factors to consider when preparing a presentation in business studies

5 Factors That Must Be Considered When Preparing for a Presentation

Master the art of impactful presentations with our guide on the top 5 essential factors to consider during preparation, ensuring effectiveness and audience engagement. Presentations can be nerve-wracking, but they don't have to be. With the right presentation tips, anyone can learn how to prepare a presentation that is effective and engaging. In this post, we'll discuss the 5 factors that you should consider when preparing for a presentation.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand your audience's knowledge level and interests for a tailored approach.
• Clearly define your central message to maintain focus and clarity.
• Utilize appropriate visual aids to enhance understanding and retention.
• Practice your delivery for confidence and effectiveness.
• Time your presentation to fit within the allocated slot.
• Bonus: Leverage an AI presentation maker like Sendsteps.ai for efficiency.

Tip 1: Understanding Your Audience

The first step to preparing for a presentation is to understand your audience. Who are they? What do they already know? What do they want to learn? By understanding your audience, you can tailor your message to their interests and needs.

Tip 2: Defining Your Message

Once you understand your audience, it's time to define your message. What do you want your audience to take away from your presentation? What key points do you want to convey? By defining your message, you can ensure that your presentation is focused and effective.

Tip 3: Choosing the Right Visual Aids

Visual aids can be a powerful tool in any presentation, but it's important to choose the right ones. Consider using charts, graphs, images, or videos to help illustrate your message. Just be sure to keep your visuals simple and easy to understand.

Tip 4: Practicing Your Delivery

No matter how well you prepare, delivery is key to an effective presentation. Practice your delivery until you feel confident and comfortable with your material. Consider recording yourself or practicing in front of a friend to get feedback.

Tip 5: Timing Your Presentation

Finally, it's important to time your presentation. Be mindful of the time assigned to you and make sure that your presentation fits within that time frame. You don't want to run out of time or go over your assigned time.

Bonus Tip: Use an AI Presentation Maker

Preparing a presentation can be time-consuming, but it doesn't have to be. Consider using an AI presentation maker to streamline the process and make it 10x faster. With an AI presentation maker like Sendsteps.ai(/en/ai/), you can create an effective presentation in no time.

To gain further knowledge about AI, check out our latest blog that offers tips and tricks for crafting presentations using AI.

In conclusion, preparing for a presentation requires careful consideration of your audience, message, visual aids, delivery, and timing. By keeping these tips in mind, you can create an effective presentation that engages your audience and leaves a lasting impression. And don't forget the bonus tip - an AI presentation maker can make the process even easier and more efficient.

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What are the crucial factors to consider when preparing for a presentation.

When preparing for a presentation, it's essential to understand your audience to tailor your content, define a clear message to maintain focus, choose effective visual aids to support your points, practice your delivery for smooth execution, and time your presentation to fit the allocated duration. Additionally, using an AI presentation maker like Sendsteps.ai can significantly streamline the preparation process, making it more efficient and effective. By focusing on these key aspects, presenters can create engaging and impactful presentations.

How to effectively balance visual elements and text in a presentation?

Balancing visual elements and text in a presentation involves ensuring that visuals complement the spoken or written content without overwhelming it. The visuals should aid in illustrating key points and concepts, while the text provides necessary explanations or details. This balance helps in keeping the audience engaged without causing information overload.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when preparing a presentation?

Avoiding common mistakes in presentation preparation typically includes steering clear of overly complex or cluttered slides, excessive use of animations or transitions, and inadequate rehearsal. Presenters should also avoid making the content too dense or failing to tailor the presentation to the audience's needs and interests.

How to engage and maintain the audience's attention throughout the presentation?

Engaging and maintaining audience attention in a presentation can be achieved through various strategies. Interactivity, such as asking questions or using audience response systems, helps keep the audience involved. Storytelling, relatable examples, and a clear, enthusiastic delivery also play crucial roles in keeping the audience interested and focused throughout the presentation.

Anouk Baltus

Anouk’s passion for presenting started when she was very young: from voluntarily giving presentations in primary school to winning a speaking award with a self-written and presented speech. This adoration comes to life while working for Sendsteps. A passion for giving and writing speeches turned into writing blogposts about these subjects to help others find their passion in presenting.

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Preparation is the single most important part of making a successful presentation. It is an absolutely crucial foundation, and you should dedicate as much time to it as possible, avoiding short-cuts. Good preparation will ensure that you have thought carefully about the messages that you want (or need) to communicate in your presentation and it will also help boost your confidence.

There are a number of aspects that you need to consider when preparing a presentation. They include the aim of the presentation, the subject matter, the audience, the venue or place, the time of day, and the length of the talk. All these will affect what you say and how you say it, as well as the visual aids that you use to get your point across.

The Objective

Whenever you are asked to give a presentation or speak to a group of people, you need to start by asking the purpose of the presentation.

In other words, what is the presentation expected to achieve, and what outcome(s) do the organisers and the audience expect?

These outcomes will shape your presentation, because it must be designed to achieve the objective and deliver the desired outcomes.

For example, you might be asked to give a talk to a gardening club. You might be told that the purpose of the talk is to fill a regular meeting slot, and that the members of the club have expressed a desire to learn more about pruning. You therefore know that your talk needs to be entertaining, fairly light, but knowledgeable, and that your audience wants to learn something new.

As you prepare your presentation, make sure you keep asking yourself:

“How is saying this going to help to achieve the objective and outcomes?”

The Subject

The subject of your presentation or talk about comes from the objective. They are linked, but they are not necessarily exactly the same thing.

For example:

The subject may be given to you by the organisation that has invited you (such as talking about pruning to the gardening club).

You may be knowledgeable in a particular field (perhaps you have an interest in local history).

The subject may be entirely your choice within certain limitations (you might, for example, be asked to give a presentation at an interview on a project which you feel has particularly developed your skills).

The Audience

Before preparing material for a presentation, it is worth considering your prospective audience.

Tailoring your talk to the audience is important and the following points should be considered:

The size of the group or audience expected.

The age range - a talk aimed at retired people will be quite different from one aimed at teenagers.

Gender - will the audience be predominantly male or female?

Is it a captive audience or will they be there out of interest?

Will you be speaking in their work or leisure time?

Do they know something about your subject already or will it be totally new to them?  Is the subject part of their work?

Are you there to inform, teach, stimulate, or provoke?

Can you use humour and, if so, what would be considered appropriate? If you are in any doubt about this, it is probably best to avoid anything even remotely risqué.

It is important to have as much advance information as possible about the place where you are going to speak.

It can be helpful to arrange to see the venue before the event. It does much to quell fear if you can visualise the place while you are preparing your talk. However, even if you cannot visit, you will probably find it helpful to know:

The size of the room;

The seating arrangements (for example, theatre-style, with rows of seats; or round-table);

The availability of equipment, e.g., microphone, laptop and projector, flip chart;

The availability of power points and if an extension lead is required for any equipment you intend to use;

If the room has curtains or blinds. This is relevant if you intend to use visual aids, and so that you can ensure the correct ambiance for your presentation;

The position of the light switches.  Check if you need someone to help if you are using audio/visual equipment and need to turn off the lights;

The likelihood of outside distractions, e.g., noise from another room; and

The availability of parking facilities so you do not have a long walk carrying any equipment you might need to take.

If this information is not available ahead of time, it will help to get there a bit early, to give you time to set up.

There will often be no flexibility in the time of day that a presentation is made. However, it does affect what you can do, and how you might organise your presentation, because of the likely state of your audience (see box).

How time of day can affect your audience

The morning is the best time to speak because people are generally at their most alert. However, as it gets towards lunch time, people begin to feel hungry and lose concentration. This is particularly true if the event has not included a coffee break.

After lunch, people often feel sleepy and lethargic. If you are given a slot immediately after lunch, it is a good idea to get your audience involved. A discussion or getting your audience moving about will work a lot better than simply presenting a lot of slides. A flip chart may also be a more useful tool than a laptop and projector, especially if it means you can open blinds and use natural light.

Towards the end of the afternoon, people again tend to lose concentration as they start to worry about getting home, the traffic or collecting children from school.

Evening or Weekend:

Outside regular office hours, people are more likely to be present because they want to be rather than because they have to be there.  There is a better chance of audience attention in the evening. However, if the presentation goes on for too long, people may have to leave before you have finished. People will also be less tolerant of a poor presentation because you are in their time, not their employer’s.

Length of Talk

Always find out how long you have to talk and check if this includes or excludes time for questions.

Find out if there are other speakers and, if so, where you are placed in the running order.  Never elect to go last.  Beware of over-running, as this could be disastrous if there are other speakers following you.

It is important to remember that people find it difficult to maintain concentration for long periods of time. This is a good reason for making a presentation succinct, well-structured and interesting. Aim for 45 minutes as a maximum single-session presentation, and preferably leave at least 10 or 15 minutes for questions. Nobody minds finishing a session early.

Providing Information in Advance

Always check what information you will need to provide in advance.

Organisers of big events and conferences often like to have all the PowerPoint presentations several days ahead of the event. This gives them time to load all the presentations, and make sure that they are properly branded for the event.

Some events also need speakers’ biographies ahead of time, to put in conference literature. When you are asked to give the presentation, make sure you ask what is needed by when—and then supply it.

You will not be popular if you turn up on the day and announce that you have completely rewritten your presentation on the train. It is entirely possible that the organisers may even not be able to accommodate that, for example if the audio-visual is being supplied by a separate company or by the venue.

And finally…

Being asked to give a presentation is an honour, not a chore.

You are representing your organisation or yourself, if you are self-employed. You are also not there by right, but by invitation. It is therefore important that you put in the time and effort to ensure that you deliver what your audience wants. That way, you may just be invited back another time.

Continue to: Organising the Presentation Material

See also: Can Presentation Science Improve Your Presentation? Preparing for Oral Presentations Managing the Presentation Event Coping with Presentation Nerves

Crafting a Winning Business Presentation: A Comprehensive Guide for Academics in Industry

by NotedSource

While the thought of presenting in a corporate setting might seem daunting, don't worry – we've got you covered. In this comprehensive guide, we'll share essential tips and strategies for crafting a winning business presentation that will captivate your audience, drive your message home, and leave a lasting impression. With a focus on style, copy, and formatting, we'll also recommend resources to help you learn more and hone your presentation skills.

Define Your Purpose and Audience

Before diving into the content of your presentation, take a moment to define its purpose and identify your target audience. Clearly understanding your presentation's goals and your audience's needs will help you create a focused, relevant, and engaging narrative.Ask yourself:

What is the primary objective of my presentation? (e.g., inform, persuade, motivate)

Who is my target audience? (e.g., executives, colleagues, clients)

What do they already know about the topic?

What do I want them to learn or do as a result of my presentation?

Create a Compelling Narrative

A well-structured narrative is key to an effective business presentation. To craft a compelling story, follow these steps:

Start with a strong opening that captures your audience's attention and sets the tone for your presentation.

Outline the key points you want to cover, and organize them in a logical order.

Provide sufficient context and background information to ensure your audience can follow your message.

Use real-life examples, case studies, or anecdotes to illustrate your points and make your content relatable.

End with a clear and memorable conclusion that summarizes your main points and reiterates your call to action.

Design Visually Engaging Slides

Visual aids play a crucial role in enhancing your message and maintaining audience engagement. Keep these tips in mind when designing your slides:

Use a clean, professional, and consistent design template that aligns with your company's branding.

Limit text on each slide to ensure your visuals support your message without overwhelming your audience. Aim for no more than 6 lines of text per slide and use bullet points to break up information.

Choose clear, easy-to-read fonts and font sizes that are visible from the back of the room.

Use high-quality images, graphics, and charts to illustrate your points and make your presentation visually appealing.

Limit the use of animations and transitions to avoid distractions and maintain a professional tone.

Write Clear and Concise Copy

The language and style of your business presentation should be clear, concise, and engaging. To optimize your copy, follow these guidelines:

Use simple, straightforward language and avoid jargon or overly complex terms.

Write in an active voice to convey a sense of urgency and action.

Break up long sentences and paragraphs to improve readability.

Use bullet points and numbered lists to organize information and make it easier to digest.

Edit and proofread your copy to ensure it is free of errors and inconsistencies.

Practice Effective Delivery

Your presentation skills are just as important as your content. To deliver your message effectively, consider these tips:

Rehearse your presentation multiple times to become comfortable with your content and pacing.

Practice speaking slowly, clearly, and confidently, and use natural gestures to emphasize your points.

Make eye contact with your audience to establish rapport and maintain engagement.

Use pauses to give your audience time to absorb your message and to gather your thoughts.

Be prepared to handle questions and objections professionally and gracefully.

Leverage Technology to Enhance Your Presentation

There are numerous technology tools available that can help you create a more engaging and interactive presentation. Some popular options include:

PowerPoint or Google Slides for designing visually appealing slide decks

Prezi for creating non-linear presentations with zoomable visuals

Mentimeter or Slido for incorporating real-time audience polling and Q&A sessions

Canva for designing professional graphics and illustrations

Take the time to explore these tools and select the ones that best meet your needs and enhance your presentation.

Seek Feedback and Refine Your Presentation

Before delivering your presentation to a live audience, seek feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, or friends. Their input can help you identify areas for improvement and fine-tune your content, design, and delivery. Be open to constructive criticism, and don't be afraid to iterate on your presentation based on the feedback you receive.

Resources for Further Learning

To further improve your business presentation skills, consider checking out the following resources:

Books: "Presentation Zen" by Garr Reynolds, "Slide:ology" by Nancy Duarte, and "Talk Like TED" by Carmine Gallo offer valuable insights and techniques for crafting and delivering effective presentations.

Online courses: Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer a wide range of courses on presentation skills, public speaking, and visual storytelling.

TED Talks: Watching TED Talks can provide inspiration and examples of effective presentation styles and techniques.

Crafting a winning business presentation requires careful planning, compelling storytelling, and effective delivery. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, you'll be well on your way to creating presentations that captivate your audience, communicate your message clearly, and leave a lasting impression. As you continue to develop your presentation skills, don't forget to explore the recommended resources and leverage technology to enhance your presentations further. Remember, practice makes perfect – so keep refining your skills and striving for excellence in your new industry role.

Principedia

Ten Steps to Preparing an Effective Oral Presentation

• Determine the purpose of your presentation and identify your own objectives.
• Know your audience and what it knows.
• Define your topic.
• Arrange your material in a way that makes sense for your objectives.
• Compose your presentation.
• Create visual aids.
• Practice your presentation (don’t forget to time it!)
• Make necessary adjustments.
• Analyze the room where you’ll be giving your presentation (set-up, sight lines, equipment, etc.).
• Practice again.
• ← Answering Questions
• Novice v. Expert Problem Solvers →

Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University

Careers Marketing Leadership Sep 6, 2018

4 key steps to preparing for a business presentation, don’t let a lack of prep work sabotage your great ideas..

Timothy Calkins

Yevgenia Nayberg

Being able to effectively present ideas to others is a crucial skill in many careers. But too often, honing the ability to stand in front of colleagues and deliver recommendations gets neglected in the shuffle of other more pressing priorities.

Yet struggling to get your ideas across can shake others’ faith in your abilities. That loss of confidence can quickly reduce your chances of advancement and long-term success, says Tim Calkins , a clinical professor of marketing at the Kellogg School who spent years as a brand manager for Kraft Foods and now serves as a consultant.

“You can be the smartest person in the room,” Calkins says, “but if you can’t put together a good business presentation, you’re going to be frustrated because the senior people will think very highly of the person with the nice presentation, even when they might not have great ideas.”

“It’s not a TED Talk,” he says. “It’s not like doing a speech at a wedding. A business presentation is a really unique event.”

Calkins, the author of the forthcoming book How to Wash a Chicken: Mastering the Business Presentation , offers four recommendations that can help you prepare and present with confidence (for those curious, the book’s title refers to the first presentation Calkins ever gave, as an eight year old boy at a 4-H fair).

Dedicate Time to Prepare

Preparation should start the moment the presentation is scheduled, Calkins says. And by preparation, he may not mean quite what you think.

“A lot of people worry about delivery, their breathing and how they move around the room,” Calkins says. “You should really spend your time ahead of the meeting thinking about your audience, developing a clear recommendation, and finding a clear and logical story.”

Specifically, Calkins stresses the importance of gathering information, drafting the presentation, and allowing plenty of time to incorporate feedback from stakeholders.

Calkins recalls a time at Kraft when he was preparing for a big presentation. He knew that the company needed to shift its strategy with regard to its line of barbecue sauces. After iterating with his team for weeks, the team delivered a strategic recommendation to cut back on promotions and improve the product’s quality. Taking these actions would cause an initial loss, but would lead to later growth. Though the strategy was somewhat risky, it was approved.

The “polish” on the speech Calkins gave to senior leadership—his presence in the front of the room, the authority in his voice—was nearly beside the point.

“The presentation was so logical and clear that we could have sent anyone on the team to present it,” Calkins says. “Heck, we could’ve sent the summer intern up there. The recommendation was just that tight.”

Figure Out Your Story

Calkins is often amazed by how many people deliver presentations with little sense of the narrative they want to convey.

“People often start writing and constructing pages before they know the story,” he says. “That’s a disastrous approach because what you end up with is a lot of data, but you don’t end up with a story, a narrative flow that makes sense.”

Calkins suggests that presenters look to their objective—the recommendation—to determine the key points they can deploy to support that objective. From there, framing the presentation is as simple as determining what information to include in its beginning, middle, and end.

“We’re swimming in a world with so much information. We spend our time thinking about analytics, big data, and all these wonderful things we can do. But people cannot understand a page of numbers very well.” 

Calkins recommends starting with the company’s status quo along with a quick backstory on how it came to be. “If your audience doesn’t know much about your business, then a bit of history might be useful to provide some perspective on the situation,” he writes.

You can move from there into your key points, with data backing up each statement. Once you have established those key points, it is critical to ask yourself how each of those statements clearly relates to the other points—and how it ladders up to the recommendation itself.

