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How to Prepare an Outstanding Presentation<br />Presented by <br />Saundra Washington<br />www.techtools4biz.com<br />

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You’ve got to give a presentation and you’re dreading it. <br />

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Not to worry: The secret to a good presentation is effective preparation.<br />Following are 10 tips to help you prepare an outstanding talk.<br />

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1. Don’t usetechnology as a crutch.<br />For example, too many speakers depend too heavily on PowerPoint®.<br />PowerPoint®, Keynote® and other software should enhance your presentation. They should never become your presentation. <br />My Presentation<br />

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2. Start by outlining your talk.<br />Don’t even turn on PowerPoint®until you know what you want to say.Use a pencil and paper or your word processor to create an outline.<br />

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Or better yet, use a mindmap to organize your thoughts.<br />

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3. Don’t be boring.<br />Never read the slides word-for-word unless you’re planning to put your audience to sleep.Instead prepare speaking notes in advance and use them to speak extemporaneously. <br />

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4. Practice.<br />Run through your talk in advance to ensure a smooth delivery. <br />If possible, practice in the room where your presentation will be given. <br />

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5. Be prepared for technology failures.<br />Have a hardcopy of your presentation with you in case something goes wrong.<br />Practice giving your talk without a computer or slides. <br />

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6. Don’t try to tell too much.<br />Blah, blah, blah, blah<br />Blah, blah, blah, blah<br />Blah, blah, blah, blah<br />A short, well-organized presentation is better than a long, rambling talk.<br />Therefore, identify only two or three main points you want to convey and build your presentation around those points. <br />

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7. Structure Your Talk. <br /><ul><li>The Beginning: Give an introduction in which you highlight what your talk will be about.

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The Middle: Present the body of your talk.

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The End: Wrap up by giving a summary of your main points.</li></li></ul><li>8. Avoid information overload.<br />Too much information <br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Too much information<br />Limit each slide to 2-3 bullet points.<br />

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9. Keep it simple.<br />Slides, charts, and graphs should be simple to understand and easy to read—even from the back of the room.<br />

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10. Don’t clown around with special effects. <br />Use animation and fancy slide transitions sparingly. Encourage your audience to focus on what you’re saying rather than the funny stuff that’s happening on the screen. <br />

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To sum it up: A good presentation…<br />…is not dependent on PowerPoint®,<br />…is not dependent on technology,<br />…and is presented spontaneously.<br />

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A good presentation…<br />… is short and to the point;<br />…is planned around a few central ideas;<br />…and has an easy to identify beginning, middle, and end.<br />

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It features…<br />…simple, easy-to-understand visuals;<br />…uncluttered slides readable even in the back of the room;<br />…and minimal special effects.<br />

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Finally, a good presentation has a confident, knowledgeable presenter…<br />…You.<br />