How to present like a McKinsey consultant?

When you make a presentation, you have one goal (irrespective of who your public is): to make it as easy as possible for your audience to understand what you are telling them.

As if this task alone is not daunting enough, consultants (and other professionals that have a lot of data to present) have an extra challenge here and that is:

How to sort the pile of data and bring it across in a clear manner?
How to get the audience, who is often quite impatient, on board and keep them tuned in to the end?
How to present with calm, without worrying you will run out of time and thereby not getting your message across.

And this is exactly what the large consulting firms like McKinsey, PwC and Deloitte do so well. They are masters in giving persuasive presentations to their clients.

They know how to structure their slides and their story in a way, that makes it all clear, insightful, and engaging for their audience.

And this all has to do with applying 2 concepts.

The “SCQA framework” and “the Pyramid Principle”.

Let us take a closer look at the SCQA framework. What does this framework do?

By applying it, you add story to your presentation. It makes it possible to quickly yet effectively bring the context across, before you dive into the content matter. This is the grounding work, so that everything after this step falls in fertile earth, metaphorically speaking. You start your presentation with this framework.

And I have just applied it on you readers ;-).

How?

SCQA stands for.

Situation.
Complication.
Question.
Answer.

Situation: this refers to the current status.

“When you make a presentation, you have one goal (irrespective of who your public is). And that is to make it as easy as possible for your audience to understand what you are telling them.” (Situation)

Complication: this refers to the complication, the problem.

“As if this task alone is not daunting enough, consultants (and other professionals that have a lot of data to present and have to convince their audience) have an extra challenge here and that is:

“How to sort the pile of data and bring it across in a clear manner?
How to get the audience, who is often quite impatient, on board and keep them tuned in to the end?
How to present with calm, without worrying you will run out of time and thereby not getting your message across.” (Complication)

Question: this refers to the question. A direct or implicit question that is hidden in the given information.

“And this is exactly what the large firms do so well. They are masters in giving persuasive presentations for their clients.

They know to structure their slides and their story in a way, that makes it all clear, insightful, and engaging for their audience.” (implicit Question. How do they do that?)

Answer: the answer. That logically follows to the question.

“And this all has to do with applying 2 concepts. The “SCQA framework” and “the Pyramid Principle”.” (Answer)

The explanation of the answer then follows in the middle part of your presentation. On the contents of your middle part, you will consequently apply the Pyramid Principle concept. The SCQA will be used for your introduction slide.

New training “Persuasive Presentations for Consultants”

Do you want to know how YOU can apply this on your presentations?
What it looks and sounds like in the real world?
How you can apply these 2 concepts, so that your dry, packed and unclear presentation can be transformed into a persuasive one?

Then apply for the training “Persuasive Presentations” for consultants.

In one day, you’ll learn to apply these 2 concepts, and this is like a pot of gold.

After 10 years of training, I have come to realize that what is playing in the background, the used structures, rule the effect.

And if you know how to apply this, it makes everything so much easier: the preparation, presenting itself and the effect that you attain. An audience that clearly understands you and is tuned in from the beginning until the end. So that you come across as a real pro: strong, relaxed and connected.

Interested? Send an e-mail to: info@presentingwithimpact.nl.

Open Training “Persuasive Presentations for Consultants”: Friday 16 December. Cost: 497,00 euro.

If you apply before October 15th, you will get an Early Bird discount of 50,00 euro’s and you will pay 447,00 euro’s instead of 497,00.

To more impact, grip and presenting pleasure!

More interested in the Basic Training of Presenting with Impact, where in one day you’ll learn the ins and outs of clear and engaging presenting?

“It was a big impact, and it was very useful for me so far.“ Participant 23 September.

Then apply for the Open Training “Presenting with Impact” Friday 28 October. 3 spots available.

https://presentingwithimpact.nl/english-presentation-skills/