“What you’re trying to find is a story that you tell page by page, one point to the next point,” Calkins says.

Make Sure Your Data Serve Your Story

Just as there should be data to back up each of your main points, there should be a main point to each piece of data.

While data are key to building a reasoned, supported argument, you have to be judicious—more is not always better. A deluge of data can muddy a presentation’s flow and frustrate your audience to the point where they tune you out to check their email.

“We’re swimming in a world with so much information,” he says. “We spend our time thinking about analytics, big data, and all these wonderful things we can do. But people cannot understand a page of numbers very well.”

Rather than using every bit of information at your disposal, Calkins recommends whittling that data down to the elements that provide the most compelling support for your points—and which allow you to move on to the next part of your narrative.

Remember, too, that not every piece of data is equally credible. Analysis from a trusted provider will carry more weight. “Only use support points that you understand and trust,” recommends Calkins. “You don’t want people to question your sources.”

Keep Your Language Simple and Relatable

We all want to sound smart—or would that be “ erudite ” ? —when we speak. This signals to others that our opinions are sound and our recommendations are well reasoned. But it turns out that the key to gaining people’s support for an idea rests on quite the opposite track.

“One of the things that happens when people present is they try to use all these fancy words because, in theory, it makes them look smart,” he says. “But it’s totally opposite.”

Studies have shown that reaching for big words tends to make texts unnecessarily complex, when simpler versions are more understandable and digestible. They also make the author of the simpler version seem more intelligent than their more loquacious counterparts.

“The simpler you make it, the smaller the words, the more compelling it is,” Calkins says. “And that’s the heart of any presentation. If it feels simple and easy and logical, people are going to understand it and they’re going to accept it and they’re going to approve it.”

Clinical Professor of Marketing

About the Writer Glenn Jeffers is a writer based in Los Angeles.

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• Bachelor in Business Administration

The 8 keys to a successful business presentation

• Categories Bachelor in Business Administration , Careers , Digital Marketing , Innovation and Entrepreneurship , International MBA , International Relations & Business , Marketing & Communication , Master in Business Management , Sports Management , Tourism & Hospitality Management

Presentations can be energising, interesting, entertaining ways of engaging an audience and giving them valuable information. We’ve probably all sat through one or two stand out sessions where we’ve walked away with a “wow” feeling and a spring in our steps.

Unfortunately, those are the “unicorns” – the exceptions to the rule. In general, we’re shifting in our seats uncomfortably, wishing we were somewhere else, and hoping for it all to end. And then, there’s another slide of figures and another 20 minutes of painful explanation.

It’s sad, but true. Most speakers miss the mark when it comes to keeping the audience’s attention. So how can you turn your next presentation into a roaring success, rather than a tedious waste of time?

1. Remember your job

First things first, your job is to communicate an idea and give your audience something valuable to take away. When preparing, you should continually ask the question; “How is this part of my presentation giving value to people?”

This will help you stay on track and ensure that what you are talking about is relevant, valuable, and concise.

2. Know your audience

It doesn’t matter how brilliant, funny or intelligent your presentation is, if you pitch it too high or too low, your audience will be bored. If it’s too hard for them to understand they will disengage and start thinking about all the fun things they want to do at the weekend. If it’s too easy, it’s almost worse – they’ll feel patronised and embarrassed. You might even see some people leaving the auditorium.

This video from Wired is an excellent demonstration of how to pitch an idea to the audience in front of you. Here you can see Bettina Warburg explaining blockchain to five different people; a child, a teenager, a college student, a graduate student, and an expert.

She never loses their attention, she asks challenging questions, and she explains things in a way that each person understands.

3. Give people a reason to care

Early on in your presentation, you need to show why this is relevant and valuable. Explain your thesis and argument or outline what people will come away with.

Without this knowledge, your audience might feel lost, or concerned it is not for them. At the same time, you can explain your expertise and why you are in a position to give this talk. This gives you the social proof you need. Just don’t overdo it; no-one wants to listen to someone who is boasting about themselves.

4. Think about visuals

Slide after slide of boring stats and reams of text…you’ll hypnotise your audience, and not in a good way. Though many corporate presentations have strict rules about colour, logos and branding, there should be nothing stopping you from using compelling images.

Stock photos are generally dull (so avoid them), but you can find dynamic visual aids on free websites like Pixabay and . Just make sure they are relevant to your points and don’t distract the audience from what you are saying.

5. Make an impression

Science says you only have a few seconds to make an impression – and that impression will stay with your audience for the duration of your talk. So make sure you dress well and walk on stage confidently, smile, and be aware of your body language – especially what you are doing with your hands. Use big strong gestures, and try not to touch your face too much because it will make you look nervous.

Practise in front of a camera (just set up your mobile phone) or ask people to watch you rehearse. That way you can see how you look and how you can improve your overall image.

6. Be varied

If you don’t vary the way you speak during a presentation, you can begin to sound monotonous. This is a problem because you will start to bore your audience, even if what you are saying is extremely interesting.

Again, practise in front of people or on video and listen to how you vary your voice, your volume and tone. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate a little. On stage, or in the boardroom you have to be a little larger than life!

7. Interaction is key

We’ve spoken a lot about your audience and how they will perceive you. What we haven’t mentioned yet is that they are not simply receiving a message – they can be an active part of things too.

Plan interactive moments into your presentations. Ask them questions, get feedback during your talk, or even get them to talk to the person sitting next to them. This is especially important in long presentations, as it will change the atmosphere and re-engage tired brains.

8. Expect the unexpected

Simply put, you need to prepare for questions. You’re already an expert in your area, so it can be hard to decide what people will want to know. Ask your friends or colleagues to write a list of questions they want to know beforehand, so you can prepare your answers. It will help you avoid feeling lost or unsure during your presentation.

9. Know yourself

Just as important as knowing your audience, it’s important to know yourself. How do you feel speaking in public? What happens when you get nervous? Some people get a dry mouth, others get sweaty, and some might completely forget everything they were going to say.

Don’t panic! If that sounds like you, just be aware of what can happen. Take a spare shirt if you feel you need to change, have a bottle of water by your side, and carry notes, if you think you will need to jog your memory.

Practising in front of other people will also really help you feel more at ease. It’s you best way to iron out the kinks and really feel you know what you are talking about too.

Finally, good luck! Remember your audience is there to listen to you. They care about what you have to say. Rather than looking out onto a sea of strangers, think of them as people you can help with the hard earned knowledge you have. Work through these points, develop an engaging valuable presentation and your audience will walk away with that “wow” feeling you were hoping for.

Tag: resources-master-in-business-management

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How to Prepare for a Presentation: The Top Tips and Strategies

Master the art of presentation preparation with our detailed tips and strategies on How to Prepare for a Presentation and make an impact. Whether you're a seasoned presenter or just starting out, this resource is packed with essential tips. Read this blog to get an understanding of how you can conquer nerves and command a room.

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Addressing a large audience? Nervous about needing to present for the first time? You don't have to be! All you need to do is learn How to Prepare for a Presentation! Lucky for you, it is pretty simple, and we are here to help.

Presentations are a fundamental in both personal and professional endeavours. The ability to effectively communicate ideas, engaging audiences and crafting well made presentations is truly a valuable skill. 

Whether you need to deliver a business proposal, share the findings of your research or simply giving a speech, a well-crafted presentation will be your friend in need.

If you are looking to learn How to Prepare for a Presentation, you are in the right place. This blog will share insights with you on the tips and strategies for you to learn How to Prepare for a Good Presentation.

Table of Contents  

1) Tips and Strategies on How to Prepare for a Presentation 

      a) Understand your audience 

      b) Define your objective 

      c) Research and gather information 

      d) Organise your content 

      e) Manage your time

      f) Design visual aids   

      g) Practise and rehearse   

      h) Prepare to engage the audience   

      i) Enhance delivery skills  

      j) Manage nervousness and anxiety

     k)  Take inspiration from professional speakers

     l) Utilise technology

    m) Plan to pace your presentation

    n) Have a backup

2) Conclusion

Tips and strategies on How to Prepare for a Presentation

Explore the tips and strategies recommended below to enhance your ability to present well. Make sure to read till the end as every tip and strategy mentioned is extremely valuable to upgrade your Presentation Skills.  

Understand your audience 

Identifying your target audience in a Presentation is crucial for captivating the attention of your listeners. Think about their age characteristics, interests, and previous knowledge concerning the subject. If you have information about your readers’ habits and preferences, you can target them very easily. Understanding your audience involves:

a) Identifying audience demographics: Think about age, sex, degrees, and work history. It will allow you to identify the right kind of tone, the level of technical information and examples for your Presentation.

b) Assessing audience interests: Find out what are the preferences and interests your audience. Do they prefer statistical data or are they attracted to stories and examples? This can help you connect with your audience on a different and deeper level to maintain their attention.

c) Adapting to their knowledge level: Determine how much information the audience already knows. Are they not beginners, intermediate or advanced users? This is useful so that you do not confuse them with complicated ideas or bore them with simple concepts. Adjust your content to their level of knowledge and ability, while still offering value to them.

Define your objective 

It is very important to clarify your goal/intention when developing a Presentation as it contributes to addressing the issue at hand. undefined

a) Set specific goals: Determine the goal that you wish to attain through the Presentation. Does the purpose of a text serve to educate, persuade, or motivate a reader? Objectives will assist you to organise your content and also with the objectives in mind you will be able to direct your delivery to the desired result.

b) Decide on the main message: Determine the central idea or main point of your communication. What message about your product do you want them to take away? This is the main message that you will be using to carry the Presentation and it will help you keep a sense of focus throughout the Presentation.

c) Align objectives with audience needs: How does your audience contribute to the realisation of your objectives? What value will they derived out of your Presentation? You can achieve this by ensuring your plans and expectations meet their needs to improve their participation or help you make a difference.

Research and gather information 

How to Prepare for a Presentation step is to make a lot of research. Good preparation of the presentation also involves finding and collecting necessary information. You may also refer to different Presentation Skills interview questions and answers in order to boost your confidence and to enhance the Presentation Skills. To conduct effective research, you need to cater to the following aspects:

a) Explore diverse sources: Refer strictly to books, journals, websites, and online resources from reliable and respectable sources. Make sure that the material that you are collecting is accurate, current, and appropriate to the subject at hand.

b) Collect data, facts, and examples: Make sure your strong arguments are backed up by evidence. This proof can help enhance your arguments, increase credibility, and deliver crucial insights to your audience. Statistics, case studies, stories, and quotes by experts can be used to add value to your content.

c) Take notes and organise information: When conducting your research remember to write notes that contain important information and key points. Use to categorise your notes by themes, subtopics, and the Presentation structure. This will help you later when you have to structure your work.  

Organise your content 

In order to facilitate the understanding process by the audience, it is crucial to structure the content of a Presentation in a way that it is logical and easy to follow. Effective organisation involves:

a) Creating a logical structure: Plan to organise the information in a clear outline or structure for the Presentation. Open the presentation with an opening that captures attention then move on to section or chapter titles with the main ideas. Finish with a final point or last sentence that ties back to your point.

b) Using headings and subheadings: Subdivide your content into subsections using header levels. These are like road signs that take you along different paths when you want to read different issues or concepts. Headings also makes the task of referring back to a particular section of your speech easy for your audience.

c) Ensuring smooth transitions: Transition will be done by introducing new ideas or concepts from one section to the other. Avoid leaving your Presentation disconnected with the sole use of nouns to connect ideas. This enables your audience to have coherence of your thoughts and avoids unnatural jumps in the argumentation process.

Manage your time  

Keeping track of the time is very important while delivering a presentation. You are only allowed to hold your audience for an allotted time frame, and you need to make sure you get your message across. You can manage your time better by:

a) Wear your watch: It is recommended to wear a watch for all formal gatherings to keep track of time, or in case an attractive individual asks you the time. Check your watch from time to time to be sure you're on track with the time frame.

b) Keep it short: Make sure your presentation is short and effective and not unnecessarily long and confusing. The longer you take to explain the lesser time you have left. 

c) Plan your presentation in phases: Divide you presentation in phases and allot certain amount of time to each section. Practice delivering the presentation in that pace. This will help you be aware if you are on track or not. 

Design visual aids 

Visual aids can enhance the impact and understanding of your Presentation. Consider the following when designing visual aids: 

a) Choose appropriate visuals: Select visual elements that support and reinforce your content. This could include charts, graphs, images, videos, or infographics. Ensure that the visuals are relevant, high-quality, and easy to understand. 

b) Simplify complex information: Visual aids are particularly effective in simplifying complex information. Use visuals to present data, comparisons, or processes in a visually appealing format. This helps your audience grasp complex concepts more readily. 

c) Balance visuals and text: Find the right balance between visuals and text. Avoid overcrowding slides with excessive text, which can overwhelm and distract your audience. Use concise bullet points or keywords to complement the visuals and aid in comprehension. 

Practise and rehearse 

Practise and rehearsal are essential for delivering a confident and polished Presentation. Consider the following when practising: 

a) Rehearse your content: Familiarise yourself with the content and flow of your Presentation. Practise delivering each section, ensuring a smooth transition between ideas. Pay attention to your pacing, articulation, and clarity of speech. 

b) Time your Presentation: Practise timing your Presentation to ensure it fits within the allocated time. This helps you avoid rushing through important points or exceeding the time limit. Adjust your delivery as necessary to ensure a well-paced Presentation. 

c) Seek feedback and refine: Seek feedback from trusted individuals who can provide constructive criticism. Incorporate their suggestions to refine your delivery, eliminate unnecessary filler words, and enhance the overall impact of your Presentation. 

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Prepare to engage the audience 

Engaging your audience throughout the Presentation helps maintain their interest and active participation. Consider these strategies and Elements of Presentation to engage your audience effectively: It is also important to understand various elements of presentations. Consider these strategies to engage your audience effectively: 

a) Interactive elements: Incorporate interactive elements such as rhetorical questions, quizzes, or brief activities to encourage audience participation. This stimulates their thinking and keeps them actively engaged in the Presentation. 

b) Address audience concerns: Actively listen to your audience and address their queries or concerns promptly. Encourage questions and create a safe environment for open discussion. This demonstrates your expertise and builds rapport with your audience. 

c) Tell stories and anecdotes: Use relevant stories, anecdotes, or case studies to illustrate your points and captivate your audience. Stories have a powerful impact and make your content more relatable and memorable. 

Enhance delivery skills 

Enhancing your delivery skills is essential for creating an engaging and impactful Presentation. Consider the following to improve your delivery skills:

a) Body language: Pay attention to your body language and use it to convey confidence and authority. Maintain good posture, make purposeful gestures, and establish eye contact with your audience. This non-verbal cue enhances your message. 

b) Tone of voice and pace: Master your tone of voice and adjust it to emphasise key points or create a sense of urgency. Vary your pace to maintain interest and add emphasis where needed. Use pauses effectively to allow important information to sink in. 

c) Use visual aids as support: Visual aids should complement your delivery, not overshadow it. Use them as support to enhance your message rather than relying on them completely. Maintain a balance between your verbal delivery and the visuals. 

Manage nervousness and anxiety 

Managing nervousness and anxiety is crucial for delivering a confident Presentation. Consider the following strategies: 

a) Preparation and practice: Thorough preparation and practice build confidence and reduce anxiety. The more familiar you are with your content, the more at ease you will feel during the Presentation. 

b) Deep breathing and relaxation techniques: Before as well as during the Presentation, practice deep breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to calm your nerves. Focus on slow, deep breaths to regulate your heart rate and promote a sense of calm. 

c) Be early: It is a good idea to be early for your Presentation. This will give you more time to get ready to set up your equipment. When you reach early at the venue, you get plenty of time to work on the finer details of your Presentation.  

d) Visualise success: Visualise yourself delivering a successful Presentation. Imagine the positive outcomes and the impact you will have on your audience. Visualising success helps boost your confidence and reduces anxiety. 

Take inspiration from professional speakers

 A great way to improve your Presentation Skills is to observe other great speakers. Watch videos or attend public speaking workshops to improve you Public Speaking skills.

a) Take notes: when you see a speaker do something you admire, note it down. Taking notes is a great way to retain information. These notes will come in handy while you work on your own presentation. 

b) Pick the right speakers: Pick out the speakers that would inspire you and ones’ that you can resonate with. This will help you connect with the people that inspire you at a human level. This is important as it helps makes your goals seem more and more realistic.

c) Pay attention to tonality: You can learn a lot from a speaker if you observe well enough. Pay attention to the tones the speaker uses while addressing the crowd and try to identify the intent behind every change in tone. 

Utilise technology 

Utilising technology can enhance the effectiveness of your Presentation. Consider the following when incorporating technology: 

a) Choose appropriate tool s: Select Presentation software or tools that suit your needs and style. Familiarise yourself with their features and functionalities, such as slide transitions, animations, or multimedia integration.  

b) Prepare for technical issues: Anticipate potential technical issues and have contingency plans in place. Ensure you have backup files saved on different devices or formats, and familiarise yourself with troubleshooting techniques in case of technical difficulties.  

c) Integrate technology seamlessly: Use technology to enhance your Presentation, not distract from it. Ensure that the technology supports your message and engages your audience effectively. Practice using the technology beforehand to ensure seamless integration into your Presentation. 

