Posted by By Paige Motusesky, Business Development Analyst, and Matt Barr, Advisor Consultant, at Lord Abbett
Hi, NYU! We’re Paige and Matt, leaders on the Advisor Consultant team at Lord Abbett, just across the river in Jersey City, NJ. By way of introduction, Lord Abbett’s mission is to secure a sustainable future for our clients our people and our world. Inspired by our mission, we are committed to creating long-term financial security for our clients, empowering our people, advancing our communities, and ensuring a vibrant future for our planet.
Effective communication is a key component of many roles at the firm, and we often have the opportunity to do something that many people find very stressful: give a presentation. The good news is that we have some helpful tips and guidelines to share that can help anyone knock their next presentation out of the park:
- Prepare: First, ask yourself “what do I want to accomplish with this presentation?” Having a clear vision will help set you up for success from the start. Second, consider your audience: focus on who your audience is and what they care the most about . Are they familiar with the general topic, let alone your particular argument? Should you use certain terminology with this audience or would that confuse them? Next, consider your visuals—knowing what you will be able to share with your audience (PowerPoint, video, etc.) is key. In the case of PowerPoint for example:
- Ensure every slide has a purpose
- Understand what each slide is saying
- Be cognizant of the flow of each slide; note the transitions that will be necessary to seamlessly flow between them
- Present: Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them. Now, we know that piece of advice sounded like a riddle but go back and read it again. We like to give this piece of advice to newcomers on the team, as it helps them build a great structure for their presentation, regardless of the topic. Before you walk through the material, provide your audience with a roadmap of your presentation. Afterward, summarize the key elements/takeaways. While this might sound like it will overwhelm your audience, remember that they aren’t as familiar with the material as you are and may need to hear the key points more than once to fully understand you argument.
- Optimize: We’re sure you’ve heard the advice: “it’s not what you say, but how you say it.” While content is undoubtedly important, excellent delivery of this material is of vital importance! Of the many factors to consider, our top three are:
- Speak at a confident and even pace
- Make eye contact and act with poise
- Smile – enthusiasm is a force multiplier
Never underestimate the importance of process. Approach your next presentation thoughtfully with these considerations in mind and you’re sure to knock it out of the park!
Why Lord Abbett: Lord Abbett is a leading asset manager serving clients worldwide. Our
purpose—securing a sustainable future for our clients, our people, and our world—fuels
everything we do. Our clients trust us to manage approximately $250 billion in assets across a
diverse set of investment strategies and vehicles. Inspired by our “dream big, work hard, have
fun” principle, our people thrive in our vibrant culture and deliver lasting impact to our clients and
communities. We are honored to have earned recognition as one of the Best Places to Work in
Money Management by Pensions & Investments and scored 100% on the Human Rights
Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, a measure of LGBTQ+ workplace equality.
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