what i have learned presentation

10 Tips to Present What You Learned from a Professional Development Program

Completing a professional development course is an accomplishment and you can share that value when you return to work.

Jessica A. Kent

You’ve just returned to your workplace  after attending a professional development program , and you’re eager to implement what you’ve learned into your daily work life.

But that doesn’t have to be where it ends — you can share your learnings with others to help enhance their skills, too. There’s one added step after a professional development program that many may not consider: Presenting what you learned at that training session to your colleagues. 

Not only can this help you better articulate what you learned, but your actionable takeaways can elevate your colleagues and improve your workplace.

“Upon returning to your organization one feels empowered to share the new knowledge and skills acquired during the experience,” says Jill Abruzese Slye, instructor of “ Communication Strategies: Presenting with Impact ” at Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education. “This also fosters relationship building and practicing effective communication.”

If you’re wondering why it’s important to present what you learned at a professional development program and how to do so effectively through a great presentation, here’s where to start.

Why Presenting What You Learned at a Professional Development Program is Important 

Professional development programs are a great opportunity to improve your current skills or learn new ones, and come in many forms and topics . These skills can help you do your work more efficiently, better serve customers, clients, or stakeholders, and potentially set you up for future promotion.Because a professional development program provides value to you and your workplace , take the opportunity to tell your team about what you learned so they can reap that value as well.

How to Prepare During Your Program

Following these steps will not only help you remember and apply what you learned, but you’ll also have a list of talking points and resources ready to go for your presentation.

• Take notes during your program 
• Take pictures or screenshots of any relevant presenter slides
• At the end of your program, review your notes and highlight key takeaways
• Create a list of action items from those key takeaways
• Note quotes, best practices, or other actionable advice the instructor gave
• Make a list of tools or resources suggested by the instructor

Prepare With 6 Elements of a Great Presentation

When you return to your workplace from your professional development program, you may be asked to present, or you can offer to present. Whatever the format — a large presentation to staff or a small overview at your team meeting — use your notes and prep work to prepare your presentation. Be mindful of the  following elements:

1. Keep your audience in mind

“It is always important to be well organized and consider your audience’s thoughts, feelings, or ideas about what you are going to present,” Slye explains. “Especially when introducing new ideas within an organization or team, it is important to consider the ‘what’s in it for them.’ If you are persuading your colleagues to jump in and make changes, getting a gauge on where they stand can be helpful in your approach to implement change.”

2. Start with an overview of the program and its topics

Give a summary of the professional development program you went to, who the instructor was, and where it was held to lay the groundwork for your audience.

3. Explain why you wanted to attend

Tell your audience the reason for enrolling in the program and consider what need or problem you were looking to solve with that particular training. This can include learning a new skill to expand your role or addressing a gap in your knowledge. 

4. Provide insights and actionable takeaways from the program

Your presentation should focus on the three to five most important  takeaways you learned, as well as how you can apply those takeaways to your daily work life. These key points will be what your audience takes away with them and puts into action in their work. 

5. Use storytelling and examples from the program

If there were stories or examples that clarified a point or visualized an action or takeaway, retell it to your audience. For example, if you went to a training that utilized a story from the Hero’s Journey that connected the dots for you, share that story with your team, too.

6. Create a great PowerPoint

Don’t just plan what you’ll communicate, but how you’ll communicate it. Create a PowerPoint to show during your talk. Make one slide per key takeaway, add any visuals that may help your audience understand the concepts better. Don’t  add too many words — keep it simple and easily digestible! 

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4 Things to Avoid During a Presentation

Now that you’ve prepared for your presentation and have included the key elements you need, here’s what to avoid:

1. Don’t make assumptions

Don’t assume everyone is going to be as enthusiastic for change as you are,” advises Slye. “I suggest taking one or two ideas, or thoughts and presenting them, rather than come in with a list that could be overwhelming to your audience.”

2. Avoid busy slides

As you compile your PowerPoint, avoid listing all your talking points on the slide. This may be helpful to you, but it can be distracting to your audience as they try to read all of your points instead of listening to you. Instead, put one key takeaway or action item on one slide, and let your speech tell the story.

3. Avoid sharing everything

It takes a bit of skill to extract key takeaways from something that we learned. You may be tempted to explain every bit of your training — including what the location was like, who you ran into, or what was served for lunch — but instead, focus on three to five items you learned from that training. This will be more interesting and actionable for your audience. 

4. Avoid going over time

You may have a lot of great content to present. But if you’re only allotted five or 10 minutes at a staff meeting, make sure you prepare your content to fit in the time allotted.

Preparing for Presenting Virtually vs. In Person

Much of the same prep work will apply whether you’re presenting in person or through a virtual setting. However, engagement and energy will be different in front of a virtual audience. 

In person, you can make eye contact, feel the energy of your audience, and see their reactions as you present. With a virtual audience, it’s difficult to  make eye contact or read their energy, and you may even be presenting to a blank screen. Because of the energy shift, you may not feel as enthused or excited while presenting, but know that despite the energy of the Zoom room, your content can still help others apply new ideas and best practices to their work.

To prepare for a virtual presentation, make sure that your technology works, your video and microphone are clear, and you have a non-distracting background behind you. If possible, present in an area that absorbs sound — a room with a rug and lots of furniture if presenting from home — so your voice won’t echo. Know ahead of time how to share a presentation through the video conferencing tool you’re using, and decide if you’ll encourage listeners to ask questions in the chat.

Presentation Tips and Best Practices

Finally, don’t forget to employ public speaking best practices. 

“Use a well-structured outline, consider the thoughts, feelings, or ideas of your audience, and tap into your sense of success and accomplishment when sharing this information,” says Slye. “For example, use your non-verbal communication skills to exude confidence while also listening to your audience’s response.”

Other best practices include:

• Making eye contact with your audience
• Having a confident stance and a firm, clear voice, which will help build your credibility
• Slowing down your talking speed and enunciating clearly 
• Using your note cards as “ shorthand reminders ,” not as a script
• Practicing your presentation — remember,  nervousness is normal !
• Taking questions at the end from your audience
• Offering to send the slides to your audience so they can use them as a resource

Next Steps: Better Presenting with “Communication Strategies”

A professional development program can be a great opportunity for professional growth and teach you something valuable you can pass along to your colleagues. If you’re looking for more ways to grow professionally and become a better presenter, “ Communication Strategies: Presenting with Impact ” can give you the tools and practice to do just that.

For business professionals at all levels of experience, this two-day on-campus program will enhance your communication skills through oral presentations and small group activities. You’ll walk away knowing the guiding principles of effective presentations, new confidence in your presenting abilities, and more insight into your personal leadership and communication style.

If you’re ready to take the next step in growing your communication and presentation skills, register today .

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About the Author

Jessica A. Kent is a freelance writer based in Boston, Mass. and a Harvard Extension School alum. Her digital marketing content has been featured on Fast Company, Forbes, Nasdaq, and other industry websites; her essays and short stories have been featured in North American Review, Emerson Review, Writer’s Bone, and others.

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• Finding a Job

How to Make a Great End of Internship Presentation (+Helpful Ideas & Examples)

You’ve landed your dream internship, and you’re wondering what comes next. How will you share your new knowledge, the culmination of everything you learned? The answer is during an internship presentation.

Many times, a final intern presentation can influence a full-time job offer. That means that you want to put your best foot forward as you give an internship PowerPoint presentation. In this article, we'll give you tips to nail your end of internship presentation.

Make a Great End of Internship Presentaion (Quickstart Video)

Do you want to start creating an end of internship presentation right away? This quick video will tell you what you need to know:

For even more details on internship presentations and instructions on how to make a great one, study the written tutorial below.

Jump to content in this section:

What Is an Internship Presentation?

How to give a great end of internship presentation, share what you worked on, share a key project (and results and recommendations), share your experiences, show gratitude, the best source for internship powerpoint presentation templates in 2022 (with unlimited use).

An internship presentation is shared after your internship experience. In it, you’ll provide a full overview of your tasks and actions during your internship. In essence, you’re briefing managers on what you brought to the table. 

Consider your internship experience PowerPoint presentation as a capstone. It pulls together all that you’ve done during an internship into a neatly-packaged slide deck. It’s your last, best chance to show what you have learned. You’re summarizing your experience for managers and other stakeholders in the business. 

As a general rule, you’ll want to first outline your tasks and assignments. Perhaps you supported a key functional area for the duration of your internship. Or many internships are based around completion of a specific project or task. 

Either way, you’ll want to outline the scope of your internship assignment. Then, you’ll share details of what you learned, and how you applied these skills to the tasks at hand. 

Be sure to include how your own prior experiences helped, too. Throughout, show gratitude for the experience and provide plenty of specifics. It’s a great idea to make use of charts and data to bring your successes to life! 

Each job has its own requirements for an end of internship presentation. But these are great guidelines to follow, and they’ll be right at home in any internship setting. With them, you’re sure to close out an internship on a high note, impressing the audience with your expertise. 

When you’re making an internship experience PowerPoint presentation, map it out in advance. With an outline, you can ensure that you stay focused and on track.

As a general rule, it’s smart to break your internship presentation into four categories:

• As mentioned, you’ll always begin by outlining your assignment. What were you assigned to do? What were your assigned tasks to complete during your internship?
• Then, you’ll move into the results. What did you do to provide support or complete assigned tasks?
• What were you taught, what did you learn, and how did you apply these new skills in the internship setting? You'll spend time discussing how you’ll take these experiences with you into your career.
• And finally, you’ll share gratitude for the learning and networking opportunities that you enjoyed. 

With this framework in mind, let’s dive in and get started! 

Any final intern presentation must begin with sharing what you worked on. The scope of every internship is different. That means that you've got to set the stage at the beginning. 

Normally, you’ll be presenting to one or more managers. Senior managers are usually the primary audience for presentations like this. But there may be other people present who don’t know what you were working on.

In any case, it’s vital to clearly outline your assignment right up front. Only by doing this can your success be placed in context and measured.

The key to building a successful final intern presentation is to always be specific. Don’t skim over important details. It pays to create a detailed slide-based overview of what you worked on at the beginning of your slide deck. Once you’ve introduced yourself, move straight into this section.

Be sure to share these main details to set the stage for your final intern presentation:

• Who you worked with on functional and cross-functional teams
• Specific tasks assigned to you, either in a team or sole-contributor setting
• Metrics for completion and success
• The goals outlined for you at the beginning of your internship

In short, you’re telling the audience about your assignments on a daily basis. What did you work on each day, and what were your overall goals? These are set in advance, and the success of your internship is measured against them.

As you share, remember to balance detail with brevity. Be concise as you outline what you worked on. It's important that you clearly describe your tasks, but without boring your audience. Try and keep this section to one or two slides if you can. 

Once the stage is set, it’s time to outline a key project that you worked on. These are common in many internships. You may do day-to-day tasks, but often, you’ll work on one big task or project for the duration of your internship.

This key project will be the main takeaway for your audience. In this section, you tell them how you delivered value to the firm.

A good way to make a great impression here is to share how the project helped you learn about the business. Internships benefit both sides, you and the business. By sharing what you worked on, you’ll convey how your presence helped the firm. And you’ll credit the project for helping you learn about the company’s inner workings and processes.

Once again, specifics are all-important here. Be sure to provide details about the success of the project. What was the end result?

Focus on the following here:

• The project’s results. What do you have to show for completing it? A deliverable? A process improvement?
• Supporting data. For example, if your project improved a process efficiency by 20%, show this in a chart.
• Key things you learned in completing the project. You might have boosted your teamwork skills, learned to use an analytics dashboard, and so on. If it mattered to you, it mattered to the company. That places it in the scope for your internship presentation.
• How the completed project will benefit the company. Place the project in context. How will your work continue benefitting the firm, even when your internship is over?

Finally, it’s a great idea to make a recommendation. As you worked on the project, you might have considered more benefits or courses of action. Beyond implementing your project, what else can you propose based on your work?

By making a recommendation, you can offer a powerful idea for management to consider. This helps establish a legacy of your internship as a successful one. 

This idea is especially useful if you plan to seek full-time employment at the company, too. It’s a top way to clearly show how you can be a true asset for the firm in the future, based on your proven work and insights. 

The project that you just shared is a major part of your end of internship presentation. But it won’t capture everything that you’ve learned! Once you’ve shared the project, it’s a smart idea to provide a fuller account of your experiences. This expands on skills and knowledge that you acquired along the way. 

Focus on skills like networking and communication that you refined during the internship. After all, internships should teach more than core business skills. They boost working and life experiences that you can take with you into the workforce.

Focus on how you benefitted from the internship . Cover highlights of what you liked best, and how you enjoyed the working environment. You can even talk (briefly) about involvement in activities outside of work. This is especially true if you moved for an internship, as you can recognize the culture of a new city. 

Again, don't spend a ton of time on this subject. Think of it as a way to add interest and show your appreciation, while staying true to the topic. Your goal here is to communicate how much value you got from the internship, by focusing on each element in turn. 

Internships are truly team efforts. Your experience is largely guided by those around you. At the beginning, you’re stepping into an unfamiliar environment. You've got new colleagues to meet, systems to learn, and projects to manage. 

This is all set against the backdrop of your presence being only temporary. Thus, it’s very important to show gratitude at the end of your internship presentation. 

This is one of the top internship presentation ideas because it's the last impression you’ll make. Be sure to thank everyone involved in your journey for the help and support given along the way. 

Once again, be specific. Recognize key individuals who helped you with tasks or offered advice. In doing so, you certainly express your own gratitude. But you also pave the way for future interns. Recognizing the positives helps those people continue to be helpful and supportive to others. 

As you show gratitude, you express how much you gained from an internship experience. It’s the perfect way to reflect and recognize. This means that it should be the close of any successful final intern presentation. 

To deliver a truly impressive internship experience PowerPoint presentation, you need great designs. The best source for these is Envato Elements. 

Elements is a creative resource with a powerful offer: unlimited downloads. That’s right - for a flat monthly rate, you can download as many premium PPT templates as you want. With thousands to choose from you’re sure to find the perfect candidate for your internship presentation.

Plus, Elements offers a full array of other digital assets. For example, you’ll find custom fonts, stock photos, music, and more. All of these resources are included in your subscription. And they’re the perfect companions to build a compelling internship PowerPoint presentation.