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Plan to pace your Presentation  

Pacing your Presentation effectively ensures that you maintain the interest and engagement of your audience throughout. Consider the following when planning the pace of your Presentation: 

a) Set a realistic timeframe: Determine the allocated time for your Presentation and plan your content accordingly. Be mindful of the time constraints and ensure that your Presentation fits within the given timeframe. Avoid overloading your Presentation with excessive information, which can result in rushing through key points or running out of time. 

b) Structure your content with timing in mind: Divide your Presentation into sections or key points and assign a specific amount of time to each of them. This helps you allocate your time effectively and ensures that you cover all the essential aspects without rushing or dragging on. 

c) Practise timing during rehearsals: Practise your Presentation multiple times while keeping an eye on the clock. Use a stopwatch or timer to simulate the actual Presentation conditions. This allows you to gauge how long each section takes and make adjustments as needed to maintain a smooth and well-paced delivery. 

d) Allow time for interaction and engagement: Incorporate interactive elements, such as questions, discussions, or activities, throughout your Presentation. Plan for these moments by allocating specific time slots. This not only breaks up the monotony but also encourages audience participation and keeps their attention focused. 

e) Be aware of audience cues: Pay attention to the reactions and engagement levels of your audience during the Presentation. Adjust your pace accordingly. If you notice signs of confusion or disinterest, you may need to slow down, provide more context, or clarify certain points. On the other hand, if you see that your audience is highly engaged and responsive, you can maintain a slightly faster pace to keep the energy up. 

f) Use silence effectively: Don't be afraid to use silence as a powerful tool. A well-timed pause can create a solid emotional impact. It lets people really listen to what you are saying and respond in turn.it is essential to pause if you are using humour so that people don't miss the next part of your Presentation while they are laughing. 

g) Practise smooth transitions: Smooth transitions between sections or ideas are crucial for maintaining a good pace. Avoid abrupt jumps or awkward pauses. Practise transitioning between different topics or slides, ensuring that the flow between ideas feels natural and seamless. 

Have a backup  

While you present, the chances of things going south are slim but never nil. It is a good practice to take into account any mishap that may occur and take precautionary measures. Here is a few ways you can be prepared to do damage control:

a) Have a spare copy of your presentation: while it is good practice to send in your presentation before hand by email, it is wise to have a backup copy in a pen drive or a hard disk. This ensures that if the file wont’ open you have a backup option.

b) Carry props: while you can use it alongside your presentation, in case the visual aid of your presentation malfunctions, the show must go on. You can use props to demonstrate the message you wish to get across to retain the audience's attention.

c) Prepare a reference document and make copies: Hand out the reference document of all the topic the presentation covers so if a member of the audience has a hard time following through the can refer to the document for clarification. 

Conclusion 

This blog emphasised on every detail of How to Prepare for a Presentation. The importance of understanding your audience and the clarity one must have in their presentation. Remember to engage your audience, enhance your delivery skills, manage nervousness, utilise technology wisely, and handle Q&A sessions with confidence. Hope we could provide you with all the information you needed to know about How to Prepare for a Presentation!   

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Frequently Asked Questions

If you are unprepared for a presentation, you are likely to make errors in your delivery, that may end up conveying the wrong message. Besides, it is considered very unprofessional to not prepare for a Presentation.

The 5/5/5 rule is that your presentation should have 5 slides that convey your message, each slide with 5 lines that consist of 5 words in each line. This helps keep the presentation short and simple.

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7 Things You Need to do Before a Presentation

A presentation is more than just an opportunity to explain a position or idea; it’s a means to demonstrate the hard work and research you’ve invested into it. And when it comes to preparing for a presentation—any presentation—you need to remember that the way you deliver your presentation is just as important (perhaps even more so) than the actual content.

Yes, that’s right. What you say isn’t necessarily as important as how you say it .

Think back to the last really good presentation you heard. I mean, the one that had you thinking about it for days afterwards. What made it so compelling? Why did it motivate or inspire you?

I’ll tell you why: Because the speaker engaged you .  That was no accident! He or she didn’t walk up to the podium and wing it.

How to Prepare for a Presentation?

There’s a ton of preparation that goes on behind the scenes of an amazing presentation. We know because it’s our business to teach you the fundamentals of public speaking. What you may not realize is the preparation stage goes further than just jotting down some notes and practising in front of a mirror. A stellar presentation takes a lot of time, a lot of energy, and… oh yes… a lot of practice. Here are seven key things you need to do before any presentation:

• Do Your Research —Regardless of whether or not you are an expert in your field, there is always something new to learn. Do a thorough investigation before plotting your presentation to see if there are any new developments that could be relevant to your subject or to your audience. And make sure you really know your material. It will eliminate the dreaded “umms” and “uhs” that we’ve all come to hate. It’s a sure sign you’re not as knowledgeable or prepared as you should be.
• Know Your Audience —No two presentations should ever be the same. I don’t care if it’s the 12th time this month that you’ve talked about the same subject. You may not have to start from scratch every time, but at least put the effort into finding out who’s going to be in your audience and tailor your presentation in a way that will appeal to them. The same jokes you told a business crowd at a breakfast meeting are probably going to fall flat with your daughter and her fellow third-graders on Career Day.
• Craft Your Notes —Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you can’t do your presentation without it being written down, you probably can’t do it at all. Don’t write a speech. Ever. Instead, craft notes to jog your memory on your speaking points. Glance at them periodically to keep you on track. Take those notes and practice with them every day until you don’t need them anymore. (But take them with you anyway… people tend to get forgetful in front of a crowd.)
• Practice Your Delivery —Your notes will help you prepare what you are going to say, but I’ve already told you what you say doesn’t keep a crowd engaged. So grab a video camera, your cell phone… anything with a video recording option and get in front of it. Record yourself delivering your presentation and give yourself an honest critique: Do you use effective body language? Do you walk around and interact with the crowd? How is your posture? If you can’t give yourself an honest critique, enlist a friend or family member to take a look and point out areas for improvement. Then practice, practice, practice.
• Dress For Success —As I mentioned before, every bit of a great presentation is intentional, including the speaker’s choice of clothing. Take special attention the next time you see someone speaking (usually a politician) who’s trying to appeal to blue-collar workers. Do you know what they’ll be wearing? A blue-collared shirt with their sleeves rolled up. Your attire should match the audience. Wearing a tuxedo to deliver a speech at a ground-breaking ceremony for a new chemical plant just doesn’t make sense.
• Get a Good Night’s Sleep —Make sure you look alert and refreshed by getting plenty of rest the night before a presentation. A drowsy mind is a forgetful mind. And the bags under your eyes won’t do you any good, either.
• Prepare Your Space —Arrive with enough time ahead of your presentation to properly prepare the space you’ll be using. Make sure your slides are in order and that any equipment you’ll be using is functioning properly to avoid embarrassing hiccups and delays during your presentation. Place your speaking notes in a logical spot and get yourself a glass of water. Spend a few quiet minutes mentally preparing.

Be the speaker that has inspired you. Think back to the speeches you’ve heard or the people who’ve appealed to you and strive to make that same connection with your audience. Preparation is key. There’s no such thing as an off-the-cuff winning presentation, so invest some time into yourself and your audience. And of course, we’re always here to help when you need to spend a little extra time brushing up on your skills.

Have you ever had a presentation or speech that you were completely unprepared for? Let us know in the comment section below, and if this topic has helped you, share it on social media to help those in your circles as well!

10 Comments

I need to spend more time preparing for presentations than I do.  I used to prepare more but i think I;m getting lazy the older I get.

I love how you touched on knowing your audience. A lot of people tend to forget this and in turn, end up being forgettable. You want to really connect with who you are speaking to in order to be remembered and thought about after the presentation is over. I have talked to many people who will touch on all the point mentioned but tuning yourself to your audience. 

I agree with John. I have gotten a little lazy and probably a lot boring because I’ve done my presentation so many times. I need to revisit what prep looks like. Thanks

I’ve tried ‘winging it’ only to discover I looked pretty foolish. Preparation is the key.

Off-the-cuff is definitely not good. I think we’ve all tried that strategy (and failed).

I liked the point about dressing for success. People put so much thought into what they’re going to say. They don’t think about what their outfit says.

People don’t realize just how much of a benefit a good night’s sleep can be. It’s not something you’d expect to help your public speaking, but it makes a lot of sense.

Really happy to read this blog. its valuable information for me ,thank you

Wonderful article! We are linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the great writing.

I disagree, some people need a script just to take a dump. That’s not me. I don’t work well with scripts, they’re too confining, and my best presentations have been off the top of my head. I am an improver and always will be.

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11.4 Visual Aids

Learning objective.

• Demonstrate how to use visual aids effectively in your presentation.

Almost all presentations can be enhanced by the effective use of visual aids. These can include handouts, overhead transparencies, drawings on the whiteboard, PowerPoint slides, and many other types of props. Visual aids are an important nonverbal aspect of your speech that you can control. Once you have chosen a topic, you need to consider how you are going to show your audience what you are talking about.

Have you ever asked for driving directions and not understood someone’s response? Did the person say, “Turn right at Sam’s Grocery Store, the new one” or “I think you will turn at the second light, but it might be the third one”? Chances are that unless you know the town well or have a map handy, the visual cue of a grocery store or a traffic light might be insufficient to let you know where to turn. Your audience experiences the same frustration, or sense of accomplishment, when they get lost or find their way during your speech. Consider how you can express yourself visually, providing common references, illustrations, and images that lead the audience to understand your point or issue.

Visual aids accomplish several goals:

• Make your speech more interesting
• Enhance your credibility as a speaker
• Serve as guides to transitions, helping the audience stay on track
• Communicate complex or intriguing information in a short period of time
• Reinforce your verbal message
• Help the audience use and retain the information

Purpose, Emphasis, Support, and Clarity

When you look at your own presentation from an audience member’s perspective, you might consider how to distinguish the main points from the rest of the information. You might also consider the relationships being presented between ideas or concepts, or how other aspects of the presentation can complement the oral message.

Your audience naturally will want to know why you are presenting the visual aid. The purpose for each visual aid should be clear, and almost speak for itself. If you can’t quickly grasp the purpose of a visual aid in a speech, you have to honestly consider whether it should be used in the first place. Visual aids can significantly develop the message of a speech, but they must be used for a specific purpose the audience can easily recognize.

Perhaps you want to highlight a trend between two related issues, such as socioeconomic status and educational attainment. A line graph might show effectively how, as socioeconomic status rises, educational attainment also rises. This use of a visual aid can provide emphasis, effectively highlighting key words, ideas, or relationships for the audience.

Visual aids can also provide necessary support for your position. Audience members may question your assertion of the relationship between socioeconomic status and educational attainment. To support your argument, you might include on the slide, “According to the U.S. Department of Education Study no. 12345,” or even use an image of the Department of Education Web page projected on a large screen. You might consider showing similar studies in graphic form, illustrating similarities across a wide range of research.

Figure 11.4

Visual aids provide necessary support for your position, illustrate relationships, and demonstrate trends.

Austin Kleon – powerpoint as a comic – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Clarity is key in the use of visual aids. One way to improve clarity is to limit the number of words on a PowerPoint slide. No more than ten words per slide, with a font large enough to be read at the back of the room or auditorium, is a good rule of thumb. Key images that have a clear relationship to the verbal message can also improve clarity. You may also choose to illustrate the same data successively in two distinct formats, perhaps a line graph followed by two pie graphs. Your central goal is to ensure your visual aid is clear.

Methods and Materials

If you have been asked to give a presentation on a new product idea that a team within your organization is considering, how might you approach the challenge? You may consider a chronological organization pattern, starting with background, current market, and a trend analysis of what is to come—fair enough, but how will you make it vivid for your audience? How to represent information visually is a significant challenge, and you have several options.

You may choose to use a chart or diagram to show a timeline of events to date, from the first meeting about the proposed product to the results from the latest focus group. This timeline may work for you, but let’s say you would like to get into the actual decision-making process that motivated your team to design the product with specific features in the first place. You may decide to use decision trees (or tree diagrams) showing the variables and products in place at the beginning of your discussions, and how each decision led to the next, bringing you to the decision-making point where you are today.

Figure 11.5

Visual aids make it vivid for your audience.

Gareth Saunders – Welcome to Powerpoint – CC BY-SA 2.0.

To complement this comprehensive guide and help make a transition to current content areas of questions, you may use a bar or pie graph to show the percentage of competing products in the market. If you have access to the Internet and a projector, you may use a topographical map showing a three-dimensional rendering of the local areas most likely to find your product attractive. If actual hills and valleys have nothing to do with your project, you can still represent the data you have collected in three dimensions. Then you may show a comparable graph illustrating the distribution of products and their relative degree of market penetration.

Figure 11.6

Bar and pie graphs can clearly demonstrate results.

Christopher Porter – EuroTrip2006 – Total Expenses – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Finally, you may move to the issue of results, and present the audience with a model of your product and one from a competitor, asking which they prefer. The object may be just the visual aid you need to make your point and reinforce the residual message. When we can see, feel, touch, or be in close proximity to an object it often has a greater impact. In a world of digital images and special effects, objects presented in real time can still make a positive effect on the audience.

Additional visual aids you may choose include—but are not limited to—sound and music, video, and even yourself. If your speech is about how to use the product, your demonstration may just be the best visual aid.

You will want to give some thought to how to portray your chart, graph, or object when it’s time to use your visual aids. The chalk or white board is common way of presenting visual aids, but it can get messy. Your instructor may write key words or diagrams on the boards while discussing a textbook chapter, but can you read his or her writing? The same lesson holds true for you. If you are going to use a white board and have a series of words on it, write them out clearly before you start your presentation.

Flip charts on a pedestal can also serve to show a series of steps or break a chart down into its basic components. A poster board is another common way of organizing your visual aids before a speech, but given its often one-time use, it is losing out to the computer screen. It is, however, portable and allows you a large “blank page” with which to express your ideas.

Handouts may also serve to communicate complex or detailed information to the audience, but be careful never to break handout rule number one: never give handouts to the audience at the beginning of your speech. Where do you want the audience to look—at you or at the handout? Many novice speakers might be tempted to say the handout, but you will no doubt recognize how that diverts and divides the audience’s attention. People will listen to the words from the handout in their minds and tune you out. They will read at their own pace and have questions. They may even be impolite enough to use them as fans or paper airplanes. Handouts can be your worst enemy. If you need to use one, state at the beginning of the speech that you will be providing one at the conclusion of your presentation. This will alleviate the audience’s worry about capturing all your content by taking notes, and keep their attention focused on you while you speak.

Transparencies and slides have been replaced by computer-generated slide show programs like PowerPoint by Microsoft, which we will discuss in greater detail later in this section. These programs can be very helpful in presenting visual information, but because computers and projectors sometimes break down and fail to work as planned, you need a plan B. You may need a poster board, or to write on the whiteboard or to have a handout in reserve, but a Plan B is always a good idea when it comes to presentations that integrate technology. You may arrive at your destination and find the equipment is no longer available, is incompatible with your media storage device, or is simply not working, but the show must go on.

Video clips, such as those you might find on YouTube, can also be effective visual aids. However, as with handouts, there is one concern: You don’t want the audience to want to watch the video more than they want to tune into your presentation. How do you prevent this? Keep the clip short and make sure it reinforces the central message of your presentation. Always stop speaking before the audience stops listening, and the same holds true for the mesmerizing force of moving images on a screen. People are naturally attracted to them and will get “sucked into” your video example rather quickly. Be a good editor, introduce the clip and state what will happen out loud, point out a key aspect of it to the audience while it plays (overlap), and then make a clear transitional statement as you turn it off. Transitions are often the hardest part of any speech as the audience can get off track, and video clips are one of the most challenging visual aids you can choose because of their power to attract attention. Use that power wisely.

Preparing Visual Aids

Get started early so that you have time to create or research visual aids that will truly support your presentation, not just provide “fluff.” Make sure you use a font or image large enough to be legible for those in the back of the room, and that you actually test your visual aids before the day of your presentation. Ask a friend to stand at the back of the room and read or interpret your visual aid. If you are using computer-generated slides, try them out in a practice setting, not just on your computer screen. The slides will look different when projected. Allow time for revision based on what you learn.

Your visual aids should meet the following criteria:

• Big . They should be legible for everyone, and should be “back row certified.”
• Clear . Your audience should “get it” the first time they see it.
• Simple . They should serve to simplify the concepts they illustrate.
• Consistent . They should reinforce continuity by using the same visual style.

Using Visual Aids

Here are three general guidelines to follow when using visual aids (McLean, S., 2003). Here are some do s and don’t s:

• Do make a clear connection between your words and the visual aid for the audience.
• Do not distract the audience with your visual aid, blocking their view of you or adjusting the visual aid repeatedly while trying to speak.
• Do speak to your audience—not to the whiteboard, the video, or other visual aids.

The timing of your presentation, and of your visual aids, can also have good or bad consequences. According to a popular joke, a good way to get your boss to approve just about anything is to schedule a meeting after lunch, turn the lights down, and present some boring PowerPoint slides. While the idea of a drowsy boss signing off on a harebrained project is amusing, in reality you will want to use visual aids not as a sleeping potion but as a strategy to keep your presentation lively and interesting.

Becoming proficient at using visual aids takes time and practice, and the more you practice before your speech, the more comfortable you will be with your visual aids and the role they serve in illustrating your points. Planning ahead before speaking will help, but when it comes time to actually give your speech, make sure they work for the audience as they should. Speaking to a visual aid (or reading it with your back to the audience) is not an effective strategy. You should know your material well enough that you refer to a visual aid, not rely on it.

Using PowerPoint as a Visual Aid

PowerPoint and similar visual representation programs can be an effective tool to help audiences remember your message, but they can also be an annoying distraction to your speech. How you prepare your slides and use the tool will determine your effectiveness.

PowerPoint is a slideware program that you have no doubt seen used in class, presentation at work, or perhaps used yourself to support a presentation. PowerPoint and similar slideware programs provide templates for creating electronic slides to present visual information to the audience, reinforcing the verbal message. You’ll be able to import, or cut and paste, words from text files, images, or video clips to create slides to represent your ideas. You can even incorporate Web links. When using any software program, it’s always a good idea to experiment with it long before you intend to use it, explore its many options and functions, and see how it can be an effective tool for you.

Intercultural Communication

(click to see video)

PowerPoint slides can connect words with images.

