Types of presentation styles

a) The storyteller

This style of presentation involves the speaker narrating stories and engaging the audience
emotionally.

This technique works best with persuasive and inspirational types of presentation.

So, how to tell a story in a presentation?

 Understand and know your audience: Knowing your audience will help you with how you
will frame your story, at the same time gauging the relevance of your narrative
 Know your message: Be clear with what you want to convey through your story or how you
are connecting the story with your actual presentation
 Try narrative a real-life story: Inspiring presenters often take their own stories or the stories
of people whom they know as a supplement to their presentation. When the audience listens
to your real-life examples, they become genuinely interested in your story
 Add visual aids: Using visual aids such as pictures, videos, multimedia, etc., increases the
memory retention and engagement of your audience
 Use the “you” attitude: Tell the story keeping your audience in mind because ultimately they
are going to be the receivers and hence, the story should be relevant and should include their
point of view as well

b) The Visual style

Most of us are visual learners, making visual information easy to understand and retain.

Visual aids like graphics, images, diagrams, key pointers or phrases, etc., are very useful when
giving any type of presentation.

Some :

 Include only important pointers in your PowerPoint presentation and highlight or bold them
 Try including visuals that complement what you are saying and use them as a
supplementary tool to aid in understanding your audience
  If you are giving a business presentation and want to include visuals, instead of plain texts,
include graphics and charts to make information simpler to present and understand
 Avoid overly complex visuals as it will confuse the audience more
 Avoid using more than 6 lines per slide

c) Analytic style

If you have data records or statistical information to be presented, an analytic style will be more
helpful.

It works best for Informative and Business types of presentations.

Tips to deliver in analytic style:

 Give handouts so that the audience is on track with your presentation and the information
will be easier to comprehend
 Focus and speak on selected data as too much data statistics can be overwhelming for the
audience
 You can make use of humor and personal anecdotes to keep the presentation interesting
and engaging
 If you have too much data and are worried that you will not be able to explain it in the time
frame given, avoid writing content of more than 2000 words

d) The Connector

The connector style of presentation involves the speaker establishing a connection with the

audience by pointing out similarities between them and the listeners.

This style works well with Sales and marketing presentations.

How to give a presentation using connector style?

 Have a Q & A round with the audience at the end of your presentation for clarifying any
doubts and avoiding miscommunication
 Use audience polls at the start of your presentation to know your audience and tailor your
speech accordingly
 Make use of body language and gestures for delivering your presentation effectively. If you
are confused or want to know more about the aspects of how to use body and gestures,
check out our article on To walk or stand still: How should you present when on stage?
 Ask questions to your audience at regular intervals for a better audience engagement
 Make use of multimedia sources to keep your audience engaged and entertained
Presentation skills

Presentation skills can be defined as the abilities that people

use to deliver information to different kinds of audiences in an
effective and engaging manner. Presentation skills involve organizing
your time, using body language, choosing the proper presentation
material, answering event attendees’ questions, and providing
audience participation.

Types Of Presentation

1. Informative Presentations

This is the most common type of presentation, be it in an educational setting or

business or corporate setting.

The aim of an informative presentation is to give detailed information about a kind

of audience.

They are often analytical or require a rational analysis of the data presented.
Training sessions or one-day workshops are good examples where this kind of
presentation is used.Now, there are different situations where you can use
informative presentations.

a) Reporting

Although a report is a written explanation of an event, it can also be verbal.

A perfect place to use informative presentations is news reporting, as it requires the presenter to
present information systematically.

b) Briefing

This involves explaining both positive and negative aspects of a particular topic in

a few words.

It is providing information quickly and effectively about an issue to influence

decisions or to come to solutions.

Hence, the decision-making bodies of an organization can make use of this kind of

presentation to save time and effectively come to conclusions.

b) Research
Informative presentations are often used to present research findings to a specific
audience, as it involves reporting the findings and briefing it to the audience.

Hence, almost everywhere where research takes place, be it in an educational

context or occupational, can make use of this kind of presentation.

Tips for giving informative presentations

 As there would be a lot of technical information and statistics, focus on the main
points or agenda first and if you have more time, you can add them at the end
 Keep your presentation simple and clear. Avoid complex sentence structures and
graphics
 Tell the outline of your presentation briefly in the introduction for a better flow
 Make sure that your presentation does not stretch for too long. 10-15 minutes is
what your audience can concentrate on
 Restate your keyphrase at the end and briefly summarize all the important points
of your presentation

2. Persuasive presentations

Persuasion is the art of motivating or convincing someone to act or make a

change in their actions or thoughts.