By using a premium template from Envato Elements, you unlock many advantages. Think of them as internship presentation examples. All will serve you well as you build an internship presentation slide deck of your own:

• Designs built by experts . The slide layouts are built by creative pros, and they’ll impress even the toughest audiences.
• You’ll save time . Having pre-built layouts lets you drop in your content. You won't have to make slides from scratch. You’ll have more time to hone your message without having to waste time on design work.
• You’ll find powerful data visuals . Internship presentations should be precise and feature data wherever possible. The charts and infographics found in PPT templates from Elements are ready to help.
• Design inspirations are inside. The custom layouts help you come up with new internship presentation ideas.

All in all, Envato Elements is the best value for creatives today. As you build your end of internship presentation, you can’t afford to miss out. Browse the vast library of content and join today . Then, start downloading your favorite templates. In moments, you’ll have an internship presentation ready to impress. 

You Just Learned How to Give a Great End of Internship Presentation

Wrapping up your internship? Now, you're ready to give an end of internship presentation with confidence. Don't forget to leverage a template for intern presentation examples!

Use the tips that you learned in this article as you prepare your internship experience PowerPoint presentation. If you include these, you might just land your dream job offer.

Editor Note: This tutorial was originally published in June of 2022. A video has been added by Chamira Young .

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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How to Make Effective Impactful Presentations (Tips & Tools)

Learn how to make a good presentation great - step-by-step with examples. Learn the principles, guidelines & qualities needed to prepare captivating slides.

Dominika Krukowska

12 minute read

Short answer

Short answer: how to make a good presentation.

Start with a surprising statement, a bold promise, or a mystery

Provide context with a bit of background information

Structure your presentation within a story framework

Make every word count, and use as few as possible

Use visuals only to support your presentation text

Use interactive design to make your audience active participants

End by telling your audience what they can do with what they’ve learned

Boring presentations are instantly forgotten. How’s yours?

Lifeless presentations can spell doom for your message, leaving your audience disengaged and your goals unreached.

The price of a mediocre presentation is steep; missed opportunities, unimpressed prospects, and a bad rep.

In a world where everyone has grown to expect a good story, a boring presentation will be instantly forgotten. Like a drop in the ocean.

But not all is lost.

This post will teach you how presentation pros create compelling narratives and leverage the latest tech tools to command attention, drive a powerful message, and get shared like gossip.

Let’s get started!

How to prepare a presentation?

The successful presenter understands the value of small details and thorough preparation like the seasoned chef knows the importance of quality ingredients and careful technique for serving a 5 star dish

But where do you start?

Step-by-step guide for preparing a presentation:

1. Define your objective

Every presentation needs a clear goal. Are you looking to persuade, educate, or motivate? Perhaps you aim to showcase a product, or share insights about a recent project.

Defining your objective early on will guide your content creation process, helping you to focus your message and structure your presentation effectively. Think of your objective as the North Star guiding your presentation journey.

2. Analyze your audience

Next up, who are you talking to? Your audience should shape your presentation as much as your objective does. Understanding their needs, interests, and background will enable you to tailor your message to resonate with them.

Are they experts in your field, or are they novices looking for an introduction? What questions might they have? The more you know about your audience, the more compelling your presentation will be.

3. Research your topic

Once you've defined your objective and analyzed your audience, it's time to delve deep into your topic. Comprehensive research lays the groundwork for a robust, credible presentation.

Don't just scratch the surface – explore different perspectives, recent developments, and key statistics. This will not only enhance your understanding but also equip you with a wealth of information to answer any questions your audience might have.

4. Choose the right delivery format

Finally, consider the best format to deliver your message.

The right format can make all the difference in how your message is received, so choose wisely!

PowerPoint presentations are classic and easy to work with. But PowerPoint and Google slides are not so versatile in terms of their content experience. They're static, packed with information, and all look alike.

Our own presentation maker offers interactive, personalized, and multimedia content experience.

Data from our research of over 100K presentation sessions shows that audiences engage with Storydoc presentations 103% better than PowerPoint.

How to create an effective presentation?

There’s part art and part science in creating high-engagement high-impact presentations.

An effective presentation is the painstaking result of well-organized content, visuals that support and elevate your message, simplifying complex information, and personalizing wherever possible.

I wrote this post to teach you how to do all these, and a few things more.

Ready to learn? Let's dive in!

How to organize your presentation content?

Crafting a compelling presentation is like writing a page-turner.

You need to captivate your audience, maintain their interest, and guide them effortlessly through your narrative.

But how do you transform a heap of information into a well-structured presentation you can’t stop reading? There’s a structure you can follow.

3-step process for organizing a magnetic presentation:

1. Prioritize content

Your presentation should immediately capture interest and demonstrate relevance before moving on to establish understanding .

A) Build interest:

Begin with a strong hook that grabs your audience's attention. This could be an intriguing statistic, a powerful image , or an engaging question. It should stir curiosity and make your audience eager to hear more.

B) Establish relevance:

Once you have their attention it's time to establish why your presentation matters to your audience.

Address your audience's main concerns. Make sure your content directly speaks to these pain points, and address them in order of importance.

2. Build anticipation

A great presentation is like getting a new car – it builds anticipation, takes you on a thrilling ride, and ends with you wanting to share the experience with all your friends.

Start with a compelling problem your audience relates to and follow up with a promise of an amazing way they can solve it. This problem-solution dynamic creates a suspense that keeps your audience glued to your presentation.

3. Use a story framework

Finally, use a story framework to give your presentation structure and flow.

Begin with a big idea that underpins your presentation. Then delve into the problem, showcasing why it needs attention. Present your solution, painting a vision of a better future for your audience.

Weave in concrete examples of how your solution changes lives.

Tell the story of WHO you helped, WHAT the situation was before and after your solution, WHERE and WHEN it happened, WHY it worked and HOW it made them feel.

If you’re writing a business presentation you should follow this with an execution plan that outlines how the solution will be implemented.

Finally, close with clear next steps, guiding your audience on what they should do after the presentation to bring meaningful change into their lives.

Our recommended story framework:

How to design your presentation?

A good presentation is more than just making it look pretty ; it's about communicating your message effectively and creating a lasting impression.

Good presentation design grabs attention, and leads it to where it’s needed most. It takes your hand and leads you through the easiest and most pleasant path to understanding.

Good presentation design supports your message rather than steals the spotlight. Good design is narrated design.

What is narrated design (Scrollytelling)?

Scrollytelling, where "scroll" meets "storytelling", is an interactive content experience that guides readers through a narrative journey with a simple scroll. It connects text, images, videos, and animations into integrated “scenes” where content is both shown and narrated.

Scrollytelling breaks complex content into digestible chunks and gives the reader control over pace. It has been scientifically shown to enhance engagement, understandability and memorability.

Scrollytelling came up as a central thing when Itai Amoza, our Founder and CEO was building the foundations for Storydoc.

He partnered with one of the world’s leading visualization scientists , prof. Steven Franconeri , to help him bring to Storydoc the means to reduce the complexity, friction, and information overload so characteristic of business presentations.

Scrollytelling is part of the solutions that came up, which led to specialized storytelling slides like our narrator slide (in the example below).

An example of Storydoc scrollytelling:

How to design presentation visuals to support your story

Presentation visuals can be unsung heroes or sloppy distractions.

Visuals can bring your message to life, make complex concepts easy to understand, and engage your audience in ways that words alone cannot. Or… they can sit there looking all pretty and distract you from what’s really going on.

4 elements of great presentation visuals:

Support your message: Your visuals should support your text, highlight your main message, and align with your objective. They should reinforce your points and help your audience understand your message.

Represent your audience: The best visuals are relatable. They should resonate with your target audience and reflect their world of associations. Use images and graphics that your audience can identify with – this can enhance their engagement and make your presentation more memorable. Equally important is using clean images - an effective way to do this is by using tools that allow you to remove your image backgrounds . By eliminating distractions and focusing on your subject, you create images that are more impactful and, therefore, can potentially increase audience engagement.

Introduce your product, outcomes, and clients: Wherever possible, use visuals to demonstrate your product, illustrate outcomes, and represent your clients. This can remove doubt and misunderstanding by letting your audience see (and make obvious) what words sometimes struggle to describe.

Follow your branding guidelines: Your presentation is an extension of your brand, so your visuals should conform to your branding guidelines. Consistent use of colors, fonts, and styles not only enhances brand recognition but also creates a cohesive, professional look.

Here’s an example of a well-designed presentation:

How to communicate complex information?

Did you ever have to read a presentation where you felt like you're lost in a maze of jargon, data, and complex concepts?

Are you giving others this same experience?

Communicating complex information is a common challenge in presentations. But there are ways you can simplify your presentation and reengage your audience.

Here’s how you can get complex information across:

1. Use interactive content

Interactive content is your best friend when it comes to simplifying complex information and getting deeply engaged with your content.

It gets the readers more involved in your presentation by letting them play an active part; like choosing the content route they wish to take and controlling the pace.

It keeps your presentation textually lean - giving readers the choice to expand more details on demand (in tabs, live graphs, sliders, accordions, and calculators).

Beyond that, live graphs can illustrate trends, animations can demonstrate processes, and videos can bring concepts to life.

Calculators, questionnaires, and chatbots provide personalized and specific answers to readers as part of your presentation, without them having to get in touch with you or your team.

Elavating your presentations from static to interactive has been tied to increasing the number of people who read your presentation in full by 41% !

Making interactive used to be hard, but now you can just use Storydoc. Go make your first interactive presentation. It’s easy as pie.

2. Show don’t tell

A picture is worth a thousand words. Because no one will read a presentation with a thousand words, do everyone a favor and use images.

Images can be super effective at communicating complex information and save you a lot of needless text.

In fact, visual representation of data and concepts can often convey what words cannot. Use diagrams, infographics, and images to illustrate your points and simplify the complex.

The goal is to create a visual narrative that complements your verbal one.

3. Narrate your content

Storytelling is another powerful tool for communicating complex concepts.

Whether it's through text to speech AI, video bubbles, or a scrollytelling narrator slide, narrating your content can help guide your audience through the complexity.

By giving your information a narrative structure, you can make it more digestible, engaging, and memorable.

According to Sales Hacker’s data, people remember up to 10% of numbers and 25% of images they see. When you center your presentation around a story, this rises to 60-70% .

4. Use examples and allegories

Examples and allegories help unravel the complexity of ideas.

They scaffold your message with concepts we already know and understand, and can easily imagine in our mind. This makes them less new and intimidating and more familiar.

Critically, the real secret lies in selecting examples that are not just familiar but also deeply relevant—those are the ones that will truly ring with your listeners.

If you tailor the allegory to your audience's world, it is guaranteed to lead to an “aha” moment.

5. Open a line of communication

Finally, invite dialogue. This could be through a chatbot or an option to book a meeting for further discussion. This not only helps clarify any confusion but also encourages engagement and deepens understanding.

For example, finishing your presentation with an interactive calendar to book a meeting instead of a generic “Thank you” slide has proven to boost conversion rate by 27% !

How to personalize your presentation?

Imagine attending a party where the host doesn't remember your name or anything about you. Not a great experience, right? The same holds true for presentations.

In a sea of generic content, personalization can be a lifeline that connects you to your audience on a deeper level. It’s also the single most important predictor of success, getting 68% more people to read your presentation in full .

But how do you add that personal touch?

1. Address reader by name

Just as you wouldn't start a conversation without a greeting, don't start your presentation without acknowledging your audience.

Using your audience's name can make your presentation feel like a personal conversation rather than a generic monologue. It's a simple yet powerful way to engage your audience from the get-go.

2. Use their company logo

Including your audience's company logo in your presentation can make them feel seen and valued. It shows that you've taken the time to tailor your presentation to them, enhancing its relevance and appeal.

Plus, it's a subtle way to reinforce that your message is specifically designed to address their needs and challenges.

3. Add a personal message (video or text)

A personal message can go a long way in building a connection with your audience.

It could be a video message from you, expressing your enthusiasm for the opportunity to present to them, or a text message highlighting why the presentation matters to them.

This personal touch can make your audience feel special and more invested in your presentation.

4. Personalize your Call-to-Action

Finally, cap off your presentation with a call to action that speaks directly to your audience.

Swap out the generic 'Contact us' with something that gets to the heart of their needs, something like, 'Let's roll up our sleeves and tackle your [specific issue] at [their company].'

By tailoring your call to action, you show your audience you've truly got their back, that you're not just here to talk, but to make a real, positive impact on their world.

Here’s an example of a personalized slide:

How to measure the effectiveness of your presentation

Imagine if you could peek into your audience's mind, understand what resonated, what fell flat, and what drove them to action?

Presentation analytics is essential in order to guide you on how to fine-tune it for maximum impact.

But how do you get your hands on presentation analytics?

Any presentation you create with Storydoc comes with an out-of-the-box analytics suite , ready to track and provide insights.

We give you 100% visibility into how people engage with your presentations and send you real-time engagement alerts.

Here’s a video explaining how you can track performance with our analytics panel:

4 critical presentation engagement metrics to keep track of

1. Reading time

Storydoc gives you the precise time prospects spend reading your presentation so you can quickly figure out what's hitting the target and what's not.

Are they soaking up every word or just quickly skimming through? This can help you shape your content to hit the bullseye.

NOTE: Keep in mind that reading time alone might not show you a full picture. A better way is to use a smart engagement score that brings together different metrics like time spent and depth of reading. You can get this kind of total score in Storydoc.

2. Reading completion

Another basic metric we track is how many people read your content from start to finish.

This metric is a strong sign of the prospect’s interest and your content quality. It shows you if they're finding the information relevant, but also worth sticking with till the end.

3. Next step conversion rate

This one tracks how many people take the next step after they check out your presentation. This could be filling out a form, setting up a meeting, or downloading more files.

For business presentations, measuring this can show how well your presentation is pushing people further down the sales funnel.

At the top of your analytics dashboard, you can find a tab that shows you how many people clicked on your CTA divided by presentation, date, and location. If you scroll down to the list of readers, next to each person you can also see whether they clicked on the CTA or not.

Here's what it looks like:

4. Number of shares

This metric is particularly important for B2B sales teams . As more people are getting involved in buying decisions, this measure helps you see if and when your content is being passed around inside your prospect’s company.

On the analytics dashboard, under each presentation version, you can find detailed information on how many people read it. So, the higher the number, the more your presentation has been shared internally.

We'll notify you when your presentation has been shared, and who opened it, so you can time your follow-up perfectly to your buyer’s readiness to advance further.

