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Tips for creating and delivering an effective presentation

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Creating an effective presentation

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Tips for creating an effective presentation

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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17 PowerPoint Presentation Tips From Pro Presenters [+ Templates]

Published: April 26, 2024

PowerPoint presentations can be professional, attractive, and really help your audience remember your message.

If you don’t have much experience, that’s okay — I’m going to arm you with PowerPoint design tips from pro presenters, the steps you need to build an engaging deck, and templates to help you nail great slide design.

Download Now

Buckle up for a variety of step-by-step explanations as well as tips and tricks to help you start mastering this program. There are additional resources woven in, and you’ll find expert perspectives from other HubSpotters along the way.

Table of Contents

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

Powerpoint presentation tips.

Microsoft PowerPoint is like a test of basic professional skills, and each PowerPoint is basically a presentation made of multiple slides.

Successful PowerPoints depend on three main factors: your command of PowerPoint's design tools, your attention to presentation processes, and being consistent with your style.

Keep those in mind as we jump into PowerPoint's capabilities.

Getting Started

1. open powerpoint and click ‘new.’.

A page with templates will usually open automatically, but if not, go to the top left pane of your screen and click New . If you’ve already created a presentation, select Open and then double-click the icon to open the existing file.

10 Free PowerPoint Templates

Download ten free PowerPoint templates for a better presentation.

• Creative templates.
• Data-driven templates.
• Professional templates.

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Creating PowerPoint Slides

3. insert a slide..

Insert a new slide by clicking on the Home tab and then the New Slide button. Consider what content you want to put on the slide, including heading, text, and imagery.

• Finally, PowerPoint Live is a new tool that enables you to do more seamless presentations during video calls and may be a better overall match for doing presentations remotely. Check out this video:

11. Try Using GIFs.

12 Free Customizable Resume Templates

Fill out this form to access your free professionally-designed templates, available on:

• Microsoft Word
• Google Docs
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Google Slides

15. Embed multimedia.

PowerPoint allows you to either link to video/audio files externally or to embed the media directly in your presentation. For PCs, two great reasons for embedding are:

• Embedding allows you to play media directly in your presentation. It will look much more professional than switching between windows.
• Embedding also means that the file stays within the PowerPoint presentation, so it should play normally without extra work (except on a Mac).

If you use PowerPoint for Mac it gets a bit complicated, but it can be done:

• Always bring the video and/or audio file with you in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation.
• Only insert video or audio files once the presentation and the containing folder have been saved on a portable drive in their permanent folder.
• If the presentation will be played on a Windows computer, then Mac users need to make sure their multimedia files are in WMV format.
• Consider using the same operating system for designing and presenting, no matter what.

16. Bring your own hardware.

Between operating systems, PowerPoint is still a bit jumpy. Even between differing PPT versions, things can change. The easiest fix? Just bring along your own laptop when you're presenting.

The next easiest fix is to upload your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides as a backup option — just make sure there is a good internet connection and a browser available where you plan to present.

Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation software that will show up the same way on all operating systems.

To import your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides:

• Navigate to slides.google.com . Make sure you’re signed in to a Google account (preferably your own).
• Under Start a new presentation , click the empty box with a plus sign. This will open up a blank presentation.
• Go to File , then Import slides .
• A dialog box will come up. Tap Upload.
• Click Select a file from your device .
• Select your presentation and click Open .
• Select the slides you’d like to import. If you want to import all of them, click All in the upper right-hand corner of the dialog box.
• Click Import slides.

When I tested this out, Google Slides imported everything perfectly, including a shape whose points I had manipulated. This is a good backup option to have if you’ll be presenting across different operating systems.

17. Use Presenter View.

In most presentation situations, there will be both a presenter’s screen and the main projected display for your presentation.

PowerPoint has a great tool called Presenter View, which can be found in the Slide Show tab of PowerPoint. Included in the Presenter View is an area for notes, a timer/clock, and a presentation display.

For many presenters, this tool can help unify their spoken presentation and their visual aid. You never want to make the PowerPoint seem like a stack of notes that you’re reading off of.

Use the Presenter View option to help create a more natural presentation.

Pro Tip: At the start of the presentation, you should also hit CTRL + H to make the cursor disappear. Hitting the “A” key will bring it back if you need it.

Your Next Great PowerPoint Presentation Starts Here

Now that you have these style, design, and presentation tips under your belt, you should feel confident to create your PowerPoint presentation.

But if you can explore other resources to make sure your content hits the mark. After all, you need a strong presentation to land your point and make an impression.

With several templates to choose from — both in PowerPoint and available for free download — you can swiftly be on your way to creating presentations that wow your audiences.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in September 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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How-To Geek

8 tips to make the best powerpoint presentations.

Want to make your PowerPoint presentations really shine? Here's how to impress and engage your audience.

Quick Links

Table of contents, start with a goal, less is more, consider your typeface, make bullet points count, limit the use of transitions, skip text where possible, think in color, take a look from the top down, bonus: start with templates.

Slideshows are an intuitive way to share complex ideas with an audience, although they're dull and frustrating when poorly executed. Here are some tips to make your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations sing while avoiding common pitfalls.

It all starts with identifying what we're trying to achieve with the presentation. Is it informative, a showcase of data in an easy-to-understand medium? Or is it more of a pitch, something meant to persuade and convince an audience and lead them to a particular outcome?

It's here where the majority of these presentations go wrong with the inability to identify the talking points that best support our goal. Always start with a goal in mind: to entertain, to inform, or to share data in a way that's easy to understand. Use facts, figures, and images to support your conclusion while keeping structure in mind (Where are we now and where are we going?).

I've found that it's helpful to start with the ending. Once I know how to end a presentation, I know how best to get to that point. I start by identifying the takeaway---that one nugget that I want to implant before thanking everyone for their time---and I work in reverse to figure out how best to get there.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it's always going to be a good idea to put in the time in the beginning stages so that you aren't reworking large portions of the presentation later. And that starts with a defined goal.

A slideshow isn't supposed to include everything. It's an introduction to a topic, one that we can elaborate on with speech. Anything unnecessary is a distraction. It makes the presentation less visually appealing and less interesting, and it makes you look bad as a presenter.

This goes for text as well as images. There's nothing worse, in fact, than a series of slides where the presenter just reads them as they appear. Your audience is capable of reading, and chances are they'll be done with the slide, and browsing Reddit, long before you finish. Avoid putting the literal text on the screen, and your audience will thank you.

Related: How to Burn Your PowerPoint to DVD

Right off the bat, we're just going to come out and say that Papyrus and Comic Sans should be banned from all PowerPoint presentations, permanently. Beyond that, it's worth considering the typeface you're using and what it's saying about you, the presenter, and the presentation itself.

Consider choosing readability over aesthetics, and avoid fancy fonts that could prove to be more of a distraction than anything else. A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.

There reaches a point where bullet points become less of a visual aid and more of a visual examination.

Bullet points should support the speaker, not overwhelm his audience. The best slides have little or no text at all, in fact. As a presenter, it's our job to talk through complex issues, but that doesn't mean that we need to highlight every talking point.

Instead, think about how you can break up large lists into three or four bullet points. Carefully consider whether you need to use more bullet points, or if you can combine multiple topics into a single point instead. And if you can't, remember that there's no one limiting the number of slides you can have in a presentation. It's always possible to break a list of 12 points down into three pages of four points each.

Animation, when used correctly, is a good idea. It breaks up slow-moving parts of a presentation and adds action to elements that require it. But it should be used judiciously.

Adding a transition that wipes left to right between every slide or that animates each bullet point in a list, for example, starts to grow taxing on those forced to endure the presentation. Viewers get bored quickly, and animations that are meant to highlight specific elements quickly become taxing.

That's not to say that you can't use animations and transitions, just that you need to pick your spots. Aim for no more than a handful of these transitions for each presentation. And use them in spots where they'll add to the demonstration, not detract from it.

Sometimes images tell a better story than text can. And as a presenter, your goal is to describe points in detail without making users do a lot of reading. In these cases, a well-designed visual, like a chart, might better convey the information you're trying to share.

The right image adds visual appeal and serves to break up longer, text-heavy sections of the presentation---but only if you're using the right images. A single high-quality image can make all the difference between a success and a dud when you're driving a specific point home.

When considering text, don't think solely in terms of bullet points and paragraphs. Tables, for example, are often unnecessary. Ask yourself whether you could present the same data in a bar or line chart instead.

Color is interesting. It evokes certain feelings and adds visual appeal to your presentation as a whole. Studies show that color also improves interest, comprehension, and retention. It should be a careful consideration, not an afterthought.

You don't have to be a graphic designer to use color well in a presentation. What I do is look for palettes I like, and then find ways to use them in the presentation. There are a number of tools for this, like Adobe Color , Coolors , and ColorHunt , just to name a few. After finding a palette you enjoy, consider how it works with the presentation you're about to give. Pastels, for example, evoke feelings of freedom and light, so they probably aren't the best choice when you're presenting quarterly earnings that missed the mark.

It's also worth mentioning that you don't need to use every color in the palette. Often, you can get by with just two or three, though you should really think through how they all work together and how readable they'll be when layered. A simple rule of thumb here is that contrast is your friend. Dark colors work well on light backgrounds, and light colors work best on dark backgrounds.

Spend some time in the Slide Sorter before you finish your presentation. By clicking the four squares at the bottom left of the presentation, you can take a look at multiple slides at once and consider how each works together. Alternatively, you can click "View" on the ribbon and select "Slide Sorter."

Are you presenting too much text at once? Move an image in. Could a series of slides benefit from a chart or summary before you move on to another point?

It's here that we have the opportunity to view the presentation from beyond the single-slide viewpoint and think in terms of how each slide fits, or if it fits at all. From this view, you can rearrange slides, add additional ones, or delete them entirely if you find that they don't advance the presentation.

The difference between a good presentation and a bad one is really all about preparation and execution. Those that respect the process and plan carefully---not only the presentation as a whole, but each slide within it---are the ones who will succeed.

This brings me to my last (half) point: When in doubt, just buy a template and use it. You can find these all over the web, though Creative Market and GraphicRiver are probably the two most popular marketplaces for this kind of thing. Not all of us are blessed with the skills needed to design and deliver an effective presentation. And while a pre-made PowerPoint template isn't going to make you a better presenter, it will ease the anxiety of creating a visually appealing slide deck.

How to make a great presentation

Stressed about an upcoming presentation? These talks are full of helpful tips on how to get up in front of an audience and make a lasting impression.

The secret structure of great talks

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• PRESENTATION SKILLS

Top Tips for Effective Presentations

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Presentation Skills:

• A - Z List of Presentation Skills
• General Presentation Skills
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• Preparing for a Presentation
• Organising the Material
• Writing Your Presentation
• Deciding the Presentation Method
• Managing your Presentation Notes
• Working with Visual Aids
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• Coping with Presentation Nerves
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How can you make a good presentation even more effective?

This page draws on published advice from expert presenters around the world, which will help to take your presentations from merely ‘good’ to ‘great’.

By bringing together advice from a wide range of people, the aim is to cover a whole range of areas.

Whether you are an experienced presenter, or just starting out, there should be ideas here to help you to improve.

1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience

It’s hard to be relaxed and be yourself when you’re nervous.

But time and again, the great presenters say that the most important thing is to connect with your audience, and the best way to do that is to let your passion for the subject shine through.

Be honest with the audience about what is important to you and why it matters.

Be enthusiastic and honest, and the audience will respond.

2. Focus on your Audience’s Needs

Your presentation needs to be built around what your audience is going to get out of the presentation.

As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can tell them.

While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to remain focused on your audience’s response, and react to that.

You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and respond.

3. Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message

When planning your presentation, you should always keep in mind the question:

What is the key message (or three key points) for my audience to take away?

You should be able to communicate that key message very briefly.

Some experts recommend a 30-second ‘elevator summary’, others that you can write it on the back of a business card, or say it in no more than 15 words.

Whichever rule you choose, the important thing is to keep your core message focused and brief.

And if what you are planning to say doesn’t contribute to that core message, don’t say it.

4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience

This sounds very easy, but a surprisingly large number of presenters fail to do it.

If you smile and make eye contact, you are building rapport , which helps the audience to connect with you and your subject. It also helps you to feel less nervous, because you are talking to individuals, not to a great mass of unknown people.

To help you with this, make sure that you don’t turn down all the lights so that only the slide screen is visible. Your audience needs to see you as well as your slides.

5. Start Strongly

The beginning of your presentation is crucial. You need to grab your audience’s attention and hold it.

They will give you a few minutes’ grace in which to entertain them, before they start to switch off if you’re dull. So don’t waste that on explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.

Try a story (see tip 7 below), or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide.

6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

This is a tip from Guy Kawasaki of Apple. He suggests that slideshows should:

• Contain no more than 10 slides;
• Last no more than 20 minutes; and
• Use a font size of no less than 30 point.

This last is particularly important as it stops you trying to put too much information on any one slide. This whole approach avoids the dreaded ‘Death by PowerPoint’.

As a general rule, slides should be the sideshow to you, the presenter. A good set of slides should be no use without the presenter, and they should definitely contain less, rather than more, information, expressed simply.

If you need to provide more information, create a bespoke handout and give it out after your presentation.

7. Tell Stories

Human beings are programmed to respond to stories.

Stories help us to pay attention, and also to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. It is a good idea to start with a story, but there is a wider point too: you need your presentation to act like a story.

Think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation to tell it.

Finding The Story Behind Your Presentation

To effectively tell a story, focus on using at least one of the two most basic storytelling mechanics in your presentation:

Focusing On Characters – People have stories; things, data, and objects do not. So ask yourself “who” is directly involved in your topic that you can use as the focal point of your story.

For example, instead of talking about cars (your company’s products), you could focus on specific characters like:

• The drivers the car is intended for – people looking for speed and adventure
• The engineers who went out of their way to design the most cost-effective car imaginable

A Changing Dynamic – A story needs something to change along the way. So ask yourself “What is not as it should be?” and answer with what you are going to do about it (or what you did about it).

For example…

• Did hazardous road conditions inspire you to build a rugged, all-terrain jeep that any family could afford?
• Did a complicated and confusing food labelling system lead you to establish a colour-coded nutritional index so that anybody could easily understand it?

To see 15 more actionable storytelling tips, see Nuts & Bolts Speed Training’s post on Storytelling Tips .

8. Use your Voice Effectively

The spoken word is actually a pretty inefficient means of communication, because it uses only one of your audience’s five senses. That’s why presenters tend to use visual aids, too. But you can help to make the spoken word better by using your voice effectively.

Varying the speed at which you talk, and emphasising changes in pitch and tone all help to make your voice more interesting and hold your audience’s attention.

For more about this, see our page on Effective Speaking .

9. Use your Body Too

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of communication is non-verbal.

That means that as well as your tone of voice, your body language is crucial to getting your message across. Make sure that you are giving the right messages: body language to avoid includes crossed arms, hands held behind your back or in your pockets, and pacing the stage.

Make your gestures open and confident, and move naturally around the stage, and among the audience too, if possible.

10. Relax, Breathe and Enjoy

If you find presenting difficult, it can be hard to be calm and relaxed about doing it.

