Tips for giving an effective business presentation: IELTS Reading

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IELTS General Test – Passage 08: Tips for giving an effective business presentation reading with answers explanation, location and pdf summary. This reading paragraph has been taken from our huge collection of Academic & General Training (GT) Reading practice test PDF’s.

Tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

Tips for giving an effective business presentation

Preparation: Get someone else to evaluate your performance and highlight your best skills. For example, go through your presentation in front of a colleague or relative. Think about who your audience is and what you want them to get out of the presentation. Think about content and style. Go into the presentation room and try out any moves you may have to make, e.g. getting up from your chair and moving to the podium. Errors in the first 20 seconds can be very disorientating. Familiarise yourself with the electronic equipment before the presentation and also have a backup plan in mind, should there be an unexpected problem like a power cut. Dealing with presentation nervousness: A certain amount of nervousness is vital for a good presentation. The added adrenaline will keep your faculties sharp and give your presentation skills extra force. This can, however, result in tension in the upper chest. Concentrate on your breathing. Slow it right down and this will relax you. Strangely, having something to pick up and put down tends to help you do this. It may seem an odd idea, but we seem to fee! calmer when we engage in what’s referred to as a displacement activity, like clicking a pen or fiddling with jewellery. A limited amount of this will not be too obvious and can make you feel more secure at the start. Interacting with your audience: Think of your presentation as a conversation with your audience. They may not actually say anything, but make them feel consulted, questioned, challenged, then they will stay awake and attentive. Engage with your present audience, not the one you have prepared for. Keep looking for reactions to your ideas and respond to them. If your audience doesn’t appear to be following you, find another way to get your ideas across. If you don’t interact, you might as well send a video recording of your presentation instead! Structuring effective presentations: Effective presentations are full of examples. These help your listeners to see more clearly what you mean. It’s quicker and more colourful. Stick to the point using three or four main ideas. For any subsidiary information that you cannot present in 20 minutes, try another medium, such as handouts. End as if your presentation has gone well. Do this even if you feel you’ve presented badly. And anyway a good finish will get you some applause – and you deserve it!

Questions 15-22

Complete the sentences below. Choose  NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS  from the text for each answer. Write your answers in boxes  15-22  on your answer sheet . 15.  Practising your presentation on a ………………….. or a family member is helpful. 16.  Be prepared for a problem such as a ………………….. . 17.  One way to overcome pre-presentation nerves is to make your ………………….. less rapid. 18.  It is acceptable to do something called a ………………….. at the start of the presentation to reassure you. 19.  Your presentation should be like a ………………….. with the people who have come to hear you. 20.  Check constantly for ………………….. to the points you are making. 21.  Make sure you use plenty of ………………….. to communicate your message effectively. 22.  To keep the presentation short, use things like ………………….. to provide extra details.

________________

1) IELTS 11 READING PASSAGE – THE ZEBRA’S LONG WALK ACROSS AFRICA ↗

2) IELTS 11 READING PASSAGE – HILTON LABORATORY ↗

3) IELTS 11 READING PASSAGE – GZJ TRAVEL: RECRUITMENT INFO ↗

4) IELTS 11 READING PASSAGE – HOLIDAY APARTMENTS TO LET ↗

5) IELTS 11 READING PASSAGE – IS YOUR CHILD AT SCHOOL TODAY? ↗

Check out Tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers below with explanations and locations given in the text.

15. colleague 16. power cut 17. breathing 18. displacement activity 19. conversation 20. reactions 21. examples 22. handouts

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GT Reading Test 34 Section 2 - Tips for business presentation & Job in journalism

Gt reading mock test 34:, section 1: questions 15-27, gt reading sample - "tips for giving an effective business presentation" & "how to get a job in journalism", tips for giving an effective business presentation, questions 15-22, how to get a job in journalism, questions 23-27, getting a job in journalism.

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IELTS General Training Reading: Cambridge 11 Test 2 Section 2; Tips for giving an effective business presentation & How to get a job in journalism; with top solutions and best explanations

This General Training IELTS Reading post deals with a solution package for IELTS Cambridge 11 Reading Test 2 Section 2 that has two texts entitled ‘Tips for giving an effective business presentation’ and ‘How to get a job in journalism’ . This is a targeted post for candidates who have big problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much difficulty. Finding IELTS Reading answers is a gradual process, and I can confidently say that this post will help you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 11 Test 2: GT Reading Module

Sec tion 2: questions 15-27, the headline of the passage: tips for giving an effective business presentation   , questions 15-22:.

Completing sentences with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS:

In this type of question, candidates are asked to write a maximum two words to complete sentences on the given topic. For this type of question, first, skim the passage to find the keywords in the paragraph concerned with the answer, and then scan to find the exact word.

[TIPS: Here scanning technique will come in handy. Target the keywords of the questions to find the answers. Remember to focus on Proper nouns, random Capital letters, numbers, special characters of text etc.]

Question 15: Practising your presentation on a ___________ or a family member is helpful.

Keywords for this question: practising, presentation, on, a family member, helpful,  

The answer can be found in the ‘Preparation’ section, paragraph no. 1 in lines 1-2. The writer says here, “. . . For example, go through your presentation in front of a colleague or relative .”

Here, go through = practicing, relative = family member,

So, the answer is: colleague

Question 16: Be prepared for a problem such as a__________ .

Keywords for this question: be prepared, problem such as,    

In the ‘Preparation’ section, the last lines of paragraph no. 3 talks about the problem, “. . .. . also have a backup plan in mind, should there be an unexpected problem like a power cut .”

Here, have a backup plan = be prepared, unexpected problem like = problem such as,

So, the answer is: power cut

Question 17: One way to overcome pre-presentation nerves is to make your _________ less rapid.

Keywords for this question: one way, overcome, pre-presentation nerves, to make, less rapid,     

In the ‘Dealing with presentation nervousness’ section, lines 1-3 of paragraph no. 1 give us the answer to this question, “The added adrenaline will keep your faculties sharp and give your presentation skills extra force. This can, however, result in tension in the upper chest. Concentrate on your breathing . Slow it right down and this will relax you.”

Here, tension = pre-presentation nerves, Slow it right down = make. . .. less rapid,

So, the answer is: breathing

Question 18: It is acceptable to do something called a ________ at the start of the presentation to reassure you.

Keywords for this question: acceptable, to do, something called, start of the presentation, to reassure,   

In the ‘Dealing with presentation nervousness’ section, paragraph no. 2, take a look as the writer says here, “It may seem an odd idea, but we seem to feel calmer when we engage in what’s referred to as a displacement activity , like clicking a pen or fiddling with jewellery. A limited amount of this will not be too obvious and can make you feel more secure at the start.”

Here, what’s referred to as = something called, make you feel more secure = reassure you,

So, the answer is: displacement activity  

Question 19: Your presentation should be like a _________ with the people who have come to hear you.  

Keywords for this question: presentation, should be like, people, who have come to hear,       

The answer can be found in the ‘Interacting with your audience’ section, paragraph no. 1 line no. 1, “Think of your presentation as a conversation with your audience .”

Here, your audience = the people who have come to hear you,

So, the answer is: conversation

Question 20: Check constantly for ___________ to the points you are making.

Keywords for this question: check constantly, points you are making,      

In the ‘Interacting with your audience’ section, paragraph no. 2 line no. 1-2, the author writes, “Engage with your present audience, not the one you have prepared for. Keep looking for reactions to your ideas and respond to them.”

Here, Keep looking for = check constantly for, your ideas = the points you are making,

So, the answer is: reactions   

Question 21: Make sure you use plenty of ___________ to communicate your message effectively.

Keywords for this question: make sure, use plenty of, communicate, message effectively,       

In lines 1-2 of paragraph no. 1 in the ‘Structuring effective presentations’, the writer says, “Effective presentations are full of examples . These help your listeners to see more clearly what you mean .”

Here, help your listeners to see more clearly what you mean = to communicate your message effectively,

So, the answer is: examples   

Question 22: To keep the presentation short, use things like _________ to provide extra details.

Keywords for this question: keep, presentation, short, use, like, provide, extra details,       

In the last lines of paragraph no. 1 in the ‘Structuring effective presentations’, the author mentions, “For any subsidiary information that you cannot present in 20 minutes , try another medium, such as handouts .”

Here, subsidiary information = extra details, you cannot present in 20 minutes = to keep the presentation short, like = such as,

So, the answer is: handouts

Questions 23-27:

The headline of the passage: how to get a job in journalism   .

Completing FLOW-CHART with ONE WORD ONLY:

In this type of question, candidates are asked to write ONE WORD ONLY to complete some notes on the given flow-chart. For this type of question, first, skim the passage to find the keywords in the paragraph concerned with the answer, and then scan to find the exact word.

[TIPS: Here, scanning technique will come in handy. Target the keywords of the questions to find the answers. Remember to focus on Proper nouns, random Capital letters, numbers, special characters of text etc.]

Title of the flow-chart: Getting a job in journalism

Questions 23 & 24: Apply for temporary 23. __________ with local papers and acquire the extra _______ you’ll need.  

Keywords for this question: apply, temporary, local papers, acquire, extra,     

In the first paragraph, the author writes in lines 4-7, “ .. . . Once you’ve done that for a while, start requesting internships in newspapers in the area . These are generally short-term and unpaid, but they’re definitely worthwhile, since, instead of providing you with money, they’ll teach you the skills that every twenty-first-century journalist has to have , like laying out articles, creating web pages, taking good digital pictures and so on.”

Here, newspapers in the area = local papers, short-term = temporary, they’ll teach you = you acquire, every twenty-first-century journalist has to have = you’ll need,

So, the answers are:

  • internships

Question 25: Build up a set of _________ in a portfolio, displaying how your writing ability has progressed over time.

Keywords for this question: build up, set, portfolio, displaying, writing ability, progressed over time,

In paragraph no. 2, the writer talks about keeping record of previous writings, “Most reporters keep a copy of every story they’ve had published, from secondary school onwards. They’re called cuttings , and you need them to get a job — indeed a few impressive ones can be the deciding factor in whether you’re appointed or not. So start creating a portfolio now that will show off your developing talent .”

Here, show off your developing talent = displaying how your writing ability has progressed over time,

So, the answer is: cuttings

Question 26: Take time to do detailed__________ first, before applying for a post with a paper.

Keywords for this question: take time, do detailed, first, before applying, post, with a paper,   

The answer lies in the third paragraph as the writer says here, “It seems obvious – research is an important part of an effective job hunt. But it’s surprising how many would-be journalists do little or none . If you’re thorough, it can help you decide whether the job you’re thinking about applying for is right for you.”

Here, But it’s surprising how many would-be journalists do little or none = people do not take this seriously or give very little time to do research,

So, the answer is: research

Question 27: Once you decide to apply, make sure your CV is short, makes sense and is without __________ of any kind.

Keywords for this question: once, decide to apply, make sure, CV, short, makes sense, without,    

In paragraph no. 4 the writer discusses the importance of CV. In lines 2-4 the writer says, “. .. .. your CV is the thing that will attract an editor’s attention first, so get it right. The keywords are brevity (no more than one page) , accuracy ( absolutely no spelling or typing errors ) and clarity (it should be easy to follow) .”

Here, brevity (no more than one page) = short, clarity (it should be easy to follow), absolutely no = without,

So, the answer is: errors

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 11 GT Test 2 Section 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 11 GT Test 2 Section 3

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IELTS General Training Reading: Test 2 Section 1; How to choose your builder & Island adventure activities; with complete solutions and best explanations

IELTS General Training Reading: Test 2 Section 1; How to choose your builder & Island adventure activities; with complete solutions and best explanations

This General Training IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 16 Reading Test 2 Section 1 which has two texts titled ‘How to choose your builder’ & ‘Island adventure activities’. This is a targeted post for GT IELTS candidates who have big problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the GT module. This […]

Mastering the Art of Inference: A Key to IELTS Reading Success

Mastering the Art of Inference: A Key to IELTS Reading Success

In the competitive landscape of IELTS Reading, mastering the art of inference is akin to wielding a potent weapon. While many test-takers diligently focus on enhancing their comprehension skills, the ability to make inferences sets apart the high achievers from the average performers. Inference, the skill of reading between the lines, discerning implicit meanings, and […]

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How to Give a Killer Presentation

  • Chris Anderson

tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

For more than 30 years, the TED conference series has presented enlightening talks that people enjoy watching. In this article, Anderson, TED’s curator, shares five keys to great presentations:

  • Frame your story (figure out where to start and where to end).
  • Plan your delivery (decide whether to memorize your speech word for word or develop bullet points and then rehearse it—over and over).
  • Work on stage presence (but remember that your story matters more than how you stand or whether you’re visibly nervous).
  • Plan the multimedia (whatever you do, don’t read from PowerPoint slides).
  • Put it together (play to your strengths and be authentic).