Here's where you can find this information:

Best tool for making an effective presentation

In the realm of presentation tools, classics like Google Slides and PowerPoint offer simplicity and ease, while Canva and Pitch add a dash of design flair and collaboration.

If you're seeking to elevate your presentations to new heights you’ll need to do better than simple PowerPoints or flashy Canvas. Next-gen AI presentation tools like Storydoc are your game-changer.

They break free from the static concept of slides and offer the creation of interactive, immersive content experiences that sweep us along like a good story.

Grab a template - create your best presentation to date

Ever wished for a secret recipe to whip up a killer presentation? We've got something even better! Our interactive presentation templates are your shortcut to success.

Say goodbye to hours of formatting and hello to captivating, interactive presentations, all with a few clicks.

Grab a template and turn presentation woes into wows!

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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How to make a great presentation

Stressed about an upcoming presentation? These talks are full of helpful tips on how to get up in front of an audience and make a lasting impression.

The secret structure of great talks

The beauty of data visualization

TED's secret to great public speaking

How to speak so that people want to listen

How great leaders inspire action

Ideas and insights from Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning

Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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14 Dos and Don’ts for an Effective Presentation

Renderforest Staff

16 Jun 2021

7 min read  

Giving a presentation can be stressful. There are just too many balls to keep in the air: an effective opening, audience engagement, body language, visual aids, anxiety management. The list goes on. 

On a positive note, public speaking and presentation skills can be learned and refined. That’s why we put together a list of 14 dos and don’ts that will help you deliver a killer presentation. If you already have your presentation idea and are wondering how to effectively develop and deliver it, this article is for you.

Let’s jump right in and explore the basic rules of making and giving a presentation.

Focus on the Key Message

From the very beginning, the audience should feel that your speech is leading to something important. This is what will spark their curiosity and keep their attention focused. 

Of course, to achieve such an effect, you should actually have something important to communicate. Otherwise, your audience will feel like they wasted their time (and would be right to think so). The material you present should resemble an arrow with a clear point, not an unending loop of words that leads to nowhere. 

But having something worth telling is only part of the job. You also need to make sure that your entire presentation is woven around that key idea. From beginning to end, your core message should be your guiding light. Each sentence should move the audience closer to it, and by the end of the speech, leave them with a sense of illumination.

Recommended Reading

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Plan the Structure

Planning your speech beforehand is the only way to avoid getting sidetracked. As you think about your message, try to structure it in a way that makes its delivery most effective for the audience.

So, how do you structure a presentation? Consider both the logical and emotional implications of your structure. First, you want to give your listeners enough background information to help them get better acquainted with the topic, but not so much as to get them bored. Once all the need-to-knows are out of the way, make a seamless transition to your main message and start laying out your arguments in a convincing way.

Also, think about the emotional effect you want to achieve in each part of your presentation. The best way to go about it is to capture your audience’s attention right off the bat, which is often considered to be the hardest part of giving a presentation.

“How do I begin a presentation?” is a question you’ve surely asked yourself.  Once you’re done introducing yourself, you can jump into the presentation with a story or an intriguing question. Then, build suspense throughout the speech and release it at the end with a well-grounded closing statement.

Tell a Story

How do you present a topic? As human beings, we’re attracted to stories. This is why we go to the movies, read fiction and, yes, become all ears when hearing gossip. Thus, it’s always a good idea to begin your presentation with a story or even spice it up with one in the middle. This can make all the difference between an engaged and indifferent audience. 

Need some proof? Watch this TED talk and see how the presenter wins the audience over in less than 3 minutes using the magic of a personal story (admittedly, a relatable one).

Keep a Conversational Tone

Many first-time public speakers try a bit too hard to make their speech expressive. As a result, their presentations appear showy and even pompous to the audience.

To prevent this, simply use a conversational tone. Feel like you are communicating your message to individual people, rather than a large alien audience. This will not only ease you up but will help the audience connect to you as well. 

After all, when you really look at it, you are talking to individual people, not their aggregation.

Remember the Takeaway

What is the one thing you’d wish the audience to take away from your speech as they leave the room or the auditorium? Define it in a single phrase or sentence, using straightforward, accessible language, and present it at the end of your presentation. Keep that takeaway in mind when planning your speech, and put a special emphasis on it during the wrap-up.

Source: TED talk by Angela Lee Duckworth

Time your speech.

There’s probably a specific timeframe within which you should complete your speech. Even if it’s not rigidly set, the audience will have certain expectations as to how long your presentation will take. 

Therefore, it’s important to plan beforehand the approximate time your speech should take and set a timer during rehearsals. If your presentation lasts longer than expected, make sure to leave the inessential parts out. 

As you memorize your material, your speech will get smoother and faster. This will also shorten the time required for it. Thus, before making any adjustments to the length of your script, rehearse it a few times.

Do Your Rehearsals  

Practice your speech as many times as necessary to build confidence. This is not to say you should memorize every single word or sentence, but you should know exactly what you need to cover at every point. 

When you’re confident enough about your speech, there’s one less reason to be nervous during the presentation. You can now relax and focus on building rapport with your audience.

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Perhaps, the worst thing you can do during a presentation is to read your script. Even glancing at a paper or screen far too many times is distracting enough. What’s more, your audience will find it difficult to connect to your message, as it will all feel mechanical and staged.

The solution? It’s fairly simple: rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

Don’t Rely on Slides

A slide should never be the main source of information for the audience. Use it as a mere extension that makes your speech more engaging or credible. Always keep in mind that your audience needs to learn from you , the speaker, not from your slide.

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t stuff any slide with text. Or include so much information (whether textual or visual) that your audience gets overwhelmed and stops following your speech. When it comes to slide design, minimalism is your best friend. 

To know if you’re relying heavily on your slides or not, ask yourself this question: “Will my presentation still make sense without the slides?” If the answer’s no, then you should rethink your script. But, there’s also a fun side to this. When you free your slides of the burden to inform, they can now be used creatively and even enhance the effect of your speech.

Notice how the presenter in the video shown above only turns to slides to highlight or demonstrate a point she made. And if you remove all the slides? The presentation will be just as complete and impactful.

Don’t Use Fancy Slideshows

How a good presentation should look like? Nowadays, there are lots of advanced presentation software and screen-sharing tools one can use to “wow” the audience. The problem with them? “Wowing” your audience with something as trivial as slides is hardly why you’re making your speech. The fewer distractions there are in your presentation, the better. Keep this in mind, and avoid using anything showy. 

Don’t Talk Too Fast (or Slow)

While presenting, it’s recommended to maintain a consistent pace that’s neither too fast nor too slow. Talking fast might cause unnecessary tension in the audience, and excessively slow speech is sure to annoy them.

While different people naturally speak at different paces, it’s still something that can be worked on and modified with enough practice. You can refine your pacing during rehearsals until the preferred pace is second nature to you.

Don’t Forget Backup Slides

You’re about to start your presentation, but the internet connection is too slow, and your slides won’t load. On top of it, you didn’t follow our advice about not relying on slideshows. What do you do?

Well, if you’re considerate enough, you will have a USB flash drive with backup slides. Next time you feel like forgoing this little step, recall this scenario.

Don’t Neglect Body Language

The way you move your body on stage tells a story. And if that story is incoherent with the one you’re telling with your words, disharmony arises. Imagine a speaker is talking about peace and tolerance, yet their every movement is abrupt, hasty, and aggressive. Sure, this might be the result of nervousness, but would you still be able to connect to their message? The answer’s likely to be no.   

When rehearsing your speech, don’t neglect body language. Practice standing tall, keeping your hands open, and your movements relaxed. Avoid pacing on the stage during your presentation, as it may distract or, worse yet, annoy your listeners. 

Check out this TED talk by Emily Esfahani Smith. Pay attention to how her empathetic facial expressions and open hand gestures help to reinforce her message.

And, of course, don’t skip eye contact. Instead of glancing over the entire audience, pick a few individuals from different parts of the room, and establish your eye contact with them. This little trick will help you feel like you’re speaking to one person at a time. And that’s far more manageable than speaking to everyone at once.

To emphasize a point, sometimes, what you need is not words but their absence. Take a pause after you ask a question or make a strong statement. Spare your audience a moment to think, reflect, and ponder. Or leave a gap of silence right before you present something exciting to build suspense and anticipation.

No one expects you to go on talking for 10-15 minutes without a pause. Take a few seconds once in a while to breathe. Draw in deep breaths to collect your thoughts and calm your nerves if the situation calls for it. This is one of the most effective ways to relax when presenting.

These were the things good presentations include. Hopefully, you’ve learned enough from our tips and are now ready to get to work. Delivering effective presentations is not an easy task, but definitely, one that’s worth the effort. If you’d like to create a presentation for your speech or even online platforms, give these customizable templates a try.

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Unlock effective presentation skills (tips and best practices)

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera March 23, 2023

Presentation skills are a crucial aspect of communication in today’s world. Whether you’re delivering a pitch to potential investors, giving a lecture in front of a class, or trying to make a point at a meeting, your ability to effectively present your ideas can greatly impact your success. However, not everyone is a natural-born speaker. Many struggle with nerves and self-doubt when it comes to presenting in front of an audience. But don’t worry! Improving your presentation skills is possible with practice and dedication. In this blog post, we’ll provide you with practical tips that will help you become a confident and engaging speaker. From preparing your material to engaging with your audience, we’ll cover everything you need to know to take your presentation skills to the next level. So whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your existing presentation skills, read on for all the advice and inspiration you need to succeed.

Types of Presentations

Before we dive into specific presentation skills, it’s important to define the different types of presentations that may require different skills in how they’re presented. There are several types of presentations you can choose from, each with its own distinct format and style. Let’s take a look at some of the most common types of presentations:

Narrative presentations

In these types of presentations, the speaker focuses on telling a story that engages the audience and reinforces the main message. This type of presentation is perfect for engaging and entertaining an audience. It helps to keep the audience interested and focused and can be a great way to reinforce the main message. However, it can also be time-consuming to prepare a well-structured narrative.

Informative presentations

These types of presentations are designed to provide information on a specific topic. The speaker focuses on delivering accurate and relevant information to the audience in an organized and straightforward manner. This type of presentation is great for providing accurate and relevant information to the audience. The organized and straightforward delivery makes it easy for the audience to understand and retain the information. However, it can be difficult to keep the audience engaged and interested if the presentation is too dry or lacks excitement.

Persuasive presentations 

In persuasive presentations, the speaker aims to convince the audience to take a specific action or adopt a particular point of view. This type of presentation often includes arguments, statistics, and other persuasive techniques. However, if the arguments are weak or the persuasive techniques are ineffective, the presentation can fall flat and fail to achieve its intended outcome.

Demonstrative Presentations

These types of presentations focus on demonstrating a product or service to the audience. The speaker often includes visual aids, such as slides or videos, to help illustrate the key features and benefits of the product or service. However, it can be difficult to keep the audience engaged if the demonstration is too lengthy or repetitive.

Instructional Presentations

Instructional presentations are designed to teach the audience a specific skill or provide them with step-by-step instructions. The speaker often uses visual aids, such as diagrams or slides, to make the instructions clear and easy to follow. It’s perfect for teaching the audience how to perform a specific task. The use of visual aids, such as diagrams or slides, makes it easy for the audience to understand and follow the instructions. In this type of presentation, it’s important to present the instructions in a highly engaging way so the audience doesn’t lose interest.

Choosing the right type of presentation format can greatly impact the success of your presentation. Consider the audience, the message you want to convey, and the resources available to you, when deciding on the best presentation format for your needs. Once you’ve decided on a presentation format, you can move on to developing certain presentation skills that are most important for the specific case. 

Presentation delivery methods

The way you deliver your presentation is crucial. Therefore, we want to highlight this aspect before we dive into other effective presentation skills. A delivery method can make or break a presentation, regardless of the quality of the content. There are various methods of presentation delivery. The choice of method depends on the type of audience, the topic of the presentation, and the desired outcome. Discover 4 ways you can deliver a presentation and what kind of skills and approach they require. 

Traditional delivery

One of the most common presentation delivery methods is the traditional method of standing in front of an audience and delivering a speech. This method is suitable for formal presentations, such as keynote speeches, lectures, and corporate presentations. This method requires the speaker to have excellent public speaking skills, including voice modulation, body language, and eye contact. A traditional presentation delivery usually follows a classical presentation outline that has a clear beginning, middle, and end. 

Visually-focused presentation delivery

Another method of presentation delivery is the use of visual aids. This method involves using multimedia tools, such as images, videos, and infographics. Visual aids are effective because they can help the audience to better understand complex information, and they can also serve as a reference for the audience to refer to after the presentation. However, visuals should not be the sole focus of the presentation, as they can distract the audience from the message. 

If you want to create a visually-focused presentation, discover different Prezi presentation templates, and be sure to add images, videos, data visualizations, GIFs, stickers, and other visuals that you can find in Prezi’s content library and Prezi Design.  

If you want to learn more about the use of visuals in a presentation, and what are the best design practices, watch this video:

Interactive presentation delivery

Another way to deliver a presentation is by using interactive methods such as group discussions, role-plays, and simulations. This method is suitable for presentations that require the audience to actively participate in the presentation. Interactive presentations can be useful for training sessions, team-building exercises, and workshops. 

On Prezi, you can create highly interactive presentations where your audience can be active participants. Prezi’s non-linear format allows you to jump between topics instead of flipping through slides, so your presentation feels more like a conversation than a speech.

Storyteller delivery

The last method of presentation delivery is storytelling. It involves the use of anecdotes, personal experiences, and stories to deliver a message. Storytelling is a highly effective tool because it can help the audience to relate to the message on a personal level. 

Storytelling can also be used to make a presentation more engaging and entertaining. 

If you want to visually showcase a relation between two aspects and capture the transitional movement in a timeline, use motion, zoom, and spatial relationships in a Prezi presentation to showcase the nuances of your story world. 

Regardless of the presentation delivery method, make sure to follow the best presentation practices:

• Be well-prepared and knowledgeable about the topic. This can be achieved through research, practice, and rehearsal.
• Use clear and concise language that is easy for the audience to understand. You should avoid using jargon and technical terms, or you can take time to explain them to the audience. 
• Work on engaging the audience using eye contact, body language, and humor. This can help you establish a connection with the audience and make the presentation more engaging. 
• Be mindful of the time and ensure that the presentation is delivered within the allotted time frame.  
• Use effective visuals, if applicable, to support your message without overpowering it.

