Three keys to a successful presentation

YOU’RE PRESENTING A PROJECT OR REPORT TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE. HOW CAN YOU CAPTURE THEIR IMAGINATION AND GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS?

Whether you’re a student or a professional, speaking in public is something you’ll have to do sooner or later. In fact, statistics indicate that it’s likely to be sooner!

In other words, by the time your turn comes along, there’s a good chance your audience has already seen more than a few presentations involving slides on a screen. Here’s some advice to help you grab people’s attention.

Your story

To help people understand what you’re talking about (and get them interested!), try to organize your presentation as though you’re telling a story, with a beginning, a middle and an end. Consider using your introduction to summarize the purpose of the meeting.

Your slides

Words may have power, but images capture people’s attention and remain longer in their memory. A good balance of the two can therefore be important in your presentation. Bill Gates is known to have used a grand total of just 40 words over 15 slides! 

Your slides should support, not repeat what you say. They should also be clearly legible from far away: Forbes Magazine advises using 28-point font or bigger. Also consider minimizing the number of slides to help keep people’s attention. 

Finally, the quality of your writing can make a huge difference. Check carefully for typos! One little error will be as plain as the nose on your face.

Your presentation

It’s a good idea to arrive early to test the equipment and make sure your file is working. 

It’s also good to establish visual contact with your whole audience, not just with the person you know in the front row. Speak clearly, modulate your voice to maintain interest, and take questions afterward, so as not to interrupt the flow of the presentation. 

Last, but not least, remember that every presenter has competition: apparently, we all touch our phones about 2,500 times a day! But you are there in flesh and blood, which gives you an advantage over technology.

It’s up to you to make the most of it!

The following sources were used in preparing this article:

Bloomberg, Death to PowerPoint! August 30, 2012.

Conseils Marketing, 17 conseils incontournables pour réussir ses présentations ! (17 essential tips for a successful presentation).

Express Business, Une présentation PowerPoint ? Pas plus de 4 mots par slide (Making a PowerPoint presentation? No more than 4 words a slide), September 7, 2016.

Fast Company, If Your Talk Doesn’t Do These Three Things, Don’t Give It, April 5, 2017.

Forbes, 10 Smart Ways To Make Any PowerPoint Presentation Way More Interesting, September 22, 2016.

Microsoft Office Support, Tips for creating and delivering an effective presentation.