To get a promotion you need to have something that makes you better than the competition.

You might decide that for you that thing will be your technical knowledge. You will know accounting standards inside out or you will be the person everyone turns to when they can’t figure out how to do something with the finance system.

If you can’t, or don’t want to, be the best in your business at the technical stuff, here’s a suggestion for a way to stand out. Be better than everyone else at presentations.

To be honest, the standard of presentations in business (other than in sales teams) is so poor that it won’t be hard to impress everyone.

If you do just one of the following three things you’ll be better than most people. Do all three and you’ll be the person others ask for advice on presentations.

✅ use a pen and paper (not PowerPoint or other slide app) to work out your key message and how best to communicate it

✅ when you create slides use images and as few words as possible to support what you are saying

✅ rehearse (preferably out loud rather than in your head).

That’s it. You can thank me later.