Being able to get your ideas across is an essential skill in many professional environments. This is where an effective presentation comes in. By perfecting this art form, you’ll be able to communicate your ideas with your colleagues and provide clear insight and leadership. But exactly what goes into a good presentation? Let’s take a look at the key elements and how you might incorporate them into your presentation.
Understand Your Audience
To begin with, you’ll need to adapt your presentation to the people to whom you’re presenting. Make sure that you’re speaking in a language that they will understand. Avoid jargon and unnecessarily abstract language where possible, and make sure that you’re able to meet their expectations and tell them something interesting that they don’t know. A good presentation can capture attention only when it’s providing value – and information that your audience already possesses is not going to be valuable to them.
Structure Your Presentation Effectively
You can think of a presentation as a storytelling session – because that’s what it is. In most cases, this means structuring the session with a clear beginning, middle and end.
You should start by introducing a particular problem, then move on to analysing it, and then conclude with a summary – and, perhaps, ideas on how to move forward.
Utilise Technology Wisely
In the modern age, the word ‘presentation’ has become almost inseparable from the word ‘PowerPoint.’ The use of high-quality visuals can supplement the words you’re speaking – but it’s worth following a few essential guidelines. The most important of these is that you should minimize the text on any given slide. If your audience is reading when they should be listening, then your slide is doing more harm than good. It’s also a good idea to ensure that the room you’re presenting in will actually meet your technical requirements. This might mean checking whether there is actually an HDMI connector available. In some cases, other kinds of connectors, like mini-HDMI, DisplayPort, or composite, might be used.
Practice Your Delivery
Just like an actor delivering a major soliloquy, or a politician delivering a major policy announcement, you’ll need to practice the ideas and words you’re going to be presenting until they’re fluent.
If possible, practice with a test audience, so that you can refine any areas that aren’t so clear. In many cases, you won’t realize where the weak points are until you start speaking out loud.
Engage with Your Audience
A good presentation isn’t just a one-way street. It’s also a chance to bounce off your audience, and to invite feedback from them. Asking questions can help to ensure everyone pays attention, and that your presentation is that much more memorable.
