Presentations are an artform. We give and listen to presentations pretty often (especially if you work in corporate), and it can be a nerve-wracking experience. Presentations are a skill we’re told to develop in grade school, but not all of us have gotten the hang of it yet. Whether it’s your first time doing a presentation or you need a refresher, keep reading for some tips.
Content & Connection
When you make a presentation, it’s important to keep your content interesting and engaging. When you present your content, try to structure it in the way of telling a story. Make sure it has a distinct beginning, middle, and end. People respond better to this storytelling method, and you’ll get more engagement out of your presentation. Ask questions as you present to connect the audience to your contact and enhance your story. When you connect the content to your audience, you’ll have a more engaging presentation. Smiling and eye contact can also go a long way in making your audience feel welcomed. No one wants to sit and listen for hours.
Delivery
You’ve got great content that establishes a connection with your audience. Now it’s time to work on your delivery. You can have many valuable things to say, but how you say it plays a big role. It’s important to articulate and enunciate your words. Be conversational in your delivery so that people feel welcomed. Have a strong and confident stance, walk around the space, making eye contact. Use your hands to elaborate on your ideas and to seem more open.
The Visuals of a Great Presentation
Visuals can help enhance a presentation and take it to the next level. It’s easy to overwhelm your presentation with everything you want to say as a safety mechanism. It’s important to follow the 10-20-30 rule when it comes to slide decks. The deck should be no longer than 10 slides long, last no longer than 20 minutes, and use a font size minimum of 30 pts. Your deck should supplement what you have to say and not overbear you. If you’re struggling to put together a nice deck, there are plenty of online platforms that specialize in helping you create something eyecatching.
Hopefully, we’ll be back to making presentations in person soon, but all of these tips can be applied to online ones as well. Happy New Year, and let us give some awesome presentations this year!
