Laith Hofayz

Presentations are like a concertina or an accordion, they are flexible. If you have less time than planned or anticipated, quickly prioritise the key points. Don't try to squeeze the whole presentation into less time - it won't go well!

Yes, it's a tired cliche "Confidence is Key". So what *is* confidence, and how do we get more of it ? Let's back-up a little, in my experience most presenters / speakers who are not confident, tracks back to a single problem; not practicing enough! (or not giving the task at hand 'the presentation' the attention it deserves). Yes, we need all the basic physical skills; posture, eye contact, voice/ volume, gestures - but none of that matters, if you lack confidence. 1. Get confident by *practicing* and *rehearsing* your presentation at least x25 times. 2. Less is More (I guarantee you have too many slides, overpopulated in tiny font!) 3. Deliver in 80% of time allocated. You'll be shocked how your confidence increases through rehearsal.

Stories are not only powerfully help 'land' your important key messages, they are also the 'glue' that helps makes your message sticky, for long-term retention long after you've left the presentation. People make decisions based on emotions, emotions drive behaviour, which affect decisions. If your Financial presentation is all Data, Facts and Figures - your audience will physically and metaphorically 'switch off' - now you've lost them. Light up the right-hand-side of their brain with visual-based stories, that act 'velcro' for the key figure you're trying to share.

Yes clarity counts, conversely, overwhelm detracts! I've witnessed so many [frankly] boring financial presentations - it's frustrating. The solution is simple [not easy] but simple, yet so many multinationals fail to invest in training required. Simply put; all great financial presentations are 1.Brief, 2. have a Story (the 'glue') 3. Call to action. Remember "less is more" your skill as a presenter is to bring the presentation 'to life' - your attendees can read the slides (and have more than likely already had a copy of the 'pre-read' slides too) - do not insult them by reading the slides (again) while they are seated in front of you. Always practice your Opener, key point, and Close. Over invest rehearsal time in your Opener and Close

The platform is irrelevant. Most have similar functionality. Zoom, Teams or Webex have comparable functionality.. The platform is the tool', how you use the tool is what matters. So, 1. Design and engineer 'interactivity' 2. Games, Puzzles, Music, Polls, Surveys - all work very well. There are dozens of online resources that will help here - from Mentimeter to Kahoot! 3. Do not simply click slide after slide after slide! Break every 12-15 for an activity- any activity. This is predictable and frankly boring (particularly if delivered in a low-energy uninteresting boring manner! 4. Break, and ask audience for any questions or comments. This breaks your content/materials in to bite size manageable chunks. Remember; Less is More!

Spend a disproportionate amount of preparation and rehearsal time on your Opener and your Close. Structure your talk / presentation in bite-size-chunks. The humble 'pause'; pause frequently for you to breathe and gather your thoughts, and for your audience to process and digest what you've just delivered. Keep your talk short & Simple, finish on time, or ahead of time.