Congratulations, you earned one of the few speaking slots available these days. Now for the hard part: delivering a great presentation. If you want to get invited back, attendees hold your fate in their hands. Conference managers depend on the speaker evaluation forms they complete...if you don't do well...you're not coming back. Here are 11 indispensable tips to deliver effective presentations:
Step 1. Stick to the idea. Before you begin drafting your presentation, take a moment to review the proposal that was submitted and accepted. Make sure your slides correspond with this topic. The worst thing you can do is submit one idea and present another.
Step 2. Hone your message. Ask yourself what the session's goal is, and then refine your message to achieve that goal. To ensure your message is clear, limit your presentation to three main points: problem, resolution and results -what attendees really care about. If you need more guidance, contact the conference manager or panel moderator.
Step 3. Know your audience. Are you presenting to executives or IT professionals? Use concrete examples that are meaningful to attendees. A compelling presentation is also enlightening, providing information they are interested in and can immediately use.
Step 4. Avoid sales pitches at all costs. We can't stress this point enough. Remember, attendees are there to learn how to solve a particular problem or learn about a topic, not hear a pitch about your company. Violate this commandment and your speaking career will crash and burn.
Step 5. Make slides concise and readable. Visualization greatly improves understanding and retention. Consider that while people only remember 20 percent of what they hear, their retention jumps to 50 percent when visual aids are used. Keep words to a minimum. Use images whenever possible.
Step 6. Practice. Practice. Practice. The more you rehearse, the less nervous you'll be. Studies have shown that voice quality/strength determines 38 percent of your impact.
Step 7. Begin with a bang. Provide an interesting statistic or make a surprising statement to capture the audience's attention. However, make sure your opening reflects your own personality so you are comfortable and sound natural.
Step 8. Create meaningful sound bites. The average adult has an attention span of a child on Christmas morning. Sprinkling helpful hints, notable facts and colorful statements throughout your presentation keeps the audience awake and engaged.
Step 9. Involve your audience. Most people love to share their thoughts. Poll them frequently throughout your presentation. Make sure they understand what you are saying. Walk through the audience, if possible, and get them involved more directly.
Step 10. Give handouts. If you are discussing the top five roadblocks to a particular problem, count out each point. Put these lists and any other helpful information on handouts that attendees can take with them. (Attendees often complain about the lack of handouts.) They are tangible take-home reminders of what they've learned.
Step 11. Stay animated. Attendees don't want to attend a boring classroom lecture. They want to hear from someone who is enthusiastic about the topic, not someone who drones for 20 minutes at a podium.
A few final tips:
- Dress appropriately. Your appearance speaks volumes.
- Make sure you arrive early enough to tour the conference room.
- Set up well in advance of the presentation.
