This article is part of our meetings series, looking at different types of design meetings, and how they could be improved. You can find all the articles here.
Whether pitching for a would-be client or unveiling work to a current one, presentations matter. And as with any collaborative process, there is a lot to think about.
But while decks are designed with painstaking care and insights polished up in advance, much less thought is usually given to the dynamics in the room. How do you bring a group of people together into a cohesive unit to present as a team?
Start with your people and their people
A great team presentation starts with a clear decision on who is on the team. For Chris Lumsden, co-founder of Good Brand Consultants, an “Opportunity Owner” is responsible for pulling the right people into the meeting.
He describes their role as “coordinating the group and briefing them on the presentation. They seek the team’s input and this shapes the best presentation and creates ownership for their individual contribution.”
Becky King, executive creative director of Dragon Rouge London emphasises the importance for each participant to have a clearly-defined role. “Everyone has to be there because they’ve got something to add.”
Ian Thompson, former head of Thompson Brand Partners, agrees and says that a good presentation draws on different speakers. “Contributions need to be balanced across the group,” he says. “This says that our expertise is across the board, and not an overreliance on one or two people.”
He urges leaders to send, “the people who the client will be dealing with if they select you. Not the good speakers. Not the senior people never to be seen again. And remember to think about, and act on, the make-up of your team when it comes to diversity.”
For King, knowing your audience is equally important in shaping what you say, and how you say it. “Find out who will be in the meeting, and what’s important to them. Look at their job titles and social profiles. Ask what would resonate with them, what’s important to a head of digital versus an HR director, for example.”
Be proactive around space and time
When on home turf, think about where the meeting will happen, but also who will sit where (and the unconscious messages these seemingly innocuous decisions can sometimes send).
Even when you travel to the client, it’s worth doing your due diligence.
“It’s on you to find out about the room, the technology and to ask for some set-up time,” King says. “If the meeting starts at 3pm, ask to arrive at 2.45pm.”
For Lumsden, it is the Opportunity Owner’s role to ask the client to share this information. “They find out about how much time we’ve got, what they want us to do with that time, and what they want to leave with.”
In a pitch, there are various things that eat into the allotted time – getting set settled in, introductions, handing over to each presenter, the Q&A. With this in mind, King stresses the need to “actively decide how you’re going to use the time.”
She advises against “fighting your own content by trying to pack everything in. This creates the room to discuss, provoke and talk things through.”
And clients clearly agree – 71% think new business presentations don’t allow enough time for discussion, according to this year’s What Clients Think report.
Make time to rehearse
For Lumsden, rehearsal time is vital. “You can’t just rock up and present,” he says. “The Opportunity Owner pulls together the run throughs, and makes sure they happen. They keep an eye on how long is each person talking for, that everything hangs together, and listen out for any sharp edges to smooth off.”
King agrees. “Rehearsals are particularly useful for checking your approach to handovers. And going over personal introductions, making sure they’re relevant and they fit into the time allocated. We decide how we want to begin, how we want to end, and when we will take questions.”
Questions create alchemy
Good chemistry is vital for a successful client relationship. For Thompson, it is a key aspect of team presentations.
“Chemistry is what separates one agency from another, when more than one agency has ticked all the boxes. Chemistry is created, or not, through conversation. And conversation is the refreshing part for a client who might be seeing multiple agencies in a day.”
Clients are very attuned to understanding group dynamics – and what they might mean for any working relationship.
“The audience picks up on your chemistry as a group,” King says. “Negative influences include people on the team who are making up the numbers, people who do not speak or pay attention to the occasion, and people who dominate the presentation.”
Lumsden agrees. “A pitch is a reflection of our culture. A client is getting to know us, through our performance.”
“We start our chemistry on the way there and keep it going,” Thompson says. “We switch on before we walk on. Smile, make friends with the people who greet us. Go in in a chatty mood.”
Likewise, Lumsden recommends “finding your human.”
“We let that come across. We may swear at technology, make a reference to the biscuits, or the coffee. We look for conversational oases. These are mini pauses, buffers, moments that occur naturally and provide ways to lighten the occasion and inject something of our personality.”
Questions, questions
Lumsden’s approach to questions is “not to predetermine who will answer what.”
“Sometimes the Opportunity Owner will coordinate by articulating their understanding of the question and then pulling the right contributors into play,” he says. “Having questions to ask the client is also a useful way of getting things moving and avoiding a tumbleweed moment.”
Big moments for individuals
It’s important for team leaders to be aware of the different needs of the individuals within the team presenting. For junior members of the team, these occasions can be a daunting experience. They are not only facing the client, they are also performing in front of colleagues.
Consider how you can support them to develop their skills and confidence between performances – in fact a good debrief is helpful for everyone involved.
For senior members of the team, think about how you can support them to take on a role that stretches them in the presentation.
When done well, team presentations create opportunities for personal growth, as well as business growth. Get both of these working together and you’ll make many more successful and satisfying team presentations.
John Scarrott is a trainer and coach, who works with designers and other creative professionals on presenting, public speaking and other communication skills.