Introducing projects is part of the routine in many jobs, but not everyone finds it so easy. Do you know this feeling? You have to put a presentation together, so you just sit down in front of your PC and open PowerPoint. After some time, you’ve created dozens of slides, packed with content – you’re practically in the middle of it, but somehow you’re missing a bit of a plan. You’d rather not to even have to think about presenting your project to your colleagues or clients. But have you ever thought about what exactly presenting a project is all about? After all, all you want is to convince your audience that your project is great and sell your idea to others. There is certainly no one right way to do this, but with the right approach and a few tips, it will make it easier to achieve your goal.

Ever heard of “Zen Presentation”?

One approach that will definitely help you is “Zen Presentation”. This is not a “ready to use” method that you can simply copy/paste onto your presentation. Instead, it’s about finding the right approach for you and your project when presenting. Here are a few things to consider:

Tell a story and don’t be afraid to show some emotions.
Keep your presentation simple and do not overload it with content
Work with vivid images

These are the most important tips for a “Zen Presentation” approach.

Do you want more details or looking for inspiration and guidance? Garr Reynolds knows what he’s talking about. Just have a look!

Here are 5 the tips that you need to know:

1) A good preparation is just half the job

A diligent preparation is the best foundation for a successful project presentation. This applies to both, the content and the execution, because the better prepared you are for pitching your project, the more relaxed you will be about it. This makes you seem confident and inspire confidence to the audience. Of course, if you are well prepared, you will also be able to respond better to any questions and have an answer ready more easily.

2) Align with your target group

When presenting your project, be sure to adapt the content and presentation form to your audience. If you expect your audience to have some knowledge of the topic, don’t just show them the basics but some advanced knowledge as well (Otherwise will probably be quite boring for your audience). On the other hand, if your audience is new to the topic, there is no point in diving into a complex topic of the subject. Therefore, is very important to adapt the language you use in your presentation, based on your audience knowledge.

3) Choose a channel you feel comfortable with

Of course, a good presentation also depends on the choice of the right medium. Which medium is the right one is primarily up to you. The important thing is: you have to feel comfortable with it. So if you are used to presenting without digital media, then do that. No one will be impressed if you present your project with the latest technology, but have no clue how to use it and need 10 minutes to get everything working. In this case, just use an old-fashioned flipchart or whatever your confortable with and you will be able to impress your audience without any stress and tension.

You want to surprise your audience and create a different presentation? Then try it with Prezi!

4) If you are convinced of yourself, you will also convince your listeners

A good project presentation is not only based on solid content and an appealing design. You yourself and how you present your project as an individual are a decisive factor for a successful project presentation. One thing is therefore particularly important: Self conviction. Therefore, do not try to fulfill the wishes and ideas of others. Only if you believe in your project one hundred percent will you be able to convince others of it.

5) Less is more

A good presentation is reduced to the essentials. Your audience wont be very enthusiastic if you spend an hour bombarding them with irrelevant details. Think carefully about what is the essential information about your project. What is the core message you want to communicate? You can also use the W-questions as a guide, for example: What?, When?, How?, Why?… In any case, the motto should be: short and concise!