One option is to start by concentrating on your breathing. Slow it down, and make sure that you’re breathing fully. Make sure that you continue to pause for breath occasionally during your presentation too.

For more ideas, see our page on Coping with Presentation Nerves .

If you can bring yourself to relax, you will almost certainly present better. If you can actually start to enjoy yourself, your audience will respond to that, and engage better. Your presentations will improve exponentially, and so will your confidence. It’s well worth a try.

Improve your Presentation Skills

Follow our guide to boost your presentation skills learning about preparation, delivery, questions and all other aspects of giving effective presentations.

Start with: What is a Presentation?

Continue to: How to Give a Speech Self Presentation

See also: Five Ways You Can Do Visual Marketing on a Budget Can Presentation Science Improve Your Presentation? Typography – It’s All About the Message in Your Slides

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Unlock effective presentation skills (tips and best practices)

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Anete Ezera March 23, 2023

Presentation skills are a crucial aspect of communication in today’s world. Whether you’re delivering a pitch to potential investors, giving a lecture in front of a class, or trying to make a point at a meeting, your ability to effectively present your ideas can greatly impact your success. However, not everyone is a natural-born speaker. Many struggle with nerves and self-doubt when it comes to presenting in front of an audience. But don’t worry! Improving your presentation skills is possible with practice and dedication. In this blog post, we’ll provide you with practical tips that will help you become a confident and engaging speaker. From preparing your material to engaging with your audience, we’ll cover everything you need to know to take your presentation skills to the next level. So whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your existing presentation skills, read on for all the advice and inspiration you need to succeed.

Types of Presentations

Before we dive into specific presentation skills, it’s important to define the different types of presentations that may require different skills in how they’re presented. There are several types of presentations you can choose from, each with its own distinct format and style. Let’s take a look at some of the most common types of presentations:

Narrative presentations

In these types of presentations, the speaker focuses on telling a story that engages the audience and reinforces the main message. This type of presentation is perfect for engaging and entertaining an audience. It helps to keep the audience interested and focused and can be a great way to reinforce the main message. However, it can also be time-consuming to prepare a well-structured narrative.

Informative presentations

These types of presentations are designed to provide information on a specific topic. The speaker focuses on delivering accurate and relevant information to the audience in an organized and straightforward manner. This type of presentation is great for providing accurate and relevant information to the audience. The organized and straightforward delivery makes it easy for the audience to understand and retain the information. However, it can be difficult to keep the audience engaged and interested if the presentation is too dry or lacks excitement.

Persuasive presentations 

In persuasive presentations, the speaker aims to convince the audience to take a specific action or adopt a particular point of view. This type of presentation often includes arguments, statistics, and other persuasive techniques. However, if the arguments are weak or the persuasive techniques are ineffective, the presentation can fall flat and fail to achieve its intended outcome.

Demonstrative Presentations

These types of presentations focus on demonstrating a product or service to the audience. The speaker often includes visual aids, such as slides or videos, to help illustrate the key features and benefits of the product or service. However, it can be difficult to keep the audience engaged if the demonstration is too lengthy or repetitive.

Instructional Presentations

Instructional presentations are designed to teach the audience a specific skill or provide them with step-by-step instructions. The speaker often uses visual aids, such as diagrams or slides, to make the instructions clear and easy to follow. It’s perfect for teaching the audience how to perform a specific task. The use of visual aids, such as diagrams or slides, makes it easy for the audience to understand and follow the instructions. In this type of presentation, it’s important to present the instructions in a highly engaging way so the audience doesn’t lose interest.

Choosing the right type of presentation format can greatly impact the success of your presentation. Consider the audience, the message you want to convey, and the resources available to you, when deciding on the best presentation format for your needs. Once you’ve decided on a presentation format, you can move on to developing certain presentation skills that are most important for the specific case. 

Presentation delivery methods

The way you deliver your presentation is crucial. Therefore, we want to highlight this aspect before we dive into other effective presentation skills. A delivery method can make or break a presentation, regardless of the quality of the content. There are various methods of presentation delivery. The choice of method depends on the type of audience, the topic of the presentation, and the desired outcome. Discover 4 ways you can deliver a presentation and what kind of skills and approach they require. 

Traditional delivery

One of the most common presentation delivery methods is the traditional method of standing in front of an audience and delivering a speech. This method is suitable for formal presentations, such as keynote speeches, lectures, and corporate presentations. This method requires the speaker to have excellent public speaking skills, including voice modulation, body language, and eye contact. A traditional presentation delivery usually follows a classical presentation outline that has a clear beginning, middle, and end. 

Visually-focused presentation delivery

Another method of presentation delivery is the use of visual aids. This method involves using multimedia tools, such as images, videos, and infographics. Visual aids are effective because they can help the audience to better understand complex information, and they can also serve as a reference for the audience to refer to after the presentation. However, visuals should not be the sole focus of the presentation, as they can distract the audience from the message. 

If you want to create a visually-focused presentation, discover different Prezi presentation templates, and be sure to add images, videos, data visualizations, GIFs, stickers, and other visuals that you can find in Prezi’s content library and Prezi Design.  

If you want to learn more about the use of visuals in a presentation, and what are the best design practices, watch this video:

Interactive presentation delivery

Another way to deliver a presentation is by using interactive methods such as group discussions, role-plays, and simulations. This method is suitable for presentations that require the audience to actively participate in the presentation. Interactive presentations can be useful for training sessions, team-building exercises, and workshops. 

On Prezi, you can create highly interactive presentations where your audience can be active participants. Prezi’s non-linear format allows you to jump between topics instead of flipping through slides, so your presentation feels more like a conversation than a speech.

Storyteller delivery

The last method of presentation delivery is storytelling. It involves the use of anecdotes, personal experiences, and stories to deliver a message. Storytelling is a highly effective tool because it can help the audience to relate to the message on a personal level. 

Storytelling can also be used to make a presentation more engaging and entertaining. 

If you want to visually showcase a relation between two aspects and capture the transitional movement in a timeline, use motion, zoom, and spatial relationships in a Prezi presentation to showcase the nuances of your story world. 

Regardless of the presentation delivery method, make sure to follow the best presentation practices:

• Be well-prepared and knowledgeable about the topic. This can be achieved through research, practice, and rehearsal.
• Use clear and concise language that is easy for the audience to understand. You should avoid using jargon and technical terms, or you can take time to explain them to the audience. 
• Work on engaging the audience using eye contact, body language, and humor. This can help you establish a connection with the audience and make the presentation more engaging. 
• Be mindful of the time and ensure that the presentation is delivered within the allotted time frame.  
• Use effective visuals, if applicable, to support your message without overpowering it.

Effective presentation skills

There are numerous skills that you can develop to improve your presentations. In this article, we’ve summoned the following 8 presentation skills that are essential to any presenter that wants to make an impact with their message.

1. Effective communication

Effective communication skills are critical when it comes to presenting information to others. Presentations require a clear and concise message, and communication skills are key in delivering this message to your audience. Good communication skills allow you to connect with your audience, build rapport, and maintain engagement throughout the presentation. In addition, communication skills allow you to articulate your ideas and arguments clearly, and to respond to questions or challenges effectively. 

To improve this skill, practice speaking in front of a mirror or recording yourself to identify areas where you may need improvement. Also, consider using vocal techniques such as varying your tone and volume to keep your audience engaged.

2. Confident body language

Confident body language is an essential presentation skill as it communicates to the audience that the speaker is credible, knowledgeable, and in control. A confident posture, eye contact, and gestures can help you establish a strong presence and build rapport with the audience. It also helps you to convey your message more effectively. 

To practice confident body language, start by standing tall with shoulders back and head held high. Also, make eye contact with the audience and use natural hand gestures to emphasize key points. It’s also important to practice speaking clearly and with conviction, as this can further enhance the impact of confident body language during a presentation. 

If you’re interested in learning more about body language, read our article on 9 secrets to a confident body language . 

3. Audience engagement

Being able to engage your audience is a crucial presentation skill because it ensures that your message is well-received and understood. When you engage your audience, you capture their attention and maintain their interest throughout your presentation. This can make the difference between a successful presentation and one that falls flat. Holding the attention of your audience requires a combination of factors, such as having a clear message, being confident and comfortable in your delivery, using visual aids effectively, and connecting with your audience on a personal level. 

To improve this skill, you can practice rehearsing your presentation in front of friends or colleagues and seeking feedback. You can also try studying successful public speakers and their techniques and incorporating audience participation activities into your presentation to keep them engaged and interested. 

Additionally, you can engage your audience by opting for a motion-based presentation. It’ll enhance the impact of your content and ideas, making it more captivating for your audience to watch than a slide-based presentation. On Prezi, you can use motion, spatial relationships, and zooming effects to create highly impactful presentations. 

4. Time management

Time management is an essential presentation skill as it helps to ensure that you deliver your message effectively and efficiently within the allotted time. Poor time management can lead to an unprofessional and unprepared presentation, leaving the audience disinterested or confused.

To practice good time management, begin by planning and rehearsing your presentation in advance. It’s important to allocate sufficient time to each section and consider factors such as audience engagement and potential interruptions. You can also use time-tracking tools and practice pacing yourself during rehearsals to ensure you stay on schedule. By mastering time management, you can deliver a polished and engaging presentation, leaving a positive and lasting impression on your audience.

5. Content organization

Effective organization of presentation content is crucial for any presenter, as it determines the clarity and impact of the message. Organized content can help you convey your ideas in a logical and coherent manner, which aids in maintaining the audience’s attention and retention of information. 

To ensure that your presentation’s content is well-organized, it’s important to follow a few key steps. 

• Identify the main points you want to convey and arrange them in a logical order.
• Create a clear outline that includes an introduction, main body, and conclusion.
• Use transition words or phrases to smoothly connect each point to the next. 
• Ensure that your presentation has a consistent flow and that each point supports your overall message. 

By following these steps, you can effectively organize your presentation’s content and create a memorable and impactful experience for the viewers.

If you’re creating a sales presentation, be sure to read our step-by-step guide on crafting a winning sales presentation .

Also, discover how to best structure your presentation based on your presentation goal in this video:

6. Storytelling 

Storytelling is a powerful presentation skill that can captivate your audience’s attention and enhance the impact of your message. Stories allow us to connect with people on a deeper emotional level, and help us convey complex ideas in an easy-to-understand way. When we tell a story, we engage our audience, evoke their imagination, and inspire them to take action. 

To develop strong storytelling skills, you should practice telling stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end that convey a message or lesson. It’s also important to incorporate sensory details, such as sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste, to help the audience visualize the story. Also, make sure to focus on the tone of your delivery, including voice inflection, body language, and facial expressions, to effectively convey the emotions and dynamics of the story. Finally, use one of Prezi’s presentation templates like the one visualized below, or create your own story presentation on Prezi and visualize relations between topics, events, and characters using spatial relationships and visual hierarchy. 

By mastering the art of storytelling, you can deliver a powerful presentation that resonates with the audience and creates a lasting impression.

7. Adaptability

Adaptability is a crucial presentation skill – it allows you to adjust and respond to unexpected situations, changes, and challenges during the presentation. The key is to be properly prepared. This means researching your topic and practicing your presentation speech enough so that you’re prepared for any changes or questions that may arise. When you’re prepared, you’ll feel more present and be able to read the room and adjust to your audience’s needs and interests. Also, be flexible and open-minded to new information, feedback, and audience reactions. This skill will enable you to think on your feet and modify your content or delivery style accordingly. 

And lastly, you want to uphold the quality of your presentation no matter where you’re presenting, online or offline. If you need to adapt your presentation to an online experience, use Prezi Video and simply import your already-existing Prezi, Powerpoint, or Google slides, and deliver the same level of presence and quality as offline. With Prezi Video, you can showcase your slides next to you on-screen as you present, keeping that face-to-face interaction. 

Make sure to check out Prezi Video templates that you can find in Prezi’s template gallery .

8. Confidence

Last but definitely not least, one of the key presentation skills a great presenter possesses is confidence . Presenting with confidence can help you engage your audience and convince them of your authority and knowledge on the topic at hand. When you exude confidence, the audience is more likely to trust you and your message, leading to better communication and understanding. 

Developing confidence can be achieved through several methods. Practicing your speech multiple times, visualizing a successful presentation, and focusing on positive self-talk are all techniques that can help boost your confidence. Additionally, learning to control body language and voice tone can also have a positive effect on confidence levels during your time in the spotlight. 

By implementing these strategies, you can build your confidence and improve your presentation skills each time you’re speaking in front of an audience. 

Discover more about effective presentation skills in this video:

How to improve public speaking and presentation skills

While working on the effective presentation skills we listed above, you may feel nervous about public speaking in general. It’s no secret that public speaking can be a daunting task for many people. However, if you want to be a powerful, confident, and impactful presenter, you need to overcome your fear of anxiety of public speaking and improve the way you feel and appear when presenting. 

If you want to learn more about different techniques that can help you calm down before a presentation, here’s a helpful video for you to watch:

To help you become better at public speaking, we summoned 20 tips you can follow:

1. Practice, practice, practice

One of the most effective ways to become more comfortable with public speaking is to practice your speech as much as possible. When you practice, you can work out any kinks or rough spots that you may encounter when giving your speech in front of an audience. Additionally, practicing allows you to become more familiar with the material, making it easier to remember and deliver with confidence. While it may be tempting to simply read your speech from a script or cue cards, practicing your speech will allow you to internalize the material and deliver it with greater ease, flow, and naturalness. Therefore, it’s highly recommended that you take the time to practice your speech as much as possible before giving it in front of an audience, whether that be your friends, family, or colleagues.

2. Use presenter notes 

Preparing for a presentation can be a lengthy endeavor, particularly if you aim to memorize the entire script. Trying to remember every point can be challenging. Plus, the stress of public speaking can cause you to overlook crucial details. Jotting down your talking points can help you stay organized and avoid forgetting any essential information. However, relying solely on flashcards or paper notes may not be ideal. Constantly glancing at sticky notes or looking away from your audience can disrupt the flow of your presentation and disconnect you from your listeners. Instead, try using presenter notes on Prezi , where you can easily add notes to each slide. While presenting, you’ll be the only one that sees them, helping you deliver an impressive presentation with maximum confidence. 

3. Know your audience

When delivering a speech, it’s important to analyze and understand the audience you’ll be speaking to. By doing so, you can tailor your speech to their interests and needs. This means that you should take into account factors such as their age range, educational background, and cultural or professional affiliations. Additionally, it’s important to research the topic you’ll be discussing thoroughly and provide examples that are relevant to your audience. By doing this, you can ensure that your message will resonate with your listeners and leave a lasting impact.

4. Start with a strong opening

To really captivate your audience, it’s important to start with a strong opening that grabs their attention and sets the tone for the rest of your speech. One approach could be to start with a thought-provoking question or a powerful anecdote that relates to your topic. Alternatively, you could begin with a surprising fact or statistic that shocks and intrigues your listeners. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s attention-grabbing and relevant to the message you want to convey. Remember, the opening of your speech is your chance to make a lasting impression, so make it count!

