6 Keys to a Powerful Presentation
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Powerful presentations can deliver a meaningful message. But you can’t just throw together some slides and hope for the best. Presentations that lack planning could be wasted opportunities. You should focus on your message and prepare in advance if you want to make a good presentation. Check out these six tips for giving a great presentation.
Focus on a Key Message
You should approach your presentation to solve a problem for the audience. What does the audience need? How can you explain a solution to them in the simplest and most entertaining way? Can you demonstrate your Presentations Data in a way that they can remember for a long time?
Summarize the problem and your solution in the most concise sentence you can create. You should also consider your passion and interest in the topic. How has this solution affected your life and why do you want to share it with others?
Start Strong
An audience can get bored quickly if you do not engage them as soon as you speak. To open your presentation, ask a question or tell a story that highlights the key problem you are going to address.
Your story or question should focus only on the problem so the audience feels tension that makes them want to learn how to solve that problem. Create an emotional connection for the listeners and use your opening to pinpoint the kinds of consequences that might arise if that issue continues.
Engage the Audience
It might be easy to focus on your presentation, but you should concentrate on making the audience the visible target of your attention. Leave an emotional impression on the audience, as that is likely what the audience will remember about you. During the presentation, position your body toward the audience, make eye contact, and smile at natural points.
Be genuine and honest about how the problem has affected you and the ways you tried to solve the problem that didn’t work. You can also use humor if you can make it seem natural. You can imagine the event as if everyone present was in a private conversation with you about this important topic that impacts your life.
Create Concise Slides
The content of your slides should be straightforward and memorable. Each slide should convey one point. Keep the text as short as possible and only add one image per slide. Tell a visual story with the content in each slide. You should use photos, but they should be as relevant as possible to the point you are making.
Audiences also tend to enjoy engaging short videos and infographics of the data that support your solution. All of your content should highlight the problem and solution you are addressing in your presentation.
Keep the Slideshow Simple
Your slideshow should be visually effective and easy to read. Guy Kawasaki, founder of Apple, said that you should keep slideshows to ten slides, with the entire presentation under 20 minutes and in at least 30 point font.
Too many bright colors can distract, but using one bright accent color with neutral colors like black and white can be effective. The fonts should remain consistent in style and size. A simple sans serif font may be easier to read than serif or decorative fonts.
Practice the Presentation
Technical problems and unexpected obstacles can thwart even the most entertaining presentations. Arrive at the location early so you have plenty of time to set up and make sure everything is working. You may want to go a day or two early to make sure you know how to set up the equipment and test the connections.
Ensure you have all the tools you need, such as your notes, your laptop, a remote or clicker, and a pointer. Run through your presentation with a timer to make sure you have enough content for the time you have with the audience.
Your presentation is a chance to help people solve a crucial problem. It’s one of the most effective ways to share information with others. You want to make sure that what you present is worth their time and attention.
You want to ensure that when you present an idea to investors or speak at a conference to thousands of people, they walk away with something they can use and remember for a long time.
