Presentation Tips

 

Whether you have the task of teaching a class, or giving the casual presentation, both call upon various skills and talents. As you have probably experienced, not all teachers are good teachers. But which skills and talents can help facilitate an engaging presentation so that your audience learns the content as well as enjoys the experience?

There are three aspects to delivering a successful presentation. One must consider the content, the presentation style, and then the technologies used to present the material.

The first step toward a successful presentation is refinement of the content you plan to deliver. Is it well-organized and does it follow a logical flow? Are the right words used for this particular audience? Once you're satisfied with the written version of your presentation, read it aloud to finesse the style so that it sounds natural, and not like the recitation of an essay.

According to Jerry Weissman (author of Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story), there are five cardinal sins to avoid when making a presentation:

• What's the point - have you made this clear to your audience?
• No audience benefit - why should your audience listen? What's in it for them?
• No clear flow - your presentation is a story that should have an obvious flow.
• Too detailed - are there extraneous details that you can omit?
• Too long - are you being succinct and able to finish on time?

If you are uncomfortable with public speaking you might consider more in-depth preparation. Joining a local Toastmasters club before your presentation can really make a significant difference.

When you are rehearsing your presentation -- to friends, family, or your mirror -- make note of your vocal variety, body language, facial gestures, and eye contact. Even if you haven't memorized your material, it's okay to glance at your notes but be sure to make frequent eye contact with members of your audience.

A presentation is often enhanced by the use of visuals or props. Using the software application Powerpoint on a laptop computer, hooked up to an LCD projector, can help illustrate your teaching points. But it should never be used as a crutch. If these technologies are not accessible, then think creatively about possible props to use during your presentation. If an easel is used with poster board, make the print large enough so that people in the back rows can see it.

There are numerous resources on the web to help with planning and making successful presentations. Please consult the links in the right bar on this page and we welcome the sharing of your own links.