At first, you might be overwhelmed by the possibilities, and you might be tempted to use all the bells, whistles, and sound effects, not to mention the tumbling, flying, and animated graphics. If used wisely, a dissolve or key transition can be like a well-executed scene from a major motion picture film and lead your audience to the next point. But if used indiscriminately, it can annoy the audience to the point where they cringe in anticipation of the sound effect at the start of each slide. This danger is inherent in the tool, but you are in charge of it and can make wise choices that enhance the understanding and retention of your information.

The first point to consider is what is the most important visual aid? The answer is you, the speaker. You will facilitate the discussion, give life to the information, and help the audience correlate the content to your goal or purpose. You don’t want to be in a position where the PowerPoint presentation is the main focus and you are on the side of the stage, simply helping the audience follow along. It should support you in your presentation, rather than the other way around. Just as there is a number one rule for handouts, there is also one for PowerPoints: do not use PowerPoints as a read-aloud script for your speech. The PowerPoints should amplify and illustrate your main points, not reproduce everything you are going to say.

Your pictures are the second area of emphasis you’ll want to consider. The tool will allow you to show graphs, charts and illustrate relationships that words may only approach in terms of communication, but your verbal support of the visual images will make all the difference. Dense pictures or complicated graphics will confuse more than clarify. Choose clear images that have an immediate connection to both your content and the audience, tailored to their specific needs. After images, consider only key words that can be easily read to accompany your pictures. The fewer words the better: try to keep each slide to a total word count of less than ten words. Do not use full sentences. Using key words provides support for your verbal discussion, guiding you as well as your audience. The key words can serve as signposts or signal words related to key ideas.

A natural question at this point is, “How do I communicate complex information simply?” The answer comes with several options. The visual representation on the screen is for support and illustration. Should you need to communicate more technical, complex, or in-depth information in a visual way, consider preparing a handout to distribute at the conclusion of your speech. You may also consider using a printout of your slide show with a “notes” section, but if you distribute it at the beginning of your speech, you run the risk of turning your presentation into a guided reading exercise and possibly distracting or losing members of the audience. Everyone reads at a different pace and takes notes in their own way. You don’t want to be in the position of going back and forth between slides to help people follow along.

Another point to consider is how you want to use the tool to support your speech and how your audience will interpret its presentation. Most audiences wouldn’t want to read a page of text—as you might see in this book—on the big screen. They’ll be far more likely to glance at the screen and assess the information you present in relation to your discussion. Therefore, it is key to consider one main idea, relationship, or point per slide. The use of the tool should be guided with the idea that its presentation is for the audience’s benefit, not yours. People often understand pictures and images more quickly and easily than text, and you can use this to your advantage, using the knowledge that a picture is worth a thousand words.

Use of Color

People love color, and understandably your audience will appreciate the visual stimulation of a colorful presentation. If you have ever seen a car painted a custom color that just didn’t attract you, or seen colors put together in ways that made you wonder what people were thinking when they did that, you will recognize that color can also distract and turn off an audience.

Color is a powerful way to present information, and the power should be used wisely. You will be selecting which color you want to use for headers or key words, and how they relate the colors in the visual images. Together, your images, key words, and the use of color in fonts, backgrounds, table, and graphs can have a significant impact on your audience. You will need to give some thought and consideration to what type of impact you want to make, how it will contribute or possibly distract, and what will work well for you to produce an effective and impressive presentation.

There are inherent relationships between colors, and while you may have covered some of this information in art classes you have taken, it is valuable to review here. According to the standard color wheel, colors are grouped into primary, secondary, and tertiary categories. Primary colors are the colors from which other colors are made through various combinations. Secondary colors represent a combination of two primary colors, while tertiary colors are made from combinations of primary and secondary colors.

Figure 11.7 Color Wheel

Michael Hernandez – color wheel – CC BY 2.0.

• Primary colors . Red, blue and yellow
• Secondary colors . Green, violet, and orange
• Tertiary colors . Red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, yellow-orange, and yellow-green

Colors have relationships depending on their location on the wheel. Colors that are opposite each other are called complementary and they contrast, creating a dynamic effect. Analogous colors are located next to each other and promote harmony, continuity, and sense of unity.

Your audience comes first: when considering your choice of colors to use, legibility must be your priority. Contrast can help the audience read your key terms more easily. Also, focus on the background color and its relation to the images you plan to incorporate to insure they complement each other. Consider repetition of color, from your graphics to your text, to help unify each slide. To reduce visual noise, try not to use more than two or three additional colors. Use colors sparingly to make a better impact, and consider the use of texture and reverse color fonts (the same as a background or white) as an option.

Be aware that many people are blue-green colorblind, and that red-green colorblindness is also fairly common. With this in mind, choose colors that most audience members will be able to differentiate. If you are using a pie chart, for example, avoid putting a blue segment next to a green one. Use labeling so that even if someone is totally colorblind they will be able to tell the relative sizes of the pie segments and what they signify.

Color is also a matter of culture. Some colors may be perceived as formal or informal, or masculine or feminine. Recognize that red is usually associated with danger, while green signals “go.” Make sure the color associated with the word is reflected in your choice. If you have a key word about nature, but the color is metallic, the contrast may not contribute to the rhetorical situation and confuse the audience.

Seeking a balance between professionalism and attractiveness may seem to be a challenge, but experiment and test your drafts with friends to see what works for you. Also consider examining other examples, commonly available on the Internet, but retain the viewpoint that not everything online is effective nor should it be imitated. There are predetermined color schemes already incorporated into PowerPoint that you can rely on for your presentation.

We’ve given consideration to color in relation to fonts and the representation of key words, but we also need to consider font size and selection. PowerPoint will have default settings for headlines and text, but you will need to consider what is most appropriate for your rhetorical situation. Always think about the person sitting in the back of the room. The title size should be at least forty points, and the body text (used sparingly) should be at least thirty-two points.

Figure 11.8

Visual aids should be clear from the back of the room.

Martin Roell – Powerpoint + Sonne = … – CC BY-SA 2.0.

In Designing Visual Language: Strategies for Professional Communicators (Kostelnick, C., and Roberts, D., 1998), Charles Kostelnick and David Roberts provide a valuable discussion of fonts, font styles, and what to choose to make an impact depending on your rhetorical situation. One good principle they highlight is that sans serif fonts such as Arial work better than serif fonts like Times New Roman for images projected onto a screen. The thin lines and extra aspects to serif the font may not portray themselves well on a large screen or contribute to clarity. To you this may mean that you choose Arial or a similar font to enhance clarity and ease of reading. Kostelnick and Roberts also discuss the use of grouping strategies to improve the communication of information (Kostelnick, C., and Roberts, D., 1998). Bullets, the use of space, similarity, and proximity all pertain to the process of perception, which differs from one person to another.

Helpful Hints for Visual Aids

As we’ve discussed, visual aids can be a powerful tool when used effectively, but can also run the risk of dominating your presentation. As a speaker, you will need to consider your audience and how the portrayal of images, text, graphic, animated sequences, or sound files will contribute or detract from your presentation. Here is a brief list of hints to keep in mind as you prepare your presentation.

• Keep visual aids simple.
• Use one key idea per slide.
• Avoid clutter, noise, and overwhelming slides.
• Use large, bold fonts that the audience can read from at least twenty feet from the screen.
• Use contrasting colors to create a dynamic effect.
• Use analogous colors to unify your presentation.
• Use clip art with permission and sparingly.
• Edit and proofread each slide with care and caution.
• Use copies of your visuals available as handouts after your presentation.
• Check the presentation room beforehand.
• With a PowerPoint presentation, or any presentation involving technology, have a backup plan, such as your visuals printed on transparencies, should unexpected equipment or interface compatibility problems arise

Becoming proficient at using visual aids takes time and practice. The more you practice before your speech, the more comfortable you will be with your visual aids and the role they serve in illustrating your message. Giving thought to where to place visual aids before speaking helps, but when the time comes to actually give your speech, make sure you reassess your plans and ensure that they work for the audience as they should. Speaking to a visual aid (or reading it to the audience) is not an effective strategy. Know your material well enough that you refer to your visual aids, not rely on them.

Key Takeaway

Strategically chosen visual aids will serve to illustrate, complement, and reinforce your verbal message.

• Look at the picture of the blankets above. Write copy for the left part of the slide and decide what colors would best complement the message. Share your results with the class.
• Create your own presentation of three to five slides with no less than three images and three words per slide. Share the results with the class.
• Explore PowerPoint or a similar slideware program and find your favorite feature. Write a series of steps on how to access and use it. Share your results with the class.
• Create a slide presentation that defines and explains your favorite feature in the program and include at least one point on its advantage for the audience. Share the results with the class.

Kostelnick, C., & Roberts, D. (1998). Designing visual language: Strategies for professional communicators . Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

McLean, S. (2003). The basics of speech communication . Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Business Communication for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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14 effective presentation tips to impress your audience

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera July 15, 2022

An effective presentation can communicate key ideas and opinions, save time, and contribute to your overall success as a business, but good presentation skills don’t come naturally to everyone. In this blog post, you’ll find 14 effective presentation tips you can implement in your next presentation to make it a success. 

Whether you’re preparing for an important presentation at work or school, or you’re looking for ways to generally improve your presentation skills, you’ll find these presentation tips useful. We’ve gathered a list to help you impress your audience from the get-go. You’ll find tips for creating and presenting your slides, talking in front of an audience, and other effective presentation techniques to help you stand out. 

Most common presentation mistakes

Before we list our top effective presentation tips, let’s explore the most common presentation mistakes. If you’ve made one or more mistakes in this list, you’re not alone. Most people have made at least one mistake. However, what’s important is to be aware of these errors and try avoiding them next time.

#1 A poor start

One of the most common mistakes people make is undermining the importance of the first few minutes or seconds of their presentation. 

Let’s say you’ve practiced your key talking points meticulously and gone over your slides a million times, but when you’re in the spotlight and need to say your first line, do you know exactly what to say to wow the audience? 

The start of your presentation is crucial. Not only because how you start sets the tone for the rest of your presentation, but also because people generally require around 8 seconds to decide whether they find the subject interesting enough to keep listening. Starting your presentation with a captivating intro is even more important than you think. To ensure you start off right, read our guide on how to start your presentation . 

#2 Lack of preparation

Yes, even though it’s clear that you should prepare before giving a presentation, it’s still a common mistake amongst presenters. Preparing content and talking points is an obvious start, but there are other steps that you might be overlooking.

Before you even join a meeting or walk into a room where you’re going to present, consider the technical requirements and get familiar with the equipment. If you’re presenting online, make sure to test-run your presentation and the visual aids you’re going to use. The last thing you want is a broken video link, poor audio, or a weak connection when you’re presenting. 

Also, consider the questions your audience might want to ask you about the topic. Think about how you’d answer those questions, or do even further research to really impress the audience with your answers. 

Explore other ways to prepare for a presentation to feel even more confident when presenting.

#3 Losing track of time

It’s great to feel passionate about your topic. However, you’ll have to consider your audience’s level of interest and knowledge. Some details might seem fascinating to you, and you’d like to talk about them for hours, but for your audience, too much information will drain their energy and lose their attention. 

Therefore, make sure to keep track of time. Also, consider your audience’s interests. A concise presentation is always better than a long one with a ton of information. Plus, you’ll have a higher chance of keeping your audience’s attention throughout the presentation. 

Effective presentation tips

Now that we’ve looked at some of the most common presentation mistakes – let’s dive into effective presentation tips that’ll help you excel in future presentations. 

#1 Tell a story

Stories connect, inspire, and empower people. Telling a story can entice action, help understand an idea, and make people feel connected to the storyteller. It’s also one of the most effective presentation tips. A study by organizational psychologist Peg Neuhauser found that a well-told story is easier to remember than facts, which makes it a highly effective learning technique. 

With that in mind, telling a story when you’re presenting can engage your audience and make it a more memorable experience. You can either share a personal story or a historical event, just make sure to have a clear connection between the story and the topic you’re presenting. 

#2 Work on your body language

Body language can make a huge difference in how your presentation is perceived. It’s one of the presentation tips you definitely shouldn’t overlook. 

Body language says a lot about a person’s confidence level, emotions, state of mind, and even credibility. For the audience, it’s a way to understand what the person is saying and how interested they are in the topic. 

Therefore, work on your body language to better convey the message you’re trying to communicate. Practice in front of a mirror before your presentation and be conscious of your hand gestures and facial expressions. 

#3 Understand your audience

Before crafting your presentation, you must know who you’re speaking to. Understanding the interests, demographics, professional background, and other valuable information of your audience is crucial in making your speech successful. 

If you’re speaking at an event, contact the organizers to get more information about other speakers and the audience. If you’re presenting at work, you may already know your audience fairly well. Use this information to your advantage and create content you know they’ll resonate with.

#4 Use high-quality visuals

What’s one of the most effective presentation techniques? Use of visuals. They play a crucial role in your presentation. However, only high-quality visuals will make a good impression and effectively communicate your message. Use high-quality visuals like images, videos, graphs, maps, and others to really land your point. 

Using visuals is a great way to convey your ideas as they’re easier to process than text. If you’re not sure where to find great visuals, check out our blog post on presentation visuals for five free resources.

P.S. the Prezi library holds a variety of images, videos, GIFs, stickers, and other visuals, including different charts and maps to spice up your presentation. It’s all available in your dashboard .

#5 Use data visualizations

Do you want to showcase statistics or other datasets in your presentation? Use data visualizations to make your data stand out and impress your audience. 

There’s nothing more boring than a bunch of data presented in a flat way. If you want to tell a story with your data, use interactive infographics or slides enriched with eye-catching visuals. Showcasing data will make your ideas appear more trustworthy and credible. 

Prezi Design offers a range of templates to choose from. You can start creating data visualizations from scratch or choose a template and edit the data there. 

#6 Make it engaging with interactive elements

It’s not easy to deliver an engaging presentation. People can easily get distracted or try to multitask, especially in the virtual environment. Sometimes, it’s difficult to focus on the speaker and the written text. Other times, the content just isn’t impressive enough to hold the audience’s attention. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

You can make your presentation more engaging for everyone by including interactive content like graphs and charts. With interactive data visualizations, you’ll make the data discovery process more engaging and exciting for your audience. 

Your audience will be able to hover over data points and click on certain icons or datasets to discover information on their own. Interactive visualizations will make the presentation more memorable and impressive. 

As you can see in the example below, you can discover different data by engaging with the infographic. 

#7 Stay consistent with fonts and color styles

You want your presentation to look visually appealing and highlight essential information. To make that happen, stay consistent with font styles and color schemes throughout your presentation. 

Use one or two fonts max to make the text easy to read and understand. Also, use a carefully selected color scheme that’s not too distracting. If you’re using Prezi Design, you can easily copy and paste styles by right-clicking on your data visualizations and selecting “copy styles.” This makes it easier to stay consistent and saves time when picking matching colors. 

#8 Structure your presentation properly

Before creating your presentation, think about its structure. What’s the main idea you want to convey? Use that as your starting point, and only include information that adds value to the narrative. 

Plan out the first topics carefully to properly introduce your argument. Add the essential information in the middle part of your presentation. Lastly, close your presentation with a summary of the main points and leave your audience with an afterthought. Also, plan when you’re taking questions and for how long. 

For more insight, watch this tutorial on how to structure your presentation:

#9 Practice your public speaking skills

Public speaking may not be your forte, but you can get better with practice. Don’t decline a great opportunity to share your ideas with a larger audience just because you feel nervous speaking in front of a group of people. 

One of the best ways to improve your public speaking skills is to practice in front of your family or friends – people you feel comfortable with. Also, focus on the topic you’re presenting and get excited about the idea you want to convey. This way you’ll appear more confident and feel less nervous about public speaking. 

Explore other public speaking tips from Jessica Chen, the founder, and CEO of Soulcast Media: 

#10 Show your slides next to you on-screen

If you’re presenting on Zoom or in a virtual meeting , think twice before you share your screen. The days of hiding behind slides are over. People want to see and connect with other people, not sit through another run-of-the-mill screen share. To do that, use Prezi Video to showcase all your content right next to you in your video feed. 

As a result, your presentation will look more engaging than a traditional virtual presentation . Also, your audience will have the chance to read your body language and follow along with what you’re saying even better. 

If you already have your slides prepared, don’t worry – you can easily integrate them into Prezi. 

See Prezi Video in action and check out our video templates to get started.

#11 Calm down before presenting

Being in front of an audience can feel nerve-racking. However, there are ways to calm down before presenting that will make you feel more centered and confident. The last thing you want is all your hard work to go to waste just because of stress. 

Try breathing exercises or a five-minute guided meditation before presenting. The trick is to remove all distractions and focus on the present moment so you’re not overthinking right before starting your presentation. Also, be fully prepared and know exactly what to say and when which will help you feel more collected. If you want to discover other ways to feel and look more confident, read how not to be nervous before a presentation . 

#12 Use transitions and animations 

Add movement to your slides with transitions and animations. You’ll make your presentation more visually appealing and engaging. However, be careful not to overwhelm your audience with your choice of transitions and animations. 

Choose a transition that matches your presentation visually and use it throughout your presentation. Consider what animations will be relevant to your audience and select a few to add to your slides. Don’t overdo it. Keep the focus on the message you’re trying to convey, and use animations to only support that message. 

#13 Be enthusiastic 

When you’re in a room with a positive and enthusiastic person, you can’t help but feel uplifted as well. High-energy people have this effect on others. Most importantly, a lot of people tend to mimic people’s behavior and mirror their energy when they feel a connection or relate to them. That’s called the chameleon effect . 

When you’re presenting, you want your audience to feel curious about what you’re presenting. You may also want to leave your audience feeling uplifted, interested to know more, or inspired. To have that effect on others, try to convey those emotions when presenting. Practice your speech, slow down your narration at times, or take a pause after you’ve delivered a statement, and use different presentation techniques to present your project and really drive your points home. 

#14 End your presentation in a memorable way

The first few minutes of your presentation are crucial for captivating your audience’s attention. However, don’t underestimate the importance of ending your presentation as powerfully as you started it. 

