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Why the book plays a critical role in building assets
The book should be:
- A framework to guide consistent delivery of your firm’s story
- A series of clear exhibits with the capacity to ignite intellectual understanding
- A body of evidence — other than performance numbers — that proves your firm really does what you say you do
- A document considered key to the final buy decision (see War Story)
- A tangible representation of intangible attributes such as philosophy and process
- A physical record of quality for decision-makers who may never visit your firm in person
Why the book can be an impediment to a successful presentation
The book often is:
- A predictable document presented merely to fulfill a requirement
- An aid to rote, page-by-page delivery that inspires in the audience only a profound desire for your presentation to end
- Something to “get through” before reaching the part of the presentation that many consider to be most important (and where many presenters shine): the Q&A
- A cluttered tome filled with superfluous design elements (why is that flying triangle up there in the corner?) and a forest of words too dense to penetrate
- A document requiring so much time to create (developing consensus about key messages, for example) that the presentation team forgets what always matters most: the audience (you know, the people who ultimately decide whether to give your firm the money — or not!)
The presentation book does matter. But there is a happy medium. All aspects of the book must radiate quality. Tell a story consistent with the book. Refer to key exhibits selectively for the benefit of your audience. Leave the book behind with confidence that it provides a valid representation of your firm’s identity. But never let the book be the primary driver of your presentation.
For more on effective ways to use the book, see Presentation Strategy: To Script or Not to Script? in the Art & Science archive.