A explain article

Over the course of a year, companies present on numerous occasions. But what distinguishes these presentations? What are they good for? And how does a company that has done nothing but presentations for 15 years actually present?

Fireworks shoot through the Karlsruhe night and illuminate Haydnplatz. Arm in arm with my best friend and business partner, Sven Hager, I stand in our presentation room on the second floor and marvel at the spectacle.

It was supposed to be the highlight of our 10th anniversary celebration. The room was overflowing with friends, family, employees, and the closest customers, a crackling in the air. I had been eagerly anticipating this day for three years. For a long time, I was the authorized officer of the burgeoning presentation agency explain, and on this day, at the tender age of 27, I was to become CEO. And my companion Sven would immediately go on a well-deserved sabbatical.

So there I stood with tears in my eyes, overwhelmed by my buddy's successful rocket surprise. In the last hour, we looked back together at our young wild start-up history and relived the special moments once more briefly in fast forward.

Now it was my turn. I felt sick. All day and the night before, hardly slept. And there they all stood before me, my former colleagues and future employees.

Only ten minutes of presentation time, but so intense that, to this day, I can hardly put it into words. I had prepared for a long time, repeatedly discarding my speech. What should I say, what should I rather not? Certainly, I am setting the tone for my upcoming term in office with this moment. It was important to me to say thank you and to start the new role with humility. And so it happened: a short thank you, a brief outlook, a few personal touches – what do I want to emphasize, how can I be measured, what can my people look forward to? That was it: short, intense, moving for me and perhaps also for the audience – if I can believe the seemingly 1001 congratulations and hugs.

On this day, at this moment, I was to understand how important presentations can be for me! And that was just the beginning …

Three months passed before the first major challenge came to me. We grew steadily during these years, had large clients with ever-growing projects. So far, so good! During this phase, we were working on a major project of unprecedented dimension. 4 weeks duration, 80% of the team involved, in the final with overnight effort and - that was the crucial point - beyond the turn of the month. We were extremely proud of this megaproject. Only I became more and more nervous. Why? The account balance! Day by day we served the usual liabilities: rent, insurance, advertising costs and whatever they are all called. Hard work should be rewarded, we agree on that!

Payday: Due to the long project time, we couldn't invoice yet, and our account balance became lower and lower. My first sleepless night as CEO followed. Then I made two fundamental decisions. First, I went to my banker. He greeted me friendly and helpful, as always. I presented him with our promising orientation and, of course, our tiny liquidity problem... For him no problem - our rating excellent and therefore solved in no time with an overdraft bridging loan. All's well that ends well! I was able to pay the salaries on time, like every month, and finally sleep peacefully again.

Why am I telling you this? Because of the second decision. I decided to deal openly with this challenge and tell my employees about it. All together again in our presentation room, like in January, only this time I told them about my almost liquidity crash.

That was the birth of our team meetings. From now on, every week, one hour, all together in our presentation room. Good morning, explain! We looked at the successes of the week and also the challenges. Thus we had a common understanding of our decisions, for the simple ones and especially for the difficult ones.

My open approach to the problem of not being able to pay salaries - a problem that affects everyone in the company - showed me that by doing so I create transparency. This ensures understanding and trust among each other. And it relaxes the naturally strained relationship from the team to the management level. Over time, this developed into a real presentation rhythm throughout the year.

#01 - Start of the year

By far the most exciting session of the year for presenters and viewers. Launch of annual goals and strategies, framed by a ship metaphor that has described explain’s past and future for years and thus serves as an anchor of understanding for employees of all cultures, educational backgrounds, and experiences.

#02 - Quarterly review

Moment of self-reflection and evaluation of interim goals. The preparation feels like a small strategic retreat. You ask yourself what has been achieved and what has not, and where corrections are needed. The leaders can pass this on stage – it shapes them and the audience.

#03 - Team meeting

Ideally every week for moderating daily events and as a tool for change processes. Change is no fun for anyone, unless it is understood. Celebrate successes together and address challenges as openly as possible. Occasionally a guest, customer, expert external or internal. In the end, this is the greatest influencing factor on the corporate culture.

#04 - Special Moments

Closure of a department, relocation of a site, cancellation of a major project, vision, founder's exit – we've experienced it all. Those were by far the most spectacular presentations we have experienced ourselves. Always accompanied by a fitting staging framework and a lot of preparation. It was probably only so successful for that reason.