If you are planning to give a persuasive presentation, and are looking for how to give
a persuasive speech, check out our article on A Comprehensive Guide to Writing a
Persuasive Speech to gain in-depth knowledge about the art of giving persuasive
presentations.

Persuasive presentations are also widely used form after informative presentations.

There are various circumstances where persuasive presentations can be used.

a) Policy-making
Government bodies make use of persuasion almost every time, be it the legislative
or decision-making bodies, executive bodies, or even courts.

Even election campaigns involve using persuasive presentations as an

instrument of their pre-determined goals of swaying the citizens.

For that matter, any executive or management body of an organization can make

use of these kinds of presentations.

b) Value judgment

This kind involves answering the question “why” and supplementing it with possible benefits.

Most Ted talks and YouTube videos try to persuade the audience and fall into the
persuasive presentation category.

Even religious heads use this as a means of persuading their believers to follow

their belief system.

Deciding on a procedure or telling an audience the correct procedure of doing

something is another situation.

Tips for giving a persuasive presentation

 Start your presentation with a relevant quote or statistics about your topic to
establish credibility
 Tell personal anecdotes and examples wherever necessary to develop an
emotional connection with your audience
 Deliver your presentation with passion and genuine interest to motivate your
audience to think
 Answer the question “why” for better understanding and clarity in your
presentation
 State your viewpoint clearly and clarify doubts if your audience seems to have
any

3. Demonstrative presentations
This involves demonstrating a process or the functioning of a product in a step-by-
step fashion.

So, a master class on communication skills or making a product model is an

example of a demonstrative presentation.

Usually, the audience is an active part of such presentations and these can work in
any context where you want the audience to learn a new skill.

a) Instructions

This involves giving guidelines or steps of a process or work.

Teaching how to make a car model step-by-step is a good example where you can
use this kind of informative presentation to guide your audience.

Another instance can be at the workplace, to train the employees or introduce them

ta at work.

This type also works with demonstrating recipes and cooking workshops.

Tips to give a demonstrative presentation

 Introduce your product and its function to your audience before telling them how
to go about with the steps
 Explain the steps with diagrams or show them in real-time along with the
audience
 Give equal time to every person in the audience for clearing doubts, if any
 Keep your introduction short. Not more than 5 minutes
 Discuss options or variations that the audience can try at the end of the
presentation
4. Inspirational presentations

As the name suggests, this type of presentation involves inspiring others!

The main aim of an inspirational presentation is to motivate or move your

audience and is also known as a motivational presentation.

Using techniques like storytelling, narrating personal anecdotes, or

even humor work wonders as your audience develops an emotional connection to
the message.

This TED talk by Luvvie Ajayi Jones is humorous but a lot more inspirational. Check
it out!

Tips for giving an inspirational presentation

 Start with a question that will leave the audience thinking. Pause for some time and
then begin with your presentation
 Develop a sense of connection by narrating personal incidents and experiences to
grow empathy
 Have some main points that you want to emphasize on
 Make use of humor! It instantly builds a connection with the listener
 Non-verbal elements like paralanguage, body language, speech modulations, tone,
etc., makes a huge difference

5. Business presentations

In the corporate world, presentations are the go-to solution to do

anything: planning or strategizing, articulating company goals, screening
candidates, status reports, and many more.
Let us take a dive into the different types of business presentations.

a) Sales presentation

Also known as sales pitches, sales presentations involve providing information

about a product or a service to sell it.

It has a pre-defined strategy of initiating and closing the sales deal.

This can be done in person or nowadays, on the phone, or via e-communication.

b) Training sessions

Often employees have on-the-job training sessions that are aimed to increase the
knowledge and skills of the employees.

This kind can also involve the audience to participate, like in demonstrative

presentations.

b) Meetings

Meetings can be called for for different reasons and can be of different forms as well.
Conferences( both video and in-person), board meetings, informal team
meetings, daily reporting, etc., are all various contexts of meeting in a business
setting.

c) E- presentations

E- presentations existed before the COVID pandemic as well but were used seldom.

But, with the ongoing pandemic, e-presentations or remote presentations have

and will

However, on the brighter side, it is an eco-friendly alternative to normal face-to-

face kind of a set-up, and it also saves transportation and other costs!

e) Seminars

Seminars are widely used in the health sector, usually involving a panel of

speakers on a topic. The audience is anywhere between 10 to 100.

