Image generated by OpenAI's DALL-E.
Congratulations, you got the job! If your experience is anything like mine your journey to becoming a marketing specialist is the furthest thing from traditional.
One of the most important responsibilities of a marketing professional is running research and gathering information about your company. Once all your research has been conducted and your data has been collected it’s time to present to the leaders of the company. As a first-timer, this can be extremely nerve-wracking! Imposter syndrome starts to creep in and even though you know that your research was run well you can’t help but think maybe your audience will tune you out, or not understand your findings.
Let’s discuss 5 tips to make your presentation pop! So that no one is falling asleep by the end of your first presentation.
1. Dress the part
The first tip isn’t marketing related but always dress the part! Presenting in a room full of important people can be intimidating but when you look good you feel good. Think of yourself as a brand. No one respects a brand that is messy, or unprepared. Not only will dressing the part build your confidence, but it will also build your audience's confidence in you and your findings.
2. Infographics
Infographics are visual representations of information, data, or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly. They use engaging visuals that combine images, charts, and minimal text to explain a topic, summarize a vast amount of data, or illustrate patterns and relationships.
Third and Grove writer Rosemary Williams speaks about the importance of infographics. “Infographics are used as a powerful tool to allow people to easily digest information through the use of visual data, charts, and statistics. With the proper use of color, proportion, and negative space, information can be transformed into memorable, attention-grabbing, and even persuasive graphics.
3. Storytelling
Everyone loves a good story! Explaining data findings doesn’t always have to be done in the form of reading numbers. Most times if you want your audience to truly connect it is best to get them emotionally invested with a storyline.
For example: “In Little Haiti, Miami, there was a small bakery tucked away on a side street, owned by a baker named Olivia. Despite her scrumptious pastries, Olivia's bakery struggled to draw customers. She decided to dig into her sales data for answers. What she found was unexpected: a tiny spike in sales every Wednesday afternoon. Intrigued, she traced it back to a local book club that had made her bakery their secret gem. Inspired, Olivia crafted a "Book Lovers' Special" offer every Wednesday, coupling coffee with her bestsellers. Word spread, and soon, her little bakery became a community hub, with sales soaring by 50%.”
Olivia's story wasn't just about numbers; it was about community, discovery, and the warmth of shared experiences over coffee and pastries.
4. Always summarize your findings
The most important part of your research is the summary. Your company needs to know that the money they spent on running the research was worth it. Always make sure to have a clear summary of your findings. Even if someone tuned out throughout your presentation your summary should give them all the information, they need to grasp your research.
5. Allow the audience to ask questions.
When presenting, less is more. Refrain from saying too many words and having your audience fall asleep. With the use of infographics, you won’t have to say as many words. Leave time at the end for questions so that if your audience wants to dive deeper into your findings you can elaborate more.
As you step into the vibrant marketing arena with your freshly gathered data ready to present, remember these core principles: embody confidence, harness the power of storytelling, and emphasize clarity in your summary. Your attire sets the stage, your visuals captivate, and your narrative connects, and the straightforward summary of insights will leave a memorable impression.
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