Having the ability to effectively design and deliver a dynamic presentation will propel you ahead in the business world. Employees who can present successfully are highly valuable and can see better opportunities for career advancement. While there is no denying the value in giving a great presentation, actually doing it can be a different story. The ability to present well comes with lots of practice; however, preparation also plays a very important role. Preparation is the most important thing a presenter can do in order to deliver a successful presentation and part of the preparation involves creating a presentation checklist. This checklist will ensure you have covered all of your bases and have prepared thoroughly for your presentation.
Presentation
The audience came to listen to what you have to say; therefore, the information itself must be relevant and interesting. A great presentation starts with narrowing down your main points and their supporting details. Your presentation will also need a strong opening and conclusion. Here are a few things to consider when planning the presentation itself.
- Do you have a strong opening that captures the audience’s attention?
- Have you included all your main points and are they in a logical sequence?
- Does your presentation flow well and transition smoothly from one topic to the next?
- Do any of your main points require support from visual aids?
- Have you timed your presentation appropriately?
- Do you have a strong conclusion?
Delivery
Equally important as what you say, is how you say it. You can have exceptional content, but if it’s not delivered well it won’t amount to much. The way you deliver your presentation is extremely important and will have a significant impact on your audience. Consider these tips for smooth and effective delivery.
- Are you knowledgeable about the topic?
- Do you have notes and/or an outline prepared?
- How do you plan to present? (sitting, standing, at a podium, etc.)
- Have you visited the presentation site to plan for size, lighting, and audiovisual capabilities?
- Are you making eye contact with your audience?
- Are you engaging your audience through body language and interaction?
Visuals
Visual aids are a great tool for enhancing your presentation. They help to attract and maintain the attention of the audience and they help audiences to understand and retain the information.
Here are a few things to consider if you plan to incorporate visual aids.
- Are they easy to see from all areas of the room?
- Are they relevant to the topic?
- Are they interesting without being distracting?
- Are they easy to understand?
- Have you done a test-run with your visuals at the presentation site?