I often get asked to support the (re-)development of strategic presentations by my clients and the “we need a 3 slide presentation for a Board of Directors or CEO meeting” is a regular request.
And it is a pretty tough thing to do, trying to sweep all you enthusiasm, conviction and passion for a plan, new campaign or other project into only a few slides.
To help give you a little competitive edge, here’s how I approach these - based on the many successful presentations (and quite a few fails too!) I have developed and also often presented.
It should be noted that not all of these presentations can be standardised, it depends on many factors including the expectation of your audience, their specific requests, ways of working and so forth.
Basic tips
To get you started, here are a few basic tips that I’ve taken on board over the past years.
Write down what you want to achieve. Whether you are requesting a budget, seeking approval/buy-in to move forward or want them to follow your vision on a campaign or other activity, writing it down clearly for yourself will help you better focus your message. You’ll often have a set number of minutes to deliver your presentation and discuss it - stick to what you want to achieve.
Tell a story, your slides are your visual backup and should therefore be short, clean and to the point (also see point 6 here).
Try not to sell the whole book - I often see these kinds of presentations and they are simply overloaded with way too much information. Avoid trying to squeeze in every detail in font 12 - it’s hard to read, annoying for people who are following your presentation and opens up the floor for a lot of detailed questions and comments. In short, if it’s on the slide, it will be read and that will increase the amount of awkwardly quiet moments you’ll have to endure as the room reads every word (and they often do!) and thus also pose (difficult) questions on the details. Remember, Boards and leadership hire you because they trust you can do it, so avoid opening up the floor for a full evaluation on details.
Add data to support your reasoning. In today’s digital world there is a wealth of data - whether its internal data, purchased studies or publicly available information. Make use of it to re-enforce your point. Use graphs or visuals to summarize the data and to avoid using up the entire slide.
Focus is key! To build on the point above, ensure you stay on topic and keep your audience focused on what you want to achieve. Going too broadly will confuse and create additional questions and uncertainties.
Know your audience. No, not all boards are the same and not all will expect you to deliver 3 slides as a rule. You may be faced with C-suites or Board Members who appreciate more detail and a certain focus. Get to know their expectations, needs and requirements (see the value of back-up slides below). It’s also always good to understand the dynamics of the board, so don't be afraid to talk to colleagues who have experience with your target audience. As in any group there will be a variety of profiles.
Tell, don't ask. This point is a bit dependent on the above (know your audience) but I have learned that to be convincing, you should not be up there asking for something, you should be informing your audience why it’s important to make this decision. It provides a much stronger footing for conviction.
Provide the slides in advance for upfront reading (mostly). This often provides a benefit as it will shorten the time you are in front of the room and may have already delivered some positive response. But use it wisely! Sometimes your message may be a tough one to deliver (for example) and in that case I would not send these in advance but ensure you are in the room to provide the right context and relevant insights.
The way you deliver the presentation, your enthusiasm, body language and tone of voice is already at least 50% of how successful you will be. Be confident, engaging and driven. If you share that passion effectively, they will also be more confident in your ability to achieve. Don't be afraid to share your views and thoughts, business decisions are often driven by opportunity and most leaders are always on the lookout for new ideas.
3 slides is not enough!
No it’s not - that’s really the simple answer to the question. Three slides will often not enable the presenter to properly convey their point, but if you know that your target audience often has to sit through hundreds of slides during a day on a host of different topics, it’s only logical that this expectation exists.
On the other hand, it’s not that complicated. There are several things that Boards and C-suite members want to understand.
What is the project or topic you are presenting (sound simple but this is very important). The room has probably already spent hours going through hundreds of slides on topics as varied as finance, HR, operations, innovation, product development, reputation and so forth. Introduce yourself and make it clear what it is you will be talking about (a new campaign, request for additional budget, etc.). This ensures clarity and also assures the room is focused on the topic (versus conversations starting up on other projects you work on).
Why is it important? Why is it relevant to them? In short, why are you taking 15 minutes of their busy schedule to bring this topic to their attention? This is an ideal space to summarise - what are you going to do, why is it important.
How does it tie into the company's business objectives? This is key - how will your presentation help the company/organisation move forward? (This is a great opportunity to throw in some company numbers (data!) to re-enforce.)
What are you aiming to achieve and how will you measure it? Are you pushing for more leads, improved reputation, increased engagement, etc. In short - what are the goals and targets - what is the ROI? This may be hard to define in some cases (eg reputation), but without this, your presentation has no value to them, so define how you are going to measure success!
Identify risks/challenges you may face throughout the project. Do not put this at the end of the deck. Remember, people often relate to the last thing they see. Identify the risks to showcase you have thought it through, then go to how you will achieve this and mitigate the risk.
How will you achieve this? Briefly describe the steps you will take to achieve the goals and targets you have set out. As a marketer you have an advantage - don’t be shy to include some visual ideas or workouts (clarify that this is WIP/an example to avoid too much debate). Visualising what you want to do will help embed the idea/concept you are proposing.
What will you do and by when? Set out a simple timeline of activities. Don't overload it with details - show highlights/gates. Don’t force the timing to please your audience - give yourself a reasonable timeline that includes some risk of delay.
What will it cost/what is the return on investment? Don't forget, cost is not just budget allocation, it’s also resources!
Add a surprising element! This can be small or large, but I have learned from reading many audience reactions that a surprise is always appreciated. Whether you will manage the project for a lower budget than expected (your call ;-)) or have the ability to showcase some impressive creative ideas, you should never hesitate to add a (calculated and well-thought out) surprise. It often helps to engage your audience and pulls them out of an often monotonous feeling they may have at this point after having to spend hours on heavy slides. In some cases it may also be the “thing” that tips the scale between approval and denial. (IDEA! If you have some give-aways to highlight what you are going to do, that's always appreciated or a generic branded item often also works).
So how does this translate into 3 slides?
Now that I’ve managed to worry you with two pages of tips and advice, you are probably wondering… how am I going to fit this all into 3 slides? Well, it's not an exact science but here is how you could approach it:
Slide 1: Topic/project headline & setting the scene
Short description of what you want to do - try to stick to 2 or 3 sentences here or bullets: Remember the slides are a visual support to help your audience follow your story, not a full write-up.
Why is it relevant to the Board/C-suite (2 bullet points max)
Why is it important and how does it meet/support/drive the company’s objectives? (You want to correct lagging sales, our reputation may be affected, etc. etc.)
Slide 2: What does the project aim to achieve?
Brief description or 2 bullets to clarify the goal (ROI). This could be “achieving 500 leads by a certain date” or “improving the company’s reputation within a certain product category prior to a major fair or event”, for example (This part may also fit onto slide 1 depending on how you want to set the storyline).
Showcase how you will run the project/campaign - here is your opportunity to showcase WIP visuals and ideas.
Identify the possible risks/challenges. (You can also do this verbally)
Slide 3: Cost/Timing
Identify the cost.
Define the timing. Use a simple line at the bottom of the slide and add dots with high level information for example.
“Slide 4”: Yes! There is a fourth (slide) element in this story. In many cases you may be challenged/asked to go into more detail on certain elements of your presentation. That’s what backup slides are for. So don't be afraid to bring the full deck to the meeting as a backup. If you don’t have them you risk a decision being put on hold until the info is provided. Solve it in the room, ensuring the proper context is included.
Of course the above is based on my own experiences over the past 20 years. Insights and views differ, but I’m convinced that if you follow the above as a general guideline, it will deliver. Don't forget to also check this very insightful article in the Harvard Business Review to complement the article above.
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