Presenting is done everywhere, not just with us. 30 million times a day, we still know that from the first edition. Therefore, presentations are a success factor for companies, especially in B2B, the number 1 communication tool. Let's go through it together. At which key moments can I score with a strong presentation?

So presentations have an enormous impact on business success. They are used in practically all departments. Communication must take place everywhere, both internally and externally. Whether good or bad is not determined by PowerPoint, Keynote, or whatever, but by you alone! In 2014, I wasn't even aware of the influence of my presentation moments. Today, I know exactly how important and valuable they are in my everyday work. A lot of time goes into preparation because communication is the main part of my CEO responsibilities, and presentations are my number 1 vehicle. If I manage to inspire my team with good strategies and content in entertaining lectures, then we've achieved a lot together!

My Recommendations

Keep track of the various presentation occasions of the year - company-wide. Prepare proactively for these moments and avoid overnight preparations, as this is reflected in the quality! Consider presentations holistically: Start with the content, the development of a convincing storyline. Use presentation media that support you but do not relieve you of speaking. And the larger the occasion and impact of your presentation, the more intensely you should practice.

This is what we understand by Corporate Presenting: company-wide, holistic with high quality standards. This enables you to achieve an influential presentation and communication culture in your company.

#01 - C-Level

We are turning the big wheel, but that only works together. Leadership competence is based on defined goals and their achievement, but above all - and this is the most demanding part in between - convincing our employees. Visions, goals, and strategies only have power if everyone has understood them and we work together on them.

Examples
Strategy presentation, annual kickoff, quarterly closing, leadership communication, status quo reports of departments, annual review, board meeting

#02 - Investor Relations

In this context, I experienced an incredible story. A large corporation invited us some time ago. Share price falling, markets dissatisfied. A large consulting firm has been on-site for some time, trying to turn the place upside down. Then the big day: As stipulated by the Stock Corporation Act, all major changes must be communicated to the shareholders. We were engaged for this special day. For a week, it was all about molding the new strategy into presentation form with the assistance of the board members. What a project! The investor meeting was a complete success. The turning point of the stock can be traced back to this very day. Unimaginable what would have happened if...

Examples
Investor pitch, investor presentation, annual general meeting, forming partnerships, financial press conference, general assembly (CH)

#03 - Human Resources

The bottleneck of the last decades was customer acquisition. Today the tide is turning towards finding and retaining good employees. Those who do not go all out have no chance in the applicant market. In a global market, the employee shortage is one of the biggest growth stoppers in the German-speaking world. If we believe a new Gallup survey, today's applicants primarily want three things: self-fulfillment, meaningful work, and good leadership. Let the stage begin! We achieve this by making our companies and brands tangible not only for customers but also for employees. Through transparent internal communication, we infect them and inspire people for our company.

Examples
Internal training, product training, onboarding, train the trainer, safety briefings, coaching, recruiting, leadership development, job market, presentation at universities and schools

#04 - Sales

The presentation is the B2B flagship store. Every product that I cannot take with me or place in an online store needs explanation. This applies even more to services. Sales presentations have the greatest immediate impact on company success.

Examples
Product presentations, sales toolkit, product launch, trade show presentation, project progress, cases, briefing and kick-off, portfolio, showroom

#05 - Marketing

Glossy brochures, websites, and trade show booths are meant to convince customers. When it comes to the decisive sales conversation, the customer must be convinced in live conversation. Dear marketing team, please do not leave your sales team in the lurch here and support the deal with strong sales materials! Unfortunately, too much is still done in a haphazard manner at this point. Deal or No Deal, it's in your hands! Furthermore, Generation Experience enjoys entertaining brand stagings that stick in their minds and ultimately also influence purchase decisions.

Examples
Corporate presentation, anniversaries, company history, image presentation, Welcome Lounge, brand experience spaces, event presentations, stagings

#06 - Public Relations

Big effect, if only the right messages appear. If I want to place them purposefully, then I prepare a presentation for the press conference. Because rarely do strategically meaningful headlines arise from impromptu speech. The bar is now set high. Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, or Al Gore have shown us what great presentations should look like. More and more, presentations are becoming experiences.

Examples
Keynotes, sponsorship, collaborations, public speaking, open house day, company tours, press conferences, influencer meetings