my presentation is too long

Tips for improving the performance of your presentation

In this article.

Modify how you use multimedia, animations, and transitions

Windows or hardware-related actions that you can take

Clean out your temp folder, adjust the performance settings.

If your presentation runs slowly, try one or more of the following:

Modify how you use animations, and transitions

Reduce the number of transitions and complex animations in your presentation. This is especially if you're presenting online where transitions and animations may have a deeper impact on performance.

Use only one transition type.

Reduce the number of by-letter and by-word animations. By-letter and by-word animations apply a behavior or effect that moves text (by-word or by-letter) onto a slide to advance your presentation. For example, use an animation only for the title of a slide, instead of for every bullet in the slide.

Reduce the size of animated pictures and animated text. Click the picture or text placeholder, and then drag the sizing handles to reduce the size of the object.

Note:  For more information about how to reduce the file sizes of pictures, see Reduce the file size of a picture .

Don't use animations that include fading, rotating, or scaling. You can replace these effects with other animations.

Don't use large gradients or transparent objects. Instead, choose solid color fills.

You can improve playback and performance and save disk space by compressing your media files .

Top of Page

Exit all other programs.

Use the Disk Cleanup feature that ships with Windows.

Make sure that there is sufficient free disk space on the computer that you will deliver your presentation on.

If you have many files in your TEMP folder, it can slow PowerPoint (and other programs) down significantly. Periodically check and delete excess files in your TEMP folder.

To find your TEMP folder, do the following:

Exit PowerPoint and all other programs.

Click Start .

Click Run .

In the Open box, type %temp% .

Select the excess .tmp files, and then press DELETE.

Note:  You can usually delete any files that you find in your TEMP folder. If you get an "access error" message, it's most likely because you're trying to delete a file that is being used.

To reduce the resolution for the presentation display, and thereby increase the performance speed, do one or both of the following:

Change the resolution      On the Slide Show tab, in the Monitors group, in the Resolution list, click 640x480 (Fastest, Lowest Fidelity) . [older computers issue...]

Note:  Changing the resolution may cause the slide image to shift slightly. If this happens, either choose a different resolution or click Use Current Resolution in the Resolution list.

Use hardware graphics acceleration      Click the File tab. Click Options , click Advanced in the left pane of the PowerPoint Options dialog box, and then under Display , ensure the Disable hardware graphics acceleration check box is not selected.

What is a graphics accelerator?

A graphics accelerator is a type of video adapter that contains its own processor to boost performance levels. These processors are specialized for computing graphical transformations, so they achieve better results than the general-purpose CPU used by your computer. These adapters free your computer's CPU to execute other commands while the graphics accelerator handles graphics computations.

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8 Tips You Can Use to Make Your Presentation Longer

Last updated on May 31st, 2023

Striking that perfect duration for your presentation can be tricky. Your presentation should be brief so as not to bore your audience and to take advantage of the attention span , but it should also be thorough so you can fully deliver your message. There will be times when you’ll need to have a longer presentation than what you had planned, and it can be daunting to prolong the session on the spot if you don’t know what to do. Remember, a long presentation doesn’t mean a wordy presentation.

Let’s say you were forced to use a specific time frame for your presentation. As an example, let’s assume this is a 60-minute presentation. But when you realize you’ve prepared a presentation that you can deliver in 30 minutes, what would you do to cover the timing requirements and time constraints? While we already covered how many slides for a 30 minute presentation , in this article, we’ll share eight tips you can apply to make a presentation longer, some you can do before in preparation, and others you can use during the presentation. But first, let’s talk about why you might need a longer presentation.

What are some reasons you might need a longer presentation?

You don’t want to look unprepared. When not done properly, a presentation that is too short may give off the impression that you do not know a lot about the topic you are presenting, or that you did not exert enough effort in creating the presentation. This, even if you have delivered a message effectively and already said everything you needed to say. By having a long and effective presentation, you can show that you are capable and knowledgeable about the topic. It is not the idea to talk for the sake of talking, because if that is the case a wise decision would be to be honest with your audience and cut the presentation beforehand. But in some other situations, this is not the case, and you need to use all the time that you have available for the presentation.

Recommended reading: 75+ actionable topic ideas for your presentations in PowerPoint or Google Slides

You want your audience to feel engaged. Studies from military training have shown that there is a certain balance you should strike when delivering a message to make sure your audience connects with you and understands your key points. Too short a presentation usually does not give the audience enough time or information to fully embrace the topic.

Your presentation time was changed at the last minute . When you’re presenting as part of a panel, you always have to be prepared to adjust the duration of your speech in case you have to accommodate a change in schedule. If you have been asked to fill in for another presenter, you’ll have to find a way to stretch the presentation to make it longer .

What is the ideal length for a presentation? It will depend. Is the presentation you are creating a speech (not a workshop)? In those cases, ideal length may vary between 10 and 20 minutes. However, in some situations you may want to make your presentations longer in time.

How to make a presentation longer (8 Actionable Tips)

Before the presentation.

It is best to design your presentation to already be substantive beforehand so that you can take up as much time as needed to present your topic. Here are 4 tips and strategies to use when making your presentation:

Over-prepare

If you have been asked to present for 20 minutes, make sure to prepare enough content for at least 25 minutes. A common standard is that you should always be ready to speak 25% more than you were asked to do. It is much easier to be over-prepared and just cut the less important points from the presentation than to add points that you weren’t prepared for.

Layout a timed schedule for your presentation.

Plan out your speech by knowing how long you take for specific portions of the presentation. This includes your introduction, all the key points, your closing remarks, and any engagements you have prepared like a Q&A portion from the audience. This allows you to have a more detailed estimation of the duration of your presentation, and you can see which parts of your speech you can choose to stretch or insert additional information. This action requires a proper planning, and define the presentation structure beforehand. Alternatively, you can work in a presentation outline first.

Design your PowerPoint presentation purposefully.

Having a visual aid like a PowerPoint presentation is a must in any professional setting, and you can harness it to lengthen your presentation and make it more substantive. By including a graph or a data set to your slides, you are giving yourself a short break from constant speaking.

To help you in designing effective presentations, check out our roster of the best free PowerPoint templates , as chosen by the editor.

Present facts and quotes

A million dollar tip to make your presentation longer is to include new facts and why not, quote slides. Adding facts to your presentations not only will help to transmit the Logos part of the Rhetoric triangle (Logos is an appeal to logic, and is a way of persuading an audience by reason), but also help to lengthen your presentation a few seconds.

Similarly, presenting quotes from famous characters (they can be from different areas, such as politics, sports, public speaking, etc.), you can motivate your audience and keep then engaged. The audience will dedicate a few seconds to reasoning about the quote, what it means, what it tries to say and also about the personality or character who said it, remembering different stories. This will of course help to stretch your presentation a few seconds more. Using a free quote slide for PowerPoint can help you to achieve this with no hassle.

Vary the elements of your presentation.

When appropriate, you can add more types of media into your presentation. A short video clip or an impactful image is a great thing to incorporate. Not only do they lengthen your presentation, but they also spice up your speech and make it more engaging.

If your presentation is too short, you can apply the 10/20/30 rule for presentations, in which there should be no more than 10 slides, the presentation should last no more than 20 minutes, and there should be no text smaller than 30 points. This way, you can extend your presentation to a 20-minute length.

During the presentation

Making a presentation longer while you’re already at the podium is all about adapting and taking control of the time. Here are 4 tips that you can employ to make your presentation longer, during the presentation:

1. Speak slowly yet deliberately

Your nerves when public speaking can cause you to speak in a rush or in a panic. Take control of your voice and speak more slowly and include short pauses when making a point. By speaking slowly yet deliberately, you effectively lengthen your speech, and you also help your audience grasp your message much easier.

2. Stress out and repeat key concepts

When presenting, do not shy away from repeating the main points of your message throughout the presentation. By repeating key concepts, you hammer them down so that your audience remembers them and takes them away after the presentation. Stressing out main points is also one of the tips in making a brain-friendly presentation.

3. Add in your reserved examples, stories, and anecdotes

If you’ve done your over-preparation, this is the time when you can include the extra information you have exceedingly prepared and incorporate them into the speech. However, make sure that what you add is still related to the topic and adds substance to the speech. Remember, a long presentation does not mean a wordy presentation.

4. Enrich your presentations with videos

Adding videos to your presentations or embedding a video into your slides and playing it during the slide show can help you to make your presentation longer. However, this technique must be combined with other ones. If you embed a video in your PowerPoint presentations, make sure that it resonates with the topic and speech, and try to keep the attention span in mind. Videos longer than 3 minutes may make your presentation too boring unless the video is engaging enough. Please be sure to use this technique with caution. Additionally, consider that when using videos, the estimated number of slides may vary because each video is generally presented in a slide. So, for instance, if you rely on a specific number of slides for a 10-minute presentation , understand that using videos would require fewer number of slides.

Engage with your audience

Audience participation is a great strategy to use when you’re playing for time and need a longer presentation. There are many ways you can engage your audience throughout the presentation. You can say that you are open to questions during the speech rather than afterward in the Q&A session (Questions and Answers). You can also ask a question, and ask for simple input from the audience like a show of hands.

Final Thoughts

When you need to explain your topic thoroughly and intensively, long presentations are the way to go. However, keep in mind that longer presentations have to be engaging so as not to lose the interest of your audience You can use the 8 tips and techniques that we have mentioned above to help you deliver longer presentations that remain effective and dynamic, so you can nail your presentations every time.

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Article • 9 min read

10 Common Presentation Mistakes

Avoiding common pitfalls in your presentations.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Most of us have experienced dull, irrelevant or confusing presentations. But think back to the last really great presentation you saw – one that was informative, motivating and inspiring. Wouldn't you love to be able to present like that?

This article looks at 10 of the most common mistakes that speakers make when giving presentations. By avoiding these, you'll make your presentations stand out – for all of the right reasons, and none of the wrong ones.

Mistake 1: Not Preparing Enough

Steve Jobs was a famously inspiring speaker. His speeches may have looked effortless, but, in reality, each one took days or weeks of preparation.

Careful preparation is essential. The amount of time you spend on planning depends on your situation, but it's a good idea to start early – you can never be too well-prepared.

Proper preparation also helps you to manage presentation nerves . When you know your material inside and out, you're far less likely to feel nervous. Our presentation planning checklist and Skillbook " Even Better Presentations " can help you to plan your next event properly.

Mistake 2: Not Familiarizing Yourself With the Venue and Equipment

Imagine that your presentation starts in an hour. You arrive at the venue and, to your horror, the projector won't work with your laptop. The slides you spent hours preparing are useless. This is a disaster!

You can avoid a situation like this by taking time to familiarize yourself with the venue and available equipment at least once before your presentation.

Often, the sorts of problems that can jeopardize your presentation will be situations beyond your control, but this doesn't mean that you're helpless. Conduct a risk analysis to identify potential issues, and come up with a good "Plan B" for each one.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Your Audience

Sometimes, speakers can get so wrapped up in delivering their presentations that they forget about the needs of their audience.

Start your presentation by telling your audience what to expect. Let them know what you'll cover first, whether and when you'll stop for a break, if you'll be taking questions during the presentation, and so on.

Providing these "signposts" up front will give your audience a clear idea of what to expect, so that they can relax and concentrate on your presentation.

Mistake 4: Using Inappropriate Content

The primary purpose of any presentation is to share information with others, so it's important to consider the level you'll pitch it at.

Do some research on your audience. Why are they here? How much do they already know about your topic, and what do they most want to learn from you? It's no use giving a presentation that's so full of jargon that no one understands you. But you wouldn't want to patronize people, either.

Try to put yourself in people's shoes, to get a clearer idea about their needs and motivations. You can also greet individuals as they arrive on the day, and ask questions to get a feel for their level of knowledge. This will also help you to personalize your presentation and make a connection with each person in your audience, so that they'll be more attentive to what you say.

Mistake 5: Being Too Verbose

Short, concise presentations are often more powerful than verbose ones. Try to limit yourself to a few main points. If you take too long getting to your point, you risk losing your audience's attention.

The average adult has a 15- to 20-minute attention span. So, if you want to keep your audience engaged, stick to the point! During the planning phase, make a note of the themes you want to cover and how you want to get them across. Then, when you start filling out the details, ask yourself: "Does my audience really need to know this?"

Our articles on the 7 Cs of Communication and Communications Planning have more tips for communicating in a clear, concise way.

Mistake 6: Using Ineffective Visuals

Poor slides can spoil a good presentation, so it's worth spending time getting yours right.

We've all seen slides with garish colors, unnecessary animation, or fonts that are too small to read. The most effective presentation visuals aren't flashy – they're concise and consistent.

When choosing colors, think about where the presentation will take place. A dark background with light or white text works best in dark rooms, while a white background with dark text is easier to see in a brightly lit room.

Choose your pictures carefully, too. High-quality graphics can clarify complex information and lift an otherwise plain screen, but low-quality images can make your presentation appear unprofessional. Unless an image is contributing something, embrace the negative space – less clutter means greater understanding. Use animation sparingly, too – a dancing logo or emoji will only distract your audience.

Mistake 7: Overcrowding Text

The best rule of thumb for text is to keep it simple . Don't try to cram too much information into your slides. Aim for a maximum of three to four words within each bullet point, and no more than three bullets per slide.

