How To Add Fun To Finance Presentation [Tips]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Sep 5, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Our client, Michael, asked us a question while we were working on their quarterly financial review presentation: “How do we make a finance presentation not feel like a slow death by spreadsheets?”
So our Creative Director answered, “Finance isn’t boring—how you present it makes it boring.”
As a presentation design agency, we work on many finance presentations throughout the year, and we’ve observed a common challenge: no matter how critical the numbers are, they tend to lose people’s attention fast. But here’s the thing—finance presentations don’t have to be dull. If anything, they should be engaging because they impact decisions, drive strategy, and reveal opportunities.
So, in this blog, we’ll cover why finance presentations need to be fun and how to actually make them engaging—without losing their credibility or professionalism.
Why Finance Presentations Need to Be Fun
Let’s be honest—most people don’t attend a finance presentation expecting to be entertained. They brace themselves for a flood of numbers, dense charts, and jargon-heavy explanations. But here’s the problem: if your audience mentally checks out, all that valuable financial insight is wasted.
A finance presentation isn’t just about reporting numbers; it’s about making people care about them.
And to do that, engagement is non-negotiable.
Here’s why making a finance presentation fun is essential:
People Remember What Engages Them
Dry data is forgettable. But when numbers are presented in a way that sparks curiosity or emotion, they stick. Think about TED Talks—when was the last time you saw a dull one? Even complex topics like economics and behavioral finance come to life when delivered with a compelling narrative.
Financial Decisions Need Buy-In
Whether you're presenting to executives, investors, or your internal team, your goal isn’t just to inform them; it’s to influence decisions. If your audience is disengaged, they’re less likely to take action on your insights. A compelling presentation ensures that key takeaways don’t just float past them.
Attention Spans Are Brutally Short
Your audience is likely juggling multiple priorities. If your finance presentation feels like a chore, they’ll start checking emails instead of listening. Making it engaging helps keep their focus where it should be—on the financial insights that matter.
Numbers Alone Don’t Tell a Story
A spreadsheet doesn’t communicate urgency, opportunity, or risk—it just displays numbers. But a well-crafted finance presentation adds context, visuals, and narrative to bring those numbers to life. When data is connected to real-world impact, it becomes far more persuasive.
In short, a finance presentation that’s fun isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity if you want your insights to land with impact. Now, let’s get into the how.
How to make a finance presentation fun?
Finance presentations are often viewed as rigid, formal, and packed with complex data. However, this doesn’t mean they have to be boring. In fact, adding an element of fun can help your audience retain information, stay engaged, and even look forward to the next presentation. Fun doesn’t mean unprofessional—it means making the experience enjoyable and memorable.
1. Tell a Story with Your Numbers
A finance presentation should not just be a collection of numbers and spreadsheets. To make it engaging, try framing the numbers within a story. For example, instead of just listing quarterly profits, narrate how a strategic decision led to an unexpected financial boost. Adding a narrative gives context to the figures and makes the data relatable.
When storytelling, focus on how the company's financial performance impacts employees, customers, or future growth. People connect with stories, and when they see how financial data affects the broader picture, they’re more likely to stay engaged.
Example:
Instead of stating, “We had a 10% increase in revenue last quarter,” try saying, “Our strategic marketing efforts led to a 10% revenue increase last quarter, allowing us to expand our product line. This growth means more opportunities for our team and customers."
2. Use Visuals That Pop
Visuals are crucial in any presentation, but they’re especially helpful in finance presentations where data can become overwhelming. Instead of dense tables or plain bar charts, use visually engaging infographics, colorful charts, and diagrams. Opt for dynamic visuals that highlight key figures without overloading the audience with information.
For instance, animated charts or infographics can break the monotony of a standard financial report. A pie chart that grows dynamically as you explain a financial allocation can keep the audience visually interested while making the data easier to digest.
Example:
If you're showing cost allocation, consider a pie chart that animates to reveal each category. This not only helps explain the allocation process but also adds an element of movement and intrigue to the slide.
3. Incorporate Humor, But Be Careful
Humor is a powerful tool to break the ice and lighten the atmosphere, even in finance presentations. That said, it’s essential to strike the right balance. The humor should be relevant and professional, but it can add a refreshing touch to an otherwise data-heavy presentation.
Consider adding light-hearted finance memes, or use witty one-liners to explain complex concepts. Humor helps humanize the presenter and makes the session feel more interactive rather than a formal report dump.
Example:
When discussing budgeting, you could use a meme about everyone’s fear of the budgeting spreadsheet. It’s a relatable scenario that will likely resonate with the audience and add an element of fun.
4. Use Interactive Elements
One of the best ways to make a finance presentation fun is to get the audience involved. Interactive elements like polls, quizzes, or live data analysis can turn passive listeners into active participants.
For instance, you could ask the audience to guess the next quarter’s projections based on historical data and reveal the real numbers afterward. This playful interaction not only makes the presentation engaging but also reinforces key financial trends you want them to remember.
Example:
You might introduce a real-time quiz with questions like “What percentage of our revenue came from product A?” Then, as the answers roll in, you reveal the actual numbers and explain the implications.
5. Personalize the Data
Generic presentations are boring, especially when dealing with finance. Adding a personalized touch to your data can make it more meaningful to the audience. Show how the data relates directly to the team, departments, or specific projects. By connecting the financial metrics to their everyday work, the audience feels more invested in the content.
Example:
Instead of saying, “Our revenue grew by 12%,” personalize it with, “The marketing team’s new campaign directly contributed to our 12% revenue growth, leading to more resources for future projects.”
6. Simplify Complex Data
Finance is complex by nature, but your presentation doesn’t have to be. One key way to add fun and maintain engagement is to simplify the data. Avoid cramming too much information into a single slide. Instead, break it down into bite-sized chunks that the audience can easily follow.
Use a combination of key metrics and visual aids to break up the dense data. Focus on what’s truly important, and avoid the temptation to include every single data point. Simplicity is your friend here—too much information can overwhelm the audience, while clarity keeps them engaged.
Example:
Instead of presenting a detailed profit and loss statement, summarize the key takeaways: “Our cost-cutting measures reduced operational expenses by 15%, leading to a 5% increase in overall profitability.”
7. Break the Presentation into Sections
When faced with a finance presentation, audiences often brace themselves for long, monotonous slide decks. Breaking the presentation into manageable sections or phases can make it more engaging and fun. Consider using theme-based sections (e.g., “The Good News,” “Challenges Ahead,” “Opportunities for Growth”) to keep your audience interested throughout.
Each section can also have a slight change in design, which signals to the audience that you're moving to a new part of the story. This keeps their attention fresh and focused.
Example:
Start with a section called “Wins” where you celebrate recent financial successes. Then, shift to a section called “Challenges” to discuss areas that need improvement. The change in theme creates a natural flow, and the audience stays engaged.
8. Close with a High Note
The ending of your presentation is just as important as the beginning. End on a positive or inspiring note to leave a lasting impression. This can be a future financial goal, a positive forecast, or a strategic opportunity that excites the audience.
Example:
Instead of simply concluding with “That’s the end of our financial report,” wrap up by saying, “With these strong financials, we are well-positioned for the upcoming quarter. Let’s continue this upward trajectory together!”
Add Fun Without Losing Professionalism
Adding fun to a finance presentation is not about being unprofessional; it’s about making the experience more engaging and memorable for your audience. From storytelling and humor to interactive elements and engaging visuals, there are many ways to make finance presentations enjoyable without sacrificing the quality of information.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.