Presentation

10

Simple Strategies to Improve Your

Presentation Skills…Today

By: Chakisse Newton

President, Cardinal Consulting, LLC

Your personal and professional success often depends on your ability to communicate effectively, but preparing and polishing a presentation

can be stressful. Even experienced presenters are sometimes unsure about how to take their presentation skills to the next level. Here are

10 simple strategies you can use to dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes to prepare a new presentation, improve presentations

you’re already giving and keep your audience spellbound.

1. Plan Your Purpose.

4. Put PowerPoint In Its Place.

Before you create a new presentation (or when you review

an existing presentation), ask yourself, “What’s my purpose for

giving this presentation?” Is your goal to persuade, to inspire, to

inform or to entertain? The content, stories and examples you

use will be dramatically different depending on your purpose.

Generally, it’s difficult to have more than one central purpose,

so choose carefully.

Have you ever experienced “death by PowerPoint”? While no

person has actually died from this experience, too much

technology is the death of your message and any chance to

meet your presentation objectives. Ask yourself if you really

need a visual aid. If you do, remember that there are other

options available to you: flip charts, handouts, and overhead

projectors (yes, they still exist) among many others. Whatever

you choose, remember to connect with the audience before

engaging technology, and that PowerPoint and visual aids serve

you and not vice versa.

2. Select Strong Supporting Arguments.

Make sure the body of your speech consists of the strongest

examples and stories that prove your central argument. Also,

make sure that you aren’t taking any leaps of logic as you try

to prove your point. Write down the main ideas of your

presentation and list all the possible examples and stories you...