The way you end your presentation will play a crucial part in how your audience will remember it. You want to make a memorable impression by closing your presentation with a summarizing statement, a rhetorical question, a call to action, or another impactful way. Discover 10 ways you can end your presentation in our guide.  

There are a lot of factors to consider when creating and delivering a presentation. You want your slides to look professional and visually appealing while conveying your main points. You also want to look and sound confident even if you’re nervous about public speaking. Whatever your concerns may be, remember that preparation is essential. Practice and dedication are the keys to giving a successful presentation . Make sure to follow these effective presentation tips to excel in your future presentations. If you’re interested in creating a captivating presentation with Prezi, contact us to learn more or try it for free . 

Elevating presentations with Prezi AI

Embrace the innovation of Prezi to bring your presentations to life. With its unique platform, Prezi AI offers more than just visually appealing templates; it provides an immersive narrative experience, engaging your audience with a story-driven approach. By integrating Prezi AI , our platform’s capabilities are further enhanced, offering intelligent design suggestions and optimizing content layouts to ensure your presentations are not only beautiful but impactful. This integration is a perfect example of effective presentation techniques in action, using technology to create a more engaging presentation.

Interactive elements: transforming passive listening into active engagement

Prezi revolutionizes the way information is presented by incorporating interactive elements that invite audience participation. With Prezi AI, these features become even more accessible, suggesting ways to make your presentation more engaging through clickable areas, zoomable images, and dynamic visualizations. This level of interaction encourages exploration, making your message more memorable and transforming a standard presentation into an effective presentation.

Adding a personal touch in digital presentation with video

Prezi Video stands out by seamlessly integrating your content alongside your video feed, bridging the gap between traditional presentations and personal engagement. This feature is crucial for those looking to follow presentation tips that emphasize the importance of connecting with your audience on a more personal level. Prezi AI enhances this experience, ensuring your content is displayed in the most effective way possible, making your virtual presentations feel as though you’re directly conversing with your audience.

Mastering presentation artistry with Prezi

The journey to becoming a skilled presenter involves continuously refining your approach and embracing tools that elevate your ability to communicate effectively. Prezi, enriched with Prezi AI, is one such tool that transforms ordinary presentations into captivating experiences. By leveraging these advanced features, you can deliver presentations that are successful, memorable, and truly unforgettable, embodying the essence of tips for presentation mastery.

Whether you’re an experienced speaker or preparing for your first presentation, Prezi equips you with the tools to succeed. Engage your audience, tell compelling stories, and deliver your message with confidence and creativity. Following effective presentation tips and exploring how Prezi AI can transform your next presentation is a step towards mastering the art of impactful communication. Delve into the features and begin your journey to presentation mastery today.

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Nine questions to ask before you open your mouth.

When preparing a presentation, we all remember to think about the basics: what you want to say, the data you need to back it up, any visuals that might help. But what about the people you’re presenting to? The following excerpt from the book Presentations   will help you better understand your audience and cater your message to their needs.

• This story is by the staff at Harvard Business Review.

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15 Expert Tips for Giving a Powerful Business Presentation

Written by: Mahnoor Sheikh

A powerful business presentation is much more than just a bunch of nice-looking slides.

Whether you’re presenting to venture capitalists, senior management or potential customers, you need to make a great first impression and stand out from the dozens of other speakers they’ll encounter.

For some people, presenting in front of even a handful of listeners can be a nightmare. And when it's a room full of important business folks, like investors or your boss, things get even worse.

If that sounds like you, don't worry. We have a way to calm your nerves and bring back your confidence.

In this post, you'll find 15 expert tips to help you deliver an unforgettable business presentation.

Ready to create your business presentation? Our presentation maker can help you create a professional slide deck quickly and easily using ready-made templates.

1 Know your material.

Before you can convince anyone else, you need to be completely sold on your idea or product. It’s important that you know the points you are making, inside and out.

When you present before an audience, you’ll likely be using visual aids, notes and/or slides. While these tools can help, make sure they aren’t the sum of your expertise.

These are only tools to aid you in your ability to communicate.

Don't rely on them too much or you’ll come across as unsure and boring. Your knowledge of your subject should be beyond your cue-cards so that you can effectively answer any questions that crop up.

You need to inspire confidence. If you bring up a point that is on your slide, back it up with statistics that you’ve encountered or quotes that relate to your topic.

2 Be enthusiastic.

Believe me, vibes matter.

No one wants to hear you drone on about a subject you don’t care for. If you’re tired and bored of your own presentation, your audience is probably feeling the same way.

Anyone listening to you should know how passionate you are about the subject. This will be very apparent in your body language , like the way you speak, make eye contact and walk around on the stage.

Harvard professor Amy Cuddy studies how body postures can communicate power.

Before her highly successful TED talk, she spent time striding, standing tall and extending her body. These movements got her into the zone of feeling powerful and passionate.

It’s also important that you properly energize yourself before a business presentation.

Do some warm-up exercises, like stretching or vocal exercises.

Check out this video on vocal exercises to practice before an important speech or presentation:

You can also do other things that get you focused and energized. Go through inspirational quotes or listen to music. Make sure you’ve drunk enough water and keep a bottle with you during your presentation.

3 Arrive early to set up.

One of the things that can mess up your business presentation is not being familiar with the space you’ll be speaking in. Make sure you arrive at your venue at least an hour in advance.

Set up anything you’ll need , like a projector, laptop or speakers.

If the venue already has all the equipment set up, make sure everything is compatible and working fine. Transfer any files from your USB or download them off of your email or cloud.

Next, check if there are any impediments to your being heard or seen.

Sit at different locations in the audience area to make sure the stage is visible, and the speaker can be heard at the very back. This will help you assess how loud you should be.

Check to see if the projection is visible in the lighting you have, and adjust the lights accordingly.

Another big advantage of arriving early is that you get to meet and greet some of your audience members. This will help you feel more confident on stage as you’ve already broken some of the ice .

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4 Be comfortable with your own self.

You’ve prepped well, you know your stuff inside-out and your visual aids are ready. The next big questions are: What should you wear? How should you act?

It can be tricky deciding what to wear to give a killer business presentation, but your look will likely depend upon your comfort and who your audience is.

Lauren McGoodwin, founder and CEO of Career Contessa, recommends :

“When dressing for a presentation, it’s important to wear something you’re comfortable in, and something that makes you feel confident.”

She also says that you should wear something that allows you to move and gesture freely.

But regardless of what you wear, it’s important to be your best self.

Many people are nervous speaking in front of an audience, so rehearse beforehand and have a friend, colleague or any objective observer monitor you.

If you come across as jittery—always shifting your weight from one leg to another, moving your hands too much, shaking, etc—it’s a good idea to take a note of all that and work at establishing a firm presence on stage before your big day.

How you act also depends upon your personality.

Adopt your natural position. If you’re comfortable standing in place, don’t force yourself to stride across the stage. If your voice is gentle, no need to yell, just get a microphone.

Keep your everyday demeanor and bring out the best you.

5 Open strong.

We live in an era where audiences have low attention spans and expect to be entertained. Start your business presentation with a bang so as to set the tone for the rest of your presentation.

You could start off with a statistic that shocks the audience into sitting up and taking note or with a quote that instantly makes them listen.

Don’t forget to put them at ease by reassuring them: “I know you may be wondering…”, “…that fact may seem shocking, but research backs it up because…” etc.

You could also start with an interesting image , an attention-grabbing video or a touching personal story.

Remember, first impressions are everything.

You need to convey to your audience that your business presentation will be worth their while and not just a run-of-the-mill lecture where you dispiritedly talk at them.

6 Set goals for your business presentation.

At the very beginning of your presentation, lay out the goals you hope to meet during your time on stage. This tells the audience why they should listen to you and what they have to gain from paying attention.

As these goals are met, both you and your audience will feel a sense of purpose and achievement at effective communication. Here's a customizable presentation slide template in Visme for goals.

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Your audience will be more likely to remain tuned in if they can see the objectives of the presentation being fulfilled and this in turn will make them more likely to deem your talk a ‘success’.

These goals will also help your audience remember crucial points of your business presentation, which will ensure that you have a productive Q&A session.

7 Tell a story.

Stories connect with people much more than statistics, academic points or even quotations do.

A story can be personal, of course, but it can also be the story of a brand or even a story about consumers.

Steve Jobs was a great corporate storyteller and he shone at every Apple product launch presentation. Check out this video of Jobs presenting at the launch of the iPhone in 2007.

Steve Jobs framed his company’s new innovations in terms of stories of revolution. Macintosh “changed the whole computer industry” and the iPod “changed the whole music industry”.

These were stories of change that brought the product, the consumer, and the exciting time they were living in all together—it made the audience go on a journey.

You can work in a similar way by highlighting the problems (the villain) and how your product, business or idea (the hero) will lead your audience closer to a solution. Telling stories can make your business seem like part of a grand narrative that your audience wants to become a part of.

Then, of course, there are personal stories. These usually appear at the beginning, but a good presentation makes effective use of them throughout.

Tell your audience how you got to where you are, and what makes you believe in your business.

Remember to keep it short, but interesting.

The goal is to establish an emotional connection with your audience so your message hits home. Don’t overdo it or deviate from your actual point.

If you’re looking for more storytelling techniques to incorporate into your presentation, check out this Visme video on presentation structures used by top TED speakers:

8 Interact with your audience.

A business presentation can get boring and sleep-inducing real fast if you just talk “at” your audience instead of talking to them.

Turn your presentation into a conversation by involving your audience in the discussion. Ask them questions, take their feedback and connect with them via anecdotes (“I know we’ve all felt this way”.)

You can also get them to sit up and work with you. For example, they could be asked to raise their hands if they agree during certain points of the presentation.

Interacting with your audience during your business presentation will help prevent the dreaded “ death by PowerPoint ” and keep them wide awake and attentive.

9 Use visual aids.

Visuals help people retain information for longer periods of time, so use them generously throughout your presentation to make sure your message hits home.

And no, visual aids don’t necessarily mean boring PowerPoint slides.

Pictures, videos and art are also great mediums to get your points across and intrigue the audience. Visual flowcharts can help summarize complex topics.

And if you really do want to use presentation slides, use a tool like Visme to create ones that look professional and stand out from the rest. Check out these editable business presentation templates .

Use data visualization, like bar graphs, pie charts and more to make numbers look interesting.

Visme lets you create over 15 different types of graphs and tons of data widgets, like progress bars and radials, for your business presentation. You can also tap into the flowchart maker, array maker, map engine and other tools to help you visualize information. Here's a sneak peek at how it works:

As for the slides, make sure you don’t stuff them with text.

If you put bullets up on the screen, make sure they are visible and condensed. No one wants to see entire paragraphs up there when you’re talking to them at the same time.

A quote or two is fine, but don’t overdo it.

10 Add some business-friendly humor.

During long presentations, there is nothing more relaxing than a speaker who can make you laugh.

If you just keep talking in a serious tone, it’ll seem like you’re droning on. A friendly, conversational style and light jokes can make sure that you retain your audience’s attention.

But remember, this is a business presentation. Don’t go overboard with comedy or your audience won’t take you or your presentation seriously.

We recommend using humor only if you’re naturally good at. If not, don’t force it.

11 Make startling statements.

Every once in a while, shock your audience into sitting up and focusing.

Challenge their existing beliefs with solid knowledge and statistics. While a startling fact or statistic can be a great way to begin a presentation, it is also important to use these statements throughout.

Don't overdo it so it loses its appeal, but around thrice during an hour-long presentation should be good.

12 Remember the 10-20-30 rule.

Venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki came up with this handy presentation rule in 2005 .

Here’s an infographic that sums it up:

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Kawasaki sat through many, many bad presentations and figured out this rule to make sure presentations stop being so repetitive and boring.

10 slides give presenters an ample amount of space to summarize their argument. Any more information and the audience is likely to lose focus and doze off.

20 minutes is how long the average person can pay attention without losing his mind wandering. Kawasaki says that, in an ideal world, the last 40 minutes of the presenter’s hour will be utilized in a Q&A session.

A font size of 30 points means that everyone can read a presentation, even from the back of the room, and the presenter is forced to put minimal text up on the screen.

Keep in mind that Kawasaki is talking about a specific situation, a pitch for a room full of venture capitalists.

While his points can be generalized, a business owner may also find themselves in a situation where they aren’t perfectly applicable. It would be good to revise them slightly in different situations.

13 Make eye contact and smile.

You don’t have to stand there and speak like a machine. Your audience will respond better to the presentation if you personalize your interactions with them.

Make sure you meet the eyes of multiple members of the audience so that they feel like you are paying attention to them individually.

Eye contact can reassure your audience that you value their time and are grateful for their presence and it can also drive home the message that you are confident in your pitch.

Smile at audience members when you meet their eyes! If you’re nervous, locate five or six friendly faces in the crowd and keep coming back to them for encouragement.

14 Be prepared for tough questions.

Don’t underestimate the power of the Q&A session!

Your answers can make or break your business presentation. A good presenter knows their material completely and is ready to face difficult questions.

Here's an editable presentation slide template in Visme for Q&A sessions:

Remember, people will trust in you and your business venture if they are sure you know what you’re doing.

If you’ve ended your presentation on an awkward silence, ask some questions yourself and use language that makes it apparent that you know the concerns of your audience.

Start with phrases like “Now, you may be wondering if…”. This sets the crowd at ease and allows them to comfortably voice their concerns.

15 Close on a high.

It is very important to have a closing note after the Q&A session. You shouldn’t need a slide for this part, but you can use one if you want.

The way you conclude your presentation should be powerful and ensure that the audience remembers you. Like your opening, you can end with a personal story or quotation. Or remind them about the goals and summarize the main points quickly.

Make sure the end is euphoric and shows that your ideas can achieve success. This will ensure that your listeners place their confidence in you and leave feeling satisfied and uplifted.

Make Your Business Presentation a Success

The secret to giving a successful business presentation is putting your heart and soul into connecting with your audience and truly showing them the value in your ideas.

This list of professional tips can empower you in small ways, leading to big outcomes.

If you’re already feeling pumped about your next business presentation, create one that doubles your impact using Visme’s presentation maker .

Sign up for a free account today and take it for a test drive!

What do you struggle with the most when it comes to giving business presentations? Let us know your thoughts, questions and feedback in the comments below.

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About the Author

Mahnoor Sheikh is the content marketing manager at Visme. She has years of experience in content strategy and execution, SEO copywriting and graphic design. She is also the founder of MASH Content and is passionate about tea, kittens and traveling with her husband. Get in touch with her on LinkedIn .

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Chapter 18: Business Presentations

Venecia Williams and Olds College

Learning Objectives

• Understand how to use effective interpersonal communication skills in professional presentations
• Learn how to organize a presentation
• Examine how to use visual aids effectively
• Discuss the effective integration of communication and presentation techniques in the delivery of professional presentations

Along with good writing skills, the ability to communicate verbally is vital to many employers today. It is an integral part of the modern business world. People in the workplace spend the majority of their time communicating. Verbal communication in the workplace takes many forms such as staff meetings, discussions, speeches, presentations, informal conversations, and telephone and video conferences. Communicating verbally is more personal and flexible than writing. It allows workers to exchange ideas, information, and feedback more quickly. Verbal communication tends to occur in person, making it easier to negotiate, express emotions, outline expectations, and build trust, all of which are important in today’s workplace. Communication can also occur between people who are not together in person. In these situations, unique skills are necessary to achieve success. Simple conversation skills are also valued in the workplace, but this does not mean using casual or informal language. Rather, what is prized by many employers is the ability to communicate important information professionally but in a meaningful and understandable way. This can be important when making spontaneous presentations as well as more elaborate formal group presentations, which are a part of many work roles today.

What Makes a Successful Speaker?

According to longtime Toastmasters member Bob Kienzle, there are a few key elements that tend to make a successful speaker:

• Voice : Can the person be easily understood?
• Body Language : Does their body support what they’re saying? Are they confident?
• Coherent Structure: Does what they’re presenting make sense? Is it logical?
• Enthusiasm : Do they care about what they’re presenting?
• Expertise: Do they know what they’re talking about? Are they credible?
• Practice : If they haven’t practised or sufficiently prepared, it will likely show up in one or more of the above.

A successful speaker can be inspired by other speeches or speakers but may fall flat if they try to copy someone else. Authenticity and passion can resonate so much with an audience that it can outweigh elements otherwise considered pitfalls. The techniques, tools, and best practices are a guideline, and it’s important to note there is no such thing as “perfection” in public speaking. “Failure” can happen in myriad ways, but it’s more helpful to see them as learning opportunities, or opportunities to make a stronger connection to your audience. The biggest failure, according to Kienzle, is to pass up opportunities to practise your skills in presenting or public speaking.

Preparing a Presentation

Develop your message while keeping in mind the format, audience, style , and tone . First, you’ll need to think about the format of your presentation. This is a choice between presentation types. In your professional life, you’ll encounter the verbal communication channels in Figure 18.1. The purpose column labels each channel with a purpose (I=Inform, P=Persuade, or E=Entertain) depending on that channel’s most likely purpose.

Figure 18.1 | Presentation Communication Channels

There are some other considerations to make when you are selecting a format. For example, the number of speakers may influence the format you choose. Panels and Presentations may have more than one speaker. In Meetings and Teleconferences, multiple people will converse. In a Workshop setting, one person will usually lead the event, but there is often a high-level of collaboration between participants. The location of participants will also influence your decision. For example, if participants cannot all be in the same room, you might choose a teleconference or webinar. If asynchronous delivery is important, you might record a podcast. When choosing a technology-reliant channel, such as a teleconference or webinar, be sure to test your equipment and make sure each participant has access to any materials they need before you begin.

Once you have chosen a format, make sure your message is right for your audience. You’ll need to think about issues such as the following:

• What expectations will the audience have?
• What is the context of your communication?
• What does the audience already know about the topic?
• How is the audience likely to react to you and your message?

