6 Practical Tips For Giving A Great Presentation - Part 2

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This is a continuation of 6 Practical Tips For Giving A Great Presentation. Here are 6 MORE tips that can add value to your presentation:

  • Make it Fun; Leverage the Power of Multimedia - Have you ever had to sit through a drab presentation filled with masses of nothing but plain text? I’ll bet you don’t want to relive that experience. Your audience is more likely to retain fun pictures and videos than mere bullet points. Add some interactivity by asking them questions.
  • Know the Environment - Take a brief survey of the presentation venue and do a trial set-up, so that you understand exactly what’s outstanding or what the setting would look like on the day. Remember the goal here, is to reduce surprises as much as possible. The more you know about the environment, the more confident and prepared you'll be. If you’re unable to survey the venue the day before, ensure you get there as early as possible on the day.
  • Practise the Presentation - In running through the slides at least once, you’re bound to catch one or two mistakes you may have missed. Practising in front of your peers is also a good opportunity to get some feedback.
  • Use the Notes Section of Your Presentation Software - You should not muddle up your words or speak spontaneously during a presentation. "Almost" everything must be planned. I’m not implying that you speak like a robot or rehearse all the words. Putting down notes or signposts to remind you of what to say during the presentation will certainly make life easier. 
  • Be Enthusiastic - Let your love for your subject shine through, and your audience will not only believe you - they will also embrace you.
  • Know Your Audience - Play out the day in your mind, anticipate what information each cross-section of your audience would be interested in and deliver.

It’s common to feel uneasy in the first 3 minutes of your presentation but once you get into the groove of it, you’re bound to relax and take it by storm. If you need to hold on to something like a pen or the slide remote control, go-ahead and do just that. Do whatever it takes to help you relax.

As with everything else, you'll get better if you learn, practise and then practise again.