Discover other ways to start your presentation speech and watch this video for more tips on starting a virtual presentation: 

5. Use humor

Using humor can be a great way to start off a presentation. It can help to reduce the tension in the room and make your audience feel more at ease. For example, you could start off with a joke or a funny story that relates to your topic. Alternatively, you could use a humorous image or meme to grab your audience’s attention. Just be sure not to overdo it – too many jokes can detract from your message and make you seem unprofessional. Remember that the ultimate goal of your presentation is to communicate information and ideas effectively, so use humor wisely.

6. Incorporate stories

Using stories in your speech can be an incredibly powerful tool. Personal stories, in particular, can help illustrate your points and make your message more memorable. By sharing a personal experience, you can connect with your audience on a deeper level and create an emotional bond. This can help them better understand your message and remember it long after your speech is over.

One way to incorporate personal stories into your speech is to draw from your own life experiences. Think about a time when you faced a challenge or overcame an obstacle, and how that experience taught you something valuable. Share that story with your audience and explain how the lessons you learned can be applied to their lives as well.

You can also use stories to illustrate more abstract concepts. For example, if you’re giving a talk about the importance of perseverance, you could share a story about someone who faced numerous setbacks but refused to give up. By sharing that story, you can make the concept of perseverance more concrete and relatable to your audience.

7. Use pauses

Using pauses is a great way to enhance your communication skills. In fact, when you take breaks in your speech, can help you gather your thoughts and think more clearly. Pausing also allows you to emphasize key points you want to make in your speech. Additionally, by using pauses strategically, you give your audience time to process the information you’re sharing with them, which can help ensure that they understand and retain it better. All in all, incorporating pauses into your speaking style can be incredibly effective in making your message more impactful and memorable.

8. Speak clearly and loudly

When delivering a speech or presentation, it’s important to speak in a manner that is clear and easy to understand. However, it’s equally important to ensure that your voice is projected loudly enough for your audience to hear you. Speaking too softly can make it difficult for people in the back of the room or in larger spaces to hear what you’re saying, which can lead to confusion and a lack of engagement. To avoid this, try to practice projecting your voice and enunciating your words clearly before you give your speech. You can also use tools like microphones or audio amplifiers to help ensure that your message is heard loud and clear by everyone in the room.

9. Take deep breaths

Taking deep breaths is a great way to help you relax and calm your nerves, but there are other things you can do too. For example, you might want to try some light yoga or stretching exercises to loosen up your muscles and release tension. Also, you could take a warm bath or shower to soothe your body and mind. Another option is to listen to some calming music or read a book that you enjoy. By taking the time to find what works best for you, you can develop a personalized relaxation routine that you can turn to whenever you need it.

10. Use repetition

Repetition is a powerful tool that can help you drive the point home in your speech. By repeating key points, you can reinforce your message and increase your chances of being remembered. In addition, repetition can help you emphasize important ideas and create a sense of rhythm in your speech. It can also be used to build suspense and create a sense of anticipation in your listeners. With these benefits in mind, it’s clear that repetition is an essential aspect of effective public speaking.

11. Use active verbs

One way to improve the effectiveness of your speech is to use active verbs. Active verbs help to create a more engaging and dynamic presentation, as they convey a sense of action and energy. By using active verbs, you can help to capture your audience’s attention and hold their interest throughout your speech.

In addition to using active verbs, it’s also important to consider the pace and rhythm of your speech. Varying the speed and tone of your delivery can help to keep your audience engaged and prevent them from becoming bored or disinterested.

Another way to enhance the impact of your speech is to use vivid language and descriptive imagery. By painting a vivid picture with your words, you can help to create a more memorable and impactful presentation. For example, instead of simply saying “the sky was blue,” you could describe it as “a brilliant shade of deep blues, like the ocean on a clear summer day.”

By focusing on these key elements of effective speechwriting, you can help to create a more engaging and impactful presentation that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

12. Ask rhetorical questions

Rhetorical questions are a powerful tool that can help make your speech more engaging and interactive. They can be used to stimulate critical thinking, provoke curiosity, and encourage the audience to reflect on the topic at hand. By asking a thought-provoking question, you can capture the audience’s attention and encourage them to think about the subject matter in a new and different way. Furthermore, rhetorical questions can be used to create a sense of anticipation and excitement, as the audience eagerly anticipates the answer to the question you have posed. 

13. Use metaphors and similes

Metaphors and similes are powerful tools that can help individuals better understand complex concepts. They are like a flashlight that illuminates the dark corners of the mind, providing clarity and insight. By comparing two seemingly different things, metaphors and similes can create a bridge between the familiar and the unfamiliar, allowing individuals to grasp difficult ideas with ease. In our fast-paced world, where information overload is a common issue, the use of metaphors and similes can help cut through the noise and deliver a clear message. So, the next time you encounter a challenging concept, remember to use these techniques to shed light on the subject matter.

14. Prepare handouts

When giving a speech, it’s important to remember that your audience needs to be able to follow along with what you’re saying. One way to help them do this is by using handouts. Handouts can be a great way to enhance your presentation because they allow you to provide additional information that may not be covered in your speech. For example, you can use handouts to provide graphs, charts, or other visuals that illustrate your points. Additionally, handouts can be a useful tool for your audience to take notes and refer back to later. By providing handouts, you can ensure that your audience is engaged and able to fully understand the information you’re presenting.

15. Incorporate props

Using props during your speech is a great way to enhance your delivery and keep your audience engaged. By incorporating visual aids such as props, you can help to illustrate your points and add depth to your content. Additionally, props can be used to make abstract concepts more concrete and easier for your audience to understand. For example, if you’re delivering a speech on the importance of recycling, you could bring in a visual prop such as a bin of recyclable materials to help drive home your message. Overall, the use of props can help take your speech to the next level while making it more memorable and impactful for your audience.

16. Practice in front of a mirror

Another useful tip for improving your presentation skills is to practice in front of a mirror. Not only can this help you perfect your body language and delivery, but it can also give you a better sense of how you come across to others. Additionally, practicing in front of a mirror can help you identify any nervous habits or tics that you may have, allowing you to work on eliminating them before your actual presentation. Overall, incorporating mirror practice into your preparation routine can be a simple yet effective way to boost your confidence and improve your presentation skills.

17. Join a public speaking group

Joining a public speaking group is a great way to improve your public speaking skills. Not only will you have the opportunity to practice speaking in front of others, but you’ll also receive valuable feedback that can help you improve. Additionally, by joining a group, you’ll have the chance to meet and network with other like-minded individuals who share a passion for public speaking. This can lead to new opportunities and connections that can benefit you both personally and professionally. Finally, being part of a public speaking group can also provide a sense of community and support, as you work together with others to achieve your goals and improve your skills.

18. Record yourself 

Another way to enhance your public speaking skills is to record yourself. By doing this, you can identify areas where you need to improve and refine your delivery. When you listen to yourself speak, you can pay attention to your pitch, pacing, and tone. You can also identify filler words or phrases, such as “um” or “like,” that you might use unconsciously. Additionally, recording yourself can help you become more comfortable with the sound of your voice. This can be especially helpful if you’re not used to hearing yourself speak for extended periods of time. Overall, recording yourself is a simple yet effective way to become a more confident and polished public speaker.

19. Learn to handle interruptions

One of the most common challenges that speakers face is handling interruptions. These interruptions can come in many different forms, such as unexpected questions, technical difficulties, or distractions in the environment. It’s important to learn how to handle these interruptions gracefully, as they can often derail a speech and throw off the speaker’s focus and confidence.

One key strategy for handling interruptions is to remain calm and composed. It’s natural to feel frustrated or flustered when faced with an interruption, but it’s important to take a deep breath and stay focused. Remember that interruptions are a normal part of public speaking, and they don’t have to ruin your presentation. If you need a moment to collect your thoughts, don’t be afraid to pause and take a few seconds to regroup.

By learning to handle interruptions with grace and composure, you can become a more effective and confident speaker. With practice and preparation, you can manage interruptions and keep your presentation on track, even in challenging situations.

20. End on a strong note

When giving a speech, it’s important to not only focus on what you say during the body of your presentation, but also on the way in which you conclude. A strong presentation should summarize the main points of your speech and leave a lasting impression on your audience. This can be achieved by reiterating your main points in a memorable way, making a call to action, or leaving your audience with a thought-provoking question. By doing so, you’ll ensure that your message resonates with your audience long after your speech has ended.

Another useful technique is to anticipate potential interruptions and plan how to address them in advance. For example, if you’re giving a presentation with a Q&A session at the end, be prepared for questions that might challenge your ideas or require additional information. It can be helpful to practice your responses to common questions ahead of time so that you feel more confident and prepared.

Discover other memorable ways how to end a presentation.

Effective presentation skills are key. While not everyone may be a natural-born speaker, with practice and dedication, anyone can improve their abilities to become a confident and engaging presenter. Whether you’re pitching to investors, delivering a lecture, or presenting in a meeting, being able to effectively present your ideas can greatly impact your success.

Remember, becoming a great presenter is a journey that requires patience, perseverance, and constant improvement. Don’t be afraid to seek feedback from others, practice regularly, and try out new techniques. With time, you’ll become more comfortable and confident in your abilities to deliver engaging and impactful presentations.

In conclusion, improving your presentation skills is a worthwhile investment that can pay dividends in both your personal and professional life. So take the time to hone your abilities, put in the effort, and embrace the opportunities that come your way. With the tips and techniques we’ve provided in this blog post, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a confident presenter.

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas 23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

PowerPoint presentations are not usually known for being engaging or interactive. That’s often because most people treat their slides as if they are notes to read off  and not a tool to help empower their message.

Your presentation slides are there to help bring to life the story you are telling. They are there to provide visuals and empower your speech.

So how do you go about avoiding a presentation “snoozefest” and instead ensure you have an engaging and interactive presentation?  By making sure that you use your slides to help YOU tell your story, instead of using them as note cards to read off of.

The key thing to remember is that your presentation is there to compliment your speech, not be its focus.

In this article, we will review several presentation tips and tricks on how to become a storytelling powerhouse by building a powerful and engaging PowerPoint presentation.

Start with writing your speech outline, not with putting together slides

Use more images and less text, use high-quality images, keep the focus on you and your presentation, not the powerpoint, your presentation should be legible from anywhere in the room, use a consistent presentation design, one topic per slide, avoid information overwhelm by using the “rule of three”.

• Display one bullet at a time

Avoid unnecessary animations

• Only add content that supports your main points

Do not use PowerPoint as a teleprompter

• Never Give Out Copies of the Presentation

Re-focus the attention on you by fading into blackness

Change the tone of your voice when presenting, host an expert discussion panel, ask questions, embed videos, use live polling to get instant feedback and engage the audience.

• He kept his slides uncluttered and always strived for simplicity
• He was known to use large font size, the bigger, the better.
• He found made the complex sound simple.

He was known to practice, practice, and keep on practicing.

Summary – how to make your presentation engaging & interactive, fundamental rules to build powerful & engaging presentation slides.

Before we go into tips and tricks on how to add flair to your presentations and create effective presentations, it’s essential to get the fundamentals of your presentation right.

Your PowerPoint presentation is there to compliment your message, and the story you are telling. Before you can even put together slides, you need to identify the goal of your speech, and the key takeaways you want your audience to remember.

YOU and your speech are the focus of this presentation, not the slides – use your PowerPoint to complement your story.

Keep in mind that your slides are there to add to your speech, not distract from it.  Using too much text in your slides can be distracting and confusing to your audience. Instead, use a relevant picture with minimal text, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

This slide is not unusual, but is not a visual aid, it is more like an “eye chart”.

Aim for something simpler, easy to remember and concise, like the slides below.

Keep in mind your audience when designing your presentation, their background and aesthetics sense. You will want to avoid the default clip art and cheesy graphics on your slides.

While presenting make sure to control the presentation and the room by walking around, drawing attention to you and what you are saying.  You should occasionally stand still when referencing a slide, but never turn your back to your audience to read your slide.

You and your speech are the presentations; the slides are just there to aid you.

Most season presenters don’t use anything less than twenty-eight point font size, and even Steve Jobs was known to use nothing smaller than forty-point text fonts.

If you can’t comfortably fit all the text on your slide using 28 font size than you’re trying to say and cram too much into the slide, remember tip #1.4 – Use relevant images instead and accompany it with bullets.

Best Practice PowerPoint Presentation Tips

The job of your presentation is to help convey information as efficiently and clearly as possible. By keeping the theme and design consistent, you’re allowing the information and pictures to stand out.

However, by varying the design from slide to slide, you will be causing confusion and distraction from the focus, which is you and the information to be conveyed on the slide.

Technology can also help us in creating a consistent presentation design just by picking a topic and selecting a sample template style. This is possible thanks to the SlideModel’s AI slideshow maker .

Each slide should try to represent one topic or talking point. The goal is to keep the attention focused on your speech, and by using one slide per talking point, you make it easy for you to prepare, as well as easy for your audience to follow along with your speech.

Sometimes when creating our presentation, we can often get in our heads and try to over-explain. A simple way to avoid this is to follow the “ Rule of Three ,” a concept coined by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle.

The idea is to stick to only 3 main ideas that will help deliver your point.  Each of the ideas can be further broken into 3 parts to explain further. The best modern example of this “Rule of Three” can be derived from the great Apple presentations given by Steve Jobs – they were always structured around the “Rule of Three.”

Display one sentence at a time

If you are planning to include text in your slides, try to avoid bullet lists, and use one slide per sentence. Be short and concise. This best practice focuses on the idea that simple messages are easy to retain in memory. Also, each slide can follow your storytelling path, introducing the audience to each concept while you speak, instead of listing everything beforehand.

Presentation Blunders To Avoid

In reality, there is no need for animations or transitions in your slides.

It’s great to know how to turn your text into fires or how to create a transition with sparkle effects, but the reality is the focus should be on the message. Using basic or no transitions lets the content of your presentation stand out, rather than the graphics.

If you plan to use animations, make sure to use modern and professional animations that helps the audience follow the story you are telling, for example when explaining time series or changing events over time.

Only add engaging content that supports your main points

You might have a great chart, picture or even phrase you want to add, but when creating every slide, it’s crucial to ask yourself the following question.

“Does this slide help support my main point?”

If the answer is no, then remove it.  Remember, less is more.

A common crutch for rookie presenters is to use slides as their teleprompter.

First of all, you shouldn’t have that much text on your slides. If you have to read off something, prepare some index cards that fit in your hand but at all costs do not turn your back on your audience and read off of your PowerPoint.  The moment you do that, you make the presentation the focus, and lose the audience as the presenter.

Avoid Giving Out Copies of the Presentation

At least not before you deliver a killer presentation; providing copies of your presentation gives your audience a possible distraction where they can flip through the copy and ignore what you are saying.

It’s also easy for them to take your slides out of context without understanding the meaning behind each slide.  It’s OK to give a copy of the presentation, but generally it is better to give the copies AFTER you have delivered your speech. If you decide to share a copy of your presentation, the best way to do it is by  generating a QR code  for it and placing it at the end of your presentation. Those who want a copy can simply scan and download it onto their phones.

Tips To Making Your Presentation More Engaging

The point of your presentation is to help deliver a message.

When expanding on a particularly important topic that requires a lengthy explanation it’s best to fade the slide into black.  This removes any distraction from the screen and re-focuses it on you, the present speaker. Some presentation devices have a built-in black screen button, but if they don’t, you can always prepare for this by adding a black side to your presentation at the right moment.