According to Anderson, presentations rise or fall on the quality of the idea, the narrative, and the passion of the speaker. It’s about substance—not style. In fact, it’s fairly easy to “coach out” the problems in a talk, but there’s no way to “coach in” the basic story—the presenter has to have the raw material. So if your thinking is not there yet, he advises, decline that invitation to speak. Instead, keep working until you have an idea that’s worth sharing.

Lessons from TED

A little more than a year ago, on a trip to Nairobi, Kenya, some colleagues and I met a 12-year-old Masai boy named Richard Turere, who told us a fascinating story. His family raises livestock on the edge of a vast national park, and one of the biggest challenges is protecting the animals from lions—especially at night. Richard had noticed that placing lamps in a field didn’t deter lion attacks, but when he walked the field with a torch, the lions stayed away. From a young age, he’d been interested in electronics, teaching himself by, for example, taking apart his parents’ radio. He used that experience to devise a system of lights that would turn on and off in sequence—using solar panels, a car battery, and a motorcycle indicator box—and thereby create a sense of movement that he hoped would scare off the lions. He installed the lights, and the lions stopped attacking. Soon villages elsewhere in Kenya began installing Richard’s “lion lights.”

  • CA Chris Anderson is the curator of TED.

tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

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Job Success  - Building an Effective Business Presentation

Job success  -, building an effective business presentation, job success building an effective business presentation.

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Job Success: Building an Effective Business Presentation

Lesson 7: building an effective business presentation.

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Building an effective business presentation

A businessman giving a presentation

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to...

  • Explore reasons for giving a business presentation
  • Prepare a business presentation
  • Recognize tips for delivering an effective business presentation

If you work in a business or corporate setting, you may be called upon to speak publicly for a variety of reasons. Possible reasons include...

  • Being asked to give a report or presentation during a meeting
  • Being asked to share your knowledge or expertise on a given topic
  • Being asked to teach a new skill (a systems administrator might be asked to teach coworkers how to use a new email client)
  • Being asked to give an informative presentation in order to draw newcomers to an activity, group, or program with which you are involved

Determining your purpose

When giving a business presentation, chances are you already know your topic. To prepare, you just have to determine your purpose of presenting that topic to others. In doing so, you'll focus on what exactly you want to say.

To determine your purpose, consider the following:

  • Audience . To whom are you presenting? What are the audience's special interests and concerns? Which part is most interesting or significant to the audience? How will they react to your topic? Are there any special or technical terms that should be defined?
  • Order of importance . What aspects of your topic are most important or most serious? Choose three or four main points.
  • Time . What can be most easily explained or discussed in the time or space allotted?
  • Purpose . What do you want the audience to know, understand, believe, or do when you are finished? The answer to this question should be clearly written and should focus on your three to four main points. The sentence below will serve as your purpose statement.

Sample purpose statement : "By the end of my presentation on _________________, I want my audience to know/understand/believe/do _____________________, ______________________, and _____________________."

Researching and organizing your presentation

The next step is to thoroughly research each point so you can find evidence to support your statement. Remember, providing supportive evidence lends to the overall credibility of your presentation.

To begin your research, check out:

  • Credible online resources
  • Encyclopedias
  • Expert interviews

Look for facts , figures , statistics , and definitions . Consider using expert testimony, quotations, personal stories, and humor that will communicate your purpose. You may find it necessary to rewrite your purpose statement if you have discovered new things about your topic.

There are several ways to organize your presentation:

  • Topical . This is best when there are several ideas to present and one idea seems to naturally precede the other. It is a common pattern used for informative and entertaining presentations.
  • Chronological . This is best when you want to organize your points using a time sequence. It is a common pattern in informative and persuasive presentations, both of which require background information.
  • Problem/Solution . This is best for persuasive presentations. The first part of a presentation details a problem, while the second part presents a solution.
  • Cause/Effect . This is best for persuasive presentations. The first part describes the cause of a problem, while the second part describes its effect.

Planning your presentation

Visual tools such as outlines or concept maps can help you see the overall structure of a topic and how the main points are linked.

Your outline/concert map should include:

  • A purpose statement
  • An introduction
  • Each of the main points you intend to address
  • Any subpoints or issues
  • Evidence to support each point or argument
  • A conclusion
  • Any questions you would ask or anticipate from the audience

To learn more about outlines, visit the Purdue University Online Writing Lab .

To learn more about concept maps, visit Mind Tool's Mind Maps: A Powerful Approach to Note-Taking .

Practicing your presentation

Consider using charts, graphs, maps, images, pictures, handouts, video, and music to enhance your presentation. You might use a microphone, chalkboard, whiteboard, overhead projector, slide projector, laptop, presentation software, or other equipment or materials to help get your point across.

Visit our PowerPoint tutorials to learn more about Microsoft's powerful presentation software.

When using presentational aids , make sure you know how to use them. Practice setting them up and operating them to get an idea of the time it will take. The more you practice, the more confident and polished your presentation will become. There are several ways to improve your presentation:

  • When you practice, use your notes until you are comfortable without them. Your delivery should be natural. Remember, you're talking to the audience, not reading your notes.
  • To become aware of your gestures, vocal pitch, facial expressions, and general delivery, video yourself giving the presentation. If you don't have access to such equipment, use a tape recorder or practice in front of a mirror.
  • Ask others to listen to you give your presentation. When finished, ask for constructive feedback.

Giving your presentation: Last-minute tips

A businesswoman concentrating on different parts of her presentation

  • Visualize yourself giving the presentation.
  • Realize that the audience wants you to succeed.
  • Turn your nervousness into positive energy.
  • Talk rather than read. Avoid rote memorization.
  • Speak at a volume appropriate to the room and size of the audience. Your voice should be heard in the back of the room.
  • Vary the pitch of your voice.
  • Stand up rather than sit.
  • Make eye contact.
  • Make sure any aid you use can be clearly heard and seen by the entire audience.
  • Focus on main arguments.
  • Don't remain behind the podium. Move around occasionally, but don't pace.
  • Smile and gesture when appropriate.
  • Maintain energy and enthusiasm throughout the presentation.
  • Finish your talk within the time limit.
  • Summarize your talk both at the beginning and at the end.
  • Respond to audience needs, such as adjusting the temperature or providing extra handouts.
  • Be flexible, but stay focused.
  • Respond to questions.
  • Give the audience an opportunity to critique your presentation by supplying them with a short, anonymous evaluation form.

Technical tips

  • Back up all files.
  • Don't give an important presentation without on-site technical support.
  • Assume that your technical equipment will fail, and have a backup plan.
  • Beware of connecting to the Internet during your presentation. You never know when your connection may fail.
  • Toastmasters International : Toastmasters International is an organization that focuses on improving oral presentation and communication skills. There are Toastmasters clubs throughout the world. Members meet to practice their presentation skills.

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Home Blog Business Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ Examples)

Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ Examples)

Business Presentation Ultimate Guide plus examples

A business presentation is a purpose-led summary of key information about your company’s plans, products, or practices, designed for either internal or external audiences. Project proposals, HR policy presentations, investors briefings are among the few common types of presentations. 

Compelling business presentations are key to communicating important ideas, persuading others, and introducing new offerings to the world. Hence, why business presentation design is one of the most universal skills for any professional. 

This guide teaches you how to design and deliver excellent business presentations. Plus, breaks down some best practices from business presentation examples by popular companies like Google, Pinterest, and Amazon among others! 

3 General Types of Business Presentations

A business presentation can be given for a number of reasons. Respectively, they differ a lot in terms of content and purpose. 

But overall, all types of business presentations can be classified as:

  • Informative
  • Persuasive 
  • Supporting 

Informative Business Presentation 

As the name suggests, the purpose of an informative presentation is to discern the knowledge you have — explain what you know. It’s the most common type of business presentation out there. So you have probably prepared such at least several times. 

Examples of informative presentations:

  • Team briefings presentation 
  • Annual stakeholder report 
  • Quarterly business reviews
  • Business portfolio presentation
  • Business plan presentation
  • Project presentation

Helpful templates from SlideModel:

  • Business plan PowerPoint template
  • Business review PowerPoint template
  • Project proposal PowerPoint template
  • Corporate annual report template

Persuasive Business Presentation 

The goal of this type of presentation is to persuade your audience of your point of view — convince them of what you believe is right. Developing business presentations of this caliber requires a bit more copywriting mastery, as well as expertise in public speaking . Unlike an informative business presentation, your goal here is to sway the audience’s opinions and prompt them towards the desired action. 

Examples of persuasive presentations:

  • Pitch deck/investor presentations
  • Sales presentation  
  • Business case presentation 
  • Free business proposal presentation
  • Business proposal PowerPoint template
  • Pitch deck PowerPoint template
  • Account Plan PowerPoint template

Supporting Business Presentation 

This category of business PowerPoint presentations is meant to facilitate decision-making — explain how we can get something done. The underlying purpose here is to communicate the general “action plan”. Then break down the necessary next steps for bringing it to life. 

Examples of supporting presentations:

  • Roadmap presentation
  • Project vision presentation 
  • After Action Review presentation 
  • Standard operating procedure (SOP) PowerPoint template 
  • Strategy map PowerPoint template 
  • After action review (ARR) PowerPoint template 

What Should Be Included in a Business Presentation?

Overall, the content of your business presentation will differ depending on its purpose and type. However, at the very minimum, all business presentations should include:

  • Introductory slide 
  • Agenda/purpose slide
  • Main information or Content slides
  • Key Takeaways slides
  • Call-to-action/next steps slides

We further distill business presentation design and writing best practices in the next section (plus, provide several actionable business PowerPoint presentation examples!). 

How to Make a Business Presentation: Actionable Tips

A business presentation consists of two parts — a slide deck and a verbal speech. In this section, we provide tips and strategies for nailing your deck design. 

1. Get Your Presentation Opening Right 

The first slides of your presentation make or break your success. Why? By failing to frame the narrative and set the scene for the audience from the very beginning, you will struggle to keep their interest throughout the presentation. 

You have several ways of how to start a business presentation:

  • Use a general informative opening — a summative slide, sharing the agenda and main points of the discussion. 
  • Go for a story opening — a more creative, personal opening, aimed at pulling the audience into your story. 
  • Try a dramatic opening — a less apparent and attention-grabbing opening technique, meant to pique the audience’s interest. 

Standard Informative Opening 

Most business presentation examples you see start with a general, informative slide such as an Agenda, Problem Statement, or Company Introduction. That’s the “classic” approach. 

To manage the audience’s expectations and prepare them for what’s coming next, you can open your presentation with one or two slides stating:

  • The topic of your presentation — a one-sentence overview is enough. 
  • Persuasive hook, suggesting what’s in it for the audience and why they should pay attention. 
  • Your authority — the best technique to establish your credibility in a business presentation is to share your qualifications and experience upfront to highlight why you are worth listening to. 

Opening best suited for: Formal business presentations such as annual reports and supporting presentations to your team/business stakeholders. 

Story Opening 

Did you ever notice that most TED talks start with a quick personal story? The benefit of this presenting technique is that it enables speakers to establish quick rapport and hold the listener’s attention. 

Here’s how Nancy Duarte, author of “Slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations” book and TED presenter, recommends opening a presentation: 

You know, here’s the status quo, here’s what’s going on. And then you need to compare that to what could be. You need to make that gap as big as possible, because there is this commonplace of the status quo, and you need to contrast that with the loftiness of your idea. 

Storytelling , like no other tool, helps transpose the audience into the right mindset and get concentrated on the subject you are about to discuss. A story also elicits emotions, which can be a powerful ally when giving persuasive presentations. In the article how to start a presentation , we explore this in more detail.

Opening best suited for: Personal and business pitches, sales presentations, other types of persuasive presentations. 

Dramatic Opening 

Another common technique is opening your presentation with a major statement, sometimes of controversial nature. This can be a shocking statistic, complex rhetoric question, or even a provocative, contrarian statement, challenging the audience’s beliefs. 

Using a dramatic opening helps secure the people’s attention and capture their interest. You can then use storytelling to further drill down your main ideas. 

If you are an experienced public speaker, you can also strengthen your speech with some unexpected actions. That’s what Bill Gates does when giving presentations. In a now-iconic 2009 TED talk about malaria, mid-presentation Gates suddenly reveals that he actually brought a bunch of mosquitoes with him. He cracks open a jar with non-malaria-infected critters to the audience’s surprise. His dramatic actions, paired with a passionate speech made a mighty impression. 

Opening best suited for: Marketing presentations, customer demos, training presentations, public speeches. 

Further reading: How to start a presentation: tips and examples. 