It ends with a question and answers session, and the audience gets to take
handouts with them.

f) One-on-one or 1:1
Interviews are usually one-on-one and involve presenting your achievements and
capabilities to your prospective employer.

Apart from interviews, 1:1 meetings are also used in sales and marketing to crack
a business deal.

Tips for giving business presentations

 Include key phrases and other important details on your slides and make them
bold
 Avoid casual slangs and informal tone of speech
 If you are giving a sales presentation, explain your product or service in simple and
clear words, and list the reasons why it is beneficial for your potential clients
 Make sure to be on time! Delaying your audience will work against you and leave a
bad impression on you and your company
 Know your material or content thoroughly to answer the questions asked by your
audience

6. Powerpoint presentations

PowerPoint presentations or PPTs are the most effective ones among all types of

presentations simply because they are convenient and easy to understand.

They are available in different formats and are suitable to use in practically any

type of presentation and context, be it business, educational, or for informal
purposes.
There are various types of PowerPoint presentations that you can use depending on
the context.

a) PPTs for general audience

 For general audiences, avoid using jargon terms

If you feel that you need to use them, provide the audience some background
information about the field or topic being covered

 Avoid using more than 8 words per line, as anything more than that becomes
difficult to remember
 Use bullets or a numbered list for better retention
 Try not to read from your PPT
 Give handouts or record your presentation in case anyone wants it

b) PPTs for teaching

 In this case, the PowerPoint is content-based

 Make sure that the words on the slides are visible
 Use bigger font and avoid fancy fonts
 Add relevant pictures and graphics to keep your audience engaged
 You can also add documentaries or relevant videos to aid in understanding

c) Repurpose PPTs
 This involves reinventing an earlier ppt or combining 1 or more than 1 PowerPoints
 Giving new touches to an earlier PPT or changing the format
 You can take any slide of your PPT and upload it on social media for growing your
brand or business
 You can even convert your PPT into mp4, i.e, video format
 You can even add voice and save the mp4 format, and you have a good marketing
plan!

c) PechaKucha

 This type of PowerPoint presentation comes from the Japanese

word PechaKucha meaning sound of a conversation or chit-chat
 This involves changing slides every 20 seconds
 There can be a maximum of 20 slides, which means your presentation lasts
for only 6 minutes and 40 seconds
 The PPT mostly has graphics and fewer words
 This type of presentation is best suited for telling a story or a personal anecdote

d) Multimedia presentations

 This is the best kind of PPT to engage your audience

 It contains texts along with pictures, videos, infographics, music, illustrations,
GIFs, and many more
 Add higher resolution images and videos, or even a 360-degree snapshot if you
are in the sales and marketing industry
 Adding infographics such as charts and graphs makes the process of
understanding easier and saves time
 Music in a PPT helps your audience to be relaxed, at the same time making them
alert and engaged
 Pace,Pitch,Pause,Power,
Pronunciation and Passion
the 6 Ps of presentation skills – pace, pitch, power, pronunciation,
passion and, perhaps the most powerful of all – pause.  

1 & 2. Faster pace and higher pitch conveys excitement and slower pace

and lower pitch conveys gravitas and seriousness

3.  Power (volume) is one of the hardest to judge as we hear our own voice
very differently to how others hear us.  If in any doubt ask for feedback or
record yourself and listen that way.

If you do need to make yourself heard, move your whole self closer to the
audience. Don’t lift your chin or push you face forward, which is what you
might think will help, as this can strain the larynx and has the opposite
effect, making your voice sound thin. Remember too that you don’t need to
shout to be heard. Lowering the pitch and volume of your voice can be
used to draw your audience in. And variety in volume is the key to keeping
attention.

4.  Pronunciation is all about the clarity with which we speak. Ask yourself if
you open your mouth wide enough to be heard? Are you missing the
consonants off the ends of words or trailing away at the end of your
sentences?  Audiences find it hard to process words or sentences that lose
their endings.

Be careful about inflection at the end of your sentences. Use upward

inflection when you want to open discussion or ask a question and
downward inflection when there is no debate.  The general view is that
accents make the voice more interesting and are part of our uniqueness.
Just be aware of the peculiarities of your accent – if it’s fast or tends to blur
words together then it’s a good idea to slow down or chunk up your words
more if you are talking to people outside of your local area.
 5.  Passion is another take on emphasis – anyone who has genuine
passion about their subject will automatically emphasise key words.
Monotone is one of the biggest giveaways of someone who is over –
rehearsed or has said the words too many times.So add emphasis (and
vary the volume and pace) – to show passion even if you don’t feel it.