Effective presentation skills

There are numerous skills that you can develop to improve your presentations. In this article, we’ve summoned the following 8 presentation skills that are essential to any presenter that wants to make an impact with their message.

1. Effective communication

Effective communication skills are critical when it comes to presenting information to others. Presentations require a clear and concise message, and communication skills are key in delivering this message to your audience. Good communication skills allow you to connect with your audience, build rapport, and maintain engagement throughout the presentation. In addition, communication skills allow you to articulate your ideas and arguments clearly, and to respond to questions or challenges effectively. 

To improve this skill, practice speaking in front of a mirror or recording yourself to identify areas where you may need improvement. Also, consider using vocal techniques such as varying your tone and volume to keep your audience engaged.

2. Confident body language

Confident body language is an essential presentation skill as it communicates to the audience that the speaker is credible, knowledgeable, and in control. A confident posture, eye contact, and gestures can help you establish a strong presence and build rapport with the audience. It also helps you to convey your message more effectively. 

To practice confident body language, start by standing tall with shoulders back and head held high. Also, make eye contact with the audience and use natural hand gestures to emphasize key points. It’s also important to practice speaking clearly and with conviction, as this can further enhance the impact of confident body language during a presentation. 

If you’re interested in learning more about body language, read our article on 9 secrets to a confident body language . 

3. Audience engagement

Being able to engage your audience is a crucial presentation skill because it ensures that your message is well-received and understood. When you engage your audience, you capture their attention and maintain their interest throughout your presentation. This can make the difference between a successful presentation and one that falls flat. Holding the attention of your audience requires a combination of factors, such as having a clear message, being confident and comfortable in your delivery, using visual aids effectively, and connecting with your audience on a personal level. 

To improve this skill, you can practice rehearsing your presentation in front of friends or colleagues and seeking feedback. You can also try studying successful public speakers and their techniques and incorporating audience participation activities into your presentation to keep them engaged and interested. 

Additionally, you can engage your audience by opting for a motion-based presentation. It’ll enhance the impact of your content and ideas, making it more captivating for your audience to watch than a slide-based presentation. On Prezi, you can use motion, spatial relationships, and zooming effects to create highly impactful presentations. 

4. Time management

Time management is an essential presentation skill as it helps to ensure that you deliver your message effectively and efficiently within the allotted time. Poor time management can lead to an unprofessional and unprepared presentation, leaving the audience disinterested or confused.

To practice good time management, begin by planning and rehearsing your presentation in advance. It’s important to allocate sufficient time to each section and consider factors such as audience engagement and potential interruptions. You can also use time-tracking tools and practice pacing yourself during rehearsals to ensure you stay on schedule. By mastering time management, you can deliver a polished and engaging presentation, leaving a positive and lasting impression on your audience.

5. Content organization

Effective organization of presentation content is crucial for any presenter, as it determines the clarity and impact of the message. Organized content can help you convey your ideas in a logical and coherent manner, which aids in maintaining the audience’s attention and retention of information. 

To ensure that your presentation’s content is well-organized, it’s important to follow a few key steps. 

• Identify the main points you want to convey and arrange them in a logical order.
• Create a clear outline that includes an introduction, main body, and conclusion.
• Use transition words or phrases to smoothly connect each point to the next. 
• Ensure that your presentation has a consistent flow and that each point supports your overall message. 

By following these steps, you can effectively organize your presentation’s content and create a memorable and impactful experience for the viewers.

If you’re creating a sales presentation, be sure to read our step-by-step guide on crafting a winning sales presentation .

Also, discover how to best structure your presentation based on your presentation goal in this video:

6. Storytelling 

Storytelling is a powerful presentation skill that can captivate your audience’s attention and enhance the impact of your message. Stories allow us to connect with people on a deeper emotional level, and help us convey complex ideas in an easy-to-understand way. When we tell a story, we engage our audience, evoke their imagination, and inspire them to take action. 

To develop strong storytelling skills, you should practice telling stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end that convey a message or lesson. It’s also important to incorporate sensory details, such as sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste, to help the audience visualize the story. Also, make sure to focus on the tone of your delivery, including voice inflection, body language, and facial expressions, to effectively convey the emotions and dynamics of the story. Finally, use one of Prezi’s presentation templates like the one visualized below, or create your own story presentation on Prezi and visualize relations between topics, events, and characters using spatial relationships and visual hierarchy. 

By mastering the art of storytelling, you can deliver a powerful presentation that resonates with the audience and creates a lasting impression.

7. Adaptability

Adaptability is a crucial presentation skill – it allows you to adjust and respond to unexpected situations, changes, and challenges during the presentation. The key is to be properly prepared. This means researching your topic and practicing your presentation speech enough so that you’re prepared for any changes or questions that may arise. When you’re prepared, you’ll feel more present and be able to read the room and adjust to your audience’s needs and interests. Also, be flexible and open-minded to new information, feedback, and audience reactions. This skill will enable you to think on your feet and modify your content or delivery style accordingly. 

And lastly, you want to uphold the quality of your presentation no matter where you’re presenting, online or offline. If you need to adapt your presentation to an online experience, use Prezi Video and simply import your already-existing Prezi, Powerpoint, or Google slides, and deliver the same level of presence and quality as offline. With Prezi Video, you can showcase your slides next to you on-screen as you present, keeping that face-to-face interaction. 

Make sure to check out Prezi Video templates that you can find in Prezi’s template gallery .

8. Confidence

Last but definitely not least, one of the key presentation skills a great presenter possesses is confidence . Presenting with confidence can help you engage your audience and convince them of your authority and knowledge on the topic at hand. When you exude confidence, the audience is more likely to trust you and your message, leading to better communication and understanding. 

Developing confidence can be achieved through several methods. Practicing your speech multiple times, visualizing a successful presentation, and focusing on positive self-talk are all techniques that can help boost your confidence. Additionally, learning to control body language and voice tone can also have a positive effect on confidence levels during your time in the spotlight. 

By implementing these strategies, you can build your confidence and improve your presentation skills each time you’re speaking in front of an audience. 

Discover more about effective presentation skills in this video:

How to improve public speaking and presentation skills

While working on the effective presentation skills we listed above, you may feel nervous about public speaking in general. It’s no secret that public speaking can be a daunting task for many people. However, if you want to be a powerful, confident, and impactful presenter, you need to overcome your fear of anxiety of public speaking and improve the way you feel and appear when presenting. 

If you want to learn more about different techniques that can help you calm down before a presentation, here’s a helpful video for you to watch:

To help you become better at public speaking, we summoned 20 tips you can follow:

1. Practice, practice, practice

One of the most effective ways to become more comfortable with public speaking is to practice your speech as much as possible. When you practice, you can work out any kinks or rough spots that you may encounter when giving your speech in front of an audience. Additionally, practicing allows you to become more familiar with the material, making it easier to remember and deliver with confidence. While it may be tempting to simply read your speech from a script or cue cards, practicing your speech will allow you to internalize the material and deliver it with greater ease, flow, and naturalness. Therefore, it’s highly recommended that you take the time to practice your speech as much as possible before giving it in front of an audience, whether that be your friends, family, or colleagues.

2. Use presenter notes 

Preparing for a presentation can be a lengthy endeavor, particularly if you aim to memorize the entire script. Trying to remember every point can be challenging. Plus, the stress of public speaking can cause you to overlook crucial details. Jotting down your talking points can help you stay organized and avoid forgetting any essential information. However, relying solely on flashcards or paper notes may not be ideal. Constantly glancing at sticky notes or looking away from your audience can disrupt the flow of your presentation and disconnect you from your listeners. Instead, try using presenter notes on Prezi , where you can easily add notes to each slide. While presenting, you’ll be the only one that sees them, helping you deliver an impressive presentation with maximum confidence. 

3. Know your audience

When delivering a speech, it’s important to analyze and understand the audience you’ll be speaking to. By doing so, you can tailor your speech to their interests and needs. This means that you should take into account factors such as their age range, educational background, and cultural or professional affiliations. Additionally, it’s important to research the topic you’ll be discussing thoroughly and provide examples that are relevant to your audience. By doing this, you can ensure that your message will resonate with your listeners and leave a lasting impact.

4. Start with a strong opening

To really captivate your audience, it’s important to start with a strong opening that grabs their attention and sets the tone for the rest of your speech. One approach could be to start with a thought-provoking question or a powerful anecdote that relates to your topic. Alternatively, you could begin with a surprising fact or statistic that shocks and intrigues your listeners. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s attention-grabbing and relevant to the message you want to convey. Remember, the opening of your speech is your chance to make a lasting impression, so make it count!

Discover other ways to start your presentation speech and watch this video for more tips on starting a virtual presentation: 

5. Use humor

Using humor can be a great way to start off a presentation. It can help to reduce the tension in the room and make your audience feel more at ease. For example, you could start off with a joke or a funny story that relates to your topic. Alternatively, you could use a humorous image or meme to grab your audience’s attention. Just be sure not to overdo it – too many jokes can detract from your message and make you seem unprofessional. Remember that the ultimate goal of your presentation is to communicate information and ideas effectively, so use humor wisely.

6. Incorporate stories

Using stories in your speech can be an incredibly powerful tool. Personal stories, in particular, can help illustrate your points and make your message more memorable. By sharing a personal experience, you can connect with your audience on a deeper level and create an emotional bond. This can help them better understand your message and remember it long after your speech is over.

One way to incorporate personal stories into your speech is to draw from your own life experiences. Think about a time when you faced a challenge or overcame an obstacle, and how that experience taught you something valuable. Share that story with your audience and explain how the lessons you learned can be applied to their lives as well.

You can also use stories to illustrate more abstract concepts. For example, if you’re giving a talk about the importance of perseverance, you could share a story about someone who faced numerous setbacks but refused to give up. By sharing that story, you can make the concept of perseverance more concrete and relatable to your audience.

7. Use pauses

Using pauses is a great way to enhance your communication skills. In fact, when you take breaks in your speech, can help you gather your thoughts and think more clearly. Pausing also allows you to emphasize key points you want to make in your speech. Additionally, by using pauses strategically, you give your audience time to process the information you’re sharing with them, which can help ensure that they understand and retain it better. All in all, incorporating pauses into your speaking style can be incredibly effective in making your message more impactful and memorable.

8. Speak clearly and loudly

When delivering a speech or presentation, it’s important to speak in a manner that is clear and easy to understand. However, it’s equally important to ensure that your voice is projected loudly enough for your audience to hear you. Speaking too softly can make it difficult for people in the back of the room or in larger spaces to hear what you’re saying, which can lead to confusion and a lack of engagement. To avoid this, try to practice projecting your voice and enunciating your words clearly before you give your speech. You can also use tools like microphones or audio amplifiers to help ensure that your message is heard loud and clear by everyone in the room.

9. Take deep breaths

Taking deep breaths is a great way to help you relax and calm your nerves, but there are other things you can do too. For example, you might want to try some light yoga or stretching exercises to loosen up your muscles and release tension. Also, you could take a warm bath or shower to soothe your body and mind. Another option is to listen to some calming music or read a book that you enjoy. By taking the time to find what works best for you, you can develop a personalized relaxation routine that you can turn to whenever you need it.

10. Use repetition

Repetition is a powerful tool that can help you drive the point home in your speech. By repeating key points, you can reinforce your message and increase your chances of being remembered. In addition, repetition can help you emphasize important ideas and create a sense of rhythm in your speech. It can also be used to build suspense and create a sense of anticipation in your listeners. With these benefits in mind, it’s clear that repetition is an essential aspect of effective public speaking.

11. Use active verbs

One way to improve the effectiveness of your speech is to use active verbs. Active verbs help to create a more engaging and dynamic presentation, as they convey a sense of action and energy. By using active verbs, you can help to capture your audience’s attention and hold their interest throughout your speech.

In addition to using active verbs, it’s also important to consider the pace and rhythm of your speech. Varying the speed and tone of your delivery can help to keep your audience engaged and prevent them from becoming bored or disinterested.

Another way to enhance the impact of your speech is to use vivid language and descriptive imagery. By painting a vivid picture with your words, you can help to create a more memorable and impactful presentation. For example, instead of simply saying “the sky was blue,” you could describe it as “a brilliant shade of deep blues, like the ocean on a clear summer day.”

By focusing on these key elements of effective speechwriting, you can help to create a more engaging and impactful presentation that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

12. Ask rhetorical questions

Rhetorical questions are a powerful tool that can help make your speech more engaging and interactive. They can be used to stimulate critical thinking, provoke curiosity, and encourage the audience to reflect on the topic at hand. By asking a thought-provoking question, you can capture the audience’s attention and encourage them to think about the subject matter in a new and different way. Furthermore, rhetorical questions can be used to create a sense of anticipation and excitement, as the audience eagerly anticipates the answer to the question you have posed. 

13. Use metaphors and similes

Metaphors and similes are powerful tools that can help individuals better understand complex concepts. They are like a flashlight that illuminates the dark corners of the mind, providing clarity and insight. By comparing two seemingly different things, metaphors and similes can create a bridge between the familiar and the unfamiliar, allowing individuals to grasp difficult ideas with ease. In our fast-paced world, where information overload is a common issue, the use of metaphors and similes can help cut through the noise and deliver a clear message. So, the next time you encounter a challenging concept, remember to use these techniques to shed light on the subject matter.

14. Prepare handouts

When giving a speech, it’s important to remember that your audience needs to be able to follow along with what you’re saying. One way to help them do this is by using handouts. Handouts can be a great way to enhance your presentation because they allow you to provide additional information that may not be covered in your speech. For example, you can use handouts to provide graphs, charts, or other visuals that illustrate your points. Additionally, handouts can be a useful tool for your audience to take notes and refer back to later. By providing handouts, you can ensure that your audience is engaged and able to fully understand the information you’re presenting.

15. Incorporate props

Using props during your speech is a great way to enhance your delivery and keep your audience engaged. By incorporating visual aids such as props, you can help to illustrate your points and add depth to your content. Additionally, props can be used to make abstract concepts more concrete and easier for your audience to understand. For example, if you’re delivering a speech on the importance of recycling, you could bring in a visual prop such as a bin of recyclable materials to help drive home your message. Overall, the use of props can help take your speech to the next level while making it more memorable and impactful for your audience.

