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The Importance of Presentation Skills: That You Must Know About

Presentation Skills are essential for effectively conveying ideas and engaging an audience. This blog explores the Importance of Presentation Skills, highlighting how they boost confidence, enhance communication, and improve professional success. Master these skills to leave a lasting impression and achieve your goals.

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Table of Contents  

1) A Brief Introduction to Presentation Skills 

2) Importance of Presentation Skills in Personal Life 

3) Importance of Presentation Skills in Professional Life 

4) Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills 

5) Conclusion 

A Brief Introduction to Presentation Skills  

Presentation Skills can be defined as the ability to deliver information confidently and persuasively to engage and influence the audience. Be it in personal or professional settings; mastering Presentation Skills empowers individuals to convey their ideas with clarity, build confidence, and leave a lasting impression. From public speaking to business pitches, honing these skills can lead to greater success in diverse spheres of life.  You can also refer to various presentation skills interview questions and Answers  to build you confidence! 

Importance of Presentation Skills in Personal Life  

Effective Presentation Skills are not limited to professional settings alone; they play a significant role in personal life as well. Let us now explore  the Importance of Presentation Skills in one’s personal life:    

Expressing Ideas Clearly   

In day-to-day conversations with family, friends, or acquaintances, having good Presentation Skills enables you to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly. Whether you're discussing plans for the weekend or sharing your opinions on a particular topic, being an effective communicator encourages better understanding and engagement. 

Enhancing Social Confidence  

Many individuals struggle with social anxiety or nervousness in social gatherings. Mastering Presentation Skills helps boost self-confidence, making it easier to navigate social situations with ease. The ability to present yourself confidently and engage others in conversation enhances your social life and opens doors to new relationships. 

Creating Memories on Special Occasions  

There are moments in life that call for public speaking, such as proposing a toast at a wedding, delivering a speech at a family gathering, or giving a presentation during special events. Having polished Presentation Skills enables you to leave a positive impression on the audience, making these occasions even more memorable. 

Handling Challenging Conversations  

Life often presents challenging situations that require delicate communication, such as expressing condolences or resolving conflicts. Strong Presentation Skills help you convey your feelings and thoughts sensitively, encouraging effective and empathetic communication during difficult times. 

Building Stronger Relationships  

Being a skilled presenter means being a good listener as well. Active listening is a fundamental aspect of effective Presentations, and when applied in personal relationships, it strengthens bonds and builds trust. Empathising with others and showing genuine interest in their stories and opinions enhances the quality of your relationships. 

Advocating for Personal Goals  

Whether you're pursuing personal projects or seeking support for a cause you're passionate about, the ability to present your ideas persuasively helps garner support and enthusiasm from others. This can be beneficial in achieving personal goals and making a positive impact on your community. 

Inspiring and Motivating Others  

In one’s personal life, Presentation Skills are not just about delivering formal speeches; they also involve inspiring and motivating others through your actions and words. Whether you're sharing your experiences, mentoring someone, or encouraging loved ones during tough times, your Presentation skills can be a source of inspiration for others. 

Exuding leadership traits  

Effective Presentation Skills go hand in hand with leadership qualities. Being able to communicate clearly and influence others' perspectives positions you as a leader within your family, social circles, or community. Leadership in personal life involves guiding and supporting others towards positive outcomes. 

Unlock your full potential as a presenter with our Presentation Skills Training Course. Join now!  

Importance of Presentation Skills in Professional Life  

Effective Presentation skills are a vital asset for career growth and success in professional life. Let us now explore the Importance of Presentation skills for students and workers:  

Impressing Employers and Clients  

During job interviews or business meetings, a well-delivered Presentation showcases your knowledge, confidence, and ability to communicate ideas effectively. It impresses employers, clients, and potential investors, leaving a positive and memorable impression that can tilt the scales in your favour. 

Advancing in Your Career  

In the corporate world, promotions and career advancements often involve presenting your achievements, ideas, and future plans to decision-makers. Strong Presentation Skills demonstrate your leadership potential and readiness for higher responsibilities, opening doors to new opportunities. 

Effective Team Collaboration  

As a professional, you often need to present projects, strategies, or updates to your team or colleagues. A compelling Presentation facilitates better understanding and association among team members, leading to more productive and successful projects. 

Persuasive Selling Techniques  

For sales and marketing professionals, Presentation skills are instrumental in persuading potential customers to choose your products or services. An engaging sales pitch can sway buying decisions, leading to increased revenue and business growth. 

Creating Impactful Proposals  

In the corporate world, proposals are crucial for securing new partnerships or business deals. A well-structured and compelling Presentation can make your proposal stand out and increase the chances of successful negotiations. 

Gaining and Retaining Clients  

Whether you are a freelancer, consultant, or business owner, Presentation Skills play a key role in winning and retaining clients. A captivating Presentation not only convinces clients of your capabilities but also builds trust and promotes long-term relationships. 

Enhancing Public Speaking Engagements  

Professional life often involves speaking at conferences, seminars, or industry events. Being a confident and engaging speaker allows you to deliver your message effectively, position yourself as an expert, and expand your professional network. 

Influencing Stakeholders and Decision-makers  

As you climb the corporate ladder, you may find yourself presenting to senior management or board members. Effective Presentations are essential for gaining support for your ideas, projects, or initiatives from key stakeholders. 

Handling Meetings and Discussions  

In meetings, being able to present your thoughts clearly and concisely contributes to productive discussions and efficient decision-making . It ensures that your ideas are understood and considered by colleagues and superiors. 

Professional Development  

Investing time in honing Presentation Skills is a form of professional development. As you become a more effective presenter, you become a more valuable asset to your organisation and industry. 

Building a Personal Brand  

A strong personal brand is vital for professional success. Impressive Presentations contribute to building a positive reputation and positioning yourself as a thought leader or industry expert. 

Career Transitions and Interviews  

When seeking new opportunities or transitioning to a different industry, Presentation Skills are essential for communicating your transferable skills and showcasing your adaptability to potential employers. 

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Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills 

Now that you know about the Importance of Presentation Skills in your personal and professional life, we will provide you with tips on how to  Improve Your Presentation Skills .

1) Know Your Audience: Understand the demographics and interests of your audience to tailor your Presentation accordingly. 

2) Practice Regularly: Rehearse your speech multiple times to refine content and delivery. 

3) Seek Feedback: Gather feedback from peers or mentors to identify areas for improvement. 

4) Manage Nervousness: Use relaxation techniques to overcome nervousness before presenting. 

5) Engage with Eye Contact: Maintain eye contact with the audience to establish a connection. 

6) Use Clear Visuals: Utilise impactful visuals to complement your spoken words. 

7) Emphasise Key Points: Highlight important information to enhance audience retention. 

8) Employ body language: Use confident and purposeful gestures to convey your message. 

9) Handle Q&A Confidently: Prepare for potential questions and answer them with clarity. 

10) Add Personal Stories: Include relevant anecdotes to make your Presentation more relatable. 

Learn different methods of delivering presentations with our Presenting with Impact Training – Join today!

Presentation Skills are a valuable asset, impacting both personal and professional realms of life. By mastering these skills, you can become a more effective communicator, a confident professional, and a persuasive influencer. Continuous improvement and adaptation to technological advancements will ensure you stay ahead in this competitive world. 

Learn about presentation styles with our Presentation Skills Training   – Join today! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Visual aids can make your presentation engaging and easier to understand. They help illustrate key points and keep the audience’s attention. Using visuals like charts, images, and videos can make your message clearer and more memorable.

Common mistakes include reading directly from slides, overloading slides with text, and not practising enough. To avoid them, practice thoroughly, use bullet points, and keep your slides simple.

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The Knowledge Academy’s Knowledge Pass , a prepaid voucher, adds another layer of flexibility, allowing course bookings over a 12-month period. Join us on a journey where education knows no bounds.

The Knowledge Academy offers various Presentation Skills Courses , including Presentation Skills Training, Presenting with Impact Training, and Data Analysis Skills Course. These courses cater to different skill levels, providing comprehensive insights into Types of Communication .  

Our Business Skills Blogs cover a range of topics related to Presentation Skills, offering valuable resources, best practices, and industry insights. Whether you are a beginner or looking to advance your Presentation Skills, The Knowledge Academy's diverse courses and informative blogs have got you covered.  

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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Why Do We Need to Prepare for a Presentation?

Why should you prepare?

1. to identify your audience, 2. to remember all the content, 3. to be confident in your delivery.

Improve Your Presentation Skills

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4. To avoid mistakes

5. to be sure your content is interesting.

6. To be sure you stick to the point

7. to avoid stiffness in speech, what happens if you don't prepare.

More Articles on Presentation Skills

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6 Reasons Presentation Skills Are Important For Career Growth

• The Speaker Lab
• June 26, 2024

Table of Contents

Picture this: you’re standing in front of a room full of colleagues, clients, or investors. Your heart is racing because you’re about to deliver a crucial presentation. In moments like these, the importance of presentation skills quickly becomes apparent. But developing strong presentation abilities isn’t just about surviving nerve-wracking moments like these. It’s about thriving in your career.

At the heart of presentation skills is the ability to communicate effectively. And when you can communicate well, you get buy-in for your ideas, rally people to your cause, and leave a lasting impression. In a job market that’s more competitive than ever, those are the things that can make all the difference. So if you want to get ahead? It’s time to recognize the importance of presentation skills and start improving yours.

The Importance of Presentation Skills in Professional Success

If you’ve ever watched a speaker captivate an audience, you know the power of strong presentation skills. But what you might not realize is just how much those skills can impact your career trajectory.

In today’s competitive professional landscape, the ability to effectively communicate your ideas and persuade others is a game-changer. That’s because when you can articulate your ideas clearly and engage your listeners, you’re perceived as a leader and a valuable asset to your company. This can kick-start a chain reaction of career growth. As you hone your presentation abilities, doors began to open—invites to speak at conferences, leadership roles on high-stakes projects, and more. This snowball effect can lead to career advancement, financial rewards, and a reputation as a thought leader in your domain.

Presentation Skills as a Tool for Effective Communication

Presentations are more than just words—they’re an opportunity to connect with your audience on a deeper level. It’s not just about standing up and speaking, but about crafting a clear message, using engaging visuals, telling stories that resonate, and adapting to your audience. It also involves body language , vocal tone, and the ability to think on your feet. When you put all these elements together, you create a presentation that doesn’t just inform, but engages and motivates.

The Power of Storytelling

One of the most effective techniques a presenter can use is storytelling. Stories possess an extraordinary power to engage listeners, elicit feelings, and make content memorable. Incorporating stories into your presentations allows you to connect with your audience on a level that goes deeper than simply presenting information.

For example, let’s say you’re giving a presentation on customer service. You could just rattle off statistics and best practices, but imagine if you started with a story about a time you personally experienced exceptional service. Suddenly, your audience is emotionally invested in what you have to say. And that emotional connection makes your message all the more impactful and memorable.

Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker

Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

The Psychological Impact of Strong Presentation Abilities

Ever left a presentation feeling like you could take on anything? That’s the mark of a master presenter at work. They know the secret to captivating an audience goes beyond simply relaying facts—it’s about forging a psychological connection that leaves you inspired and ready to take action. The importance of presentation skills becomes much more apparent when you realize the effect they can have on your audience.

