15 BOARDROOM PRESENTATION TIPS

Real world advice from seasoned presenters to help you survive and shine through your boardroom experiences.

Review the latest set of director profiles early on in the process. Don’t worry about memorizing details; knowing who you’re addressing is common courtesy.

1 KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Directors see presentations from 30,000 feet. Bring the project up to their horizon.

2 KEEP YOUR CONTENT HIGH-LEVEL

3 PRACTICE YOUR PRESENTATION It’s shocking how something so simple is rarely done. Practice ensures your timing is on, transitions work, and your content doesn’t fall flat. It also allows you to plan where to enunciate, pause for effect and direct your audience's visual attention.

4 CHECK YOUR ATTITUDE AT THE DOOR

This advice applies to everyone, even those in the C-suite.

5 DON’T WASTE YOUR ENERGY TRYING TO READ THE ROOM By and large, directors are experts at sublimating body language and other tells. Focus on your message.

6 THANK THE AUDIENCE A simple “thank you for inviting me today” is enough. Don’t embellish.

7 STICK TO THE PRESENTATION

Resist the urge to ingratiate yourself to the board. A straightforward and short demonstration of your request or update will be more appreciated than any tasty muffin or logo-stamped jump drive.

8 Steer Clear of Jargon Even if you feel everyone in the room understands it. A slide with a few bullet points can clarify necessary shorthand.

9 TELL THE FACTS PLAINLY As a general rule of thumb, don’t share anecdotes unless they relate directly to the point of your presentation. Customer stories can work in the right scenario, but you can save that for Q&A or other venues. Simple and straightforward is preferred.

10 EXPECT TO BE INTERRUPTED Just go with the flow. Know your main points and be able to pick back up in your presentation.

11 BE FLEXIBLE Show up early and plan to stay a little later. And, if at any time while doing your presentation you are asked to leave the room or wrap things up, nod and comply without question. Don’t take it personally.

Brevity equals impact. So be concise in the time allotted and make sure to leave room for questions.

12 DON’T GO LONG

13 IT’S OKAY TO SAY I DON’T KNOW Accept that you won’t have all the answers. If you don’t know, say so and promise to follow up with them after.

14 BE PREPARED TO BE SURPRISED Someone always asks the one question you are least prepared to answer. Don’t be thrown by that, and refer to #13 when answering.

15 ASK FOR SUPPORT Your request is not implied. You’ve come this far; a simple closing statement with your ask brings the story full circle.