At Evolve, I like to be prepared for all client presentations as soon as the fieldwork is complete, and the reporting process has begun. Before I start the research, I determine the goals and objectives of the client. By doing this, I know what the client wants to see in their end report.

I dig deep into the analysis and ultimately develop a killer report and presentation. I realize that I may have loads of data, but may only have 45 minutes to present it to the client. This time frame also assures me that I am not going to “overwhelm” the client with too much information. The key is to prioritize the report with goals and objectives in mind and determine what will have the most impact on the client.

Here are a few tips to prepare for a successful presentation:

• Outline: Create an overview of the things you must say during your presentation. When you rehearse beforehand, you can use the outline to make sure you don’t forget anything important.
• Executive Summary: As with market research reports, your presentation should include an executive summary to explain why the research was conducted, what the results were, what the findings mean, and what management should do now. Within your own company, those who paid for your research are going to be looking for results. Use this section to focus on your key findings, but don’t explain all the results at once.
• Visuals: Present graphs or charts with important numbers and findings. Remember, not every data set needs a graph, but do emphasize the information that is going to be needed to encourage a change or action. Visuals are extremely useful to communicate results if they are designed appropriately.
• Draw Conclusions: No matter what the subject matter and what the results show, be sure to have a conclusion. What are you going to do now that you have this information from your research? When applicable, conclusions can lead to recommendations. Tell them how they can apply the knowledge and the best methods to do it.
• Share materials: Be prepared to share the report either before or after the presentation. Sometimes the client will want copies of the additional analyses not included in the report. You might want to consider bringing copies of anything from the materials mentioned above. Having copies of anything you chose to present can allow your audience to follow along with your presentation.