Building Trust and Credibility

One of the key psychological principles at play in presentations is trust. When you present with confidence and clarity, your audience is more likely to see you as credible and trustworthy . And that trust is essential if you want them to buy into your ideas and take action on your recommendations.

Harnessing the Power of Emotion

Another psychological tool that skilled presenters use is emotion. When you can evoke an emotional response in your audience—whether it’s excitement, empathy, or even a bit of fear—you create a powerful connection that makes your message more impactful.

To truly captivate your audience, bring your ideas to life with vivid imagery and language that paints a picture in their minds. Weave in metaphors and analogies that make your concepts tangible, and use descriptive words that evoke emotion and engage their imagination. When you create a presentation that resonates on a deeper level, it will leave a lasting impact long after the final slide.

The Importance of Presentation Skills in the Digital Age

In today’s digital world, presentation skills have taken on a whole new meaning. With virtual meetings and webinars becoming the norm, the ability to engage an audience through a screen is more important than ever. But how do you create that same sense of connection and impact when you’re not in the same room as your audience?

Adapting to Virtual Platforms

Adapting your presentation skills to the virtual world requires a strategic approach. Specifically, be deliberate with your message, choose visuals that pack a punch, and deliver with enthusiasm. In the absence of physical presence, you’ll have to compensate by crafting an engaging experience that captures and maintains your audience’s attention throughout the presentation.

One way to do this is by using interactive tools like polls, Q&A sessions, and breakout rooms. These features allow you to create a sense of participation and dialogue, even when everyone is in different locations. You can also use visual aids like slides, videos, and animations to keep your audience’s attention and reinforce your key points.

Embracing New Technologies

Another way to level up your virtual presentation skills is by embracing new technologies. Tools like virtual reality and augmented reality can create immersive experiences that transport your audience and make your message more memorable. Even something as simple as using a high-quality camera and microphone can make a big difference in how professional and engaging your presentation comes across.

If you want to succeed in the digital era, you must first recognize the importance of presentation skills. Then, embrace virtual platforms, harness new tech, and watch as you effortlessly connect with your audience—even if they’re on the other side of the globe.

The Intersection of Presentation Skills and Leadership

Presentation skills and leadership go hand in hand. The ability to communicate effectively, inspire others, and drive change are all hallmarks of great leaders. And at the core of these qualities lies a mastery of presentation skills.

Think about the most influential leaders you know. Chances are, they’re also compelling speakers who can captivate an audience and rally people around a common goal. From Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech to Steve Jobs’ iconic product launches , history is filled with examples of leaders using their presentation prowess to make a profound impact.

But the link between presentation skills and leadership isn’t just anecdotal. Research has shown that effective communication is one of the top traits of successful leaders. In fact, study by the Harvard Business Review found that strong communication skills were rated as the third most important competency for leaders, further proving the importance of presentation skills.

Inspiring Teams and Driving Change

Why are presentation skills so crucial for leadership? It’s simple—they allow leaders to share their vision and motivate their teams. When a leader can confidently articulate a compelling vision, they can inspire people to work together towards a common goal.

As a leader, your presentation skills can make or break your ability to drive change. Introducing a new strategy? Navigating a crisis? Pushing for innovation? In all these scenarios, you need to persuade stakeholders and gain their support. Crafting a compelling argument is crucial, but so is delivering it in a way that connects with your audience on a deeper level.

Navigating Diverse Audiences with Adaptive Presentation Skills

One of the key challenges leaders face is communicating with diverse audiences. From employees and customers to investors and media, leaders need to be able to tailor their message and delivery style to connect with different stakeholders.

This is where adaptive presentation skills come into play. Great presenters understand that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to communication. They take the time to understand their audience’s needs, preferences, and cultural context, and adjust their approach accordingly.

Tailoring Content and Delivery for Maximum Impact

Adapting your presentation starts with tailoring your content. This means focusing on the information and angles that are most relevant and compelling to your specific audience. For example, when presenting to a technical team, you might dive deeper into the details and data, while for a executive audience, you may focus more on the big picture and strategic implications.

But it’s not just about what you say—it’s also how you say it. Effective presenters adapt their delivery style, tone, and even body language to build rapport and connection with their audience. This could mean anything from adjusting your pace and energy level to using more visual aids or storytelling techniques.

Fostering Inclusivity Through Audience Awareness

Great presentation skills aren’t just about getting your point across—they’re about making everyone in the room feel valued. When leaders take the time to understand their audience and adapt their message, they create an inclusive environment where every voice matters.

Want to get ahead in today’s global marketplace? Then you better know how to talk to people from different backgrounds and cultures. The most successful leaders are the ones who can bring diverse teams together and communicate in a way that clicks with everyone, no matter where they’re from.

Enhancing Personal Branding with Polished Presentation Skills

In today’s competitive job market, standing out is essential. One of the most powerful ways to differentiate yourself is through your personal brand. But what exactly is personal branding , and how do presentation skills fit into the equation?

Defining Your Unique Value Proposition

At its core, personal branding is about defining and communicating your unique value proposition. In other words, it’s about understanding what makes you different, what you stand for, and how you can add value to your audience or employer. And guess what? Presentation skills are a key part of that equation.

Think about it: every time you give a presentation, whether it’s to a client, your team, or a room full of strangers, you have an opportunity to showcase your brand. The way you communicate, the stories you tell, the insights you share—all of these elements shape how others perceive you and what you bring to the table.

Crafting a Compelling Narrative

Polished presentation skills allow you to craft a compelling narrative around your personal brand. When you can articulate your ideas clearly, engage your audience emotionally, and deliver with confidence and authenticity, you leave a lasting impression.

This is especially important in high-stakes situations like job interviews, pitch meetings, or keynote speeches . These are the moments when your presentation skills can make or break your ability to land that dream job, win that big client, or establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

Amplifying Your Reach and Impact

If you want to take your personal brand to the next level, then start improving your presentation skills. In the digital age, a single talk can be shared across the globe, attracting fans, clients, and collaborators who resonate with your message and style.

That means powerful presentation skills are your ticket to sharing your message with the world. Whether you’re creating compelling videos, hosting informative webinars, or captivating audiences at virtual events, your ability to communicate effectively will establish you as a go-to expert in your field. And as your reputation grows, so will the opportunities that come knocking at your door.

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FAQs on the Importance of Presentation Skills

Why are presentation skills important.

Presentation skills let you share ideas clearly and make a strong impression. They’re key for career growth, from acing job interviews to nailing salary negotiations.

What are the important points of presentation?

Effective presentations hinge on clear communication, engaging storytelling, maintaining eye contact, and reading your audience. Master these to keep folks hooked.

How important is presentation in the workplace?

In the workplace, good presentation skills boost your ability to persuade and lead. They help you stand out during meetings and project discussions.

Why is it important to practice a presentation?

Practicing polishes your delivery and boosts confidence. It helps manage nerves so you can focus on making an impact with your words.

So, what is the importance of presentation skills? It’s simple. They empower you to communicate effectively, engage your audience, and make a lasting impact. Whether you’re pitching a new idea, leading a team meeting, or delivering a keynote speech, strong presentation skills are your secret weapon.

Mastering the art of presenting is a surefire way to boost your career. Picture yourself commanding the room, your words flowing effortlessly as you engage your audience. With practice and the right strategies, you’ll exude confidence, communicate with crystal clarity, and leave a lasting impression. Investing in your presentation skills is investing in your professional growth.

And don’t think presentation skills are only for giving speeches. They matter in how you present yourself, your ideas, and your worth in every professional encounter. So master effective communication and watch your career skyrocket.

• Last Updated: June 21, 2024

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The Importance of an Effective Presentation

You spend hours crafting your story, building your presentation, and finalizing your speech. Regardless of the contents of your presentation, you likely put a lot of effort into creating it. We get it, you’re passionate about telling your story— and rightfully so. But your hard work is all for naught if your presentation isn’t effective. Of the millions of presentations given everyday, how many are actually successful? And how are teams measuring said success? Understanding the importance of an effective presentation is just as vital as understanding good presentation design. In fact, the two go hand in hand.

When they step down from the stage, most presenters are looking for feedback beyond, “you looked nervous.”  They want to know if what they said resonated with the audience. Did their presentation drive their key points home? Were all of those hours spent fine-tuning their presentation worth it? In most cases, the effectiveness of your presentation can be determined by a simple call-to-action. But there are also so many other ways to monitor your success.

How effective are your presentations?

An effective presentation will do one of two things: it will teach your audience something or it will inspire them to take action. But neither of those things will happen if the audience isn’t engaged. In a perfect world, you’d be able to tell if your audience was paying attention by doing a quick scan of the room. However in our current remote climate, the nature of presentations have shifted. Giving a remote presentation makes it harder to gauge the audience’s level of interest until after the fact. It’s likely that you’re giving a remote presentation via video conferencing, and then sending out the deck as a follow-up. That’s not to say they still can’t be effective. Incorporating video can help engage your audience and increase the effectiveness of your message. Choosing on-brand images, using the right charts and graphs for your data, and the number of slides you include may also play a role in how effective your presentation is. 

Why is it important?

Your presentation is your story. Whether you’re teaching an online course, hosting a webinar, making a business pitch, onboarding a new hire, or sharing a campaign with your team, what you have to say is important. You need your audience to listen. The effectiveness of a presentation determines how many people you reached with your story. It represents how much of the information they will take with them when they leave. And it can help you understand what you can do better next time. 

Understanding the effectiveness of your presentation can help you to figure out if your content is resonating with the audience. Was the presentation too long or too short? Are people making it to the last slide or skipping through? What is the longevity of your content— will your presentation continue to drive traffic a month from now? Is there one slide that people spent more time on than others? These all factor into how powerful and impactful your presentation actually is. You can find the answers to all of these questions through presentation analytics. 

Tracking metrics

In any business, tracking metrics is important. Data itself tells a story (for those who are willing to listen). It can help you better understand your audience, and their behaviors. It’s how you learn more about what works and what doesn’t, which will ultimately help you scale your business. 

Tracking metrics in a presentation can look a little different for every speaker. Depending on your goal of the presentation, you may want to know how many people made it to the end without skipping ahead. On the same coin, you may care more about the effectiveness of your call to action on the last slide. Regardless of which metrics you’re looking for, having the ability to track presentation analytics is important. 

Beautiful.ai analytics

Beautiful.ai gets it. We know that measuring the success of your presentation can be as simple as tracking your metrics— especially in our new remote world. In Beautiful.ai you can see things like total views, unique viewers, total view time, completion rate, average view time per slide, and how many people shared out the link to your deck. With these analytics, you are able to monitor the effectiveness of your presentation days, weeks, and even months after you first present. 

Check it out for yourself! To find your presentation analytics in Beautiful.ai, follow these three, simple steps.

• Click in to any presentation from your Pro account
• Select “actions” on the left side bar
• Open the “analytics” tab

Do you want to present like a pro? Check out our Pro plan and unlock all of the features you need to present your best work ever.

