Of all of the assignments and responsibilities that can come your way
professionally, the most daunting of tasks has to be creating and conducting a
presentation. Whether the audience is large or small, putting together a
thoughtful and convincing presentation takes forethought, planning, and some
calmed nerves to successfully get your point across. Putting together a cohesive
and polished slide deck and delivering it with confidence is not as difficult
as you might think and the following are some strategies for presenting with
power and panache:
Zero in on a
goal. First determine the purpose of your presentation. Some presentations
are informational and other are designed to persuade. Take the time to reflect
about why you are creating the presentation.
Know your audience. For a
presentation to have impact, it should be tailored toward those who will be attending.
For example, if the room will be filled with scientists, the presentation
should be filled with empirical evidence. On the other hand, if the folks
seated before you are higher level executives, your strategy should be to
provide points about how the topic would affect the big picture and stay away
from using too many details to avoid disinterest.
Assemble the
facts and present your data through stories. It is important to conduct research
surrounding your topic to further bolster and defend your presentation. Sharing
facts and figures shows the audience that you are well versed in the subject
matter. Even better, be sure to make your data feel real by telling stories
that back it up. Speak from your own experience
so the presentation will resonate with the audience and leave a lasting impression.
Plan and
organize. For your presentation to have a natural flow, you must take care in
organizing it with three distinct sections: an introduction, the body of the
presentation and a conclusion. The conclusion should clarify the course of
action you want your audience to take. You will also want to take great care to
stick to the main points and not get bogged down with extraneous information.
Be liberal with the
technology. A great presentation is visually engaging. Look toward multiple mediums
to share your information. A great design, colorful charts and strategic use of
animation can captivate your audience.
Make room for
improvement. After you step away from your original creation, go back to your
presentation with a critical eye. Make sure there are no typos, that it flows
smoothly and that your technology is working properly. You many also want to
have a mentor or colleague review it and provide you with feedback.
Conduct a dress
rehearsal. If you are new to making presentations, the best way to muster the
confidence you need is to practice presenting it a few times. Stand in front of
your mentor or a few colleagues and have them take special note of your
delivery and body language. Pay close attention to the speed and volume of your
words as well as body position and eye contact. Again, be open to an honest
critique.
ASK
A MENTOR
Giving a presentation can be
intimidating — especially if this is the first time you have been asked to do
so. Your mentor can be a great resource in helping you create and conduct a
powerful presentation. Over the years they have most likely given many presentations
of their own and can recall those they found to be most effective and memorable. In preparation of your next (or first)
presentation, plan to discuss the following with your mentor:
