1. Plan and prepare

Prior to your presentation think about the following.

• What are the key messages you wish to communicate?
• What do you want your audience to know, think and feel by the end?
• What are the audience doing directly before your presentation?
• How much time and what equipment do you have?
• What are the seating arrangements?
• Who are your audience, why are they there and what do they want?
  

2. Know your topic

Do your research so that you can speak authoritatively on your subject matter. The audience do not need to know what you know; they just need to know that you know it. Do not attempt to be a know it all and bombard the audience with everything you know, aim to tell them something interesting and useful that they didn’t know already. Have supporting evidence and research at hand and consider a handout at the end. Consider having and question and answer session at the end as well, and if you do not know then say so, find out and then communicate the answer later.

3. Have a beginning, middle and end

A presentation is a journey with a start, a middle and an end. Energise and enthuse them at the start, explain and share in the middle and review and consolidate at the end. Maybe with a twist. I once read that it was a good idea to tell the audience what you are going to tell them, tell them it and then tell them what you had told them. As a structure this works well.

4. Grab their attention

The first 30 seconds or so are vital. They create the 1st impression and set the scene and tone for what follows. Taking the audience type, environment, presentation purpose and your natural style into account. Make a positive impact. One that will increase the receptivity of your audience and get them to think, this will be interesting, I’m going to listen! Make sure you look great, the stage and visuals look good, the room is well laid out and that everything creates and supports the message that you want to get across.

5. Be yourself

Be yourself and act naturally. If the audience know that you are not a wild, energetic go-for-it personality than trying to come across this way will be strange and is likely to turn the audience off as they will not connect with you. Shift your style to a more energetic and positive one but keep it all in balance with who you are. Avoid distracting the audience with any habits you might have like jingling coins in your or snapping your fingers every 2 minutes etc.

6. Make a visual impact

A picture is almost always more memorable than a word and can convey a lot of information quickly and effectively. Use of quality images can reinforce your message, break up the text within a presentation and make it more interesting and stimulating to people.

7. Less is more

Keep your messages clear and direct and make your tone punchy. You are trying to appeal to a variety of people with a range of attention spans.

8. Practice and prepare

Practice what and how you are going to say things, several times. If you can get someone to sit in and give you feedback, do this. Take note of timing and consider creating key points on cards to keep you on track. The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to concentrate on the delivery aspect of your presentation and this will give you more confidence.

9. Use your voice and eyes

Avoid anything that dries out your voice the night before or in the morning. Cigarettes, alcohol etc. Breath well, stand tall, talk to and look at everyone in the room. A W movement of the eyes can create the impression that you are looking at everyone. Speak to the person furthest away during your presentation and test acoustics before you start.

10. Don’t let your audience distract you or put you off

Even if someone looks bored, or leaves the room as you are talking, do not let them put you off and do not let it affect your confidence, otherwise the audience will pick up on this. There are many reasons why that person might look bored or be leaving. Do not second guess this reason, concentrate and focus on who is there.