16. Practice in front of a mirror

Another useful tip for improving your presentation skills is to practice in front of a mirror. Not only can this help you perfect your body language and delivery, but it can also give you a better sense of how you come across to others. Additionally, practicing in front of a mirror can help you identify any nervous habits or tics that you may have, allowing you to work on eliminating them before your actual presentation. Overall, incorporating mirror practice into your preparation routine can be a simple yet effective way to boost your confidence and improve your presentation skills.

17. Join a public speaking group

Joining a public speaking group is a great way to improve your public speaking skills. Not only will you have the opportunity to practice speaking in front of others, but you’ll also receive valuable feedback that can help you improve. Additionally, by joining a group, you’ll have the chance to meet and network with other like-minded individuals who share a passion for public speaking. This can lead to new opportunities and connections that can benefit you both personally and professionally. Finally, being part of a public speaking group can also provide a sense of community and support, as you work together with others to achieve your goals and improve your skills.

18. Record yourself 

Another way to enhance your public speaking skills is to record yourself. By doing this, you can identify areas where you need to improve and refine your delivery. When you listen to yourself speak, you can pay attention to your pitch, pacing, and tone. You can also identify filler words or phrases, such as “um” or “like,” that you might use unconsciously. Additionally, recording yourself can help you become more comfortable with the sound of your voice. This can be especially helpful if you’re not used to hearing yourself speak for extended periods of time. Overall, recording yourself is a simple yet effective way to become a more confident and polished public speaker.

19. Learn to handle interruptions

One of the most common challenges that speakers face is handling interruptions. These interruptions can come in many different forms, such as unexpected questions, technical difficulties, or distractions in the environment. It’s important to learn how to handle these interruptions gracefully, as they can often derail a speech and throw off the speaker’s focus and confidence.

One key strategy for handling interruptions is to remain calm and composed. It’s natural to feel frustrated or flustered when faced with an interruption, but it’s important to take a deep breath and stay focused. Remember that interruptions are a normal part of public speaking, and they don’t have to ruin your presentation. If you need a moment to collect your thoughts, don’t be afraid to pause and take a few seconds to regroup.

By learning to handle interruptions with grace and composure, you can become a more effective and confident speaker. With practice and preparation, you can manage interruptions and keep your presentation on track, even in challenging situations.

20. End on a strong note

When giving a speech, it’s important to not only focus on what you say during the body of your presentation, but also on the way in which you conclude. A strong presentation should summarize the main points of your speech and leave a lasting impression on your audience. This can be achieved by reiterating your main points in a memorable way, making a call to action, or leaving your audience with a thought-provoking question. By doing so, you’ll ensure that your message resonates with your audience long after your speech has ended.

Another useful technique is to anticipate potential interruptions and plan how to address them in advance. For example, if you’re giving a presentation with a Q&A session at the end, be prepared for questions that might challenge your ideas or require additional information. It can be helpful to practice your responses to common questions ahead of time so that you feel more confident and prepared.

Discover other memorable ways how to end a presentation.

Effective presentation skills are key. While not everyone may be a natural-born speaker, with practice and dedication, anyone can improve their abilities to become a confident and engaging presenter. Whether you’re pitching to investors, delivering a lecture, or presenting in a meeting, being able to effectively present your ideas can greatly impact your success.

Remember, becoming a great presenter is a journey that requires patience, perseverance, and constant improvement. Don’t be afraid to seek feedback from others, practice regularly, and try out new techniques. With time, you’ll become more comfortable and confident in your abilities to deliver engaging and impactful presentations.

In conclusion, improving your presentation skills is a worthwhile investment that can pay dividends in both your personal and professional life. So take the time to hone your abilities, put in the effort, and embrace the opportunities that come your way. With the tips and techniques we’ve provided in this blog post, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a confident presenter.

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11 presentation lessons you can still learn from steve jobs.

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Steve Jobs is still the word’s greatest corporate storyteller. I’ve seen plenty of talented speakers in the past year and I’ve written about many of them in this column but I have yet to find someone as good as Steve Jobs. This is why I have spent so many years reviewing, analyzing and sharing Jobs’ presentation techniques because leaders and entrepreneurs today need to carry on his legacy if we hope to inspire the world with our ideas. His keynote presentations continue to attract thousands of views on YouTube and he has profoundly impacted the way leaders communicate.

Earlier this year a Wall Street Journal article titled Bio As Bible featured managers who are imitating Steve Jobs based on what they’ve learned in Walter Isaacson’s biography and also from one of my books, The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs . While I’m very proud that the WSJ highlighted my content, dressing like Jobs is not going to inspire your audience. However, there are many other presentation techniques that you can and should copy from Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs was an astonishing presenter because he informed, inspired, and entertained. In this article I outline 11 techniques from one presentation, the iPhone launch in 2007 . If your presentation is tomorrow and you only have time to incorporate a few ideas, then spend 7 minutes to watch this video where I highlight just three techniques from the same presentation. If you want the whole enchilada, read on.

Watch on Forbes:

Express your passion. Steve Jobs was passionate about design, he absolutely loved his new product, and he wore his enthusiasm on his black-mock sleeve. “It looks pretty doggone gorgeous,” he said with a big smile after showing the iPhone for the first time. Jobs often used words such as “cool,” “amazing,” or “gorgeous” because he believed it. Your audience is giving you permission to show enthusiasm. If you’re not excited about your idea, nobody else will be.

Create a Twitter-friendly headline. Jobs used a technique I’ve labeled the “Twitter-friendly headline,” a one-sentence summary of a product that perfectly captured the main message he wished to deliver. Shortly after showing the new phone, Jobs proudly proclaimed, “Today Apple is going to reinvent the phone.” The headline, “Apple reinvents the phone” was the only sentence on the slide. He repeated the headline several times during the presentation. A Google search for the phrase turns up about 25,000 links, most of which are directly from articles and blog posts covering the launch presentation.

Stick to the rule of three. Jobs instinctively understood that the number “3” is one of the most powerful numbers in communications. A list of 3 things is more intriguing than 2 and far easier to remember than 22. Jobs divided his iPhone presentation into three sections. He spoke about the iPod functions of the new iPhone, the phone itself, and connecting to the Internet. Jobs even had some fun with three. He stepped on stage and said, “Today we are introducing three revolutionary products. The first, a widescreen iPod with touch controls. The second, is a revolutionary mobile phone. And the third is a breakthrough Internet communications device.” As the audience applauded, Jobs repeated the three ‘products’ several times. Finally he said, “Are you getting it? These are not three separate devices, they are one device and we are calling it iPhone!”

Introduce a villain. All great stories have a hero and a villain. A Steve Jobs presentation was no exception. In 2007, why did the world need another mobile phone, especially from Apple? Jobs set up the narrative by introducing a villain—a problem in need of a solution: “Regular cell phones are not so smart and they are not so easy to use. Smartphones are a little smarter, but are harder to use. They are really complicated…we want to make a leapfrog product, way smarter than any mobile device has ever been and super easy to use. This is what iPhone is.”

Sell the benefit. After expanding on the villain (the problem), Jobs introduced the hero (the benefit). The benefit included the new user multi-touch user interface. According to Jobs, “It works like magic. You don’t need a stylus. It’s far more accurate than any touch display that’s ever been shipped. It ignores unintended touches. It’s super smart. You can do multi-finger gestures on it. And boy have we patented it.”

Build simple, visual slides. The average PowerPoint slide has forty words. In the first three minutes of Steve Jobs’ iPhone presentation, he uses a grand total of nineteen words (twenty-one if you include dates). Those words are also distributed across about twelve slides. For more tips on using ‘picture superiority’ in your slide design, please read my earlier article on Jeff Bezos and the end of PowerPoint as we know it.

Tell stories. Before Jobs revealed the new phone, he spent a moment to review the history of Apple, telling a story that built up to the big event. “In 1984, Apple introduced the first Macintosh. It didn’t just change Apple. It changed the whole computer industry. In 2001, we introduced the first iPod. It didn’t just change the way we all listen to music. It changed the entire music industry.” Stories can be brand stories, customer stories, or personal ones. In one very funny moment, Jobs’ clicker failed to advance the slides. After a few seconds of trying to fix it, he paused and told a short story of a how he and Steve Wozniak used to pull pranks on students at Wozniak’s college dorm. Woz had invented a device that jammed TV signals and they used it to tease students when they were watching Star Trek. It brought some levity to the keynote, the problem was fixed, and Jobs effortlessly moved along.

Watch this clip

Prepare and practice excessively. The clicker snafu that I just described teaches another great lesson for all presenters. Jobs casually laughed off the glitch, told a story, and got back to his presentation when his team resolved the issue. He never missed a beat and certainly didn’t get flustered. Jobs was legendary for his preparation. He would rehearse on stage for many hours over many weeks prior to the launch of a major product. He knew every detail of every demo and every font on every slide. As a result the presentation was delivered flawlessly. People often tell me, “I’m not as smooth as Jobs was.” Well, neither was he! Hours and hours of practice made Jobs look polished, casual, and effortless.

Avoid reading from notes. The introduction of the iPhone lasted about 80 minutes. Not once did Jobs read from a teleprompter or notecards. He had internalized the content so well that he didn’t need notes. During the demos, however, he did have a very short list of bullet points hidden from the audience’s view. Those bullets served as reminders and they were the only notes he relied upon.

Have fun. When Jobs first told the audience that Apple was going to introduce a mobile phone he said, “Here it is.” Instead of showing the iPhone, the slide displayed a photo of an iPod with an old-fashioned rotary dial on it. The audience got a kick out of it, laughing and clapping. They had been played and Jobs was enjoying their reaction. There were many funny moments, including a crank call. Jobs was demonstrating the maps feature to show how easy it was to find a location and call the number. He found a Starbucks nearby and called it. A woman picked up the phone and said, “Good morning, Starbucks. How can I help you?” Jobs said, “I’d like to order 4,000 lattes to go, please. No, just kidding. Wrong number. Bye bye.” The audience loved it. I’ve never seen Jobs enjoy himself more in a keynote.

Inspire your audience. Jobs liked to end his keynotes with something uplifting and inspiring. At the end of the iPhone presentation he said, “I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I’ve been so excited about today…There’s an old Wayne Gretzky quote that I love. ‘I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.’ We’ve always tried to do that at Apple since the very, very beginning. And we always will.”

Steve Jobs educated, entertained, informed, and inspired his audiences in every presentation. So can you. It takes work, planning, and creativity, but if someone is willing to listen to your ideas it’s worth the effort to make it great.

Read more: Untold Stories About Steve Jobs: Friends And Colleagues Share Their Memories

Carmine Gallo is the communications coach for the world’s most admired brands. He is a popular keynote speaker and author of several books, including the international bestsellers The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs and The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs . His new book, The Apple Experience , is the first book to reveal the secrets behind the stunning success of the Apple Retail Store. Carmine has recently launched an eLearning course titled, The New Rules of Persuasive Presentations . Follow Carmine on Facebook or Twitter .

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How can you make a good presentation even more effective?

This page draws on published advice from expert presenters around the world, which will help to take your presentations from merely ‘good’ to ‘great’.

By bringing together advice from a wide range of people, the aim is to cover a whole range of areas.

Whether you are an experienced presenter, or just starting out, there should be ideas here to help you to improve.

1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience

It’s hard to be relaxed and be yourself when you’re nervous.

But time and again, the great presenters say that the most important thing is to connect with your audience, and the best way to do that is to let your passion for the subject shine through.

Be honest with the audience about what is important to you and why it matters.

Be enthusiastic and honest, and the audience will respond.

2. Focus on your Audience’s Needs

Your presentation needs to be built around what your audience is going to get out of the presentation.

As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can tell them.

While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to remain focused on your audience’s response, and react to that.

You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and respond.

3. Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message

When planning your presentation, you should always keep in mind the question:

What is the key message (or three key points) for my audience to take away?

You should be able to communicate that key message very briefly.

Some experts recommend a 30-second ‘elevator summary’, others that you can write it on the back of a business card, or say it in no more than 15 words.

Whichever rule you choose, the important thing is to keep your core message focused and brief.

And if what you are planning to say doesn’t contribute to that core message, don’t say it.

4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience

This sounds very easy, but a surprisingly large number of presenters fail to do it.

If you smile and make eye contact, you are building rapport , which helps the audience to connect with you and your subject. It also helps you to feel less nervous, because you are talking to individuals, not to a great mass of unknown people.

To help you with this, make sure that you don’t turn down all the lights so that only the slide screen is visible. Your audience needs to see you as well as your slides.

5. Start Strongly

The beginning of your presentation is crucial. You need to grab your audience’s attention and hold it.

They will give you a few minutes’ grace in which to entertain them, before they start to switch off if you’re dull. So don’t waste that on explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.

Try a story (see tip 7 below), or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide.

6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

This is a tip from Guy Kawasaki of Apple. He suggests that slideshows should:

• Contain no more than 10 slides;
• Last no more than 20 minutes; and
• Use a font size of no less than 30 point.

This last is particularly important as it stops you trying to put too much information on any one slide. This whole approach avoids the dreaded ‘Death by PowerPoint’.

As a general rule, slides should be the sideshow to you, the presenter. A good set of slides should be no use without the presenter, and they should definitely contain less, rather than more, information, expressed simply.

If you need to provide more information, create a bespoke handout and give it out after your presentation.

7. Tell Stories

Human beings are programmed to respond to stories.

Stories help us to pay attention, and also to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. It is a good idea to start with a story, but there is a wider point too: you need your presentation to act like a story.

Think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation to tell it.

Finding The Story Behind Your Presentation

To effectively tell a story, focus on using at least one of the two most basic storytelling mechanics in your presentation:

Focusing On Characters – People have stories; things, data, and objects do not. So ask yourself “who” is directly involved in your topic that you can use as the focal point of your story.

For example, instead of talking about cars (your company’s products), you could focus on specific characters like:

• The drivers the car is intended for – people looking for speed and adventure
• The engineers who went out of their way to design the most cost-effective car imaginable

A Changing Dynamic – A story needs something to change along the way. So ask yourself “What is not as it should be?” and answer with what you are going to do about it (or what you did about it).

For example…

• Did hazardous road conditions inspire you to build a rugged, all-terrain jeep that any family could afford?
• Did a complicated and confusing food labelling system lead you to establish a colour-coded nutritional index so that anybody could easily understand it?

To see 15 more actionable storytelling tips, see Nuts & Bolts Speed Training’s post on Storytelling Tips .

