Economy
How to Make Financial Presentations Tell a Story
Financial presentations are not the greatest friends of time. A report that spends far too long pulling numbers from various spreadsheets and sourcing them together is boring to even people in finance—and a great direction if you want to lose your audience. But in a landscape where financial presentations are decidedly ho-hum, how can you craft one that reveals necessary fiscal information while keeping everyone engaged?
Basic storytelling is a fine way to start. It allows you to explain the “why” behind the numbers and can be the difference between a bland presentation and one people remember.
Begin with a Clear Narrative Structure
Every good story has a beginning, middle, and end—Cinderella, Hansel & Gretal, and yes, even your financial presentation. Start by defining the problem or challenge, then walk your audience through the data, and finish with a conclusion that presents your solution or recommendation. This doubles as a more engaging presentation format, and a way to help audience members follow your train of thought more easily—critical when displaying slides full of digits.
Think of your financial presentation as a story arc. In the beginning, you set the stage, explaining why the numbers you’re about to share matter. In the middle, you dig into the data, revealing key insights. Finally, you tie it all together in the conclusion, leaving your audience with a clear takeaway or action plan.
Use Visuals to Bring Data to Life
Financial data can be dense and overwhelming, especially for non-financial experts who may frequent your presentations. Visuals like graphs, charts, and infographics can help make your data more digestible for visual learners. Rows of numbers can be overwhelming for your audience, so use visuals to highlight trends, comparisons, or important figures that are key to your story.
It’s not just about throwing charts onto slides. You need to carefully choose visuals that complement your narrative. For instance, if you’re presenting financial performance over time, a simple line graph might work best. If comparing departments or products, bar charts do a far better job. Case in point: avoid clutter—use visuals to make complex information clear and accessible.
Structure Your Printed Content for Clarity
While visuals on screen are essential, printed content can add another layer of clarity, particularly when dealing with detailed financial data that can’t all be digested in a single sitting. Presentation folder inserts are an excellent tool for providing supplementary information in a structured and accessible way. Instead of bombarding your audience with too much information, you can guide them through the critical takeaways while offering inserts for deeper exploration.
For example, attaching a stitched, printed brochure to your presentation folder’s spine helps you structure your printed materials in a crafted way. This and various presentation folder add-ons make it easier for clients to follow along precisely in the order you intended.
Engage with Storytelling Techniques to Highlight Key Financial Takeaways
Just as a good story has moments of climax and resolution, your financial presentation should highlight information in a way that glues everyone’s attention. Think of major financial data points—like revenue growth or cost savings—as the plot twists in your story. These are the moments where you should zoom in, emphasizing their importance and making sure your audience grasps the full significance.
You can use storytelling techniques like contrasts (before vs. after), building tension (forecasting negative consequences if action isn’t taken), or framing milestones and projections as chapters in your company’s growth journey. By weaving these insights into a larger narrative, you give your numbers context, making them not just more understandable, but more memorable.
End with a Strong Call to Action (CTA)
The difference between a story that ‘has an ending’ and a story that ‘ends’ is the difference between a soft landing and a hard landing. A soft landing is subtle, ending your presentation with a satisfying conclusion; hard landings end abruptly, appearing graceless and hardly inspiring a meaningful call to action (CTA).
In a financial presentation, ending ‘softly’ doesn’t mean going out with a whimper; rather, it’s all about including a natural-sounding call to action that translates into follow-ups. Once you’ve walked your audience through the data and told the story of your financial performance, guide them toward a decision or next step.
Important to note is that a strong CTA isn’t just about what you want—it’s about persuading your audience that taking action will lead to the outcome they desire, based on the story you’ve just told.
From Numbers to Narratives
The role of any CFO is to tell your company’s financial story, condensing data that can come from many places into cohesive and engaging plot lines. An excellent financial presentation does just that. It is by turns interesting, interactive, and simple—as these tips have hopefully shown.
Remember, your audience may not always be as comfortable with financial figures as you are. But with these techniques, you can guide them through your presentation with ease, ensuring they both understand your message and are motivated to act on it.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The duo of Afriland Properties Plc and Geo-Fluids Plc crashed the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by a marginal 0.06 per cent on Wednesday, December 11 due to profit-taking activities.
The OTC securities exchange experienced a downfall at midweek despite UBN Property Plc posting a price appreciation of 17 Kobo to close at N1.96 per share, in contrast to Tuesday’s closing price of N1.79.
Business Post reports that Afriland Properties Plc slid by N1.14 to finish at N15.80 per unit versus the preceding day’s N16.94 per unit, and Geo-Fluids Plc declined by 1 Kobo to trade at N3.92 per share compared with the N3.93 it ended a day earlier.
