The perfect presentation

One of the most important aspects of any presentation is the materials you use to back up your pitch. They can mean the difference between a presentation that bombs and a presentation that gets you to the next level. PowerPoint slides are a powerful way to back up any presentation--as long as you use them as a prop and not as a crutch.

One of the mistakes you may make as a presenter is to have too many slides. If you have a bunch of slides, and you can't really cover any topic thoroughly, then you leave the audience questions in mind than answers. If you're doing a product presentation, you definitely need to appeal to the five senses. The more you can get the audience involved, the better your presentation is going to be. Sure, you want to prove that you're prepared, but don't get carried away.

 Don't bring your business plan or summary. Business plans and business summaries should be limited to two to three PowerPoint slides.

 Don't bring a lot of paper or content-rich PowerPoint slides. Anyone can read a spreadsheet. You're the real expert on what your business is. Let them know what's coming from your heart and from your mind.

 Don't bring food. Unless it's a prop for your product or service.