Jordan Turner

Jordan is a Bay Area writer, social media manager, and content strategist.

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Ideas and insights from Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning

Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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13 Reasons Why Presentations Matter (for Students & for Professionals)

Hrideep barot.

• Body Language & Delivery , Presentation , Public Speaking

Presentations are a common component of every business, whether you’re getting ready to sell potential clients or trying to hire new staff.

You may present with poise and assurance. But a strong digital presentation can help you improve your public speaking abilities in general.

Given their potential to have a significant effect on the audience, presentations need to be carefully planned. They can give your words more force and better represent you and your business. This can assist you in getting good results.

Have you ever questioned why presentations play such a significant role in our lives? It is simple to become confused about what all these individuals are generating these presentations about when there are more than 50,000 new presentations created every day. Who exactly came up with the idea? The question “Why would anyone want to incorporate their ideas into these things called slides when you can just have a straightforward speech written on a piece of paper?” may be running through your mind if you dislike presentations in general. We recognise your point. We are also here to explain why, though.

Importance of presentations

• To have more sway in your organisation, sector, and market.
• To be more adamant when necessary.
• To inspire more in your team, department, or organisation.
• To communicate both intellectually and emotionally more efficiently.
• To enthral, stimulate, and motivate others.
• To drive change.
• To establish and grow your desired personal brand.
• To communicate your point in a clear, succinct, and convincing manner.
• To establish genuine connections with others.
• To “make friends and have a good impact.”
• To change something
• To influence and persuade others to work with you or adopt a different viewpoint.
• To leave a lasting impression and be recalled favourably.
• To grow your own sense of self-worth and self-assurance.
• To advance in your career and achieve your goals.
• To mature and advance intellectually, emotionally, and even “spiritually.”
• To discover the exact communication strategies that currently work for you.
• To recognise and put into practice the chances that are accessible to you for more powerful and successful communication.
• To handle challenging situations and individuals with more composure and less stress.
• The capacity to settle disputes amicably and successfully.

Why do presentations matter for students?

1. involvement of students at the centre of learning.

Presentations provide variety and difficulties in contrast to an academic lecturer’s routine delivery. Sometimes, students are more willing to learn from their peers’ successes and failures than from their teachers. 

Presentations might be used as well as a productive method of peer education. You participate actively in your learning experience when you take charge of creating and delivering a presentation.

2. Develop fresh insights and understandings of a subject

Presentations provide chances for skill and knowledge development in concert. Through this process, learning and a desire for learning more can be strengthened. The audience should have learned something new and developed a greater interest in the subject of the presentation was successful. When we hear information from a unique or distinct source, we occasionally remember it. Tutors can gain new insights from the viewpoints of their students, which they can then use to improve their instruction.

3. Practice in an established setting or circumstance

Students have the chance to practise performing during presentations in a relatively safe setting. You will start to gain the necessary abilities and be able to apply them from presentation to presentation when you have to prepare multiple presentations for a course.

It makes you undoubtedly accustomed to the academic setting. You might give presentations in spaces where you also take part in lectures and other events, which might assist to ease your anxiety. People in the audience who are also in your cohort may be sympathetic if they can relate to your feelings.

4. Gaining more self-assurance to talk and present in front of a crowd

Academic courses that include well-run presentations can be utilised to boost students’ skills and confidence. You might be able to express your personality in a way that is impossible when sitting through a lecture as a passive listener.

You may stand out from the crowd and get noticed by using presentations. They provide you with the chance to express your uniqueness. You can develop a good coping strategy for anxiety that will help you feel less fearful and anxious. With consistent practice, you may boost your self-assurance and gain some of the interpersonal and communication abilities that employers respect.

5. Raising the grade received for a module assessment

You may occasionally have the chance to receive a greater percentage of marks for presentations than for written work alone. Students who prefer to speak to write may be more effective presenters and communicators when speaking or using visual aids rather than writing. This is so because, in addition to the verbal intelligence required for essays and reports, presentations also make use of other types of intelligence.

Some pupils are very self-assured when giving presentations and perform better in groups than they do alone. These students might receive a higher overall grade for the module if the presentation and written report are assessed jointly, particularly if the presentation accounts for up to 40% of the module grade.

6. Learning a variety of communication and presentation techniques

You might need to consider your personal communication preferences and talents. Do you favour mind maps, lists, diagrams, or charts & graphs?

You can use presentations to communicate in a variety of media types. Additionally, they provide you with the chance to practise performing in front of others and improve your breathing, voice, and hand-eye coordination. Students in the audience will also observe and pick up knowledge from the presenters’ abilities, especially if they are given the chance to offer feedback.

In fact, students frequently give themselves and their fellow classmates the harshest reviews possible. These observations and comments can help students reflect on and recognise the factors that contribute to presentations being an effective learning environment. This analysis can help future performances and be used for more job interviews and evaluations.

7. Learning the abilities necessary for the workplace

Many organisations look for candidates who are self-assured and include presentations in their selection processes. For progress reports, staff evaluations, and professional development, several organisations regularly use staff presentations. As a student, practising presentation preparation and delivery can make you a more capable and assured interview applicant.

They present chances for you to hone your project management and teamwork abilities. You’ll need to meet deadlines and be accountable for producing the intended result of your effort. Your research, design and communication abilities will all increase along with your overall presentation abilities.

Why do presentations matter at the workplace?

1. inform, educate, and inspire the staff.

Presentations aren’t solely for external use, despite popular notions. They are extensively used within organisations as well. They can be a useful tool for inspiring and addressing workers.

In order to provide effective results, office productivity and efficiency are essential. This is only possible if the staff members are regularly motivated to increase their productivity and are made aware of the objectives and goals they are expected to meet.

There are two kinds of presentations: those that keep the audience engaged right up until the very end, and those that they are eager to be over. Making sure of the first one will ensure that your staff is informed and motivated.

2. Portraying your company’s brand image

Business pitches heavily rely on presentations. You might be shocked to learn how presentations affect potential clients. They support your public speaking and give the audience a sense of your firm.

You must create the correct initial impression if you want to accomplish your company objectives. Presentations serve as a visual representation of the mission and strategy of your business.

For instance, you identify yourself in the pitch as a business that provides your clients with cutting-edge branding solutions. The audience can see the evidence in your presentation slides, which will help your presentation have a greater effect.

The audience will perceive your presentation as more serious and positive the more ordered it appears.

Having it developed by a presentation designer may assist guarantee that everything is in the right location and that the overall presentation is consistent with the values and image of your firm.

3. Easily Usable Communication Device

Presentations are easily accessed and seen on your phone, tablet, or laptop and can be used anywhere.

To ensure optimal readability, it would be a good idea to have your presentation developed by a professional.

During a meeting, you can project the presentation using your laptop or a projector, and you can quickly keep them online for quick access. This improves the general effectiveness of your company’s operations and enables you to produce results more successfully and effectively.

If the presentation is well designed and well-aligned with your audience and business culture, its effect can be increased.

4. Boost audience involvement

The audience’s involvement is greatly influenced by presentations. Humans naturally grow weary after listening to someone speak repeatedly.

Maintaining your audience’s interest might be significantly easier if you use professionally created presentations to break up your public speaking. They will continue to be actively engaged if they can connect your speech to the presentation’s content and images.

Making a presentation with the help of a creative digital agency might help you make a lasting impression on the audience. The audience clearly interprets your message when they are actively participating in the process and paying attention to what you are saying.

Go through this article for more information: Interactive presentations: 7 foolproof ways to engage the audience

5. Offer Variability in Information Delivery

The best way to spread information at a reasonable cost is through presentations. They give you the freedom to change the content to suit your demands and specifications.

You may quickly add or remove content to suit your needs and alter the presentation for various audiences.

When trying to make an internal announcement or going for an external assignment like a sales pitch or BTL marketing, presentations are simpler and more practical options to pursue than other printed media.

You can continue using the presentation after having it created by a creative digital agency by adding industry-specific content in accordance with each client’s needs.

Using presentations will save you more time and money while enabling you to communicate your intended message more effectively and clearly.

6. Helps in making a stronger impression

You are presenting your business idea in a pitch. Without the organisation and visual support that a pitch deck will provide, your message may get lost in translation. Your message will be much more powerful if it is accompanied by a complimentary design that effectively arranges your ideas. It may also make your concept appear in a more favourable light. Having a presentation might assist your speech to reflect even more forcefully on company values, business image, and goals.

Tips for effective presentations

1. Connect with your audience by demonstrating your passion.

Being confident and at ease are difficult to do while you’re anxious.

The best method to connect with your audience, though, is to show your enthusiasm for the subject, which is something that outstanding presenters emphasise again and time again.

Tell the audience what matters to you and why it does so openly. The audience will respond if you are eager and genuine.

2. Think about what your audience wants.

What your audience will learn from your presentation should be the foundation of your presentation. Always consider what the audience needs and wants to know when preparing your presentation, not what you can say to them.

You must pay attention to your audience’s reaction while you deliver the presentation and adjust as necessary. Make it simple for your audience to comprehend and respond.

3. Do not complicate: Pay attention to your main agenda

You should always ask yourself this question while you prepare your presentation. “What are the main points—two or three—that I want my audience to remember?” You should be able to express that main idea succinctly.

Some experts advise creating an “elevator summary” of no more than 30 seconds, while others advise writing it on the back of a business card or saying it in no more than 15 words.

Whatever rule you decide to follow, it’s crucial to maintain your main point concisely and focused. And if what you’re going to say won’t help convey that main idea, don’t say it.

4. Make eye contact with your audience and smile.

Although it seems relatively simple, a surprising amount of speakers fail to accomplish it.

You can establish rapport with your audience by smiling and maintaining eye contact. This makes it easier for them to relate to you and your subject. Additionally, the fact that you are speaking to specific individuals rather than an enormous group of strangers makes you feel less anxious.

Make sure you don’t dim all the lights to the point where only the slide screen is visible to aid you in this. Both you and your slides must be visible to your audience.

5. Start off strong

Your presentation’s opening section is vital. You must be able to capture and keep the interest of your audience.

If you’re boring, they will give you a few minutes of grace before they start to lose interest in you. Don’t use that time to introduce yourself. Begin by amusing them.

Consider telling a tale or using an eye-catching but helpful graphic on a slide.

6. Narrate tales

Humans have a built-in tendency to react to stories.

We learn to pay attention and remember information by using stories. Your audience is more likely to pay attention and remember your points if you can incorporate stories into your presentation. Starting with a tale is a fantastic approach, but there is also a bigger point: your presentation needs to act like a story.

Consider the narrative you want to tell your audience and design your presentation accordingly.

7. Utilize your voice wisely

The spoken word actually uses just one of your audience’s five senses, making it a somewhat ineffective form of communication. Presenters frequently employ visual aids as a result. However, you can improve spoken language by making good use of your voice.

You may make your voice more engaging and keep your audience’s attention by varying your speaking pace and emphasising changes in pitch and tone.

8. Use your body as well.

Communication more than three-quarters is thought to be nonverbal.

This means that in addition to your speech tone, your body language is very important in conveying your message. Moreover, make sure you are sending the proper information; bad body language includes crossing your arms, keeping your hands in your pockets or behind your back, and pacing the stage.

