Presentation Skills You can make it better with Prezi

For many people the mere thought of giving a presentation fills them with fear.  This article sets out some hints and tips to make it a success.

Planning

It seems really obvious when someone says you need to plan your presentation.  Often however this is an area that is skimmed over.
How long?
As a general rule, I suggest that you take the time allocated for the presentation time and multiply it by 3 to give you an indicative time for your planning.

Structure

If you are going to get your message across you need structure.  One of the best tips I ever received was to think of the presentation like a newspaper article.  You have:

o    A headline

o    Two or three messages

Slides

Many of us will have heard the term death by power point.  Presenters can often:

o        Have too many slides

o        Have too much content on the slides

o        Use too many graphics

Again, as rule of thumb, if you are doing a presentation lasting 10-15 minutes you are unlikely to need more than 6 slides.

Practice

No matter how many times you have delivered a presentation you need to practice you presentation in advance.  Start with standing in front of a mirror.  Then move on to practising in front of your family or partner.  Then colleagues and friends.  Try to do at least 3 practice runs.

Feedback

Ask and listen carefully to the feedback you are receiving about the structure, slides and delivery.  See this as an opportunity to turn a good presentation into a great presentation.

Delivering Presentation

For many, this is the part they dread.  Here are a few tips to ensure things go smoothly.

o    Check the equipment in advance

o    Make sure you know how to load the presentation

o    Take a few minutes to relax yourself before you start

o    Don't worry about memorising the words, just remember your headline and key messages

o    Pace yourself

o    Try not to be  too serious

o    Have fun

Duncan Brodie is a Leadership Development Coach and Management Trainer at Goals and Achievements http://www.goalsandachievements.co.uk
He specialises in helping and accountants and professionals to make the transition from technical expert to manager and leader.

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