PRESENTATION SKILLS Rum
PRESENTATION SKILLS Rum
PRESENTATION SKILLS Rum
2. Do Your Homework
Effective preparation requires consideration of the following things:
Ask yourself what the presentation is all about, its title and its goal
Think about who your audience is
Figure out what your main message is
Think about the structure of the presentation: the opening, the main part and the summary
Make it easier for the audience and yourself: use simple language
Prepare yourself for questions. Think about what questions the audience might ask
Usually an orator has a maximum of 15 minutes to present. So, make the presentation
simple, have no more than 20 slides using a font that is legible from a distance
Don’t put large blocks of text in your presentation. No one will be interested in reading it;
people prefer visual material. So think about images, graphs and videos that support your
idea, but don’t overwhelm the audience with too many visual aids
3. Introduce Yourself and Set the Theme
At the beginning of the presentation, it’s important to introduce yourself, giving your full name,
position and company you represent. Some people also include their contact information on the
first slide. That’s in case you want someone from the audience to contact you after your
presentation. After the introduction, don’t forget to state the topic of your presentation.
A Question & Answer period (Q&A) usually takes place at the end of the presentation, so you
have enough time to deliver the main message of your speech without being interrupted by
multiple questions. If you want the audience to ask questions during or after the presentation, say
so.
9. Summarize
At the end of the presentation, briefly summarize the main points and ideas. Provide the audience
with your opinion and give them a call to action, let them know what you want them to do with
the information you’ve shared. End of the presentation by thanking all the listeners and inviting
them to the Q&A.
10. Practice
Try rehearsing your presentation using the above tips. Practice in front of a mirror or with your
friends, parents or spouse. The more you practice, the better. While practicing, try not to use
crutch words (examples: uhhhhh, ahhhh, so on, you know, like etc.)