This doesn't mean that you should spread your content over dozens of slides. Limit yourself to 10 slides or fewer for a 30-minute presentation. Look at each slide, story or graph carefully. Ask yourself what it adds to the presentation, and remove it if it isn't important.

Mistake 8: Speaking Incoherently

Even though we spend a significant part of the day talking to one another, speaking to an audience is a surprisingly difficult skill, and it's one that we need to practice.

If nerves make you rush through a presentation, your audience could miss your most important points. Use centering or deep breathing techniques to suppress the urge to rush. If you do begin to babble, take a moment to collect yourself. Breathe deeply, and enunciate each word clearly, while you focus on speaking more slowly.

Our article on better public speaking has strategies and tips that you can use to become a more engaging speaker. One useful technique is storytelling – stories can be powerful tools for inspiring and engaging others. Our Expert Interviews with Annette Simmons and Paul Smith have tips that you can use to tell great stories.

Mistake 9: Showing a Lack of Dynamism

Another common mistake is to freeze in one spot for the duration of your presentation.

Some presenters feel most comfortable behind the podium. Try to emulate great speakers like Steve Jobs , who moved purposefully around the stage during his presentations.

As well as working the stage, he used gestures and body language to communicate his excitement and passion for his subject. Pay attention to what your hands are doing – they're important for communicating emotion. But only use gestures if they feel natural, and avoid being too flamboyant with your arms, unless you want to make your audience laugh!

See our Expert Interview, " Winning Body Language ," to learn more about body language and what it says to your audience.

Mistake 10: Avoiding Eye Contact

Have you ever been to a presentation where the speaker spent all of their time looking at their notes, the screen, the floor, or even at the ceiling? How did this make you feel?

Meeting a person's gaze establishes a personal connection, and even a quick glance can keep people engaged. If your audience is small enough, try to make eye contact with each individual at least once.

If the audience is too large for this, try looking at people's foreheads. The individual may not interpret it as eye contact, but those sitting around them will.

It takes practice and effort to deliver a good presentation. But, if you know how to avoid the pitfalls, your presentations will be great.

Common presentation mistakes include not preparing properly, delivering inappropriate content, and speaking poorly.

Time spent on careful planning always pays dividends. Check out the venue, and familiarize yourself with equipment in advance to avoid possible problems.

Keep your content clear and concise, with visual aids to match. And make sure that you pitch it at the right level for your audience's understanding, so that your presentation doesn't patronize or bewilder.

Remember, public speaking is a performance. Practice speaking clearly with a slower pace than your normal speech to avoid "rapid-fire" delivery. Use eye contact, body language and gestures that complement your message to keep your audience engaged.

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• Presentation

What is the best way to make a presentation longer?

• February 11, 2023

Whether addressing a large audience or discussing a complex topic, making a presentation longer without compromising its quality is a common challenge. In this article, we’ll talk about how to extend the duration of your presentation while still preserving its effectiveness, and you will learn how to make a presentation longer what to add, how to manage presentation time, and what you should avoid. With a longer presentation, you can delve more deeply into your Presentation design services , engage the audience, and provide insightful information.

Table of Contents

 How to extend presentation time

Giving a presentation that is too short can be detrimental to conveying your message to the audience, so learning how to make your presentation longer can help you ensure that you stay on point and capture the attention of the attendees.

Fortunately, there are several strategies for making a presentation longer which involve using more visuals, increasing your speaking time, and considering other elements such as storytelling. With these simple steps and recommendations, you can extend your presentation in order to make sure that it does not come across as rushed or incomplete.

Keeping an audience engaged in a presentation can be a challenging task as you have to keep them engaged for longer than a few minutes. This is why it’s important to make your successful presentation last longer. There are several tips and tricks that you can use to make your presentation last longer without compromising on the quality of the overall experience.

From using visual aids such as slides, videos, and infographics to adding interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, and simulations, there are many ways to help make the presentation more engaging and interesting. With these tips, you can easily make your presentation keep the audience captivated for longer periods of time.

What to add to make your Presentation Longer?

Here are some factors about what to add to a presentation to make it longer:

• In-Depth Examples : Incorporate detailed case studies, real-life examples, or anecdotes related to your topic. These stories provide context and help illustrate your key points vividly.
• Additional Research and Data : Include more comprehensive research findings, statistics, and data to support your arguments. This strengthens your credibility and allows you to discuss findings in greater detail.
• Extended Explanations : Take the time to elaborate on complex concepts, theories, or processes. Break down intricate information into easily understandable segments, making it more accessible to your audience.
• Comparative Analysis : If relevant, compare and contrast different approaches, products, or solutions. This provides a comprehensive view and stimulates thoughtful discussions.
• Audience Interaction : Incorporate interactive elements, such as polls, surveys, or audience questions. This engagement not only extends the presentation but also enhances audience participation.

Reasons why you might require a longer presentation?

Don’t look unprepared..

A presentation that is too brief may make it appear that you don’t know enough about the topic or that you didn’t put in enough effort to create the presentation. Even if you’ve delivered your message clearly and said all you need to, this can happen. A well-structured presentation will show your knowledge and ability to present the topic. Talking for the sake of others is not a good idea. If that happens, it is wise to tell your audience upfront and cut the presentation. In other cases, however, it is not necessary to cut the presentation.

Engage your audience.

Military training has shown that there’s a balance to strike when you deliver a message. This will ensure your audience feels connected with you and fully understands your key points. A presentation that is too short often doesn’t give enough information or time to the audience and will not allow them to fully grasp the topic.

Your presentation time was modified at the last moment.

If you are presenting to a panel, it is important to know that you can adjust the length of your presentation to fit any changes in your schedule. You will need to extend the presentation if you are asked to do so.

How long is the best length for a presentation? It depends. It will depend on what presentation you are making. These cases may call for a presentation that is between 10 and 20 minutes in length. In some cases, however, you might want to extend the time for your presentations.

How to make the presentation longer?

1-layout an outline of your presentation.

You can plan your speech by planning how long each section will take. This includes your introduction, key points and closing remarks. This will allow you to estimate the length of your presentation and can also help you decide which parts of your speech to shorten or added. This requires planning and defining the presentation structure in advance.

2-Slowly but deliberately

Public speaking can be stressful if you are nervous. You can take control of your voice by speaking slowly and allowing for a few pauses between points. Slowly speaking but deliberately will help you lengthen your speech and make it more memorable. It will also make your message easier to understand by helping your audience better grasp your message.

3-Create your PowerPoint presentation with the purpose

A PowerPoint presentation is an essential tool in any professional setting. You can use it to enhance your presentation and make it more meaningful. You can give yourself a break from the monotony of constant talking by adding a graph to your slides.

4-Add your logo and company information

The logo should be displayed at the beginning and throughout the presentation.

If applicable, show a company logo and contact information on a slide prior to or after each section in your presentation. If applicable, show a company’s mission statement on one or more slides prior to or after each section in your presentation.

If possible, share some background information about the origins of your business. If applicable, share some values that will guide your decision-making in your company

5-Repeat your important points

One of the key paths to making a presentation longer and keeping your audience interested is emphasizing your key points. When giving a presentation, repetition is okay. There are important points to make, so it’s okay to repeat, summarize, or recap them. Try reciting the sentence with a different tone of emphasis if you feel that something you have said is particularly important.

• While repetition is great, it’s best to not repeat the same thing twice. This could cause your audience to tire.
• It is a great idea to use key ideas and themes as words and phrases throughout the recap.

6-Reiterate key concepts

Don’t be afraid to repeat the key points throughout your presentation when you present. Repeating key concepts throughout the presentation will help you to make sure your audience retains them. Another tip for making a presentation that is brain-friendly is to stress the main points.

7-Tell a Story

Stories can help you convey a point to your audience and keep them engaged for longer. Telling stories is another way to use stories. Although it may seem obvious, storytelling is a great way to keep people interested in presentations. They are more entertaining than facts alone and are much more engaging than just facts. Share anything that is interesting, funny or relevant about you or someone else. Your audience will enjoy every minute of your story.

8-Enhance your presentations with videos

You can make your slides longer by adding videos to them or embedding video in your slides. This technique should be used in conjunction with others. When embedding a video into your PowerPoint presentations, ensure that it is relevant to the topic and speech. Also, keep in mind the attention span. If the video is too long, it can make your presentation boring. This technique should be used with caution. Also, remember that videos can have a different number of slides than expected. Each video is usually presented on a slide. For example, if you have a 10-minute presentation and need to use a certain number of slides, videos will require fewer slides.

9-Be an expert!

To make a more engaging PowerPoint presentation, you can also draw on your personal experience and knowledge. Confidence is key to what you say. Use stories to illustrate your points. You should be passionate about your message. This will keep your audience interested and engaged in the subject. If possible, you can add tips from experts to your presentation. This will increase credibility and help with credibility.

How to Extend Presentation Time Effectively

• Expand on Subtopics : Divide your content into subtopics and allocate more time. This enables you to provide comprehensive coverage of each aspect without rushing through them.
• Q&A Sessions : Reserve time for a thorough question-and-answer session at the end. This allows you to address audience queries, clarify doubts, and add valuable content.
• Engaging Visuals : Integrate more visuals like diagrams, charts, and images. These aid comprehension and allow you to elaborate on each visual’s significance.
• Case Studies and Examples : Go into depth with case studies or examples by discussing the background, challenges, solutions, and outcomes. This provides a more complete understanding of the topic.
• Analogies and Analogous Stories : Use analogies to explain complex ideas and expand on these analogies with stories or scenarios that resonate with your audience.

Shouldn’t about how to make a presentation longer

• Filling with Filler : Avoid padding your presentation with irrelevant information or excessive filler content. Audience’s value concise and relevant information.
• Reading Slides Aloud : Reading each slide word-for-word can be monotonous. Instead, elaborate on the key points, providing context and insights beyond what’s on the slide.
• Repetition : While a certain level of repetition can reinforce key concepts, avoid being redundant. Repeating the same information excessively can disengage your audience.
• Rushing : Don’t speed through the presentation to fit a specific time frame. Rushing compromises, the quality of your delivery and hinders audience comprehension.
• Lack of Engagement : Pay attention to your audience’s engagement level. Monitor their reactions and adjust your pace accordingly.

Extending the length of a presentation while maintaining its quality requires thoughtful planning and strategic execution. Incorporate additional content, engage your audience effectively, and explore topics in greater detail. However, remember that quality should always take precedence over quantity. You can create a longer presentation that captures your audience’s attention and delivers meaningful insights by striking the right balance.

How do you lengthen a presentation time?

Things you need to consider:

•       Prioritize speaking slowly and clearly, and state your key points multiple times throughout your speech.
•       Add length by including stories, examples, facts, and quotes in your speech to back up your main points.
•       Use a visual aid like a PowerPoint or a handout to add time and audience engagement.

How do you make a 20-minute presentation long?

If your presentation is too short, you can apply the 10/20/30 rule for presentations, in which there should be at most 10 slides, the presentation should last at most 20 minutes, and there should be no text smaller than 30 points. This way, you can extend your presentation to a 20-minute length.

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Can Presentations Be Too Short?

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation

Have a gut feeling that your presentation is too short? Or is your presentation shorter than what was asked out of you? Short presentations aren’t such a bad thing. This article will help you understand the effectiveness of short presentations. Read along to find out how to deliver effective short presentations or make your short presentation longer. 

How long are Short Presentations?

Why are short presentations better, how to make effective short presentations, time management, should i make my presentation longer, how can i make my presentation longer, words that make presentations longer, what should you include in a short presentation, thesis winning short presentations, in conclusion.

Short Presentations are also called Lightning Talks or Data Blitz. Any presentation or speech that lasts less than 10 minutes can be classified as a short presentation. The main goal of any presentation is to put forth an idea. If your presentation conveys everything it was supposed to, it is a successful presentation. The effectiveness of a presentation is not proportionate to its length.

Your presentations cannot be too short. If they’re properly delivering the message, they are called concise presentations. 

“Nobody ever complained the presentation was too short”

• Saves Time: Time is money. The more time you save, the more you have to allot to valuable endeavours. Everybody would love to catch a five minute break without compromising on productivity.
• Efficient: Short presentations leave out all the content that’s not absolutely critical. When all the major points are covered without beating around the bush, it is much more efficient. Your audience will definitely thank you in their minds. After all, As students, we all loved it when the teacher left us early.
• Attention Span: The maximum attention span of an average adult according to studies is 20 minutes. Short presentations cut this to half. This means, the attention of your audience will remain fresh throughout the presentation. 
• Clear, Concise, Compelling: Lesser the time frame, more the effort. You have a big idea to convey in a small time. This will force you to become clear, concise and compelling. 

Less is more. Minimalism is the phenomenon that revolutionised the post world war era. It has taken over all aspects of life, presentations too! How do you then apply the principles of minimalism into making stunning presentations?