“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”

Part of making your presentation engaging is to use all the tools at your disposal to get your point across. Changing the inflection and tone of your voice as you present helps make the content and the points more memorable and engaging.

One easy and powerful way to make your presentation interactive is experts to discuss a particular topic during your presentation. This helps create a more engaging presentation and gives you the ability to facilitate and lead a discussion around your topic.

It’s best to prepare some questions for your panel but to also field questions from the audience in a question and answer format.

How To Make Your Presentation More Interactive

What happens if I ask you to think about a pink elephant?  You probably briefly think about a pink elephant, right?

Asking questions when presenting helps engage the audience, and arouse interest and curiosity.  It also has the added benefit of making people pay closer attention, in case they get called on.

So don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if rhetorical; asking a question engages a different part of our brain. It causes us to reflect rather than merely take in the information one way. So ask many of them.

Asking questions can also be an excellent way to build suspense for the next slide.

(Steve Jobs was known to ask questions during his presentations, in this slide he built suspense by asking the audience “Is there space for a device between a cell phone and a laptop?” before revealing the iPad) Source: MacWorld SF 2018

Remember the point of your presentation is to get a message across and although you are the presenter, it is completely fine to use video in your PowerPoint to enhance your presentation.  A relevant video can give you some breathing time to prepare the next slides while equally informing the audience on a particular point.

CAUTION: Be sure to test the video beforehand, and that your audience can hear it in the room.

A trending engagement tool among presenters is to use a live polling tool to allow the audience to participate and collect immediate feedback.

Using a live polling tool is a fun and interactive way to engage your audience in real-time and allow them to participate in part of your presentation.

Google Slides has a built-in Q&A feature that allows presenters to make the slide deck more interactive by providing answers to the audience’s questions. By using the Q&A feature in Google Slides, presenters can start a live Q&A session and people can ask questions directly from their devices including mobile and smartphones.

Key Takeaways from one of the best presenters, Steve Jobs

He kept his slides uncluttered and always strove for simplicity.

In this slide, you can easily see he is talking about the battery life, and it uses a simple image and a few words. Learning from Jobs, you can also make a great presentation too. Focus on the core benefit of your product and incorporate great visuals.

Source: Macworld 2008

SlideModel.com can help to reproduce high-impact slides like these, keeping your audience engagement.

He was known to use large font sizes, the bigger, the better

A big font makes it hard to miss the message on the slide, and allows the audience to focus on the presenter while clearing the understanding what the point of the slide is.

He found made the complex sound simple

When explaining a list of features, he used a simple image and lines or simple tables to provide visual cues to his talking points.

(This particular slide is referencing the iMac features)

What made Steve Jobs the master of presentation, was the ritual of practicing with his team, and this is simple yet often overlooked by many presenters.  It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking you don’t need to practice because you know the material so well.

While all these tips will help you create a truly powerful presentation , it can only achieve if applied correctly.

It’s important to remember when trying to deliver an amazing experience, you should be thoroughly prepared. This way, you can elevate your content presentation, convey your message effectively and captivate your audience.

This includes having your research cited, your presentation rehearsed.  Don’t just rehearse your slides, also take time to practice your delivery, and your tone.  The more you rehearse, the more relaxed you will be when delivering. The more confident you will feel.

While we can’t help you with the practice of your next presentation, we can help you by making sure you look good, and that you have a great design and cohesiveness.

You focus on the message and content; we’ll focus on making you look good.

Have a tip you would like to include?  Be sure to mention it in the comments!

Like this article? Please share

Audience, Engaging, Feedback, Interactive, Poll, Rule of Three, Steve Jobs Filed under Presentation Ideas

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2 Responses to “23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations”

Very great advices!

Greetings ! A compact composed communication for the host to have an impact -VOICE

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Top 12 PowerPoint Tips and Hacks for Flawless Presentations

Saikat Basu

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We’ve all seen our fair share of bad PowerPoint presentations . We can all agree that for a PowerPoint presentation to impress, it needs time and attention to detail.

So how can you ramp up your PowerPoint productivity in the shortest time possible?

That’s where we come in. For starters, follow our proven PowerPoint tips and tricks for business presentations , which are sure to make an impact.

Step up your PowerPoint game

Download our print-ready shortcut cheatsheet for PowerPoint.

1. Keep it simple

Keep your slides simple. It’s the visual backdrop to what you are going to say.

The most recommended PowerPoint tip for your productivity is called simplicity . You may be tempted by the graphical razzmatazz of beautiful images, background, and charts. At the end of the day, PowerPoint is a background visual aid for your talk. It is not the talk.

PowerPoint has lots of bells and whistles. But you don’t have to use them all. For instance, your content may not need the much-maligned bullet points - you can just use one key point per slide instead.

That’s why…

2. Reduce the text

Less is more when it is about the text on your slides.

The average reading speed on a screen is around 100 - 150 words per minute. Too much information on the slide is a distraction and an inattentive audience will lose the message you are trying to convey.

Don’t give them too much to read. Use high-quality pictures and eye-catching graphics instead.

To make information digestible, expert slide designers recommend you write one key idea per slide that is summarized by a clear headline.

Tip: Exploit white space. Create more space between your text, paragraphs, and graphics on your slide.

3. Plan your content first

Think about the message you want to convey and use it to write an outline.

As PowerPoint is such a visual medium, it is easy to get sidetracked with the visuals. So it’s important to chalk out what you want to say and in what order even before you open PowerPoint.

Your slides will come together quickly with the help of PowerPoint design options and you can even choose the right templates if you know your stuff inside out. 

Tip: Use brainstorming tools like mind maps, flowcharts, and even storyboards to sketch your content flow.

4. Use PowerPoint Designer for ideas

PowerPoint makes an intelligent guess by looking at the words on your slide and suggests high-quality artwork to complement it. You can pick one of the creative layouts or go back to your own design.

Tip: PowerPoint Designer can also turn lists, processes, or timelines into beautiful graphics too.

5. Use PowerPoint templates

Start with a template to break through any creative blocks.

PowerPoint templates are meant to be the starter plugs when inspiration deserts you or you are design-challenged. PowerPoint ships with a set of readymade templates and there are more available online. Pick one to begin.

Tip: Manpreet Kaur, the head of Corporate Communications at Mercer also suggests you use templates for mining ideas for your own presentation.

Whenever you receive any PowerPoint presentation from any of your clients, business partners, or sellers, make it a point to add them to any folder as a stock for templates for future reference. You can leverage these templates to find inspiration for any icon idea, layout, idea presentation, and number representation on the slides.

6. Edit the Slide Master

To open the Slide Master view, go to the View tab on the Ribbon and select Slide Master .

The first slide on the top is the Slide Master. Any changes to the Slide Master will be applied to all the slides in the presentation.

The Slide Master view also shows all the slide layouts used in PowerPoint. You can also use these Layout Master slides to control the appearance of any group of slides that share a common layout.

Tip: Make changes to the Slide Master before you start filling a presentation with the content.

7. Use PowerPoint Shapes for visuals

PowerPoint Shapes is the most powerful graphical tool in your control.

The multifaceted Shapes feature on the Ribbon gives you infinite ways to use PowerPoint like an illustration program. Look beyond the commonplace rectangle, oval, and rounded rectangle patterns.

Every shape is editable. You can customize any PowerPoint shape and create your own custom designs. They can be formatted with colors, 3-D effects and shadows too.

Tip: Most default shapes are overused. So, you can use your own custom shapes to add interest to a key point or a slide. For instance, you can turn a chevron into a more interesting arrow to illustrate the flow of a process.

8. Choose the right fonts

Choose the right fonts that are modern and pleasing.

It’s well established that fonts have a cognitive impact on how your audience will take in the information.

Sans-serif fonts are preferred for their smooth typefaces. But your typography choices will be influenced by the theme of the content. An artsy presentation can be more liberal with fonts that are decorative.

Also, to create contrast, you can use a technique called font-pairing where two complementary fonts are combined. For instance, use a serif font for titles and pair it with a sans-serif font in the body.

Tip: Want a free font library? Head over to Google Fonts and the collection of 916 free licensed fonts.

9. Use visual metaphors for your data

Visuals help everyone get the context behind data at a faster rate.

Business executives are used to spreadsheets . But that doesn’t mean they will like it in a presentation. Arresting illustrations are far better than bullet points and shoddy SmartArt.

We have talked about shapes and using high-quality photos before. But what if you have to analyze dry data?

Use visual metaphors or analogies to bring out the scale and relationships in the data. Executives can look up numbers, but the right use of an analogy can bring out the context behind it.

For instance, the evolution of man can be used to show the growth of a startup over time.

Tip: When stuck for ideas take inspiration from the best infographics on Slideshare and Pinterest. Infographics are designed to pack a lot of information in a small space.

10. Customize your slides for different audiences

Save yourself a lot of time by reusing your slides for different audiences.

This somewhat lesser-known PowerPoint tip uses a feature called Custom Slideshow to filter what you want your audience to see. Maybe, you want to hide some sensitive information for a lower level of executives while revealing it to those higher up. You do not have to create different slideshows for these two groups.

Create a custom show in five steps.

• On the Ribbon, go to Slide Show > Custom Slide Show , and then select Custom Shows .
• Click the New button in the Custom Shows dialog box. 
• In the Define Custom Show box , choose the slides that you want to include in the custom show, and then hit Add .
• You can change the order of the slides with the arrow keys.
• Type a name in the slideshow name box, and then click OK .

  Tip: You can also create hyperlinked custom shows that you can jump to from your primary PowerPoint show.

11. Rehearse Your Presentation

Prepare your presentation according to the time allotted.

No PowerPoint tip is useful if you cannot fit the number of slides and the time you take to present them in the schedule. PowerPoint helps you rehearse your presentation before you do it. With the Rehearse Timing feature, you can tweak your delivery according to the time on hand.

A helpful Microsoft Support video walks you through the process.

Tip: Use the timer to check if you're spending too much or too little time on one particular slide. Maybe, explaining the data in a better way can shorten the time.

12. Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible

Go to File > Info > Check for Issues > Check Accessibility

Sharon Rosenblatt, Director of Communications at Accessibility Partners stresses the importance of making presentations more inclusive.

Always use the accessibility checker, and not just if your slideshow is being shared with someone you know has a disability, but you never know where files get sent to.

PowerPoint is all about visuals so it’s more important to finetune the little things that can help make the message easily understood by people who have accessibility challenges.

Tip: Microsoft details the best practices for making all PowerPoint presentations accessible .

The bottom line: Get to the point fast

When you are presenting to busy people, you have to cut the clutter but not lose the message. A successful presentation is about brevity and speed.

A business presentation is also a decision-making tool. So make sure you are presenting the information your audience wants to know. And nothing more.

Yes, they do take some work. But with the help of these PowerPoint tips and tricks, you can start and finish any presentation without losing your sleep.

Want more PowerPoint tips? Then check out these other PowerPoint features that will level up your presentations. Or try taking GoSkills top-rated PowerPoint certification course .

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Saikat is a writer who hunts for the latest tricks in Microsoft Office and web apps. He doesn't want to get off the learning curve, so a camera and a harmonica claim an equal share of his free time.

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Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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12 Effective PowerPoint presentation tips

I like building and growing simple yet powerful products for the world and the worldwide web.

Published Date : December 7, 2020

Reading Time :

Introduction

PowerPoint presentations are quite popular in business, especially in corporate offices. Yet, many people don’t know how to put together an effective presentation or create good slides, as you will see later in this article. I will share some of the best PowerPoint presentation tips and 12 tips for creating better PowerPoint presentations. But first, we will look at the best way to deliver a PowerPoint presentation to an audience and get the best results.

What is the best way to give a PowerPoint presentation? 

Many people will tell you the different ways they give their presentations. Still, the following remains the main tips for a good PowerPoint presentation you should follow to give a great presentation.

1. Make use of the stage

One of the PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks you must follow is to make good use of your stage and your movement to tell your story. Instead of standing stiffly, you can walk around purposely and keep your audience’s attention on you. Walking around doesn’t mean wandering; you have to stride purposefully and confidently. This is one of the tips for a great PowerPoint presentation for keeping your audience alert.

2. Use the proper body language

Body language is very important for storytelling , and one of the important tips for a good PowerPoint presentation is to master the art of positive body language . When you know how to use body language , you can add to your speech and win your audience’s trust, as seen in my next point.

3. Be authentic and relatable

One of the top PowerPoint presentation tips experts tell new presenters is to connect with their audience and get them to relate to them. You can’t connect with an audience that finds you fake or stiff. Be yourself, and don’t try to show off a false personality

4. Maintain eye contact with the audience

Maintaining eye contact is important for any presenter because it helps build rapport with the audience. Most PowerPoint presentation tips say that the best way to do this is to pick 4-5 random audience members and maintain eye contact for some seconds. It helps you feel less nervous and helps them remain connected to you and your presentation.

5. Practice the presentation days beforehand

You have to practice at least a few days before your presentation. Consistent practice helps you master your presentation to the point that you sound like you are talking by heart. You can practice on your own or with the help of some tools . Also, try out the speech on people who can give you feedback.

6. Defer to your audience’s needs

One of the PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks is showing to your audience and giving them exactly what they need . You do this by first studying the audience and determining what makes them tick. You can even ask them leading questions to help you understand.

7. Be entertaining

No matter how good your presentation is, your delivery determines how your audience will receive it. If you’re stiff and boring, you can lose interest within minutes. Some of the PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks for entertaining your audience are to tell stories and make jokes. A good story can deliver the point of your presentation faster than you can explain it .

8. Train your voice

Y our voice is an important tool for your presentation as it can add any meaning you want to your words. Your speech won’t make an impact without the backing of a well-cultured speech . One of the PowerPoint presentation tips that many uses are to speed up or slow down their voices to incite excitement, sadness, anger, or any other emotion into their speech .

What are some tips for making a good PowerPoint presentation?

1. keep things simple (words and transitions).

This is one of the most important PowerPoint presentation tips in this article. You aim to leave your audience enlightened or inspired, as the case may be. Your best bet is to use easily understood language to ensure everyone understands you.

2. Add good-quality pictures

Every picture you put in your slides has to be of high quality, especially if used to illustrate a point. Ideally, you should have one picture per slide for detailed pictures. One of the PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks is to use two pictures max on a slide if they aren’t detailed or labeled.

3. Learn how to navigate your screens

Few things are more annoying than a presenter confused by their slides. You need to master the slides beforehand to switch them as needed. One of the PowerPoint presentation tips is to memorize the slide changes until you can change them without looking.

4. Don’t read from the slides

Reading directly of the slides is a rookie mistake that can ruin your presentation. Your slides are for the benefit of your audience and not you. Reading from them shows you are not fully versed in what you’re presenting and can cost your presentation.

5. Don’t use too many animations

Some people get carried away with PowerPoint animations, especially if the topic requires interesting animations. While it isn’t wrong to use animations, one of the PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks is to stick to one animation throughout your slide. 

6. Use large text

Using large text is one of those PowerPoint presentation tips that seem obvious. However, several people make the mistake of sizing their text without considering the people standing the farthest away. Your slides should have large enough text that every audience member can see.

