That Slide Deck - No Platform for Amateurs

 Death by Powerpoint. That was the joke in the early 21st century. Some of us experienced in executive communications refused to work with it. Our joke was: Use an easel and magic marker. That's how you will engage the audience. 

Now it is called a "Slide Deck" and is a key component of many jobs in professional services, especially those which are client-facing. Sometimes it can be job in itself. Much of it involves new business development. For startups usually the slide deck is for fundraising. 

The core skills are three-fold:

Researching that aligns the pitch to what will achieve the objective with the target market

Storytelling

Creating visuals that reinforce the story line.

Usually a team will invest many hours in putting the slide deck together, requiring lots and lots of modifications. If any member of that team is assessed as lacking in any of the three core skills they can be put on a PIP or terminated outright. Yes, the slide deck is that important.

Often on professional anonymous networks such as Fishbowl Consulting posters ask for tips on how to improve their presentations formatted as slide decks. 

Plenty of jokes can still be made about Slide Decks but aren't. Too much is at stake. 

In most cases you have only one shot in communications. Jane Genova is a communications coach and content-creator. Complimentary consultation (please text 203-468-8579 or email janegenova374@gmail.com)

 



 


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