• Fine Filter: Short presentations mean you cleanse your information thoroughly. Only and only the most important content must make it to the speech. The slides should then be even briefer. 
• Context: Cleansing unnecessary information does not include forgoing your contexts. Your presentation is not a mystery novel. Keep everybody on the same page, let them know what you’re talking about. 
• Series of Three: Steve Jobs gave his presentations in the series of three. He concluded that most people remember things in the series of three. Therefore, he would break a big topic into three main core ideas. Three is a small number, enough to form clear short presentations. For example, while giving a speech about waste management, your three main takeaways would be Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. When your three main ideas are addressed clearly in your presentation, its effectiveness is greatly amplified. 
• Stories: Stories teach better than lectures. You can ask somebody to separate their waste, or you could narrate a story that shows the consequences of doing so. You can also highlight what happens when you don’t do so! We as a civilization succeeded with the power of stories. Short stories in your short presentations can convey way more than you are estimating. Be metaphorical.

• No Time For Introductions: This does not mean you skip the introduction ofcourse. Follow the standard introduction-body-conclusion formal but keep in mind that you cannot have a 3 minute introduction in a 10 minute speech. Start boldly with a short controversial statement, be fearless. This will involve your audience too! Precision is the key to any short presentation.
• Passion: You know the twinkle in somebody’s eyes when they’re talking about something they’re passionate about? Everybody loves listening to them. Presentations become greater when delivered with passion. Short presentations driven by passion receive an insurmountable attention. 
• Show, Don’t Tell: A single picture speaks a thousand words. When your short presentations make it hard to incorporate long explanations, use pictures! Good images are not only self-explanatory but also impeccable when it comes to delivering concepts. As cavemen, we used images to communicate. Tap into the evolutionary instincts of humans and deliver your presentations.
• Structure: The presentation cannot stand out without structure. Have a good order in the presentation, don’t let anything go haywire. Nobody likes getting confused. It loses the audience in the snap of your fingers. 
• Minimum: Pertaining your presentation slides, try making them bare minimum. This does not mean not putting effort into them. It means that the content of your slide must not have a lot of information. For a presentation of 10 minutes, try minimising your presentation to a maximum of 5-10 slides. This adds up to not more than 1-2 slides per minute.
• Vocabulary: Keep your thesaurus away, this is not a research paper. Writing fancy long words and speaking them are two very different things. Keep it simple. Talk to your audience like it is a conversational pitch, not philosophical preaching. Remember, you do NOT have the time to be complicated. Work your flair in simplicity.

The defining factor of short presentations is the time period. Only when they get over within a small time are they called “short presentations”. Going over the time limit will frustrate your audience and disengage them.

How to then manage time in short presentations? You can use the Series of Three method mentioned above to ensure you complete the presentation on time. Apart from that, set benchmarks to ensure better time management within a presentation. 

Benchmarks or milestones are cues to move on from point to point to ensure you cover all the topics before the alarm goes off. You may or may not have a ticking clock at your disposal. In this case, your best shot would be to practice and practice and practice. 

Practising your presentation will make it run smoothly. When practised enough, the words will come out almost effortlessly. It’s not the same as rote learning your speech. You’re supposed to know the correct order of your subject matter, and its contents. Worst come worst scenario, if you don’t have enough time to prepare and practise your presentations, this can help you out.

If you are reading this article, you might be afraid your presentation is too short. While short presentations are quite effective, sometimes you have no other choice but to make your presentation longer. Following are a few reasons why you might be feeling the need to make your presentations longer. 

• Unpreparedness: While short presentations have nothing to do with the presentation being underprepared, it can make you anxious. What if they don’t find it convincing? What if it doesn’t last long enough to be memorable? Et cetera. 
• Unconvincing: You should trust your gut. If your instincts don’t find the presentation long and convincing enough, extend it. After all, you can’t persuade other people if you have not satisfied yourself. 
• Not Memorable: If you feel your presentation won’t be memorable enough it’s most likely to do with the content you have put into it. If your content is engaging then even the shortest presentations are memorable. Nevertheless, if the presentation is legitimately getting over in a blip, you can perhaps make it last a little longer. 
• REALLY short: If your content should ideally last for three times more time than what it has turned out, elongate it. Covering just the critical bits also involves elaborating on them a little. 

Speak Slowly: Intelligent, innit? I mean, it’s an obvious hack to make any presentation longer. But sometimes we tend to l subconsciously speak faster. The slow and deliberate enunciation of every word can increase the duration of any presentation.

Fast speakers tend to cut their speech short. In such cases, use pauses. Silence is often unexpected during speeches. It makes the environment more interesting and garners attention from the public.

Add More Information: Now that you know the 10% of the information you can absolutely not do without, you can start expanding. Keep adding information in descending order of importance. After the most important stuff, you can add up to 25% of important stuff to make your speeches longer. 

By adding more information you can have more content at your disposal. You don’t have to necessarily talk about it but you can still have a backup plan if needed. Over-preparing will do you no harm. It will increase your prospects to do good. 

Engage With Audience: When you don’t have anything else to say, turn your monologue into a dialogue. Interacting with the audience can not only increase the duration of your presentation but also serve as a tool of better engagement. It will make your presentation memorable since there is a transactional format of communication taking place there. Check out the best interactions TED speakers had with their audiences to engage and elongate their presentations.

The Structure: When you write your presentations, you follow the standard structure – Introduction, Body and Conclusion. The entire speech answers five questions. These questions are: Why? What? Where? When? How? 

While writing short presentations, start your presentations by answering “Why?” Then in the body answer “What?” “Where?” “When?” And “How?” In the conclusion part, answer your “Why?” again, a little clearer this time, and then end the presentation. If you cannot answer all four questions in your body, ask “What?” three times and answer it. This will successfully make short presentations longer.

Media Products: Showing clips in the middle of your presentation can easily buy you 2-3 minutes of extra presentation time. They can serve you as a break from speaking and also give you extra data to talk about. You can always analyse the video after. This will add a few more minutes of discussion. 

Story Time: Writing your presentation in the form of a narrative and telling stories in the middle are two different things. Use your teacher’s tactics and tell stories in the middle of your presentations. Make sure your stories are not irrelevant though, time is a valuable resource. If your stories revolve around the key concept of your presentation, it will add the necessary razzle-dazzle to your speech.

These tips can easily add 3 to 5 minutes to your presentations. Obviously, you can employ one or more of these tips for how much time you need to add. 

I always emphasise this fact: The written word and the spoken word are two very different things. A common mistake presenters make to make their presentation sound longer (and maybe smarter) are complicated words and extensive vocabulary. You cannot recite your academic paper and call it a presentation. You might intend to sound smart, but at the end of the day it will come across as a product of less effort. Presentations are meant to educate the masses in the layman’s language.

Never use the word ‘emolument’ when you mean ‘tip’. You might have seen a list of words and jargon to make essays longer. I would stand by my claim and not offer you a list of words to extend your presentation. Instead, here are a few phrases you can use that may catch your audience’s attention. You can use these phrases and idioms universally in any presentation you like. 

• Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am extremely grateful to you all for offering me a piece of your valuable time today.
• It is an honour to be delivering my keynote to such a distinguished audience today. 
• Before we delve into the topic for discussion, I would like to introduce you to myself and speak a few words about my own background. 
• I sincerely hope that this discussion will act as a springboard for ideas. 
• In this talk, I would like to convey to you a set of ideas which will be divided into…
• The focus of today’s discussion/talk/speech will be…
• I feel this talk will be of particular relevance to a significant portion of this audience since we will be focusing upon… and (relate your topic to the audience)…
• My plan to structure today’s speech is…
• I hope you leave the conference with an abundance of takeaways and cues to your new big projects.
• I hope this presentation can inspire you enough to get your ball rolling.
•  Please know that I am open to and quite inquisitive about knowing your thoughts and questions for the next half an hour. 

Short presentations follow no special pattern of delivery. Their formatting is similar to that of any presentation with one exception: time crunch. 

The Introduction of short presentations must be brief. It shouldn’t exceed 10-15% of the total time frame of the presentation. For example, if your presentation ought to be 5 minutes long then the introduction is approximately 15-30 seconds long. 

The Body of short presentations only focuses on 1-3 major points. If you try to cover too many pointers then the focus lifts from each of them. You won’t be able to deliver any of the subtopics with enough emphasis. Storytelling is powerful. If you use the five minutes to tell a story rather than enlisting facts for your audience, chances are that you will actually deliver your message.

The Conclusion is indeed a flexible part of the speech. But experts say you retain it in your content. Conclusion summarises the content that you spoke about. It sums up what you expect out of your audience now in 2-3 sentences. Understand that repetition retains information. Your audience will remember the main idea if you repeat and drill it into their heads enough times. 

You can check out our complete guide to delivering short presentations to gain in depth knowledge about how to write powerful 5 minute presentations.

Emily Johnston is currently a professor at the University of Tasmania. The above presentation was a three minute summary about her long thesis that talked about how she developed a novel mosquito-borne virus detection technique that puts nucleic acid-preserving paper coated in honey into mosquito traps made of pantyhose, paperclip and recycled milk cartons. A detailed overview of her work can be found here . 

Out of all the short presentations I went through, this one is particularly stunning. Emily spent years researching, analysing and formulating a theory which she was then asked to encapsulate within three minutes. She did a remarkable job too. She started off with a joke which accounted for a good introduction. Then she slowly divulged into the topic.

They followed The Structure format of short presentations, starting off with answering Why she is presenting this. Then she slowly divulged into the details of it carefully and strategically covering all the pointers. In conclusion she mentioned her cause again, drawing attention towards the poorer, more infected countries that need her invention. 

She was calm and composed throughout her speech, neither speaking too fast nor too slow. She was confident while speaking and her body language expressed it greatly. This was only possible because she knew all her material well. She knew what she was talking about and did not stutter. The speech was clear, brief, concise and respected the time of her audience. 

You never knew you could learn so much in three minutes. It was not only an excellent presentation but also an excellent preparation. I can’t begin to imagine how much she had practised it. The takeaways from this speech are immaculate for anybody striving to deliver excellent short presentations. 

All the pitches from Shark Tank can also be considered as Short Presentations.

In a world where our attention span keeps decreasing every day, presentations can never be too short. As long as you are delivering your presentation well, be assured that your presentation is enough. The best advertisements often last for 10 seconds and fetch the company millions of dollars after all. Be confident in yourself and deliver a killer short presentation. Size does not matter. 

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Presentation Too Long? Edit with these 3 Easy Steps

One of the most dreaded parts about giving a presentation is the time crunch. You have so much to explain – and in only 10 minutes. But even worse is needing to redo that presentation for a smaller audience – in half that time! After the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, that pressure to execute hyper-efficiently felt heightened to an enormous degree. According to a survey conducted by Microsoft Workplace Insights comparing their team’s pre-remote work (Jan/Feb 2020) and post-remote work (Mar 2020) activity:

Short meetings (30 min or less) increased by 22% while long meetings (1 hour or more) decreased by 11%.

In other words, a need rose for shorter and more efficient presentations. On top of that, 70% of those surveyed felt they were in more meetings in general. So not only did meetings need to be more economic. They also needed to be more engaging to stand out from the crowd.

The key to a successful presentation in this new workplace landscape is knowing how to expertly edit down your content. And it comes down to 3 simple steps:

1. For each major section of your presentation, break it down into a list of main points .

2. For each list of main points , condense it into a short 1 sentence summary.

3. Try to state your 1 sentence summary with as few of the main points as possible. Remove all other main points.

In this post, we’ll break down how Randy Pausch used this 3-step editing technique to repurpose his famous 1 hour+ “Last Lecture” into a 10 minute TV-ready presentation. The technique will be applied to 3 major sections of the talk: the opening, the middle, and the close.

1. The Opening

What legacy would you want to impart to the world before you died? This question was the motivation behind the “Last Lecture” series at Carnegie Mellon for which Professor Randy Pausch delivered a humbling and incredibly inspirational presentation about achieving your childhood dreams. Unfortunately, Pausch was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer about a month prior and this was in fact Pausch’s very last lecture at the university. Watch, however, as Pausch transforms this uncomfortable “elephant in the room” into a rousing and unforgettable opening to his “Last Lecture”:

Presentation Clip 1

Due to the phenomenally positive response to his “Last Lecture”, Pausch was asked to repurpose it for none other than the Oprah Winfrey show. This was quite a tall order, requiring him to reduce his original content by nearly 1/8 from ~80 minutes to 10. Let’s go through the 3-step editing technique to see how Pausch edited down his original opening section.

For Step 1, there are several main points :

• The Elephant in the Room (Slide)
• “You can’t change the cards you’re dealt, only how you play the hand…If I’m not as morose as I should be, sorry to disappoint”
• “I’m not in denial” (Slide)
• “I’m probably physically stronger than most of you”

For Step 2, the 1 sentence summary is: “He is terminally ill but chooses instead to live life to the fullest”.

For Step 3, let’s go through each main point:

• “The Elephant in the Room” is necessary because it informs the audience Pausch is terminally ill.
• “You can’t change the cards you’re dealt…” is necessary because it informs the audience Pausch refuses to feel pessimistic
• “I’m not in denial” may actually not be necessary because it only adds a little extra detail to the previous main point
• “I’m probably physically stronger than most of you” , lastly, is necessary because it emphasizes how Pausch chooses to live his life in the best health possible.