Next, you’ll consider the style of your presentation. Analyze your specific presentation styles. Perhaps you prefer to present formally, limiting your interaction with the audience, or perhaps you prefer a more conversational, informal style, where discussion is a key element. You may prefer to cover serious subjects, or perhaps you enjoy delivering humorous speeches. Style is all about your personality!

Finally, you’ll select a tone for your presentation. Your voice, body language, level of self-confidence, dress, and use of space all contribute to the mood that your message takes on. Consider how you want your audience to feel when they leave your presentation and approach it with that mood in mind.

Presentation Purpose

Your presentation will have a general and specific purpose. Your general purpose may be to inform, persuade, or entertain. It’s likely that any speech you develop will have a combination of these goals. Most presentations have a little bit of entertainment value, even if they are primarily attempting to inform or persuade. For example, the speaker might begin with a joke or dramatic opening, even though their speech is primarily informational. Your specific purpose addresses what you are going to inform, persuade, or entertain your audience with the main topic of your speech.

Incorporating Backchannels

Technology has given speakers new ways to engage with an audience in real-time, and these can be particularly useful when it isn’t practical for the audience to share their thoughts verbally—for example, when the audience is very large, or when they are not all in the same location. These secondary or additional means of interacting with your audience are called backchannels, and you might decide to incorporate one into your presentation, depending on your aims. They can be helpful for engaging more introverted members of the audience who may not be comfortable speaking out verbally in a large group. Using publicly accessible social networks, such as a Facebook Page or Twitter feed, can also help to spread your message to a wider audience, as audience members share posts related to your speech with their networks. Because of this, backchannels are often incorporated into conferences; they are helpful in marketing the conference and its speakers both during and after the event.

Developing the Content

As with any type of messaging, it helps if you create an outline of your speech or presentation before you create it fully. This ensures that each element is in the right place and gives you a place to start to avoid the dreaded blank page. Figure 18.2 is an outline template that you can adapt for your purpose. Replace the placeholders in the Content column with your ideas or points.

Figure `18.2 | Presentation Outline

Introduction

The beginning of your speech needs an attention-grabber to get your audience interested right away. Choose your attention-grabbing device based on what works best for your topic. Your entire introduction should only be around 10 to 15 percent of your total speech, so be sure to keep this section short. Here are some devices that you could try:

After the attention-getter comes the rest of your introduction. It needs to do the following:

• Capture the audience’s interest
• State the purpose of your speech
• Establish credibility
• Give the audience a reason to listen
• Signpost the main ideas

Once you have identified an attention-getting, it is time to develop the body of your presentation or speech. In your body, you will focus on the specific points you would like to communicate to your audience.

Rhetoric and Argument:  Your audience will think to themselves, Why should I listen to this speech? What’s in it for me? One of the best things you can do as a speaker is to answer these questions early in your body, if you haven’t already done so in your introduction. This will serve to gain their support early and will fill in the blanks of who, what, when, where, why, and how in their minds.

Organization: An organized body helps your audience to follow your speech and recall your points later. When developing the body of your speech, recall the specific purpose you decided on, then choose main points to support it. Just two or three main points are usually sufficient, depending on the length of your speech. Anticipate one main point per two to three minutes of speaking.

Concluding on a High Note

You’ll need to keep your energy up until the very end of your speech. In your conclusion, your job is to let the audience know you are finished, help them remember what you’ve told them, and leave them with a final thought or call-to-action, depending on the general purpose of your message.

Presentation Aids

Presentations can be enhanced by the effective use of visual aids. These include handouts, overhead transparencies, drawings on the whiteboard, PowerPoint slides, and many other types of props. Once you have chosen a topic, consider how you are going to show your audience what you are talking about. Visuals can provide a reference, illustration, or image to help the audience to understand and remember your point.

Visual aids accomplish several goals:

• Make your speech more interesting
• Enhance your credibility as a speaker
• Guide transitions, helping the audience stay on track
• Communicate complex information in a short time
• Reinforce your message
• Encourage retention

Methods and Materials

There are many different presentation aids available. Before you decide on a presentation aid, think carefully about how you plan on using it and how it will enhance your presentation.

Using Visual Aids

Visual aids can be a powerful tool when used effectively but can run the risk of dominating your presentation. Consider your audience and how the portrayal of images, text, graphic, animated sequences, or sound files will contribute or detract from your presentation. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you prepare yours.

Designing Slide Decks

When you design your slide decks, you might be overwhelmed by the possibilities, and you might be tempted to use all the bells, whistles, and sounds, not to mention the flying, and animated graphics. If used wisely, a simple transition can be effective, but if used indiscriminately, it can annoy the audience to the point where they cringe in anticipation of the sound effect at the start of each slide.

Stick to one main idea per slide. The presentation is for the audience’s benefit, not yours. Pictures and images can be understood more quickly and easily than text, so you can use this to your advantage as you present.

If you develop a slide deck for your presentation, test these out in the location beforehand, not just on your own computer screen, as different computers and software versions can make your slides look different than you expected. Allow time for revision based on what you learn.

Your visual aids should meet the following criteria:

• Big: legible for everyone, even the back row
• Clear: easy for audience to understand
• Simple: simplify concepts rather than complicating them
• Consistent: use the same visual style throughout

In Figure 18.3 the slide deck on the left has a colour combination which makes the information difficult to understand. The list is not parallel and the slide contains a grammatical error. The slide deck on the right is an improved and more professional version.

Another consideration that you’ll need to make when designing your slide decks is font. As previously mentioned, think about the people at the back of the room when choosing the size of your text, to make sure it can be read by everyone. A common mistake that presenters make is to use decorative fonts or to incorporate many different fonts in their slides. This not only creates a mixed message for the audience but also makes your message difficult to read. Choose legible, common fonts that do not have thin elements that may be difficult to see.

When considering your choice of colours to use, legibility must be your priority. Contrast can help the audience read your key terms more easily. Make sure the background colour and the images you plan to use complement each other. Repeat colours, from your graphics to your text, to help unify each slide. To reduce visual noise, try not to use more than two or three colours. Blue-green colour blindness, and red-green colour blindness are fairly common, so avoid using these colour combinations if it is important for the audience to differentiate between them. If you are using a pie chart, for example, avoid putting a blue segment next to a green one. Use labelling so that even if someone is colour blind, they will be able to tell the relative sizes of the pie segments and what they signify.

Colour is also a matter of culture. Some colours may be perceived as formal or informal, or masculine or feminine. Certain colours have understood meanings; for example, red is usually associated with danger, while green signals “go.” Make sure the colours you use align with your message. If you are discussing climate change or the natural world, for example, you’d be more likely to use blues and greens rather than metallic colours to avoid confusing the audience.

Once you have prepared your visual aid, do not forget to revise. There is nothing more uncomfortable than seeing a typo or grammatical error on your screen in the middle of your presentation. These errors can create a bad impression and affect your credibility with the audience. You want your audience to focus on your message so be sure to revise to maintain the audience’s attention and keep your credibility.

Preparing to Present

You are almost ready to deliver your presentation. What are some final elements you can focus on to ensure a smooth delivery?

To deliver your presentation to the best of your ability, and to reduce your nerves once you take the stage, you need to practise by rehearsing. As you do, try to identify the weaknesses in your delivery to improve on them. For example, do you often misspeak the same words (e.g., pacific for specific; ax for ask) or do your hands or feet fidget? Use your practice time to focus on correcting these issues. These sessions should help you get comfortable and help you remember what you want to say without having to constantly refer to notes. Try practising in front of a mirror, or even recording yourself speaking to a camera and playing it back. It’s also helpful to get feedback from a supportive audience at this stage. Perhaps a few family members or friends could watch you give your presentation and provide some feedback.

Dress for Success

While there are no definitive guidelines for how you should dress for your presentation, your appearance is an important part of your audience’s first impression. If you want them to take you seriously, you’ll need to look the part. While you don’t have to wear a suit each time you present, there are some scenarios where this would be expected; for example, if you are presenting to a corporate audience who wear suits to work, you should do the same. You should dress one step above your audience. If your audience is going to be dressed casually in shorts and jeans, then wear nice casual clothing such as a pair of pressed slacks and a collared shirt or blouse. If your audience is going to be wearing business casual attire, then you should wear a dress or a suit. The general rule is to avoid any distractions in your appearance that can distract your audience’s attention from your message.

Set Up Your Environment

Depending on the circumstances of your speech or presentation, you may have some choices to make about the environment. Perhaps you have a choice of meeting rooms that you can use, or, perhaps you have only one option. If you have some flexibility, it is helpful to think about what sort of environment would best help you get your message across. For example, if you are running a workshop, you might want to assemble participants in a circle to encourage collaboration and discussion. If you are holding a webinar, you’ll need a quiet location with a strong Internet connection and a computer system. It is imperative that you think about what facilities you need well before the day of your presentation arrives. Arriving to find that the equipment you expected isn’t available is not a nice surprise for even the most experienced speaker!

If you have access to the location beforehand, you may need to move tables or chairs around to get things just the way you want them. You might choose to have a podium brought in, if you are aiming for a formal feel, for example, or you may need to position your flip chart. Double-check that you have all the equipment you need, from whiteboard markers to speakers. It is far better if you can get comfortable with the room before your audience arrives, as this will make you feel more prepared and less nervous.

If you are using technology to support your presentation (i.e., PowerPoint slides or a projector), test everything before you begin. Do a microphone check and test its volume, view your slides on the computer you will be using, check any weblinks, play videos to test their sound, or make a call to test the phone connection prior to your teleconference. Your audience will get restless quickly if they arrive and are expected to wait while you fix a technical problem. This will also make you seem disorganized and hurt your credibility as an authoritative speaker.

During the Presentation

You’ve organized your presentation with great visuals and you are ready to present. You now have to deliver your presentation. How do you effectively deliver your presentation calmly and clearly?

Managing Anxiety

Studies have been done to assess how nervous or stressful people typically get during presentations, by examining people’s physiological responses at three intervals: one minute before the presentation, the first minute of the speech, and the last minute of the speech. They discovered that nervousness usually peaked at the anticipation stage that occurs one minute before the presentation. They further found that as the speech progresses, nervousness tends to go down. Here are some things you can do to help you manage your anxiety before the presentation:

• Practice/rehearse in similar conditions/setting as your speech
• Be organized
• Think positively
• Analyze your audience
• Adapt your language to speaking style

During the presentation, there are four main areas where you can focus attention in order to manage your anxiety:

• Your body’s reaction
• Attention to the audience
• Keeping a sense of humour
• Common stress management techniques

Your Body’s Reaction

Physical movement helps to channel some of the excess energy that your body produces in response to anxiety. If at all possible, move around the front of the room rather than remaining behind the lectern or gripping it for dear life (avoid pacing nervously from side to side, however). Move closer to the audience and then stop for a moment. If you are afraid that moving away from the lectern will reveal your shaking hands, use note cards rather than a sheet of paper for your outline. Note cards do not quiver like paper, and they provide you with something to do with your hands. Other options include vocal warm-ups right before your speech, having water (preferably in a non-spillable bottle with a spout) nearby for dry mouth, and doing a few stretches before going on stage. Deep breathing will help to counteract the effects of excess adrenaline. You can place cues or symbols in your notes, such as “slow down” or “smile”, that remind you to pause and breathe during points in your speech. It is also a good idea to pause a moment before you get started to set an appropriate pace from the onset. Look at your audience and smile. It is a reflex for some of your audience members to smile back. Those smiles will reassure you that your audience members are friendly.

Attention to the Audience

During your speech, make a point of establishing direct eye contact with your audience members. By looking at individuals, you establish a series of one-to-one contacts similar to interpersonal communication. An audience becomes much less threatening when you think of them not as an anonymous mass but as a collection of individuals.

Keeping a Sense of Humour

No matter how well we plan, unexpected things happen. That fact is what makes the public speaking situation so interesting. If things go wrong, try to have a sense of humour and stay calm. The audience will respond better if you stay calm than if you get upset or have a breakdown.

Stress Management Techniques

Even when we use positive thinking and are well prepared, some of us still feel a great deal of anxiety about public speaking. When that is the case, it can be more helpful to use stress management than to try to make the anxiety go away. Here are two main tools that can help:

• Visualization: imagining the details of what a successful speech would look and sound like from beginning to end; a way of hypnotizing yourself into positive thinking by using your mind’s eye to make success real.
• Systematic desensitization: Gradual exposure to the thing that causes fear—in this case, giving a speech—can ultimately lead to decreased anxiety. Basically, the more practice you get speaking in front of people, the less fear and anxiety you’ll have about public speaking. Organizations like Toastmasters that help people confront their fears by providing a supportive environment to learn and practise is a good option if you have a true phobia around presenting or public speaking.

Focus on Verbal Communication Techniques

• Pitch : Use pitch inflections to make your delivery more interesting and emphatic. If you don’t change pitch at all, your delivery will be monotone, which gets boring for the audience very quickly.
• Volume : Adjust the volume of your voice to your environment and audience. If you’re in a large auditorium, speak up so that people in the back row can hear you. But if you’re in a small room with only a few people, you don’t want to alarm them by shouting!
• Emphasis : Stress certain words in your speech to add emphasis to them, that is, to indicate that they are particularly important.
• Pronunciation : Make sure that you know the appropriate pronunciation of the words you choose. If you mispronounce a word, it could hurt your credibility or confuse your audience. Your pronunciation is also influenced by your accent. If your accent is quite different from the accent you expect most members of your audience to have, practise your speech in front of someone with the same accent that your audience members will have, to ensure you are pronouncing words in a clear, understandable way.
• Fillers : Avoid the use of “fillers” as placeholders for actual words (like, er, um, uh, etc.). If you have a habit of using fillers, practise your speech thoroughly so that you remember what you want to say. This way, you are less likely to lose your place and let a filler word slip out.
• Rate : The pace that you speak at will influence how well the audience can understand you. Many people speak quickly when they are nervous. If this is a habit of yours, practice will help you here, too. Pause for breath naturally during your speech. Your speaking rate should be appropriate for your topic. A rapid, lively rate communicates enthusiasm, urgency, or humour. A slower, moderated rate conveys respect and seriousness.

Focus on Non-verbal Communication Techniques

• Gestures : You can use your hands or head to help you express an idea or meaning, or reinforce important points, but they can be distracting if overused. If the audience is busy watching your hands fly around, they will not be able to concentrate on your words.
• Facial Expression : Rehearse your speech in front of a mirror to see what facial expressions come across. If you are speaking about an upbeat topic, smile! Conversely, if your topic is serious or solemn, avoid facial expressions that are overtly cheerful, because the audience will be confused by the mixed message. In North American culture, the most important facial expression you can use is eye contact. Briefly catch the eye of audience members as you move through your speech. If you can’t look your audience members in the eye, they may view you as untrustworthy. You’ll want to avoid holding eye contact for too long with any one person, as too much can be unnerving.
• Posture : Try to stay conscious of your posture and stand up straight. This gives the audience the perception that you are authoritative and take your position seriously. If you are slouching, hunched over, or leaning on something, this gives the impression that you are anxious, lacking in credibility, or not serious about your message.
• Silence : Silence is a powerful technique if used well. Pauses are useful for emphasis and dramatic effect when you are speaking. Some speakers are reluctant to pause or use silence because they become uncomfortable with the dead air, but sometimes your audience needs a moment to process information and respond to you.
• Movement : You can use your body movements to communicate positively with the audience. Leaning in or moving closer to the audience helps to bridge the space of separation. Moving from one side of the room to the other in a purposeful way that supports your content is a useful way to keep your audience engaged; their eyes will track your movements. However, pacing rapidly with no purpose and no support to your message may quickly distract from your message.

Coping with Mistakes and Surprises

Even the most prepared speaker will encounter unexpected challenges from time to time. Here are a few strategies for combating the unexpected in your own presentations.

Speech Content Issues

What if a notecard goes missing or you skip important information from the beginning of your speech? Pause for a moment to think about what to do. Is it important to include the missing information, or can it be omitted without hindering the audience’s ability to understand your speech? If it needs to be included, does the information fit better now or in a later segment? If you can move on without the missing element, that is often the best choice, but pausing for a few seconds to decide will be less distracting to the audience than sputtering through a few “ums” and “uhs.” Situations like these demonstrate why it’s a good idea to have a glass of water with you when you speak. Pausing for a moment to take a sip of water is a perfectly natural movement, so the audience may not even notice that anything is amiss.

Technical Difficulties

Technology has become a very useful aid in public speaking, allowing us to use audio or video clips, presentation software, or direct links to websites. But it does break down occasionally! Web servers go offline, files will not download, or media contents are incompatible with the computer in the presentation room. Always have a backup plan in case of technical difficulties. As you develop your speech and visual aids, think through what you will do if you cannot show a particular graph or if your presentation slides are garbled. Your beautifully prepared chart may be superior to the verbal description you can provide. However, your ability to provide a succinct verbal description when technology fails will give your audience the information they need and keep your speech moving forward.

External Distractions

Unfortunately, one thing that you can’t control during your speech is audience etiquette, but you can decide how to react to it. Inevitably, an audience member will walk in late, a cell phone will ring, or a car alarm will go off outside. If you are interrupted by external events like these, it is often useful and sometimes necessary to pause and wait so that you can regain the audience’s attention. Whatever the event, maintain your composure. Do not get upset or angry about these glitches. If you keep your cool and quickly implement a “plan B” for moving forward, your audience will be impressed.

Reading Your Audience

Recognizing your audience’s mood by observing their body language can help you adjust your message and see who agrees with you, who doesn’t, and who is still deciding. With this information, you can direct your attention—including eye contact and questions—to the areas of the room where they can have the most impact. As the speaker, you are conscious that you are being observed. But your audience members probably don’t think of themselves as being observed, so their body language will be easy to read.

