5 steps to giving the perfect presentation

There’s no getting around the fact that giving a presentation can be daunting. Whether you’re speaking in front of your colleagues, a potential client or at a large corporate event, communicating your message to an audience is not always an easy task, especially if it’s your first time giving a talk. Luckily, there are plenty of tips and tricks that can help you to boost your confidence, connect with your listeners and master your public speaking skills. Here are five steps to giving the perfect presentation.   1. Have the right equipment   First things first, it is important to make sure that you have the right equipment on hand. Start by making a list of all the essential items you will need on the day and find out about the availability of equipment at the venue. For example, will there be a microphone, projector and computer available? If not, you may want to think about arranging your own supplies. It is also a good idea to give any display and presentation equipment a quick test run beforehand to avoid any embarrassing technical failures.   As well as helping you to stay on track and supplement your points, being able to supplement your points with suitable display equipment can make it easier for your audience to understand and retain information. Some public speakers find that using PowerPoint , flipchart easels and other visual aids can help them to amplify their messages. However, it is important to make sure that you only use equipment to support your presentation rather than detract from its purpose.   2. Make sure there is a clear message   Perhaps the most vital part of the preparation stage is making sure that your presentation has a clear message and purpose. Remember, the aim of a presentation is to either inform your audience about something new or to try and convince them to adopt the same opinion as you - or perhaps a combination of both. When planning your talk, ask yourself what the key points are that you want your listeners to take away with them.   Try to keep your message simple and focus on a few powerful points and key topics you want to present. Avoid bombarding your audience with knowledge and long-winded anecdotes and steer clear of using convoluted sentences or complicated words that your listeners may not understand. Your talk should progress naturally with a logical beginning, middle and end and each point should be a development of the previous one.   3. Always keep your audience in mind   When planning your speech, remember to keep your audience in mind. Try to learn as much about them as you can so that you can tailor your speech to suit their needs. For example, you may want to call the organisers or host to find out the size of the group, the age range, their interests and their level of knowledge on the subject you will be speaking about. Try to think about what your audience already know, what they want to learn and what you can teach them. As you speak, ask questions and respond to their answers to make them feel involved. Bear in mind that your listeners are likely to only remember a few ideas and concepts, so it’s vital that you build your presentation around what they can get out of it.   Whether you are trying to inform or persuade, taking the perspective of your audience into account will ensure that what you are saying is relevant and it will help you to set a tone that will suit the crowd. It can also help you to connect with your audience better - and the more you connect with them, the more they will pay attention and engage with what you are saying.   4. Practise, practise, practise   It might sound obvious, but the more you practise your presentation the more effective it will be. Especially if you are new to public speaking, it is best to leave ad-libbing to the professionals and play it safe with plenty of preparation and practise. As well as helping to ensure things run smoothly on the day, giving yourself time to rehearse can ease any nerves or anxiety you may feel in the build up to your talk.   Whether you are practising your speech in front of the mirror, with friends or family members or recording yourself and playing it back, make sure you know it well enough so that you don’t have to rely too much on your notes to get by. There’s no need to know every word, but make sure that you familiarise yourself with your main points and ideas. It is also a good idea to time your run throughs to ensure you don’t go over your allocated slot on the day.   5. Relax and enjoy yourself
OK, so it might be easier said than done, but being able to relax and enjoy yourself while giving your presentation can make the experience far more pleasurable. It is natural to feel nervous when speaking in front of others, but there are simple things you can do to keep your jitters under control. When you take the stage, remember to speak slowly and clearly and take regular pauses after you’ve made a point to give yourself the chance to gather your thoughts. Breathing deeply is known to be a natural de-stressor and it can also stop you from talking too quickly.   As a general rule of thumb, avoid shuffling around or looking down at your notes for too long. The most effective speakers are the ones who use gestures, smile and make eye contact with their audience. If you are able to remain calm and collected while talking, you should find that you can build a rapport with your listeners more easily and deliver a far more effective presentation.   Public speaking is always going to be a challenge, but the more practise and preparation you do, the easier it will be. By following simple steps like these, you should be able to master your oratory skills and deliver a winning presentation.