As you watch the shorter, “TV-ready” version of the opening below, notice how Pausch did indeed choose to cut the “I’m not in denial” main point because he could still deliver his 1 sentence summary without it being present:

Presentation Clip 2

2. The Middle

The middle section of Pausch’s lecture was devoted to how he achieved each of his childhood dreams. Pausch actually completed Step 1 for us, presenting a slide of everything he planned to cover in this section. (These are the main points ):

For Step 2, the 1 sentence summary is: “He achieved most of his childhood dreams using lessons learned from those he did not achieve”

For Step 3, it turns out you only need two main points to embody the 1 sentence summary – one representative point about a dream not achieved and one representative point about a dream achieved. All other points only add extra detail.

Ultimately, Pausch decided to use “Playing in the NFL” as an example of a dream he did not achieve. The lesson of hard work gained from that experience allowed him to successfully achieve his dream “Being a Disney Imagineer”. By distilling the original six main points down to these two, Pausch was able to neatly encapsulate his 1 sentence summary summary and lose none of its essential spirit.

3. The Close

Finally, watch as Pausch wraps up his original “Last Lecture” at Carnegie Mellon University with a fittingly sentimental close:

Here are the main points:

• The talk was about achieving his childhood dreams, enabling the dreams of others, and lessons learned from both
• The talk was really about how to lead life so that the dreams come to you
• This lecture was not written for the audience, but for his kids

The 1 sentence summary is: The talk was not about achieving dreams, but really about showing his kids how to lead their lives

To support this core message, Pausch really only needed the last 2 main points , since the first only summarized the contents of the lecture thus far. Watch below as Pausch repurposes his original close into a more succinct version comprising only the last 2 main points:

When creating your own presentation, follow these 3 simple steps to achieve Pausch’s mastery of editing:

2. Summarize your list of main points into 1 sentence .

3. try to state your 1 sentence with as few of the main points as possible. remove all other main points., related posts.

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The Definitive Guide to Longer Presentations

In many situations, short and succinct presentations are the norm. A five-minute pitch, a 15-minute conference talk, or a brief classroom lecture can be incredibly effective. However, there are times when a longer presentation is not just beneficial but necessary. This can be the case when you have a complex topic to cover, a multifaceted message to convey, or an audience that expects a deep dive into your subject matter.

With that being said, longer presentations can lead to audience fatigue. When audience members become disengaged, they may lose interest and stop paying attention to your content.

So, can we extend a presentation while also ensuring audience engagement? How do we design presentations that are not just highly informative but also captivating? If you were wondering the same, you have come to the right page! Whether you’re a business professional, an educator, a public speaker, or someone who simply wants to share their ideas effectively through long-form presentations, you will find the tips and advice shared in this article useful in making your presentations longer without losing your audience’s attention.

But before we dive in, let’s first identify the scenarios in which a longer presentation is justified and also look at some common pitfalls of longer presentations (and ways to avoid them).

When is a Long Presentation Justified?

Extended presentations are valuable when you need to provide in-depth analysis, offer comprehensive solutions, or explore a multifaceted issue. In fact, a longer presentation is very much warranted in situations where the subject matter, audience, or goals demand a more in-depth and comprehensive exploration. With the help of such presentations, you can engage with your audience on a deeper level, providing a rich learning experience and enabling a thorough examination of your ideas.

Here are some common situations where a longer presentation is justified:

Complex Topics: When dealing with complex, multifaceted subjects that require thorough explanations, a longer presentation allows you to delve into the details, provide context, and ensure the audience gains a comprehensive understanding.

In-Depth Training: Training sessions, workshops, or educational seminars often require longer presentations to cover the curriculum extensively. This is especially true for technical or skill-based training programs.

Research and Analysis: Presentations based on extensive research or data analysis often need more time to present findings, methodology, and implications comprehensively.

Strategic Planning: Longer presentations are essential in corporate or organisational settings when discussing strategic plans, objectives, and business strategies. They require detailed explanations and discussions.

Policy and Legislative Matters: Government or policy-related presentations often require longer durations to discuss proposed legislation, regulations, or policy changes in detail, as well as address questions from stakeholders.

Innovation and New Technologies: Presentations on cutting-edge technologies or innovative solutions may demand additional time for explaining intricacies, applications, and potential disruptions.

Scientific and Academic Conferences: Longer presentations are common in scientific and academic conferences, where researchers and scholars present their findings and discuss them with peers.

Public Health and Safety: Information related to public health, safety, or emergency procedures necessitates longer presentations to ensure clarity and compliance with guidelines.

Comprehensive Marketing and Sales: Sales and marketing presentations for complex products or services may require a longer duration to address features, benefits, and customer questions.

Community Engagement: Presentations involving community issues, development projects, or local initiatives often require more time for public engagement and thorough discussions

Historical and Cultural Topics: Presentations about historical events, cultural practices, or traditions may demand a longer duration to provide background, context, and in-depth exploration.

In-Depth Workshops and Seminars: Workshops and seminars focused on skill development, personal growth, or leadership often require more time to provide hands-on experiences and interactive learning.

Government and Policy Briefings: Government officials often need longer presentations to brief stakeholders, agencies, or the public on policy proposals, legislative changes, or key government initiatives.

Strategic Decision-Making: Longer presentations are essential for board meetings, executive presentations, and decision-making discussions where strategic choices and their implications are under consideration.

Product Launches and Demonstrations: Product launches or demonstrations may need longer presentations to showcase features, benefits, and usage scenarios, as well as to answer questions from potential customers.

Educational Institutions: In academic settings, lectures, thesis defences, or educational sessions may require extended presentations to ensure a comprehensive transfer of knowledge.

Public Awareness and Advocacy: Presentations related to social issues, advocacy, and public awareness campaigns often need longer durations to effectively communicate the importance of the cause and potential actions.

Policy Debates: In debates related to policy or controversial topics, longer presentations allow for more thorough arguments and counterarguments.

Crisis Management and Response: Longer presentations are necessary for crisis response plans, as they require detailed explanations, response protocols, and communication strategies.

Market Research and Analysis: Business presentations that focus on market research, consumer behaviour, or industry analysis may require additional time to cover data, insights, and strategic implications in depth.

In these situations, a longer presentation ensures that the audience receives a comprehensive and well-rounded understanding of the subject matter, making it a necessary choice for effective communication and engagement.

What Are The Common Pitfalls of Longer Presentations?

While longer presentations can be valuable in certain situations, they also come with common pitfalls that presenters should be aware of and work to avoid. Some of these pitfalls include:

Loss of Audience Engagement: Longer presentations can lead to audience fatigue. When audience members become disengaged, they may lose interest and stop paying attention to your content.

Information Overload: Presenters risk overwhelming their audience with excessive information. Too much data or content can make it difficult for the audience to absorb and retain key points.

Lack of Clarity: Extended presentations can suffer from a lack of clarity if the presenter doesn’t structure the content well or if they go off on tangents. This can confuse the audience and dilute the message

Ineffective Time Management: Managing time in longer presentations is crucial. If a presenter doesn’t allocate enough time to different sections or overruns, the presentation can feel rushed at the end, leaving the audience with unanswered questions.

Loss of Focus: Longer presentations might lose focus as the presenter tries to cover too many subtopics. This can dilute the main message and make it challenging for the audience to identify key takeaways.

Audience Fatigue: As presentations extend beyond a certain duration, audience fatigue sets in. The longer the presentation, the more likely it is that audience members will start to lose interest and become restless

Decreased Retention: Longer presentations can lead to decreased information retention. The human brain has limits to how much information it can absorb and remember in a single sitting, so extended presentations may result in lower retention rates.

Repetition: To fill time in a longer presentation, presenters may inadvertently repeat points, which can frustrate the audience and diminish the overall quality of the presentation.

Ineffective Visuals: When presenters use visuals, such as slides, they must ensure that these visuals are engaging and relevant. In longer presentations, there’s a risk of using too many or poorly designed visuals, which can hinder understanding and engagement.

Inadequate Interaction: Longer presentations may lack audience interaction, which can lead to reduced engagement. Failing to involve the audience through questions, discussions, or activities can make the presentation feel like a one-way lecture.

Overloading with Data: When dealing with data-heavy content, it’s vital to present the data effectively. Longer presentations run the risk of inundating the audience with data without clear explanations or insights.

Complex Language and Jargon: Presenters might use complex language or industry-specific jargon in longer presentations, which can alienate or confuse the audience, especially if they are not experts in the subject matter.

Poor Storytelling: In a longer presentation, storytelling is still essential. If the presenter fails to incorporate relevant stories or anecdotes effectively, the content can become dry and uninspiring.

Lack of a Clear Roadmap: Longer presentations need a clear structure and roadmap. If the presenter fails to provide a sense of direction and organisation, the audience may feel lost.

Ineffective Visual Design: Longer presentations often rely on visuals for support. If these visuals are poorly designed or cluttered, they can detract from the presentation’s effectiveness.

Failure to Address Questions: In longer presentations, there may be time for audience questions. Failing to address questions effectively or dismissing them can lead to audience dissatisfaction.

Overestimating the Audience’s Attention Span: Presenters should be cautious not to overestimate the audience’s attention span. Even in longer presentations, breaks, interactive elements, or format changes are necessary to keep the audience engaged.

Lack of Adaptation: A longer presentation may necessitate adjustments based on the audience’s reactions and needs. Presenters should be prepared to adapt the content on the fly to maintain audience interest and engagement.

To avoid these common pitfalls, it’s essential to plan longer presentations meticulously, keeping the audience’s needs, attention span, and overall goals of the presentation in mind. Now that you are aware of the common mistakes most presenters make with longer presentations, let’s have a look at some of the best ways to avoid them.

Important Things to Keep in Mind When Creating Longer Presentations

Creating longer presentations requires careful planning and execution to ensure that your message remains engaging and effective throughout the extended duration. Here are important things to keep in mind when crafting longer presentations:

Understand Your Audience: Know your audience’s expectations, interests, and prior knowledge. Tailor your content to meet their needs and level of expertise.

Define Clear Objectives: Clearly articulate the goals and objectives of your presentation. What do you want to achieve, inform, or persuade your audience about?

Structure Your Content: Organise your presentation with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Create a logical flow that guides the audience through the content.

Use a Strong Opening: Start with an attention-grabbing introduction. Engage the audience from the beginning with a compelling story, a thought-provoking question, or a surprising fact

Focus on Key Messages: Identify the core messages you want to convey and keep them at the forefront throughout the presentation. Avoid going off on tangents.

Engage with Stories and Examples: Incorporate real-life stories, examples, and anecdotes to illustrate your points and make the content relatable.

Interactive Elements: Include interactive elements like questions, polls, group discussions, and activities to keep the audience engaged and participating.

Visual Aids: Use well-designed slides and visuals to complement your message. Visuals should enhance understanding, not overwhelm with information.

Practice and Rehearse: Practice your presentation multiple times to ensure a smooth and confident delivery. This also helps you manage time effectively

Time Management: Allocate appropriate time to each section and stick to your schedule. Be prepared to adjust if you notice you’re running behind or ahead of schedule

Clarity and Simplicity: Use clear and concise language. Avoid jargon or overly technical terms that might confuse your audience.

Transitions: Pay attention to smooth transitions between different sections of your presentation. Use transitional phrases to guide the audience

Audience Engagement: Continually assess the audience’s engagement levels. Adjust your delivery or content if you sense the audience is disengaging.

Incorporate Variety: Change the pace, tone, and style of your presentation to maintain interest. Break up monotonous segments with stories, questions, or multimedia.

Use Multimedia Wisely: Integrate multimedia (videos, images, and audio) when it enhances your message, but avoid overloading the presentation with too many elements.

Reinforce Key Points: Periodically summarise key points to reinforce the main message. This helps the audience remember the core takeaways.

Anticipate Questions: Prepare for common questions the audience might have and address them proactively in your presentation.

Feedback and Adaptation: Be open to feedback during the presentation. Adjust your approach based on the audience’s reactions and questions.

Confidence and Passion: Project confidence and enthusiasm about your topic. Your enthusiasm can be contagious and keep the audience engaged.

Effective Closure: End your presentation with a strong conclusion that summarises the main points and leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

Provide Additional Resources: Offer handouts, links, or references for those interested in diving deeper into the topic.

Continuous Learning: Reflect on each presentation and seek feedback to improve your skills for future presentations.

Remember that longer presentations require more attention to detail, but with proper planning and a focus on audience engagement, you can make them both informative and captivating. Adapt your approach to the specific needs and preferences of your audience while ensuring that your key message remains central throughout the presentation.

Now that we know when it’s best to create a long-form presentation, the challenges that may arise when you create such a presentation and how to best avoid such challenges, let’s have a look at the various ways you can make your presentation longer.

How to Make Your Presentation Longer?

If you need to make your presentation longer while keeping it engaging and informative, consider these strategies:

Expand on Key Points

To make your presentation longer, you can delve deeper into your key points or main arguments. This involves providing more comprehensive information, examples, and evidence for each point. Use specific case studies, anecdotes, or research findings to illustrate and support your main ideas. Take the time to explain the intricacies and nuances of each key point, helping your audience gain a more profound understanding of the subject matter.

Incorporate Case Studies

Case studies offer a practical and in-depth view of how your topic relates to the real world. By including well-researched and relevant case studies, you can extend your presentation and demonstrate the practical applications of your ideas. Analyse these cases thoroughly, highlighting the challenges, solutions, and outcomes to provide a richer context for your audience.

