Most presentations these days use PowerPoint. It has it advantages of being neat and people can follow along. However, it has the disadvantage of not being intimate. In other words, people read along and develop their own impression and feelings.
A presentation with pictures and someone explaining the proposal, with others reinforcing the details where necessary is more engaging. The audience has to listen and if they don’t understand or miss something, they will have to engage to learn.
The other disadvantage of PowerPoint is that the presenter gets wrapped up with the slides. He doesn’t focus on the people to gage their reactions. And even if he was smooth enough to look for reactions, most of the time the people will be reading rather than reacting.
All that being said, it should be the preference of the most senior i.e. powerful, decision maker attending that determines your method. So ask your contact for advice, and if possible ask the boss for his /her preference.
Click here for the complete C-Level Proposals and Presentations
It has been my experience that "decision-makers" have no need or desire to view PowerPoint presentations. These are big-picture people that can easily be bored by "speeds and feeds" of your latest server or years in business or members of your board. I always push for a more personal, intimate meeting with the C-Level team first and let them direct me to their "investigators" and "gatherers." When I am "sent down from on high" the "SeeMores" are more open with providing information, rather than me educating them for free.
Posted by: Wes Schaeffer | May 10, 2009 at 03:52 PM