2. Get Your PowerPoint Design Right

Surely, using professional business PowerPoint templates already helps immensely with presentation deck design since you don’t need to fuss over slide layout, font selection, or iconography. 

Even so, you’ll still need to customize your template(s) to make them on brand and better suited to the presentation you’re about to deliver. Below are our best presentation design tips to give your deck an extra oomph. 

Use Images, Instead of Bullet Points 

If you have ever watched Steve Jobs’s presentations, you may have noticed that he never used bullet-point lists. Weird right? Because using bullet points is the most universal advice in presentation design. 

tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

But there’s a valid scientific reason why Jobs favored images over bullet-point texts. Researchers found that information delivered in visuals is better retained than words alone. This is called the “ pictorial superiority effect ”. As John Medina, a molecular biologist, further explains :

“Hear a piece of information, and three days later you’ll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you’ll remember 65%.”

So if your goal is to improve the memorability of your presentation, always replace texts with images and visualizations when it makes sense. 

Fewer Slides is Better

No matter the value, a long PowerPoint presentation becomes tiring at some point. People lose focus and stop retaining the information. Thus, always take some extra time to trim the fluff and consolidate some repetitive ideas within your presentation. 

For instance, at McKinsey new management consultants are trained to cut down the number of slides in client presentations. In fact, one senior partner insists on replacing every 20 slides with only two slides . Doing so prompts you to focus on the gist — the main business presentation ideas you need to communicate and drop filler statements. 

Here are several quick tips to shorten your slides:

  • Use a three-arc structure featuring a clear beginning (setup), main narrative (confrontation), ending (resolution). Drop the ideas that don’t fit into either of these. 
  • Write as you tweet. Create short, on-point text blurbs of under 156 symbols, similar to what you’d share on Twitter. 
  • Contextualize your numbers. Present any relevant statistics in a context, relevant to the listeners. Turn longer stats into data visualizations for easier cognition. 

Consistency is Key 

In a solid business presentation, each slide feels like part of the connecting story. To achieve such consistency apply the same visual style and retain the same underlying message throughout your entire presentation.

Use the same typography, color scheme, and visual styles across the deck. But when you need to accentuate a transition to a new topic (e.g. move from a setup to articulating the main ideas), add some new visual element to signify the slight change in the narrative. 

Further reading: 23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

3. Make Your Closure Memorable 

We best remember the information shared last. So make those business presentation takeaways stick in the audience’s memory. We have three strategies for that. 

Use the Rule of Three 

The Rule of Three is a literary concept, suggesting that we best remember and like ideas and concepts when they are presented in threes. 

Many famous authors and speakers use this technique:

  • “Duty – Honor – Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, and what you will be” . Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
  • “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” are the unalienable rights of all humans that governments are meant to protect.” Thomas Jefferson 

The Rule of Three works because three is the maximum number of items most people can remember on their first attempt. Likewise, such pairings create a short, familiar structure that is easy to remember for our brains. 

Try the Title Close Technique

Another popular presentation closing technique is “Title Close” — going back to the beginning of your narrative and reiterating your main idea (title) in a form of a takeaway. Doing so helps the audience better retain your core message since it’s repeated at least two times. Plus, it brings a sense of closure — a feel-good state our brains love. Also, a brief one-line closure is more memorable than a lengthy summary and thus better retained. 

Ask a Question 

If you want to keep the conversation going once you are done presenting, you can conclude your presentation with a general question you’d like the audience to answer.

Alternatively, you can also encourage the members to pose questions to you. The latter is better suited for informational presentations where you’d like to further discuss some of the matters and secure immediate feedback. 

Try adding an interactive element like a QR code closing your presentation with a QR code and having a clear CTA helps you leverage the power of sharing anything you would like to share with your clients. QR codes can be customized to look alike your brand. With the help of the best QR code generator , you can create a QR code that’s secure and trackable.

12 Business Presentation Examples and What Makes Them Great 

Now that we equipped you with the general knowledge on how to make a presentation for business, let’s take a look at how other presenters are coping with this job and what lessons you can take away from them. 

1. N26 Digital Bank Pitch Deck 

The Future of Banking by N26. An example of a Business Presentation with a nice cover image.

This is a fine business pitch presentation example, hitting all the best practices. The deck opens with a big shocking statement that most Millennials would rather go to the dentist than step into a bank branch. 

Then it proceeds to discuss the company’s solution to the above — a fully digital bank with a paperless account opening process, done in 8 minutes. After communicating the main product features and value proposition, the deck further conceptualizes what traction the product got so far using data visualizations. The only thing it lacks is a solid call-to-action for closing slides as the current ending feels a bit abrupt. 

2. WeWork Pitch Deck

Business Presentation Example by WeWork

For a Series D round, WeWork went with a more formal business presentation. It starts with laying down the general company information and then transitions to explaining their business model, current market conditions, and the company’s position on the market.

The good thing about this deck is that they quantify their business growth prospects and value proposition. The likely gains for investors are shown in concrete numbers. However, those charts go one after another in a row, so it gets a bit challenging to retain all data points. 

The last part of their presentation is focused on a new offering, “We Live”. It explains why the team seeks funds to bring it to life. Likewise, they back their reasoning with market size statistics, sample projects, and a five-year revenue forecast. 

3. Redfin Investor Presentation 

Redfin Investor Presentation for Business. A Technology-Powered Real Estate Company.

If you are looking for a “text-light” business presentation example, Redfin’s investor deck is up to your alley. This simple deck expertly uses iconography, charts, and graphs to break down the company’s business model, value proposition, market share, and competitive advantages over similar startups. For number-oriented investors, this is a great deck design to use. 

4. Google Ready Together Presentation 

This isn’t quite the standard business presentation example per se. But rather an innovative way to create engaging, interactive presentations of customer case studies .

Interactive Online Presentation example by Google, from Customer Insights.  Google Ready Together Presentation.

The short deck features a short video clip from a Google client, 7-11, explaining how they used the company’s marketing technology to digitally transform their operations and introduce a greater degree of marketing automation . The narrated video parts are interrupted by slides featuring catchy stats, contextualizing issues other businesses are facing. Then transitions to explaining through the words of 7-11 CMO, how Google’s technology is helping them overcome the stated shortcomings.

5. Salesforce Business Presentation Example 

This is a great example of an informational presentation, made by the Salesforce team to share their research on customer experience (CX) with prospects and existing customers.

Business Presentation Example by Service Salesforce on How to Know Your Customer. A look into the Future of Customer Experience.

The slide deck errs on the lengthier side with 58 slides total. But bigger topics are broken down and reinforced through bite-sized statistics and quotes from the company leadership. They are also packaging the main tips into memorable formulas, itemized lists, and tables. Overall, this deck is a great example of how you can build a compelling narrative using different statistics. 

6. Mastercard Business Presentation

This slide deck from Mastercard instantly captures the audience’s attention with unusual background images and major data points on the growth of populations, POS systems, and payment methods used in the upcoming decade.

Business Presentation by MasterCard on Technology and Payment solutions. The Unfinished Revolution.

Perhaps to offset the complexity of the subject, Mastercard chose to sprinkle in some humor in presentation texts and used comic-style visuals to supplement that. However, all their animations are made in a similar style, creating a good sense of continuity in design. They are also using colors to signify the transition from one part of the presentation to another. 

In the second part, the slide deck focuses on distilling the core message of what businesses need to do to remain competitive in the new payments landscape. The team presents what they have been working on to expand the payment ecosystem. Then concludes with a “title close” styled call-to-action, mirroring the presentation title.

7. McKinsey Diversity & Inclusion Presentation 

This fresh business slide deck from McKinsey is a great reference point for making persuasive business presentations on complex topics such as D&I. First, it recaps the main definitions of the discussed concepts — diversity, equity, and inclusion — to ensure alignment with the audience members. 

Business Presentation Example by McKinsey Company on Diversity Wins: How inclusion matters.

Next, the business presentation deck focuses on the severity and importance of the issue for businesses, represented through a series of graphs and charts. After articulating the “why”, the narrative switches to “how” — how leaders can benefit from investment in D&I. The main points are further backed with data and illustrated via examples. 

8. Accenture Presentation for the Energy Sector

Similar to McKinsey, Accenture keeps its slide deck on a short. Yet the team packs a punch within each slide through using a mix of fonts, graphical elements, and color for highlighting the core information. The presentation copy is on a longer side, prompting the audience to dwell on reading the slides. But perhaps this was meant by design as the presentation was also distributed online — via the company blog and social media. 

Business Presentation Example by Accenture on Accelerating Innovation in Energy.

The last several slides of the presentation deck focus on articulating the value Accenture can deliver for their clients in the Energy sector. They expertly break down their main value proposition and key service lines, plus quantify the benefits. 

9. Amazon Web Services (AWS) Technical Presentation 

Giving an engaging technical presentation isn’t an easy task. You have to balance the number of details you reveal on your slides to prevent overwhelm, while also making sure that you don’t leave out any crucial deets. This technical presentation from AWS does great in both departments. 

Business Presentation created by AWS explaining how to build forecasting using ML/DL algorithms.

First, you get entertained with a quick overview of Amazon’s progress in machine learning (ML) forecasting capabilities over the last decade. Then introduced to the main tech offering. The deck further explains what you need to get started with Amazon Forecast — e.g. dataset requirements, supported forecasting scenarios, available forecasting models, etc. 

The second half of the presentation provides a quick training snippet on configuring Amazon SageMaker to start your first project. The step-by-step instructions are coherent and well-organized, making the reader excited to test-drive the product. 

10. Snapchat Company Presentation

Snapchat’s business model presentation is on a funkier, more casual side, reflective of the company’s overall brand and positioning. After briefly recapping what they do, the slide deck switches to discussing the company’s financials and revenue streams.

tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

This business slide deck by Snap Inc. itself is rather simplistic and lacks fancy design elements. But it has a strong unified theme of showing the audience Snapchat’s position on the market and projected vector of business development. 

11. Visa Business Acquisition Presentation 

VISA Acquisition of Plaid Business presentation.

If you are working on a business plan or M&A presentation for stakeholders of your own, this example from Visa will be helpful. The presentation deck expertly breaks down the company’s rationale for purchasing Plaid and subsequent plans for integrating the startup into their business ecosystem. 

The business deck recaps why the Plaid acquisition is a solid strategic decision by highlighting the total addressable market they could dive into post-deal. Then it details Plaid’s competitive strengths. The slide deck then sums up all the monetary and indirect gains Visa could reap as an acquirer. 

12. Pinterest Earnings Report Presentation 

Pinterest Business Presentation Example with Annual Report

Annual reports and especially earnings presentations might not be the most exciting types of documents to work on, but they have immense strategic value. Hence, there’s little room for ambiguities or mistakes. 

In twelve slides, this business presentation from Pinterest clearly communicates the big picture of the company’s finance in 2021. All the key numbers are represented as featured quotes in the sidebar with diagrams further showcasing the earning and spending dynamics. Overall, the data is easy to interpret even for non-finance folks. 

To Conclude 

With these business presentation design tips, presentation templates , and examples, you can go from overwhelmed to confident about your next presentation design in a matter of hours. Focus on creating a rough draft first using a template. Then work on nailing your opening slide sequence and shortening the texts in the main part of your presentation when needed. Make sure that each slide serves a clear purpose and communicates important details. To make your business presentation deck more concise, remove anything that does not pertain to the topic. 

Finally, once you are done, share your business presentation with other team members to get their feedback and reiterate the final design.

tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

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Band 9 IELTS Preparation

IELTS General Training

A hub for IELTS GT test takers to help them reach their goal.

Test 6: Reading Passage # 2 – Tips for business presentation & Job in journalism

GT Reading Mock Test 6: Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 |

IELTS Reading Test 6: Passage # 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 5-27 , which are based on Reading Passages below.

Write answers to questions in boxes 15-27 on your answer sheet.

Read the text below and answer Questions 15-22 .

Tips for giving an effective business presentation

Preparation Get someone else to evaluate your performance and highlight your best skills. For example, go through your presentation in front of a colleague or relative. Think about who your audience is and what you want them to get out of the presentation. Think about content and style.

Go into the presentation room and try out any moves you may have to make, e.g. getting up from your chair and moving to the podium. Errors in the first 20 seconds can be very disorientating.

Familiarise yourself with the electronic equipment before the presentation and also have a backup plan in mind, should there be an unexpected problem like a power cut.

Dealing with presentation nervousness A certain amount of nervousness is vital for a good presentation. The added adrenaline will keep your faculties sharp and give your presentation skills extra force. This can, however, result in tension in the upper chest. Concentrate on your breathing. Slow it right down and this will relax you. Strangely, having something to pick up and put down tends to help you do this.