Introduce Expert Opinions

To add depth and authority to your presentation, incorporate expert opinions. Quote well-known experts, researchers, or thought leaders in your field who have expressed viewpoints related to your topic. This lends credibility to your presentation and allows you to explore different perspectives and approaches.

Present Counterarguments

Expanding on counterarguments or alternative viewpoints involves providing a detailed exploration of these opposing perspectives. Explain the reasons behind these counterarguments and offer a well-reasoned response. By engaging in a thorough discussion of counterarguments, you encourage critical thinking and offer a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Use More Visuals

Visuals, such as charts, graphs, images, and diagrams, can help convey complex information more effectively. You can extend your presentation by including additional visuals that provide a deeper insight into your subject. Ensure that each visual is carefully chosen and directly supports the content you’re presenting.

Explore Subtopics

Breaking down your main topic into subtopics is an excellent way to extend your presentation. Each subtopic can be explored in depth, allowing you to provide a comprehensive overview of the subject matter. By dedicating a portion of your presentation to each subtopic, you can ensure that the audience gains a thorough understanding of the entire topic.

Tell More Stories

Storytelling is a powerful tool for engagement. By sharing more stories, anecdotes, and examples, you can make your presentation longer while keeping it relatable and memorable. Personal stories or stories related to your topic can effectively illustrate your main points and connect with your audience on an emotional level.

Engage in Deeper Analysis

To extend your presentation, engage in a deeper analysis of your data, trends, or implications. Dive into the details, examine patterns, and consider the implications of the information you’re presenting. A thorough analysis can help your audience grasp the complexities and nuances of your subject.

Incorporate Audience Interaction

Engage your audience by incorporating interactive elements. Encourage questions, discussions, and participation to make your presentation longer while involving the audience. Interactive sessions allow the audience to apply the knowledge you’ve shared and can lead to deeper exploration of the topic.

Use Audience Polls

Incorporating audience polls or surveys can extend your presentation while actively involving the audience. Pose questions related to your topic and allow the audience to participate. Share the poll results and discuss the implications to encourage deeper exploration.

Utilise Extended Q&A Sessions

Dedicate more time to answering audience questions to make your presentation longer. Encourage an extended Q&A session to explore topics in greater depth. Engaging in open dialogues with the audience can lead to insightful discussions.

Include Expert Interviews

If possible, conduct or include interviews with experts in your field. Expert interviews offer a unique and valuable perspective, adding depth and credibility to your presentation. These insights can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the topic, making your presentation more informative.

Explore Different Perspectives

Extend your presentation by presenting various perspectives on the topic. By discussing contrasting viewpoints and different angles, you provide a more comprehensive view of the subject matter. Encourage critical thinking and analysis among your audience

Create More Examples

Generate additional examples, scenarios, and use cases that illustrate the practical applications of your ideas. Providing multiple instances where your concepts are applied can help the audience connect theory to practice and make your presentation more thorough.

Reinforce Key Point

Periodically reinforce your key points throughout the presentation. Summarise important takeaways and revisit the main message to ensure that the audience retains the core concepts. Repetition can help reinforce understanding.

Engage in Group Activities

Incorporate group activities or discussions that require audience participation. These activities can be used to delve deeper into specific aspects of your presentation. Encourage group discussions or problem-solving exercises to make your content more interactive and extensive.

Discuss Current Events

Incorporating current events and news into your presentation keeps the content relevant and relatable to the audience. To expand on this, discuss the context and significance of these current events as they relate to your topic. Consider how recent developments have influenced the subject matter, and explore potential future impacts. This not only prolongs the presentation but also highlights the real-time relevance of the subject, making it more engaging and informative.

Collaborate with Guest Speakers

Collaborating with guest speakers or experts can enhance your presentation by offering diverse perspectives and insights. To extend this collaboration, encourage an in-depth discussion with these guest speakers, allowing them to share their experiences and expertise. By doing so, you create a more interactive and informative presentation with a broader range of viewpoints.

Connect with Personal Experiences

Sharing personal experiences related to the topic adds authenticity and depth to your presentation. Expanding on these personal insights can involve a deeper exploration of the challenges faced, lessons learned, and the practical implications of your experiences. By offering a more comprehensive look at your personal journey, you connect with the audience on a deeper level.

Visualise Future Possibilities

Extending your presentation by visualising future possibilities or potential scenarios adds a forward-looking dimension to your content. Provide detailed discussions of the various paths and choices that could shape the future of your topic. Explore the long-term implications of these choices and highlight potential opportunities and challenges. By offering a more comprehensive exploration of future possibilities, you enable the audience to envision the subject’s future evolution.

Address Common Misconceptions

Identifying and addressing common misconceptions related to your topic involves providing detailed explanations that debunk these myths. Explain the origins of these misconceptions, clarify the correct information, and offer a well-informed response to these misconceptions. By providing a comprehensive exploration of common misconceptions, you ensure the audience gains a deeper and more accurate understanding of the subject matter.

Engage in Panel Discussions

Organising panel discussions with multiple experts or stakeholders offers diverse perspectives and insights. Expanding on panel discussions can involve facilitating in-depth conversations, allowing panellists to share their experiences and engage in meaningful debates. By offering a more comprehensive panel discussion, you create an interactive and informative presentation with a wide range of viewpoints.

Use Demonstrations

Incorporating live demonstrations or simulations into your presentation engages the audience in a hands-on learning experience. Expanding on demonstrations involves offering a detailed walkthrough of the demonstration, explaining the steps and intricacies involved. By providing a deeper exploration of the practical application of your ideas, you make your content more tangible and actionable, ensuring the audience gains a thorough understanding.

Final Thoughts

By using the tips and advice shared in this article, you can create longer presentations that inform, inspire, and captivate your audience, whilst also avoiding the common pitfalls that most presenters face when it comes to delivering extended presentations.

However, if you’re inspired to work with experts in crafting your upcoming presentation and preparing for it in the best way possible, look no further. At Presentation Experts, we specialise in not just presentation design, but also presentation skills development . Whether you’re seeking support in crafting a compelling presentation, refining your storytelling techniques, or acquiring the skills to keep your audience captivated during extended presentations, we’ve got you covered.

To learn more about our services, contact us today!

How to Avoid Using Filler Words in Your Presentationn

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Five Presentation Mistakes Everyone Makes

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Learn from the most common traps.

We all know what it’s like to sit through a bad presentation. We can easily spot the flaws — too long, too boring, indecipherable, what have you — when we watch others speak. The thing is, when we take the stage ourselves, many of us fall into the same traps.

• ND Nancy Duarte is a best-selling author with thirty years of CEO-ing under her belt. She’s driven her firm, Duarte, Inc., to be the global leader behind some of the most influential messages and visuals in business and culture. Duarte, Inc., is the largest design firm in Silicon Valley, as well as one of the top woman-owned businesses in the area. Nancy has written six best-selling books, four have won awards, and her new book, DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story , is available now. Follow Duarte on Twitter: @nancyduarte or LinkedIn .

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Home » Tech Tips » Apps » Fix Slow PowerPoint and Speedup Your Presentations

Fix Slow PowerPoint and Speedup Your Presentations

Often, Microsoft PowerPoint performs poorly and getting rid of those animations have little effect. If you do presentations often, speeding up PowerPoint may send your overall productivity through the roof. It may take a lot of effects for PowerPoint presentation to pleasingly transition between slides.

Related: Fix Slow Word and speedup document processing .

Speedup Slow PowerPoint Presentations

Try the below fixes to speedup your presentations:

• Cleanup and simplify presentations
• Remove unnecessary add-ins
• Stop AutoRecover
• Disable auto spelling check
• Remove startup programs
• Change screen resolution
• Check hardware graphics acceleration
• Clear temporary files
• Check compatibility

Method #1: Simplify Presentations

Some people get too ambitious with the design of the presentation. Complex presentation can be very slow to load, even if you have a good hardware. Follow these steps:

• Reduce the size of the images. Just dragging to resize the image isn’t enough, because the original image still has high resolution and large image size. It is better to remove images in the presentation and optimize them. After these images have optimum resolution and file size, you can re-upload them in the presentation slides. Also you can compress pictures , remove the cropped part of images and choose the optimized size when saving your presentations.

Compressing Pictures of PowerPoint

• Remove built-in PowerPoint animation, such as scaling, rotating and fading, because they can slow down the overall performance.
• Remove transparent objects and replace them with objects that have solid color fills.

Method #2: Remove Unnecessary Add-ins

If lot of add-ins are loaded, it is possible that PowerPoint will perform poorly. Each add-in will contribute in slowing down PowerPoint start-ups. Follow these steps:

• Open Microsoft PowerPoint. Go to ‘Files > Options’ and then to ‘Add-Ins’ section.
• Select ‘COM Add-ins’ option from the ‘Manage’ dropdown and click on ‘Go’ button.

Go to PowerPoint Add-ins Section

• Look for the available Add-ins list and click the add-in.
• Click the Remove button.

Disable Add-ins in PowerPoint

Similar to COM Add-ins, check for other add-in types and remove all. Now check the PowerPoint presentation is opening faster. If yes, then the add-ins are slowing down your PowerPoint. You can enable the add-ins one by one and check the performance.

Related: Fix Slow Excel and speedup spreadsheets .

Method #3: Stop AutoRecover

AutoRecover helps to save your presentations automatically and help to retrieve it when the application is terminated unexpectedly. This is a very useful function to save your content periodically. But setting low AutoRecover time will lead multiple times savings and slow down your activities. So to have good performance and also with AutoRecover function, you can set the recovery time to more than 15 minutes.

• Open Microsoft PowerPoint.
• Go to ‘Files > Options’.
• Under the ‘Save’ tab, find and uncheck “Save AutoRecover info every xx minutes”

Disable AutoRecover

Method #4: Disable Spellchecking

Spell checking helps to automatically check the text entries for the correct spelling. If text entry is slow or delayed when typing, it could be necessary to disable the spell checking feature. Follow these steps:

• Open Microsoft Outlook and go to ‘File > Options’.
• Go to ‘Proofing’ section and scroll down to the section ‘When correcting spelling in PowerPoint’.
• Disable ‘Check spelling as you type’ option. Click OK.

Disable Spelling Check

• Restart PowerPoint and verify that the problem has been resolved.

Method #5: Stop Loading Startup Programs

If you have the habit of opening PowerPoint immediately after starting Windows then the startup apps could affect the opening of PowerPoint. If your computer has plenty of startup items, it is possible that one of them causes problems. Follow these steps:

• Close all programs. Press ‘Win + R’ keys to open Run window. Type in ‘msconfig’ and open Windows Configuration Utility.
• Find and click “Selective Startup”, under the General tab. Uncheck “Load Startup items” and click OK
• Restart the computer and re-open Microsoft PowerPoint. Check whether the problem has been resolved.
• If PowerPoint performs much better, then the problem is verified. The next step is to identify the program that causes the problem.
• Close all programs. Go to Start and type in ‘msconfig’ in the search/run field. Click OK.
• Find and click “Selective Startup”, under the General tab.
• Check “Load Startup items” and click OK. Select the Startup tab.
• Disable a startup item that may cause the issue. If problem still persists, re-enable the item and disable another.

Related: Fix Slow Outlook and speedup emails .

Method #6: Check Screen Resolution

On computers with weaker hardware configurations, high screen resolutions may cause slowdowns in performance. Especially when you have dual monitor then the screen resolution will affect the display as well the speed of your presentation. So it is necessary to have the recommended resolution for your computer. Follow these steps:

• Go to desktop and right click on the empty space.
• Choose ‘Display setting’. Under ‘Display’ section check the available resolutions.

Check Screen Resolution

• Choose the recommended resolution for your computer.
• Confirm the selection and check whether the performance level improves.

Some resolutions may cause distortions in the layout of the presentation, so you may need to choose the most appropriate screen resolution.

Method #7: Enable / Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration

If you have a moderately powerful computer and PowerPoint still performs poorly, then it is possible that you are not using the full capacity of the hardware. Graphics accelerator is a dedicated hardware that boosts performance when rendering 3D objects and images. The processor can do other tasks, which improves the overall computing process as well. Follow these steps:

• Go to ‘File > Options’ and click on ‘Advanced’.
• Under ‘Display’ section, look for ‘Disable hardware graphics acceleration’ and make sure it’s not checked.

PowerPoint Hardware Acceleration

• Also disable ‘Disable Slide Show hardware graphics acceleration’ option.

If you have latest computer with powerful processor, you should enable these options to get good performance.

Method #8: Clear Temporary Files

Deleting files associated with PowerPoint presentations in temporary directory could help to speed up the start-up process significantly. Follow these steps

• Type in ‘Disk Cleanup’ in the Windows search box.
• Choose Disk C: and click OK.

Disk Cleanup

• Check the Temporary files option and click OK. Click OK again to confirm the deletion of temporary files.
• Open PowerPoint and check whether the problem has been resolved.

Method #9: Do Compatibility Check

In PowerPoint 2016, go to ‘File > Info’ menu. Click on ‘Check for Issues’ button and then choose ‘Check Compatibility”.

Inspect Presentation

This will help especially when you are dealing with presentations made in earlier versions.

Most of the Microsoft applications works integrated with Windows operating system. This makes the troubleshooting process more complex as many components of your operating system can also affect the speed of PowerPoint presentations. We hope one of the above mentioned solutions help you to speedup the presentations.