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Why are most PowerPoint presentations terrible?

Too much packed in.

Too many people fall for the wrong idea that their slides have to show everything included in their presentation. On the contrary, one of the top PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks is to keep your slides as simple and neat as possible. That way, your audience can easily read what you have on without straining their eyes.

Extreme animations and transitions

Another misconception people tend to have with their PowerPoint slides is that they need different animations and transitions to keep them interesting. That is far from the truth and only makes the presentation look messy. One animation and transition per slideshow does the job and doesn’t distract from the topic.

Overdoing it with pictures

V isual aids are great in your PowerPoint slides, but some people take it over the top . The main PowerPoint presentation tips state that you should only use relevant visual aids per slide. Otherwise, they can crowd your slide and make it harder to understand.

Funny fonts

Fonts can be quite boring, so it makes sense for people to avoid having a plain slideshow by using interesting fonts. However, using too many fancy fonts or extremely cursive fonts that are hard to read can be detrimental to your presentation. 

Boring color schemes

As much as too colorful slides are considered bad, boring slides aren’t much better. You don’t want to disturb your audience during the presentation, so you should use more interesting colors. The main PowerPoint presentation tip and trick regarding colors is using three colors at most in your slide.

How to create a unique presentation

These are the top 12 tips for creating better PowerPoint presentations that you should follow

1. Create a color scheme

One of the top 12 tips for creating better PowerPoint presentations is to create a custom color scheme using complementary colors. It will make your work look more polished and put together.

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2. Highlight large images

If you have large enough images to fit in your slide, you can highlight them instead of placing them next to some text. This creates a cleaner slide that your audience can still understand fully.

3. Match your fonts to the topic

Fonts can tell different stories. Some are more suited to formal presentations, while you can avoid using more interesting fonts in informal situations. Make sure your fonts match and keep them readable.

4. Use audio and video files

Using a video in the middle of a slideshow is one of the PowerPoint presentation tips. Instead of just text and images, you can include audio and videos explaining your slide in a captivating way.

5. Use a unique background image

Your background image should be unique and well-thought-out. You can use any picture, but ensure it is also good enough to place text without distraction.

6. Use speech bubbles

Instead of writing out thoughts or notes, one of the 12 tips for creating better PowerPoint presentations is to use speech bubbles. They add a bit of whimsy to your slides and can be a creative method if you use them correctly.

7. Try out different styles

One of the PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks is to try out different styles until you find the one that resonates with you best. When you find your style, every other thing can fall into place.

8. Don’t follow the regular PowerPoint rules

There are preset themes and defaults on PowerPoint that tend to show up in many slides. One of the tips for a good PowerPoint presentation is to avoid them and customize your slides to your tastes.

9. Get rid of bullets

Bullets are boring and can make an otherwise beautiful slide look bland. You can try using visual charts to show your points. They look much better, and you can customize them to match your theme.

10. Include interesting touches

You can create unique slides using animations that can set your slides apart. However, you have to be careful not to go overboard with them.

11. Create a timeline to illustrate your story

Adding a timeline is one of those PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks that adds a bit of uniqueness to your slides. The timeline can show your presentation’s direction, and you can signify each step with a different icon.

12. Steer clear of the traditional slides

The last 12 tips for creating better PowerPoint presentations are to dump the traditional slide transition method. Instead, you can make an infographic, scroll vertically, or use features to improve the slides’ look.

What are the rules of a good PowerPoint presentation?

In addition to the PowerPoint presentation tips you can find, there are still some rules you have to follow when creating a presentation. These rules help you to create a great PowerPoint presentation that you can use anywhere.

• The 10/20/30 rule of PowerPoint

The 10/20/30 rule is the most popular in PowerPoint, and it states that your entire presentation should only have ten slides, last for only 20 minutes, and have a font of at least 30 minutes. An audience won’t pay too much attention to a presentation much longer than ten minutes, and thirty minutes is the smallest font you can use for the audience to read your slide. Also, the rule states that you should talk for twenty minutes regardless of your time – you can use the rest of the time for answers and discussions.

• The 5/5/5 rule

The 5/5/5 rule states your slide should have five words per line of text, no more than five lines per slide, and five text-based slides in a row so your slides don’t overwhelm your audience.

• The 2/4/8 rule

The 2/4/8 rule states that you should spend at least 2 minutes on one slide don’t use more than four bullets in the presentation and have at most eight words in each bullet.

• The 7/7 rule

The 7/7 rule states that each line of your slide should have seven words at most, and each slide should have no more than seven lines. This rule makes you less likely to put too much information into your slides.

• The billboard test

The billboard test is for checking the readability of the presentation. Your audience should be able to read your slides as easily as they can read a billboard while on the move.

What are the top presentation skills?

If you work in an office or any formal capacity, you need PowerPoint presentation tips and skills to help you deliver effective and clear presentations . Most businesses depend on presentations to thrive, so you must show that you’re a valuable organization member. Everyone needs these skills regardless of their position.

These are some of the skills you need in every stage of your presentation, from the preparatory stage to the delivery and follow-up.

What separates a good presenter from a bad one?

How to prepare yourself for a presentation.

Some PowerPoint presentation tips include having a good night’s sleep, doing some light exercise, practicing self-care, eating well, and practicing the presentation speech .

What should be the word limit on a PPT slide?

The average word limit per PPT slide should be 30 words.

What makes an effective PowerPoint presentation?

Many tips for a good PowerPoint presentation include confidence , articulation, humor, statistics, suitable slides, and an engaged audience, which are some of the bases of an effective presentation .

What are some cool Microsoft PowerPoint presentation tricks?

Some tips for a good PowerPoint presentation include putting pictures into shapes, customizing icons, editing and merging shapes, writing curved text on shapes, embedding fonts, audio and video files, flipping shapes, images, and clip art, and drawing on your slide. If you want the audience to concentrate on you, you can use the ‘B’ and ‘W’ buttons to blackout your slides or white them out.

How do I prepare myself for an online presentation

An online presentation is not that different from an in-person one, so you can use the same PowerPoint presentation tips. Additional tips include dressing appropriately, ensuring your devices and wi-fi work well, and arranging your background.

How can one sustain energy throughout a speech ?

Captivate your audience with contagious enthusiasm for your topic! Start and end strong with a captivating introduction, impactful conclusion, and clear call to action. Keep them engaged by varying your tone, emphasizing key points, and using strategic pauses. Balance steady delivery with natural pauses for clarity and engagement, and remember: your passion is the fuel for their interest!

Why is eye contact important in presentations?

Lock eyes, captivate minds! Consistent eye contact builds trust, conveys passion, and engages your audience. It’s your key to understanding their reactions, adjusting your delivery, and ensuring your message lands. This personal touch makes presentations relatable and impactful, creating a dynamic connection that resonates long after the last word.

How can I engage my audience and lead them effectively through my presentation?

Speak to, not at! Captivate your audience with relatable content, ditch the jargon, and embrace engaging elements like stories, questions, and strategic pauses. This connection, built through shared understanding and interaction, is your key to leading them on a captivating journey through your presentation.

What key factors are to consider for successful non-verbal communication during a presentation?

Look confident and sound clear! Visuals, posture, and vocal delivery are your silent partners. Smile, stand tall, make eye contact, and ditch distracting gestures. Speak at the right pace and volume, minding proximity to the mic. Remember, powerful non-verbal cues boost your message and captivate your audience.

How can I improve my presentation skills for addressing an audience effectively?

Masterful presentations start with you! Know your audience, plan your message, and embrace visuals. Craft a clear structure, rehearse with focus, and seek feedback to improve. Remember, engaging delivery and continuous learning are key to captivating your audience every time.

What are some valued gestures in the art of presentations?

Passage_1 seems to be missing some key points about valued gestures in presentations. It focuses more on general presentation skills like using statistics, building confidence , and using feedback. While these are important, gestures refer to body language and hand movements. To address the question, consider including natural and open gestures, varying hand positions to emphasize points, and maintaining appropriate posture and eye contact. These nonverbal cues play a significant role in connecting with your audience and enhancing your message.

This article’s PowerPoint presentation tips will help create the best PowerPoint presentations. Incorporating them into your presentations can drastically improve your presentation skills. Also, the 12 tips for creating better PowerPoint presentations will make you a better PowerPoint presenter. 

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5 Tips to Boost Your Presentation Skills and Wow Your Audience

• The Speaker Lab
• May 24, 2024

Table of Contents

Crafting an unforgettable presentation requires more than just compelling content. The way you deliver your message is just as important. No matter your role—CEO, entrepreneur, author, professor, coach, or consultant—honing your presentation skills is key to effectively communicating your ideas and making a memorable impact on your audience. It may not always be easy, but we’re here to help. To help you nail it every time, we’ve compiled 10 essential tips for honing your presentation skills . From knowing your audience to practicing confident body language, we have the guidance you need to give a presentation that’s effective and memorable.

5 Essential Tips for Delivering a Killer Presentation

You’ve probably sat through your fair share of presentations—some good, some not so good. The difference between an effective presentation and one that falls flat often comes down to a few key factors. If you want to improve your skills and deliver a presentation that engages your audience, here are some essential tips you need to keep in mind.

1. Understand Your Audience

Before you even start putting together your presentation, you need to take some time to understand who you’ll be speaking to. What are their needs, interests, and expectations? What level of knowledge do they have about your topic?

Tailoring your content and delivery style to your specific audience is crucial for making a real connection and delivering value. For instance, if you’re giving a presentation to a group of executives who are pressed for time, you’ll probably want to give them key takeaways upfront. By adapting your approach and leading with the most important points, you would be able to better hold your audience’s attention and make a strong impact.

2. Practice Makes Perfect

If you only go away with one tip today, then know that having the discipline to practice is an essential presentation skill. Rehearsing your talk multiple times helps you build confidence, refine your delivery, and ensure a smooth flow. Make sure to practice out loud, as if you’re in front of the actual audience. You can even record yourself and watch the video back to identify areas for improvement. It might feel awkward at first, but it can make a huge difference in your final delivery.

3. Engage with Eye Contact

Making eye contact with your audience is one of the most powerful ways to connect with them and keep them engaged. When you look people in the eye, it builds trust and shows that you’re confident in what you’re saying.

During your presentation, make a point to scan the room and make brief eye contact with individuals in different sections. It creates a sense of intimacy and makes people feel like you’re speaking directly to them. Just be sure to keep it natural and avoid staring anyone down.

4. Use Compelling Visuals

Visuals can be a game-changer when it comes to delivering an effective presentation. Well-designed slides, images, and videos help reinforce your message, break up text-heavy content, and keep your audience interested.

The key is to use visuals strategically, not just for the sake of having them. Every visual element should serve a clear purpose and enhance your overall message. And don’t forget about quality—blurry images or cluttered slides can be more distracting than helpful.

5. Tell a Story

Humans are wired to respond to stories. Integrating storytelling into your presentation is a fantastic way to make your content more engaging, memorable, and relatable.

Think about how you can structure your presentation as a narrative arc, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Use anecdotes, case studies, and examples to illustrate your points and create an emotional connection with your audience. Some of the best presentations are the ones that take the audience on a journey and leave them feeling inspired.

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Master Your Body Language for Maximum Impact

Your body language can speak volumes during a presentation, often conveying just as much as your words. Mastering non-verbal communication is key to delivering a killer presentation that commands attention and leaves a lasting impression. Below are our tips for improving this presentation skill.

Maintain Confident Posture

How you carry yourself on stage can instantly impact your perceived confidence and credibility. Stand tall, keep your shoulders back, and maintain a stable, grounded stance. Avoid slouching, fidgeting, or shifting your weight from side to side, as these habits can make you appear nervous or unsure.

In addition, make a conscious effort to take up space and own the room. It’s not about being arrogant, but about projecting self-assurance and authority. Practice power poses beforehand to get in the right headspace and boost your confidence.

Use Gestures Purposefully

Incorporating hand gestures can add emphasis, clarity, and visual interest to your presentation. However, it’s important to use them purposefully and avoid overdoing it.

What’s our tip for improving this presentation skill? Use open, expansive gestures to convey confidence and inclusivity. Pointing can be effective for directing attention or making a strong point, but use it sparingly. Avoid crossing your arms or putting your hands in your pockets, as these positions can make you seem closed off or disengaged.

Vary Your Tone and Pace

Your voice is a powerful tool for engaging your audience and keeping them interested. Vary your tone, pitch, and pacing throughout your presentation to add dynamic energy and prevent monotony.

Speak with enthusiasm and conviction, allowing your passion for the topic to shine through. Use strategic pauses for emphasis or to give the audience a moment to process a key point. Adjust your volume and speed based on the room size and acoustics.

Avoid Distracting Mannerisms

Distracting mannerisms can quickly derail an otherwise great presentation. Be aware of any nervous tics or habits you might have, such as playing with your hair, clicking a pen, or saying “um” or “like” excessively.

Practice self-awareness and work on minimizing these behaviors. It can be helpful to video record yourself and watch it back to identify any distracting mannerisms you might not realize you have. Remember, the goal is to keep the focus on your message, not your quirks.

Overcoming Stage Fright and Nerves

Even the most seasoned presenters can experience stage fright and nerves. The key is to have strategies in place to manage those feelings and deliver a confident, impactful presentation.

Prepare Thoroughly

One of the best ways to combat stage fright is to be thoroughly prepared. When you know your material inside and out, it gives you a solid foundation to fall back on, even if nerves start to creep in.

For instance, you might create a detailed outline of your presentation, including key points, transitions, and any important data or examples. Using the outline, practice delivering the content out loud multiple times until it feels natural and conversational. When it’s time to actually present, you can fall back on the outline if you feel yourself start to get nervous.

Visualize Success

Visualization is a powerful tool for boosting confidence and calming nerves. In the days leading up to your presentation, take some time to close your eyes and imagine yourself delivering your talk with ease and conviction. Picture the audience responding positively, nodding along, and applauding at the end. Envision yourself feeling calm, confident, and in control. The more vividly you can imagine a successful outcome, the more likely you are to achieve it.

Breathe Deeply

Although tips on breathing exercises might seem unrelated, they’re actually an invaluable presentation skill. Think about it. When we’re nervous, our breathing tends to become shallow and rapid. This can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and make it harder to think clearly.

Before and during your presentation, focus on taking slow, deep breaths from your diaphragm. Inhale through your nose for a count of four, hold for four, then exhale through your mouth for a count of four. This simple technique can help calm your nerves and center your mind.

Focus on Your Message

When stage fright starts to take hold, it’s easy to get caught up in worries about how you’re coming across or what the audience might be thinking. Instead, try to shift your focus to your message and the value you’re providing.

Remind yourself of why your topic matters and how it can benefit your audience. Concentrate on delivering your content with clarity, conviction, and enthusiasm. When you’re passionate about what you’re saying, it shines through and connects with your listeners.

Crafting Memorable and Engaging Content

No matter how polished your delivery is, the foundation of a killer presentation is always the content itself. Crafting a memorable and engaging message is essential for making a lasting impact on your audience.

Start Strong

The opening moments of your presentation are crucial for capturing your audience’s attention and setting the tone for what’s to come. Don’t waste this opportunity with a generic introduction or a long-winded anecdote.

