Presentation Tips

Presentation tips that help you make the most of your time in front of an audience

Prepare your material

1. Research your audience - know their needs.
2. Write out your purpose - be sure its crystal clear.
3. Know what you want the audience to do when you end.
4. Contact audience members for stories that support your points.
5. Organize your material so your audience can grasp it and remember it
6. before you work on pizzazz or delivery.
7. Tie your message directly to audience needs.
8. Try out your stories and examples with others before you use them.
9. Anticipate questions - and determine the answers you'll want to give.

Prepare yourself

1. Warm up your voice (singing helps).
2. Go to the meeting room early - do what you can to "own" the room.
3. Greet people when they arrive - shake hands with them.
4. Realize you're presenting from the moment you arrive.
5. Be certain you know what your introducer is going to say about you.
6. Put your "opening" on a note card so you don't worry about it.
7. Know your closing line by heart.

Delivery suggestions

1. Be yourself.
2. Never make excuses - ever!
3. Use your own material.
4. Have your opening "set up" your closing.
5. Provide content the audience can't read in a book or handout.
6. Let the audience now when and how you'll handle questions.
7. Support your message with good visual aids.
8. Remember that you are the presenter - not your visual aids.
9. Be aware of how much your body language affects your message.
10. Use a story, example, or "for instance" for each key point you make.
11. Add a metaphor, simile, alliteration, allegory, or rhyme for retention.
12. Keep your presentation shorter than your audience expects.
13. Summarize before you close.
14. Conclude with a crescendo - the ending you want, not "thank you."

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