Presentation Skills

Planning your presentation:

• Think about the purpose of your presentation.
• Identify clear aims and outcomes (What do you want to achieve? What do you want the audience to take away with them?).
• Keep the structure straightforward and logical. The basic structure for a presentation is:
  • Tell them what you are going to tell them
  • Tell them what you need to tell them
  • Tell them what you said
• Keep the content relevant and focused.
• Any visual aids you use should support your presentation - and not take over!
• Allow time for questions and invite questions from your audience.
• Practice! Practice! Practice!

Presenting tips

1. Audience: Always be aware of who you are presenting to (as this will help you determine what approach to take).

2. Timing: Be aware of time limits.

3. Structure: Make sure your presentation has a sensible structure (usually an introduction, main body, conclusion and remember to allow your audience the opportunity to ask questions).

4. Visual aids: Use these to support rather than be the central focus of your presentation.

5. Practice: Practice your presentation out loud and time yourself (some people may wish to record themselves).

Tips on building your confidence:

• Effective planning and plenty of practice will help you to feel confident on the day.
• Remember - everyone feels anxious about speaking in public. The following steps can help:
  • Make sure you are organised and have all your materials ready
  • Focus your energy on your audience
  • Make eye contact and smile - it can help both you and your audience to relax
  • Take deep breaths to help you calm any nerves
  • Don't rush your speech
  • Be yourself!