It may seem an odd idea, but we seem to fee! calmer when we engage in what’s referred to as a displacement activity, like clicking a pen or fiddling with jewellery. A limited amount of this will not be too obvious and can make you feel more secure at the start.

Interacting with your audience Think of your presentation as a conversation with your audience. They may not actually say anything, but make them feel consulted, questioned, challenged, then they will stay awake and attentive.

Engage with your present audience, not the one you have prepared for. Keep looking for reactions to your ideas and respond to them. If your audience doesn’t appear to be following you, find another way to get your ideas across. If you don’t interact, you might as well send a video recording of your presentation instead!

Structuring effective presentations Effective presentations are full of examples. These help your listeners to see more clearly what you mean. It’s quicker and more colourful. Stick to the point using three or four main ideas. For any subsidiary information that you cannot present in 20 minutes, try another medium, such as handouts.

End as if your presentation has gone well. Do this even if you feel you’ve presented badly. And anyway a good finish will get you some applause – and you deserve it!

Questions 15-22 Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 15-22 on your answer sheet.

15. Practising your presentation on a ………………….. or a family member is helpful. 16. Be prepared for a problem such as a ………………….. . 17. One way to overcome pre-presentation nerves is to make your ………………….. less rapid. 18. It is acceptable to do something called a ………………….. at the start of the presentation to reassure you. 19. Your presentation should be like a ………………….. with the people who have come to hear you. 20. Check constantly for ………………….. to the points you are making. 21. Make sure you use plenty of ………………….. to communicate your message effectively. 22. To keep the presentation short, use things like ………………….. to provide extra details.

Read the text below and answer Questions 23-27.

How to get a job in journalism

You can get a good qualification in journalism, but what employers actually want is practical, rather than theoretical, knowledge. There’s no substitute for creating real stories that have to be handed in by strict deadlines. So write for your school magazine, then maybe try your hand at editing. Once you’ve done that for a while, start requesting internships in newspapers in the area. These are generally short-term and unpaid, but they’re definitely worthwhile, since, instead of providing you with money, they’ll teach you the skills that every twenty-first-century journalist has to have, like laying out articles, creating web pages, taking good digital pictures and so on.

Most reporters keep a copy of every story they’ve had published, from secondary school onwards. They’re called cuttings, and you need them to get a job — indeed a few impressive ones can be the deciding factor in whether you’re appointed or not. So start creating a portfolio now that will show off your developing talent.

It seems obvious – research is an important part of an effective job hunt. But it’s surprising how many would-be journalists do little or none. If you’re thorough, it can help you decide whether the job you’re thinking about applying for is right for you. And nothing impresses an editor more than an applicant who knows a lot about the paper.

There are two more elements to an application – your covering letter and curriculum vitae. However, your CV is the thing that will attract an editor’s attention first, so get it right. The key words are brevity, (no more than one page) accuracy (absolutely no spelling or typing errors) and clarity (it should be easy to follow).

In journalism, good writing skills are essential, so it’s critical that the style of your letter is appropriate. And, make sure it conveys your love of journalism and your eagerness to do the work.

Questions 23-27 Complete the flow-chart below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 23-27 on your answer sheet.

Getting a job in journalism

Flowchart- Getting a job in journalism

Tips for giving an effective business presentation & How to get a job in journalism: Reading Answers

15. colleague 16. power cut 17. breathing 18. displacement activity 19. conversation 20. reactions 21. examples 22. handouts 23. internships 24. skills 25. cuttings 26. research 27. errors

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tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

15 Expert Tips for giving a Powerful Business Presentation

Expert tips for giving a powerful business presentation.

A powerful business presentation is more than just a series of aesthetically pleasing slides. Your first impression is crucial when seeking investment, approval, or sales. Differentiate yourself from the competition by delivering a memorable and powerful business presentation.

Goal of a business presentation

When giving a business presentation, the ultimate goal is to leave a lasting impression on your audience. You want to capture their attention and pique their interest in your work, to the point where they are eager to engage with you and potentially collaborate in the future. In short, the aim of a business presentation is to be memorable and impactful.

Public Speaking Challenges

For some, presenting in front of even a small group can be daunting, and it can be even more challenging when it’s a room full of essential business stakeholders, like investors or your boss. Public speaking can be quite nerve-wracking, especially if you’re not used to it. If that sounds like you, don’t worry.

We have a way to help you relax and feel more confident. Public speaking is an opportunity to share your ideas and connect with others. Embrace the challenge and enjoy the experience. Delivering a good presentation leaves a lasting impression on your target audience.

5 P’s of powerful business presentation

A well-crafted PowerPoint presentation slides can make the difference between a successful presentation and a forgettable one. Slide Show is presenting a business meeting or academic setting, utilizing PowerPoint slides effectively can greatly enhance the content delivery.

PPT slides, are a crucial component with the use of graphics, text, and multimedia, they provide a clear and concise way to convey complex information. Each PowerPoint slide should be carefully designed and strategically placed within a slide show to maintain the flow and impact of the presentation.

To deliver a powerful presentation, it’s important to follow the 5 P’s:

  • Preparation
  • Performance

These steps will help you create a well-organized and engaging presentation that will captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression.

Presentation Topic is vital

For the planning of a powerful business presentation, it is key to consider choosing the right presentation topic. A PowerPoint presentation topic should have concise information, and a clear structure. From business proposals to educational lectures, the possibilities for good presentation topics are endless.

Presentation topics need to be aligned with the purpose and objectives of the presentation. PPT presentation topics that goes inline with the expectation of the audience, will be received well than to the randomly selected topics.

PowerPoint template saves time

A PowerPoint template is a pre-designed set of slides that can be used as a foundation for creating presentations. The PPT templates can save time and effort for professionals who frequently create presentations. A Power Point presentation template is a customizable tool that allows users to personalize their slides with their own content.

A presentation ppt template and ppt slides template provide users with a range of design options to enhance their presentations. These templates are essential for creating professional and impactful presentations in various industries and settings.

PowerPoint presentation templates are essential tools for creating visually appealing and professional presentations. With the use of PowerPoint slides templates, individuals can easily customize their presentations to fit their specific needs and style. PPT slide templates provide a consistent look and feel to a presentation and can help enhance the overall visual impact. and using these templates can save time and effort while creating a polished and effective presentation.

A slide presentation template is a pre-designed layout that serves as a framework for creating organized design layouts. A slide template refers to a single slide within a presentation that follows a consistent design and formatting. A presentation template is a comprehensive package that consists of multiple slide templates, offering a cohesive and consistent design for the entire presentation.

Google Slides templates or Google Slides presentation templates is pre-designed layouts that can be used on the Google Slides platform. PPT template or PowerPoint template provide users with a customized design options and layouts in PowerPoint.

5 keys to a Pitch perfect business presentation

A PowerPoint presentation is a powerful tool to effectively engage your audience. With the use of a template presentation, presenters can easily create structured and consistent design layouts. The presentation ppt format offers a user-friendly interface, making it easy to navigate and customize slides.

A template PowerPoint presentation offers a consistent theme and design. With the right theme PowerPoint presentation can leave a lasting impression on the audience. Templates for Power Point are an essential tool for creating visually appealing and professional presentations. Google Power Point, a cloud-based presentation software, offers a convenient and user-friendly platform for creating and collaborating on presentations. Design Power Point, a feature within the software, allows for further customization and creativity, making presentations stand out and leave a lasting impression on audiences.

Make ppt is a skill that requires attention to detail, organization, and effective use of multimedia.

To deliver a pitch perfect presentation, there are five key elements to keep in mind.

  • Know your audience and tailor your message to their interests and needs.
  • Know your material inside and out, so you can speak confidently and answer any questions that may arise.
  • Make your presentation a conversation rather than a lecture, engaging your audience and encouraging participation.
  • Be prepared to adjust your approach if necessary, based on feedback or unexpected developments.
  • Show empathy towards your audience, understanding their perspective and demonstrating that you value their time and attention.

3 elements of strong business presentation skills

When it comes to delivering a strong business presentation, there are three essential elements to keep in mind:

  • Organization

First and foremost, your content needs to be engaging and relevant to your audience in order to capture their attention from the get-go. Additionally, it’s important to organize your presentation in a clear and logical manner, so that your audience can easily follow along with your message. Finally, your delivery should be confident and polished, with strong body language and vocal projection to keep your audience engaged throughout the presentation.

4 essential keys to success – for a business presentation

When it comes to delivering a successful business presentation, there are four essential keys to keep in mind.

  • Content should be clear, concise, and relevant to your audience.
  • Understanding your audience and tailoring your presentation to their needs and interests is crucial.
  • A well-structured presentation with a clear beginning, middle, and end will help your audience follow along and retain information.
  • Consistency in your delivery and messaging will help reinforce your key points and leave a lasting impression.

PPT presentation user-friendly interface and various features, it allows presenters to create visually appealing slides that effectively convey their message. A well-thought-out theme for a PowerPoint presentation can enhance the overall aesthetic and help tie the content together. Additionally, using a template for a PowerPoint presentation can save time and effort while maintaining a consistent and professional look throughout the slides. When creating a PowerPoint presentation, it is important to carefully consider the theme and utilize a suitable template to ensure a polished and impactful presentation.

3 V in business presentation

The ppt format, short for PowerPoint Presentation, is the most commonly used format for creating and sharing presentations. The PowerPoint format offers a wide range of design options to creatively visualize your content ideas. A presentation PowerPoint example consists a series of slides that contain text, images, and other multimedia elements to effectively convey the key messaging. By utilizing a PowerPoint example, presenters can create easy to follow and appealing slides.

When it comes to delivering a successful business presentation, there are three key elements to keep in mind:

  • Visual aspect
  • Vocal delivery
  • Verbal content

These three components, known as the 3 V’s, are crucial in creating a powerful and effective business presentation that will leave a lasting impression on your audience. By mastering these skills, you can ensure that your message is conveyed clearly and confidently, and that your business presentation is a success.

4 piece of business presentation skills

To deliver a successful business presentation, it’s important to master the four P’s of oral delivery:

These skills will help you to effectively engage your audience and deliver your message with confidence and clarity. By projecting your voice, controlling your pace, varying your pitch, and strategically using pauses, you can capture and maintain your audience’s attention and leave a lasting impression.

It is crucial to carefully design your PPT slides or PowerPoint slides to ensure they effectively communicate your main points and captivate your audience’s attention. A theme for slides together and make them visually appealing to your audience. Utilizing the various features and tools available in PowerPoint, such as animations and transitions, can make your PowerPoint presentation slides more engaging and dynamic.

Key stages in planning a business presentation

When planning a presentation, there are seven key stages to consider. The first stage is preparation, where you must take into account various factors that will impact the design of your presentation. Next, you should choose your main points and supporting information, followed by establishing linking statements to connect your ideas. Developing an engaging opening and a strong conclusion are also crucial steps. Finally, it’s important to review your presentation to ensure it flows well and effectively conveys your message.

Choosing the right presentation themes can help in creating a unified look and feel. Google Slides presentation themes are an essential tool for creating visually appealing presentations. The slide show feature allows for a seamless delivery of information, with smooth transitions and animations.

PPT theme option offers a wide range of design templates, making it easier to create a cohesive and polished presentation. PowerPoint presentation layouts serve as the framework for organizing and delivering information in a clear and visually appealing manner. A PowerPoint presentation theme play a significant role in enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of a presentation.

Key aspects to consider when preparing for a business presentation

First, consider the purpose of the presentation and what you hope to achieve. Next, think about your audience and tailor your content to their interests and needs. The subject matter should be well-researched and organized in a clear and concise manner. Additionally, consider the venue and time of day, as well as the length of your talk, to ensure that you engage your audience and keep their attention throughout the presentation.

Business presentations are designed in PowerPoint and as well in Google Slides. One of a presentation PowerPoint example is a well-designed and visually appealing slide deck that captures the attention of viewers and helps them understand the key points being presented. PowerPoint examples can range from simple and minimalist designs to more complex and interactive ones, depending on the purpose and audience of the presentation. A presentation PPT example showcases the use of various features such as charts, graphs, animations, and multimedia to make the presentation engaging and informative.

12 Important elements of a successful business presentation

To deliver a successful presentation, it’s important to keep in mind these 12 key elements:

  • Thorough preparation
  • Rehearsed material
  • Effective hook to grab your audience’s attention
  • A clear objective and agenda
  • Story-like structure to keep your audience engaged
  • Audience engagement techniques
  • Effective delivery
  • Multimedia tools to enhance your message
  • Contact information for follow-up
  • A call to action to inspire action
  • Comfortable setting for your audience
  • Question-and-answer session to address any lingering concerns

By incorporating these elements into your presentation, you can ensure that your message is heard loud and clear.

