Presentation Tips and Advice
Here are some tips on planning, structuring and delivering your presentation.
Planning your talk
- Where and when is the talk? What facilities do they have there?
- Ask yourself: Who is the audience? Set an objective with that audience in mind - what are you trying to achieve with your talk? How can you make it relevant to them?
- Decide the angle you want to take on your subject.
- Map out your ideas and link them to your objective. Will they all serve to achieve the outcome you want.
- Bring colour to key points with illustrations, examples and stories
- Order and prioritise ideas and list no more than 3 key points.
- Keep it simple.
- Say it out loud. Time it by practicing.
Structure
- Open with your main message. The introduction must grab the interest of the audience. Follow this up by telling them how they will benefit from listening to you.
- The main part of the talk includes your key points. Add colour to the talk with examples, personal experience stories, and illustrations. These get the audience more involved.
- The conclusion should sum up the main points you have made in your programme and leave the audience wanting to know more and even asking questions. End decisively.
- Use audio/visual aids only where they enhance your talk or explain points.
- Always recap on important points.
Language and style
- Use ordinary conversational language as if you were talking to a friend. Include the word YOU often to help people feel involved
- Avoid jargon or if you must use specialist words then make sure you define them.
- Always use positive language e.g. say something can be improved instead of saying it is wrong.
- Empathise with your audience by talking about I and you, rather than one and they, for example.
- Involve the audience. E.G. Pose questions, but not too often, E.G. But is it? or Is that really the case, though?
Delivery
- Relax, smile, use open body language - be confident.
- Retain good eye contact with the audience.
- Use your hands to gesticulate but don’t fiddle with them or draw attention to them.
- Avoid reciting or just reading the script out. A good knowledge of your material will allow you to appear more spontaneous. Avoid, also, learning the talk of by heart. Note cards are a better idea.
- Vary the pace of the speech, too slow all the time sounds patronising, too fast all the time makes people feel tired. Allow pauses so your audience can assimilate information.
On Power Point
For those of you who use Powerpoint as a visual aid here are some useful links. Bear in mind, though, that YOU should be the main focus of your presentation, not your slides.
PowerPoint FAQ
Microsoft PowerPoint Assistance