Here’s How To Create A Compelling Presentation

🎤It’s show time, folks—the presentation.

They’ve introduced you as you sidle onto the platform, scrabble around for the clicker, and mumble your name and company. You may mention the subject, then launch into the data. Once you’ve emerged from a stat attack, you tentatively add, “Any questions?” There’s a deathly silence. You conclude with “Thanks” before shuffling off with relief.

Whether you’re doing a keynote talk or presenting to your leadership team, there are better ways to deliver your message.

It starts with a scaffold—a structure that helps you:

✅ Set expectations
✅ Manage different concerns within your audience
✅ Make your key points land with impact
✅ Make your material relatable
✅ Be remembered for the right reasons

And not only that – this might be your main intention—your listeners take action.

🧱 The Presentation Structure Template

This framework breaks your presentation into three core sections: Opening, Main, and Conclusion. Each part is designed to guide your audience, build trust, and make your message stick.

🔹 Opening (2 minutes max)

This is your launchpad. In this short window, you need to:

1. Hook the audience with an attention-grabber i.e. a ‘spice’ such as a quote or anecdote.
2. Explain the WIIFM – States the ‘What’s In It For Me?’ from your listeners’ perspective
3. Establish credibility – why you’re the right person to speak
4. Outline the route map – set the areas you’ll cover
5. State the duration –  so they know what to expect
6. Indicate if and when there are questions to manage audience input
7. Mention any caveats – relevant when there are differentiators in your audience

🔹 Main Body

This is where your message unfolds. (Plan it this way.) Keep it clear, engaging, and relevant:

1. Topic sentence – make your point up front.
2. Examples – illustrate your point with real-world examples that fit the audience.
3. Stats and facts – add credibility with the evidence
4. Spice – stories, quotes, or analogies to engage and relate, inciting emotional responses
5. Relevance – always tie it back to your audience’s world with the WIIFM.

🔹 Conclusion

Don’t just fizzle out—finish with flair:

1. Summarise your main points – repeat the WIIFM while you’re at it. Here’s how.
2. Ask for questions – no time? Then state how people can follow up.
3. End on a high—a quote, a story, or a bold statement
4. Offer an Action Step – there’s a bunch of ideas here (with another picture full of actions)

💬Example WIIFM Phrases

To make your message resonate, use phrases like:

• “So this means you…”
• “This is where this matters to you…”
• “You’ll be seeing [benefit] in action…”
• “I’m going to show you [benefit]…”

These help your audience connect the dots between your content and their needs. There’s a downloadable resource here showing how you can phrase your key message at different points in your presentation.

Your Actions

1. Print out this download and save it.

2. Want to know more about any of those sections? Click the links in the sections above.

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