8. Use your Voice Effectively

The spoken word is actually a pretty inefficient means of communication, because it uses only one of your audience’s five senses. That’s why presenters tend to use visual aids, too. But you can help to make the spoken word better by using your voice effectively.

Varying the speed at which you talk, and emphasising changes in pitch and tone all help to make your voice more interesting and hold your audience’s attention.

For more about this, see our page on Effective Speaking .

9. Use your Body Too

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of communication is non-verbal.

That means that as well as your tone of voice, your body language is crucial to getting your message across. Make sure that you are giving the right messages: body language to avoid includes crossed arms, hands held behind your back or in your pockets, and pacing the stage.

Make your gestures open and confident, and move naturally around the stage, and among the audience too, if possible.

10. Relax, Breathe and Enjoy

If you find presenting difficult, it can be hard to be calm and relaxed about doing it.

One option is to start by concentrating on your breathing. Slow it down, and make sure that you’re breathing fully. Make sure that you continue to pause for breath occasionally during your presentation too.

For more ideas, see our page on Coping with Presentation Nerves .

If you can bring yourself to relax, you will almost certainly present better. If you can actually start to enjoy yourself, your audience will respond to that, and engage better. Your presentations will improve exponentially, and so will your confidence. It’s well worth a try.

Improve your Presentation Skills

Follow our guide to boost your presentation skills learning about preparation, delivery, questions and all other aspects of giving effective presentations.

Start with: What is a Presentation?

Continue to: How to Give a Speech Self Presentation

See also: Five Ways You Can Do Visual Marketing on a Budget Can Presentation Science Improve Your Presentation? Typography – It’s All About the Message in Your Slides

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By: John Mancini on March 29th, 2011

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8 Things I Have Learned about Effective Presentations

AIIM Community

Now I don't want the title of this post to come across as haughty. I give a lot of presentations, but I would be the first to admit that I have a lot to learn. But I do try to constantly improve with each one, and so at least I have a pretty good idea of what SHOULD be done. And coming on the heels of listening to a fair number of presentations at the info360 event, let's just say I got a pretty good idea last week of the converse as well.

How to Make an Effective Presentation

1. There is no need for a keynote to be more than 20 minutes.

I wish I could convince more event organizers of this. Almost every organizer of every keynote to which I am invited suggests 40-45 minutes. I am convinced 100% that anything that can be said in 40 minutes can be said better in half the time. I think back to a quote by Mark Twain (at least that's how I remember it - if it isn't Mark Twain, it SHOULD be) that goes something like, "I would have sent you a shorter letter, but I didn't have the time." Your job is not to hook up the firehose and tell everyone everything you know about a subject.

2. Tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them.

This was advice that my 8th grade English teacher Miss Porro (who later reportedly quit teaching in order to be part of the Hair Bear Bunch at DisneyWorld), gave us relative to writing. It holds up in the world of presentations, as well. First, set the stage, and if possible, set up a conflict or issue that the audience cares about. Then discuss the implications of this conflict. Then help the audience think about how to resolve it.

3. Get out from behind the podium.

This carries with it the obligation on the part of the organizer to put a display in front of the stage or at least position your laptop so you can see your slides without turning your back to the audience to look at the screen. I wish this was easier, but most event organizers still insist on tethering you to the podium.

4. Try to deliver your content as if it is a performance. It is.

That means it has a beginning, a middle and an end. That means it has pacing. That means you convey the structure of the presentation without one of those horrendous 12 point text-based bullet agenda slides. Give the audience a sense of what is coming. However, the goal of the "agenda slide" should be to build anticipation rather than generate uncertainty among the audience as to whether they will actually survive your presentation. It reminds me of the old church joke...

"Mom, what are those monuments around the sides of the church?"

"Those are to remember those who died in the service."

"Did they die during the 9:00 or the 11:00 service?"

5. Can the commercials.

No more than 2 slides about who you are and what your organization or company does and all the great things you can sell the audience. The audience didn't come for that. They came to be educated, not sold to. Do a good job on the content, and your domain expertise will sell your wares for you.

This one is hard for me, given that as a non-profit, we don't have that many opportunities to stand up and sell our wares. But people don't care about what I have to sell when they are listening to a keynote. If they have come to be educated, they don't want to hear about either an association or the fabulous features and functionality of a scanner.

6. No font smaller than 24 pt.

Ever. On anything . Even charts. Ever.

Don't ever again say the words, "I know you can't read this..." because the follow-on unspoken implication to the audience is "...because I don't give a damn about you anyway."

7. No clip art and minimal canned templates.

Get rid of those goofy built-in PowerPoint clip art images, and the templates that EVERYONE knows are right out of the box from PowerPoint. Especially the ones that move. You look like a chump, and they seem like they are straight out of SpongeBob Squarepants. If you use images for illustration, use photos. Nice ones.

8. Less is better than more.

Start with just a written document, almost a short essay outlining the story you want to tell, following Miss Porro's advice. After you have the rough draft, cut it by 30%. Then think about slides that illustrate the points in your mini-essay.

The night before your presentation, give it aloud, talking with no notes other than the minimal text that is on the slides. Force yourself to say the words aloud and see how they sound. Time it and make sure you are on target. Do it again if you are not yet comfortable, trimming anything extraneous along the way. You will feel like an idiot talking to yourself in a hotel room, but I am convinced that saying the words aloud helps map them better into your brain in some weird way. Plus, it is a better use of your time than, say, watching those hotel channels that you shouldn't be watching anyway. The next morning, do it again, so it is fresh in your mind.

And then wing it on stage. No notes. No detailed 12 point bullet slides that you read.

About John Mancini

John Mancini is the President of Content Results, LLC and the Past President of AIIM. He is a well-known author, speaker, and advisor on information management, digital transformation and intelligent automation. John is a frequent keynote speaker and author of more than 30 eBooks on a variety of topics. He can be found on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook as jmancini77. Recent keynote topics include: The Stairway to Digital Transformation Navigating Disruptive Waters — 4 Things You Need to Know to Build Your Digital Transformation Strategy Getting Ahead of the Digital Transformation Curve Viewing Information Management Through a New Lens Digital Disruption: 6 Strategies to Avoid Being “Blockbustered” Specialties: Keynote speaker and writer on AI, RPA, intelligent Information Management, Intelligent Automation and Digital Transformation. Consensus-building with Boards to create strategic focus, action, and accountability. Extensive public speaking and public relations work Conversant and experienced in major technology issues and trends. Expert on inbound and content marketing, particularly in an association environment and on the Hubspot platform. John is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the College of William and Mary, and holds an M.A. in Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.

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Presentation Tips: Lessons Learned from Giving 100+ Talks and Webinars

• Tips & Resources

At Litmus, we pride ourselves on having lots of first-time speakers at our Litmus Live conferences in Boston, San Francisco, and London . To help put these very talented—but often very nervous—email marketing experts at ease, we do everything we can to provide them with the information and presentation tips they need to make their sessions successful. Along the way, we introduce speakers to each other, give them plenty of opportunities to get feedback from Litmus staff, and even run one-on-one calls where speakers can pick our brains, throw around ideas, and even present a complete dry run of their talk.

The advice we offer our Litmus Live speakers is based on producing more than a dozen Litmus Live conferences, as well as our personal experiences. Between Justine Jordan, Jason Rodriguez, and me, we’ve given well over a hundred presentations and webinars. Along the way, there have been high points and there have been low points.

A recent personal low point reminded me that I still have improvements to make, and spurred me to reach out to Justine and Jason so the three of us could share some presentation tips based on those lessons learned.

Presentation Content

Justine Jordan: All presentations start with an idea, with a topic. Make sure your topic is a good fit for the intended audience. Event organizers can help with this. For example, while we were accepting speaker submissions for Litmus Live this year, we published a blog post about the topics we’d love to see at Litmus Live 2018. Here are some other things to consider:

Know your topic well.

Jason Rodriguez: People want to hear from the experts, so make sure you know your topic inside-and-out when giving a talk. The better you know your topic, the more comfortable you’ll be. Plus, if things do go wrong—like you lose your notes or your slides stop working, etc.—then you can still speak confidently about your topic.

That being said, don’t be afraid to show some vulnerability or present on newer topics. Even the experts are always learning, so it’s OK if you don’t know everything. And sometimes, the best way to learn deeply is to teach, so don’t hesitate to give a talk on something you’re just starting to dig into.

Be passionate about your topic.

Justine: You shouldn’t just know your topic, you should have a passion for it. We’ve all seen presentations where the speaker just didn’t seem to care that much about what they were talking about, even though they seemed really knowledgeable. They were just going through the motions.

If you want the energy and attention of your audience, you have to give it to them first. That’s nearly impossible to do if you’re just not into your topic.

Stay true to yourself.

Justine: Don’t force humor if you’re not comfortable with it. Humor is just one way to connect with an audience and be memorable. Being insightful, helpful, relatable, emotional—those are just a few other ways to make an impact on your audience.

Presentation Design

Jason: When it comes to slide design, I wrote up some of my most valuable presentation tips over on my personal blog . However, that only covers a small amount of what goes into creating a successful presentation. Here are some more presentation tips:

Keep things simple.

Jason: Put the focus on your content and what you’re saying, not on the slide designs themselves. The simpler your slides, the more easily understandable they are. Bonus points: minimal slide design doesn’t date as rapidly as over-designed slides, making your presentation that much more evergreen.

Chad S. White: I also recommend avoiding audio, video, and demos—anything where you have to link out to the internet or anything that invites A/V problems. About half of the presentations I’ve ever seen that included those elements had a problem during the live presentation.

Lead with content, not your bio.

Chad: Traditionally, presentations begin with a title slide and then a bio slide. One of the great presentation tips that I got from reading As We Speak by Peter Meyers and Shann Nix is to lead off your presentation by jumping right into your topic. Make your central argument. Set the scene. Make a connection with your audience and start delivering some value—and then talk about who you are and why people should care.

I’ve been doing this in my presentations for a few years now and really like it. It feels very natural now. You can see this approach in our Email Workflows that Work (bio on slide 7), Email Tactics Customers Hate (bio on slide 14), and The Root Cause of Poor Email Deliverability (bio on slide 12).

Don’t date yourself or your content.

Jason: It can be tempting throw the hottest memes and GIFs in your slides, or make a funny topical joke. But if you expect to give your presentation again in the future—or if you post your slides online—then topical content can quickly date your talk and slides. Avoid quick, easy wins with topical content and focus on your message instead. It’s hard (I’ve used many an animated GIF) but usually worth it.

Keep things readable.

Jason: Keep your slide text big and high-contrast. Screen projector quality varies wildly, so the bigger the text, the better. Bigger, bolder text will also help keep your slides succinct. Too much copy forces the audience to read your slides instead of listening to you. Big text helps keep copy short and puts the focus back where it belongs: the speaker.

Have a post-presentation strategy for sharing slides.

Chad: Most presentations end up shared afterward—either directly with attendees or via SlideShare, or both—so you need a strategy for this. Some people create a live presentation deck and then a separate, expanded one that’s optimized for online sharing. Some people make copious use of slide notes. The event organizer may have some preferences here.

I personally like creating a single slidedeck, with nothing hidden in the notes. What you see is what you get later. That means there’s some extra narrative text along the way, but it allows me to focus on a single deck and provides me with stronger guide rails so I’m less likely to forget something important. Those are both important considerations for me because I do a fair number of presentations—five during the first six months of 2018—and it’s rare for me to give a presentation more than once. Your considerations may be different, but that’s my calculus.

Presentation Prep

Chad: You’re not done once you’ve created your slides. Now you need to give the presentation. That involves practice.

Ask organizers EVERYTHING.

Jason: When preparing for your talk, don’t be afraid to ask organizers any question that comes to mind. In particular, be sure to ask about the technical details for your talk or webinar. Things like:

• What aspect ratio should slides be in? (standard vs. wide)
• What software can I use to present? (Keynote, PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc.)
• Is audio supported? How about video or slide animations?
• Will I be using your machine or my own?
• What kind of microphone will I be using?
• Will I have control over slide progression? (keyboard control or a clicker)
• What fonts can I use?
• What webinar software will we be using?

Having these details spelled out up front will prevent a lot of problems that novice speakers typically run into.

Don’t stop at technical details, either. Event organizers are (or should be) there to help make your talk a success. Feel free to ask them about attire, audience demographics, what kind of snacks are available, or damned near anything else. Organizers are a resource not only for attendees, but speakers, too.

Make sure that your timing is good.

Chad: Practice your session with a timer running to ensure that you’re filling your time slot, as well as not blowing past your allotted time. Ending your presentation 20 minutes early doesn’t make a great impression. And don’t expect to fill big shortfall with Q&A, as sometimes there are no questions. Because it’s such a wildcard, I wouldn’t recommend leaving more than 10 minutes for Q&A, if the event organizers even allow it.

We’ve done away with Q&A at Litmus Live, in part because being put on the spot on stage with a question you can’t or don’t want to answer is a huge turnoff, particularly for novice speakers. Instead, we have an Ask an Expert time slot where all the speakers and some invited experts have two-person tables where they can meet with attendees one-on-one and address any questions they might have.

I personally love our approach because then sessions end on strong notes, rather than the unpredictability of questions. Plus, people can ask much more pointed, nuanced questions in a one-on-one setting, so it’s more beneficial to attendees.

Review your past presentations.

Justine: Want to get better? Watch videos of your past talks to improve. Pay attention to:

• Body language, particularly how you use your hands
• Eye contact with the audience
• Use of the stage and the lectern, if there is one
• Verbal tics, like saying, “Umm”

I rewatched a presentation I gave at WistiaFest and realized that I had a verbal tic. I kept saying, “Right?!” throughout my presentation. Once I was aware I was doing that, it allowed me to fixed it. It was painful to watch, but my presentation style has improved dramatically from (let’s face it) forcing myself to watch each presentation video.

Get some rest.

Jason: Finally, don’t underestimate how draining giving a presentation can be. Get plenty of rest the night before your talk, eat a little bit of food a while before you go on stage, and stay hydrated. A lot of conferences have parties and open bars. It can be tempting to eat, drink, or stay out too late, but be conscious of what you’re body is telling you before you give your talk. Feel free to attend the parties, just know your limits and don’t go overboard. The last thing you want is to be tired, hungover, thirsty, and sluggish on stage. That’s the last thing attendees want, too.