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My PPT presentation has 92 slides and 11 videos with music. Total size is about 2GB, and it takes hours to save. What can I do to speed this up? Thanks

While saving any ppt, it is taking almost 20 seconds to save in window 11..whereas it used to take only 1 second in window 10….similar problem is in opening ppt….pls suggest remedies sir

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The 10 Most Common Presentation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

January 02, 2024

Many of us make common mistakes in our business presentations. Often these presentation mistakes are ways of working that seem efficient (but are not) such as: (1) planning your talk with PowerPoint, (2) writing your talk without planning, (3) skipping practise sessions and (4) narrating dull slides.

To help you avoid common presentation mistakes  that many of us regularly make, you have here some examples of the most common mistakes.

Each of these presenting mistakes are ‘false friends’ – where you feel as if you are making progress but in reality you are diverting from the true path and giving yourself more work than necessary.

Study these presentation mistakes and identify where you can improve.

• Do you avoid planning your presentation up front?
• Are you too quick to start producing presentation slides?
• Are you reluctant to try out your presentation ideas on others early in the process?
• Do you use boring safe language?
• Do you try and say too much in your presentations?
• Are you unsure how to bring your presentation to life with levity.

These are all simple, natural presenting mistakes that cause thousands of presentations every day to be less effective than they should be.

While avoiding these traps will not make you a brilliant presenter, each trap you identify will take you much nearer to being a confident and convincing presenter.

Top ten ways to avoid common presentation mistakes

• Don’t start with PowerPoint. Leave creating visual aids until the end of the process
• Don’t start writing before planning. Have a clear plan first
• Don’t be the centre of attention. Make your talk about your audience.
• Don’t use written language. Translate everything you write into compelling spoken language.
• Don’t try and say too much. Say less, but say it better.
• Don’t be boring. Say something interesting every 10 words.
• Don’t be subtle. Be big, bold, clear and compelling.
• Don’t speak too fast. Leave a pause every 5-10 words.
• Don’t lead with slides or narrate slides. Speak directly to your audience and only use visual aids when they help your audience
• Don’t avoid practising. Dedicate time perfecting your talk and perfecting your performance.

Presentation Mistakes #1 – Do you waste time with PowerPoint?

Summary: powerpoint is a poor planning tool. only open powerpoint after you have decided what you are saying..

Most people, when they start writing a presentation, they open PowerPoint. They create slides, perhaps use old slides, design new ones and feel as if they are making progress because they can see ‘progress’ – something they can print and share.

BUT: Starting with PowerPoint is the equivalent of creating a movie by filming before you have a story or a script. You end up with a lot of footage, but it is near impossible to turn this into anything usable. You waste time and you waste money.

Instead, Create a powerful talk that barely uses any visual aids. Use the planning and language tools outlined in this blog article to create a talk that can work on its own without slides. You may realise that your presentation does not need slides. If you do want visual aids, only start creating them at the end of the presentation process, not at the start.

And why not rename ‘slides’ as Visual Aids. This change of language will help you think differently. Each Visual Aid must help your audience interpret what you say. Only create Visual Aids where they are absolutely necessary. Make life easier for your audience.

“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”.  – Benjamin Franklin

Avoid Presentation Mistakes – Top Tips

• Stop using PowerPoint to plan
• Only use PowerPoint to create your visual aids or handouts after you have decided what to say.

Contact us for a free consultation on your coaching needs

Presentation Mistakes #2 – Do you make yourself or your idea the focus of your presentation?

Summary: while your presentation might be about your product or your business, you will be more effective if you make your audience the centre of attention..

A typical bad presentation starts: “In today’s presentation I will talk about how we performed last month, what our plans are for this month and how we are changing the way numbers are reported. I’ll talk about project Pegasus and give an update on the latest company sales figures”

Why is this not good? This presentation opening is more like a table of contents than anything else – and it contains little that is useful for the audience.

The art of communication is translating what you want to say into what it means for your audience. You’ll grab your audience if you talk about them and their interests. If what you say is useful, your audience is more likely to pay attention.

Instead, start like this: “As we all know, this has been a tough month. You’ll hear more about last month’s disappointing performance and learn about our plans for this month and what that means for your departments. I’ll also share with you the changes you can expect to see in how we report our numbers. You’ll also be pleased to know that project Pegasus is on track. We can already see a positive impact on our sales numbers – which I am sure we are all very pleased to hear.”

What has changed?

• Each ‘I will talk about’ has been translated into a ‘you will….’
• By using many more personal pronouns (we/ our/your) the talk is easier to listen to.
• In the revised text you hear much more useful information (is it good news, bad news) and
• The audience is involved in the story (‘we are all very pleased to hear’).

In short, the audience is now the centre of attention of this talk.

“Nobody cares what you think until they think that you care” – Maya Angelou

• Give your audience useful information from the start.
• Talk about them and what your information means for them
• Avoid ‘tables of contents’. Say something interesting in every phrase.

Presentation Mistakes #3 – Is your presentation a data dump?

Summary – a data dump is not a presentation. the real job of a presentation is to analyse and interpret information so it means something for your audience. you must add value..

A typical bad presentation sounds like: “Sales last quarter were 3.6m, this is up 3.2% on last quarter and down 2.8% on the previous year. This is 4.6% behind budget and 4.5% better than forecast. Breaking it down by division we can see that North was 8.2% over budget while South was 1.2% behind budget…….”

What’s wrong with this?  If you compile data then it’s tempting to share your hard work. But talking through raw numbers is a waste of everyone’s time. Instead, you want to look impressive.

That means, you must add value. You should describe what those numbers are saying. For example, you might say:

“As we can see, sales at 3.2m last month were as expected. The important thing to note is that North won the new IBM contract, which was unexpected, while South had three customer delays which pushed their sales back by a month. We are still pretty confident of reaching our end of year numbers.”

By speaking in this way you are giving your audience valuable information throughout (sales: “as expected” …. North: Unexpected IBM contract….South: customer delays,… pushed sales back by a month…’confident of reaching end of year numbers”).

The real art here is doing the hard work for your audience. If you make it easy for the audience you’ll not only have a better presentation, you will also look more impressive in front of your audience.

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I’ll spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln

• When you report data, add value.
• It’s your job to do the hard work.
• Explain what the data means for your audience.
• Make it easy for your audience.

Presentation Mistakes #4 – Do you use written language in your talk?

Summary – the written word and the spoken word are two different languages. one belongs on the page, the other in the mouth..

A typical bad start: “It is a pleasure to welcome you to this symposium, which is part of our programme to mark the 75th anniversary of the Central Bank of Ireland. I am especially delighted that Francois Villeroy de Galhau is joining us today to give a keynote address. I am looking forward also to learning from the excellent lineup of speakers later in the afternoon. “The topic of financial globalisation is a natural theme for the Central Bank of Ireland. At a macroeconomic level, the global financial cycle is a primary determinant of financial stability conditions in small open economies. This lesson was painfully learned across the advanced economies during the international credit boom that occurred over 2003-2008.” Remarks by Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, to the Financial Globalisation Symposium as part of the programme to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Central Bank of Ireland, Dublin, 2 February 2018

What is wrong with this?  When you preparing words for a talk or presentation, you want to avoid planning through typing. The spoken word and the written word are like different languages.  If you type first, you’ll probably find:

• The sentences are too long,
• The words are too complicated
• The rhythm of spoken language is lost
• You miss powerful rhetorical tools that make spoken language interesting and easy to listen to.

Written language must be translated into spoken language.

So, instead, say it first then write it. Then say it out loud again. Check that you are using plenty of rhetorical tools.  Listen for the rhythm of your speech and whether it’s easy to say (and easy to listen to). For example, this might have been a speech writer’s first draft for the Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland.

“Welcome everyone to this great occasion. It’s 75 years since the Central Bank of Ireland was born. In that time we have grown up. – We were born as a new institution in a new country – and we are now standing tall alongside our brothers and sisters in Europe and around the world, a full participant in the global economy. In our busy life we’ve lived through financial cycles, a few near misses and, most recently, an international credit boom. “Financial globalisation is a topic close to our heart. What happens globally determines what happens locally. The global credit boom that ended in 2008 showed us how our financial stability is at the mercy of global forces.”

“Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.” – Herman Hesse

• Always speak words before writing them down
• Use plenty of rhetorical tools
• Use an audience to test that it’s easy to understand

Presentation Mistakes #5 – Are you trying to say too much?

Summary – great talks usually say less, but use more reinforcement, illustration and examples.. the art of presenting is knowing what to take out..

Imagine an over-enthusiastic primary school teacher explaining atoms to her students.

“Atoms are the basic building blocks of everything around us. And each atom is made up of protons, neutrons and electrons. These atoms are very small – you can fit 10^19 atoms into a grain of sand. The really interesting thing about electrons is that they are both particles and waves – they have a duality. In fact all matter demonstrates duality – but it is most easily seen in electrons. Now let’s look at protons and neutrons. These are made up of more elementary particles call quarks. The Standard Model of particle physics contains 12 flavours of elementary fermions and their antiparticles……”

By now the children are very confused.

What went wrong? When you say too much you give your audience a problem. If your audience has to work hard to interpret what you say, you have failed in your job as a presenter.  Your job as a presenter is to make it easy for your audience. 

Great communication involves simplifying, reinforcing and giving examples.  Imagine this alternative start:

“Atoms are the basic building blocks of everything around us. The air we breathe is made of atoms. The ground we walk on is made of atoms and we are all made of atoms. Atoms are very small. See this grain of sand here? Guess how many atoms are in this grain of sand? It’s a big number: a one followed by nineteen zeros. That’s a lot of atoms. There are roughly as many atoms in this grain of sand as the total number of stars in the observable universe. To look at it another way. If this apple were magnified to the size of the Earth, then each atom in the apple would be approximately the size of the original apple……”

“Simplify, then exaggerate” – Geoffrey Crowther, Editor, Economist Magazi ne

• Say less, but say it better
• Cut out non-essential information from your talk
• Don’t be afraid of reinforcing, illustrating and repeating what’s important

Presentation Mistakes #6 – Are you guilty of Death by PowerPoint?

Summary – death by powerpoint happens when bad presenters let their slides lead. they ‘talk through’ what’s on the screen. instead, you want to talk directly to your audience, using visual aids as support..

Imagine this bad, and typical presentation: “As you can see on this page, we have looked at fifteen initiatives to revitalise the businesses. We examined the pros and cons of each initiative, as outlined in the table below. Following our analysis, it looks like initiatives 3, 7, and 8 are the most interesting. We’ll now look at each of the fifteen initiatives and explain why we came to our conclusions.”

That’s what death by PowerPoint feels like.

Death by PowerPoint has three causes.

• The speaker is narrating slides rather than speaking directly to the audience. i.e. the speaker expects the audience to both read and listen at the same time.
• The speaker talks about HOW they have done the work they have done rather than WHY this work matters and WHAT their work means.
• The speaker adds little value in what they say.

To Avoid Death By PowerPoint, get straight to the point.

Try this alternative start (read it out loud) “As you know, we were asked to find ways to revitalise the business. After speaking to everyone in this room, we identified the three projects that will make a real difference. We’ve chosen these because they deliver the greatest return on effort, they have the lowest risk and they can be implemented fastest. By the end of this meeting, we want all of us to agree that these are the right projects and to get your full support for rolling these out over the next 6 weeks. Is that OK?”

“I hate the way people use slide presentations instead of thinking. People confront a problem by creating a presentation. I wanted them to engage, to hash things out at the table, rather than show a bunch of slides” – Steve Jobs

• Get to the point immediately.
• Don’t rely on your audience reading. Tell them directly what’s important.
• WHY is more important than WHAT is more important than HOW

Presentation Mistakes #7 – Do you use meta-speak?

Summary – meta-speak is talking about talking. avoid it. speak directly to your audience..

Imagine this bad presentation: “I was asked today to talk about our new factory. In putting together this talk I wanted to tell you how we designed it and went about planning it. I also wanted to cover the process we used to get it delivered on time and on budget.”

What wrong with this? It’s as if the speaker is narrating their thought processes about planning this talk. While that might be interesting to the speaker, it is of little value to the audience. Avoid.

Instead, get right to the point, Speak directly.

“We have just opened our new factory. And we did this in just 12 months from board approval to the cutting of the ribbon in the loading bay. How did we achieve this? And how did we deliver it on time and on budget? Today I’ll share some of the lessons we leaned over the last 12 months. And I’ll reveal some of the mistakes we nearly made. And I’m doing this because it just might help you when you are faced with what seems like an impossible problem…”

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein

• If you see meta-speak creeping in, cut it out
• Make your language direct.
• Get right to the point.

Presenting Mistakes #8 – Do you gabble or speak too fast?

Summary – speaking too fast helps nobody. you should learn how to incorporate pauses – many pauses – long pauses – throughout your talk..

Try saying this out loud:  “A-typical-speaker-will-speak-in-long-sentences-and-keep-speaking-linking-phrases-together-so-that-there-is-no-gap-and-no-time-for-the-audience-to-absorb-what-the-speaker-has-said-and-no-time-to-plan-what-to-say-next-this-causes-the-speaker-to-feel-more-nervous-so-they-speed-up-and-it-frustrates-the-audience-because-they-have-no-time-to-process-what-they-have-heard-before-the-speaker-is-onto-their-next-point…”

This typically happens when a speaker is nervous. So they rush. And it is then hard for the audience to listen.