Instead, start with a bang. Use a surprising statistic, a thought-provoking question, or a bold statement that immediately grabs people’s interest. Make it clear why your topic matters and what your audience stands to gain from listening to you. Practice these tips and you’ll have this presentation skill mastered in no time.

Use Examples and Anecdotes

Abstract concepts and dry data can be difficult for audiences to grasp and remember. That’s where examples and anecdotes come in. These concrete illustrations help bring your ideas to life and make them more relatable.

When crafting your presentation, always look for opportunities to weave in real-world examples, case studies, or personal stories that reinforce your key points. Not only do these elements make the content more engaging, but they also help the audience see how the information applies to their own lives and experiences.

Incorporate Humor

Injecting humor into your presentation can be a great way to break the ice, lighten the mood, and keep your audience engaged. A well-timed joke or a witty observation can make your message more memorable and help you connect with your listeners on a human level.

Of course, it’s important to use humor judiciously and appropriately. Make sure your jokes are relevant to your topic and won’t offend or alienate anyone in the audience.

End with a Call to Action

Your presentation shouldn’t just be informative—it should also be actionable. As you near the end of your talk, be sure to include a clear and compelling call to action.

What do you want your audience to do with the information you’ve shared? Is there a specific step they can take to apply your ideas or further their learning? Make it explicit and easy for them to follow through.

You can also end your presentation with a challenge or a question that encourages the audience to reflect on how they can put the content into practice. It’s a powerful way to drive home your message and ensure that your words have a lasting impact.

Handling Questions and Audience Interaction

One of the most daunting aspects of giving a presentation can be handling questions from the audience. But with the right approach, this interaction can actually be an opportunity to reinforce your message and build credibility. Below are some tips on how to improve this presentation skill and close out your speech with confidence.

Anticipate Common Questions

Before your presentation, take some time to brainstorm the questions your audience is likely to ask. Consider their background, their level of knowledge on the topic, and any potential objections or concerns they might have.

Once you have a list of anticipated questions, practice answering them out loud. This will help you feel more prepared and confident when the time comes to address them in real-time.

Listen Attentively

When an audience member asks a question, give them your full attention. Make eye contact, nod to show you’re listening, and avoid interrupting or rushing to respond. If the question is lengthy or convoluted, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. Paraphrasing the question back to the asker can also help ensure that you’ve understood it correctly and give you a moment to gather your thoughts.

Respond Concisely

When answering questions, aim to be concise and to the point. Avoid rambling or getting sidetracked by tangential information. Stick to the key facts and insights that directly address the question at hand.

If a question requires a more in-depth response than time allows, offer to follow up with the individual after the presentation. You can also direct them to additional resources or materials that provide more detail on the topic.

Redirect Off-topic Queries

Occasionally, you may receive a question that is off-topic or not directly relevant to your presentation. In these cases, it’s important to acknowledge the question while gently redirecting the conversation back to your main points.

You might say something like, “That’s an interesting question, but it’s a bit outside the scope of what we’re focusing on today. Let’s talk more about [relevant topic] and how it relates to [your key message].”

Remember, your goal is to keep the discussion focused and productive, while still making the audience feel heard and valued.

Leveraging Technology for Impactful Presentations

In today’s digital age, technology can be a powerful tool for enhancing your presentations and engaging your audience. However, knowing how to use technology isn’t always straightforward. That’s why we’re offering you some tips on how to level up this presentation skill. Below are some insights on how to use technology strategically and not let it overshadow your message.

Keep Slides Simple

When it comes to presentation slides, less is often more. Avoid cluttering your slides with too much text, busy graphics, or distracting animations. Instead, keep them clean, concise, and visually appealing.

Use a consistent color scheme and font throughout your presentation to create a cohesive look. Stick to one main idea per slide, and use bullet points or short phrases rather than full sentences.

Remember, your slides should support and enhance your message, not compete with it. They’re meant to be a visual aid , not a crutch or a substitute for your own knowledge and expertise.

Use High-Quality Images

Incorporating relevant, high-quality images into your presentation can help illustrate your points, break up text, and keep your audience engaged. But be selective about the images you choose. Avoid generic stock photos or low-resolution graphics that can make your presentation look amateurish. Instead, opt for images that are clear, compelling, and directly related to your content.

If you’re using graphs or charts to present data, make sure they’re easy to read and interpret. Use colors and labels strategically to highlight key insights and trends.

Embed Videos Strategically

Videos can be a great way to add variety and interest to your presentation. They can help illustrate complex concepts, provide real-world examples, or evoke an emotional response from your audience.

However, it’s important to use videos judiciously and strategically. Avoid relying on them too heavily or using them as a crutch for weak content. Make sure any videos you include are high-quality, relevant, and add value to your overall message.

It’s also a good idea to test your videos beforehand to ensure they play smoothly and without technical glitches. Nothing derails a presentation faster than a video that won’t load or has poor audio quality.

Ensure Smooth Transitions

Smooth transitions between slides and sections of your presentation are key to maintaining a professional and polished look. Abrupt or jarring transitions can be distracting and disrupt the flow of your message.

Practice navigating through your slides beforehand to ensure that everything flows logically and seamlessly. Use consistent transition effects throughout your presentation, but avoid overusing flashy or gimmicky animations.

It’s also a good idea to have a backup plan in case of technical difficulties. Bring a printed copy of your slides or have them saved on a USB drive in case the technology fails. The show must go on, even if your fancy transitions don’t.

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Avoiding Common Presentation Mistakes

Even the most well-crafted presentation can fall flat if you make some common mistakes. Here are a few pitfalls to avoid to ensure your message lands with maximum impact.

Over-Reliance on Notes

While it’s fine to have some notes or a general outline to guide your presentation, relying too heavily on them can be a major distraction. Reading directly from your notes or slides can make you seem unprepared or disengaged from your audience.

Instead, aim to internalize your content so that you can deliver it naturally and conversationally. Use your notes as a gentle reminder of key points, but don’t let them become a crutch. If you do need to reference your notes, try to do so subtly and sparingly. Glance down briefly, then look back up and make eye contact with your audience as you speak.

Reading Slides Verbatim

One of the biggest mistakes presenters make is simply reading their slides word-for-word. Not only is this boring for your audience, but it also makes your slides redundant. If you’re just going to read them aloud, why bother having them at all?

Your slides should be a visual aid, not a script. Use them to highlight key points, provide visual examples, or reinforce your message with data or graphics. And remember that the bulk of your content should come from your own knowledge and expertise.

If you find yourself tempted to read directly from your slides, it’s a sign that you either have too much text on them or you haven’t practiced enough to feel confident delivering the content on your own.

Rushing Through Content

When you’re nervous or pressed for time, it can be tempting to rush through your presentation at breakneck speed. However, this can leave your audience feeling overwhelmed, confused, and disconnected from your message.

Remember, your audience needs time to process and absorb the information you’re sharing. Speak at a measured pace, pausing occasionally to let key points sink in or to allow for questions.

If you find yourself running short on time, resist the urge to speed up. Instead, prioritize your most important points and cut out any extraneous information.

With a few tips, anyone can improve their presentation skills. By understanding your audience, crafting compelling content, and mastering your delivery, you’ll be well on your way to giving presentations that truly resonate.

Remember, it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being authentic, engaging, and delivering value to your audience. So take these tips, make them your own, and go out there and wow your audience. You’ve got this!

• Last Updated: May 24, 2024

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10 PowerPoint Tips and Tricks for Effective Presentations

Creating effective PowerPoint presentations frequently involves more than simply compelling slides; it also necessitates a well-organized framework that flows logically and captivates your audience. GitMind, a free online mind mapping and brainstorming tool, can substantially improve your presentation planning process. Here are some PowerPoint tips for using GitMind to take your presentations to the next level.

How to create PowerPoint

Creating an effective PowerPoint presentation involves more than just putting together a series of slides. Here are some valuable PowerPoint presentation tips to enhance your PowerPoint skills and create compelling presentations:

1. Begin with a Clear Plan – Outline Your Content: Before delving into PowerPoint, outline the main themes you want to discuss. This allows you to maintain a logical flow and guarantees that all relevant information is included. 2. Choose the Right Template – Consistent Design: Use a professional template that reflects the tone of your presentation. Color, typeface, and style consistency elevate the appearance of your presentation.

3. Use Master Slides to Maintain Consistency : Master Slides can help you ensure that your design components (such as logos, fonts, and backgrounds) remain constant throughout your presentation.

4. Keep your slides simple and focused, with one major idea or message on each slide. This allows your audience to stay engaged and absorb information more efficiently.

5. Visuals Are Key – High-Quality Images: Use high-resolution images and graphics to make your slides visually appealing. Avoid using low-quality or irrelevant images.

6. Effective Use of Charts and Graphs – Data Visualization: Use charts and graphs to present data clearly. Make sure they are easy to read and understand. Avoid cluttered charts with too much information.

7. Engaging Animations and Transitions – Subtle Animations: Use animations sparingly to highlight important points. Overusing animations can be distracting.

8. Focus on Readability – Font Choices: Use readable fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Verdana. Avoid overly decorative fonts

9. Practice Good Design Principles – White Space: Use white space effectively to avoid clutter and make your content more digestible.

10. Interactive Elements – Hyperlinks: Include hyperlinks to relevant resources or additional information. This can make your presentation interactive and engaging.

Easy Way to Create PowerPoint Presentations using GitMind

GitMind is an online mind-mapping and brainstorming tool that helps users organize and visualize their thoughts, ideas, and plans. It provides features such as flowcharts, diagrams, and a variety of templates suitable for project management, planning, note-taking, and idea generation. Although GitMind is not a presentation software, it can be efficiently used as PowerPoint tips and to create a structure for PowerPoint presentations. Moreover, with GitMind’s slide show feature, you can instantly convert your mind maps into presentation-like slides. Here are a few simple steps to achieve this:

Using GitMind in conjunction with PowerPoint can improve your presenting process from beginning to end. You may make compelling and engaging presentations by graphically organizing your ideas, strategically structuring your content, increasing visual appeal, streamlining cooperation, practicing effectively, and responding to criticism. So, the next time you’re preparing a presentation, try combining these PowerPoint tips with GitMind to improve your presentation skills.

Related posts:

• Steps to Make A Mind Map for Presentations
• List of Best Free Cloud Storage Apps in 2024

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Effective Communication Workshop

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Communication is the nexus we have with other people, it’s what helps us build healthy and stable relationships and has a lot of impact in our lives. How can we improve it? We must take into account the rule of the seven C’s: clearness, concretion, coherence, commitment, consistency, completeness and courteousness. If you plan on giving a workshop on effective communication, this template is the perfect fit. The modern design appeals to both young and old generations and the resources included will help you speak about statistics and data in a botch clear and entertaining way. Download it now and start preparing your workshop!

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Enhancing Leadership Communication Skills

Aayush Jain

Understanding the role of communication in leadership effectiveness.

Introduction: The Foundation of Effective Leadership

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful leadership. Leaders who can articulate their vision, inspire their teams, and convey information clearly are more likely to achieve their organizational goals. Understanding the critical role that communication plays in leadership effectiveness is essential for anyone aspiring to lead.

Background: Historical Perspective and Key Concepts

Throughout history, great leaders have been distinguished by their ability to communicate effectively. From Winston Churchill’s stirring wartime speeches to Steve Jobs’ product launches, effective communication has been a hallmark of influential leadership. Key concepts in leadership communication include clarity, consistency, and emotional intelligence. These elements ensure that messages are not only understood but also resonate with the audience, fostering trust and motivation.

Real-World Applications: Case Studies and Examples

Consider the case of Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, who transformed the company’s culture through transparent and empathetic business communication courses. Nadella’s leadership presentation training emphasized active listening and open dialogue, which helped to rebuild trust and drive innovation within the organization. Another example is the business communication workshops conducted by companies like Google, which focus on developing both presentation skills and executive presence among their leaders.

References and Validation

Research from the Harvard Business Review underscores the importance of communication skills in leadership, noting that 69% of managers believe that communication is their most critical skill. Furthermore, a study by the International Journal of Business Communication found that leaders who underwent executive presentation seminars reported a 25% increase in team performance and engagement. These findings validate our knowledge of the essential role of effective communication in leadership.

Developing Clear and Compelling Communication Strategies

Introduction: Crafting Effective Communication Plans

Developing clear and compelling communication strategies is vital for leaders aiming to convey their messages effectively. A well-defined strategy ensures that communication is purposeful, targeted, and impactful, helping leaders achieve their objectives and engage their audiences.

Background: Key Elements of Effective Communication Strategies

Effective communication strategies involve several key elements, including clarity, consistency, and alignment with organizational goals. Clarity ensures that messages are easy to understand, avoiding jargon and ambiguity. Consistency maintains the reliability of communication, reinforcing key messages over time. Alignment with organizational goals ensures that communication supports the broader objectives of the company, creating a cohesive narrative that resonates with stakeholders. Historically, successful leaders have leveraged these elements to craft messages that inspire and motivate their teams.

Real-World Applications: Strategy Implementation Examples

A practical example is seen in the leadership presentation training provided by Apple. The company’s communication strategy focuses on simplicity and clarity, ensuring that every message is easily understood by all stakeholders. Tim Cook’s presentations, characterized by straightforward language and clear visuals, exemplify this approach. Additionally, business communication workshops at companies like IBM help senior executives develop strategies that align with corporate goals, improving overall organizational communication. These workshops include training sessions on message development, audience analysis, and delivery techniques.

According to a report by McKinsey & Company, companies with effective communication strategies are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers. Furthermore, a survey by the Project Management Institute (PMI) found that 56% of project failures can be attributed to poor communication. These statistics highlight the critical role of strategic communication in achieving business success . Feedback from participants in executive presentation training seminars indicates significant improvements in their ability to craft and deliver compelling messages, underscoring the value of targeted communication training.

Cultivating Active Listening and Empathetic Communication Skills

Introduction: The Power of Listening and Empathy in Leadership

Active listening and empathetic communication are essential skills for effective leadership. These skills enable leaders to understand their team members' perspectives, foster a supportive environment , and build strong relationships. Cultivating these abilities is crucial for creating a culture of open communication and mutual respect within organizations.

Background: Understanding Active Listening and Empathy

Active listening involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and remembering what is being said. It goes beyond hearing words to understanding the underlying message and emotions. Empathy, on the other hand, is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Historically, leaders who exhibit strong active listening and empathy are more successful in building trust and fostering team cohesion. These skills help in identifying and addressing issues early, improving employee satisfaction and retention.

Real-World Applications: Examples of Empathetic Leadership

A notable example is Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks, who emphasized empathetic communication as a core leadership strategy. Schultz's approach included regularly visiting stores, listening to employees' concerns, and addressing their needs. This practice not only built trust but also fostered confidence and a sense of community within the company. Similarly, business communication workshops at Southwest Airlines focus on teaching leaders how to engage in active listening and demonstrate empathy, which has been instrumental in maintaining the airline's strong company culture and customer service reputation.

