The Power of Preparation: How to Make the Most of Your Time

The key to delivering an effective presentation is preparation. The better you prepare, the more confident you will feel. Good preparation will also help to alleviate some aspects of presentation nervousness and anxiety, improving your chances for a successful presentation. Here we will take a look at some helpful preparation tips and how they can help you make the most of your next presentation. 

Perform an Audience Analysis

Preparing for a presentation begins with knowing your audience and thinking about their needs and wants. Who are you speaking to? What is their prior knowledge of the topic? What are they interested in and why do they care about it? No matter how prepared or entertained you are, your audience will not be interested or engaged unless the material you are presenting is meaningful to them. An audience analysis measures who you are talking to and what they need, so you can be sure you are delivering the right information. 

Outline Your Presentation

Having an outline can help you stay focused on the main points of your presentation. When creating your outline, be sure to include a catchy opening statement that will grab the audience’s attention right away. You also want to be sure and summarize what you will be presenting, so the audience understands what they will be learning. Your outline should only include a few key words that remind you of the points you want to make, as well as opening and closing remarks. Remember that your outline is only intended to keep you on track, and should not be a script of your entire presentation. 

Rehearse Your Presentation

As the old saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.†Practicing your presentation ahead of time is essential for success. You should record yourself giving your entire presentation, so you can watch it back and make revisions as needed. Pay attention to things like eye contact, body language, and unnecessary use of filler words. Once you have revised your presentation, you should rehearse in front of family, friends, or colleagues who can give you useful feedback. If you can, you should even rehearse in the same room where you will give your presentation so you can become more familiar with the space and technology you will be using. 

Anticipate Questions

Most presenters allow for questions at some point during their presentation and you don’t want to let this throw you off track. Prior to your presentation, brainstorm any questions you think the audience might ask and have answers prepared. You may not be able to prepare for every question, but having some answers ready to go will alleviate some of your nervousness. 

Practice Breathing Exercises

Part of your presentation preparation should include breathing exercises. Taking a few deep breaths before your presentation can calm your nerves and help you regain your composure. All it takes is just a few minutes of deep breathing to help you feel more relaxed and give you the confidence necessary to deliver a great presentation. 

If you are interested in learning more, contact us today at 1-800-501-1245 to request information about training courses from the Management Training Institute as well as other corporate training programs offered through our parent company Bold New Directions.