Make Presentations Work for You

The following tips and tricks for giving great presentations are from a breakout session I attended at an ACCE Annual Meeting.

They started out with getting to the point when creating your presentation.

Prepare, brainstorm, focus on your key messages, organize your thoughts into an outline, and create a storyboard.

What are the right questions:

• Why should the audience care?
• Who’s the audience?
• Expectations?
• Motivation?
• Logistics?

Know what the room will look like, the lighting and your equipment.  Edit, edit, edit to your core message.  Your design should work in concert with your message.

Principles of design:

• Images should reinforce the words;
• Graphics create emotion;
• Less is more, no loud background, use white space to your advantage; and
• Know when to stop!

Other tips on creating you presentation - don’t be afraid to buy a pre-designed template.  Use the rule of thirds - derived from photography.  Make it easy for people to see wherever they are in the room

Speaking of photography - use original photos and not stock photos. It’s also a great way to get pictures of your members and showcase them in your publications or website.

Infographics are a great way to showcase the message you are wanting to deliver.  Canva is a great resource for a plethora of templates.

Delivery tips - Do’s:

• Practice
• Mistakes happen
• Proof
• Length matters
• Don’t hide - get out in front of your audience

Speaking of delivery - stay on message, be sincere, believe in yourself, be authentic, be you!

Good luck in your next presentation!

Culture of Innovation

Megan Lucas, President and CEO of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance moderated a discussion on the culture of innovation as it relates to our organizations.

Basically, it's the idea of taking something that exists and make it unique, different, and better.

What’s holding your organization back in innovation?

The following items were discussed and an honest conversation was had on the challenges we all have in trying to be innovative for your chambers.

• Longevity of staff;
• Ego’s;
• Attitude;
• No shared vision, not on the same page, no buy in from staff;
• Lack of prioritization;
• Unwillingness to take risks, status quo;
• Fear of future and longing for the past;
• Stale leadership;
• Time based on current work load;
• Lack of trust; and
• Silo’s and remote staff.

Then the discussion moved on to ways you can share the vision internally or externally:

• Publicity - COPE (create once publish everywhere) in all your collaterals, ribbon cuttings, press releases, backdrops, email signature line, and invoices;
• Staff meetings - updates on culture and strategy, make it a screen saver;
• Put it on your coffee cups, note pads;
• Hashtags;
• Visuals around your building - use the space on your walls to share your vision for staff;
• Share a vision award for staff; and
• Create a dashboard outlining the vision for board members and share at every board meeting.  At every meeting have a board member report on each of your pillars (economic development, advocacy, leadership, education, etc.).

So what is required to build an innovative culture?  You must have:

• An open mind;
• Be creative;
• Have trust;
• Be optimistic;
• Be acceptive;
• Show passion;
• Have a safe environment to share;
• Accept wild ideas;
• Be honest;
• Have accountability;
• Show a tolerance for risk; and
• Demonstrate the ability to follow-through.

Good luck in innovating for your members and community!