Because of how frequently I give presentations, I often get asked for tips on how to help others rise to the occasion. I love public speaking, and I love coaching others, so this is a natural marriage of the two. Plus, public speaking is an age-old manifestation of storytelling and an important step in elevating our voices and gaining visibility. Take a look at some of my tips below, starting with the content of your presentation then moving into the art of physically delivering the speech.
Presentation content tips
Keep your presentation focused and concise. Think about the way people dissect information and the value people will get from this – the information has to be laid out linearly and clearly in order for it to resonate with people. Walk through it step by step for the most effective presentation, and highlight the content that will provide the most value to your listeners. (Check out a refresher on WIIFM here.)
If you’re infusing a presentation with your personal story, make sure it relates to the overarching point of the presentation, and speak from the heart. One challenge in giving a personal story is remembering that you are still speaking in a public forum, sometimes blurring the lines between formal and informal. You may feel inclined to use jargon or colloquialisms, but not everyone might know that particular terminology, leaving your audience feeling out of the loop (which you never want to do!). Also aim to answer more questions than you raise, which may mean shaving off extraneous details until you have whittled your presentation into a clear and concise packaging of one core idea.
Many speakers begin with an outline and craft the structure of the story first, considering the introduction, middle, and end, highlighting the main points along the way. Your opening sets the tone for the entire presentation, and your closing should wrap it all up nicely with a bow.
Depending on the nature and length of your presentation, beginning with an agenda can help set expectations. Do not be too detailed in your agenda, and do not let your agenda get too long. Agendas should not cause listeners to tone out until the topic that interests them arrives; agendas should help focus listeners’ mindsets so they can follow along throughout the journey of the presentation.
Providing a summary or recap at the end of your presentation will help synthesize all of the content you just delivered, making it more memorable for listeners.
If there is a call to action, make that very clear at the end so your audience understands how to make all of the information you just laid forth actionable.
If your presentation includes a Q&A at the end, be sure to prompt your audience. If you stop talking abruptly and expect someone to ask a question, you will likely be sitting in awkward silence for quite some time, since as the presenter, you are in control of the pace and movement of the presentation. Once you are ready to receive questions, make that known, and open up the floor verbally and clearly. Then, give a bit of psychological air so listeners can form some questions instead of closing up the forum too soon.
Bonus: Slides. If you are using slides (e.g., PowerPoint or Google Sheets), the design and content on these slides should complement what you are presenting – not replace it. Do not read the content on your slides verbatim; use short bullet points that prompt you – and your listeners – to follow through the content. Your bullets should name higher level topics and should only be a few words long (shy away from writing full sentences). Limit yourself to fewer than 10 bullets per slide if possible (5 is much more ideal), and only include the most important information (that’s a rule across your entire presentation – if you can use 10 slides instead of 20, do it). Use a large enough font size that your audience can clearly read every word; consider the size of the screen in your presentation room (or in a virtual setting) when preparing your deck. Use a simple, readable font – now’s not the time to get crafty. Use pictures or graphics where possible to validate and elevate your story, but don’t use comics with tiny writing or graphs with a million data points or images that are confusing or inappropriate. If you have a logo, keep it on the same location on every single slide (in one of the corners – usually bottom left or bottom right) so it appears to not move as you progress through the deck. Keep your headers, layout structure, and font sizes and colors consistent; our brains adjust to these elements so that audience members can focus on your core message – not the design discrepancies on your slides. Lastly, make sure your presentation deck is on-brand. Your slides are an extension of your message, and any content asset you create is an extension of your brand. Ensure that your design reflects your vision or your company’s identity and keep everything consistent throughout.
Public speaking tips
Comfort with the content will help you feel more confident in the moment. Even when I plan to speak extraneously, I write out a script for myself just to get my thoughts on paper; writing out your thoughts helps you remember them better in the moment (even if you don’t use the script during the actual presentation). The more you think about your material, the more easily you’ll be able to edit it down; the more time you spend with it, the more you’ll realize a lot of information is unnecessary or wordy or redundant or boring, and the more relentlessly you’ll cut it down until you reach its core. And even if you don't write out all of your notes, write out some bullet points or at least one sentence that gets to the heart of the presentation. You don't even need to refer to that when you're speaking - it's all about the preparation.
Balancing out the last point, it is also important to appear fresh when you are presenting. I often preach a principle I formed back in my theatre days: You might be VERY familiar with the presentation, but this is the first time your audience is seeing it. If you seem bored with the content, that will come across. If you rush over certain points because you’ve edited them a thousand times, they will not stick with your listeners. One way to “appear fresh” is to take breaks, especially after working on the presentation for a long time. Returning to your work with “fresh eyes” will open your mind to new thoughts that may not have arisen while you were too close to the content. Then, taking deep breaths immediately before you speak and delivering the content as though it is the very first time your audience hears it will make for a positive experience for your listeners.
Show your audience clear value, and think of your presentation from their perspective: What do they need to know and why? How will they use this? What will their experience be like? Etc. This may involve cutting out parts of your speech that you are fond of or reframing them from a different viewpoint; if these choices lead to a more focused, concise presentation that delivers clear value, those are the correct choices to make.
TAKE YOUR TIME! When people are nervous, they talk faster and faster, and their voice gets higher pitched, and their breath quickens. Take breaths. Pause where you need to. Speak slowly.
Avoid filler words such as “um” or “uh” or “you know” or “so” etc. Listeners pick up on these more than speakers do.
Read your speech out loud when practicing. Reading on a screen or on paper is a different mental exercise than reading the speech out loud, yielding different results. When I worked as a writing tutor, I always had clients read their work aloud; they always caught syntax errors on their own as a result.
And these last tips may sound silly, but stay hydrated / drink water beforehand, and don’t eat food that might get stuck in your throat (full disclosure: I never eat almonds before presenting). Also, stay loose. Oftentimes, when we are nervous, our shoulders hike up towards our ears, and we tense up our muscles. Before speaking, consciously loosen your muscles, take a few deep breaths, take a sip of water, and begin when you are ready.
Bonus: Observe. Watch speeches you found moving or exciting or impactful. Did the speaker make eye contact in small spurts? Did he minimize and vary his movements and gestures? Did he pause at the most important parts, and emphasize certain words over others? In the same way that reading makes you a better writer, reflecting on powerful speeches will help make you a better speaker.

In summary...
Reflect on the core message that you are trying to deliver, the audience who will be listening, and the goal of your presentation. Structure your speech according to the most important and most valuable parts, then fill in the details that achieve your strategic objectives. Edit, read aloud, repeat. And reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses as a writer, speaker, and storyteller. If you know you are comfortable speaking extraneously and adding jokes or stories on the fly, go for it (if it makes sense with your audience and your content). If your audience is engaged, keep your energy level up and keep giving them what they are responding favorably to. And don't be afraid to ask for advice - read your speech to anyone who will give constructive feedback. But most importantly, be confident that you are prepared, you are knowledgeable, and your words have meaning. Tell your story well!
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