Power Presentations

Part 1: Hooks (Examples)

Memory Hook

A physical item/object that the audience is familiar with, has shared common knowledge of, but also relates to your topic.

Example: (Hold up a calculator and display it to the audience.) Say: "This is something every accountant is familiar with. I’m sure you are all aware of four essential functions: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Now think about accounting—our work also relies on four key principles: accuracy, compliance, transparency, and trust. Today, we’ll dive into how these principles ensure financial integrity, just like this calculator ensures we always get the numbers right."

Amazing Fact

Example: Say: "According to recent studies, AI is expected to handle over 40% of all accounting tasks by 2030. That’s right—almost half of the work traditionally done by human accountants will soon be automated. But what does this mean for the future of accounting, and how can we ensure AI is working for us, not against us? Let’s explore the incredible potential (and challenges) of AI in the accounting world."

Anything Other Than PPT

Most people are conditioned to think and use PowerPoint (PPT) in a presentation. But great professional speakers hardly ever need to use them. If you can get creative enough, try doing something that doesn't need a PPT. PPTs are visual. Try something that highlights other senses (hearing, smell, taste, touch, etc.).

Example: Bring a box with a lock on it. Inside the box, place some things in it (e.g., fake money, keys, coins). Start by holding the locked box and shaking it, so the audience hears the rattling sound inside.

Say: "This box represents your company’s assets—your money, resources, and reputation. Now imagine handing it to someone without the key. What’s stopping them from breaking it open or walking away with it? Internal controls in accounting are like this lock. They ensure that only the right people have access and that what’s inside stays secure. Today, I’ll show you how strong internal controls can protect your organization from financial risks."

Get Audience Participation

Get the audience to physically move around (e.g., raise their hands, stand up, talk to someone next to them, check under their seats, close their eyes, come to the stage, move around the room, etc.).

Demonstration / Demo

Example: A furniture dealer used a simple demo to convince a large purchaser to choose his brand of sofas over the competition. He bought a similar-looking sofa from his competition and put it next to his own. He then neatly cut open both sofas. With the insides of the sofas clearly visible, the dealer made a convincing presentation on the quality difference between his brand and the competition.

Famous Quote

Example: Say: “I’m reminded of a quote by Edsger Dijkstra, a famous Dutch computer scientist, programmer, software engineer, and mathematician. He said: ‘The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than the question of whether a submarine can swim.’”

Say: “This quote perfectly captures the role of AI in accounting today. It’s not about replacing human intelligence but enhancing our capabilities to analyze, strategize, and make better decisions. In this presentation, we’ll explore how AI is transforming accounting from a reactive process into a proactive, strategic advantage.”

Use Humor / Metaphor

Say: "An accounting scandal is like a bad haircut: it’s obvious to everyone, and it takes a long time to fix. But unlike a bad haircut, bad accounting can’t just grow out. The damage is lasting, and the stakes are much higher."

Rhetorical Questions

Examples:

• "Have you ever wondered why some multinational corporations pay less in taxes than a small business in your neighborhood?"
• "How do you protect yourself from a threat that’s learning to outsmart you every second?"

Controversial Opinion

Example: You say: "Accounting standards are killing innovation!" Then explain: "Rigid standards are often blamed for killing creativity and flexibility in financial reporting. But today, I'll show you how embracing these standards can actually drive innovation and growth within your organization."

A Provocative Statement

Example: You say: "Tax evasion is a smart business strategy!" Then clarify: "At least, that’s what some companies think—until they’re hit with massive fines, reputational damage, and even jail time. Today, I’ll show you why compliance is not just the ethical choice but also the most profitable one in the long run."

Screening Question

Example: “Raise your hand if you’ve ever struggled to meet a reporting deadline.” (Wait for hands to go up.) “Now, keep your hand up if that challenge was due to missing or inaccurate data.” (Hands start lowering.) “Finally, keep your hand up if it resulted in significant delays, penalties, or stress for your team.” (Only a few hands remain.)

“If you’re one of the few with your hand still up—or even if you put your hand down earlier—you know how critical it is to address these issues. Today, we’ll explore solutions that can prevent these challenges entirely and help streamline your accounting processes."

