Types of Presentations

Presentation is a kind of oral communication in which information flows from the speaker to the audience. It needs prior preparation, organization, event planning, making use of visual aids, handling stress and answering questions. The presentation involves public speaking. It is all about presenting the facts, statistics, data or a point of view on any topic formally. Further, there are different types of presentations which we will discuss here.

Types of Presentations

The main purpose of the presentation is to inform, persuade and motivate. The various types of presentations are classified on the basis of purpose, audience profile, time availability and objective and kind of audience involved.

Based on Purpose

Informative Presentations

These presentations are helpful in teaching, demonstrating or instructing the audience on a specific topic or process. Such presentations can be given while conveying office policies, rules and norms of the organization to the employees. This may cover:

• Press Conference
• Seminars, Classroom instruction
• Presentation of ideas by candidates in front of the interview panel

Persuasive Presentation

Such presentations aim at inducing the audience to agree to a certain belief or action. Sales presentations are one of the classic examples of it. In sales presentations, an attempt is made to persuade the company’s top management, so that they could accept the idea.

Motivational Presentation

These presentations aim at reassuring the audience. Examples of such presentations may include:

• Motivational public speaking
• Presentation to encourage team members to adopt new ideas.

Based on the audience profile

Internal Presentation

A presentation given to an internal audience is an internal presentation. The internal audience includes employees, directors, etc. The presenter may or may not know the audience personally.

External Presentation

This is for an external audience. The audience may include clients, suppliers, partners, investors and vendors. Moreover, the presenter does not know the audience.

Based on time-availability

Impromptu presentation

Impromptu means anything that is not rehearsed, prepared or scripted. The composition and delivery of such a presentation should be spontaneous. That means these presentations are public speeches without any prior preparations.

Planned presentation

In this type of presentation, the speaker is already prepared. This implies that these presentations are given to the audience after systematic and thoughtful planning, and preparation.

Based on the Objective and the Kind of audience involved

Briefing

One that is used to announce a new organizational policy. Here, the audience may include internal or external stakeholders.

Orientation Programme

This is for welcoming new employees into the organization and making them familiar with the company’s rules, regulations, policies, and history. Also, the aim of conducting orientation is to ensure that employees get comfortable with the working environment.

Training sessions

These presentations aim at explaining to the employees the way to handle machines or operate the software.

Demonstrations

This involves showing the audience how to do something and simultaneously telling them how to do it. It means putting words into action. The speaker needs to follow step by step process. One must avoid a long period of silence while speaking..

Illustrated talk

In this, the presenter shares general information of educational nature. This won’t result in a finished product. Although, the use of visual aids is necessary to explain what you said. Visual aids can be in the form of posters, models, slides, etc.

Team Presentations

An individual or a team can take part as a presenter in both demonstrations or illustrated talk. These are of great help when you need more hands to show something.

Presentation on Progress Reports

Such presentations are given to provide a status report on monthly production, and performance.

Presentation on Research Reports

This is to give a brief description of a market research survey. Further, both internal and external stakeholders take part in the presentation as the audience.

Conference Presentation

These are meant to report on technological or domain-specific advancements. Moreover, the audience of this presentation is external stakeholders only.

Sales Presentation

An alternative term for sales presentation is a sales pitch. In this, the presenter explains the distinct features of the offering to the potential customers.

Elevator Pitch

When the presenter speaks concisely and carefully in less than a minute about the organization to pull the attention of the investors.

Ceremonial Occasions

When one speaks on the valedictory function, i.e. farewell function of an employee who has rendered service for a long time in the company.

Public Speeches

Speaking to the general public in an informative yet persuasive tone, to bring into notice a mindboggling thought or a different perspective. Besides, it is like talking and no visual aids will be provided.

A word from Business Jargons

All in all, Presentations can take different forms. Also, they can serve a variety of purposes. The purposes range from delivery of information or persuading someone to take any action, reporting the progress or introducing an innovative idea.