Having Control

Before Your Presentation

Presenting in front of a group of people will become less intimidating if you simply prepare yourself ahead of time and also run through your presentation several times. Getting involved with the audience and avoiding surprises will ease the stress, and tension. Below are tips to follow for a smooth beginning.

Prepare thoroughly: An effective presentation is to carefully research and study your topic broadly. People, who often try to make up information on the spot, tend to get nervous, and experience the worst presentation.

Rehearse repeatedly:  When rehearsing, practice the entire presentation, and not just the first half. When doing a PowerPoint presentation, print out and make use of speaker’s notes to enhance your presentation.  Use of transitional sentences while practicing will help you move into a new topic in a more efficient manner. The best way to rehearse is in front of a mirror when alone, in front of a friend, or family member.

Time yourself: Timing of your presentation is essential.  The attention of an audience is extremely important. Therefore, set the timing accordingly to audience interest. Setting kitchen timer to a specific time is helpful in letting you know that your time is up.  PowerPoint has a useful function called "Rehearse Timings" in the slide show that tracks the length of your presentation as you talk and practice.

Check the room and equipment’s: When technical equipment’s such as a computer, a projector, or sound equipment are involved, check to see if they are operational and ready to be used in advance. For an effective presentation, it is very important for you to know ahead of time where the electrical outlets are for the use of your electrical equipment's.

Let me know how your presentation went!

Reference:

Mary Ellen Guffey, D. L. (2011). Business Communication Process & Product. Toronto: South-Western Cengage Learning.