Presenting at a business networking event can be a fantastic opportunity to showcase your expertise, share insights, and expand your professional network. Effective presentations can lead to new partnerships, opportunities, and avenues for personal and professional growth. At Starlight we have many years of experience in helping big brands and independent businesses ensure their messaging is both seen and heard. We understand the need for a presentation that is informative, engaging and rewarding so we’ve compiled the ideal way for you to present when it’s your turn to present at a business networking event.
10 tips to ensure your business networking events presentation succeeds.
We picked the ten features that we think help you become the brand people remember and the one that people think linking with or purchasing from would be their best option.
1. Understand your audience
Research: Learn who will be attending the event. Understand their industries, roles, and what they might be looking to gain from the event.
Tailor your content: Customise your presentation to meet the interests and needs of your audience. This will help make your talk more relevant and engaging.
2. Define your objectives
Clear goals: Determine what you want to achieve with your presentation. Whether it’s to educate, inspire, or initiate collaborations, having clear objectives will shape your content and delivery.
Call to action: Decide what action you want the audience to take after your presentation. This could be visiting your website, joining a mailing list, or scheduling a follow-up meeting.
3. Structure your presentation
Introduction: Start with a strong opener that grabs attention. Introduce yourself, your background, and what you will be covering.
Body: Present your main points in a logical sequence. Use data, stories, and real-life examples to support your arguments and keep the audience engaged. Audio visual content at events can enhance your presence and help explain some of the more complicated aspects of your presentation. It also tends to be captivating for the audience!
Conclusion: Summarise the key takeaways and reiterate your call to action. Make sure your closing remarks are memorable. If possible, open the floor to questions too. You’ll find you could be enhancing your brand by positively answering the queries people have.
4. Design visual aids
Slide design: Use slides sparingly but effectively. Ensure they are visually appealing and not overcrowded with text. Utilize images, charts, and infographics to illustrate points.
Branding: Include your logo and use company colours to enhance brand recognition.
5. Practice your delivery
Rehearsals: Practice your presentation multiple times to refine your timing and delivery. Get comfortable with your material.
Feedback: Consider rehearsing in front of colleagues or friends and ask for constructive feedback.
Timing: Be mindful of the time allotted for your presentation. Practice to ensure you cover all points succinctly without rushing.
6. Engage the audience
Questions: Pose questions to the audience to make the session interactive and keep them engaged.
Stories: Use stories or anecdotes that relate to your audience’s experiences. This personal touch can make your presentation more relatable and impactful.
Eye contact: Maintain eye contact with your audience to build connection and convey confidence. But not too much!! Whilst eye contact is a sign of positive body language, too much of it can appear intense!
7. Prepare for Q&A
Anticipate questions: Think about potential questions the audience might ask at a business networking event and prepare your answers. When you hold a practice run of your presentation ask the team to come up with a selection of questions. Get them to adopt the view of the customer so they look at the business from another angle.
Stay composed: Answer questions confidently and politely. If you don’t know an answer, it’s okay to offer to discuss it after the presentation or follow up via email.
8. Use networking opportunities
Before the talk: Network with attendees before your presentation. This can make you feel more at ease and tailor your talk if you learn something new about the audience’s interests.
After the Talk: Stay available for further discussion and networking. Hand out business cards and invite direct follow-ups. This is an ideal opportunity for lead generation at events and who knows, it may even be a chance to follow up on established leads and convert leads to sales.
9. Follow up
Post-event communication: Send thank-you emails, connect on LinkedIn, or follow up with any promised materials or answers to questions. This helps to solidify relationships and open doors for future interactions.
10. Evaluate and reflect
Feedback forms: If possible, gather feedback via forms or informal conversations. Learn what worked and what could be improved for future presentations. If you have had an additional team working with you on the presentation, perhaps utilise them on the day to hand out any comms that can be taken away. This allows you to spend time with individuals who have sought your business out.
Self-Reflection: Reflect on your performance and identify areas for personal growth. Did you rush sections? Did you miss out some key data? Could you engage with people better?
By following these steps, you’ll be better prepared to deliver a powerful and effective presentation at a business networking event. Remember, each presentation is an opportunity to refine your skills and grow your network, so approach each one with enthusiasm and professionalism.
Consider a backdrop or display at your business networking event
To ensure people want to be at your event and remain captivated creating an effective back wall event display for a speaker at a business presentation is essential to enhance the visual appeal and ensure that the message is communicated.
Starlight Exhibitions are official suppliers of Nomadic Display products and offers a free exhibition display design service to ensure you get your brand looking exactly how it should when you hold a business networking event. Contact us today for a quotation for a professional backdrop for a presentation.
Should you need help to elevate your brand speak to the team at Starlight. We are the experts in creating engaging, welcoming and captivating backdrops. Whether you need a lightbox display to illuminate a brand message or want to enhance your green credentials with a sustainable exhibition stand, we can help. Contact us today and allow us to transform your presence at your next business networking event.
Key considerations for an ideal business networking event backdrop
1. Brand Alignment
Logo placement: Ensure the company logo is visible, but not overpowering. Place it in the upper corners or centre of the backdrop.
Colour scheme: Use colours that are associated with the brand. This helps in reinforcing brand identity.
2. Content clarity
Text: If you include any text on the backdrop (e.g., the event’s theme, speaker’s name, or the company slogan), make sure it’s large enough to be readable from the back of the room.
Font choice: Use clean, simple fonts that are easy to read from a distance. We’ve composed a guide for the ideal fonts for exhibition stands and displays, take a read and see how you can enhance your messaging.
3. Design elements
Simplicity: Keep the design simple to avoid distracting from the speaker. A cluttered backdrop can divert attention away from the presentation’s content.
Relevance: Incorporate elements relevant to the presentation’s theme, such as industry-specific icons or imagery, but use them subtly.
4. Technical considerations
Material: Choose a material that minimizes glare from lights to avoid distracting reflections. Matte fabrics or non-reflective vinyl are good choices.
Size: The backdrop should be proportional to the stage and room size. It should be large enough to be seen from all parts of the room but should not overwhelm the space.
5. Installation
Ease of setup: Make sure the backdrop is easy to set up and take down, especially if the event involves multiple speakers or sessions. At Starlight most of our displays are easy to build and can be done yourself. Some of our clients prefer to have us on hand to remove some of the stress by assembling it for you whilst you spend time working on your presentation, just let us know and we can help! Check out our exhibition stand Installation Service for further info.
By considering these factors, you can create a backdrop that not only enhances the professionalism of the presentation but also subtly contributes to the communication of key messages and brand values.