· 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.