Instead, try speaking this out loud:  “Good speakers use short phrases — They share one thought at a time — — By leaving gaps — it’s easier for the audience. — The good news is — it’s also easier for the speaker. — When a speaker uses pauses — they have time to compose their next sentence. — This helps the speaker look more thoughtful — and more convincing. — It also helps the speaker feel more confident.

“The most precious things in speech are….. the pause.” – Ralph Richardson

• Pausing takes practice. Few people do it instinctively.
• Use shorter phrases – one idea at a time.
• Aim for a pause at least every ten words
• Record yourself, listen to your pauses and hear how they add gravitas
• Keep practising until your pauses feel natural and sound natural.

Presentation Mistakes #9 – Are you too serious?

Summary – levity can help you look more professional and will help your audience pay attention to what you say..

Too many presentations overly serious, dull and un-engaging.

Why? When we have something important to say we want to look ‘professional.’ But professional and serious are not the same. When you are too serious it’s harder for your audience to connect with you.

If you really want to look professional, bring the audience into your world. Levity and humour helps you achieve this. This does not mean you should tell jokes, but you should help the audience smile and feel clever for understanding what you say.

See how you can do it differently.  This is the third paragraph of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s EU Privacy speech . He uses humour followed by flattery to get his audience open and receptive to what he is about to say.

“Now Italy has produced more than its share of great leaders and public servants. Machiavelli taught us how leaders can get away with evil deeds…And Dante showed us what happens when they get caught.

“Giovanni has done something very different. Through his values, his dedication, his thoughtful work, Giovanni, his predecessor Peter Hustinx—and all of you—have set an example for the world. We are deeply grateful.”

“Inform, Educate & Entertain”. – Sir John Reith, BBC

• Have a smile on your face when preparing your talk
• Look for opportunities to introduce humour and lighten the tone
• Play with ideas.

Presenting Mistakes #10 – Do you avoid practising?

Summary – it’s tempting to avoid practise and to wing it on the day. this is the amateur approach..

The best presenters, like great athletes, do all their practising in advance , so that their performance on the day  looks effortless.

People make excuses to avoid essential practise:

• “I’m always better without practice”
• “I don’t want to over-prepare”
• “I sound wooden when I over-rehearse”
• “I’m more natural on the day”
•  “This is an artificial environment. I’m much better in front of a real audience.”

But many people are deluded. They believe themselves to be good speakers.

So, instead, think of yourself as a professional athlete, actor, pilot or dentist. These professionals make their work appear effortless only because of hours of preparation. A great presenter should think the same.

Use your rehearsal to try out every aspect of your talk and to iron out what works. Use a critical audience. Keep changing and improving it until it’s as good as it can be. If you are not a brilliant speaker, then spend time building your skills. This practice includes:

• Cut any waffle or anything boring
• Say something interesting at least every 10 words
• Use more rhetorical tools (see Chapter x)
• Keep reinforcing your key points
• Start strong, end strong

“The more I practise, the luckier I get”. – Gary Player, champion golfer

• Dedicate proper practise time – at least three sessions for an important talk.
• Use a critical audience
• Keep cutting, changing, fixing and tweaking
• Only stop when you are able to pay attention to your audience’s reaction rather than remembering what you want to say.

Summary – key presentation mistakes to avoid

When you understand the common mistakes presenters make, you will find it easier to create and give a compelling, successful presentation.

Reminder: Top ten ways to avoid common presentation mistakes

How to avoid presentation mistakes – for ever, if you really want to improve your presentation skills, then get in touch. our team of expert presentation coaches has been helping business executives polish their presentation skills for over 15 years. we are trusted by some of the world’s largest businesses. click on the link below to discuss your needs., transform your presentation skills with tailored coaching.

We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too .

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How to Add Length to a Speech (Make Presentation Longer)

Looking for a way to make your speech longer? Whether you’re a lawyer trying to fill out closing arguments, a history professor trying to fit more detail into your lesson, or presenting a persuasive argument, there are many reasons to know how to add length to a speech. But knowing where to start isn’t always easy.

That’s why this blog post has been assembled: To offer you tips for extending your speech and giving it the length it needs to make an impact.

From adding examples to providing visuals, we’ll cover everything you need to know about adding length to a speech. So whether you’re looking for crafty ways to increase your speaking stamina – or how best to synthesize reams of information into an interesting oration – read on for our top tips for making your speech longer.

Quick Summary of Key Points

You can add length to a speech by providing more detail and examples in the main points, introducing new points or arguments, or simply expanding upon any existing points. Additionally, including multimedia elements like images, audio, and video will help you increase the length of your speech.

Making Effective Use of Time

Making effective use of time is a great way to add length to your speech while also making the topic more engaging. While quickly transitioning from one point to another can help you cover a lot of ground, it doesn’t always make for an interesting performance.

To give your audience time to reflect on the information shared and enjoy some well-timed pauses, use a few different strategies for controlling the pace of your speech.

Debaters often make use of rhetorical devices such as similes and metaphors – you could likewise employ these kinds of figures of speech in a more subtle manner in order to provide breathing room between points.

Another trick is to deliberately draw out an unusually long pause after making an important remark; doing this can emphasize its significance and help ensure that the message sticks with your listeners.

Providing details when making claims or explaining concepts is also beneficial, as it gives you more opportunities to clarify the material and speak about it at length.

By taking the time needed for digressions and reflections, you can both fully explain complex topics without rushing through them and keep your audience paying attention for extended periods.

However, there can be too much of a good thing; don’t overuse pauses or try to stretch out each segment indefinitely – know where to draw the line to make your presentation exciting rather than boring.

Using effective strategies for controlling the pace will make your longer speech much more enjoyable; let’s move on now to the next section which looks at how they can be used more deliberately by varying your technique during pauses.

Control the Pace with Pauses

Pacing your speech is one of the easiest and most effective ways of extending the length of a presentation. Pauses in between thoughts can greatly increase the time it takes to deliver a speech, while still maintaining interest with the audience.

For example, pausing as a way to signal that an important point is being made, or to catch breaths in between ideas. Pausing also gives the audience members time to react and process the information that has been shared.

Adding appropriate pauses throughout your talk can emphasize critical story points, draw attention to actionable takeaways, or give your audience a chance reflect on what you have said.

An effective way to ensure pauses in your speech is to be mindful of how quickly you’re speaking and using your breath effectively by taking natural, measured pauses between sections or points. By doing this, you can extend your attention span without running out of air and losing grip of your audience’s attention.

On the other hand, too much pausing or relying heavily on it can create a disjointed flow in your address and slow down the tempo considerably; halting any momentum that has been generated from your talk.

It is important for speakers to remember not all pauses are created equal – careful consideration should be given to their placement within a talk and make sure that they feel authentic and purposeful.

In conclusion, there is value in controlling the pace of a speech through natural pauses – appropriately used, they will add length while maintaining interest. The next section will provide further tips on how including stories into your speech can hold an audiences’ focus while conveying key messages more effectively.

Including Helpful Stories

Stories can be a powerful tool to add length to a speech and connect with your audience , especially when used appropriately. Incorporating stories into a speech can create engagement and evoke emotion.

By using real life or relevant stories, you can highlight the message of your speech and make it more meaningful.

However, if overused, stories can be distracting to the audience. Make sure that any story you include is pertinent to the point you are trying to make. If an anecdote is not adding substance, leave it out of the speech. Additionally, make sure your stories are brief; delve into no more than one or two key points.

By including helpful stories in your speech, you can provide extra details about your topic that could make the material more vivid for your audience.

To ensure the story is effective and entertaining , remember to keep it brief and relevant to the point you are making. Having accomplished this goal, it’s time to turn to another way of comprehending how to add length to a speech: Connecting with your audience.

Connect with Your Audience

Connecting with your audience is one of the most important elements of creating a successful speech. When an audience can connect with a speaker, their natural interest will tend to keep them engaged.

To achieve this connection, consider using stories, humor , and conversations to engage your audience and make it more memorable.

On the other hand, connecting with your audience can be challenging without practice. Even if you have great stories or jokes prepared in advance, they won’t do any good if you don’t know how to recognize your audience’s responses and adjust accordingly.

The tone and energy level during your presentation is also important; too quiet and you may lose the audience’s attention, too loud and you may come off as desperate.

It is possible to add length to a speech by connecting with your audience, but it is also something that should be approached with caution and thoughtfulness. Finding ways to engage an audience can make a speech longer, but it should always feel natural and relevant to the content being presented.

By understanding how to connect with an audience effectively, you can create a longer, more engaging speech that is sure to leave a lasting impression. Next we’ll discuss how important it is to explain key points in depth when creating a longer speech.

Explaining Key Points

When trying to add length to a speech, make sure to take the time to explain any key points. Explaining the essential elements of your talk with clarity and detail can quickly add up the minutes! It’s also beneficial to make sure to provide examples and analogies which help listeners understand your points more clearly as they are easier to remember.

Be sure to clearly answer questions from your audience, as this is another way to extend the length of a talk. Don’t be afraid to ask your listeners for their perspectives on the topic – this can be a great opportunity for dialogue that both adds length to a speech, and engages the audience in something interactive.

On the other hand, one must be cautious not to get carried away with adding too much detail or redundancies that will bore and risk losing audiences by providing too much information, which ultimately defeats the main goal of giving an effective presentation . Too much detail can lead attendees to lose focus or even distract them entirely away from the main points of your speech.

When done correctly however, explaining key points properly in a speech is essential for making it longer and creating quality content that resonates with an audience.

With some practice and experimentation, speakers will be able to find what methods are most effective when elaborating on certain topics. Moving forward, mastering these techniques can greatly aid in transitioning into the next section – practicing for perfection.

Practice for Perfection

A key part of stretching out your speech is to practice. It can be helpful to practice in front of a mirror or with an audience (starting small if needed) so that you can get feedback. As you practice, you will be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your speech, as well as any areas where you could add more information. This will allow you to adjust it until it is near perfect.

Another benefit to practicing is that you will be able to time yourself as well. This is important for determining how much content you need to add for optimal timing. By timing yourself, you will know when and how much material needs to be added in order to make your speech longer without going over the allotted time limit.

Finally, when practicing your speech, try to focus on enunciating your words and projecting your voice to fill the entire room. If your audience can’t hear what you’re saying, then all of your hard work in adding material will be in vain. Investing time in properly delivering the material is key for ensuring that the message is conveyed well and resonates with your audience.

By practicing for perfection, you can ensure that all aspects of your speech are ready for delivery come presentation day. Now let’s move onto a key component: repeating ideas.

Repeating Ideas

Choosing to repeat key ideas throughout a presentation can be an effective way of adding length and impact. In fact, repetition often improves understanding, gives coherence of thought, and encourages better memorisation.

Furthermore, using repetition as a tool for amplifying the core messages of a speech encourages a deeper understanding for the audience.

Reiterating ideas also serves a useful purpose in simplifying complex topics for those listeners who may not be familiar with the field. By repeating certain terms and phrases, more focused emphasis is placed on those points during the delivery of the speech.

Repetition acts as a catalyst for unraveling difficult concepts in order to reach an understanding between speaker and listener.

However, it is important to be aware that too much repetition has the potential to work against progress by invoking boredom or confusion in an audience.

It’s important to ask- are specific phrases being used that are absolutely vital? Is there another way to say it? Too much repetition can have negative repercussions such as disengaging the attention of the crowd.

It’s crucial not just to focus on the sheer number of times one may mention a particular idea but rather foster a creative approach to reiteration or rephrasing of their core messages.

To maximize effect, consider using rhetorical strategies such as anaphoras , metaphors or chiasmus which are all capable of adding interest and gravity to your words without causing tediousness.

When used correctly and carefully, repeating key ideas throughout your speech can be an incredibly useful tool for increasing its length and impact. Just remember not to overdo it! With this in mind let’s move onto our next section about using effective transitions when adding length to a speech.

Using Effective Transitions

Using effective transitions can be a great way to add length to a speech. When transitioning between topics, figures of speech can be used to bridge the gap between thought processes, creating an interesting connection and adding valuable seconds to your total speech length.

A few examples are: metaphors, similes, analogies, puns, and proverbs. However, the use of transitions all boils down to effective rhetoric and the speaker’s personal style – not all stories will suit all speakers in every situation.

The key is finding which type of transition works best with their topic and audience. While it may be tempting to use transitions as time- fillers and crutches for when you’re out of ideas, it isn’t sustainable as a long-term solution or very effective in holding audience interest.

It’s important to remember that transitions should be used to connect related points together – not fill voids or whitewash awkward breaks in conversation flow.

By carefully selecting the right type of transition that works for their speech topic and audience, speakers can create an engaging transition instead of an abrupt switch between two topics. This provides a smooth transition, while also adding valuable seconds to the overall speech length.

Heading into the next section, let’s discuss the importance of structuring your speech correctly so you can efficiently extend its length without losing its value or impact on the audience.

Conclusion: Crafting an Engaging Speech

Every great public speaker knows that it takes much more than just lengthy words and phrases to make a speech stand out.