Furthermore, move freely around the stage and, if you can, among the audience. Make your gestures open and assured.

Read this article for more useful insights: 6 most effective presentation styles

Final words

The bottom line is that yes, presentations are important because they enable you to better organise and express your objectives, build connections with your audience, and more. Moreover, you will notice the difference if you deliver your speech as a presentation!

Presentations significantly affect the audience. Hence, they need to be carefully planned. In addition, they can give your statements more force and enhance the perception that people have of you and your business. You may be able to get good results by doing this.

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• Presentation Skills
• Skills & Tools

Presentation skills can be defined as a set of abilities that enable an individual to: interact with the audience; transmit the messages with clarity; engage the audience in the presentation; and interpret and understand the mindsets of the listeners. These skills refine the way you put forward your messages and enhance your persuasive powers.

The present era places great emphasis on good presentation skills. This is because they play an important role in convincing the clients and customers. Internally, management with good presentation skills is better able to communicate the mission and vision of the organization to the employees.

Importance of Presentation Skills

Interaction with others is a routine job of businesses in today’s world. The importance of good presentation skills is established on the basis of following points:

• They help an individual in enhancing his own growth opportunities. In addition, it also grooms the personality of the presenter and elevates his levels of confidence.
• In case of striking deals and gaining clients, it is essential for the business professionals to understand the audience. Good presentation skills enable an individual to mold his message according to the traits of the audience. This increases the probability of successful transmission of messages.
• Lastly, business professionals have to arrange seminars and give presentations almost every day. Having good presentation skills not only increases an individual’s chances of success, but also enable him to add greatly to the organization.

How to Improve Presentation Skills

Development of good presentation skills requires efforts and hard work. To improve your presentation skills, you must:

• Research the Audience before Presenting: This will enable you to better understand the traits of the audience. You can then develop messages that can be better understood by your target audience. For instance, in case of an analytical audience, you can add more facts and figures in your presentation.
• Structure your Presentation Effectively: The best way to do this is to start with telling the audience, in the introduction, what you are going to present. Follow this by presenting the idea, and finish off the presentation by repeating the main points.
• Do a lot of Practice: Rehearse but do not go for memorizing the presentation. Rehearsals reduce your anxiety and enable you to look confident on the presentation day. Make sure you practice out loud, as it enables you to identify and eliminate errors more efficiently. Do not memorize anything as it will make your presentation look mechanical. This can reduce the degree of audience engagement.
• Take a Workshop: Most medium and large businesses allow their employees to take employee development courses and workshops, as well-trained employees are essential to the success of any company. You can use that opportunity to take a workshop on professional presentation skills such as those offered by Langevin Learning Services , which are useful for all business professionals, from employees to business trainers and managers.

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14 effective presentation tips to impress your audience

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera July 15, 2022

An effective presentation can communicate key ideas and opinions, save time, and contribute to your overall success as a business, but good presentation skills don’t come naturally to everyone. In this blog post, you’ll find 14 effective presentation tips you can implement in your next presentation to make it a success. 

Whether you’re preparing for an important presentation at work or school, or you’re looking for ways to generally improve your presentation skills, you’ll find these presentation tips useful. We’ve gathered a list to help you impress your audience from the get-go. You’ll find tips for creating and presenting your slides, talking in front of an audience, and other effective presentation techniques to help you stand out. 

Most common presentation mistakes

Before we list our top effective presentation tips, let’s explore the most common presentation mistakes. If you’ve made one or more mistakes in this list, you’re not alone. Most people have made at least one mistake. However, what’s important is to be aware of these errors and try avoiding them next time.

#1 A poor start

One of the most common mistakes people make is undermining the importance of the first few minutes or seconds of their presentation. 

Let’s say you’ve practiced your key talking points meticulously and gone over your slides a million times, but when you’re in the spotlight and need to say your first line, do you know exactly what to say to wow the audience? 

The start of your presentation is crucial. Not only because how you start sets the tone for the rest of your presentation, but also because people generally require around 8 seconds to decide whether they find the subject interesting enough to keep listening. Starting your presentation with a captivating intro is even more important than you think. To ensure you start off right, read our guide on how to start your presentation . 

#2 Lack of preparation

Yes, even though it’s clear that you should prepare before giving a presentation, it’s still a common mistake amongst presenters. Preparing content and talking points is an obvious start, but there are other steps that you might be overlooking.

Before you even join a meeting or walk into a room where you’re going to present, consider the technical requirements and get familiar with the equipment. If you’re presenting online, make sure to test-run your presentation and the visual aids you’re going to use. The last thing you want is a broken video link, poor audio, or a weak connection when you’re presenting. 

Also, consider the questions your audience might want to ask you about the topic. Think about how you’d answer those questions, or do even further research to really impress the audience with your answers. 

Explore other ways to prepare for a presentation to feel even more confident when presenting.

#3 Losing track of time

It’s great to feel passionate about your topic. However, you’ll have to consider your audience’s level of interest and knowledge. Some details might seem fascinating to you, and you’d like to talk about them for hours, but for your audience, too much information will drain their energy and lose their attention. 

Therefore, make sure to keep track of time. Also, consider your audience’s interests. A concise presentation is always better than a long one with a ton of information. Plus, you’ll have a higher chance of keeping your audience’s attention throughout the presentation. 

Effective presentation tips

Now that we’ve looked at some of the most common presentation mistakes – let’s dive into effective presentation tips that’ll help you excel in future presentations. 

#1 Tell a story

Stories connect, inspire, and empower people. Telling a story can entice action, help understand an idea, and make people feel connected to the storyteller. It’s also one of the most effective presentation tips. A study by organizational psychologist Peg Neuhauser found that a well-told story is easier to remember than facts, which makes it a highly effective learning technique. 

With that in mind, telling a story when you’re presenting can engage your audience and make it a more memorable experience. You can either share a personal story or a historical event, just make sure to have a clear connection between the story and the topic you’re presenting. 

#2 Work on your body language

Body language can make a huge difference in how your presentation is perceived. It’s one of the presentation tips you definitely shouldn’t overlook. 

Body language says a lot about a person’s confidence level, emotions, state of mind, and even credibility. For the audience, it’s a way to understand what the person is saying and how interested they are in the topic. 

Therefore, work on your body language to better convey the message you’re trying to communicate. Practice in front of a mirror before your presentation and be conscious of your hand gestures and facial expressions. 

#3 Understand your audience

Before crafting your presentation, you must know who you’re speaking to. Understanding the interests, demographics, professional background, and other valuable information of your audience is crucial in making your speech successful. 

If you’re speaking at an event, contact the organizers to get more information about other speakers and the audience. If you’re presenting at work, you may already know your audience fairly well. Use this information to your advantage and create content you know they’ll resonate with.

#4 Use high-quality visuals

What’s one of the most effective presentation techniques? Use of visuals. They play a crucial role in your presentation. However, only high-quality visuals will make a good impression and effectively communicate your message. Use high-quality visuals like images, videos, graphs, maps, and others to really land your point. 

Using visuals is a great way to convey your ideas as they’re easier to process than text. If you’re not sure where to find great visuals, check out our blog post on presentation visuals for five free resources.

P.S. the Prezi library holds a variety of images, videos, GIFs, stickers, and other visuals, including different charts and maps to spice up your presentation. It’s all available in your dashboard .

#5 Use data visualizations

Do you want to showcase statistics or other datasets in your presentation? Use data visualizations to make your data stand out and impress your audience. 

There’s nothing more boring than a bunch of data presented in a flat way. If you want to tell a story with your data, use interactive infographics or slides enriched with eye-catching visuals. Showcasing data will make your ideas appear more trustworthy and credible. 

Prezi Design offers a range of templates to choose from. You can start creating data visualizations from scratch or choose a template and edit the data there. 

#6 Make it engaging with interactive elements

It’s not easy to deliver an engaging presentation. People can easily get distracted or try to multitask, especially in the virtual environment. Sometimes, it’s difficult to focus on the speaker and the written text. Other times, the content just isn’t impressive enough to hold the audience’s attention. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

You can make your presentation more engaging for everyone by including interactive content like graphs and charts. With interactive data visualizations, you’ll make the data discovery process more engaging and exciting for your audience. 

Your audience will be able to hover over data points and click on certain icons or datasets to discover information on their own. Interactive visualizations will make the presentation more memorable and impressive. 

As you can see in the example below, you can discover different data by engaging with the infographic. 

#7 Stay consistent with fonts and color styles

You want your presentation to look visually appealing and highlight essential information. To make that happen, stay consistent with font styles and color schemes throughout your presentation. 

Use one or two fonts max to make the text easy to read and understand. Also, use a carefully selected color scheme that’s not too distracting. If you’re using Prezi Design, you can easily copy and paste styles by right-clicking on your data visualizations and selecting “copy styles.” This makes it easier to stay consistent and saves time when picking matching colors. 

#8 Structure your presentation properly

Before creating your presentation, think about its structure. What’s the main idea you want to convey? Use that as your starting point, and only include information that adds value to the narrative. 

Plan out the first topics carefully to properly introduce your argument. Add the essential information in the middle part of your presentation. Lastly, close your presentation with a summary of the main points and leave your audience with an afterthought. Also, plan when you’re taking questions and for how long. 

For more insight, watch this tutorial on how to structure your presentation:

#9 Practice your public speaking skills

Public speaking may not be your forte, but you can get better with practice. Don’t decline a great opportunity to share your ideas with a larger audience just because you feel nervous speaking in front of a group of people. 

One of the best ways to improve your public speaking skills is to practice in front of your family or friends – people you feel comfortable with. Also, focus on the topic you’re presenting and get excited about the idea you want to convey. This way you’ll appear more confident and feel less nervous about public speaking. 

Explore other public speaking tips from Jessica Chen, the founder, and CEO of Soulcast Media: 

#10 Show your slides next to you on-screen

If you’re presenting on Zoom or in a virtual meeting , think twice before you share your screen. The days of hiding behind slides are over. People want to see and connect with other people, not sit through another run-of-the-mill screen share. To do that, use Prezi Video to showcase all your content right next to you in your video feed. 

As a result, your presentation will look more engaging than a traditional virtual presentation . Also, your audience will have the chance to read your body language and follow along with what you’re saying even better. 

If you already have your slides prepared, don’t worry – you can easily integrate them into Prezi. 

See Prezi Video in action and check out our video templates to get started.

#11 Calm down before presenting

Being in front of an audience can feel nerve-racking. However, there are ways to calm down before presenting that will make you feel more centered and confident. The last thing you want is all your hard work to go to waste just because of stress. 

Try breathing exercises or a five-minute guided meditation before presenting. The trick is to remove all distractions and focus on the present moment so you’re not overthinking right before starting your presentation. Also, be fully prepared and know exactly what to say and when which will help you feel more collected. If you want to discover other ways to feel and look more confident, read how not to be nervous before a presentation . 

#12 Use transitions and animations 

Add movement to your slides with transitions and animations. You’ll make your presentation more visually appealing and engaging. However, be careful not to overwhelm your audience with your choice of transitions and animations. 

