Presentation Techniques:

8 Key Presentation Techniques

  • Grab Attention.
  • Avoid bullet points.
  • Put numbers into context.
  • Keep number on slides simple.
  • Share the stage.
  • Create headlines.
  • Deliver wow moments.
  • Inspire your audience.

Tips for Effective Presentations

 

Presentations are mostly practiced by students and professionals, and they are a great way to convey ideas as well as educate and convince people. Giving a presentation is not an easy task; it requires substantial research, organization, public speaking skills, and self-confidence. A good presenter has the ability to engage his or her listeners from beginning to end and compel them to take action. Those who wish to learn presentation skills can get training from expert presenters through classes or courses, or they can follow presentation tips that are available on the Internet. Here are some great tips and tricks for effective presentations, as well as links to related websites.

 

Organizing Your Presentation

 

  • Choose an appropriate presentation structure: topical, chronological, classification by categories, problem and solution, or cause and effect.
  • Divide the body of your presentation into three to five main points.
  • The conclusion should include a summary of the main points of the presentation and leave the audience with something that is worth remembering and pondering.
  • Include questions in your presentation, which should be asked once every 10 minutes to engage the audience.
  • The final slide should contain a message thanking the audience, your contact details, and information about the availability of speaker notes, materials, and feedback tools.

 

Public Speaking Tips

 

  • Avoid slang and jargon.
  • Use anecdotes and practical examples to make complicated concepts more comprehensible.
  • Speak in varying tones and pitches to give emphasis to certain words and ideas.
  • Deliver your speech slowly and clearly.
  • Make sure that the people sitting at the back of the hall can hear you clearly, but do not speak so loud that it appears as if you are shouting.
  • Maintain an upright but relaxed posture while you are speaking, and do not lean forward or backward.
  • Leave your arms on the podium or by your sides when you are not using them to make gestures. When gesturing, make sure that it is natural and spontaneous.
  • Maintain eye contact with the audience.
  • Wear clothes with simple cuts and neutral tones, and make sure that they are comfortable.

 

Presentation Design

 

  • Do not overload slides with a lot of text.
  • Use the Power Point Notes to remind yourself what to say when a certain slide is being shown.
  • Prepare a Table of Contents slide with the “Summary Slide” feature.
  • Include a slide that shows your company logo.
  • Arrange slides according to topics.
  • Try to make the length of text lines similar throughout the slide.
  • Recommended font for slide title is San Serif, and font size should be 44. Font size for subtitles should be 28 to 34, with bold font.
  • Use dark font over light background and light font over dark background to enhance clarity.
  • Use graphics only when appropriate.
  • You can press “W” or “B” to clear the screen temporarily during your presentation, and resume the presentation by pressing “Enter”.

Charts, Facts, and Statistics

 

  • Use as few numbers as possible during your presentation, preferably, no more than 12 numbers, because they can cause confusion.
  • Try not to use more than one number in a sentence.
  • Round numbers up to the nearest whole number.
  • If you are showing sales statistics, you should concentrate on one market throughout your presentation.
  • Use a smaller font to cite sources for statistics.
  • Label all your charts clearly.
  • Use elements from drawing toolbar to create more attractive charts.
  • Numbers in charts can be difficult to view and understand. Try to find ways other than columns and rows to present your data.
  • Take note that Power Point automatically deletes portions of charts imported from Excel, leaving only about 5.5 inches on the left.

Resources