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How to give a good presentation that captivates any audience
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What are the main difficulties when giving presentations?
How to create an effective presentation, after that, how do i give a memorable presentation, how to connect with the audience when presenting.
If you’ve ever heard someone give a powerful presentation, you probably remember how it made you feel. Much like a composer, a good speaker knows precisely when each note should strike to captivate their audience’s attention and leave them with a lasting impression.
No one becomes a great public speaker or presenter without practice. And almost everyone can recall a time one of their presentations went badly — that’s a painful part of the learning process.
Whether you’re working within a small creative team or a large organization, public speaking and presentation skills are vital to communicating your ideas. Knowing how to present your vision can help you pitch concepts to clients, present ideas to your team, and develop the confidence to participate in team meetings.
If you have an upcoming presentation on the horizon and feel nervous, that’s normal. Around 15-30% of the general population experience a fear of public speaking . And, unfortunately, social anxiety is on the rise, with a 12% increase in adults over the last 20 years .
Learning how to give a good presentation can dismantle your fears and break down these barriers, ensuring you’re ready to confidently share your point of view.
It’s the week before your presentation, and you’re already feeling nervous . Maybe there’ll be an important mentor in the room you need to impress, or you’re looking for an opportunity to show your boss your value. Regardless of your countless past presentations, you still feel nervous.
Sharing your vision and ideas with any sized group is intimidating. You’re likely worrying about how you’ll perform as a presenter and whether the audience will be interested in what you offer. But nerves aren’t inherently negative — you can actually use this feeling to fuel your preparation.
![giving great presentations businesswoman-speaking-from-a-podium-to-an-audience-in-a-conference-room-how-to-give-a-good-presentation](https://www.betterup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/businesswoman%20speaking%20from%20a%20podiium%20to%20an%20audience%20in%20a%20conference%20room.jpg?width=800&name=businesswoman%20speaking%20from%20a%20podiium%20to%20an%20audience%20in%20a%20conference%20room.jpg)
It’s helpful to identify where your worries are coming from and address your fears. Here are some common concerns when preparing for an upcoming presentation:
Fear of public speaking: When you share your ideas in front of a group, you’re placing yourself in a vulnerable position to be critiqued on your knowledge and communication skills . Maybe you feel confident in your content, but when you think about standing in front of an audience, you feel anxious and your mind goes blank.
It’s also not uncommon to have physical symptoms when presenting . Some people experience nausea and dizziness as the brain releases adrenaline to cope with the potentially stressful situation . Remember to take deep breaths to recenter yourself and be patient, even if you make a mistake.
Losing the audience’s attention: As a presenter, your main focus is to keep your audience engaged. They should feel like they’re learning valuable information or following a story that will improve them in life or business.
Highlight the most exciting pieces of knowledge and ensure you emphasize those points in your presentation. If you feel passionate about your content, it’s more likely that your audience will experience this excitement for themselves and become invested in what you have to say.
Not knowing what content to place on presentation slides: Overloading presentation slides is a fast way to lose your audience’s attention. Your slides should contain only the main talking points and limited text to ensure your audience focuses on what you have to say rather than becoming distracted by the content on your slides.
Discomfort incorporating nonverbal communication: It’s natural to feel stiff and frozen when you’re nervous. But maintaining effective body language helps your audience stay focused on you as you speak and encourages you to relax.
If you struggle to incorporate body language into your presentations, try starting small by making hand gestures toward your slides. If you’re working with a large audience, use different parts of the stage to ensure everyone feels included.
Each presenter has their own personal brand and style. Some may use humor to break the ice, while others might appeal to the audience’s emotional side through inspiring storytelling.
Watching online presentations, such as TED talks, is an excellent way to expose yourself to various presentation styles and develop your own. While observing others, you can note how they carry themselves on stage and learn new ways to keep your audience engaged.
Once you’ve addressed what’s causing your fears, it’s time to prepare for a great presentation. Use your past experience as inspiration and aim to outshine your former self by learning from your mistakes and employing new techniques. Here are five presentation tips to help you create a strong presentation and wow your audience:
1. Keep it simple
Simple means something different to everyone.
Before creating your presentation, take note of your intended audience and their knowledge level of your subject. You’ll want your content to be easy for your intended audience to follow.
Say you’re giving a presentation on improving your company’s operational structure. Entry-level workers will likely need a more straightforward overview of the content than C-suite leaders, who have significantly more experience.
Ask yourself what you want your audience to take away from your presentation and emphasize those important points. Doing this ensures they remember the most vital information rather than less important supporting ideas. Try organizing these concepts into bullet points so viewers can quickly identify critical takeaways.
2. Create a compelling structure
Put yourself in your audience member’s shoes and determine the most compelling way to organize your information. Your presentation should be articulate , cohesive, and logical, and you must be sure to include all necessary supporting evidence to strengthen your main points.
If you give away all of your answers too quickly, your audience could lose interest. And if there isn’t enough supporting information, they could hit a roadblock of confusion. Try developing a compelling story that leads your audience through your thought processes so they can experience the ups and downs alongside you.
By structuring your presentation to lead up to a final conclusion, you’re more likely to keep listeners’ attention. Once you’ve reached that conclusion, you can offer a Q&A period to put any of their questions or concerns to rest.
3. Use visual aids
Appealing to various learning styles is a great way to keep everyone on the same page and ensure they absorb your content. Visual aids are necessary for visual learners and make it easier for people to picture your ideas.
Aim to incorporate a mixture of photos, videos, and props to engage your audience and convey your key points. For instance, if you’re giving a presentation on anthropology subject matter, you could show your audience an artifact to help them understand how exciting a discovery must have been.