Choose a transition that matches your presentation visually and use it throughout your presentation. Consider what animations will be relevant to your audience and select a few to add to your slides. Don’t overdo it. Keep the focus on the message you’re trying to convey, and use animations to only support that message. 

#13 Be enthusiastic 

When you’re in a room with a positive and enthusiastic person, you can’t help but feel uplifted as well. High-energy people have this effect on others. Most importantly, a lot of people tend to mimic people’s behavior and mirror their energy when they feel a connection or relate to them. That’s called the chameleon effect . 

When you’re presenting, you want your audience to feel curious about what you’re presenting. You may also want to leave your audience feeling uplifted, interested to know more, or inspired. To have that effect on others, try to convey those emotions when presenting. Practice your speech, slow down your narration at times, or take a pause after you’ve delivered a statement, and use different presentation techniques to present your project and really drive your points home. 

#14 End your presentation in a memorable way

The first few minutes of your presentation are crucial for captivating your audience’s attention. However, don’t underestimate the importance of ending your presentation as powerfully as you started it. 

The way you end your presentation will play a crucial part in how your audience will remember it. You want to make a memorable impression by closing your presentation with a summarizing statement, a rhetorical question, a call to action, or another impactful way. Discover 10 ways you can end your presentation in our guide.  

There are a lot of factors to consider when creating and delivering a presentation. You want your slides to look professional and visually appealing while conveying your main points. You also want to look and sound confident even if you’re nervous about public speaking. Whatever your concerns may be, remember that preparation is essential. Practice and dedication are the keys to giving a successful presentation . Make sure to follow these effective presentation tips to excel in your future presentations. If you’re interested in creating a captivating presentation with Prezi, contact us to learn more or try it for free . 

Elevating presentations with Prezi AI

Embrace the innovation of Prezi to bring your presentations to life. With its unique platform, Prezi AI offers more than just visually appealing templates; it provides an immersive narrative experience, engaging your audience with a story-driven approach. By integrating Prezi AI , our platform’s capabilities are further enhanced, offering intelligent design suggestions and optimizing content layouts to ensure your presentations are not only beautiful but impactful. This integration is a perfect example of effective presentation techniques in action, using technology to create a more engaging presentation.

Interactive elements: transforming passive listening into active engagement

Prezi revolutionizes the way information is presented by incorporating interactive elements that invite audience participation. With Prezi AI, these features become even more accessible, suggesting ways to make your presentation more engaging through clickable areas, zoomable images, and dynamic visualizations. This level of interaction encourages exploration, making your message more memorable and transforming a standard presentation into an effective presentation.

Adding a personal touch in digital presentation with video

Prezi Video stands out by seamlessly integrating your content alongside your video feed, bridging the gap between traditional presentations and personal engagement. This feature is crucial for those looking to follow presentation tips that emphasize the importance of connecting with your audience on a more personal level. Prezi AI enhances this experience, ensuring your content is displayed in the most effective way possible, making your virtual presentations feel as though you’re directly conversing with your audience.

Mastering presentation artistry with Prezi

The journey to becoming a skilled presenter involves continuously refining your approach and embracing tools that elevate your ability to communicate effectively. Prezi, enriched with Prezi AI, is one such tool that transforms ordinary presentations into captivating experiences. By leveraging these advanced features, you can deliver presentations that are successful, memorable, and truly unforgettable, embodying the essence of tips for presentation mastery.

Whether you’re an experienced speaker or preparing for your first presentation, Prezi equips you with the tools to succeed. Engage your audience, tell compelling stories, and deliver your message with confidence and creativity. Following effective presentation tips and exploring how Prezi AI can transform your next presentation is a step towards mastering the art of impactful communication. Delve into the features and begin your journey to presentation mastery today.

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An Effective Presentation: Why Does it Matter?

The 5 key points we are going to outline here are all about power. Yes, you could present a message with a simple speech. But the truth is that a presentation is going to make the message come out way stronger.

May 18, 2022

What's Inside?

Have you ever wondered why presentations constitute such an integral part of our lives. With over fifty thousand presentations created daily, it is easy to be lost as to what all these people are creating these presentations about. Who came up with the concept anyways? If you are a common presentation-hater, you might be asking yourself “Why would anyone want to integrate their ideas into these things called slides when you can just have a straightforward speech written on a piece of paper?” We see what you mean. But, we are also here to tell you why.

5 Reasons Why Presentations Matter

The 5 key points we are going to outline here are all about power. Yes, you could present a message with a simple speech. But the truth is that a presentation is going to make the message come out way stronger. How?

1. A presentation helps you create a bigger impact for business purposes:

You are making a pitch presentation for your business idea. Without the support of visual aid or organization that a pitch deck is going to bring to the table, your message may get lost along the way. With a complementary design that properly organizes your ideas, your message will have an even stronger impact. It can also help bring a more positive light to your idea. Having a presentation can help align organizational values, business image and goals with your speech and have it reflect even more boldly.

2. With a presentation you can inform, educate and motivate your audience

You don’t just use presentations for your own purposes. The purpose of the presentation could also be to energize, motivate the public and get something going. Many organizations use presentations for internal purposes such as informing their employees, creating company wide educations, and building a company culture. Many offices observe improvements in productivity after delivering such effective presentations. Things like strategic presentations or business plan presentations can help clearly outline business expectations. For more information on strategic presentations or business presentation templates please refer to our previous blogs . To make sure your presentation makes the impact you were rooting for on your employees, give a presentation that keeps them on their toes, not a presentation where they are counting the seconds until it ends.

3. Get the Attention on Yourself

When you are giving a speech, it is so easy to lose your audience. We are living in a contemporary world where people’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. You have one shot at making your audience decide on whether they want to listen to you or take out their phone and browse the internet instead. Make your audience look up from your phone; and there is no better way to do that than presentations. A presentation helps balance speech and visuals to attract audience engagement. A good design, a proper balance of text and image/video/audio, will help you do that. With this tactic, you can help extend your audience’s attention span.

4. Give Your Audience a Breather and Yourself More Flexibility

Modifying a speech is difficult. Modifying and organizing a presentation is much simpler. After all, presentations are all about letting the proper delivery of content. You can easily alter the ordering of the content according to different audience segments and presentation purposes. It is also much easier to reuse a presentation without it being noticed that it is the same essential content. It could also be wise in terms of your budgeting to organize your messages into effective presentations rather than having to make weekly meetings that take hours.

5. Communicate Better

“I assume there was a miscommunication”... If I had a dollar for every time I heard this phrase I would be a millionaire by now. We live in the age of communication and every second matters. That is why finding a way to communicate your message clearly, practically and rapidly means big bucks. A clear and straightforward presentation will help you communicate better with your audience, display the key points, create easy access, and deliver better performance. This communication depends on a lot of presentational factors: color, text alignment, design factors, slide numbers, visual integrations and so on. Consider working with a presentation tool like Decktopus to make sure you are keeping all these factors in mind.

The bottom line is, yes, presentations matter because they help you organize and clarify your goal, communicate it better, connect with your audience in the meantime and so on. If you make a speech in presentation form, you will see the difference!

Some articles for inspiration:

• Ultimate Presentation Tools
• Presentation 101: How to Make a Simple Presentation?
• Public Speaking Tips to Deliver the Perfect Presentation

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14 Dos and Don’ts for an Effective Presentation

Renderforest Staff

16 Jun 2021

7 min read  

Giving a presentation can be stressful. There are just too many balls to keep in the air: an effective opening, audience engagement, body language, visual aids, anxiety management. The list goes on. 

On a positive note, public speaking and presentation skills can be learned and refined. That’s why we put together a list of 14 dos and don’ts that will help you deliver a killer presentation. If you already have your presentation idea and are wondering how to effectively develop and deliver it, this article is for you.

Let’s jump right in and explore the basic rules of making and giving a presentation.

Focus on the Key Message

From the very beginning, the audience should feel that your speech is leading to something important. This is what will spark their curiosity and keep their attention focused. 

Of course, to achieve such an effect, you should actually have something important to communicate. Otherwise, your audience will feel like they wasted their time (and would be right to think so). The material you present should resemble an arrow with a clear point, not an unending loop of words that leads to nowhere. 

But having something worth telling is only part of the job. You also need to make sure that your entire presentation is woven around that key idea. From beginning to end, your core message should be your guiding light. Each sentence should move the audience closer to it, and by the end of the speech, leave them with a sense of illumination.

Recommended Reading

• A Guide to Presentation Outline [Infographic] 
• Best Corporate Presentation Designs

Plan the Structure

Planning your speech beforehand is the only way to avoid getting sidetracked. As you think about your message, try to structure it in a way that makes its delivery most effective for the audience.

So, how do you structure a presentation? Consider both the logical and emotional implications of your structure. First, you want to give your listeners enough background information to help them get better acquainted with the topic, but not so much as to get them bored. Once all the need-to-knows are out of the way, make a seamless transition to your main message and start laying out your arguments in a convincing way.

Also, think about the emotional effect you want to achieve in each part of your presentation. The best way to go about it is to capture your audience’s attention right off the bat, which is often considered to be the hardest part of giving a presentation.

“How do I begin a presentation?” is a question you’ve surely asked yourself.  Once you’re done introducing yourself, you can jump into the presentation with a story or an intriguing question. Then, build suspense throughout the speech and release it at the end with a well-grounded closing statement.

Tell a Story

How do you present a topic? As human beings, we’re attracted to stories. This is why we go to the movies, read fiction and, yes, become all ears when hearing gossip. Thus, it’s always a good idea to begin your presentation with a story or even spice it up with one in the middle. This can make all the difference between an engaged and indifferent audience. 

Need some proof? Watch this TED talk and see how the presenter wins the audience over in less than 3 minutes using the magic of a personal story (admittedly, a relatable one).

Keep a Conversational Tone

Many first-time public speakers try a bit too hard to make their speech expressive. As a result, their presentations appear showy and even pompous to the audience.

To prevent this, simply use a conversational tone. Feel like you are communicating your message to individual people, rather than a large alien audience. This will not only ease you up but will help the audience connect to you as well. 

After all, when you really look at it, you are talking to individual people, not their aggregation.

Remember the Takeaway

What is the one thing you’d wish the audience to take away from your speech as they leave the room or the auditorium? Define it in a single phrase or sentence, using straightforward, accessible language, and present it at the end of your presentation. Keep that takeaway in mind when planning your speech, and put a special emphasis on it during the wrap-up.

Source: TED talk by Angela Lee Duckworth

Time your speech.

There’s probably a specific timeframe within which you should complete your speech. Even if it’s not rigidly set, the audience will have certain expectations as to how long your presentation will take. 

Therefore, it’s important to plan beforehand the approximate time your speech should take and set a timer during rehearsals. If your presentation lasts longer than expected, make sure to leave the inessential parts out. 

As you memorize your material, your speech will get smoother and faster. This will also shorten the time required for it. Thus, before making any adjustments to the length of your script, rehearse it a few times.

Do Your Rehearsals  

Practice your speech as many times as necessary to build confidence. This is not to say you should memorize every single word or sentence, but you should know exactly what you need to cover at every point. 

