Regardless of your current title or position in your company you may have to make a presentation. You must be well prepared to have impact and make a good impression.

You may have heard this before but it has to be said again and again…Do not read from a script and reply only on notes. When giving presentations it is about the audience and communicating with them.

We absorb information approximately in the following ways:

• 1% through taste


• 1 ½ % through touch


• 3 ½ % through smell


• 11% through hearing


• 83% through sight

Therefore we can presume the audience retain more when they hear and see it. When you take the role of a presenter you will need to spend time thinking about how to convey the right emotions at the right time.

Everyone can make an exceptional presentation by preparing.

1. Prepare the actual presentation: Remember the four Ws (Why, What, Who & Where) when planning a presentation. Research the subject in depth, develop key themes and create a storyboard/ structure. Then ask yourself a dew questions;

-PowerPoint or a flip charts;

-Has the content been covered in the presentation coherently;

-Is the presentation to long? Slim it down or ask yourself if it can be delivered concisely;

-Will there be videos;

-Do you have to give out any hand-outs ;

After you have created a structure and begin to practice this will be the time to visualize your movement different sections of the presentation

2. Prepare for the room/hall: The setting must be right in order to enhance your presentation. If you can visit the location in advance and be sure to make changes if you notice anything that could distract the audience from your presentation. And it is advisable make a checklist that will cover all your expectations such as the equipment that you expect to use.

Sample Checklist:

-Laptop for presentation

-Functional sound equipment

-Projector (test with the computer you will be using)

-Lighting in the room; will it change during your presentation

-Seating arrangement

3. Prepare yourself and your mind: Presentations can be a nerve wrecking experience, although some get more excited at the prospect than others. This depends on the environments, your personality and experience but it may be helpful for you to design a ‘pre presentation ritual’ to reduce the level of anxiety.

-Get a good night’s rest if your presentation is first thing in the morning; if it is in the afternoon don’t schedule anything before the presentation to ensure you have the option of taking a break or focusing

-Rehearse what you are going to say…out aloud

-Think positive thoughts (you can refer to the previous post titled ‘Use of affirmations in your daily work life’

4. Prepare for questions: Many presentations have a Q&A session at the end. You may need to think on your feet but you can research and prepare questions that you think the audience could ask you. That means you will have an answer in mind for some topics if they come up. If others are helping you prepare for the presentation they could also share questions that they have thought of.

There are occasions where you will not be given much notice before a presentation but this happens rarely; most likely you will always have some time even if it is just 30 mins (it may not seem like much right now but when become a pro after many presentations it will be manageable).

Final thoughts we leave you with preparation is key when delivering a presentation and aim to inspire your audience.