Important part of a business presentation – The Introduction

When it comes to delivering a successful presentation, the introduction is key. It’s the first impression you make on your audience and sets the tone for the rest of your talk. In fact, studies show that you only have about 15 seconds to capture your audience’s attention, so it’s crucial to make those first few moments count. By crafting a strong and engaging introduction, you can hook your audience and keep them engaged throughout your presentation.

5 second rule in presentations

In the world of presentations, designers understand the importance of capturing their audience’s attention within the first few seconds. This is known as the “5 second rule,” where the presenter has a brief window to engage their viewers before they lose interest and move on. Designers recognize that failing to capture their audience’s attention early on can result in a failed communication.

The 7 rule for business presentation design

When it comes to creating a presentation, the 7 rule is a helpful guideline to keep in mind. This rule suggests that each slide should have no more than 7 lines, with each line containing no more than 7 words. By following this rule, you can ensure that your presentation is easy to read and engaging for your audience. It’s particularly useful for presentations with a lot of content, as it helps to keep things organized and focused.

Important aspects of a business presentation

When giving a business presentation, it’s important to remember that it’s not just about delivering information, but also about building a connection with your audience. This means focusing on communication, interaction, and creating a positive brand image. By doing so, you not only convey your message effectively, but also establish relationships and connections that can lead to future success.

Importance of business presentation skills

Business presentation skills are crucial for success in the workplace. Effective communication and the ability to present ideas clearly and persuasively can help you win clients, secure funding, and advance your career. Good presentation skills can also help you build confidence and credibility, and make a lasting impression on your audience.

Crafting a powerful business presentation – 15 expert tips

A powerful business presentation is a carefully crafted and well-delivered summary of key information about your company’s plans, products, or practices. Whether you’re presenting to internal stakeholders or external audiences, the goal is to clearly communicate your message and inspire action. Be it project proposals, HR policy presentations, investor briefings, or a C-Level Presentation , there are many different types of presentations that require different approaches and strategies to be effective.

In this post, you’ll find 15 expert tips to help you deliver an unforgettable business presentation.

1. Be well-versed with your content

Before convincing anyone else, you must be completely sold on your idea or product. You must know the points you are making inside and out to be successful. It is essential to have persuasive presentation skills.  Your presentation ideas aligned with your presentation topic, keep your audience motivated. There are two primary factors that contribute to boring presentations: an overabundance of text on slides, and a lack of visuals and videos.

2. Be positive and vibrant

Vibes matter–believe me.  Your audience doesn’t want to hear you drone on about a subject you don’t care about. If you’re tired and bored of your presentation slides, they probably feel the same way. Anyone listening to you should be able to tell you how passionate you are about the subject.

Amy Cuddy, a professor at Harvard, studies how body language can communicate power. Before her successful TED talk, she took some time to do some power poses. This got her into the right mindset of feeling powerful and passionate.

It’s also important that you properly energize yourself before a business presentation. Do some warm-up exercises, like stretching, to get your body and mind ready. You can also do other things to get yourself focused and energized. Reading inspirational quotes or listening to music can help. Ensure you stay hydrated by drinking enough water and keeping a water bottle with you during your slide presentation.

3. Arrive early and check for everything in order

Arriving at your venue less than an hour before your presentation can disrupt your entire presentation. Make sure to come at least an hour in advance to set up any equipment you may need, such as a projector, laptop, or speakers. This will help you familiarize yourself with the space and ensure a smooth presentation.

If the venue already has all the necessary equipment, ensure that everything is compatible and functioning correctly. Transfer any relevant files from your USB drive or download them from your email or cloud account.

4. Self-Confidence is the key

First impressions are important, so make sure you are sending the right message with your appearance.

Choose clothing that is professional and appropriate for the occasion. Avoid anything too flashy or revealing. As for your demeanor, be confident and enthusiastic without being overly aggressive. Smile and make eye contact with your audience. Speak clearly and at a moderate pace. These simple tips will help you make a positive impression and deliver a successful presentation.

Your stage presence will also be affected by your personality. Adopt your natural position. If you’re comfortable standing, don’t stride across the stage. If your voice is gentle, there is no need to yell; get a microphone. Keep your relaxed demeanor and bring out the best you. Practicing your presentation skills will make you feel more confident.

5. Start off strong

Audiences today have shorter attention spans and expect to be entertained. To set the tone for the rest of your slide presentation, start your powerful business presentation with a strong beginning. You could begin by shocking your audience with a statistic or quote that immediately catches their attention.

Put them at ease by calmly reassuring them that you understand their concerns and explain why the research backs up your claims. Reassure them by saying something like, “I know you may be wondering…,” or “That fact may seem shocking, but research backs it up because…”

An effective way to engage your audience is to use an exciting image, video, or personal story. Remember that first impressions are key, so conveying that your presentation will be worthwhile is crucial. This way, you’ll avoid coming across as simply delivering a lecture.

6. Set clear objectives and inspire the audience

At the outset of your presentation, lay out the goals you hope to meet during your stage. This tells the audience why they should listen to you and what they stand to gain from paying attention. The goals being met are meaningful for both you and your audience.

As you fulfill the objectives of your presentation, your audience will be more likely to stay tuned in. This, in turn, will make them more likely to consider your talk a success. Remembering crucial points from your powerful business presentation will also help your audience gauge its success.

A professional PowerPoint template can make your powerful business presentation more polished and credible. It can also save you time by providing a pre-designed structure for your slides. A PowerPoint slide with professional designs attracts the audiences attention.

7. Storytelling engages your audience

A story can be about anything, from a personal experience to the history of a brand or consumers’ experiences. There are always personal stories that can be shared to help connect with the audience. Share your story of how you got to where you are today and what has led you to believe in your business.

By highlighting the problems (the villain) and how your product, business or idea (the hero) will lead your audience closer to a solution, you can work in a similar way. Telling stories can make your business seem like part of a grand narrative your audience wants to become a part of, which can be beneficial.

Steve Jobs was an excellent corporate storyteller who excelled at every Apple product launch presentation. Steve Jobs reframed his company’s innovations in terms of stories of revolution. The Macintosh “changed the whole computer industry,” and the iPod “changed the whole music industry”. These stories of change brought the product, the consumer, and the exciting time they were living together.

8. Interact with your audience

A powerful business presentation can become quickly dull and sleep-inducing if you talk “at” your audience instead of engaging them in a discussion. Be it a sales presentation, customer service or board meeting, it is vital to improve the audience interaction. Ask your audience questions, take their feedback, and connect with them through anecdotes. Interacting with your audience during your powerful business presentation will help keep them engaged and prevent them from becoming bored or disinterested.

9. Use visual aids

PowerPoint design involves the strategic use of visual elements such as images, fonts, and layouts to enhance the overall message and make it more compelling. A successful PPT design should not only be aesthetically pleasing but also support the key points and message of the presentation. With attention to detail and creativity.

Don’t read through the presentation material, as this will distract the audience and bore them. Pictures , videos, and art are also great mediums to get your points across and intrigue the audience member. Visual flowcharts can help summarize complex topics. If you’re displaying bullet points, be sure they’re visible and concise. No one wants to see lengthy paragraphs while you’re speaking at the same time. A quote or two is perfectly fine, but don’t go overboard.

If you’re looking to spruce up your next social media post or design a professional-looking document, look no further than Canva . This user-friendly graphic design tool has everything you need to get the job done, no design experience required.

Google Slide is a presentation program developed by Google. It allows users to create and edit presentations online while collaborating with others in real time. Google Slide is similar to Microsoft PowerPoint and Apple Keynote , but it is free to use and offers more features.

10. Business Friendly Humor

It can be pretty relaxing to listen to a speaker who can make you laugh during long presentations. If the speaker talks in a serious tone the entire time, it can seem like they are droning on. Maintaining a friendly and conversational tone in your writing is important to retain your audience attention.

Light jokes can also help to keep your reader engaged. It is advisable only to use humor if you are skilled at it. Otherwise, avoid using humor as it will likely not have the desired effect.

11. Use a startling fact or statistic

Occasionally, do something unexpected to capture your audience’s attention and keep them engaged. Fact and statistics can challenge people’s existing beliefs and help to solidify your argument. Try to use a few throughout your presentation to reinforce your points.  The key point in each slide needs to be put in a presentable manner.

12. 10-20-30 rule revisited

Venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki came up with this handy presentation rule in 2005: the 10/20/30 rule. This rule suggests that a PowerPoint presentation should have ten slides, last no longer than 20 minutes, and use a font size of no less than 30 points.

Here’s an infographic that sums it up:

Powerful Business Presentation - Kawasaki 10-20-30 Rule For Presentation

Powerful Business Presentation – Kawasaki 10-20-30 Rule For Presentation

Kawasaki observed many poor and repetitive presentations and derived a rule to ensure presentations are interesting. 10 slides are enough for a presenter to summarize their argument without overwhelming the audience. Any more information and they are likely to lose focus and become disengaged.

Kawasaki states that the average person can pay attention for 20 minutes before losing focus. He believes that the last 40 minutes of a presentation would be used for questions and answers in an ideal world. A font size of 30 points is ideal for presentations, as it is large enough to be easily readable from the back of the room while still allowing the presenter to keep the amount of text on the screen to a minimum.

13. Create a lasting impression

Maintaining eye contact with your audience/attendees conveys that you respect their time and are grateful for their attendance, as well as reinforcing the confidence of your message. When you make eye contact with audience members, smile at them! If you’re feeling nervous, find five or six friendly faces in the crowd and keep coming back to them for support.

14. Prepare to be asked tough questions

Make sure you’re prepared for the Q&A session! Your answers can make or break your powerful business presentation. A good presenter knows the material thoroughly and is ready to face difficult questions. Ending your presentation in awkward silence can make it challenging to build trust with your audience. Be sure to ask questions and use language demonstrating your understanding of their concerns.

15. Finish on a high note

When concluding your presentation, it is essential to leave a lasting and positive impression on your audience. You can do this by ending with a memorable personal story or quotation. Another way to achieve this is to remind the audience of the goals you set out to achieve and quickly summarize the main points of your presentation. This will instill confidence in your listeners and leave them satisfied and optimistic.

Wrapping it up

To give a powerful business presentation, you must engage your audience and demonstrate the value of your ideas. This requires passion and commitment on your part. You can deliver an effective presentation by connecting with your audience and showing them the worth of your thoughts. This list of professional tips can help you take small steps that can lead to significant changes in giving a professional business presentation.

Why businesses make use of templates?

PowerPoint slides templates offer a professional and efficient way to create design layouts aligned to branding. With the best PowerPoint template, slide design becomes effortless and allows for a smooth and engaging flow of information.

Be it a Pitch Deck, Keynote Presentation, Board Meeting presentation, a customized slide template with required design layouts often used for consistency and branding. A Google Slides presentation template offers varied design layouts that can be shared online as G-Slides.

The PPT presentation templates offer a wide range of design options and customizable features to suit different presentation styles and topics. These presentation templates are designed to make the process of creating a presentation effortless and efficient. Additionally, the availability of free power point presentation templates allows for easy access to professional designs without any cost, making it a valuable resource for professionals and students alike.

With a structured slide presentation template, your content ideas gets a unique flair of creativity and professionalism. PowerPoint presentation design templates provide a wide range of design options to choose from, making it easy to create a professional and polished presentation.

Why presentation designs can make or break your deal?

PowerPoint design can make a significant impact on the audience and reinforce the message being delivered. PPT design involves carefully selecting appropriate colors, fonts, and graphic elements to enhance the overall presentation. Each PPT slide design should follow a cohesive visual theme. With a well-executed PowerPoint presentation slide design , one can easily attract and captivate the audience attention.

A PPT template design significantly improves design layouts that can be used for future presentations. Our PowerPoint template design are carefully crafted to incorporate your brand elements, while maintaining a sleek and modern aesthetic.

Make Your Powerful Business Presentation a Success

Are you looking to create a powerful business presentation slide? Our presentation design team can help you build a slide deck quickly and easily, bringing a professional look and feel. We also meticulously work on your varied business report designs to perfection.

What are the most challenging aspects of giving professional business presentations? Please share your thoughts, questions, and feedback in the comments section below.

1. What makes a great business presentation?

A great business presentation should have a clear and concise message, be well-organized and visually appealing, engage the audience with storytelling and interactive elements, and leave a lasting impression with a strong call to action. It should also be tailored to the specific audience and their needs and interests.

2. What are the 5 P’s of powerful presentation?

The 5 P’s of powerful presentations are: Purpose, Preparation, Practice, Performance, and PowerPoint (or visual aids). These elements work together to create a compelling and effective presentation that engages and informs your audience.