Research published in the "Journal of Applied Behavioral Science" indicates that leaders who practice active listening and empathy see a 40% increase in employee engagement. Furthermore, a study by the Center for Creative Leadership found that empathetic leaders are viewed as better performers by their bosses. Feedback from participants in leadership presentation training programs consistently highlights the positive impact of these skills on team dynamics and organizational success.

Providing Feedback and Coaching for Leadership Communication

Introduction: Enhancing Leadership Through Feedback and Coaching

Providing constructive feedback and effective coaching are critical components of leadership communication. These practices help leaders refine their communication skills, foster continuous improvement, and ensure that their messages resonate with their teams. Effective feedback and coaching can significantly enhance a leader’s ability to communicate clearly and inspire others.

Background: The Role of Feedback and Coaching in Leadership Development

Feedback is essential for personal and professional growth, offering insights into strengths and areas for improvement. Coaching, meanwhile, involves guiding leaders through personalized development plans to enhance their professional communication skills and capabilities. Historically, successful leaders have benefitted from mentorship and feedback, which have helped them hone their presentation skills and executive presence. Structured feedback and coaching sessions are often integral parts of advanced presentation skills training and executive presentation seminars .

Real-World Applications: Implementing Effective Feedback and Coaching

For instance, Google’s leadership development programs incorporate regular feedback and coaching sessions. Leaders receive input on their communication style, effectiveness in delivering presentations, and ability to engage their audience. These sessions often involve business communication workshops where leaders practice their skills and deliver presentations in a supportive environment, receiving real-time feedback from peers and coaches. This iterative process helps them continuously improve and adapt their communication strategies.

A study by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) found that 70% of leaders who received coaching reported improved work performance, better communication skills, and enhanced relationships with their teams. Additionally, research published in the "Harvard Business Review" highlights that leaders who regularly receive feedback are 30% more effective in their roles. Feedback from participants in leadership presentation training programs confirms that ongoing coaching and constructive feedback are crucial for developing strong communication skills.

Addressing Communication Challenges in Diverse Teams

Introduction: Navigating Diversity in Communication

Effective communication in diverse teams is critical for fostering inclusion, collaboration, and innovation. Leaders must navigate various cultural, linguistic, and interpersonal differences to ensure clear and effective communication . Addressing these challenges is essential team building and for leveraging the strengths of a diverse workforce and achieving organizational goals.

Background: Understanding the Complexity of Diversity

Diverse teams bring a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and skills , which can enhance problem-solving and creativity. However, these differences can also lead to communication barriers, misunderstandings, and conflicts. Effective leaders must be aware of these potential challenges and develop strategies to address them. This includes being culturally sensitive, adapting communication styles , and promoting an inclusive environment where all team members feel valued and heard.

Real-World Applications: Successful Strategies in Diverse Organizations

A practical example is IBM’s global leadership program, which includes training sessions on cross-cultural communication and diversity management. Leaders learn how to adapt their communication strategies to suit diverse audiences, ensuring that messages are clear and inclusive. Another example is the business communication workshops offered by multinational companies like Procter & Gamble, which focus on building communication skills that respect and leverage cultural diversity. These workshops teach leaders how to conduct effective presentations and meetings in multicultural settings, ensuring that all voices present are heard and understood.

Research from the "Journal of International Business Studies" shows that companies with effective diversity communication strategies have 35% higher performance levels. A study by McKinsey & Company found that organizations with diverse teams are 25% more likely to outperform their peers. Feedback from participants in executive presentation seminars indicates that addressing communication challenges in diverse teams significantly improves team cohesion and performance. Furthermore, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) emphasizes that diversity training and inclusive communication practices are critical for organizational success.

Communicating Vision, Values, and Goals with Authenticity

Introduction: The Essence of Authentic Leadership

Authentic communication of vision, values, and goals is a hallmark of effective leadership . When leaders communicate authentically, they build trust, inspire commitment, and align their teams with the organization’s mission. This authenticity is essential for motivating employees and driving organizational success.

Background: The Power of Authentic Communication

Authentic communication involves being genuine, transparent, and consistent. It requires leaders to clearly articulate their vision, embody the organization's values, and set achievable goals. Historical examples, such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, demonstrate how authentic communication can mobilize and inspire. In a business context, leaders who communicate authentically are seen as more trustworthy and credible, which enhances their ability to influence and lead effectively .

Real-World Applications: Examples of Authentic Leadership

A notable example is Patagonia’s CEO, Yvon Chouinard, who communicates the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability with remarkable authenticity. Chouinard’s transparent communication about the company’s values and goals has built a strong brand and loyal customer base. Similarly, business communication workshops at Tesla focus on helping leaders communicate the company's vision for innovation and sustainability authentically. These workshops emphasize the importance of aligning personal and organizational values in business development and leadership presentation training, ensuring that leaders can inspire and engage their teams effectively.

According to a study by Gallup, organizations with leaders who communicate authentically see 21% higher profitability and 17% higher productivity. Research published in the "Journal of Business Ethics" highlights that authentic communication positively impacts employee engagement and organizational commitment. Feedback from participants in executive presentation seminars confirms that learning to communicate vision, values, and goals with authenticity significantly enhances their leadership effectiveness.

Navigating Difficult Conversations and Conflict Resolution

Introduction: The Necessity of Addressing Conflict

Navigating difficult conversations and resolving conflicts are essential skills for effective leadership. Leaders must be adept at managing disagreements and addressing issues constructively to maintain a positive work environment and ensure team cohesion. Mastering these skills helps leaders prevent conflicts from escalating and fosters a culture of open communication.

Background: Understanding Conflict Dynamics

Conflict is a natural part of any workplace and can arise from differences in opinions, values, or interests. Effective conflict resolution involves recognizing the root causes of conflicts, understanding different perspectives, and facilitating a resolution that satisfies all parties involved. Historically, leaders who are skilled in conflict resolution have been able to transform potential issues into opportunities for growth and improvement. Training sessions and executive presentation seminars often emphasize the importance of maintaining calm, listening actively, and using clear, assertive communication during conflicts.

Real-World Applications: Techniques and Strategies

One effective approach is seen at Netflix, where the company’s leadership is trained to handle conflicts through open, honest, and direct communication. Leaders are encouraged to address issues promptly and transparently, ensuring that all team members feel heard and valued. Another example is the business communication workshops at Intel, which include role-playing exercises that simulate difficult conversations and conflict scenarios. These workshops help leaders practice and refine their conflict resolution skills in a safe, supportive environment.

According to the American Management Association, leaders who receive conflict resolution training see a 30% improvement in team performance and satisfaction. A study published in the "Harvard Business Review" found that companies with effective conflict management practices report 50% less employee turnover. Feedback from participants in leadership presentation training programs indicates that learning to navigate difficult conversations and resolve conflicts has a significant positive impact on their leadership effectiveness and team dynamics.

Building Trust and Rapport Through Transparent Communication

Introduction: The Importance of Transparency

Building trust and rapport through transparent communication is crucial for effective leadership. Transparency fosters an environment of openness and honesty, which is essential for cultivating strong relationships within a team. Leaders who communicate transparently can build trust more effectively, leading to higher employee engagement and loyalty.

Background: The Role of Transparency in Leadership

Transparent communication involves being open about decision-making processes, sharing important information, and being honest about challenges and failures. Historically, leaders who prioritize transparency have been more successful in gaining the trust of their teams and creating a positive organizational culture. Transparency reduces uncertainty, prevents misinformation, and promotes a culture of accountability and mutual respect.

Real-World Applications: Transparency in Practice

An example of transparent communication can be seen at Buffer, a social media management company known for its radical transparency policy. Buffer openly shares information about company finances, salaries, and decision-making processes with all employees. This approach has built a strong sense of trust and alignment within the company. Similarly, business communication workshops at Zappos focus on teaching leaders how to communicate openly and honestly, fostering an environment where employees feel valued and trusted. These workshops emphasize the importance of transparency in leadership presentation training and its impact on building a cohesive and motivated team.

Research from the Edelman Trust Barometer indicates that employees are more likely to trust leaders who communicate transparently, with 67% of respondents citing transparency as a key factor in trust. A study published in the "Journal of Business Communication" found that organizations with transparent communication practices report 30% higher employee retention rates. Feedback from participants in executive presentation seminars confirms that transparent communication significantly enhances trust and rapport within teams, improving overall organizational performance.

Leveraging Communication for Change Management and Transformation

Introduction: The Role of Communication in Change Management

Effective communication is a critical component of successful change management and organizational transformation. Leaders must be able to clearly articulate the vision, reasons for change, and the benefits it will bring. This helps to align the organization, reduce resistance, and foster a culture of adaptability.

Background: Communication Strategies for Change

Change management involves guiding an organization through transitions, whether they are strategic shifts, technological upgrades, or cultural changes. Key communication strategies include providing consistent and transparent updates, engaging stakeholders at all levels, and addressing concerns promptly. Historically, organizations that have successfully navigated change have done so by maintaining open lines of communication and actively involving employees in the process. Training sessions and leadership presentation training often focus on these aspects to equip leaders with the necessary skills.

Real-World Applications: Successful Change Communication

A notable example is Microsoft under Satya Nadella’s leadership. Nadella’s communication strategy during Microsoft’s cultural and strategic transformation emphasized empathy, inclusivity, and transparency. Regular town hall meetings, clear communication of the company’s vision, and active engagement with employees helped to foster a culture of innovation and resilience. Similarly, business communication workshops at General Electric focus on preparing leaders to handle change initiatives effectively by enhancing their communication skills, tools and strategies.

According to a report by McKinsey & Company, companies that communicate effectively during change management are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers. Research from Prosci’s Change Management Institute indicates that 70% of successful change initiatives cite effective communication as a key factor. Feedback from participants in executive presentation seminars highlights the importance of clear and consistent communication in driving successful change initiatives and achieving organizational goals.

Sustaining Effective Communication Practices for Long-Term Leadership Success

Introduction: The Need for Ongoing Communication Excellence

Sustaining effective communication practices is essential for long-term leadership success. Consistent and continuous improvement in communication ensures that leaders can adapt to changing circumstances, maintain trust, and inspire their teams over the long haul. It is crucial for leaders to embed effective communication into their daily practices and organizational culture.

Background: The Elements of Sustained Communication

Sustained communication practices involve a commitment to regular, clear, and transparent interactions with team members and stakeholders. This includes ongoing training, regular feedback sessions, and the use of various communication channels to ensure that messages are received and understood. Historically, successful leaders have recognized the importance of evolving their communication strategies to meet new challenges and opportunities. Advanced presentation skills training and business communication workshops often emphasize the need for continuous learning and adaptation in communication.

Real-World Applications: Continuous Improvement Programs

For example, at Amazon, Jeff Bezos has implemented a culture of frequent and open communication. Regular "all-hands" meetings, detailed memos, peer presentations, and an emphasis on written communication help maintain clarity and alignment across the company. Additionally, Google’s leadership development programs include continuous training sessions and feedback mechanisms to ensure that leaders constantly refine their communication skills. These programs often involve executive presentation seminars and workshops that focus on long-term communication strategies and adaptability.

Research by the Corporate Leadership Council highlights that organizations with sustained communication practices see a 47% increase in employee engagement. A study published in the "Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies" found that continuous communication training leads to a 25% improvement in leadership effectiveness. Feedback from participants in leadership presentation training programs indicates that ongoing communication development significantly enhances their ability to lead effectively over time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to structure an executive presentation.

An executive presentation should be structured with a clear introduction, a concise main body that includes key points and supporting data, and a strong conclusion. Start with an overview, followed by detailed insights, and of course end with actionable takeaways.

How to make PPT for executives?

To create a PowerPoint for executives, focus on clarity and brevity in person one. Use high-quality visuals, limit text on slides, and ensure each slide conveys a single, clear message. Include relevant data and insights, and practice delivering the presentation confidently.

What does an executive level presentation look like?

An executive-level presentation is typically concise, data-driven, and visually engaging. It highlights key insights and strategic recommendations, uses professional design elements, and is tailored to the audience’s interests and needs.

What is executive presentation development?

Executive presentation development involves creating high-impact presentations for senior leaders. It includes crafting compelling narratives, using data visualization designing professional slides, and practicing delivery to ensure clarity, engagement, and persuasion.

What are the 5 C's of business communication?

The 5 C's of business communication are Clear, Concise, Correct, Courteous, and Complete. These principles ensure that messages are easily understood, free of errors, respectful, and provide all necessary information.

What are the 7 C's of business communication?

The 7 C's of business communication are Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete, and Courteous. These guidelines help in crafting effective and professional communication.

What is business communication workshop?

A business communication workshop is a training session designed to enhance participants' communication skills. It covers various aspects such as presentation skills, public speaking, interpersonal communication, and effective business writing and techniques.

What are the 4 C's of business communication?

The 4 C's of business communication are Clear, Concise, Correct, and Complete. These core business intelligence principles help in delivering effective and efficient communication within a business context.

How to handle difficult conversations as a leader?

To handle difficult conversations, prepare thoroughly, stay calm and composed, listen actively, and address the person with issues directly yet empathetically. Focus on solutions and maintaining a respectful and constructive dialogue.

What are the best practices for maintaining transparent communication?

Best practices include regular updates, honesty about challenges, openness to feedback and ideas, and ensuring that communication flows in all directions. Use multiple channels to reach all stakeholders and maintain consistency in messaging.

Discover how we can create magic in your communication

Integrating Presentation Skills into Business Education

Recognizing the Importance of Presentation Skills in Business Education Introduction: The Essential Role of Presentation Skills Presentation skills are a fundamental component of business education. They enable students to effectively communicate ideas, influence decision-makers, and present themselves as confident professionals. Recognizing the importance of these skills is crucial for preparing

Designing Custom Training for B-Schools

Understanding the Unique Needs and Objectives of Business Schools Introduction: Tailoring Training to B-School Dynamics Business schools (B-Schools) have distinctive educational objectives and needs that differ significantly from other academic environments. Understanding these unique aspects is crucial for designing effective custom training programs that enhance both instructor teaching quality and

Customized Workshops to Enhance Business Communication

Assessing Organizational Communication Challenges and Goals Introduction: Identifying Communication Barriers and Objectives Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful organization. The initial step in enhancing business communication through customized workshops involves a thorough assessment of existing communication challenges and defining clear, actionable goals. This process helps in pinpointing specific

• Open access
• Published: 21 May 2024

Effectively teaching cultural competence in a pre-professional healthcare curriculum

• Karen R. Bottenfield 1 ,
• Maura A. Kelley 2 ,
• Shelby Ferebee 3 ,
• Andrew N. Best 1 ,
• David Flynn 2 &
• Theresa A. Davies 1 , 2  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  553 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

208 Accesses

Metrics details

There has been research documenting the rising numbers of racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. With this rise, there is increasing concern over the health disparities that often affect these populations. Attention has turned to how clinicians can improve health outcomes and how the need exists to educate healthcare professionals on the practice of cultural competence. Here we present one successful approach for teaching cultural competence in the healthcare curriculum with the development of an educational session on cultural competence consisting of case-based, role-play exercises, class group discussions, online discussion boards, and a lecture PowerPoint presentation.

Cultural competence sessions were delivered in a pre-dental master’s program to 178 students between 2017 and 2020. From 2017 to 2019, the sessions were implemented as in-person, case-based, role-play exercises. In 2020, due to in-person limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, students were asked to read the role-play cases and provide a reflection response using the online Blackboard Learn discussion board platform. Evaluation of each session was performed using post-session survey data.

