Advanced presentation skills training - By: Jessica Pryce-Jones

1. Think about your structure: remember to tell us, tell us and tell us. That means getting your message over 3 times. Once is not enough if it’s important. You’ll receive a circular on average 4 times before you ‘see’ it. In the same way you need to repeat your main message atleast 3 times if you want your audience to ‘hear’ it.
   
   
2. You will need a good opening to grab our attention. Please don’t start with ‘hello my name is…and I’m here to talk to you about…’ This is a thoroughly over-used start.
   
   
3. Say what your purpose of this presentation is and what you want to achieve; it helps you if you use an agenda slide.
   
   
4. Put your main reason (to persuade us) up front followed by your less strong arguments. Please remember there are never 7 good reasons for doing anything. Three is more than enough for the time you have.Avoid the formula, ‘method, result conclusion,’ if possible.
   
   
5. We are less interested in the ‘how,’ than the ‘why’ and the ‘WHAT’. If you are getting into the ‘how’ ask yourself, ‘does my audience really need to know this?’
   
   
6. Think about the words you use to emphasize your message. Your words reveal a lot about you. And we’ll make assumptions and have opinions based on the words you say and how you say them. When it sounds like a shopping list be sure that clapping is zapping.
   
   
7. Think about the pictures you create to support your message.Most of us use visual recall. So think about your slide deck – add pictures where you can. And remember that words create mind pictures too. So ask yourself what you want to leave us with.
   
   
8. The words you use affect the way you deliver them – and the way you are perceived. They also reflect how you think. So get personal –use “you”,
   “we”, “I”. There’s nothing more boring than long sentences with passive verbs. Your audience want to know that you are talking to them. So just do it and they’ll love you for recognising them.
   
   
9. Try to stick to the timing. If you are asked to prepare a 30 minute presentation then prepare 25 minutes only. This allows for questions, mishaps and delays.
   
   
10. Try not to end with, ‘thank you any questions’. Everyone does this; how do you differentiate yourself?
    
    
11. Words are not visuals, and visuals are not cue cards. Try to avoid whole sentences on your visuals otherwise you will be tempted to read them. Please try to use font size 28 to limit the information on your slide.
    
    
12. Try to prepare a maximum of one slide per two minutes. Or if you prefer no slides. Or come with flip chart paper and try that instead.
    

About the Author

Jessica Pryce-Jones is Managing Director of iOpener Ltd: a UK-based management consultancy which focuses on how happiness at work leverages both personal capability and capacity at work. iOpener run long-established Advanced presentation skills training courses on-site for Fortune 500 companies in the UK and across Europe.

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