Handling Q&A

Question-and-answer sessions can be trickier to manage than the presentation itself. You can prepare for and rehearse the presentation, but audience members could ask a question you hadn’t considered or don’t know how to answer. There are three important elements to think about when incorporating Q&As as part of your presentation:

1. Audience Expectations

At the beginning of your speech, give the audience a little bit of information about who you are and what your expertise on the subject is. Once they know what you do (and what you know), it will be easier for the audience to align their questions with your area of expertise—and for you to bow out of answering questions that are outside of your area.

2. Timing of Q&As

Questions are easier to manage when you are expecting them. Unless you are part of a panel, meeting, or teleconference, it is probably easier to let the audience know that you will take questions at the end of your presentation. This way you can avoid interruptions to your speech that can distract you and cause you to lose time. If audience members interrupt during your talk, you can then ask them politely to hold on to their questions until the Q&A session at the end.

3. Knowing How to Respond

Never pretend that you know the answer to a question if you don’t. The audience will pick up on it! Instead, calmly apologize and say that the question is outside of the scope of your knowledge but that you’d be happy to find out after the presentation (or, suggest some resources where the person could find out for themselves). If you are uncertain about how to answer a question, say something like “That’s really interesting. Could you elaborate on that?” This will make the audience member feel good because they have asked an interesting question, and it will give you a moment to comprehend what they are asking. Sometimes presenters rush to answer a question because they are nervous or want to impress. Pause for a moment, before you begin your answer, to think about what you want to say. This will help you to avoid misinterpreting the question or taking offense to a question that is not intended that way.

A final tip is to be cautious about how you answer so that you don’t offend your audience. You are presenting on a topic because you are knowledgeable about it, but your audience is not. It is important not to make the audience feel inferior because there are things that they don’t know. Avoid comments such as “Oh, yes, it’s really easy to do that…” Instead, say something like “Yes, that can be tricky. I would recommend…” Also, avoid a bossy tone. For example, phrase your response with “What I find helpful is…” rather than “What you should do is…”

Good presentation skills are important to successfully communicate ideas in business. Make sure your presentation has a clear topic with relevant supporting details. Use verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to make your presentation engaging, and don’t forget to practice!

End of Chapter Activities

18a. thinking about the content.

What are your key takeaways from this chapter? What is something you have learned or something you would like to add from your experience?

18b. Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions

• How can a speaker prepare a presentation for a diverse audience? Explain and give some specific examples.
• How can an audience’s prior knowledge affect a presentation?
• Think of someone you have met but do not know very well. What kinds of conversations have you had with this person? How might you expect your conversations to change if you have more opportunities to get better acquainted? Discuss your thoughts with a classmate.
• While managing a Q&A session following a presentation, if you find yourself unable to answer a question posed by one of the audience members which tactics can you use to maintain control of the session?

18c. Applying chapter concepts to a situation

Presenting for success

Akhil works at a software development company in White Rock called Blackball Technologies. It is a medium-sized company that allows its employees to dress casually and occasionally work from home. Akhil likes this because his preference is to wear t-shirts and jeans to the office or work from home in his pyjamas.

Blackball recently created a new software program that has the potential to make a huge profit. However, they need investors to fund their latest innovation. The new software was developed using one of Akhil’s ideas; therefore, the company chooses him to present their proposal to a diverse group of investors from several countries.

Some of the investors are not fluent in English as it is their second language. Additionally, they each have a busy day ahead as they have to listen to proposals from multiple companies. Akhil fears that the investors will not understand him. He is also nervous about the presentation due to its significance to his career. If he is successful, he will get the promotion that he has wanted for the past two years and a pay raise.

What are some of the things that Akhil should consider when presenting to the investors? 

18d. Writing Activity

Watch this video from TED.com on The Secret Structure of Great Talks . Summarize the video. What is the most interesting point made by Nancy Duarte in your opinion?

Attribution

Content attribution.

This chapter contains information from Professional Communications OER by the Olds College OER Development Team used under a CC-BY 4.0 international license.

This chapter contains information from Business Communication for Success  which is adapted from a work produced and distributed under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA) in 2010 by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not receive attribution. This adapted edition is produced by the  University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing  through the  eLearning Support Initiative .

Media Attribution

Presentation icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com .

Whiteboard icon made by Phatplus from www.flaticon.com .

Handout icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com .

Demonstration icon made by Ultimatearm from www.flaticon.com .

Chapter 18: Business Presentations Copyright © 2020 by Venecia Williams and Olds College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Prepare an Impactful Business Presentation in 8 Steps

/ Steven Hobson / Business English , Confidence , English Presentations , Speaking

For non-native speakers, giving a business presentation in English can be a scary experience, especially if you don’t do it often or feel insecure about speaking English in front of others.

Over the years, I have helped a range of professionals prepare for business presentations, as well as training teachers to prepare their students for presentations when I ran my own language school in Brazil.  

During this time I constructed a very effective approach that can be used if you are preparing for a business presentation but do not have a coach or trainer t o guide you.

In this post, I’m going to share with you this proven approach which consists of 8 steps.

Step 1: The Foundation to Your Business Presentation – Goal, Audience, Past Experience

This first step is essential for a successful business presentation, as it sets the foundation for the rest of your preparation.

Ask yourself what exactly it is that you want to achieve with this presentation. In other words, what is the goal?  What do you want to communicate and how do you want the audience to react or take action?

In addition to this, consider your audience. How many people will you be presenting to? Do you know the audience personally or are they unknown to you? What will they be expecting? Are there any cultural differences you need to be aware of?  For what reasons are they listening to your business presentation?

lastly, if you have given business presentations in English before, reflect on your experience. What were your main challenges and how will you face them this time around? What improvements do you need to make?

I prepared an executive who once told me that he froze up when he was stopped to ask questions during his presentations. He was worried about whether he was going to understand the questions correctly, as well as being capable of giving a good answer under pressure.

For this, we worked on how to ask for clarification if he wanted to make sure he understood the questions, and then we wrote down all the possible questions he could get asked and rehearsed the answers.

This reflection and extra preparation helped the executive to overcome his nerves and anxiety for his next business presentation.

Step 2: Prepare the Slides with Minimum Text

One of the biggest mistakes I see people making when putting their slides together is including too much text. Or even worse, their speech is the text which is written on the slides.

If there is too much text, three damaging things can happen.

First, the presenter spends more time reading the slides and doesn’t look at the audience enough. This makes it difficult to establish a connection with your audience.

Secondly, good eye contact can communicate confidence and authority , which helps the audience to agree with or believe your message. Therefore, spending too much time looking at the slides can affect how confident or authoritative you look, which will consequently weaken your message.

Thirdly, it confuses your audience because they don’t know whether to read the slides or listen to you. Both, they cannot do. And potentially they could miss important parts, let alone diminish engagement.

So ask yourself these questions when preparing your slides: Is there too much text?  Could the slides be better summarized? Could there be more images?

The slides should really be as condensed as possible using keywords , as well as being visual.

Step 3: Record Yourself from Beginning to End

Before writing down your speech or doing any rehearsals, record yourself (audio or video) giving the business presentation from beginning to end.

Your presentation will be unpolished and rough, however, this exercise will give you some immediate and useful insights on how you present and what you need to improve.

When playing back the recording try to look out for the following:

• the parts of the presentation you are finding difficult to explain,
• if you are being objective enough or taking too long to explain something,
• how often you use filler word s, such as “erm”, “um”,
• whether you are using a variety of linking phrases between parts,
• if there are any grammar mistakes you can recognise.

These insights will help when you start working on your speech, which is the next step.

Furthermore, you can compare this initial recording with future recordings. This will help you perceive your progress, which will build confidence.

Step 4: The Introduction

Next, you’re going to focus on the separate parts of the business presentation, beginning with the introduction.

The introduction normally includes a few sentences to welcome the audience, say a little bit about who you are, communicate the objective of the business presentation, and then give an outline of the main parts of the presentation.

I recommend writing down the script and memorizing the introduction word for word, as it is only going to be a few sentences. You can write it in the ‘notes’ section at the bottom of the PowerPoint slides.

Memorizing the introduction will strengthen the delivery of it, and a strong intro will not only calm down your nerves , it will also give the audience a great first impression of you which helps to build trus t .

Practice out loud a few times then move on to the middle section.

Click here for introduction phrases for a business presentation.

Step 5: The Middle

Just like the introduction, write down the script for the middle part. However this time, the reason for writing the middle section is to make your speech more objective and straight to the point, rather than memorizing it word for word.

I suggest working through your business presentation part by part. Write the script for a specific section, practice saying it aloud a few times, then move on to the next part.

An important part of the middle section is how you link all the different parts and slides together. Make sure you use a variety of linking phrases to join everything up and maximize presentation flow.

Here’s an example of a linking phrase: “Ok, I’ve explained how ABC works. Now I’d like to change direction and talk about XYZ.”

Linking phrases help you move through the business presentation smoothly and the audience will be able to follow it easier.

Once you have written your speech, a useful exercise is to run through the presentation only saying the linking phrases. This will help you identify if you are using enough variety and it will cement the structure of the presentation in your mind.

Click here for more linking phrases for the middle section of a business presentation.

Step 6: The End

For the ending, use the same method as the introduction and middle section – writing the speech and then practicing it orally.

Just like the intro, the ending is normally quite short and consists of a summary or conclusion, followed by questions, then thanking the audience.

Click here for expressions to help you with the ending of a business presentation.

Step 7: Practice and Repeat from Top to Bottom

Practice and repetition is the most important aspect of preparing for a business presentation.

By now, you have edited your slides, written your speech, and practiced each section individually a few times. You have also chosen a variety of linking phrases to improve the flow of the presentation.

At this point, you need to practice the presentation aloud as many times as you can from beginning to end. I suggest that you record yourself every now and again, listen to the playback and note down where you think you can improve.

Go back to that very first recording and compare yourself now. Your progress will be visible and this will increase confidence. As you continue to practice, you’ll find that your fluency level will improve.

If possible, practice in front of work colleagues and ask them to give you feedback. This will give you experience presenting in front of people, and there’s always something which we miss while other people notice.

Alternatively, look for a coach or trainer to help you. I offer this service online. Apply for a free evaluation here.

Step 8: Anticipate Audience Questions 

When you are feeling comfortable giving the presentation, the next step is to anticipate questions that your audience might ask. Write down how you would like to answer these questions and practice them orally.

You will either invite the audience to ask questions after you have finished the business presentation or in some cases, the audience will interrupt you during the presentation.

It is more challenging when you get interrupted because it breaks the flow. An effective way to prepare for this is to get somebody to ask you anticipated questions during specific slides as you are practicing the presentation. This will help you get used to being interrupted, answering the question, then resuming the presentation again.

Conclusion

By following this 8 step approach, you will find that your confidence and fluency will improve significantly at giving business presentations.

The crucial part is the practice. You can never practice too much.

Be disciplined enough to define a practice routine and follow through with it. When you feel comfortable, practice a few more times. You’ll see that it is worth the effort after receiving praise for delivering a successful business presentation.

Was this article helpful for you? Share this on social media below.

Tags business English business presentations confidence English presentations English speaking ESL Learn English speak confidently

Author: Steven Hobson

Steven is a business English coach, a certified life coach, writer, and entrepreneur. He helps international professionals build confidence and improve fluency speaking English in a business environment.

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7 Critical Things to Know Before Giving a Presentation

Presentations can be critical turning points for a company's direction, decision-making, and even your own career. before delivering a presentation, make sure you know the answers to these seven questions..

Presentations are forks in the road. If you succeed in your objectives, you may open the door to a new job, a promotion, or funding for your latest venture, but if you fail, you could leave with a damaged reputation and a lost opportunity. The stakes are too high for you to go on stage and "wing it."

Unfortunately, most people--professionals of all industries and experience levels--don't know how to effectively prepare for a presentation. They focus all their energy on making colorful PowerPoint slides, or try to memorize specific facts with which to wow the audience, rather than taking a look at the fundamental environment in which they'll be presenting. 

Before you even start creating the outline of your presentation, be sure you're asking these seven questions:

1. Who is the audience? This is the first question you should ask, and you shouldn't always assume you know the answer. Pretend you're an entrepreneur and you have a new product, and a friend of yours asks you to present it for his company. It could be your friend and a few of his coworkers you're meeting with, but it could also be the president and board of directors. Each situation would require a different approach and a different level of formality. Understand exactly what types of people are going to constitute your audience--otherwise, you could end up writing for the wrong crowd.

2. How big is the audience? This is another important question that will help you prepare effectively, though it's more about the actual presentation than the writing process itself. With a large audience, you'll need to be concise, direct, and fast-paced to keep their attention, looking around the room for eye contact and generally going about your presentation with minimal interruptions. With a small audience, you'll have to pace your presentation more slowly, pausing for potential questions from the audience and gearing your body language to engage fewer participants. If you don't know the exact number attending, a range is often suitable here.

3. Where will you be presenting? This will help you determine how to prepare. Imagine you have a prototype of your new product, and you're going to be presenting before a small group of people. If you'll be meeting around a table in a small boardroom, you can bring the prototype itself and show it off firsthand to your audience. If you're in a large auditorium, however, you'll need a much bigger, visually accessible medium for your distant audience. Knowing the location will also allow you to understand and prepare your voice for the acoustics of the room.

4. What materials will be available to you? First, think of all the basics. Let's say you have a PowerPoint presentation ready--will you bring it on a flash drive, or will you need to bring a laptop in? Will they even have the proper equipment to hook your device up to a projector? Will they have a microphone system or will you need to project your voice? Is there a podium or a stage, or is it a more informal gathering? These questions will help you understand what you need to bring as well as how to prepare your presentation.

5. How long will you have to speak? This is a critical question that too many people overlook. It is never safe to assume how long you'll have to speak. If your audience is expecting your presentation to last a few minutes and you end up going half an hour, you could bore them to death. If it's supposed to be more than an hour and it's only a half hour, you'll look like you don't have much worthwhile material. Either way, you'll look underprepared, so find out the ideal length of a presentation and practice it until you're confident that you're well within the time constraints. Knowing exactly how much time you'll is one of the most fundamental (and important) presentation tips . 

6. Will there be a Q&A afterward? If you walk into a presentation and get hit with a Q&A session you aren't prepared for, you could be assaulted with tough questions that undermine whatever reputation you built up during the course of your initial speech. Find out if there's a Q&A session afterward, and find out approximately how long it will last. Think of the hardest possible questions someone could ask you, and have answers ready for each and every one of them.

7. Who else is speaking? Unlike the other questions in this list, this question won't ruin you if you don't know the answer. Your presentation won't change much based on who else is presenting before or after you, but knowing the answer will help you better understand the dynamics of the event. For example, if you're the only speaker, there's going to be more pressure on you than if you are only one in six. It won't kill you, but it's worth knowing in advance.

Hopefully, you can answer most of these questions on your own or with a bit of research. If not, ask the person who invited you to present, or call the venue to get more specific information. These should always be your first step in preparing a presentation, and only then should you move onto sketching an initial draft. The better prepared you are, and the more you know about the circumstances of your presentation, the better you'll perform in the end.

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

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Factors to consider when preparing for a presentation

What should I look for when choosing a corporate presentation services firm?

July 8, 2024 /

When choosing a corporate presentation services firm, it’s essential to consider several key factors to ensure you receive high-quality, impactful presentations that meet your business needs. First, evaluate the firm’s portfolio to assess their design style and versatility. Look for a diverse range of projects that demonstrate their ability to tailor presentations to different industries and audiences. Next, consider the firm’s expertise and experience. A company with a proven track record in corporate presentations will understand the nuances of business communication and be able to convey your message effectively. Check for client testimonials and case studies that highlight successful projects and satisfied clients. Another critical factor is the firm’s ability to offer a comprehensive service. This includes not only design but also content development, storytelling, and data visualization. A firm that can handle all aspects of your presentation will ensure a cohesive and polished final product. Additionally, assess their customer service and project management capabilities. Effective communication and a streamlined process are crucial for meeting deadlines and ensuring your vision is accurately translated into the presentation. Finally, consider the firm’s ability to provide ongoing support and updates. Business needs can change rapidly, and having a partner who can quickly adapt and update your presentations is invaluable. By focusing on these factors, you can select a corporate presentation services firm that will deliver professional, engaging, and effective presentations tailored to your specific needs.

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Human Subjects Office

July 2024 irb connection newsletter, irb efficiency initiatives and results to date, irb efficiency initiative: current and upcoming, herky hint: help messages, aahrpp accreditation: preparing for site visit interviews, course-related student projects: is irb approval required, learning opportunity: irb overview lecture in icon, in the news, upcoming educational events, irb efficiency initiative s and results to date, by kelly o’berry and michele countryman.

Beginning in January 2024, the Human Subjects Office (HSO) rolled out six major initiatives to improve Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) review processes. This article provides an evaluation of previous programming changes that were presented at the May IRB Efficiency Initiative Information Session .   

Here’s a brief overview of the initiatives and results to date:  

60-Day Withdrawal Due to PI Inactivity (effective 1/29/24): 1,059 New Project and Modification Forms submitted since implementation. Of these, 106 forms were withdrawn (10%), 17 were recreated, and 9 were resubmitted.  

DSP Approval Timing (effective mid-February 2024): The new process for faster signoffs from the Division of Sponsored Programs allowed the release of HRPP approvals an average of 48 days earlier ( 36 days median).  

Required Actions After the IRB Meeting (effective 4/1/24): the average time to provide the PI with required actions from IRB meeting minutes has gone from 9 days to less than 24 hours since April 1.   

Assign a Meeting Date Goal (effective 4/1/24): Limited data is available, but 71% of studies met the date goal. More in-depth information will be available after the June rollout that separated IRB review from HRPP Committee Approvals.   

60-Day Withdrawal Due to PI Inactivity (effective 1/29/24)  

HawkIRB forms are automatically withdrawn if there is no response to workflow in 60 days . This change will allow for more accurate metrics for IRB review time.   