Self-reported results from 2017 to 2020 revealed that the role-play exercises improved participant’s understanding of components of cultural competence such as communication in patient encounters (95%), building rapport with patients (94%), improving patient interview skills (95%), and recognition of students own cultural biases when working with patients (93%).

Conclusions

Students were able to expand their cultural awareness and humility after completion of both iterations of the course session from 2017 to 2019 and 2020. This session can be an effective method for training healthcare professionals on cultural competence.

Peer Review reports

It is projected that by the year 2050, racial and ethnic minority groups will make up over 50% of the United States population [ 1 ]. With a more multicultural society, growing concern has emerged over how to address the health disparities that effect these populations and the ways in which healthcare professionals can increase positive health outcomes. Continuing evidence suggests that many patients from racial and ethnic minority groups are not satisfied with the current state of healthcare which has been attributed to implicit bias on the part of physicians and current challenges faced by practitioners who feel underprepared to address these issues due to differences in language, financial status, and healthcare practice [ 2 , 3 , 4 ].

To contend with health disparities and the challenges faced by practitioners working with a more diverse population, healthcare educators have begun to emphasize the importance of educating healthcare workforce on the practice of cultural competence and developing a skilled-based set of behaviors, attitudes and policies that effectively provides care in the wake of cross-cultural situations and differences [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. There are several curricular mandates from both medical and dental accreditation bodies to address this issue [ 7 , 8 , 9 ], and large amounts of resources, ideas, and frameworks that exist for implementing and training future and current healthcare providers on the inadequacies of the healthcare system and cultural competence [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. These current institutional guidelines for accreditation and the numerous amounts of resources for training cultural competence, continue to evolve with work documenting the need for blended curriculum that is continuous throughout student education, starting early as we have done here with pre-dental students, including in-person didactic or online sessions, a service learning component, community engagement and a reflective component [ 4 , 5 , 13 , 14 ].

This study investigates teaching cultural competence in a healthcare curriculum. We hypothesized that early educational exposure to cultural competence through role playing case studies, can serve as an effective mechanism for training early pre-doctoral students the practice of cultural competence. Utilizing student self-reported survey data conducted in a predental master’s curriculum, in which two iterations of role-playing case studies were used to teach components of cultural competence, this study aims to evaluate and support research that suggests role-playing case studies as effective means for educating future clinical professionals on the practice of cultural competence.

This study was determined to be exempt by the Institutional Review Board of Boston University Medical Campus, Protocol # H-37,232. Informed consent was received from all subjects.

Data collection

The role-playing, case-based simulated patient encounter exercises were developed and administered at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine to predental students in the Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences Program (see Table  1 ). From 2017 to 2020, we administered patient encounter cases [see Additional File 1 ] to students ( n  = 178) in the program as a portion of a case-based, role-playing exercise to teach the importance of cultural competence and cultural awareness during patient encounters. During years 2017–2019, real actors portrayed the patient and physician. In 2020, the session was conducted online via a discussion board through a Blackboard Course Site. The original case was published as part of a master’s students thesis work in 2021 [ 15 ].

Description of patient encounter cases 1 and 2

Patient Encounter Case 1 [see Additional file 1 ] is composed of two subsections, scenario 1 A and scenario 1B, and is centered around a patient/physician interaction in which a patient who is pregnant presents with pain upon urination. The physician in 1 A is short and terse with the patient, immediately looking at a urine sample, prescribing medication for a urinary tract infection, and telling the patient to return for a follow-up in 2 weeks. In scenario 1B, a similar situation ensues; however, in this scenario the physician takes more time with the patient providing similar care as the physician in 1 A, but asking for more information about the patients personal and medical history. At the conclusion of the scenario, the patient is offered resources for an obstetrician and a dentist based on the information that is provided about the patient’s background. The patient is then sent on their way and asked to follow-up in 2 weeks. The patient does not return.

Patient Encounter Case 2 [see Additional file 1 ] follows a similar format to the Patient Encounter Case 1. In scenario 2 A, the same patient from Case 1 returns with tooth pain after giving birth. The physician in 2 A, like 1 A, is short with the patient and quickly refers the patient to a dentist. In 2B, the physician again takes more time with the patient to receive background information on the patient, make a connection, and provides an antibiotic and dental referral.

Each Patient Encounter Case explored topics such as the importance of building a trusting physician/patient relationship, the importance of asking a patient for patient history, making a connection, and the importance of a physician taking all facets of a patient’s circumstances into consideration [ 15 ].

Session outline

The sessions conducted between 2017 and 2019 were composed of three parts: (1) enactment of an abridged patient encounter facilitated by session administrators, (2) group discussion and reflection during which time students were asked to critically reflect and discuss the theme and key take-aways from the role play exercise, and (3) a PowerPoint presentation emphasizing take-away points from the role-play exercise. At the conclusion of the cultural competence training sessions, students participated in a post-session Qualtrics generated survey administered electronically to assess each student’s feelings about the session [see Additional file 3 ].

Role-play enactment

Facilitators dressed-up in clothing to mimic both the physician and patient for all case scenarios in Patient Encounter Case 1 and Case 2. At the conclusion of the role play portion of each of the cases, the facilitators paused to lead students in a real-time class group discussion. After Case 1, students were asked questions such as: What did you think ? Were the patient’s needs met? Did you expect the patient to return? Following Case 2, similar questions were asked by the facilitators, including: What did you think ? Were the patient’s needs met? Did you expect the patient to accept help?

At the conclusion of this portion of the session, the facilitators led a larger general discussion about both cases and how they related to one another. Finally, the course session concluded with a PowerPoint presentation that reinforced the take-home points from the session [see Additional file 2 ] [ 15 ].

Change in session modality due to COVID-19 pandemic

In Fall 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course modality moved to an online platform and consisted of three parts on a Blackboard Discussion Board (Blackboard, Inc.). Students were required to: (1) read each of the Patient Encounter Cases and add a brief reflection comparing the scenarios, (2) then comment on at least two peer’s posts in the discussion forum and (3) attend class to hear a PowerPoint presentation by a course session facilitator on the key take-aways from each scenario [ 15 ].

Student surveys

At the conclusion of the cultural competence training sessions, students participated in a post-session Qualtrics ( https://www.qualtrics.com ) generated survey administered electronically to assess each student’s feelings about the sessions [see Additional file 3 ]. The format of the survey included 5 questions with the following Likert scale response options: strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree. These post-session surveys were not required but rather optional [ 15 ].

A total of 178 students completed the cultural competence sessions between 2017 and 2020. Of these participants, 112 voluntarily completed a post-session survey on the effectiveness of the course in teaching cultural competence and cultural awareness during patient encounters. Between 2017 and 2019, 99 students completed post-session surveys following sessions with role play exercises. In 2020, 13 students completed post-session surveys following discussion board sessions.

Role-play exercises enhanced cultural competence

In responding to post-session survey questions following cultural competence sessions that included role-play exercises (2017–2019), 71% of students surveyed strongly agreed and 24% agreed that the role-play exercises helped them to identify the importance of communication in patient encounters. In asking participants if the role-play exercises made them more aware of different strategies to improve their patient interview skills, 72% strongly agreed and 23% agreed. Also, 68% of the students strongly agreed and 26% agreed that the exercises helped them to better identify the importance of building rapport and trust during patient encounters. When asked if the exercises helped the students to better understand their own bias and/or cultural awareness when working with patients, the results of the survey showed that 62% of students strongly agreed and 31% agreed with this statement. In addition, most students found the role-play exercises to be enjoyable (72% strongly agreed and 22% agreed). See results shown in Fig.  1 .

Cultural Competence Session Survey Data from the Year 2017–2019. Survey data from students at Boston University’s Oral Health Sciences Program for the years 2017–2019. Data is presented as percent of respondents ( n  = 99)

Discussion boards and reflections enhanced cultural competence

Cultural competence sessions held during 2020 did not include role-play exercises due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, students participated in discussion boards and reflections on Blackboard. In response to the post-session survey question asking if the discussion board exercises were helpful in identifying the importance of communication during patient encounters, 67% of students strongly agreed and 25% agreed with this statement. Also, 75% of students strongly agreed and 17% agreed that the discussion board exercises helped them identify the importance of building rapport and trust during patient contact. When asked if the exercises helped the students to better understand their own bias and/or cultural awareness when working with patients, the results of the survey showed that 67% of students strongly agreed and 25% agreed with this statement. In addition, most students found the discussion board exercises to be enjoyable (67% strongly agreed and 22% agreed). See results shown in Fig.  2 .

Cultural competence session survey data from the Year 2020. Survey data from students at Boston University’s Oral Health Sciences Program for the year 2020. Data is presented as percent of respondents ( n  = 13)

Student responses to the reflection portion of the online cultural competency sessions were recorded and categorized. Five themes were selected and 441 reflection responses were coded using NVivo (Version 12). The results showed that 29% of reflections demonstrated student’s ability to understand a holistic approach to clinical care, 24.3% understood the importance of collecting a patient history, 6.8% recognized the socioeconomic factors during a patient encounter, 27.9% reflected on the importance of the patient clinical relationship, and 12% on the effects on improving health outcomes (Table  1 ). Representative student responses to these themes are shown in Table  1 .

There exists a need to develop novel and effective means for teaching and training the next generation of healthcare professionals the practice of cultural competence. Thus, two iterations of a course session using case-based patient centered encounters were developed to teach these skills to pre-professional dentals students. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that participation in the course, subsequent group discussion sessions, and take-away PowerPoint sessions significantly improved the participant’s understanding of the importance of communication skills and understanding of socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural disparities that can affect a patient’s health outcome.

According to results from the course session implemented in-person from 2017 to 2019, the role-playing exercise significantly improved participants understanding of important components that can be used to improve health outcomes that may be affected due to health disparities. Students were strongly able to identify the importance of communication in patient encounters, to understand strategies such as communication and compassionate care in patient encounters, identify the importance of building a patient-physician relationship with patients, and were able to recognize their own cultural biases. Similarly, in 2020, even with a change in course modality to on-line learning due to COVID-19, students were able to understand the same key take-aways from the course session as demonstrated by reflections using the discussion board regarding the need for a holistic approach to care, importance of the patient clinician relationship, and importance of taking a patient history. Despite promising implications of both iterations of the session, students completing the session online did not find the same success in “understanding my own bias/and or cultural awareness when working with patients.” This decrease may be attributed to change in course modality and the strengths of the role-play enactment of the patient encounter. It is important to recognize that additional learning components, including video recordings of the role-play enactment, may be necessary if the discussion board is used as the primary learning method in the future.

In contrast to previous studies that attempted to determine the effectiveness of cultural competence training methods, this session had many unique characteristics. The simulated role-playing exercise enabled student participants to see first-hand an interactive patient scenario that could be used as an example for when students begin working with patients or communicating with patients who are culturally diverse. Additionally, the nature of the cases created for the course session which were divided into a part A in which the patient physician was more straightforward when diagnosing and treating the patient and a part B with a more comprehensive and nurturing approach to care, allowed the students to compare the scenarios and make their own assumptions and comments on the effectiveness of each portion of the case. Another strength of this training, was the faculty with cultural competence training were uniquely involved in case creation and facilitation of the course session. According to previous studies with similar aims, it was noted that direct observation and feedback from a faculty member who had cultural competence training and direct contact with patients can provide students with a more memorable and useful experience when educating students [ 12 ]. The facilitators of this session were able to emphasize from their own personal experiences how to work with culturally diverse populations.

An important aspect of the 2020 iteration of the course session in which a discussion board format was used, was that it allowed students who may feel uncomfortable with sharing their thoughts on a case and their own biases, the opportunity to share in a space that may feel safer than in person [ 4 ]. Previous studies have mentioned challenges with online discussion boards [ 4 ] but here we had robust participation, albeit required. Students often contributed more than the required number of comments and they were often lengthy and engaging when responding to peers. Finally, in contrast to previous studies, this course session took place in a pre-professional master’s program, the M.S. in Oral Health Sciences Program at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. This program, in which students are given the opportunity to enhance their credentials for professional school, provided students with early exposure to cultural competence training. Students that completed this session in their early pre-professional curriculum should be better prepared than peers who did not receive any cultural competence training until they entered their designated professional school. This session is part of an Evidence Based Dentistry course, which incorporates a larger component of personal reflection that serves to engage students in critical thinking as they begin to develop the skills to be future clinicians. Students that understand different cultures, society and themselves through self-assessments will grow and be best suited in time to treat future patients [ 4 , 16 , 17 ].

One limitation of the present study was the number of survey participants that competed the post-session surveys, as survey completion was not required. Thus, the number of student participants declined over the years, reaching its lowest number of participants in 2020 when the discussion board course session was implemented, and students may have been over surveyed due to the pandemic. Another limitation to this study, was the lack of both a pre and post survey that could be used to determine how student’s understanding of cultural competence had evolved from their entry into the course to the conclusion of the course as well as individual bias and self-reporting measures.

In the future, the course should implement both a role-playing format and subsequent discussion board reflections within the same course session. Studies have shown that alternatives ways of drawing students to reflect whether role play, personal narratives, etc. can be extremely advantageous in developing personal reflection and awareness building competency [ 4 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. It is noted that role-playing exercises that allow students to provide feedback with student colleagues can provide students with more insight into their own behaviors. It has also been shown in previous studies that student writing and reflection activities can also facilitate student’s reflections on their own beliefs and biases [ 4 , 11 ]. Reflective writing skills are an important and effective means for students to continue to gauge their cultural competence throughout the remainder of their academic training and as future clinicians [ 4 , 17 , 19 ]. Further, students may experience emotional responses through the process of reflective writing as they recognize personal bias or stereotypes, creating a profound and impactful response resulting in enhanced understanding of cultural differences and beliefs [ 4 ]. By combining both learning techniques, students would be able to understand their own bias and their classmates and create a dialogue that could be more beneficial than just one learning method alone. Furthermore, by implementing the discussion board into the role-playing session, as stated previously, students that are more cautious about sharing their point of view or about their own implicit bias in a traditional classroom setting would be able to express their opinions and facilitate a more comprehensive discussion more thoroughly.

Here we show an effective means to utilize role-play of a multi-scenario case-based patient encounter to teach pre-professional healthcare student’s components of cultural competence, emphasizing the importance of provider-patient interactions, holistic patient care, and patient history and socioeconomic factors in provider care. This study contributes to the larger body of work that seeks to address this important aspect of education as it relates to enhancing patient health care outcomes.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine’s Graduate Medical Science students and study participants.

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Contributions

TAD designed the original study concept, taught the classes (roleplay), conducted the surveys, and collected data; MAK designed the original case and PowerPoint, and performed roleplay; DBF and SF evaluated data and drafted original figures; ANB assisted in drafting the manuscript; KRB finalized figures and the manuscript.

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Bottenfield, K.R., Kelley, M.A., Ferebee, S. et al. Effectively teaching cultural competence in a pre-professional healthcare curriculum. BMC Med Educ 24 , 553 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05507-x

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Received : 27 October 2023

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05507-x

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