· Know your subject: You are the expert.

o Experience: build on your experiences, share with them

o Knowledge: know your subject matter better than the audience.

o Research: learn new facts or information to include.

o Practical Application: help the audience apply what they are learning

· Understand the Purpose: Know What is to be Accomplished

o Selling an idea, concept, project, product

o Informing a group, management, co-workers, customers, others

o Requesting action such as approval for a new concept, change, projects

o Status Reporting such as providing understanding of ‘where we are’ with a task or project

o Other?

· Create the Content: Plan the Content Carefully

o Title: Descriptive of the presentation

o Overview: Let the audience know what to expect

o Organize the Presentation

- Title

- Overview

- Main Points (content)

- Summary

- Action items if appropriate

- Final review

o Content: Stick to the subject, do not expand beyond the topic at hand.

- Keep it simple

- Slides need to convey information, not an exercise in creativity

- Keep words to a minimum on each slide

- Organize your materials

- Do not over power the audience with too many slides

- Remember, it is about content not ‘glitzy’ slides

- Think of any negative objections and preclude them with your content

- Anticipate questions and answer them in your materials

o Summarize: Provide a review of key points

o Action Items: List if appropriate

· Prepare to Speak: Be ready when it is time to take to the podium.

o Practice, know your content

o Know the most important 25% so you can cut out stuff if necessary

o Claim the space, go in the conference room (or other facility) and get your materials ready before the audience arrives; verify A/V equipment works

o Check out the ‘worst seat’ in the room to be sure everyone can see and hear

o Practice, know your content (yes, it’s here twice!)

· Deliver Your Presentation With Confidence: You have prepared.

o You are properly prepared and have claimed the space as yours

o Maintain eye contact with the audience

o Breathe and relax, get ‘the butterflies to fly in formation’ if they won’t go away

o Speak clearly and use the microphone if one is available

o Smile, don’t frown

o Be careful with your hands and how you gesture

o Don’t be bound to the podium, it’s generally o.k. to move around

o Don’t read the screen! Know your stuff, speak to the audience

o Follow the old saying, “Tell’em what you’re gonna tell’em, Tell’em, Tell’em again, and Sit down” This formula is actually what was outlined above! It works.