3. What are 7 elements of powerful presentation?

The 7 elements of a powerful presentation are: clear and concise message, engaging opening, strong visuals, effective storytelling, audience interaction, confident delivery, and memorable closing. By incorporating these elements, you can create a presentation that is both impactful and memorable.

4. What is the 10 20 30 rule?

The 10-20-30 rule of PowerPoint is a guideline for creating effective presentations. It suggests that a presentation should have no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes, and use a font size of at least 30 points. This rule is designed to keep presentations concise, engaging, and easy to follow.

5. What are 3 keys to a successful presentation and why?

The fundamental components of a successful presentation are Audience, Preparation, and Practice. These three elements, which I refer to as the “Three Magic Keys,” hold the key to transforming a dull, bullet-point-filled presentation into a polished and engaging performance. Focusing your efforts on these critical aspects will elevate your delivery and captivate your audience.

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How can you make a good presentation even more effective?

This page draws on published advice from expert presenters around the world, which will help to take your presentations from merely ‘good’ to ‘great’.

By bringing together advice from a wide range of people, the aim is to cover a whole range of areas.

Whether you are an experienced presenter, or just starting out, there should be ideas here to help you to improve.

1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience

It’s hard to be relaxed and be yourself when you’re nervous.

But time and again, the great presenters say that the most important thing is to connect with your audience, and the best way to do that is to let your passion for the subject shine through.

Be honest with the audience about what is important to you and why it matters.

Be enthusiastic and honest, and the audience will respond.

2. Focus on your Audience’s Needs

Your presentation needs to be built around what your audience is going to get out of the presentation.

As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can tell them.

While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to remain focused on your audience’s response, and react to that.

You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and respond.

3. Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message

When planning your presentation, you should always keep in mind the question:

What is the key message (or three key points) for my audience to take away?

You should be able to communicate that key message very briefly.

Some experts recommend a 30-second ‘elevator summary’, others that you can write it on the back of a business card, or say it in no more than 15 words.

Whichever rule you choose, the important thing is to keep your core message focused and brief.

And if what you are planning to say doesn’t contribute to that core message, don’t say it.

4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience

This sounds very easy, but a surprisingly large number of presenters fail to do it.

If you smile and make eye contact, you are building rapport , which helps the audience to connect with you and your subject. It also helps you to feel less nervous, because you are talking to individuals, not to a great mass of unknown people.

To help you with this, make sure that you don’t turn down all the lights so that only the slide screen is visible. Your audience needs to see you as well as your slides.

5. Start Strongly

The beginning of your presentation is crucial. You need to grab your audience’s attention and hold it.

They will give you a few minutes’ grace in which to entertain them, before they start to switch off if you’re dull. So don’t waste that on explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.

Try a story (see tip 7 below), or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide.

6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

This is a tip from Guy Kawasaki of Apple. He suggests that slideshows should:

  • Contain no more than 10 slides;
  • Last no more than 20 minutes; and
  • Use a font size of no less than 30 point.

This last is particularly important as it stops you trying to put too much information on any one slide. This whole approach avoids the dreaded ‘Death by PowerPoint’.

As a general rule, slides should be the sideshow to you, the presenter. A good set of slides should be no use without the presenter, and they should definitely contain less, rather than more, information, expressed simply.

If you need to provide more information, create a bespoke handout and give it out after your presentation.

7. Tell Stories

Human beings are programmed to respond to stories.

Stories help us to pay attention, and also to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. It is a good idea to start with a story, but there is a wider point too: you need your presentation to act like a story.

Think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation to tell it.

Finding The Story Behind Your Presentation

To effectively tell a story, focus on using at least one of the two most basic storytelling mechanics in your presentation:

Focusing On Characters – People have stories; things, data, and objects do not. So ask yourself “who” is directly involved in your topic that you can use as the focal point of your story.

For example, instead of talking about cars (your company’s products), you could focus on specific characters like:

  • The drivers the car is intended for – people looking for speed and adventure
  • The engineers who went out of their way to design the most cost-effective car imaginable

A Changing Dynamic – A story needs something to change along the way. So ask yourself “What is not as it should be?” and answer with what you are going to do about it (or what you did about it).

For example…

  • Did hazardous road conditions inspire you to build a rugged, all-terrain jeep that any family could afford?
  • Did a complicated and confusing food labelling system lead you to establish a colour-coded nutritional index so that anybody could easily understand it?

To see 15 more actionable storytelling tips, see Nuts & Bolts Speed Training’s post on Storytelling Tips .

8. Use your Voice Effectively

The spoken word is actually a pretty inefficient means of communication, because it uses only one of your audience’s five senses. That’s why presenters tend to use visual aids, too. But you can help to make the spoken word better by using your voice effectively.

Varying the speed at which you talk, and emphasising changes in pitch and tone all help to make your voice more interesting and hold your audience’s attention.

For more about this, see our page on Effective Speaking .

9. Use your Body Too

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of communication is non-verbal.

That means that as well as your tone of voice, your body language is crucial to getting your message across. Make sure that you are giving the right messages: body language to avoid includes crossed arms, hands held behind your back or in your pockets, and pacing the stage.

Make your gestures open and confident, and move naturally around the stage, and among the audience too, if possible.

10. Relax, Breathe and Enjoy

If you find presenting difficult, it can be hard to be calm and relaxed about doing it.

One option is to start by concentrating on your breathing. Slow it down, and make sure that you’re breathing fully. Make sure that you continue to pause for breath occasionally during your presentation too.

For more ideas, see our page on Coping with Presentation Nerves .

If you can bring yourself to relax, you will almost certainly present better. If you can actually start to enjoy yourself, your audience will respond to that, and engage better. Your presentations will improve exponentially, and so will your confidence. It’s well worth a try.

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Follow our guide to boost your presentation skills learning about preparation, delivery, questions and all other aspects of giving effective presentations.

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Continue to: How to Give a Speech Self Presentation

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13 Tips for a Powerful Business Presentation

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Featured image for “13 Tips for a Powerful Business Presentation”

If you are an entrepreneur, a business owner or a marketer you definitely held or will deliver a business presentation. May it be to your employees, your senior managers or to venture capitalists, your presentation must be the support of your ideas.

As scary as it sounds for some of us, preparing a powerful business presentation can differentiate you from the other speakers that your audience has already seen.

From the business presentations that we encountered and designed we recommend following these 13 tips:

When dressing for a presentation, it’s important to wear something you’re comfortable in, and something that makes you feel confident.

Lauren McGoodwin, founder and CEO of Career Contessa

1. Tell the story of your business

Storytelling is a very powerful tool these days. It is so much easier for your audience to follow a story and relate to something real that has happened to you. There is a high chance that they have had the same problems as you or went through similar hard times.

Tell your audience how you got here and what makes you believe in your business.

2. Be enthusiastic

The level of energy in the room depends on you. If you come to deliver the presentation and you are bored or tired, so will your audience be. 

Are you passionate about the subject you are presenting? Then use this passion when presenting, people are going to listen to you with more interest.  

Get energised before the presentation with some music or with inspirational quotes, do some easy exercises or vocal preparation. This way you will catch their attention from the beginning.

3. Establish your credibility

It’s not a moment to just present your career, but it’s a moment to show that what you say is credible and that you are entitled to be there and give out those informations. You can do this by sharing an experience, or reveal the work that you put in getting to the informations you have now.

This is an important point when you hold a presentation in front of your managers or to venture capitalist. They will immediately know if you have a solid background in the domain. 

tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

4. Know your presentation

Even if you created it yourself or you were helped by a designer or agency, you must go through the presentations at least 10 times before going in front of your audience. The presentation is just a visual support of what you are saying, not otherwise.

Public speaking experts advocate for the 10:1 ratio rule where you practice 10x the amount of time you would be presenting (so for a 1-hour workshop, you should practice 10 hours). This is ratio was adapted from the 18th century American philosopher, Wayne Burgraff, who is credited of saying: “It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time.”

Review your information before the presentation and think of all the questions that you can receive. Make sure you can back up any number or statistic that you might show, as investors will often tear into any kind of projection.

5. Make an analog plan

Visualize how you want your presentation to go, create a map of the presentation. People nowadays are always on a device, laptop, phone or tablet and keep losing the focus of the bigger picture. The best way to start planning your presentation is grabbing a pen and paper and writing down exactly what you want to happen. Tools like notepad, pencil, sticky notes and flash card help you build an outline that you follow after in designing the presentation.

Draw the map, where do you start, where are the stops on the way and where do you want to get the audience. Make sure you have a logical flow of presentation.

Build your arguments around the stopping points, they are the key takeaways of your presentation. This way you will know how long the presentation is going to and how to prepare for it.

6. Speak naturally 

This is a business presentation and you should use adequate business language and technical terms, but this should also come to you naturally. If some terms don’t sound right for you should not use them

Think of the goals as hooks for your audience, what is that will attract their interest to follow you through the entire presentation.

The goal is to communicate clearly with your audience.

7. Share your goals for the presentation

Everybody loves achieving goals. Keep your audience attention by setting a few specific goals at the beginning of your presentation that you can achieve during it. The goals are also reminders of your main points. 

This will set a sense of effective communication that will after transfer to your way of working. 

8. Connect with your audience

There are more ways through which you can connect with your audience. You can do this by talking from a collective point of view, it is a high chance that your audience were in a similar situation.

I know that we all went through this

Another way to keep your audience from any distraction is to ask a startling question, to which you will answer next with your presentation. Or you can engage them with a simple raise of hands if they agree or not with some points of your presentation.

9. Express your ideas visually

A business presentation is longer than most of the presentation, and if all your slides are covered in text, nobody is going to remember it. Impactful images and relevant graphics are easier to follow and don’t distract your audience from what you are saying. 

Find creative ways to express your idea with images, videos, art or just a blank slide. With or without presentation skills, this is the best way to get your message across the room.

A lot of speakers use photography to illustrate their ideas. So when everyone uses great photos, how can you make yours stand out and have an impact on your audience? I recommend choosing photos that all use a similar style, subject, or other theme in common.

Jonathon Colman, senior design manager for Intercom 

10. Separate your ideas with transition slides

For more impact introduce your next idea with a transition slide. The transition can be either an image or a powerful quotation to evoque the topic. It will also break your presentation in more chapters, making your audience focus on your points one at a time. 

tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

11. Personalise your presentation template

How important is the presentation? Do you want to show that you care about the topic? Go to your marketing department or ask a designer to help you tailor a design for your presentation. The right design is like the right pair of shoes.

If you want to go with an existing template look for one that matches the presentation topic. Put some effort into changing the colors to your brand colors.

tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

12. Ask for feedback before the presentation

Working too much or too hard on a presentation can get you so involved that you won’t be able to see the bigger picture. It will make sense to you, but ask for an outsider opinion to see if they can also understand what you present.

Since you already know everything that is in the presentation, let somebody else take a look to check for mistakes or for misplaced words, images, numbers.

13. End your presentation with Next steps

When you finish the presentation the audience is still processing all the information that you just gave. Help them figure out what to do with all of these with the next steps you can make together. 

End with a strong call to action and invite them to talk personally about it. 

tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

It is a challenge to prepare all of this on your own. Business presentations are complex and need time for preparing. We know it and we can help you prepare it. 

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Are you ready to take your presentations to the next level?

Our team can help with everything from researching your project, writing the content, designing and building your slides, and even creating handouts.

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Tips for business presentation & Job in journalism – IELTS General Reading Passage

Read the text below and answers to the questions  15-27  on your answer sheet.

You should take around  20 minutes  to complete this task.

GT Reading Sample – “Tips for giving an effective business presentation” & “How to get a job in journalism”

Read the passage below and answer  Questions 15-22 .

Tips for giving an effective business presentation

Preparation: Get someone else to evaluate your performance and highlight your best skills. For example, go through your presentation in front of a colleague or relative. Think about who your audience is and what you want them to get out of the presentation. Think about content and style. Go into the presentation room and try out any moves you may have to make, e.g. getting up from your chair and moving to the podium. Errors in the first 20 seconds can be very disorientating. Familiarise yourself with the electronic equipment before the presentation and also have a backup plan in mind, should there be an unexpected problem like a power cut. Dealing with presentation nervousness: A certain amount of nervousness is vital for a good presentation. The added adrenaline will keep your faculties sharp and give your presentation skills extra force. This can, however, result in tension in the upper chest. Concentrate on your breathing. Slow it right down and this will relax you. Strangely, having something to pick up and put down tends to help you do this. It may seem an odd idea, but we seem to fee! calmer when we engage in what’s referred to as a displacement activity, like clicking a pen or fiddling with jewellery. A limited amount of this will not be too obvious and can make you feel more secure at the start. Interacting with your audience: Think of your presentation as a conversation with your audience. They may not actually say anything, but make them feel consulted, questioned, challenged, then they will stay awake and attentive. Engage with your present audience, not the one you have prepared for. Keep looking for reactions to your ideas and respond to them. If your audience doesn’t appear to be following you, find another way to get your ideas across. If you don’t interact, you might as well send a video recording of your presentation instead! Structuring effective presentations: Effective presentations are full of examples. These help your listeners to see more clearly what you mean. It’s quicker and more colourful. Stick to the point using three or four main ideas. For any subsidiary information that you cannot present in 20 minutes, try another medium, such as handouts. End as if your presentation has gone well. Do this even if you feel you’ve presented badly. And anyway a good finish will get you some applause – and you deserve it!

