The Liaison Interpreter: In Japan, your business presentation sucks

Keep it simple, don't use jokes and puns, don't use jargon and the latest trendy catchy phrase they have fun with in Manhattan. In Shinjuku, they have fun with something different. These are the standards highlighted in books your clients don't read.

Here are a few others, some extended versions of the above.

-?Acculturate your presentation. Avoid that example that perfectly fits Milano, because you are not in Milano, and despite the beautiful documentaries on cities of the world they watch on TV, they are no cognoscenti of things Milano, just as chances are high you are wrong with Japan and raw fish.
- Don't use the word "cognoscenti". It's catchy and useless.
- However, when culture matters in terms of differences, rely on your interpreter to pad your discourse with enlightening additional contextual tips. If your interpreter doesn't, chances are your presentation will have few impact. Difficulties of?imagining?differences is strong, even if the world is supposedly flat.
- And by the way, ?presentation impact is not about generating?whoas! in the assistance. It's about having them understand your message.
- You may come from a country where TED is the cool way to do presentations. Not here. Cool down. Be a little boring. As long you deliver a clear speech, things will be allright.
- Leave conceptual talk outside the meeting room. Stick to facts, examples of usage, success stories with some figures. Don't expose success stories without being ready to deliver some figures.
- Catchphrases are for ads, not for presentations. Don't sell your presentation, explain your products or services.
- Have your ppt file translated by a translater who is also into copywriting. Tell her the content must be adapted to be understood by locals, otherwise, you may end up with close to word for word translation that oozes of translation, meaning at times devoid of meaning but for you.
- Be extra structured, and start with a commented index of the presentation.
- Monitor time: 1) by asking how much time is allowed for your presentation (your liaison interpreter may be granted delegation to inquire on details ahead of time), 2) by sticking to it while taking into account how much time consecutive eats up (that one among a dozen reasons why?briefing?with the interpreter is more than advisable), 3) by sticking 95% to the presentation document. You are allowed to go astray with anecdotes for only 5%.
- Don't take all this for granted, nor for the law.

Source: http://japaninterpreter.blogspot.com/2012/02/in-japan-your-business-presentation.html

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