Page 130 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

HOW TO MAKE A POWERFUL DECK PRESENTATION 121

THE WAFER AND
THE WHOPPER

In an ideal world we would abandon the use of presentation decks
altogether (except as documents of record) and happily trust our
futures and fortunes to the POWER formula. Many accomplished
business leaders have done just that.
For all the rest who may not have a choice, the experience, or
expertise, or for whatever reason feel that they must depend on
decks to see them through, there is a powerful way to use presenta-
tion decks to produce consistently good results. The rules are simple.
They involve only minor changes that can make a big difference.
Here are the elements that will set you apart and help win what-
ever you need:
◆ Prepare a presentation deck different from the document you leave
behind. We’ll call the actual deck used in the pitch the “Wafer,”
because it is thin. We’ll call the document left behind (or avail-
able in digital form) the “Whopper” because it is loaded with
fat and weighted down with all the data—most of which you
do not need in the pitch.
◆ Keep the book closed in the beginning of the meeting and again at
the end (you may not even have to open it at all). This may
remind you of the Oreo.
◆ Use no word slides. (They end up in the document, which you
keep to yourself as a reference only, or to help answer ques-
tions. If the client insists on a Whopper copy, let the client have
it afterward or arrange to have it sent digitally.)
◆ Stick to the same design and color guidelines for visual aids out-
lined in the previous chapter.
◆ Whenever possible, hand the decks out after the presentation, not
before. This implies the pitch occurs without a book, which can
sometimes be a very good thing. Sometimes the client will
insist on the deck at the table, which we will deal with later.