If your business is run by hundreds of employees and multiple cascading departments, then efficient visual reporting is a required proficiency. You can’t afford to bombard colleagues with lots of information and expect them to understand.
Visual presentations within businesses aren’t just about what you present but how you present it. To stay efficient in data collection and visualization, modernize your tools and processes. Start with using the reliable Microsoft Office 365 through the help of consulting services in places like Boise. Then, follow these tips to ace your next business report:
Pair text with visuals
Use images strategically and don’t just rely solely on texts, or you will bore your audience.
Some taboos when inserting images in a presentation include using low-resolution photos, photos with backgrounds or clear watermarks, and too colorful images that distract from the content. Also, learn the importance of proper framing. Use photos of the same color palette and avoid placing them to wrap around texts or bleed into the border.
Create a clear flow
For a clear and functional flow, determine the purpose of your presentation. If you aim to present data, you can derive the story that motivated these figures. If it’s to convince the board towards a decision, introduce a common hurdle and finish with an inspiring hook. If it’s to resolve a problem, you should lay out the reality, the complication, and then the possible resolution. Charting the course of your presentations helps both you and your audience retain your attention.
Visualize raw data
Don’t confuse your audience; accompany your content with data-driven visuals. To do this, define the objective of your report if it is purely informational or it is analytical.
Informational reports include compliance reports, periodic reports, and yardstick reports, while analytical reports delve deeper into the data as investigative reports, KPI metrics, and feasibility reports do. Always project data where you can.
Don’t cram content
Pace your presentation. You don’t have to put every relevant idea into a single slide. Only insert the gist of big concepts to your presentation, so that you can focus on visual presentation instead.
To achieve this, Guy Kawasaki, a successful venture capitalist, suggests the 10-20-30 rule. He recommends using only ten slides, spending only 20 minutes to present, and using 30-point font size for better information retention.
Use color smartly
When choosing a color scheme for your presentation, avoid ostentatious colors just as much as you should monotonous ones, as these can either distract or lose your audience’s attention when you present.
The secret here is emotion and balance. Utilize the emotional and psychological meanings of colors to convey your message. Balance the use of color combinations to establish contrast and emphasize content that you want to focus on.
Do a run-through
If you can rehearse your presentation, do it. If something is at stake, such as the approval of a board or a decision to pivot a business, you need to ensure that everything in your presentation is up to standards, including yourself. Practice your transition cues, and know the contents of your presentation by heart, so you don’t have to read off of the screen.
Even to someone who has delivered hundreds of presentations, standing in front of a crowd can be nerve-wracking, but don’t worry. Just abide by these pointers, know what you’re saying, and you’ll have them tuned in throughout your spiel!