9 Things to Consider To Prepare and Deliver the Best Presentation
Fear of public speaking affects about 75% of the U.S. population. Termed Glossophobia or fear of social situations, public speaking has given a large percentage of the population anxiety and stress. One form of public speaking that I want to help make easier is giving a presentation. People deliver presentations as a requirement or an option for academic purposes, work, job talks, conferences, etc.
There are 9 things to consider when preparing a presentation :
1. Determine the presentation risk
The “presentation risk” is a term I give to the degree to which your presentation can have large consequences that might affect your future or livelihood. For example, if this presentation determines whether you get your dream job or obtain your PhD has far more risk than a presentation for your co-workers related to a topic you care about. The higher the “risk” and consequences of not doing well, the more nervous we are when preparing and delivering it. We need to emphasize the positive consequences of doing really well. One of the highest risk presentations I gave was defending my doctoral degree. The higher the risk, the more time and effort you’ll need to spend preparing for it.
2. Classify the Audience
When giving a presentation, you will need to identify the audience in order to relate to them, relate them to one another, and use examples that resonates with them. In order to identify your audience, ask yourself these questions:
· Who is my audience?
· Where am I presenting (conference, class, work), And will it be virtual or in person?
· What does this audience care about?
· What do they like to do or what topic do they discuss?
3. Establish the Goal
Identifying the presentation risk and the audience will help you establish your goal. Your goal has three parts: 1) Overall topic, 2) your WHY, and 3) the outcome of your presentation. The topic and your why are easier to identify. More focus should be pleased on the outcome of your presentation. Do you want people to educate, influence, advocate, persuade, energize, or affect change after your presentation?
To establish your goal, ask yourself these questions:
· What are you presenting?
o A presentation to colleagues at work about a project related to maternal health I am leading
· Why are you presenting it?
o To share the impact and lessons learned
· What would you like the outcome to be?
o I would like to energize the group around mental health and show that this project has been effective
4. Consider the Content
The core of your presentation is the content of your presentation. Your content needs to align with the risk, the audience, and the goal. For example, if the goal is to energize the audience about a specific topic, assure that you use language to energize people and make them want to take action. There are several tips to deliver content effectively. First, give an overview in the beginning and state the goal of your presentation so you can bring your audience along. It is much easier when the audience know where you’re taking them. Second, keep it simple. Identify the most important information that you need to share and use visuals and language that your audience will understand. Third, if you are using slides, make it easier for your audience by 1) assuring that there are few words on the slides, 2) if appropriate, use images, and 4) assure that the content is accessible for those with colorblindness. Fourth, use a hook at the beginning and tell a story if and when necessary. Humans appreciate the power of stories so if you have a good one to share that adds to your message, do use it. Finally, make it interactive or call to action. For example, ask your audience questions through polls to gage your audience.
5. Write it Word for Word
One of my personal secrets is writing the presentation word for word. I start by writing “Hello my name is Dr. Ithar.” I write everything down until I say, “what questions can I help answer?” I do this so I can make sure that my presentation flows well and that I am including the content and addressing the goal of the presentation. Another reason I do this is so that I can get comfortable reading my presentation out loud.
6. Rehearse the Presentation
Once you have written the presentation word for word, it is time to read it out loud a couple of times. As you read it out loud in front of the mirror, to yourself, or to someone, pay attention to several things. First, are there words that you are getting stuck on or that interrupt the flow of your presentation? If yes, go ahead and take those out or find alternate words that preserve the flow of your presentation. Second, time yourself. Is the presentation within the allotted time? If you do not have a time limit, still time yourself, that way you can stay focused. Third, notice your tone of voice. If you are trying to energize folks and your tone is flat, you will not be able to achieve your goal. Assure that you are using your tone of voice to your advantage. Finally, pauses are your friend. Pause strategically to emphasize specific points.
7. Video Record
Once you have figured out the flow of your presentation, video record yourself using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or your phone. Do this particularly if the presentation risk is high. There are a couple of things that a video will help you pay attention to for an excellent presentation. First, you will notice your body language. Are you making eye contact enough? Are you touching your face a lot? Clicking your pen? Saying “umm” too many times? A video will help you identify what you need to stop doing or what you need to do more of. Second, it will let you know if you look like a natural. If your language is flowing naturally and you’re effective in communication. Third, if you have a high-risk presentation, wear the outfit you plan on wearing and see how it looks and makes you feel.
Finally, especially if you are presenting from home, you’ll get to see your background on camera. Presenting at home might be unpredictable, especially if your human and fur family members are home. If it is a high risk presentation, have someone be on the look-out to keep the animals, kids, and other possible distractors away.
8. Print the Notes
I print the presentation notes in a large font, especially if it has higher risk. Having the notes in front of me gives me comfort. I will refer to them and keep flipping the pages so I do not lose my spot. If you think you’ll be reading directly from your notes, use bullet points. The goal is to connect with your audience, not with your notes.
9. Design your environment
Design your environment in a way that sets you up for success. For example, present in the same room, using the same technology that you will use to present. Second, if your space is not organized, go ahead and organize it so you can stay focused. Third, do not shift your routine too much, keep it similar and comfortable. If you always have a bowl of yogurt and a cup of coffee for breakfast, do not change that. Keep your environment comfortable. Finally, prepare at least an hour in advance to assure that you have everything you need and to troubleshoot any issues that you may run into.
Final Thoughts:
Delivering a presentation can be uncomfortable. At the same time, there are many strategies to deliver a great presentation. The most important piece is to identify the presentation risk and work towards identifying your audience and the goal of the presentation. There are ways to assure that the content of your presentation is effective. Finally when you have a draft done, use specific strategies to assure the flow. You got this!
What additional strategies do you use to deliver the best presentation? Comment below.