The 10 things you must do before giving a Presentation !

The ability to make an effective presentation is an important business skill. As a

presenter, you need to get your point across. And if you do so effectively, not only does
your audience gain information, but you look good.
Yet many people, at all levels, are unsure how to appear confident and credible when
speaking in front of others. Over the past few months, even seasoned professionals
have been among those I have coached on presentation skills.
Whether you are a manager explaining new programs to your employees, a chief
financial officer giving a financial update to the media, or a vice president speaking in
front of your board of directors, following these 10 suggestions will help you achieve
presentation success:
1. Know your audience. Learn as much as you can about your audience before the
presentation. How much do they already know about your topic? What more do they
want to know? If you address the needs and concerns of the people in your audience,
they are more likely to listen to you.
2. Practice out loud. You want to hear how the presentation sounds. Saying it in your
head isnt good enough. Is it structured logically? Are you using transitions between
points? Does the presentation make sense? Hearing the speech as your audience will
hear it helps you to clarify the areas you need to work on.
3. Dress for the presentation. Your attire can help you appear as a self-assured
person. Think about your audience members and what they will be wearing. Dressing
slightly better than your audience adds to your credibility.
4. Mingle before the presentation. When you can, meet the participants. Go up to
people, shake hands, introduce yourself, and welcome these individuals to the
presentation. This rapport-building helps people connect with you, and allows you to
feel more comfortable with them.
5. Establish your credibility. Make sure the audience knows why you are qualified to
talk about the subject. If you are not already known to the audience, or if nobody
introduces you, give a self-introduction at the beginning of your presentation.
6. Pay attention to your nonverbal communication. Use good posture, and look at
people in the audience. Remember that gestures bring your words to life, but avoid
nervous fiddling, such as playing with a pen or rubber band. Speak loudly enough to be
heard. (Additional information on communication can be found in my new book, The
Essentials of Business Etiquette.)
7. Dont discount yourself. Avoid comments that belittle you or your talk. These
include such statements as, I hope I dont bore you, but I am going to talk about4 or I

know you didnt come here to hear me. Be careful with filler words. If the audience is
counting the number of times you say um, they are not listening to what you have to say
and too many filler words make you appear unprepared and nervous, too.
8. Tell stories. Stories bring your presentation to life. When discussing a specific point,
concept, product or service, tell a story about someone who proves your point or
benefits from your service. Your audience will remember the story, and as a result your
presentation. (See my previous blog, Tell Tale: Bring Your Presentation to Life, for
additional information on using stories.)
9. Use slides to enhance your presentation. Slides should supplement and support
your talk, not supplant it. They are not your presentation! Limit the information on each
slide.
10. Anticipate the questions. Think about the questions that you may be asked, and
know how you will respond. If you prepare ahead of time for every negative or harsh
comment you can imagine, you are less likely to be caught off guard.

(By Absar Ahmad Shahzad)