But the presenter, equipped with slides and a tightly structured presentation, established an informal setting by sitting next to the senior executive and creating a dialogue, examining each message and fact thoroughly before moving forward. In another presentation to an executive who had to make a decision, the presenter only had a few visual aids, planned to promote discussion, and hoped to keep the presentation informal. However, the executive was more comfortable with the formalities of a presentation and requested that the presenter stand, present the visual aids, and complete the presentation before they discussed any of the issues. As you begin planning your presentation, consider how the number of listeners affects some of your choices, as you see in the following figure. Know the size of your audience and which type of visual support will be useful.
Presentations are formal or informal, although there are many levels of formality and informality.
Also, presentations differ depending on whether they occur only once or regularly, such as at weekly or monthly meetings. A formal presentation is often like a performance. A presenter or presenters stand in front of the listeners and the quality of delivery is very important. The presenter must be clear and dynamic, and the presentation should be carefully structured. There is sometimes an agenda sent to listeners in advance.