6.  Many of us feel uncomfortable with pausing as we think it implies

we don’t know what we’re talking about or have forgotten something – but
in fact quite the opposite is usually the case. It takes real confidence not to
fill the silence! The people we are talking to need pauses to take on board
what we have said and have time to process it properly.  So although a
pause may feel really long to us, it is vital if we are to get a real connection
to what we say. 
 ESSENTIAL PRESENTATION SKILLS TO DEVELOP
1. Enthusiasm and Honesty

One of the most painful things in a presentation is listening to a presenter who is clearly
bored and uninterested in the topic. For a presentation to be effective, you need to get
the audience excited. It is almost impossible to excite your audience if you are dull or
monotonous. Show enthusiasm about the topic and people are more likely to be
engaged.

Along with being enthusiastic, you need to be honest. Even a distracted audience can
tell when a presenter is lying or exaggerating. If they sense you are not being honest
with them, both you and your presentation will lose credibility. A great presenter is
honest and transparent with the audience, while simultaneously showing enthusiasm
about everything.

2. Focused on the Audience

Effective presenters build and deliver presentations centered around the audience, not
themselves. Focus on what the audience can get out of your presentation.

The key to any great presentation is engaging and appealing to your audience. Each
audience is different, so it is important to keep in mind the people you are talking to and
what interests them. You are more likely to gain their attention if the topic is relevant and
helpful for them.

3. Ability to Keep Things Simple

Great presenters know how to make complex topics simple. Often, you will give a
presentation to a group of people who do not have any previous knowledge about the
topic. If you use complex language or concepts, you will confuse your audience and they
will not listen as attentively.

A presentation is essentially a teaching tool. You are teaching your audience about the
topic. Any great teacher knows that you need to simplify things to ensure everyone can
learn and understand what you are trying to say. Effective presenters can do this for
their audience.

4.Being Personable

Being personable is a great quality for every aspect of business, including presentations.
People will listen more intently if they like you and see you as relatable. Some good
ways to be personable are by making eye contact with your audience and smiling. These
simple actions build rapport and increase the chances of the audience feeling like they
can connect with you.

 
 4. Great Body Language

Your body language says more than you think. More than three-quarters of
communication is non-verbal. Though your speaking holds the meaning, body language
could determine whether an audience listens to you and how they interpret your speech.

Great presenters stand up straight and confidently. They do not cross their arms in front
of their chest, as this comes off as cold and distant. They also avoid pacing or holding
their hands behind their backs because it makes them seem nervous. Keep your body
language open and welcoming, and your audience will see you as more credible and
trustworthy.

5. Be careful with visual materials

Presentation slides and visual aids are not the same as notes. Do not just
write everything down and read it off to your audience. Visual aids are there
to add to a presentation, not replace it. Use it to reinforce your points with
graphics or images, but not to repeat your words.
Tips To Improve Your Presentation Skills

 Speak loud and clear

Speak loud enough for everyone in the room to hear you. Make an effort to enunciate your
words so that everyone can clearly understand what you are saying. Practice this by
recording your voice.

21. Incorporate some humor

Unless you are presenting something quite serious, consider adding a little humor into your
presentation. This can lighten the mood and keep people interested in what you have to say.
Think of a work-appropriate joke to start off your presentation.

18. Learn to slow down

Often, when people feel nervous, they speak faster. When practicing your presentation,
make an effort to slow down. You want everyone to clearly hear your ideas and have time to
process them.

19. Stay hydrated

Bring a bottle of water to your presentation. This is quite helpful when your throat starts to feel
scratchy from talking. It is also a great way to take a natural pause and prepare for your next
thought.

14. Embrace pauses

If you even lose your focus, pause for a moment to recollect your thoughts. This is better than filling
the silence with "um" or "ah."

11. Connect with your audience

Before you begin your presentation, feel free to chat with your audience as people are getting
settled. This can help you feel more comfortable and create a connection with your audience.

12. Relax your mind and body

Find a quiet, private room to do some mental and physical preparation. You can mentally prepare by
telling yourself positive affirmations. "I can do this," “I am a good speaker" and "I have
interesting things to say" are all helpful reminders. You can physically prepare with some deep
breathing, stretches and power stances

Smile. 
Smiling increases endorphins, replacing anxiety with calm and making
you feel good about your presentation. Smiling also exhibits confidence
and enthusiasm to the crowd. And this tip works even if you’re doing a
webinar and people can’t see you.