In addition to the two-week reminders, a new 55-day HawkIRB email notice states that the form will be withdrawn in five days. The form in the PI’s inbox shows the number of days in Workflow over the total days since submission. At 55 days , the form is highlighted in red in the PIs inbox.   

Evaluation data for New Project forms and Modification forms:  

The 106 withdrawn forms represent a considerable timesaving for HSO staff reviewers. Most withdrawn forms have not been recreated and very few recreated forms have been submitted to the IRB.  

NOTE: For a withdrawn form, the PI can only use the “recreate” link once. It is best to hold off on recreating the form until all issues that were holding up the response to the workflow questions in the original form have been resolved.  

DSP Approval Timing (effective mid-February 2024)  

Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP) approval is required in HawkIRB for industry-initiated, industry-funded clinical trials where a research contract is required to document institution and sponsor expectations. The research application can be approved by the IRB, but not released to the study team until DSP approval is documented. In February, DSP updated their “contract approval” process for these industry-sponsored clinical trials. DSP approval used to be documented when the contract was fully executed; contract negotiations were complete, all signatures in place (institution, PI, and sponsor), and budget approved. Now DSP issues approval in HawkIRB when contract negotiations are complete, even if signatures and/or budget remain pending. This removed a significant delay in the HRPP approval process. Note: The PI must continue to work with the sponsor to obtain signatures and finalize the budget prior to initiating the research.  

This change affected 38 studies from mid-February to early June. Faster DSP sign off allowed the release of HRPP approvals 48 days earlier than the previous average. For these studies, the median turnaround for IRB approval was 36 days , which is considerably below the goal of a 45-day median from submission to approval for full board review.  

Assign a Meeting Date Goal (effective 4/1/24)  

Application Analysts can now set an IRB meeting date goal, and a due date for meeting this goal, at the beginning of the IRB review process.   

NOTE: There were several limiting factors for evaluation of this change. IRB meeting agendas were full through April 22 when this change took effect on April 1. The first New Project form included in this evaluation was submitted on April 2 and scheduled to a meeting on May 9. This evaluation is based on data from early May through mid-June.  

Also, when this change took effect the hold for three Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) committees prevented scheduling forms to an IRB meeting. The IRB Efficiency Initiative rollout on June 14, 2024, lifted this hold by separating the IRB and HRPP Committee approvals. Future data will provide a more in-depth evaluation.  

Required Actions After the IRB Meeting (effective 4/1/24)  

HSO staff can now provide required actions to the PI shortly after the IRB meeting, which gives the PI/research team a head start to address required actions before receiving the full set of IRB meeting minutes.   

Before April 1, 2024, the average time to provide required actions to the PI in the full meeting minutes was 9 days. The goal is to provide required actions within 24 hours and the full set of meeting minutes within four business days.   

Of 167 sets of meeting minutes completed between April 1 and mid-June, HSO staff effectively decreased the average time to provide required actions to the PI to less than 24 hours. The research community has provided positive feedback about this change.    

Seventeen sets of minutes (10%) did not meet the goal due to the complexity of the issues the board discussed. Approximately half of these minutes were from a monthly IRB-01 Executive Committee meeting. The Executive Committee reviews more complex study design and compliance-related issues.  

IRB Efficiency Initiative Announcements and Updates  

See IRB Efficiency Initiative Announcements and Updates for information about o ther initiatives that are in progress or have been implemented since June 2024, including: launching the new HSO website , adding a chair designee to assist with IRB-02 post-approval forms, onboarding a new IRB-02 chair, Primary Reviewer process enhancements and more.  

By Kelly O’Berry and Michele Countryman  

The IRB Efficiency Initiative rollout in June 2024 separated IRB review and approval from the other Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) committee approvals. This article provides an overview of that change and a summary of other initiatives in progress, updated documents, policies and procedures and information session/demonstration recordings.  

Separate IRB and HRPP Committee Approvals - June 2024 Rollout  

HawkIRB programming changes rolled out June 14, 2024, separated IRB review and approval from other HRPP Committee approvals. Prior to this change, the IRB could not begin the convened board review process until the issuance of approval from three committees/entities: Conflict of Interest in Research (CIRC) , Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee (PRMC, in Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center) , and Research Billing Compliance (RBC) . The HSO can now schedule a New Project or Modification form to a convened IRB meeting before the completion of these HRPP committee reviews/approvals.   

The second programming change allows the IRB to grant full IRB approval before the issuance of all HRPP approvals. Prior to this efficiency initiative, the IRB would hold approval pending approval from these additional HRPP committees: Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) , Medical Radiation and Protection Committee (MRPC) , Institutional Biosafety Committee and Nursing Research Committee (NRC) . Additionally, the IRB can now grant approval before the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP) signs off on the grant or contract.  

The Principal Investigator (PI) can now submit a Modification form in HawkIRB to address requests from HRPP Committees that complete their review after the IRB approves the New Project form. The New Project form is released when the Modification form is approved and released in HawkIRB.  

Several documents, policies and procedures were updated or added in June. See a detailed list at the end of this article .  

What’s Next for the IRB Efficiency Initiative?  

The following initiatives are in progress or have already been implemented since the June IRB Efficiency Initiative Information Session:  

New IRB review and approval structure for IRB-02 (social/behavioral research) – Effective at the start of Fiscal Year 2025, we added an IRB Chair Designee to assist with approval of post approval forms (e.g., Modification, Continuing Review, or Modification/Continuing Review) meeting an expedited or exempt criteria for approval. This enhancement is consistent with a long-standing IRB-01 review structure and is consistent with IRB practices across the nation. The new IRB-02 Chair Designee is an experienced IRB member who is already serving as an IRB-01 Chair Designee.  

New IRB-02 Chair – The new IRB-02 Chair, an experienced IRB member, will begin onboarding and training in August as part of succession planning for IRB-02 Chairs.  

Primary Reviewer process enhancements for full board review – HawkIRB programming is underway to update the Primary Reviewer Checklist used at convened board meetings and enhance the training process for Primary Reviewers.  

HawkIRB Application Redesign – This initiative to streamline the HawkIRB application began with the rollout of Section III updates on January 29, 2024. The goal is to make forms easier for researchers to complete and more efficient for the IRB review. This is a continuation of the 2022-2023 initiative to update the HawkIRB form for projects that qualify for Exempt Status. The next HawkIRB application redesign rollout will focus on updates to the single IRB review process. This is in preparation for the anticipated FDA adoption of the revised Common Rule regulations regarding the use of a single IRB for multi-site projects.  

New HSO website – The new HSO website is now live! HSO staff are still making final tweaks and corrections to URLs. It will take time for search engines to only identify pages of the new website. Use the gold buttons on the home page and the menu options to find what you need. We welcome your feedback. For assistance with finding anything on the new website or to provide feedback, please contact us at [email protected].   

AAHRPP Accreditation Site Visit – 2024-2025 is our HRPP reaccreditation period and will involve a significant amount of HSO time and resources. There are two steps in the reaccreditation process. The UI is currently at Step I; the initial application was submitted in March, and we are currently responding to AAHRPP review of submission materials. Step II is the site visit which will occur this fall. The site visit includes interviews with select PIs and research staff. See February through July IRB Connection Newsletter articles for additional information about accreditation and preparing for the site visit.  

Announcements and Updated Resources  

The following documents were updated or added during the June IRB Efficiency Initiative rollout:   

New Resources:  

Other HRPP Committee Tool – Includes an organizational chart, information about each committee and when their review is required, and regulatory references for these reviews. [Link at end of first paragraph]  

HRPP Committee Review Process Flow Chart – Illustrates the timing of steps in the IRB review process and HRPP committee approvals. [Link in first sentence of the second full paragraph]  

UI IRB Standard Operating Procedures and Researcher Guide    

Updated Policies and Procedures:  

External IRB Standard Operating Procedures    

VA Researcher Guide  

May 2024 IRB Efficiency Initiative Information Session (recording)  

Trainings and Demos:  

HawkIRB demo: Separating IRB and HRPP Committee Approvals (recording)  

WCG Training (recording, June 19, 2024)  

IRB ICON Course for Researchers – Slides, recordings, demo recordings and instruction documents  

Herky Hint: Help Messages  

By rachel kinker, mpa.

Are you working on your HawkIRB application and not sure how to answer a particular question? Within the application, there are little blue circles with “i” (for “information”) associated with most of the questions in the HawkIRB application.   

For example, the Help Message on the index page provides a lot of information:  

Overview of the HawkIRB system  

Template Consent Forms and Other Attachments  

Resources for assistance with preparing HawkIRB applications  

About the Help Messages  

Resources on the Human Subjects Office website  

Principal Investigator (PI) Responsibilities  

HawkIRB Delegates  

Guidance for Community-Based Research  

Throughout the application, other Help Messages provide guidance for what information to include in response to specific questions in the HawkIRB form. When you click on the Help Message, a new window will appear with additional text describing what to include in the response to each question.   

For example, in section VII.E., each Help Message describes what to submit and how to respond to the question.   

The Help Messages may also contain links to other departments that you may need to connect with or specific policies you should know. For example, the cash handling policy appears in the Help Message for question VII.E.9  

Utilizing the Help Messages throughout the application can answer researcher questions along the way and may expedite the application process by reducing workflow. If you have suggestions for how to improve the existing Help Messages, please contact [email protected].  

AAHRPP Accreditation: Preparing for Site Visit Interviews    

By emily shultz, cip  .

The Human Subjects Office (HSO) is preparing for the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) site visit that will take place in late summer/early fall 2024. The University of Iowa Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) has maintained accreditation since 2003. The practice of becoming accredited and maintaining accreditation is one of receiving input on how well the UI is following policies and procedures, and how well these policies and procedures meet the accreditation standards.  

About six weeks prior to the site visit, AAHRPP staff will send an email that contains:  

the names of the site visit team members,  

a draft agenda for the site visit,   

a list of personnel who will be interviewed.   

During the virtual site visit, the site visitors will meet (via Zoom) with small groups of HSO staff, IRB Chairs, IRB members, UI researchers and UI research team members, as well as members of committees with research oversight responsibilities, such as:  

Medical Radiation Protection Committee  

Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee  

Institutional Biosafety Committee  

Nursing Research Committee  

Division of Sponsored Programs  

Conflicts of Interest in Research Committee  

The interviews are typically done with two site visitors and 2 or 3 interviewees. Most interview time is with the IRB chairs, IRB members, and staff.   

Utilizing the documents submitted with the application for reaccreditation and the information gathered during the site visit, AAHRPP site visitors will look for evidence that, “the entire HRPP meets accreditation standards—and that protecting research participants is a shared organizational priority.” A month or two after the site visit, the HSO will receive feedback on how well the UI HRPP is meeting the requirements and will receive recommendations on areas where improvements can be made.  

Site Visit Interviews  

Andy Bertolatus , emeritus associate professor of internal medicine and one of the UI IRB-01 chairs, has been an AAHRPP site visitor for more than 20 years. The following information is based on insights he provided, in addition to information available from AAHRPP.  

When site visitors meet with members of the research community, they do not expect anyone to be able to recite federal regulations on the required elements of consent or the criteria for approval. When interviewing researchers, the site visitors will likely ask questions about the researcher’s:  

Areas of expertise and type(s) of research conducted   

Approach to conducting the consent processes   

Feelings about working with the IRB  

How they find out about changes in IRB policies/procedures  

Where they go for information or whom they contact for questions  

Resources Available  

For the UI research community, many resources are available online. These include, but are not limited to the following:  

UI IRB Standard Operating Procedures and Researcher Guide  

Human Subjects Office (HSO) website  

Conflict of Interest in Research website  

HHS Electronic Code of Federal Regulations 45 CFR 46   

OHRP Guidance  

FDA Regulations Part 50  

FDA Regulations Part 56  

FDA Guidance  

This is the final article in the AAHRPP Accreditation series. Previous articles are available on the HSO website IRB Connection page . Information for this article was adapted from the AAHRPP website .  

Course-Related Student Projects: Is IRB Approval Required?  

Students may conduct some research projects with human participants as a course assignment without approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB). According to the UI and IRB policies, all human subjects research conducted by University of Iowa faculty, staff, or students must have approval from the IRB prior to initiation. IRB review is required if the project is intended to “develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge,” including thesis or dissertation projects. However, research methods course projects are generally more limited in scope and are intended to help students learn how to conduct research. These projects satisfy curriculum requirements and are not intended to further scientific knowledge in a particular field or discipline.  

IRB Approval Not Required  

Course-related research activities would not require IRB approval if:  

The purpose of the assignment is to teach research methodology.  

The results of the assignment will not “contribute to generalizable knowledge” because they are only used to satisfy a course requirement or because of limits on who will have access to the results of the project.  

The procedures will be limited to surveys, questionnaires, interview procedures, observation of public behavior, or standard educational exercises.  

The projects will not include people who are incarcerated or minors as participants or utilize data about these two populations.  

Data will be recorded without any identifying information (such as code numbers, birth dates, etc.) or identified data are not sensitive in nature (i.e., do not pose a risk of harm to the participants’ reputation, employment, financial standing, or do not put them at risk for criminal or civil liability).  

The project is not receiving monetary compensation or direct financial support from an external company, organization, or agency.  

The project will not be conducted at the Veteran’s Administration Health Care System (VAHCS) or use any VA resources.  

The project is not conducted or supported by a federal department or agency that follows the federal regulations for the protection of human subjects (the ‘Common Rule’).  

NOTE: Honors, master’s, and doctoral thesis and dissertation projects always require IRB approval if they involve research with human subjects. If any aspect of the class project is intended to be used for a thesis or dissertation, students must obtain IRB approval prior to any study activities (recruitment, data collection, etc.).  

Policy and Checklist  

The “Course-Related Student Project” policy specifies the parameters for class projects that can be conducted without IRB approval and contains a link to the Course-Related Student Projects Checklist .  

The checklist is a fillable pdf that helps students and instructors determine whether a project qualifies as a course-related student project. If any aspect of the project design indicates that IRB approval might be required, a pop-up message directs the student to submit a Human Subjects Research Determination (HSRD) form in the HawkIRB system to ask if the project needs IRB approval. If that occurs, there will be a red STOP on the completed checklist.  

Students should complete the Course-Related Student Project Checklist based on their project design and submit it to the instructor. Based on the completed Checklist, the instructor is authorized to determine that a project complies with the policy and can be conducted without IRB approval. If there is a red STOP in the Checklist, the instructor should advise the student to submit an HSRD form and receive a determination before conducting any research activities.  

The policy and the checklist can be found in the UI Standard Operating Procedures and Researcher Guide ( Section I, Part 12.D). See also the Course Instructor Responsibilities for using the Course-Related Student Project policy and checklist.  

Information for Participants  

Even when a course-related student project can be conducted without IRB approval, it is a recommended best-practice that the student share the following information with potential subjects:  

Student name and name of the course  

Course instructor name and their contact information  

Who will have access to individual and summarized results (e.g., instructor, group/team members, the whole class, an outside company/agency/organization)  

That participation is voluntary, and they may stop participating at any time.  

Resources  

For more information, students and instructors may review the Course-Related Student Research Projects web page  and the Course-Related Student Research Projects Policy and Procedures educational tool the Human Subjects Office website.  

(link sends e-mail)

Learning Opportunity: IRB Overview lecture in ICON  

By rachel kinker, mpa  .

Do you work with or teach individuals who are new to the University of Iowa and learning to conduct human subjects research? The recorded IRB Overview presentation posted in the IRB ICON Course for Researchers provides a general orientation to the UI IRB and the IRB approval requirements for human subjects research.   

This is an excellent supplemental lecture for any research methods or responsible conduct of research course. It is also ideal for students doing research as a course requirement. Learners must access the IRB ICON course through the portal on the HSO website . After the first login, the course will appear in your ICON Dashboard.  

This presentation covers:  

Regulatory definition of human subjects research  

Guidelines for human subjects research: why and when IRB approval is required  

Basic ethical principles for the conduct of human subjects research  

Student Principal Investigator (PI) training requirements (HawkIRB Part 1 and 2 trainings)  

Criteria for IRB approval  

Information about the UI IRB  

What to expect from the IRB review process  

Research off campus or outside the United States  

Course-related student projects   

Additional resources exist for courses where students complete a research project as a course requirement. The IRB policy on Course Related Student Projects outlines conditions under which IRB approval is not required for these projects. Instructors should use the Course Related Student Project Checklist to determine whether IRB approval may be required.  

If your class needs further guidance on specific research-related topics, please reach out to [email protected] to discuss additional options.   

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IRB Efficiency Initiative Information Session

The Human Subjects Office invites the UI research community to attend monthly information sessions about the IRB Efficiency Initiative on the fourth Wednesday of the month from 12-1 pm, via Zoom. We will discuss the changes and demonstrate HawkIRB enhancements being implemented to streamline the IRB review process. The monthly sessions will cover upcoming enhancements and expected roll out dates. Pre-register to receive the Zoom link.  

Wednesday, August 28, 2024  

12:00 PM-1:00 PM  

Pre-register to recieve the Zoom link  

Office Hours  

Human Subjects Office staff host IRB Office Hours via Zoom to provide assistance with electronic IRB applications (in HawkIRB) and to discuss study proposals prior to submission.  All researchers are welcome to attend. No appointment is necessary.  

Summer office hours run June 5th through August 28th.  

Wednesdays (2:00 PM-4:00 PM) via Zoom  

Visit the Human Subjects Office website for complete information about IRB Office Hours and the Zoom link.  

Recorded Training  

The IRB ICON Course for Researchers HawkIRB training sessions provide an orientation to the electronic IRB application and review system. These sessions are for anyone preparing to submit a HawkIRB application for the first time and for those who would like guidance about the proper completion of HawkIRB forms. Five recorded trainings are available 24/7.   

The recorded trainings are available on ICON at IRB ICON Course for Researchers .   

Note: HawkIRB training Parts 1 and 2 satisfy the Student PI Training Requirement.