Presentation Contingency Planning

Justine: Be prepared for anything to happen, and have a mental plan for how to handle it. What have I had go wrong? Well, I’ve had…

• The clicker not work (which was captured on video for future generations to enjoy… ehhhhhh)
• My slides blink endlessly because of a faulty projector
• My slides not display my graphics
• Laryngitis so that my voice sounded like Kermit the Frog
• My time slot expanded and shrunk
• My audio or video not work

If it can go wrong, eventually it will go wrong. Here are some presentation tips to protect yourself:

Have multiple copies of your presentation handy.

Chad: Have your presentation on a USB drive, and send in your presentation ahead of time so they can load it onto a conference computer, if one is being used. It doesn’t hurt to have your presentation saved to Dropbox or OneDrive. If you used Google Slides, export your presentation to PPT and save it to all those places, too.

Know how to lengthen—or shorten—your talk on the fly.

Justine: In the event that your time slot expands (hey, it happens!) or shrinks (due to another speaker going over, technical issues, or something else), have a plan for how to adjust your talk accordingly. You’ll be the event organizer’s hero if you can get their schedule back on track. Know where you can add (or subtract) details from a story, cut an example, or dive deeper into a topic.

Bring extra adapters, clickers, etc.

Chad: Don’t rely on the event organizer or the venue to have all the equipment you might need. For instance, before a recent conference that I was speaking at, I put in an A/V request indicating that I wanted to run my presentation off my own computer, and specified that it was a MacBook Pro—one of the new fancy ones that only has USB-C ports [cue ominous music]. However, when I got to the room, they didn’t have the right adapter. It didn’t help that the previous speaker had gone five minutes over, giving me just 5 minutes to set up. It then took at least 5 minutes to find an A/V person from the hotel, so by the time I got help, I was into my presentation time.

I’d brought an USB-C networking adapter with me with a HDMI port, but they didn’t have a HDMI connection for the projector. I tried running the presentation via Google Slides, but it wasn’t displaying correctly in the organizer’s computer’s apparently outdated browser, so we next turned to the PPT version of my presentation that I’d saved to Dropbox. Eventually, we got that to work…but it made me 10 minutes late in starting, which caused me to rush to make up time.

Test your presentation at the event before your session time.

Chad: Some conference organizers insist on this. If they don’t, you should insist. If I’d done that at the event I just mentioned, it would have alerted me to the adapter issues. It would have also alerted me to the fact that the projector was washing out my slides, making some of my charts next to impossible to read—a problem that went unfixed because of how late it was already running.

That presentation was frustrating for both me and the audience, as the attendee feedback made clear. Some saw that I was trying to make the best of a bad situation. Others felt more or less like the person who said, “Presentation was not QC’d and much of it wasn’t visible to audience. Speaker was defensive and rejected responsibility, which was off-putting.” Ouch! And it was all the more painful because it was true. I didn’t take enough responsibility for the situation I was in and I regret that. I’ll certainly be better prepared next time.

Don’t apologize.

Justine: When things go wrong or you feel like you’ve made a mistake, it’s tempting to apologize or make excuses. Don’t apologize for being nervous, for technical issues, or for that faulty clicker. Remember that “the show must go on” and you are the star—so make the most of the situation.

In nearly all cases, you are much more aware of the issue than the audience is, and apologizing will only serve to draw their attention away from your content and toward whatever you are apologizing for. Keep the audience focused on your content.

When my slides flashed constantly throughout my 45-minute talk, I made a silly joke about render testing for slides (a nod to my topic, email rendering) and moved on, ignoring the blinking. When my graphics completely disappeared I painted a verbal picture, saying, “Imagine this is a photo of your email on an iPhone…” When the audio or video doesn’t work, explain what should be playing, or skip it altogether. Take a deep breath and keep moving—it will be over soon!

Chad: Whew. That was cathartic. We hope our hard learned lessons help you to have more successful presentations, whether you’re presenting at Litmus Live or another event.

Chad S. White

Chad S. White was the Research Director at Litmus

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Present: Sharing What You’ve Learned

Norm Allknow from the Identify chapter has done a lot of work since the last time we saw him. His research supports his thesis statement and he’s got something to say. Now he needs to figure out how to say it.

He writes a 10-page paper starting with his thesis statement, followed by some facts from his research, and then briefly concludes that he has proved his point. He hands it in to his teacher and he’s finished. Except that he starts to feel like he just did an awful lot of work for an audience of one person. Who else might be interested and how might he reach them? How can he communicate his message in ways other than a straightforward paper? How can he get the most out of his effort?

Presenting the Results of Your Research

In earlier chapters we discussed how to identify a research topic and how to focus in on specific questions that we hoped to answer. Then we discussed ways to search for, organize, and evaluate information that would help to answer those questions. Now it’s time to think about the best way (or ways) to present the information.

Individuals adept at the Present pillar can apply the knowledge they have gained. They can present the results of their research, synthesize new and old information and data to create new knowledge, and disseminate their work in a variety of ways.

They understand

• The difference between summarizing and synthesizing
• That different forms of writing/presentation style can be used to present information to different communities
• That data can be presented in different ways
• Their personal responsibility to store and share information and data
• Their personal responsibility to disseminate information & knowledge
• How their work will be evaluated
• The processes of publication
• The concept of attribution
• That individuals can take an active part in the creation of information through traditional publishing and digital technologies (e.g. blogs, wikis)

They are able to

• Use the information and data found to address the original question
• Summarize documents and reports verbally and in writing
• Incorporate new information into the context of existing knowledge
• Analyze and present data appropriately
• Synthesize and appraise new and complex information from different sources
• Communicate effectively using appropriate writing styles in a variety of formats
• Communicate effectively verbally
• Select appropriate publications and dissemination outlets in which to publish if appropriate
• Develop a personal profile in the community using appropriate personal networks and digital technologies (e.g. discussion lists, social networking sites, blogs, etc.)

Proficiencies in the Present pillar

Processing What You Find

In many or even most cases, during the process of finding a variety of information sources, you will begin to develop an answer to your research question. Even if you feel that you’ve already found the proof you need to support your thesis, it is still important to review the information and data you have to be sure you’re clear about what it is (and isn’t) telling you. Be careful not to let your own opinion lead you into a misinterpretation of your sources.

One useful way to consolidate the information you’ve found is to summarize what you think it says, and then find a definite source for each specific item in your summary. You can start by filling in the final box in the chart below, from the Identify chapter.

However, an expanded version of this same box can tell you a lot more about where the information is from, and will also prove useful when you need to cite a specific bit of information in your bibliography. In the left column of the following box, list what you have learned, bit by bit. In the right column, list where you found it. If it was found in more than one source, list them all and think about which one you find to be the most reliable or useful. Depending on where and how you present your findings, you may be called upon to defend your sources, so it pays to be prepared for this.

This exercise is just one way to process your information and may not be the best way for everyone. Summarizing in paragraph form is another way to accomplish the same task, with the added benefit that what you write in the summary can often become part of your final product. Just be careful that you aren’t using paraphrased material without properly citing the source it came from. Verbally summarizing your findings, and especially your arguments in favor of your conclusions, to a friend, classmate, or teacher is an excellent way to confirm your mastery of the topic. While the means of summarizing can vary, the key at this point is to make sure you understand what you’ve found and how it relates to your topic and research question.

Now that you’re confident in your knowledge of your topic, you can formally answer your original research question when you present what you’ve found. Did your original thesis/hypothesis turn out to be true? If so, say so! If not, why not? Be sure you’re able to state specifics that prove or disprove your projections. Was anything a surprise? Do any of your findings suggest future research possibilities?

One of the most satisfying parts of doing research is having something to add to a topic’s base of knowledge. Think about what you found in relation to your original research question and compare it to all of the sources you examined on your topic. Did you discover something new? If your research involved experiments, you may have new results or data sets that others can use. Even if you didn’t generate new data, maybe you saw new connections between existing sources that no one has written about before. Think about this as you begin to put together the presentation of your findings, you may have something to share!

Choosing How to Present

The way you finally present your research findings is largely dependent on your original goals. If you were researching for a class project, it’s likely that the teacher provided you with fairly specific requirements and it would obviously be a good idea to stick to them.

Even if you did initially do the research for a class project though, you may find yourself in a situation similar to Norm at the beginning of the chapter, wanting to share your work more widely. You’ve already done the work, so why not get all the benefit you can?

Some of the more common ways of presenting information are discussed below, but the descriptions of them are not exhaustive and remember that these are not nearly all of the options. In addition, you can often combine more than one method of presentation to highlight different elements of your findings or to reach multiple audiences.

Writing is the most established way to share your research findings. Benefits of writing include the ability to proofread, edit, and rewrite to get your presentation exactly right. Done skillfully, writing can hold your audience’s attention and effectively deliver information. Done poorly, it can confuse or bore your audience to the point that they stop reading. To avoid this second possibility, if at all possible, have someone read your writing before you give it to the final audience. Take constructive criticism to heart, so that your voice is clearly heard.

• Traditional Paper.  One of the most common ways to present research findings, especially for students, is in a short paper written as a class assignment. The way this type of paper is formatted is determined by the teacher, and is fairly straightforward. The goal is usually to demonstrate to the teacher that you have understood the topic and can draw some conclusions from what you’ve learned.
• Thesis/Dissertation.  At higher levels of education, you may be called upon to write a thesis paper or even a dissertation. At this point, you are entering the realm of high level professional or scholarly expertise, and will be expected to produce original ideas and the necessary supporting research to contribute to your field. The type of writing in theses and dissertations varies depending on the subject area, but generally these manuscripts are longer and more detailed than a traditional class paper. They also use more discipline-specific language, and can take several years to complete.
• Scholarly Journal Article.  Articles published in scholarly journals undergo a peer-review process (see the Evaluate chapter) to ensure that they are reliable and significant additions to the literature on a topic. If you get to a point in your research where you feel you have a contribution that others could use, investigate the possibility of submitting an article for publication, especially if your research is relevant to your intended career. It can be difficult to determine which journal to submit your article to, so don’t hesitate to ask teachers, colleagues, or even the editor of the journal if your article’s content is appropriate.
• Blog/Tweet/Other Social Media.  A relatively new option for getting your information out to a wide audience is to use social media tools. If you have your own blog or website you can easily publish your findings for the entire world to see (getting people to actually look at it is another issue, with many possible solutions). You can also use Facebook, Twitter or other tools to let people know what you’re working on and to direct them to more detailed information that you’ve posted elsewhere online. While this may seem unusual, it is becoming more and more popular for researchers to share work online as it progresses, so that other interested parties can contribute and ask questions, making the final product more robust, whatever form it ends up taking.

Presenting information verbally might seem easier than writing or terrifying, depending on your experience and personality. Ideally you will be thoroughly prepared and able to clearly explain your findings, while also being able to respond effectively to unanticipated questions. It takes practice and a deep knowledge of your topic to do this—even the best speakers get flustered once in a while. Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know the answer and always offer to follow up on a question.

• Class Presentation/Speech.  As with the class paper, a class presentation is one of the first experiences most students will have with verbally presenting their research. One great benefit of this type of presentation is that you will most likely receive detailed feedback on how well it was received and perhaps even get some suggestions on how to improve your delivery. Your fellow students will also be faced with the same task and can even provide this type of feedback before the actual presentation takes place.
• Conference Presentation or Poster Session.  As your expertise on a topic grows, you may want to reach a wider audience. You will also want to reach an audience that is interested in your topic. An excellent place to find this audience is at a professional conference in your field. Aside from the many other benefits of attending professional conferences, presenting at a conference will help you begin to make yourself known to other researchers in similar subject areas. Responding to audience questions will give you the chance to prove that you really know your material or, alternately, can point out gaps in your knowledge that may lead to new research opportunities. Poster sessions are a great way to get your feet wet, as your poster will be available for you to refer to and the atmosphere is not quite as overwhelming as standing in front of a full audience for a presentation.

Audiovisual

Visual images can have an immediate impact on how your audience reacts to and understands your presentation. Choose them wisely and use them at appropriate times! You can read more about how different visualizations of information affect the way that information is received in the Visual Literacy chapter. Below are just a few brief thoughts about how you might use visuals in your presentations.

• Powerpoint/Prezi/Other Presentation Software.  Powerpoint has been around long enough that most everyone knows it. For many purposes a slideshow that you speak over, or even a slideshow that is posted online for individual viewing, can succinctly get your point across. Newer presentation tools such as Prezi  use a similar underlying idea but enable you to create more dynamic presentations directly online. Keep in mind that in most cases, tools such as these are meant to accompany a speaker and to use them effectively takes forethought and practice.
• Images.  Images can be powerful tools to grab attention, condense information, and tell your story. Different types of images can be useful in different contexts. In an art class you may use reproductions of famous paintings or drawings, or images you’ve created on your own. In a business class, graphs and charts may be more appropriate. Just make sure the images you choose actually make your presentation more effective rather than distracting attention from your main point.
• Song.  Keeping your audience in mind, don’t be afraid to present your material in an unusual manner. If you can create a song (as one example), you may make your audience curious enough to stay around for more detailed information later!
• Video.  With the tools available now, it is possible to create a quality video product to present your information without extensive training or a lot of money. New online tools are constantly being introduced (and retired, unfortunately) which enable you to enter your content (words, images, video, etc.) and have it processed into a completed video in a short amount of time. Your library is also likely to have tools available for you to use to create video and audio projects, including not only the editing software, but often the video cameras, microphones, and hard drives you’ll need to create original content. Don’t hesitate to ask a librarian for both access and help using these resources. Many libraries also offer introductory courses on the software they provide to get you off to a running start.

Choosing a Presentation Format

The examples above give you an idea of the variety of presentation venues available, but its up to you to decide which is most appropriate at a given time. If you’re unsure, experiment.

Exercise: Present Your Information in Different Formats

Take what you’ve learned about your topic and express it as a written paragraph, a 140 character tweet, and a Prezi. Try to draw a picture that clearly explains your findings. Which of these seems most complete? Which seems most effective? Which seems most attention grabbing? Which was the hardest to do? Attempting this exercise might help you to make your decision about which format to use, although there are other things to consider first, particularly your intended audience.

Who you plan to present to affects how, when, and what you will present. If you’re presenting your findings in a paper that only your teacher will ever see, you will focus exclusively on what that teacher has asked for. When you’re presenting for a less well-defined audience however, you must imagine what they may already know (or not) about your topic, as well as what might interest them and what forms of presentation might be most appealing to them.