When you’re confident enough about your speech, there’s one less reason to be nervous during the presentation. You can now relax and focus on building rapport with your audience.

• 100+ Creative Presentation Ideas
• Best Presentation Software: Ultimate List

Perhaps, the worst thing you can do during a presentation is to read your script. Even glancing at a paper or screen far too many times is distracting enough. What’s more, your audience will find it difficult to connect to your message, as it will all feel mechanical and staged.

The solution? It’s fairly simple: rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

Don’t Rely on Slides

A slide should never be the main source of information for the audience. Use it as a mere extension that makes your speech more engaging or credible. Always keep in mind that your audience needs to learn from you , the speaker, not from your slide.

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t stuff any slide with text. Or include so much information (whether textual or visual) that your audience gets overwhelmed and stops following your speech. When it comes to slide design, minimalism is your best friend. 

To know if you’re relying heavily on your slides or not, ask yourself this question: “Will my presentation still make sense without the slides?” If the answer’s no, then you should rethink your script. But, there’s also a fun side to this. When you free your slides of the burden to inform, they can now be used creatively and even enhance the effect of your speech.

Notice how the presenter in the video shown above only turns to slides to highlight or demonstrate a point she made. And if you remove all the slides? The presentation will be just as complete and impactful.

Don’t Use Fancy Slideshows

How a good presentation should look like? Nowadays, there are lots of advanced presentation software and screen-sharing tools one can use to “wow” the audience. The problem with them? “Wowing” your audience with something as trivial as slides is hardly why you’re making your speech. The fewer distractions there are in your presentation, the better. Keep this in mind, and avoid using anything showy. 

Don’t Talk Too Fast (or Slow)

While presenting, it’s recommended to maintain a consistent pace that’s neither too fast nor too slow. Talking fast might cause unnecessary tension in the audience, and excessively slow speech is sure to annoy them.

While different people naturally speak at different paces, it’s still something that can be worked on and modified with enough practice. You can refine your pacing during rehearsals until the preferred pace is second nature to you.

Don’t Forget Backup Slides

You’re about to start your presentation, but the internet connection is too slow, and your slides won’t load. On top of it, you didn’t follow our advice about not relying on slideshows. What do you do?

Well, if you’re considerate enough, you will have a USB flash drive with backup slides. Next time you feel like forgoing this little step, recall this scenario.

Don’t Neglect Body Language

The way you move your body on stage tells a story. And if that story is incoherent with the one you’re telling with your words, disharmony arises. Imagine a speaker is talking about peace and tolerance, yet their every movement is abrupt, hasty, and aggressive. Sure, this might be the result of nervousness, but would you still be able to connect to their message? The answer’s likely to be no.   

When rehearsing your speech, don’t neglect body language. Practice standing tall, keeping your hands open, and your movements relaxed. Avoid pacing on the stage during your presentation, as it may distract or, worse yet, annoy your listeners. 

Check out this TED talk by Emily Esfahani Smith. Pay attention to how her empathetic facial expressions and open hand gestures help to reinforce her message.

And, of course, don’t skip eye contact. Instead of glancing over the entire audience, pick a few individuals from different parts of the room, and establish your eye contact with them. This little trick will help you feel like you’re speaking to one person at a time. And that’s far more manageable than speaking to everyone at once.

To emphasize a point, sometimes, what you need is not words but their absence. Take a pause after you ask a question or make a strong statement. Spare your audience a moment to think, reflect, and ponder. Or leave a gap of silence right before you present something exciting to build suspense and anticipation.

No one expects you to go on talking for 10-15 minutes without a pause. Take a few seconds once in a while to breathe. Draw in deep breaths to collect your thoughts and calm your nerves if the situation calls for it. This is one of the most effective ways to relax when presenting.

These were the things good presentations include. Hopefully, you’ve learned enough from our tips and are now ready to get to work. Delivering effective presentations is not an easy task, but definitely, one that’s worth the effort. If you’d like to create a presentation for your speech or even online platforms, give these customizable templates a try.

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

• Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
• How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
• How much interaction you want from the audience
• Any time constraints there are for your talk
• What setting you are in
• Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

• What is your presentation’s aim?
• Who are the audience?
• What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

• Introduce your general topic
• Explain your topic area
• State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
• State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
• Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
• Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

• The length of the talk.
• Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
• If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

• Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
• Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
• Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
• Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

• Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
• Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
• Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
• Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
• Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

• Explain why the product is valuable.
• Describe why the product is necessary.
• Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
• Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
• Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

• Briefly frame the issue.
• Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
• Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
• Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

• Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

• Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
• Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
• After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

• An intro slide outlining your ideas
• A  summary slide  with core points to remember
• High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

• Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
• A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
• Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
• Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

• There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
• The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
• The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

• 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
• 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
• 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

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by Tom Rielly • May 12, 2020

When giving presentations, either on a video conference call or in person, your slides, videos and graphics (or lack of them) can be an important element in helping you tell your story or express your idea. This is the first of a series of blog posts that will give you tips and tricks on how to perfect your visual presentations.

Your job as a presenter is to build your idea -- step-by-step -- in the minds of your audience members. One tool to do that is presentation graphics, such as slides and videos.

Why graphics for your presentation?

A common mistake is using slides or videos as a crutch, even if they don’t actually add anything to your presentation. Not all presentations need graphics. Lots of presentations work wonderfully with just one person standing on a stage telling a story, as demonstrated by many TED Talks.

You should only use slides if they serve a purpose: conveying scientific information, art, and things that are hard to explain without pictures. Once you have decided on using slides, you will have a number of decisions to make. We’ll help you with the basics of making a presentation that is, above all, clear and easy to understand. The most important thing to remember here is: less is more.

Less is so much more

You want to aim for the fewest number of slides, the fewest number of photos, the fewest words per slide, the least cluttered slides and the most white space on your slides. This is the most violated slide rule, but it is the secret to success. Take a look at these examples.

As you can see in the above example, you don’t need fancy backgrounds or extra words to convey a simple concept. If you take “Everything you need to know about Turtles”, and delete “everything you need to know about” leaving just “turtles”, the slide has become much easier for your audience to read, and tells the story with economy.

The above example demonstrates that a single image that fills the entire screen is far more powerful than a slide cluttered with images. A slide with too many images may be detrimental to your presentation. The audience will spend more mental energy trying to sort through the clutter than listening to your presentation. If you need multiple images, then put each one on its own slide. Make each image high-resolution and have it fill the entire screen. If the photos are not the same dimensions as the screen, put them on a black background. Don’t use other colors, especially white.

Your slides will be much more effective if you use the fewest words, characters, and pictures needed to tell your story. Long paragraphs make the audience strain to read them, which means they are not paying attention to you. Your audience may even get stressed if you move on to your next slide before they’ve finished reading your paragraph. The best way to make sure the attention stays on you is to limit word count to no more than 10 words per slide. As presentation expert Nancy Duarte says “any slide with more than 10 words is a document.” If you really do need a longer explanation of something, handouts or follow-up emails are the way to go.

Following a “less is more” approach is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your presentation visuals and the impact of your presentation overall. Make sure your visuals add to your presentation rather than distract from it and get your message across.

Ready to learn more about how to make your presentation even better? Get TED Masterclass and develop your ideas into TED-style talks.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

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• Skills Development

Important Presentation Skills for Workplace Success

• What Are Presentation Skills?

Steps To Create a Presentation

Skills that help make an effective presentation, how to make your skills stand out.

xavierarnau / Getty Images

Whether you’re a high-level executive or an administrative assistant, developing your presentation skills is one key way to climb in an office-based job. Leaders make decisions based on information shared in presentation format, and hardly any business changes its mind without first seeing a persuasive presentation.

It is important for any office employee to know what steps go into creating an effective presentation and what presentation skills are most important to employers. Highlighting these skills will also help you stand out during your job search.

Key Takeaways

• Presentation skills are what you need to know to be able to give an engaging, effective presentation.
• The steps to creating a successful presentation are preparation, delivery, and follow-up.
• Employers want to know you have the necessary skills to research, analyze, and create a presentation, plus the communication skills needed to deliver it and field questions afterward.
• You can highlight your skills to employers through your resume, cover letter, and interview.

What Are Presentation Skills? 

Presentation skills refer to all the qualities you need to create and deliver a clear and effective presentation. While what you say during a presentation matters, employers also value the ability to create supporting materials, such as slides.

Your prospective employer may want you to deliver briefings and reports to colleagues, conduct training sessions, present information to clients, or perform any number of other tasks that involve speaking before an audience.

Giving engaging and easy-to-understand talks is a major component of the strong  oral communication skills  that are a  job requirement  for many positions. Not all presentations take place in a formal meeting. Many presentation skills are relevant to one-on-one consults or sales calls.

Any presentation has three phases: preparation, delivery, and follow-up. All presentation skills fit into one of these three phases.

Preparation 

Preparation involves research and building the presentation. Consider the audience you'll be presenting to and what most interests them. This may mean crafting the entire text (or at least writing notes) and creating any slides and other supporting audio/visual materials.

You will also have to make sure that the appropriate venue is available, properly set up beforehand, and ensure the projector (if you'll need one) works and connects with your laptop.

You'll also want to practice your presentation as many times as you need to to feel comfortable delivering it with ease and confidence within the time allotted for the presentation.

Skills related to preparation include conducting research related to your presentation topic, devising charts and graphs depicting your research findings, and learning about your audience to better tailor your presentation to their needs. You'll also need to create digital slides, using statistics, examples, and stories to illustrate your points and effectively to persuade the audience.

Preparing handouts or digital references is an added courtesy that will help the audience pay attention because they won't be preoccupied with note-taking.

Your delivery is the part of the presentation that the audience sees. A good delivery depends on careful preparation and confident presentation and requires its own distinctive  skill set . 

Skills related to delivery include giving an attention-grabbing opening for a talk, providing a summary of what will be covered to introduce the presentation and provide context, and using  body language  and eye contact to convey energy and confidence.

Make sure you pause to emphasize key points, modulate your vocal tone for emphasis, and articulate your speech clearly and smoothly.

Don't be afraid of injecting humor or speaking with enthusiasm and animation—these techniques can help you in projecting confidence to your audience.

Summarize key points at the conclusion of the presentation, and be sure to have a plan for how you'll field any audience questions.

Presentation follow-up includes properly breaking down and storing any equipment, contacting any audience members with whom you agreed to communicate further, and soliciting, collecting, and analyzing feedback.

In some presentations, you may collect information from audience members—such as names and contact information or completed surveys—that you also must organize and store.

Skills related to follow-up include creating an evaluation form to solicit feedback from attendees, interpreting feedback from evaluations, and modifying the content and/or delivery for future presentations. Other follow-up skills include organizing a database of attendees for future presentations, interviewing key attendees to gain additional feedback, and emailing presentation slides to attendees.

To create and deliver the most effective presentation takes a variety of skills, which you can always work to improve.

You must be able to look honestly at your performance, assess the feedback you get, and figure out what you need to do to get better. That takes  analytical thinking .

More importantly, you need to have a firm grasp of the information you are about to communicate to others. You need to analyze your audience and be prepared to think quickly if asked questions that force you to demonstrate that you are fully aware of the material and its implications.