Questions 15-22

Complete the sentences below. Choose  NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS  from the text for each answer. Write your answers in boxes  15-22  on your answer sheet. 15.  Practising your presentation on a ………………….. or a family member is helpful. 16.  Be prepared for a problem such as a ………………….. . 17.  One way to overcome pre-presentation nerves is to make your ………………….. less rapid. 18.  It is acceptable to do something called a ………………….. at the start of the presentation to reassure you. 19.  Your presentation should be like a ………………….. with the people who have come to hear you. 20.  Check constantly for ………………….. to the points you are making. 21.  Make sure you use plenty of ………………….. to communicate your message effectively. 22.  To keep the presentation short, use things like ………………….. to provide extra details.

Read  the text below and answer  Questions 23-27 .

How to get a job in journalism

You can get a good qualification in journalism, but what employers actually want is practical, rather than theoretical, knowledge. There’s no substitute for creating real stories that have to be handed in by strict deadlines. So write for your school magazine, then maybe try your hand at editing. Once you’ve done that for a while, start requesting internships in newspapers in the area. These are generally short-term and unpaid, but they’re definitely worthwhile, since, instead of providing you with money, they’ll teach you the skills that every twenty-first-century journalist has to have, like laying out articles, creating web pages, taking good digital pictures and so on. Most reporters keep a copy of every story they’ve had published, from secondary school onwards. They’re called cuttings, and you need them to get a job — indeed a few impressive ones can be the deciding factor in whether you’re appointed or not. So start creating a portfolio now that will show off your developing talent. It seems obvious – research is an important part of an effective job hunt. But it’s surprising how many would-be journalists do little or none. If you’re thorough, it can help you decide whether the job you’re thinking about applying for is right for you. And nothing impresses an editor more than an applicant who knows a lot about the paper. There are two more elements to an application – your covering letter and curriculum vitae. However, your CV is the thing that will attract an editor’s attention first, so get it right. The key words are brevity, (no more than one page) accuracy (absolutely no spelling or typing errors) and clarity (it should be easy to follow). In journalism, good writing skills are essential, so it’s critical that the style of your letter is appropriate. And, make sure it conveys your love of journalism and your eagerness to do the work.

Questions 23-27

Complete the flowchart below. Choose  ONE WORD ONLY  from the text for each answer. Write your answers in boxes  23-27  on your answer sheet.

Getting a job in journalism

Gain relevant experience, e.g. writing articles to meet specific deadlines.                    ⇩ Apply for temporary  23  ………………. with local papers and acquire the extra  24  ………………. you’ll need.                    ⇩ Build up a set of  25  ………………. in a portfolio, displaying how your writing ability has progressed over time.                    ⇩ Take time to do detailed  26  ………………. first, before applying for a post with a paper.                    ⇩ Once you decide to apply, make sure your CV is short, makes sense and is without  27  ………………. of any kind.                    ⇩ Write your covering letter, paying particular attention to the style.

Answer: 15. colleague 16. power cut 17. breathing 18. displacement activity 19. conversation 20. reactions 21. examples 22. handouts 23. internships 24. skills 25. cuttings 26. research 27. errors

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10 Tips For Giving Effective Virtual Presentations

What to know before you go live.

September 26, 2016

An illustration of a computer screen with messy notes and graphs around it.

Presenting online? Try these suggestions to improve your results. | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

As audiences go global and you need to reach more people through technology (including webinars, conference calls and teleconference), you must consider the challenges to connecting with a virtual audience. Here I pinpoint 10 valuable best practices to ensure you communicate successfully.

1. Be Brief

Audiences begin to lose attention after roughly 10 minutes of hearing from the same presenter. If you have more than 10 minutes of content, use interactive activities to keep your audience engaged (for example, take a poll, give quizzes, or ask audience members for their opinions via chat).

2. Be Simple

Keep slides simple — avoid too many words, graphics and animation features. Less is definitely more!

An illustration of a lamp

Light yourself well | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

3. Be a TV Personality

Look straight into your camera, not the screen. Wear clothing that is neutral in color (no plaids or stripes). Light yourself well and from above. Be mindful of what appears behind you in the background. Invest in a good microphone.

4. Be Standing

Even though your audience cannot see you, stand when you present. This allows you to stay focused and use good presentation delivery skills such as belly breathing, vocal variety, and pausing.

5. Be Prepared

Practice delivering your presentation with your technology in advance of your talk. Make sure all of the features of the technology work. Record your practice using the recording feature of your tool. Watch and listen to learn what works and what you can improve.

6. Be Assisted

Have someone available to deal with technical issues and to field email/text questions. Also, if you have multiple remote audience members in one location, be sure to pick one of them to be your “eyes and ears.” Ask them to queue up questions and facilitate discussion on your behalf.

7. Be Specific

Ask pointed questions to avoid too many people answering at once. For example, rather than ask, “Are there any questions?” try “Who has a question about the solution I provided?” Set a ground rule that people state their names prior to speaking.

An Illustration of two pictures of people.

Imagine your audience | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

8. Be Synchronized

Transitions are critical. You must connect what you just said to what is coming next when you move from point to point. Transitions between topics and slides are good opportunities to get people reengaged to your talk.

9. Be Connected

Imagine your audience even though you can’t see them. You can place pictures of audience members behind your camera so you can look at people as you present.

10. Be Early

Encourage your audience to access your call or webinar in advance of the start time so you can iron out any technical issues in advance and get them familiar with the technology.

Matt Abrahams is a Stanford GSB organizational behavior lecturer, author, and communications coach.

For media inquiries, visit the Newsroom .

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IELTS GT Reading Test 9 Sustainable School Travel Strategy

Ielts general reading practice test 9 with answers | sustainable school travel strategy | tips for giving an effective business presentation | what is it like to run a large supermarket.

Questions 1-14 Read the text below and answer Questions 1-6.

Sustainable School Travel Strategy

Over the last 20 years, the number of children being driven to school in England has doubled. National data suggests that one in five cars on the road at 8.50 am is engaged in the school run. Children are subject to up to 3.9 times more pollution in a car that is standing in traffic than when walking or cycling to school. Reducing cars around schools makes them safer places, and walking and cycling are better for health and the environment. It has been noted by teachers that children engaging in active travel arrive at school more alert and ready to learn.

The County Council has a strong commitment to supporting and promoting sustainable school travel. We collect data annually about how pupils get to school, and our report on the Sustainable School Travel Strategy sets out in detail what we have achieved so far and what we intend to do in the future. Different parts of the County Council are working together to address the actions identified in the strategy, and we are proud that we have been able to reduce the number of cars on the daily school run by an average of 1% in each of the last three years, which is equivalent to taking approximately 175 cars off the road annually, despite an increase in pupil numbers.

All schools have a School Travel Plan, which sets out how the school and the Council can collaborate to help reduce travel to school by car and encourage the use of public transport. Contact your school to find out what they are doing as part of their School Travel Plan to help you get your child to school in a sustainable, safe way.

Questions 1-6 Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information FALSE if the statement contradicts the information NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1. More children are injured when walking or cycling to school than when travelling by car. 2. Children who are driven to school are more ready to learn than those who walk or cycle. 3. Every year the Council gathers information about travel to schools. 4. The Council is disappointed with the small reduction in the number of cars taking children to school. 5. The number of children in schools has risen in recent years. 6. Parents can get help with paying for their children to travel to school by public transport. Read the text below and answer Questions 7-14.

Flu: the facts

A Flu (influenza) is an acute viral respiratory infection. It spreads easily from person to person: at home, at school, at work, at the supermarket or on the train.

B It gets passed on when someone who already has flu coughs or sneezes and is transmitted through the air by droplets, or it can be spread by hands infected by the virus.

C Symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, extreme fatigue, a dry cough, sore throat and stuffy nose. Most people will recover within a week but flu can cause severe illness or even death in people at high risk. It is estimated that 18,500-24,800 deaths in England and Wales are attributable to influenza infections annually.

D Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection. Although anyone can catch flu, certain people are at greater risk from the implications of flu, as their bodies may not be able to fight the virus. If you are over 65 years old, or suffer from asthma, diabetes, or certain other conditions, you are considered at greater risk from flu and the implications can be serious. If you fall into one of these ‘at-risk’ groups, are pregnant or a carer, you are eligible for a free flu vaccination.

E If you are not eligible for a free flu vaccination, you can still protect yourself and those around you from flu by getting a flu vaccination at a local pharmacy.

F About seven to ten days after vaccination, your body makes antibodies that help to protect you against any similar viruses that may infect you. This protection lasts about a year.

ieltsxpress preply IELS tutors starting from usd 5 per hour

G A flu vaccination contains inactivated, killed virus strains so it can’t give you the flu. However, a flu vaccination can take up to two weeks to begin working, so it is possible to catch flu in this period.

H A flu vaccination is designed to protect you against the most common and potent strains of flu circulating so there is a small chance you could catch a strain of flu not contained in the flu vaccine.

I The influenza virus is constantly changing and vaccines are developed to predicted strains each year so it is important to get vaccinated against the latest strains.

Speak to your GP or nurse today to book your flu vaccination.

Questions 7-14 The text has nine sections, A-I. Which sections contain the following information? Write the correct letter, A-I, in boxes 7-14 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any answer more than once.

7 . examples of people who are likely to be particularly badly affected by flu 8 . how to get a vaccination if you choose to pay for it 9 . why new vaccines become available 10 . how long a vaccine remains effective 11 . reference to the possibility of catching a different type of flu from the ones in the vaccine 12 . categories of people who do not have to pay for vaccination 13 . information about what a vaccine consists of 14 . signs that you might have flu

Questions 15-27 Read the text below and answer Questions 15-22.

Tips for giving an effective business presentation

Preparation Get someone else to evaluate your performance and highlight your best skills. For example, go through your presentation in front of a colleague or relative. Think about who your audience is and what you want them to get out of the presentation. Think about content and style.

Go into the presentation room and try out any moves you may have to make, e.g. getting up from your chair and moving to the podium. Errors in the first 20 seconds can be very disorientating.

Familiarise yourself with the electronic equipment before the presentation and also have a backup plan in mind, should there be an unexpected problem like a power cut.

Dealing with presentation nervousness A certain amount of nervousness is vital for a good presentation. The added adrenaline will keep your faculties sharp and give your presentation skills extra force. This can, however, result in tension in the upper chest. Concentrate on your breathing. Slow it right down and this will relax you. Strangely, having something to pick up and put down tends to help you do this.

It may seem an odd idea, but we seem to fee! calmer when we engage in what’s referred to as a displacement activity, like clicking a pen or fiddling with jewellery. A limited amount of this will not be too obvious and can make you feel more secure at the start.

Interacting with your audience Think of your presentation as a conversation with your audience. They may not actually say anything, but make them feel consulted, questioned, challenged, then they will stay awake and attentive.

Engage with your present audience, not the one you have prepared for. Keep looking for reactions to your ideas and respond to them. If your audience doesn’t appear to be following you, find another way to get your ideas across. If you don’t interact, you might as well send a video recording of your presentation instead!

Structuring effective presentations Effective presentations are full of examples. These help your listeners to see more clearly what you mean. It’s quicker and more colourful. Stick to the point using three or four main ideas. For any subsidiary information that you cannot present in 20 minutes, try another medium, such as handouts.

End as if your presentation has gone well. Do this even if you feel you’ve presented badly. And anyway a good finish will get you some applause – and you deserve it!

Questions 15-22 Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 15-22 on your answer sheet.

15. Practising your presentation on a ____________ or a family member is helpful. 16. Be prepared for a problem such as a ____________ 17. One way to overcome pre-presentation nerves is to make your ____________ less rapid. 18. It is acceptable to do something called a ____________ at the start of the presentation to reassure you. 19. Your presentation should be like a ____________ with the people who have come to hear you. 20. Check constantly for ____________ to the points you are making. 21. Make sure you use plenty of ____________ to communicate your message effectively. 22. To keep the presentation short, use things like ____________ to provide extra details

Read the text below and answer Questions 23-27.

