Presenting

The presenting situation can be nerve-wracking, and the place new, so it's always worth paying attention and reserving time for thorough preparation. An excellent way to gain confidence is to get to know the venue well before the performance! Being familiar with the PowerPoint software you use also gives you confidence about the technicalities throughout the presentation.

Presenting to an audience

One of the essential things in giving a presentation is to be perfectly present in the moment. It's impossible to provide a completely successful presentation if your mind is elsewhere.

When you carefully prepare and plan the presentation and internalize the material, you can focus more relaxedly on the presenting situation itself.

Hot tips

• Don't turn off the lights
• Don't turn your back on the audience
• Turn off the screen saver
• Close e-mail and instant messages
• Darken the presentation if it is not needed
• Remember to breathe smoothly

Starting your presentation

From the very first moment, the listeners evaluate the speaker, their competence, and pleasantness. The first impression affects how the audience reacts to the speaker and what the interaction is like.

The appreciation shown by the speaker towards the listeners focused presence and attentiveness to the audience contribute to creating a positive first impression.

The opening of the presentation should grab the attention. You want to get the eyes and ears of your entire audience. The power of first impressions is great. It is largely based on stereotypical thinking and is difficult to change. The beginning of the presentation should be practiced carefully.

The middle part of your presentation

During the presentation, especially around the middle of it, bringing up the highlights and involving the audience takes on a particular role. Remember that things left unsaid stay in people's minds. If the public has an expectation of something and it is not fulfilled, they will remember it.

Saying is different from internalizing, and a good presentation technique helps people remember at least your core message:

• Leave room for imagination.
• Voice your own opinions.
• Sharing your views strengthens your relationship with the audience and activates them. If you tell your opinion, so wille they.
• Stories and incidents enliven the presentation.
• Quotations, parables, pictorial elements, and music at the right moments also enhance the presentation.

The ending

No matter how much time is allotted for your presentation, never exceed the allotted time. In fact, stop a little before the allotted time runs out. The exact length depends on the situation, but try to use around 90–95% of the time allotted to you.

The show has to end when the mood is at its peak, and the audience wants a little more. Leave your audience satisfied and avoid a situation where they feel less would have been enough.

Give your audience quality - the best you got - but don't give them so much quantity that by the end of the show, they're dazed and bloated.

Hot tips on ending the presentation

• Remember your goal – they'll remember the ending!
• Recap, highlight the main points
• Help the audience to see the entity in the whole
• Don't run through the finish line, but take time for it

A list: What to check at the presenting venue

You should check at least the following things at the presentation venue before starting your show:

• Test the network connection
• Test the basic operations of the video projector and screen sharing
• Test the visibility of colors. This is especially important for charts with multiple images. If necessary, you can change the settings before the show.
• If there is sound in your presentation, test the sound system and make sure that the volume is suitable.
• If you present from a computer other than your own, test that the programs needed for rendering video and sound are working
• Check the version of PowerPoint on the computer and make sure that your file is compatible with it.

Developing presentation style by example

Here's one last tip for developing your presentation style: Consider whether you've seen or heard a performer you found convincing. Write down what made you think so. What would you like to learn from this performer for your own presentation?

Self-confidence

One common concern in performance situations is the technology available. It is worth tackling this problem and familiarizing oneself with PowerPoint's various features that support presenting.

So, that's where we're headed. Shall we continue?