The kind of analytical skills you need to be an effective presenter include problem sensitivity, problem-solving , reporting and surveying, optimization, and predictive modeling. It also helps to be adept at strategic planning, integration, process management, and diagnostics. With these skills, you'll be better able to objectively analyze, evaluate, and act on your findings.

Organization

You do not want to be the person who spends half of their presentation time trying to find a cable to connect their laptop to the projector. Many things can and do go wrong just before a presentation unless you are  organized .

Presentation preparation also means keeping track of notes, information, and start/stop times. You will want to proofread and fine-tune all the materials you plan to use for the presentation to catch any mistakes. Make sure you time yourself when you rehearse so you know how long it will take to deliver the presentation.

A presentation that's finished in half the time allotted is as problematic as one that's too long-winded.

Some key organizational skills to work on include event planning, auditing, benchmarking, prioritization, and recordkeeping. Make sure your scheduling is on point and pay close attention to detail. Quick thinking is an important skill to have for when things inevitably go wrong.

Nonverbal Communication

When speaking to an audience, the way you present yourself can be just as important as how you present your information. You want to appear confident and engaging. You can do this through good posture, the use of hand gestures, and making eye contact with the audience.

Practice your  nonverbal communication  by filming yourself doing a practice presentation and observing your body language carefully. Your physical bearing and poise should convey a degree of comfort and confidence in front of an audience, while active listening , respect, and emotional intelligence will help you in facilitating group discussions.

Presentation Software

Microsoft PowerPoint is the dominant software used to create visual aids for presentations. Learn to use it well, including the special features outside of basic templates that can really bring a presentation to life. Even if someone else is preparing your slideshow for you, it will help to know how to use the software in case of last-minute changes.

Other software that is good to learn includes Microsoft Office, Apple Keynote, Google Slides, and Adobe Presenter.

Public Speaking

You need to appear comfortable and engaging when speaking before a live audience, even if you're not. This can take years of practice, and sometimes  public speaking  just isn't for certain people. An uncomfortable presenter is a challenge for everyone. Fortunately, public speaking skills can improve with practice . Some skills to work on include articulation, engagement, and memorization. You should be able to assess the needs of the audience and handle difficult questions. Controlling your performance anxiety will help you communicate more effectively.

Research is the first step in preparing most presentations and could range from a multi-year process to spending 20 minutes online, depending on context and subject matter. At the very least, you must be able to clearly frame research questions, identify appropriate information sources, and organize your results. Other useful skills include brainstorming, collaboration , comparative analysis, data interpretation, and deductive and inductive reasoning. Business intelligence is a skill that will help you evaluate what information you need to support the bottom line, while case analysis and causal relationships will help you parse and evaluate meaning.

Verbal Communication

Public speaking is one form of  verbal communication , but you will need other forms to give a good presentation. Specifically, you must know how to answer questions. You should be able to understand questions asked by your audience (even if they're strange or poorly worded) and provide respectful, honest, and accurate answers without getting off-topic. Use active listening, focus, and empathy to understand your audience. Skills such as assertiveness, affirmation, and enunciation will help you restate and clarify your key points as it relates to their questions or concerns.

You may or may not need a written script, but you do need to pre-plan what you are going to say, in what order you will say it, and at what level of detail. If you can write a cohesive essay, you can plan a presentation.

Typical writing skills apply to your presentation just as they do to other forms of writing, including grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and proofreading. The ability to build outlines, take notes, and mark up documents will also be useful.

More Presentation Skills

In addition to the skills previously mentioned, there are other important skills that can apply to your presentation. The other skills you need will depend on what your presentation is about, your audience, and your intended results. Some of these additional skills include:

• Summarizing
• Providing anecdotes to illustrate a point
• Designing handouts
• Recognizing and countering objections
• Posing probing questions to elicit more detail about specific issues
• Awareness of ethnic, political, and religious diversity
• Receiving criticism without defensiveness
• Refraining from speaking too often or interrupting others
• Anticipating the concerns of others
• Product knowledge
• SWOT analysis format
• Supporting statements with evidence
• Multilingual
• Working with reviewers
• Consistency
• Developing and maintaining standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Developing a proposition statement
• Creating and managing expectations

Include skills on your resume. If applicable, you might mention these words in your  resume summary  or  headline .

Highlight skills in your cover letter. Mention one or two specific presentation skills and give examples of instances when you demonstrated these traits in the workplace.

Show your presentation skills in job interviews. During the interview process, you may be asked to give a sample presentation. In this case, you will want to embody these skills during the presentation. For example, you will want to demonstrate your oral communication skills by speaking clearly and concisely throughout the presentation.

PennState. " Steps in Preparing a Presentation ."

Harvard Division of Continuing Education. " 10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills ."

Northern Illinois University. " Delivering the Presentation ."

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Presentation Skills:

• A - Z List of Presentation Skills
• Top Tips for Effective Presentations
• General Presentation Skills
• What is a Presentation?
• Organising the Material
• Writing Your Presentation
• Deciding the Presentation Method
• Managing your Presentation Notes
• Working with Visual Aids
• Presenting Data
• Managing the Event
• Coping with Presentation Nerves
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• How to Build Presentations Like a Consultant
• 7 Qualities of Good Speakers That Can Help You Be More Successful
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Preparation is the single most important part of making a successful presentation. It is an absolutely crucial foundation, and you should dedicate as much time to it as possible, avoiding short-cuts. Good preparation will ensure that you have thought carefully about the messages that you want (or need) to communicate in your presentation and it will also help boost your confidence.

There are a number of aspects that you need to consider when preparing a presentation. They include the aim of the presentation, the subject matter, the audience, the venue or place, the time of day, and the length of the talk. All these will affect what you say and how you say it, as well as the visual aids that you use to get your point across.

The Objective

Whenever you are asked to give a presentation or speak to a group of people, you need to start by asking the purpose of the presentation.

In other words, what is the presentation expected to achieve, and what outcome(s) do the organisers and the audience expect?

These outcomes will shape your presentation, because it must be designed to achieve the objective and deliver the desired outcomes.

For example, you might be asked to give a talk to a gardening club. You might be told that the purpose of the talk is to fill a regular meeting slot, and that the members of the club have expressed a desire to learn more about pruning. You therefore know that your talk needs to be entertaining, fairly light, but knowledgeable, and that your audience wants to learn something new.

As you prepare your presentation, make sure you keep asking yourself:

“How is saying this going to help to achieve the objective and outcomes?”

The Subject

The subject of your presentation or talk about comes from the objective. They are linked, but they are not necessarily exactly the same thing.

For example:

The subject may be given to you by the organisation that has invited you (such as talking about pruning to the gardening club).

You may be knowledgeable in a particular field (perhaps you have an interest in local history).

The subject may be entirely your choice within certain limitations (you might, for example, be asked to give a presentation at an interview on a project which you feel has particularly developed your skills).

The Audience

Before preparing material for a presentation, it is worth considering your prospective audience.

Tailoring your talk to the audience is important and the following points should be considered:

The size of the group or audience expected.

The age range - a talk aimed at retired people will be quite different from one aimed at teenagers.

Gender - will the audience be predominantly male or female?

Is it a captive audience or will they be there out of interest?

Will you be speaking in their work or leisure time?

Do they know something about your subject already or will it be totally new to them?  Is the subject part of their work?

Are you there to inform, teach, stimulate, or provoke?

Can you use humour and, if so, what would be considered appropriate? If you are in any doubt about this, it is probably best to avoid anything even remotely risqué.

It is important to have as much advance information as possible about the place where you are going to speak.

It can be helpful to arrange to see the venue before the event. It does much to quell fear if you can visualise the place while you are preparing your talk. However, even if you cannot visit, you will probably find it helpful to know:

The size of the room;

The seating arrangements (for example, theatre-style, with rows of seats; or round-table);

The availability of equipment, e.g., microphone, laptop and projector, flip chart;

The availability of power points and if an extension lead is required for any equipment you intend to use;

If the room has curtains or blinds. This is relevant if you intend to use visual aids, and so that you can ensure the correct ambiance for your presentation;

The position of the light switches.  Check if you need someone to help if you are using audio/visual equipment and need to turn off the lights;

The likelihood of outside distractions, e.g., noise from another room; and

The availability of parking facilities so you do not have a long walk carrying any equipment you might need to take.

If this information is not available ahead of time, it will help to get there a bit early, to give you time to set up.

There will often be no flexibility in the time of day that a presentation is made. However, it does affect what you can do, and how you might organise your presentation, because of the likely state of your audience (see box).

How time of day can affect your audience

The morning is the best time to speak because people are generally at their most alert. However, as it gets towards lunch time, people begin to feel hungry and lose concentration. This is particularly true if the event has not included a coffee break.

After lunch, people often feel sleepy and lethargic. If you are given a slot immediately after lunch, it is a good idea to get your audience involved. A discussion or getting your audience moving about will work a lot better than simply presenting a lot of slides. A flip chart may also be a more useful tool than a laptop and projector, especially if it means you can open blinds and use natural light.

Towards the end of the afternoon, people again tend to lose concentration as they start to worry about getting home, the traffic or collecting children from school.

Evening or Weekend:

Outside regular office hours, people are more likely to be present because they want to be rather than because they have to be there.  There is a better chance of audience attention in the evening. However, if the presentation goes on for too long, people may have to leave before you have finished. People will also be less tolerant of a poor presentation because you are in their time, not their employer’s.

Length of Talk

Always find out how long you have to talk and check if this includes or excludes time for questions.

Find out if there are other speakers and, if so, where you are placed in the running order.  Never elect to go last.  Beware of over-running, as this could be disastrous if there are other speakers following you.

It is important to remember that people find it difficult to maintain concentration for long periods of time. This is a good reason for making a presentation succinct, well-structured and interesting. Aim for 45 minutes as a maximum single-session presentation, and preferably leave at least 10 or 15 minutes for questions. Nobody minds finishing a session early.

Providing Information in Advance

Always check what information you will need to provide in advance.

Organisers of big events and conferences often like to have all the PowerPoint presentations several days ahead of the event. This gives them time to load all the presentations, and make sure that they are properly branded for the event.

Some events also need speakers’ biographies ahead of time, to put in conference literature. When you are asked to give the presentation, make sure you ask what is needed by when—and then supply it.

You will not be popular if you turn up on the day and announce that you have completely rewritten your presentation on the train. It is entirely possible that the organisers may even not be able to accommodate that, for example if the audio-visual is being supplied by a separate company or by the venue.

And finally…

Being asked to give a presentation is an honour, not a chore.

You are representing your organisation or yourself, if you are self-employed. You are also not there by right, but by invitation. It is therefore important that you put in the time and effort to ensure that you deliver what your audience wants. That way, you may just be invited back another time.

Continue to: Organising the Presentation Material

See also: Can Presentation Science Improve Your Presentation? Preparing for Oral Presentations Managing the Presentation Event Coping with Presentation Nerves

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How to Craft a Memorable Message, According to Science

• Charan Ranganath

Four ways to make your point in a way that sticks.