How to get a job in journalism

You can get a good qualification in journalism, but what employers actually want is practical, rather than theoretical, knowledge. There’s no substitute for creating real stories that have to be handed in by strict deadlines. So write for your school magazine, then maybe try your hand at editing. Once you’ve done that for a while, start requesting internships in newspapers in the area. These are generally short-term and unpaid, but they’re definitely worthwhile, since, instead of providing you with money, they’ll teach you the skills that every twenty-first-century journalist has to have, like laying out articles, creating web pages, taking good digital pictures and so on.

Most reporters keep a copy of every story they’ve had published, from secondary school onwards. They’re called cuttings, and you need them to get a job — indeed a few impressive ones can be the deciding factor in whether you’re appointed or not. So start creating a portfolio now that will show off your developing talent.

It seems obvious – research is an important part of an effective job hunt. But it’s surprising how many would-be journalists do little or none. If you’re thorough, it can help you decide whether the job you’re thinking about applying for is right for you. And nothing impresses an editor more than an applicant who knows a lot about the paper.

There are two more elements to an application – your covering letter and curriculum vitae. However, your CV is the thing that will attract an editor’s attention first, so get it right. The key words are brevity, (no more than one page) accuracy (absolutely no spelling or typing errors) and clarity (it should be easy to follow).

In journalism, good writing skills are essential, so it’s critical that the style of your letter is appropriate. And, make sure it conveys your love of journalism and your eagerness to do the work.

Questions 23-27 Complete the flow-chart below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 23-27 on your answer sheet.

Getting a job in journalism

Gain relevant experience, e.g. writing articles to meet specific deadlines.

ielts reading sample tests

Apply for temporary 23___________ with local papers and acquire the extra 24___________ you’ll need.

Build up a set of 25___________ in a portfolio, displaying how your writing ability has progressed over time.

Take time to do detailed 26___________ first, before applying for a post with a paper.

Once you decide to apply, make sure your CV is short, makes sense and is without 27___________ of any kind.

Write your covering letter, paying particular attention to the style.

Questions 28-40 Read the text below and answer Questions 28-40.

What is it like to run a large supermarket?

Jill Insley finds out

A You can’t beat really good service. I’ve been shopping in the Thamesmead branch of supermarket chain Morrisons, in south-east London, and I’ve experienced at first hand, the store’s latest maxim for improving the shopping experience – help, offer, thank. This involves identifying customers who might need help, greeting them, asking what they need, providing it, thanking them and leaving them in peace. If they don’t look like they want help, they’ll be left alone. But if they’re standing looking lost and perplexed, a member of staff will approach them. Staff are expected to be friendly to everyone. My checkout assistant has certainly said something to amuse the woman in front of me, she’s smiling as she leaves. Adrian Perriss, manager of the branch, has discussed the approach with each of his 387 staff. He says it’s about recognising that someone needs help, not being a nuisance to them. When he’s in another store, he’s irritated by someone saying, ‘Can I help you?’ when he’s only just walked in to have a quick look at the products.

B How anyone can be friendly and enthusiastic when they start work at dawn beats me. The store opens at 7 am, Monday to Saturday, meaning that some staff, including Perriss, have to be here at 6 am to make sure it’s clean, safe and stocked up for the morning rush. Sometimes he walks in at 6 am and thinks they’re never going to be ready on time, but they always are. There’s so much going on overnight – 20 people working on unloading three enormous trailers full of groceries.

C Perriss has worked in supermarkets since 1982 when he became a trolley boy on a weekly salary of £76. ‘It was less money than my previous job, but I loved it. It was different and diverse. I was doing trolleys, portering, bread, cakes, dairy and general maintenance.’ After a period in the produce department looking after the fruit and vegetables, he was made produce manager, then assistant store manager before reaching the top job in 1998. This involved intensive training and assessment through the company’s future store manager programme, learning how to analyse and prioritise sales, wastage, recruitment and many other issues. Perriss’ first stop as the store manager was at a store which was closed soon afterwards, though he was not to blame.

D Despite the disappointing start, his career went from strength to strength and he was put in charge of launching new stores and heading up a ‘concept’ store, where the then new ideas of preparing and cooking pizzas in store, having a proper florist and fruit and vegetable ‘markets’ were trialled. All Morrisons’ managers from the whole country spent three days there to see the new concept. That was hard work,’ he says, ‘long days, seven days a week, for about a year.’

E Although he oversees a store with a large turnover, there is a strong practical aspect to Perriss’s job. As we walk around, he chats to all the staff while checking the layout of their counters and the quality of the produce. He examines the baking potato shelf and rejects three, one that has split virtually in half and two that are beginning to go green.

He then pulls out a lemon that looks fine to me. When I ask why, he picks up a second lemon and says: ‘Close your eyes and just feel and tell me which you would keep.’ I do and realise that while one is firm and hard, the other is going a bit squashy.

F Despite eagle-eyed Perriss pulling out fruit and vegetable that most of us would buy without a second thought, the wastage each week is tiny: produce worth £4,200 is marked down for a quick sale, and only £400-worth is scrapped. This, he explains, is down to Morrisons’ method of ordering, still done manually rather than by computer. Department heads know exactly how much they’ve sold that day and how much they’re likely to sell the next, based on sales records and allowing for influences such as the weather.

G Perriss is in charge of 1,000 man-hours a week across the store. To help him, he has a key team of four, who each have direct responsibility for different departments. He is keen to hear what staff think. He recently held a ‘talent’ day, inviting employees interested in moving to a new job within the store to come and talk to him about why they thought they should be promoted, and discuss how to go about it. ‘We had twenty- three people come through the door, people wanting to talk about progression,’ he says. ‘What do they need to do to become a supervisor? Twenty-three people will be better members of staff as a result of that talk.’

H His favourite department is fish, which has a four-meter-long run by Debbie and Angela, who are busy having a discussion about how to cook a particular fish with a customer. But it is one of just 20 or so departments around the store and Perriss admits the pressure of making sure he knows what’s happening on them all can be intense. ‘You have to do so much and there could be something wrong with every single one, every day,’ he says. ‘You’ve got to minimise those things and shrink them into perspective. You’ve got to love the job.’ This is what Perriss certainly does.

Questions 28-35 The following text has eight sections, A-H. Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below. Write the correct number, i-x, in boxes 28-35 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

i Why Perriss chose a career in supermarkets ii Preparing for customers to arrive iii Helping staff to develop iv Demonstrating a different way of organising a store v The benefit of accurate forecasting vi Keeping everything running as smoothly as possible vii Making sure the items on sale are good enough viii Noticing when customers need assistance ix How do staff feel about Perriss? x Perriss’s early career

28. Section A 29. Section B 30. Section C 31. Section D 32. Section E 33. Section F 34. Section G 35. Section H

Questions 36-40 Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? In boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet, write

36. Perriss encourages staff to offer help to all customers. 37. Perriss is sometimes worried that customers will arrive before the store is ready for them. 38. When Perriss first became a store manager, he knew the store was going to close. 39. On average, produce worth £4,200 is thrown away every week. 40. Perriss was surprised how many staff asked about promotion on the ‘talent’ day.

IELTS General Reading Practice Test 9 Answers

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Sustainable School Travel Strategy IELTS Reading Answers

1. NOT GIVEN 2. FALSE 3. TRUE 4. FALSE 5. TRUE 6. NOT GIVEN 7. D 8. E 9. I 10. F 11. H 12. D 13. G 14. C

Tips for giving an effective business presentation IELTS Reading Answers

15. colleague 16. power cut 17. breathing 18. displacement activity 19. conversation 20. reactions 21. examples 22. handouts 23. internships 24. skills 25. cuttings 26. research 27. errors

What is it like to run a large supermarket? IELTS Reading Answers

28. viii 29. ii 30. x 31. iv 32. vii 33. v 34. iii 35. vi 36. FALSE 37. TRUE 38. NOT GIVEN 39. FALSE 40. NOT GIVEN

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tips for giving an effective business presentation reading answers

A Few Tips on Giving Presentations

During my first quarter here at UCR, along with several other students, I was asked by one of my professors to give a class presentation on a set of readings for one of the designated weeks of the course. The presentation was on a theoretical textbook, around 250-300 pages, and my presentation had to be less than 10 minutes. Besides being up until 1 AM the night before planning the presentation, this was one of the first times I was asked to simplify a great deal of complex information into a 10-minute presentation.

[ Image Description : Leti Lewis from  Lovecraft Country working over some papers and drinking from a mug]

Caption : Cranking out a presentation is hard work]

Perhaps many of you are still taking coursework and have been asked by your professors to present a paper you have written for their course. I encourage you to take these class presentations as small learning experiences to prepare you for future presentations. The small things you learn now can be in your favor in the future. 

Perhaps some of you are great at public speaking. You are an extrovert, and you do not mind taking center stage. Maybe some of you are more introverted, and you would rather keep your thoughts to yourself. Being asked to speak in public (which terrifies you) and present your work requires double the strength. When asked to speak in public, you may be the first one out the door. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, both have their strengths regarding presentations. However, if I can borrow these terms, a practical presentation needs both extroverted and introverted qualities.

[ Image Description : A cartoon parrot dancing next to an owl standing still]

Caption : An extrovert versus an introvert]

On one hand, you need to have some sort of stage presence (i.e., you need to speak up and speak clearly). On the other hand, you need a lot of mental reflection and internal preparation in advance to ensure your presentation goes smoothly. Of course, you will develop your style in the end, but hopefully, you can strike a balance between qualities like these.  

Here are a few short points to remember as you practice giving presentations in your seminars. Hopefully, they are constructive and help you in the long run as you give more talks and presentations in your academic journey. 

1. Preparation is Key!

Someone once told me that public speaking involves 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration. In other words, when the hour comes, you do not want to wing it. In the end, it all comes down to practice. Before your presentation, take some adequate time to review your slides and notes. Create an outline of the key points that you are going to cover. Ultimately, the best way to prepare is to practice the actual presentation. Spend some time going through each slide and speaking the points as if you were standing in front of the audience. This will ensure a high level of success. 

2. Synthesize, Synthesize, Synthesize

I believe it is Albert Einstein who said something like: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Often, we have to use academic jargon. Of course, terminology is necessary, and we should use the proper terms in our respective fields. However, at the same time, to balance this, we should make sure we are communicating the central point of our argument, its main findings, and important evidence that supports it. Most times, we will not be able to cover every point due to time constraints. Thus, we need to synthesize our argument and select appropriate evidence. Unless you are given enough time to cover a great deal of information, for the most part, we need to learn how to present information clearly and effectively under time constraints. Make sure your presentation stays within the time restriction. If you only have 12-15 minutes to present your paper, ensure you can cover the whole presentation in that allotted time. 

3. Practical Handles

As you manage the presentation's time, you want to be aware of how fast you are talking. Sometimes, some presenters speak so fast that it is difficult to understand what they are saying. They may feel that they need to get through every slide, but if people need help to process what is being spoken and shown to them, how effective is the presentation? Some parts of the presentation need to be explained more slowly than others. Try to maintain a medium-pace speed while speaking.

Another point involves using notes. On one hand, having an outline at hand can be very useful to help you stay on track. But, if possible, try to avoid reading off your notes. Present the information and look at the audience as you speak, which requires memorization and practice. The more you practice, the easier it will be to recall the key points during your presentation. 

Though your seminars may be small, here are some minor points to remember when engaging a larger audience. As mentioned earlier, people develop and have their styles of presenting. So, I do not want to advise you on deportment or body gestures that make you feel too restricted. Nonetheless, useful or not, some suggest making eye contact with your audience. Others suggest pacing around to engage the surrounding audience (in other words, do not just focus on the left side of the audience). 

The old saying, “A picture is better than a thousand words,” holds to be very true when it comes to giving a presentation. When a slide goes up with too much information, it can be overwhelming for the audience. Unless the quote or information is crucial to your main point, a few bullet points and images will keep your audience engaged. For font size, I recommend 20 pt. Anything smaller may be challenging to read. Of course, many presentations in specific fields require certain illustrations (i.e., STEM fields require graphs, charts, etc.), so follow the protocol in your field. We can learn something from the STEM fields, specifically how visuals can communicate complex data or ideas in general. Our visuals do not need to be limited to graphs and charts. We can rely on several images to communicate our ideas to an audience. Let your creativity come forth here.  

5. Learn as you go!

In the end, we can only learn as we go. If you are still in coursework, please see all your class presentations as a learning opportunity. Try to learn how to condense large amounts of information in a limited amount of time (without sounding so rushed), and in the process, try to develop your style of presenting. See what works for you!

COMMENTS

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    Here are a few short points to remember as you practice giving presentations in your seminars. Hopefully, they are constructive and help you in the long run as you give more talks and presentations in your academic journey. 1. Preparation is Key! Someone once told me that public speaking involves 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration.