6 Tips to Help You Deliver an Effective Presentation  

On an average the most common fear that shows up at the top of the list of fears is the fear of public speaking. Public speaking is rated among the top fears that people possess. At some point in your career you may need to present in front of a group. It could be at your department meeting with team members ranging anywhere from ten to one hundred or in front of your leadership team or at a conference. Though you may not be looking for a career in public speaking or as a spokesperson, if you wish to further your career, this is a valuable skill set. To effectively communicate your ideas, be it in front of your peers, management team, clients, etc. and captivate their attention at the same time is a differentiating factor, one that you should aim for as you further your career.

Like any type of expertise, this, too, requires planning, preparation, and practice. Once you are proficient in the three Ps, here are some key tips to help you take it to the next level.

Purpose
Prior to getting into the meat of your presentation, it is important to establish expectations. Start with the “why” before the “what” is discussed. Why are you presenting, why are they attending, and what they can expect to get out of your presentation? This is the first step at setting the stage for an engaged audience. Align on the whys upfront because getting off course even before you begin will make it bumpy steering them back into the presentation.

Connection
Strive to make a connection with the group. If you are presenting to a familiar group, seek out a few members by calling their names, ask their opinion, or pose a question or two. This gesture not only makes it inclusive but also grabs everyone’s attention. If you are presenting to a new audience, learn about your guests, clients, or suppliers beforehand. To gain your audience’s focus, listeners should be able to relate to you, and one of the ways to achieve this is by sharing anecdotes or a story that lights a spark.

Humor
Who doesn’t like a good laugh? Don’t take yourself too seriously. Have some fun while you are at it. Adding humor makes you personable and in most cases persuades people to like what you have to share. You also help ease the room, but remain cognizant and avoid jokes at the expense of embarrassing or insulting someone. Be sensitive to the audience you are presenting but certainly incorporate humor.

Context
Presenting to a familiar team who shares your subject matter expertise is an ideal set up. However, in any given company, you have multiple departments, such as marketing, finance, operations, clients, etc. So how do you navigate presenting to a different audience who may not speak (technically) the same language as you? How do you conceptualize to a new group? Partner with a couple of team members or leadership from those departments and gain their input on how to translate the content in their terms or one that is understandable to them. This exercise will equip you to provide context and clarity and, in turn, capture the group’s attention.

Wrap it Up
Now that you are getting to the closing section, it’s time to wrap it all up with a beautiful bow! Always summarize at the end of the presentation. What is it you want to leave them with? The beginning and end is when you maximize people’s attention and focus. You have worked hard so why not finish it with a bang? Bring it all together—key takeaways, next steps, or action items. End it with the purpose statement you made in the beginning.

Feedback
It is a best practice to get feedback. Who does not want to know how he or she did? Survey Monkey as well other platforms provide great tools to secure feedback. These tools allow you to draft the questions and make it as specific or general as you would like. There is always scope to do things differently, so from the feedback you receive, you can determine what resonates the most for you and your audience for your next gig. Like William Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage.”

As you progress in your career, let public speaking and presenting be the least of your worries from becoming an effective leader in your department, organization, or industry. These soft skills should gear you for success, and the more you practice, the better you will get at it.