While finding ways to add length is useful, crafting an engaging and memorable speech that captivates can be far more important. To do this, speakers should focus their energy on the overall quality of their words and the content that they present.

For a powerful conclusion that sticks in the audience’s mind and ties everything together so you don’t leave your audience hanging, try offering recommendations or solutions in your closing remarks that are relevant to the core themes of your speech.

A call-to-action or energetic summary of what was discussed can also be effective for leaving a lasting impression with your listeners.

Speakers should also strive to have a good command of nonverbal communication when giving speeches . Your demeanor plays an important role in creating a link between yourself, your topic and your audience.

Through facial expressions and body language like hand gestures and movement, speakers can effectively use visuals to bring extra emphasis to their key points. This helps hold listener attention while providing a memorable experience they won’t soon forget.

Ultimately, it’s all about anchoring the different elements of your speech together to create something extraordinary. Whether you add length with intricate stories, vivid imagery or summaries of your points, the goal is to ensure that you remain organized yet creative, engaging yet concise.

With these steps in mind, any speaker can enjoy the satisfying feeling of delivering an outstanding speech!

Common Questions

What methods can i use to ensure my speech remains interesting.

When it comes to ensuring that your speech remains interesting, there are several methods you can use. 1. Use humor. Adding a few humorous one-liners during your speech can be a great way to grab the audience’s attention and keep them engaged. 2. Connect on an emotional level with your audience. When crafting your speech, try to find ways to resonate with the audience by drawing on personal stories or experiences that they may relate to or stories of people who have been in similar situations as them. 3. Showcase facts and figures. Statistics and data can help prove a point in a persuasive way and is often more interesting than just talking about abstract concepts. 4. Insert visuals. Visual aids help break up the monotony of a lengthy speech and helps keep the audience’s eyes engaged on something other than the speaker for a few seconds. 5. Engage with the audience through questions or activities. Asking thoughtful questions throughout the speech or offering interactive activities are excellent ways to get the audience involved and create a more dynamic atmosphere.

How can I add meaningful content to my speech?

Adding meaningful content to a speech is an important part of ensuring that it resonates with your audience. Here are some tips for doing just that: 1. Identify Your Audience: Knowing your audience’s needs and interests will help you tailor your speech to provide the information and value they seek. Consider including a brief introduction about who you are speaking to, then adjust the topics of your speech accordingly. 2. Determine Your Message: If you’re not sure what message you want to send, take some time to think about why you are delivering the speech in the first place. Define exactly what value you plan to communicate and be as specific as possible. 3. Research Your Subject: Conducting research before writing or delivering your speech can help ensure that your content is relevant and accurate. This can also give you useful facts and figures which can add tangible data points to support your argument. 4. Utilize Examples & Stories: People remember stories more than facts, so intersperse anecdotes throughout your speech that demonstrate how the concept applies in real life situations. This can make abstract information more accessible and engaging for audiences. 5. Request Participation: Ask questions throughout your presentation that require audience participation in order to fill gaps in their knowledge, keep them engaged, and create shared experiences amongst those present. Ultimately, adding meaningful content to a speech requires thoughtful consideration of who you are speaking to and what type of value they expect from the presentation. With these tips, you will be well on your way to delivering a memorable, impactful talk!

What strategies can I use to lengthen my speech?

1. Add sources and references to your speech: Don’t just cite the source in-text, but explain the relevance of the source to your arguments. This will not only help to flesh out your argument, but also increase the length of your speech. 2. Include stories or anecdotes: Adding stories or anecdotes can work to bring a personal element to your speech, which can further bolster your arguments and increase its length. 3. Incorporate examples and visuals: If possible, back up your argument point with facts and figures that the audience can relate to. This will allow them to have a better understanding of what you are saying, as well as add more time to the total duration of your speech. 4. Speak in complete sentences: Not only does this make it easier for listeners to follow what you are saying, but it can also significantly increase the overall length of your speech. Be aware of run-on sentences, however – these can quickly make your speech confusing and/or too long to be effective. 5.Elaborate on ideas: Spend more time going into detail about certain points raised during the speech. This gives you an opportunity to explain why a particular subject is important, while also adding more words and extending total duration of the speech. 6. Insert pauses: Pausing after making a key point allows the audience time to consider and understand what was said before moving on, which then gives you more speaking time in turn if done correctly. 7. Introduce new topics: If time permits, introducing an entirely new topic late in the game can provide an excellent way to create an interesting endnote for your speech and extend its duration further still. 8. Use humor: A lighthearted joke here and there during a speech adds an unexpected element that will engage the audience and add an additional few seconds on top of whatever length you initially intended for your speech. 9. Reiterate: Reiterating important points throughout a speech is another great option for lengthening it without taking away from the original message being conveyed. It also helps remind audience members of key messages they might have forgotten in between other points being made during your presentation or talk

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How not to give a presentation

The invitation arrives. You are invited to speak on the same programme as the Pope, Bill Clinton, and Madonna. Beside yourself with excitement, you forget that you've had these sort of invitations before—and that, for some strange reason, none of the famous people ever turn up. They are all replaced by people you've never heard of and who turn out to be even more boring than you. Having accepted the invitation, you get your own back by forgetting it completely. Two years later, 15 minutes before you are due to start speaking in Florence, you receive a telephone call in your office in London asking where you are.

“I'm sorry,” you answer lamely, “I forgot.”

“Don't worry,” answers the cheery voice at the end, “We'll just ask Madonna to speak for 20 minutes longer. The audience of world leaders will be disappointed you're not here, but extra Madonna will be some compensation.”

Far from ruining this presentation, you may have improved the world leaders' conference. But forgetting altogether that you agreed to speak is a good way to make a mess of your presentation. A variant is to arrive late. Don't arrive too late because they will simply have cancelled your session, probably sending a thrill of pleasure through an audience facing the prospect of five consecutive speakers.

Preparing for a bad presentation

One way to prepare for a bad presentation is not to prepare at all. Step up to the platform, open your mouth, and see what comes out. With luck, your talk will be an incoherent ramble. This is, however, a high risk strategy because spontaneity may catch you out. Most medical presentations are so premeditated that spontaneity may inspire both your audience and you. Inspiration must be avoided at all costs. Similarly you might be caught out by truth: “I've been asked to promote this new drug, but actually I'd be fearful of throwing it into the Thames because it might poison the few shrivelled fish that survive there.” Truth is compelling to an audience, even if mumbled.

A really bad presentation needs careful preparation. A useful standby is to prepare for the wrong audience. If asked to speak to Italians speak in German. If the audience is composed of 15 year olds then prepare a complex talk that would baffle a collection of Nobel prize winners. It's much the best strategy to give an overcomplicated presentation. “Nobody ever lost money underestimating the public's intelligence,” said Barnum, Richard Nixon, or somebody, and so you may be surprised by how well your grossly oversimplified presentation is received by your audience of professors.

Be sure to prepare a presentation that is the wrong length. Too long is much the best. Most of the audience will be delighted if your talk is too short, not least because it may provide more opportunity for them to hear their own voices. But something that is too long always depresses an audience, even if what you are saying is full of wit and wisdom.

Another trick is to ignore the topic you are given. Simply give the bad presentation that you have honed to the point of perfection by deleting anything that raises a flicker of interest. With luck, most of the audience will have heard it several times before.

You may be able to enhance your bad presentation by sending the organisers in advance a long and dull curriculum vitae. Your presentation may then be prefaced by the chairman reading out your whole boring life story in a monotone. If you are lucky you might find yourself beginning your presentation after you were supposed to finish.

Aids to a bad presentation

When it comes to aids, standards are rising for those who want to give bad presentations. Technology has produced breakthroughs. First rate bad presentations are usually multimedia: poorly filmed videos that are long and incomprehensible; tapes that are inaudible; music that is out of tune; props that initially can't be found and then break; and Powerpoint presentations that use every feature the software offers.

Bad slides are the traditional standby of a bad presentation. There must be far too many. They must contain too much information and be too small for even those in the front row to read. Flash them up as fast as you can, ensuring that they are in the wrong order with some upside down. Be sure to say at some point, “I know that this slide breaks all the rules but . . .” Ideally there should be little connection between what you are saying and what is on the slide. A good trick, especially with a politically correct audience, is to insert a slide of a naked woman and say something like, “My beautiful assistant is, I'm sure you will all agree, a little top heavy.”

Delivering your bad presentation

The essence of a bad presentation is to be boring. Anything that isn't boring will detract from your bad presentation. Don't wear interesting or unusual clothes. Never look at the audience. Mumble your presentation, and preferably read it. A presentation that is read will usually be satisfyingly bad, but for the full effect you should have long complicated sentences with dozens of subclauses. Try for something as complex as Proust, but get the grammar wrong. Then put all the emphases in the wrong place to ensure that your audience can't understand what you're saying.

Try to torture your audience. Speak for about 10 minutes and then say, “This is what I'm going to talk about.” Then after another 20 minutes say, “I'm now coming to my central point.” Ten minutes later, start saying, “Finally.” Say it at least five times in the next 15 minutes.

Winding down

A truly bad presentation rarely produces any questions. Most people just want to get away. If you do get questions, you may have failed. But all is not lost. By sticking to the basic rules of being boring and overcomplicated and speaking too long, you may be able to rescue your bad presentation. The extra rule on answering questions is that under no circumstances should you answer them. Once you have finished say, “Does that answer your question?” If the questioner has the effrontery to say no, then don't answer his question again—only at greater length. This formula can be repeated if necessary, but a third non-answer is hardly ever needed.

This guide is written, you will have judged, from long experience. I've made all these mistakes, and more. Kurt Vonnegut boasts that he gave such bad lectures when a lecturer at New York University that he fell asleep during them. I remember giving a lecture in Manchester on creativity in science where the entire audience was almost unconscious and I suddenly thought, “This is rubbish, utter rubbish.” I was tempted to stop and say, “You're not enjoying this, and neither am I. Let's stop and go down the pub.” I didn't, and thank goodness that I didn't—otherwise it wouldn't have been an outstandingly bad presentation.

Acknowledgments

This is an edited version of a chapter in How to Make a Presentation , edited by George Hall and due to be published by BMJ Books in February 2001. RS received no fee and will not benefit financially from the book.

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What the New Overtime Rule Means for Workers

One of the basic principles of the American workplace is that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. Simply put, every worker’s time has value. A cornerstone of that promise is the  Fair Labor Standards Act ’s (FLSA) requirement that when most workers work more than 40 hours in a week, they get paid more. The  Department of Labor ’s new overtime regulation is restoring and extending this promise for millions more lower-paid salaried workers in the U.S.

Overtime protections have been a critical part of the FLSA since 1938 and were established to protect workers from exploitation and to benefit workers, their families and our communities. Strong overtime protections help build America’s middle class and ensure that workers are not overworked and underpaid.

Some workers are specifically exempt from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime protections, including bona fide executive, administrative or professional employees. This exemption, typically referred to as the “EAP” exemption, applies when: 

1. An employee is paid a salary,  

2. The salary is not less than a minimum salary threshold amount, and 

3. The employee primarily performs executive, administrative or professional duties.

While the department increased the minimum salary required for the EAP exemption from overtime pay every 5 to 9 years between 1938 and 1975, long periods between increases to the salary requirement after 1975 have caused an erosion of the real value of the salary threshold, lessening its effectiveness in helping to identify exempt EAP employees.

The department’s new overtime rule was developed based on almost 30 listening sessions across the country and the final rule was issued after reviewing over 33,000 written comments. We heard from a wide variety of members of the public who shared valuable insights to help us develop this Administration’s overtime rule, including from workers who told us: “I would love the opportunity to...be compensated for time worked beyond 40 hours, or alternately be given a raise,” and “I make around $40,000 a year and most week[s] work well over 40 hours (likely in the 45-50 range). This rule change would benefit me greatly and ensure that my time is paid for!” and “Please, I would love to be paid for the extra hours I work!”

The department’s final rule, which will go into effect on July 1, 2024, will increase the standard salary level that helps define and delimit which salaried workers are entitled to overtime pay protections under the FLSA. 

Starting July 1, most salaried workers who earn less than $844 per week will become eligible for overtime pay under the final rule. And on Jan. 1, 2025, most salaried workers who make less than $1,128 per week will become eligible for overtime pay. As these changes occur, job duties will continue to determine overtime exemption status for most salaried employees.

The rule will also increase the total annual compensation requirement for highly compensated employees (who are not entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA if certain requirements are met) from $107,432 per year to $132,964 per year on July 1, 2024, and then set it equal to $151,164 per year on Jan. 1, 2025.

Starting July 1, 2027, these earnings thresholds will be updated every three years so they keep pace with changes in worker salaries, ensuring that employers can adapt more easily because they’ll know when salary updates will happen and how they’ll be calculated.

The final rule will restore and extend the right to overtime pay to many salaried workers, including workers who historically were entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA because of their lower pay or the type of work they performed. 

We urge workers and employers to visit  our website to learn more about the final rule.

Jessica Looman is the administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. Follow the Wage and Hour Division on Twitter at  @WHD_DOL  and  LinkedIn .  Editor's note: This blog was edited to correct a typo (changing "administrator" to "administrative.")

• Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
• Fair Labor Standards Act
• overtime rule

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