a lasting impact.
If you’re looking to take your presentation skills to the next level and really hone the art of engaging and persuading your audience, I invite you to explore my Persuasive Presentation Skills Masterclass. In over 25 years of teaching business professionals, I’ve helped thousands of people master the skills they need to present effectively—whether at conferences, workshops, or internal meetings.
By following this approach and building your skills through dedicated practice, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more compelling and confident presenter—ready to make an impact at your next conference.
p.s. want some help? Book into one of my public masterclasses months out to make sure you learn the skills, and have plenty of time to practice so you achieve conference speaking success. Happy presenting! Mx
Would you like to participate in our presentation skills training course?
We have a 25-year proven track record in developing people’s communication, business presentation, public speaking and pitching skills. We will help YOU stand out for all the right reasons!
Master the art of public speaking and persuasive presenting in business with our life-changing public speaking training in Sydney LIVE and ONLINE via Zoom or MS Teams.
One presentation skills training course once is all you need.
Become a more confident, engaging and persuasive business presenter & stay true to your natural style! We promise no hand holding and we will not video your presentation because it’s not necessary for awesome improvement!
©2024 MICHELLE BOWDEN is an authority on persuasive presenting in business. She’s run her Persuasive Presentation Skills Masterclass over 1000 times for more than 13,000 people over the past 25 years and her name is a synonym for ‘presentation skills’ in Australia.
Michelle Bowden is a multi-million-dollar pitch coach to her client list that reads like a who’s who of international business: banking and finance, IT, pharmaceutical, retail, telecommunications plus many more.
Michelle is the creator of the Persuasion Smart Profile®, a world-first psychological assessment tool that reports on your persuasive strengths and weaknesses at work, the best-selling internationally published author of How to Present: the ultimate guide to presenting live and online (Wiley) and her new book is called How to Persuade: the skills you need to get what you want (Wiley).