Numerous researches have shown that we forget much of what we experience in a day. Knowing this, how do you create messages so there is a better chance of people remembering them? The author uses concepts from memory science to help you craft messages — whether it’s a presentation, an email, or a speech — that will be likely to stick. One way to craft a memorable message is to chunk it up. Explicitly tie together the points that you want to convey under the umbrella of a central idea. With this approach, your listener can stitch the pieces together in a meaningful way and build a rich memory for that material. Or, when communicating about a complex topic, you can make your message memorable with a concrete example instead of something vague. Remember to provide callbacks as recalling something that we previously learned can make it stronger and easier to access when we will need it. Lastly, spark their curiosity. The key to memorable communication lies not in conveying the answer, but in establishing a compelling question.

Imagine sitting in a meeting where someone is giving a presentation. You’re somewhat interested in the topic, and the speaker seems to be doing a good job. The meeting ends, and 30 minutes later, you try to recall what was discussed. You can remember that the coffee was weak, the room was too cold, and the speaker was wearing a pink tie … but you can’t remember what he was talking about.

• Dr. Charan Ranganath is a professor at the Center for Neuroscience and Department of Psychology and the director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California, Davis, and the author of the book Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold On to What Matters (Penguin Random House).

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Middle School Teacher Received Multiple Emails From Students Asking To Get Out Of Their Presentations Due To Anxiety — 'It's A Life Skill That's Necessary'

He questioned what he should do to ensure that his students don't feel as anxious on the day of their presentations..

Written on Aug 28, 2024

A teacher found himself in a rather tricky situation after admitting that several of his students were panicking about an upcoming presentation. 

Posting to the subreddit r/Teachers, the first-year educator revealed that many of his students suffer from anxiety, and it seems to be getting in the way of learning the valuable skill of public speaking.

He received multiple emails from students asking to get out of their presentations due to anxiety.

In his Reddit post , he explained that it's only the first week of his first year teaching 8th-grade ELA classes, and for a fun project idea, he assigned his students a presentation. He required his students to find cool adjectives that they'd use to describe themselves and decorate them on a piece of cardstock to put around the classroom.

RELATED: Teacher Reveals The 8 Moments That Left Her 'Speechless' During The First Week Back In School

As part of the assignment, each student was asked to present their findings one by one to the rest of their classmates, with a quick introduction of "Hi, this is me..." He admitted that it shouldn't take more than a minute for each student to present, and as presentations go, it wasn't extensive or intense in the slightest. 

However, he was met with a bit of hesitancy from some of his students, who insisted that they shouldn't have to present at all due to their anxiety and fear of public speaking.

"I had several students email me the night before, almost begging me to let me skip it because of their social anxiety . One girl wrote in her weekly letter that she could not sleep on Wednesday due to panic," he continued. 

He admitted that he's no stranger to having anxiety and can understand where his students are coming from.

As someone who struggled with general anxiety and was diagnosed at 15, he recalled feeling the way that his students do. He explained that he wasn't even able to hold a conversation until he was finally prescribed medication to get over that hump. 

According to the CDC , 9.4% of children aged 3–17 years old were diagnosed with anxiety between 2016 and 2019, which is about 5.8 million children. This makes anxiety one of the most common mental health disorders in children, along with ADHD, depression, and behavior problems. 

When it comes to public speaking, it is very common among the general population and students alike. Some estimates are that as many as 20-85% of people experience more or less anxiety when they need to speak in public.

RELATED: Teacher Says Inclusion Is Ruining Education — 'It's Discriminatory To Pass Kids Without The Skills Needed To Succeed'

As someone who struggles with social anxiety to this day and, as a student, felt panicked and pressured to give presentations, it is an actual hurdle that can be difficult to overcome. 

Usually, at least in my case, it was the build-up to a presentation or public speaking event that caused my anxiety to flare up . Not knowing what to expect and running through a million different scenarios in my head of how I could mess up didn't make it better. But, once I started presenting, I felt fine, and when it was over, the relief was instant.

There are ways he can help his students overcome their fear of public speaking.

As a teacher, it can be difficult to address this anxiety among students because you want to push them out of their comfort zone, but at the same time, you don't want to cause them distress.  

As much as his students might dislike public speaking, it is a huge part of being an adult. You may have to give presentations at work or speak in front of an audience for different events, depending on what field you go into.

@speakingwithyasir An exercise I use in my workshops to demonstrate how to overcome public speaking anxiety really fast ♬ original sound - Yasir Khan

It's something you simply can't avoid. As he pointed out in his Reddit post, public speaking is a "life skill that will always be necessary ." The best way that he can make sure his students feel prepared is to go over some tools that they can use whenever they feel anxious about presentations.

He can stress the importance of practicing or even writing a little speech so that on the day of, they aren't fumbling with their words. 

He can even have them all do deep-breathing exercises or a quick meditation before the presentations start to help them get over their nerves and anxiety. There are definitely specific tools that he can implement in the classroom to make presentations go smoother, and he can stress the importance of not allowing your social anxiety to dictate your life.

RELATED: Second Grade Language Teacher Criticized For Having A ‘Speech Impediment’ — ‘She Shouldn’t Be Allowed To Teach Young Kids’

Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.

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5 Key Lessons from DPR's Design & Construction Strategy

Design and construction teams are fundamental to how every project in the world gets built. But far too often, there are gaps and silos between design and construction teams, which can lead to unpredictability, project delays, and higher costs.

At DPR, innovation and collaboration are at the core of how we build and deliver projects. Particularly, we've found that integrating design and construction teams and workflows at the earliest project phases leads to better outcomes for our teams, business, and clients.

As Atul Khanzode, our CTO, pointed out on a recent podcast, "The biggest cause of the lack of predictability is not having key stakeholders like builders, GCs, and subs involved early in the design process. This adds to a lot of missed opportunities to incorporate their knowledge into the complete design to be buildable."

Everyone can agree that stakeholder involvement and collaboration are crucial. Of course, doing it is easier said than done, given that team members (especially from external organizations) often have different processes, standards, and tools.

At DPR, we've prioritized integrating design and construction workflows, and we’ve seen great project outcomes as a result. With that in mind, DPR Superintendent Adam Valles and I recently joined a webinar with Autodesk where we shared how we've been able to drive more successful projects by implementing “construction-informing design” workflows and improving teamwork.

Check out these five key learnings from the session.

1. Get involved early and often

With incorrect, late-issued, and incomplete designs being among the top five causes of capital project claims and disputes , it's clear that early stakeholder involvement can prevent major issues.

When it comes to construction projects, we strive to bring everyone together at every stage . The type of contract we use in our projects is a big factor in making this happen. In some contract scenarios, particularly traditional design-bid-build, there isn't much room for early engagement since the team isn't on the project yet. However, progressive design-build contracts and integrated project delivery (IPD) allow for early involvement or "left of line" engagement.

The good news is owners increasingly recognize these advantages. As Adam points out, "We're seeing more and more clients realizing the benefit of construction-informing design workflows, having the model complete before construction."

It's also worth noting that some of this work takes place during the pre-bid phase. We bring partners on board based on their processes and ability to perform the job efficiently, not just their bid price. In other words, we're selecting teams based on their efficiency and methodology.

2. Use a single source of truth for everyone

Bringing people together is incredibly challenging if team members use different tools and platforms. That's why we implement a centralized document control system that ensures all parties are working with the latest information.

Beyond giving teams a single source of truth, having a central data and document management hub allows us to improve client satisfaction and trust. According to a global study by Deloitte Access Economics, commissioned by Autodesk , 61% of general contractors agree that clients seek greater transparency in key data points and information about a project. 

At DPR, we use Autodesk Construction Cloud as our single source of truth for document control, with a big focus on model-based workflows. We like to say that “if it’s not in the model, it doesn’t exist”, and that’s because we want our teams working in 3D and tracking decisions in the model. It's been a huge asset in streamlining communication from architects to management to the field. With Autodesk Construction Cloud, we can publish web-based 3D viewers, so our entire team doesn't need to be in Revit to see the model. We give project managers and project executives access to both the 2D drawings the 3D model directly rather than having them wait until plans are published.

These steps also ensure that all team members speak the same language. This is critical because the sooner we reach that common data language as a team, the more successful we'll be.

3. Inform the design with constructability feedback

We want to eliminate the boom-bust cycle on construction projects. For instance, if an architect and owner designs something too expensive, they must value engineer the costs down and cut the scope. One way to avoid that is to bring builders like us into a virtual environment before it physically exists so we can give input on the design long before we break ground.

The goal isn't to change the design intent, but to inform it with real-world constraints and experience from past projects. Let's say we're looking to prefabricate a panel. With construction-informing design, we would get involved early and work directly with design teams to figure out the best way to do that. What is the ideal width for that panel? And if that width makes a door move, does the design team or owner have concerns about that?

These are types of things we can address early on to create a smoother project experience down the line. By collaborating with architects, engineers, owners, and specialty contractors in a shared environment, we can make more informed decisions that enhance both design and constructability.

4. Empower field teams to review designs and give input

In lean management, there’s a principle called the “Gemba Walk,” in which leaders walk through a workspace or a factory floor to observe what happens where the core work takes place. At DPR, we apply a similar approach to construction projects.

Our version of the Gemba Walk is a virtual one, using model-based workflows. We have our field teams look at the work before it makes it to them, so they can review the design and provide input before the actual construction takes place. In doing so, we bridge the gap between field realities and design intentions, promoting a smoother construction process.

As Adam puts it, "When you close the gap between field issues to the design team, your project will be that much more seamless and efficient."

It doesn't stop there, though. We continue to connect design and field teams throughout the project through iPads and BIM stations that our team and our trade partners can all engage with.

5. Get every stakeholder communicating

Good relationships are built on communication, and this also applies to office and field teams in construction. For projects to move forward efficiently, all stakeholders must be on the same page. That's why having a common data environment (CDE) is crucial—it keeps everyone in sync. At DPR, our CDE is central to all project-related matters, whether you're in the office or the field.

"We make sure it's up to date, so it's almost instant when the field gets information," shares Adam. We're not just relying on the shop drawings; we're relying on the real-time information from the design team.

That real-time component is incredibly important, given that most teams work on compressed timelines. Schedules are getting shorter, so we often need to move quickly. Anytime there's a silo of information—even between teams coordinating with each other—we're already past that in the main source of truth.

Beyond getting people to commit to using a shared platform, establishing regular meetings and using technology to facilitate those touchpoints greatly improve stakeholder communication.

"We set up a BIM station on every floor, and if they have any questions, we have coordination meetings every morning," explains Adam. “Then, if there are issues in the field, we'll validate them with the model first. If it's a true issue, we'll capture it, get it to the office, and get on the phone with the architect by 10 a.m. Communication is faster now that we have more technology out in the field."

Final words

With rapid changes in our industry, shorter timelines, and increased competition, integrating your design and construction workflows will be more important than ever to stay ahead of the curve. If you haven't done so yet, start taking steps to enhance collaboration and streamline your processes. Bring stakeholders together early on, equip teams with the best tools, and keep everyone on the same page using a centralized platform.

To learn more about how DPR does all of that, watch our webinar for deeper insights , tips, and strategies.

Chad Arthur

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