Simplified tips in delivering presentations

You have learned in our previous article the “Success Tips in Online Meetings and Presentations” where we gave you tips on how to prepare your online meeting as well as tips on what to do during the meeting and how to conclude the online meeting. Through these series of learning, we hope that you were able to apply them in the actual scenario.

Success tips in online meetings and presentations

In this article we will be sharing with you simplified tips on how to deliver your presentation whether it is virtual or face-to-face. If your work requires you to do presentations from time to time, this is a very good article for you to revisit your speaking techniques and consider our recommendations.

Here are the top 30 basic tips on how to deliver your presentation successfully:

10-20-30 Rule.
• No more than 10 slides.
• No longer than 20 minutes.
• No text less than 30-point font.
• Spell out important nuggets in a few minutes.
Be entertaining.
• Entertaining and informative.
• Appeal to emotions.
• Dry facts without passion or humor are less likely to grab attention.
Slow down.
• Nervous, inexperienced speakers talk excessively fast.
• Add pauses for emphasis.
Eye contact.
• Match eye contact with everyone in the room.
• Exudes confidence.
• Helps persuade the audience to your point of view.
• Hold eye contact during most critical lines.
15 Word summary.
• Know what the important fifteen words are so they can be repeated
20-20 rule.
• 20 slides each lasting 20 seconds.
• forces you to be concise.
• Keep from boring people.
Do not read.
• Shows you do not really understand your message.
• Has a huge blow to the audience’s confidence in you.
Project your voice.
• You need to be heard.
• Stand up straight.
• Let your voice resonate in the air.
• produce a clear sound. It is very important to watch out for the final sound.
Do not plan gestures.
• Gestures are an extension of your message.
• Planned gestures look fake.
• Keep your hands to your side.
• Creates an illusion of confidence
Acknowledgment.
• Use to buy a few moments to organize your response.
• Make presentation smoother than um’s and ah’s
Breathe in not out.
• Replace fillers with pauses taking a short breath in.
• Pauses may seem awkward but barely noticed.
Come early, REALLY early.
• Come early, scope the room, run through your slide show.
• Make sure there will not be any glitches.
• Preparation can remove speaking anxiety.
Do not apologize.
• Do not apology to excuse incompetence or humble yourself in front of your audience.
• Most audiences cannot detect anxiety; do not draw attention to it.
• Apologize only when you come late.
Put yourself in the audience.
• See from the audience perspective.
• What might they don’t understand?
• What might seem boring?
Write a script.
• Planning goes a long way.
• Script should follow a good storytelling convention.
• Leave the audience wanting more.
One thing at a time.
• What should be on the screen is the thing you are talking about.
• Do not crowd too much information into a slide.
NO paragraphs.
• Slides are illustrations, not the presentation itself.
• If you have a reason to put it on the screen, don’t stand with your back to the audience and read it from the screen
Pay attention to design.
• Use 2 to 3 fonts max.
• Use decorative fonts only for headers and only if they are easy to read.
• Put dark text on a light background.
• Align text left or right.
Pay attention to visual hierarchy.
• Organize elements depending on importance.
• Focus on what can grab attention first.
• Stick to two or three colors.
Use imagery sparingly.
• Only for important information.
• High-quality graphics.
• Use strong contrast-text should stand out.
Keep transitions and animations consistent.
• It can overwhelm your audience.
• Stick to one single transition and animation type.
Use audio and video.
• Create interactive presentation by adding audio and video elements
Think outside the screen.
Ask questions.
Edit ruthlessly.
Do not go over time.
Have a plan for smooth delivery.
Know your audience.
Have fun.
• Enthusiasm is contagious. Be energetic.
Summarize.
• Create a summary slide to conclude.