If you're looking for tips and advice to help you make a presentation the audience will really listen to - and remember - you'll find a lot on this website.
For your quick and easy reference, I've listed below my top ten tips for preparing and delivering an effective, impactful presentation. These ideas are developed in more depth and detail in the Public Speaking Skills section.
I am a presentation skills coach based in Manchester (UK) and these tips are the distillation of what I have learnt and taught over two decades of attending, making and helping others prepare presentations on every kind of subject, including business & finance, medicine, gardening, education, architecture, engineering, fire alarms and magic.
Top 10 tips for making a successful presentation
01. If possible, prepare early. The earlier you can prepare your presentation, the easier it will be to make sure all bases are covered and you know exactly what you're doing. Don't procrastinate preparing; you're just making life more difficult for yourself.
If you're asked to give a presentation at very short notice, you can only do your best. Take a deep breath, stay calm and make optimum use of the time available to prepare yourself and what you're going to say.
02. Identify the key points you want to make. Structure your presentation so that it flows clearly and logically, unclouded by too much detail. Before you start composing the content, spend some time focusing what the key points are that you want the audience to remember. These will provide the framework for the presentation.
However much pressure you're under, do not be tempted to skip this phase. Not only is it crucial to your success, it will also save you time and make things easier for you in the long run. Standing back and making sure you can see the big picture in your mind's eye before you start drawing will allow you to see the shape you need to make your presentation.
03. Tailor your presentation to your audience. A presentation is about communication. In order to communicate effectively with the people you're speaking to, you need to know as much as possible about them and what they're expecting from you.
How much do they know about your subject? How much background might they need you to explain? Will they be familiar with the jargon and acronyms you use? If the audience can't understand what you're talking about, there's very little point in making this presentation. On the other hand, you don't want to patronise people and waste their time by telling them stuff they've known for years.
What is their attitude to what you're talking about? Being aware of and sensitive to this will help you to establish a rapport with your audience.
04. Use visual aids judiciously. When it comes to slides, less is usually more. In my view, they're useful for graphs, charts and other images that deliver clear, concise content in a form the audience can take in quickly and easily. A picture, as they say, speaks a thousand words. Where this is true, it makes sense to show it. Snazzy, moving graphics may or may not add to the clarity and impact of your message. I'm not saying don't use them, I'm saying each and every visual needs to justify its place in your presentation. Slides with text on them have to work particularly hard to make the cut. If you do show text, give the audience time to read it before you go on speaking - if there's text in front of our eyes, it's almost impossible not to read it and if we're reading it's extremely difficult to listen at the same time.
05. Write yourself notes, not a script. Although there may well be a visual element, a presentation is primarily about speaking and listening. You need to be talking to the people in front of you, not reading to them. The human brain is wired to read whatever is in front of the eyes; just as the audience can't avoid reading a projected slide, if you deliver your presentation with a script in your hand, it will be almost impossible not to read it.
Even if you learn your script off by heart, it will probably still sound unnatural because you'll be reciting rather than speaking. In any case, it's difficult to write words that will sound like natural speech when said out loud.
All you need as notes are bullet points or pictures (whatever works for you) to remind you what's next.
06. If possible, practise. If you're in a situation where you have to prepare and deliver a presentation almost instantly (such as a job interview/assessment), obviously there is no scope for practising. However, if you have even a day's notice, making time to run through your presentation will pay dividends. Check that what you're planning to say flows smoothly, makes sense when you say it out loud and fits in the time allocated to you. Rehearse with any props or slides you're going to use and make sure you're thoroughly familiar with every aspect of your presentation.
07. Prepare yourself psychologically for success. Be positive as you prepare your presentation and, however rushed and stressful the process may have been, just before you get up to speak take a few moments to calm yourself. Whatever is going on inside you, act confident. Stay grounded and think clearly and you will be fine whatever happens.
08. Connect with the audience by looking at them. Your presentation will have much more impact if you look at the people you're talking to.
09. Speak clearly, naturally and not too fast. Although it's important to speak with your natural intonation and not sound as if you're reciting, bear in mind too that the audience needs time to take in what you're saying. If you don't speak clearly, they may miss some of it; if you speak too quickly, they may not be able to keep up. Slowing down your delivery and pausing between points makes it far easier for your listeners to absorb and process what they're hearing.
10. Enjoy giving your presentation. If you're not enjoying it, the chances are the audience won't be enjoying it either. Be natural, smile sometimes, put some vigour and enthusiasm into your voice and body language. The audience will follow your lead: if you give the impression this presentation is interesting and worth listening to, the audience is much more likely to think so than if you mumble and sigh your way through it.
Presentation skills coaching
If you're trying to learn the techniques of effective presentation-making, some personalised presentation skills coaching can make all the difference.
Presentation skills ebook
All the presentation skills tips on this website - and a great deal more besides - are contained in an ebook that you can download in two or three minutes.
Read more about Loving the Limelight, my presentation skills ebook.
Presentation Skills Tips