10 Tips to Help You Give a Great Presentation

Whether it is for a large corporate gathering or even a small group, giving a presentation can be nerve-wracking to say the least! A couple of years ago I paid my dues as a corporate trainer. Let my experiences save you some headaches. Here are 10 tips you can use to ensure your next presentation is a success.

1. Manage your time well. Give yourself plenty of time to write the meat of the content. Then add at least an extra day or two (depending on the length of your presentation) for proofreading and editing. You might be surprised when that perfect new phrase or explanation pops into your mind after you thought you were "done" preparing your material.

2. Dress the part. You want to fit in to the audience so they will feel comfortable with you as you present your information. The best advice is to find out what type of attire is customary, and then dress one level "above" the expected audience. If your audience will be comprised of blue-collar machinists, they probably won't relate as well to you if you show up in a three-piece suit. Is it a business-casual environment? Then business-professional would be appropriate for you to wear.

3. Know your equipment and prepare your presentation accordingly. Will Microsoft Power Point ® be your only option on the company computer? Can you bring your own laptop to connect it to a digital projection system? Be early to test the equipment, the connections, the logistics of the room, etc. Technology is your friend, but sometimes it takes a little tinkering to get everything going correctly. Don't let a last-minute IT Help Desk call rattle your calm and disrupt that well-prepared attitude!

4. Have a backup (or two) of your presentation if you are using presentation software. Make sure you have it on CD but I also recommend emailing it to yourself as another way to save your behind. Make sure ahead of time if you will have internet access to check your web-based email to retrieve that spare copy if necessary. Or perhaps there is a contact person at the presentation site to whom you can email a copy just in case your hard media fails you or is damaged in some way.