What unites all presentations is that their purpose is to convince the audience to do something: buy a product, start taking action (or stop some), and so on.

Everyone believes that, in these moments, presenting arguments logically is enough to persuade the audience (these are why I should convince you…), but, in reality, when it comes to persuasion, emotions matter much more than logic.

If you ask someone to give you 200,000 euros to purchase new software, they will only ask whether the investment will be beneficial, what they will get for that amount, and when the project will pay off. Similarly, if you ask a group of managers to start providing feedback to their subordinates, they will wonder why they should do it and what advantage they will gain.

And since these questions pertain to an uncertain and unpredictable future, logic won’t help much; the answer will inevitably be emotional. Those who invest 200,000 euros are not deciding the future; they are making a calculated guess, as it’s impossible to know the future with certainty. Similarly, a manager needs to learn the effect of their feedback on the people they manage.

When you present, you ask someone to judge the future, which goes beyond logic and information. Their judgment will not be based on reason but on emotional factors like trust, security, hope, ambition, and desire. These intuitive and non-rational facts do not come from the head but from the heart. Indeed, facts and rational arguments are essential because they support emotions and instinctive decisions with reassurances, but they are never the ultimate goal of a presentation.
People don’t want more information, but more emotional drive and comforts. Remember this the next time you present.