At the close of transactions, the market capitalisation of the bourse, which measures the total value of securities on the platform, shrank by N650 million to finish at N1.055 trillion compared with the previous day’s N1.056 trillion and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) went down by 1.86 points to wrap the session at 3,012.50 points compared with 3,014.36 points recorded in the previous session.
The alternative stock market was busy yesterday as the volume of securities traded by investors soared by 146.9 per cent to 5.9 million units from 2.4 million units, as the value of shares transacted by the market participants jumped by 360.9 per cent to N22.5 million from N4.9 million, and the number of deals increased by 50 per cent to 21 deals from 14 deals.
When the bourse closed for the day, Geo-Fluids Plc remained the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 1.7 billion units valued at N3.9 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units worth N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc 297.5 million units sold for N5.3 million.
Also, Aradel Holdings Plc, which is now listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited after its exit from NASD, remained the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 108.7 million units sold for N89.2 billion, trailed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with 297.5 million units worth N5.3 billion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The euphoria around the recent appreciation of the Naira eased on Wednesday, December 11 after its value shrank against the US Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) by N5.23 or 0.3 per cent to N1,547.50/$1 from the N1,542.27/$1 it was valued on Tuesday.
It was observed that spectators’ activities may have triggered the weakening of the local currency in the official market at midweek as they tried to fight back and ensure the value of funds in foreign currencies strengthened.
The domestic currency was regaining its footing after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) launched an Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS) platform to tackle speculation and improve transparency in Nigeria’s FX market.
At midweek, the Nigerian currency depreciated against the Pound Sterling by N3.56 to close at N1,958.68/£1 compared with the preceding day’s N1,955.12/£1 and against the Euro, it slumped by 34 Kobo to trade at N1,612.66/€1, in contrast to the previous session’s N1,613.00/€1.
As for the black market segment, the Naira lost N45 against the American currency during the session to quote at N1,670/$1 compared with the N1,625/$1 it was traded a day earlier.
A look at the cryptocurrency market showed a recovery following profit-taking as the US Consumer Price Index report matched economist forecasts.
The news was enough to convince traders that the Federal Reserve is certain to trim its benchmark fed funds rate another 25 basis points at its meeting next week.
The move also saw Bitcoin (BTC), the most valued coin, return to the $100,000 mark as it added a 2.9 per cent gain and sold for $100,566.12.
The biggest gainer was Cardano (ADA), which jumped by 15.00 per cent to trade at $1.16, as Litecoin (LTC) appreciated by 10.4 per cent to sell for $121.76, and Ethereum (ETH) surged by 7.0 per cent to $3,929.30, while Dogecoin (DOGE) recorded a 6.7 per cent growth to finish at $0.4181.
Further, Binance Coin (BNB) went up by 5.2 per cent to $716.72, Solana (SOL) expanded by 4.6 per cent to $229.77, and Ripple (XRP) increased by 4.2 per cent to $2.43, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) closed flat at $1.00 apiece.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Dangote Refinery located in the Lekki area of Lagos State has made its first export of premium motor spirit (PMS) just three months after it commenced the production of petrol.
In September 2024, the refinery produced its first petrol and began loading to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) on September 15.
However, due to some issues, the facility has not been able to flood the local market with its product, forcing it to look elsewhere.
In a landmark move for regional energy integration, Dangote Refinery has partnered with Neptune Oil to take its petrol to neighbouring Cameroon.
Neptune Oil is a leading energy company in Cameroon which provides reliable and sustainable energy solutions.
Dangote Refinery said this development showcases its ability to meet domestic needs and position itself as a key player in the regional energy market, adding that it represents a significant step forward in accessing high-quality and locally sourced petroleum products for Cameroon.
“This first export of PMS to Cameroon is a tangible demonstration of our vision for a united and energy-independent Africa.
“With this development, we are laying the foundation for a future where African resources are refined and exchanged within the continent for the benefit of our people,” the owner of Dangote Refinery, Mr Aliko Dangote, said.
His counterpart at Neptune Oil, Mr Antoine Ndzengue, said, “This partnership with Dangote Refinery marks a turning point for Cameroon.
“By becoming the first importer of petroleum products from this world-class refinery, we are bolstering our country’s energy security and supporting local economic development.
“This initial supply, executed without international intermediaries, reflects our commitment to serving our markets independently and efficiently.”
-
Feature/OPED5 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism8 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz2 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking6 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy2 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking2 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports2 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn
-
Technology4 years agoHow To Link Your MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile Lines to NIN