Exercise: Plan for Your Audience

How do the different audiences affect what you might or might not include in your presentation about your topic? How do they affect the ways you might choose to present the information?

Many times you will present to an audience composed of various groups or unknown groups (particularly if you’re posting the presentation online). If you’ve considered a number of different audiences and chosen the content and methods most likely to appeal to most of them, your chances of success will be higher than if you only include what is most interesting to you.

Your Role in Creating and Sharing Information

When you finally do publish the results of your research, there are some things to think about in terms of what happens next.

What will you do with the information now that you’re finished with it? If you’ve written a paper for a class there may be only one copy. Do you save it and the associated notes you’ve made in case you need them later or do you throw it away once you get the grade? It can be difficult to project what may be useful in the future.

If you’ve published more widely, there are likely to be more copies, either physical or digital. Who is responsible for maintaining those copies? In a more formal situation such as a scholarly journal, the article will be maintained as part of the archives of that journal. (However, there are some questions about online-only journals. What happens if the journal goes out of business? Some journals have contingency plans for this, but not all.) If you’ve given a speech, do you keep the notes? If you’ve published on a blog, are you archiving the blog, or will it disappear once you stop using it? Even if you decide to save absolutely everything, unless you have a plan for organizing it, you may not be able to find a specific item when you need it.

Another consideration about what happens after your work is shared is what the reaction to it might be. This depends on the audience, but if you’ve created something really interesting or important, you may find that there is follow-up to be done. You might just be responding to comments on a blog posting or you could find yourself presenting your findings at conferences and continuing to develop your research on the topic. There may be negative feedback as well, and this is where thinking ahead about how you can support each of your arguments is important. Online, of course, there may be everything from kudos to spam and you’ll have to decide how seriously to take all of that feedback. As time goes by, you may find that your work is being cited by other researchers, which is a wonderful validation of your efforts.

You are a Creator of Information

During the research process, at times it can feel as if you are just collecting what others have written or said, and that your presentation is just going to repeat what is already known on the topic. While this may be true for introductory-level papers, once you know a little more about your topic, you will be synthesizing what you’ve discovered, and drawing your own conclusions. Once you publish these conclusions you will have created new information.

Before the advent of online tools, publishing your new information was difficult and often expensive. It was hard to reach a large audience because of the physical limitations of producing and distributing paper copies of publications. Now anyone can publish anything and make it available to the entire Internet-connected world in a matter of seconds. This means that you have a great opportunity to share your ideas and to communicate with people around the world who are interested in similar topics. It also means that you have to carefully consider what you publish because anyone, even an unintended audience, can find what you’ve published.

In addition to being able to share information freely, you also have access to tools to create and edit audio and video materials that were prohibitively expensive to create or adapt not too long ago. You can now share more interactive and engaging material with a wider audience than ever before. This is a great opportunity and a great responsibility— use it wisely!

Wider Connections

When you begin to share your own work, you gain insight into the processes of producing and publishing information, which will help you the next time you need to find sources for a research project. Now that you know what it took for you to produce information in a given format, you know what other creators had to do to produce their work. This can help you decide which sources will be most reliable and valuable for your own research.

Presenting your information is usually considered the final step in the research process. You tell the audience what you’ve found out and you go home. However, as we’ve seen, sometimes in the process of presenting or preparing to present, you uncover new questions and need to Identify that new information need. Or you may discover that what you thought was a reliable source was not so reliable and you need to Evaluate a little more. The research process is not linear, but a continuous cycle with various entry and exit points that change depending on your goals, topic, and methods. Ideally, for those who enjoy it, it never ends!

• The Information Literacy User's Guide. Authored by : Bernnard, Bobish, Hecker, Holden, Hosier, Jacobsen, Loney, Bullis. Provided by : SUNY. Located at : http://textbooks.opensuny.org/the-information-literacy-users-guide-an-open-online-textbook/ . Project : Open SUNY Textbooks. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

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Public Speaking and Presenting: What I’ve Learned from Over 20 Years on Stage

Did you know some people fear public speaking more than they fear just about anything else? It’s true. In fact, so many people avoid making presentations, speeches, and giving talks because they are paralyzed by fear. If you are a small business owner, or someone looking to help grow a business of any size, public speaking skills are a necessity.

Many people have tips and tricks that are supposed to work but let’s face it, you can only pretend the audience is in their underwear for so long before that doesn’t help. Rather than try to psych yourself up with silly antics, it’s better to focus on being fully prepared.

Not only does public speaking improve your business skills ; the better you become at speaking in front of people, the better you will become at speaking to people about investing in your business. As someone who has spoken in front of countless audiences on hundreds of topics, I want to share a few of my tried and true tips.

Know Your Audience

Knowing your audience is essential when speaking. Think about it: do you speak to children the same way you speak to your friends? Most likely, you don’t. Your manner of speaking, level of formality and stature may change drastically depending on who your audience is.

If you’re talking to experts of the subject matter or newcomers, you will need to adjust your presentation accordingly. With experts, you can use formal jargon, lingo, and acronyms.  But, be extra careful to cross-check all of your facts. You’ll also need to focus on potential questions you could encounter since the audience is familiar with the information you are presenting.

Using industry jargon, acronyms, and dropping industry insider information will be lost on newbies. You won’t have to go back and re-explain anything if you are clear from the beginning. Brainstorm potential questions that someone new to the subject may have, and practice those answers.

Own the Stage

Don’t hide behind the podium or microphone. Use the stage or area you are given to its full extent. If you walk around the stage or speaking area, you’ll appear more confident and your audience will take note. You will also be able to engage with the audience more, allowing you to become more comfortable while presenting. (Apply this to situations like training your employees – you want the trainer to be engaging and inviting.) Hiding behind the podium or mic will only hinder your ability to present more eloquently and confidently. Keep in mind: moving around means you won’t be able to rely on notes– so, you have to know your stuff.

Keep Your Presentation Interesting

You need to be sure that you’re presenting your information in a way that is clear, easy to view, and concise. Have you ever attended a conference, class, or presentation where the speaker has paragraph after paragraph of text on their slides? Death by Powerpoint is a real concept, and you don’t want to fall victim to overly wordy slides. If you do, your audience will be reading, not listening – or even worse, snoozing in no time.

If you struggle with creating your own presentations, or perhaps you simply hate the tedious work, you should consider using Beautiful.ai , a program that does the heavy lifting for you. Rather than tinker with the design details of a presentation, you can use their smart templates to create your presentation in a snap. This frees up your time to get in additional practice so that you can confidently present your information to the audience.

Keep the Focus on You

Public Speaking is a time when you’re meant to be the center of attention. Sure, you may have a nice and neat set of slides behind you, but those are just supplementary to the knowledge and information you’re there to impart. Even if your slides contain vital charts and graphs, remember that you are the person who crunched the numbers and gathered the insight, so you are the primary source of information for the sake of the presentation.

Your slides won’t answer questions at the end, you will. Yes, everyone is staring at you. But, it’s because they want to hear what you have to say. You have the insight to provide and you are the holder of the key intelligence.  

Get to Know the Crew

Picture this: you are nervous for a presentation, and you take the stage and… boom! No sound. Ouch… You hate to see that. I recommend getting to know the equipment ahead of time and getting familiar with the sound and tech team so you can discuss what you need during your presentation. They are there to help you, so use them as the valuable resource they are!

You’ll be a Presenting Pro in No Time!

One last bit of advice is to practice. Practicing your presentation prepares you for the real deal. Each and every time. It doesn’t matter if you’ve given the presentation ten times over, practice at least once before each actual speaking event to keep yourself fresh and familiar.

Try not to let a technical issue make you fumble during your presentation or speech. Practice in front of a trusted colleague or friend and ask them to introduce distractions. Tiny blips happen to the best of us, and your audience will understand. If something does occur, politely and professionally apologize, attempt to get the issue corrected, and continue about your presentation. If the issue cannot be fixed, go about your presentation to the best of your ability. Rather than think less of your presentation, the audience is more likely to appreciate your professionalism and poise.

Follow all of this tips and you’ll be a presentation professional in no time at all! If you’ve got the speaking part down but want your presentation deck to steal the show, check out Beautiful.ai

Ramon Ray is a small business expert, motivational keynote speaker and founder of SmartHustle.com. He's a global speaker, best-selling author and works with tech brands to help them better reach small business owners. Full bio at http://www.ramonray.com . Twitter , or Facebook .

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Creative Lessons Learned PowerPoint Template

Number of slides: 16

Continuous improvement involves learning from the past. Both good and bad experiences are great opportunities to learn valuable lessons and get you more prepared for similar events in the future. This Creative Lessons Learned PowerPoint Template can be an excellent tool for you to do that. It includes the Lessons Learned Process Slide, Lessons Learned Timeline, and the Project Lessons Learned Slide. They will all help you present the learnings after finishing a project.

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Free Lessons Learned Presentation Template

Lessons learned process slide .

Would you like to know how to present lessons learned in PPT? Check out our lessons learned process slide. You can introduce this slide at the beginning of your presentation for those who haven’t heard about this continuous improvement method. This slide offers a diagram to explain the process in four simple steps: identify, validate, share, and apply.

Lessons Learned Timeline 

Timelines help you organize events chronologically in order to understand the development of a subject or process. The lessons learned timeline is an ideal tool to register key lessons in each project stage. With this information in order, you will be able to see how your team dealt with problems and how they resolved it until the very end.

Project Lessons Learned Slide

Another way to gather lessons learned is with a brainstorming session. Ask your team to share good and bad experiences from the project such as mistakes, problems, successes. Right after, encourage your people to find a lesson they can learn from those situations. Share all these valuable lessons in the project lessons learned slide.

Avoid the same mistakes

The most important thing about lessons learned is for the company or team to apply this gained knowledge in future situations. Only in that way, you can say you’ve learned from past mistakes.

Lessons Learned Presentation

Lessons learned are pieces of information meant to be shared. Use the Lessons Learned Presentation Template to do it and prepare your team to face new challenges.

Talk with your team

You team members know better than anyone the problems and successes experienced during the project. This is the first step of the lessons learned process: identification.

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Title Case Capitalization

APA Style uses two types of capitalization for titles of works (such as paper titles ) and headings within works : title case and sentence case .

In title case, major words are capitalized, and most minor words are lowercase. In sentence case, most major and minor words are lowercase ( proper nouns are an exception in that they are always capitalized).

• major words: Nouns, verbs (including linking verbs), adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and all words of four letters or more are considered major words.
• minor words: Short (i.e., three letters or fewer) conjunctions, short prepositions, and all articles are considered minor words.

Title case capitalization is covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 6.17 and the Concise Guide Section 5.7

How to implement title case

In title case, capitalize the following words in a title or heading:

• the first word of the title or heading, even if it is a minor word such as “The” or “A”
• the first word of a subtitle
• the first word after a colon, em dash, or end punctuation in a heading
• major words, including the second part of hyphenated major words (e.g., “Self-Report,” not “Self-report”)
• words of four letters or more (e.g., “With,” “Between,” “From”)

Lowercase only minor words that are three letters or fewer in a title or heading (except the first word in a title or subtitle or the first word after a colon, em dash, or end punctuation in a heading):

• short conjunctions (e.g., “and,” “as,” “but,” “for,” “if,” “nor,” “or,” “so,” “yet”)
• articles (“a,” “an,” “the”)
• short prepositions (e.g., “as,” “at,” “by,” “for,” “in,” “of,” “off,” “on,” “per,” “to,” “up,” “via”)

When to use title case

Use title case for the following:

• titles of articles, books, reports, and other works appearing in text

In the book Train Your Mind for Peak Performance: A Science-Based Approach for Achieving Your Goals

In the article “Turning Frowns (and Smiles) Upside Down: A Multilevel Examination of Surface Acting Positive and Negative Emotions on Well-Being”

• titles of tests or measures, including subscales

Beck Depression Inventory–II

• all headings within a work (Levels 1–5; these are also bold or bold italic)
• the title of your own paper and of named sections and subsections within it

the Results section

• titles of periodicals (these are also italicized)

Journal of Latinx Psychology

Chicago Tribune

• table titles (these are also italicized)
• figure titles (these are also italicized), axis labels, and legends

Tim Walz's military record: What to know about potential VP's National Guard service

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, choosing a progressive yet plain-spoken VP candidate from America’s heartland to help her win over rural, white voters.

“I’m pleased to share that I’ve made my decision: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will join our campaign as my running mate,” Harris said via text to supporters. “Tim is a battle-tested leader who has an incredible track record of getting things done for Minnesota families. I know that he will bring that same principled leadership to our campaign, and to the office of the vice president.”

We look at Walz, a 60-year-old U.S. Army National Guard veteran, and his military career over the years.

More: Tim Walz is Kamala Harris' VP pick: Minnesota governor named running mate: Live updates

How long was Walz in the military?

Walz served in the military for 24 years, enlisting in the Nebraska National Guard at 17 in 1981 and then transferring to the Minnesota National Guard in 1996. He retired in 2005 to begin his successful run for the U.S. House, representing Minnesota as command sergeant major, among the highest ranks for enlisted soldiers. His battalion went on to deploy to Iraq shortly after Walz's retirement.

Walz specialized in heavy artillery and had proficiency ribbons in sharpshooting and hand grenades.

But during the 21 years that Walz spent working with large artillery pieces, he suffered hearing loss and tinnitus in both ears, Minnesota Public Radio reported. He was allowed to continue his service after undergoing surgery, which partially resolved his hearing loss.

Where did Walz serve, and what did he do in the National Guard?

During his service, Walz responded to natural disasters, including floods and tornadoes in Minnesota and Nebraska, and was deployed overseas for months at a time, according to MPR.

In 2003, he was sent to Italy, where he served with the European Security Force to support the war in Afghanistan. He was also stationed in Norway for joint training with other NATO militaries.

Walz told MPR that he reenlisted in the National Guard after the September 11 attacks but never saw active combat in his years in the military.

Stars and Stripes reported in 2020 that Walz credited his Army experience with helping him steer Minnesota through the COVID-19 pandemic as governor.

As governor of Minnesota, Walz is commander in chief of the 13,000-soldier Minnesota National Guard. “I’m certainly proud of my military service, but it’s one piece of me,” he told Minnesota Public Radio in 2018. “It doesn’t define me.”

Reuters and USA TODAY reporter Tom Vanden Brook contributed to this story.