Part 2: Visuals

Trend Words

Avoid generic terms like "go up" or "go down." Instead, use descriptive and impactful language:

• Go Up: increase, improve, rise, gain, skyrocket, soar, triple, double, jump, leap, elevate, climb, surge, spike, shoot up, tick up, inch upward.
• Go Down: decline, decrease, fall, reduce, dip, drop, plummet, plunge, crash, collapse, sink, dive, halve, slide, slip, recede.
• Other terms: fluctuate, volatile (volatility), waver, swing, irregular, level off, plateau, stabilize, maintain, remain steady, show consistency, peak, hit a high (low), reach a high (low) point, bottom out, recover, pivot, shift, turn around.

Numbers vs Visuals

Numbers are important for conveying information, but they don't evoke emotions as effectively as visuals. To make your audience feel connected, use images that demonstrate emotion rather than just presenting numbers. Websites like Pexels can provide free visual resources.

Part 3: Q&A Sessions

When Someone Challenges You or Disagrees

Follow these steps:

• Understand their view: “If I understand you right, you feel it isn’t realistic to try to launch in three months.”
• Outline where you agree: “I think we all want to make sure the product is rock solid when it goes to market, and I agree timing is tight.”
• Hone in on the real disagreement: “I’m more optimistic than you about our chances of making this a success, though...”
• Explain your point of view: “...because we’ve found a way to double the staff working on the project. I can tell you more about this offline.”

When You Don’t Know the Answer

Be honest and confident in your response:

• Tell them you don’t know: “That’s a very valid question you raise. I don’t have that data with me but I will send that information to you straight after this presentation.”
• Tell them what you do know: “I’m not sure of the precise rate of inflation right now, though I can look that up for you if you like. What I can tell you is that it is rising faster now than it has done for many years.”
• Tell them why you don’t know: “The rate of inflation is extremely volatile at the moment. Let me look up the most recent data and get that figure to you straight after the presentation.”
• Tell them if someone else knows: “That’s a hot topic at the moment and our CFO has just published a report looking at the current rate of inflation and the drivers behind it. I’ll email that report to you later this week.”

Always reinforce your key message: “And that's why we need to… [state a key point from your presentation].”

Part 4: Presentation Delivery

What Makes an Effective Presentation?

Research shows the following breakdown:

• Spoken words: 7%
• Body language: 55%
• Voice/tone: 38%

Tips for Effective Presentations

Rehearsal is key. Professional TED Talkers rehearse 15–20 times or more. Here are some practical tips:

• Practice in front of a mirror.
• Speak out loud; don’t just mouth the speech.
• Practice in front of a friend, group of friends, or a teacher. Ask for feedback.
• Rehearse in the actual venue or a similar space, if possible.
• Record yourself and review for improvement in body language, movement, and voicing.
• Rehearse together in groups for team presentations.
• Do a full run-through: practice the entire presentation with slides and timing.
• Focus on practicing your opening hooks and closing statements.

Presentation Voicing

Watch Julian Treasure’s TED Talk: “How to Speak so that People Want to Listen” for guidance on effective voicing techniques.

• Pausing/Chunking: Add a pause (2–3 seconds) after each key line for emphasis.
• Emphasis/Stress: Use pauses and voice changes to highlight critical words.

Example:

Sound Script:
ANYONE can become a successful manager. [pause 2–3 seconds]
But of course, the unprepared, [pause 2–3 seconds]
the untrained, [pause 2–3 seconds]
and those given too much responsibility [pause 2–3 seconds]
before they’re ready [pause 2–3 seconds]
will FAIL. [pause 2–3 seconds]
That’s what this morning’s presentation is all about.

Pacing and Intonation

Vary the speed and pitch of your voice to maintain interest and emphasize key points.

Example:

Sound Script:
The world's most popular DRINK
is WATER. [pause]
You probably knew that ALREADY.
After all, it's a basic requirement of life on EARTH.
But did you KNOW
that the world's SECOND most popular drink
is COKE?
And that the human race drinks
six hundred million Cokes a DAY?

This concludes the detailed seminar notes.