If your presentation is long, including a video for your audience to watch is an excellent way to give yourself a break and create new jumping-off points for your speech.
4. Be aware of design techniques and trends
Thanks to cutting-edge technology and tools, you have numerous platforms at your disposal to create a good presentation. But keep in mind that although color, images, and graphics liven things up, they can cause distraction when misused.
Here are a few standard pointers for incorporating visuals on your slides:
- Don’t place blocks of small text on a single slide
- Use a minimalistic background instead of a busy one
- Ensure text stands out against the background color
- Only use high-resolution photos
- Maintain a consistent font style and size throughout the presentation
- Don’t overuse transitions and effects
5. Try the 10-20-30 rule
Guy Kawasaki, a prominent venture capitalist and one of the original marketing specialists for Apple, said that the best slideshow presentations are less than 10 slides , last at most 20 minutes, and use a font size of 30. Following this strategy can help you condense your information, eliminate unnecessary ideas, and maintain your audience’s focus more efficiently.
Once you’re confident in creating a memorable presentation, it’s time to learn how to give one. Here are some valuable tips for keeping your audience invested during your talk:
Tip #1: Tell stories
Sharing an anecdote from your life can improve your credibility and increase your relatability. And when an audience relates to you, they’re more likely to feel connected to who you are as a person and encouraged to give you their full attention, as they would want others to do the same.
Gill Hicks utilized this strategy well when she shared her powerful story, “ I survived a terrorist attack. Here’s what I learned .” In her harrowing tale, Hicks highlights the importance of compassion, unconditional love , and helping those in need.
If you feel uncomfortable sharing personal stories, that’s okay. You can use examples from famous individuals or create a fictional account to demonstrate your ideas.
Tip #2: Make eye contact with the audience
Maintaining eye contact is less intimidating than it sounds. In fact, you don’t have to look your audience members directly in their eyes — you can focus on their foreheads or noses if that’s easier.
Try making eye contact with as many people as possible for 3–5 seconds each. This timing ensures you don’t look away too quickly, making the audience member feel unimportant, or linger too long, making them feel uncomfortable.
If you’re presenting to a large group, direct your focus to each part of the room to ensure no section of the audience feels ignored.
![giving great presentations Group-of-a-business-people-having-meeting-in-a-conference-room-how-to-give-a-good-presentation](https://www.betterup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20of%20a%20business%20people%20having%20meeting%20in%20a%20conference%20room.jpg?width=800&name=Group%20of%20a%20business%20people%20having%20meeting%20in%20a%20conference%20room.jpg)
Tip #3: Work on your stage presence
Although your tone and words are the most impactful part of your presentation, recall that body language keeps your audience engaged. Use these tips to master a professional stage presence:
- Speak with open arms and avoid crossing them
- Keep a reasonable pace and try not to stand still
- Use hand gestures to highlight important information
Tip #4: Start strong
Like watching a movie trailer, the first seconds of your talk are critical for capturing your audience’s attention. How you start your speech sets the tone for the rest of your presentation and tells your audience whether or not they should pay attention. Here are some ways to start your presentation to leave a lasting impression:
- Use a quote from a well-known and likable influential person
- Ask a rhetorical question to create intrigue
- Start with an anecdote to add context to your talk
- Spark your audience’s curiosity by involving them in an interactive problem-solving puzzle or riddle
Tip #5: Show your passion
Don’t be afraid of being too enthusiastic. Everyone appreciates a speaker who’s genuinely excited about their field of expertise.
In “ Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance ,” Angela Lee Duckworth discusses the importance of passion in research and delivery. She delivers her presentation excitedly to show the audience how excitement piques interest.
Tip #6: Plan your delivery
How you decide to deliver your speech will shape your presentation. Will you be preparing a PowerPoint presentation and using a teleprompter? Or are you working within the constraints of the digital world and presenting over Zoom?
The best presentations are conducted by speakers who know their stuff and memorize their content. However, if you find this challenging, try creating notes to use as a safety net in case you lose track.
If you’re presenting online, you can keep notes beside your computer for each slide, highlighting your key points. This ensures you include all the necessary information and follow a logical order.
![giving great presentations Woman-presenting-charts-and-data-to-work-team-how-to-give-a-good-presentation](https://www.betterup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Woman%20presenting%20charts%20and%20data%20to%20work%20team.jpg?width=800&name=Woman%20presenting%20charts%20and%20data%20to%20work%20team.jpg)
Tip #7: Practice
Practice doesn’t make perfect — it makes progress. There’s no way of preparing for unforeseen circumstances, but thorough practice means you’ve done everything you can to succeed.
Rehearse your speech in front of a mirror or to a trusted friend or family member. Take any feedback and use it as an opportunity to fine-tune your speech. But remember: who you practice your presentation in front of may differ from your intended audience. Consider their opinions through the lens of them occupying this different position.
Tip #8: Read the room
Whether you’re a keynote speaker at an event or presenting to a small group of clients, knowing how to read the room is vital for keeping your audience happy. Stay flexible and be willing to move on from topics quickly if your listeners are uninterested or displeased with a particular part of your speech.
Tip #9: Breathe
Try taking deep breaths before your presentation to calm your nerves. If you feel rushed, you’re more likely to feel nervous and stumble on your words.
The most important thing to consider when presenting is your audience’s feelings. When you approach your next presentation calmly, you’ll put your audience at ease and encourage them to feel comfortable in your presence.
Tip #10: Provide a call-to-action
When you end your presentation, your audience should feel compelled to take a specific action, whether that’s changing their habits or contacting you for your services.
If you’re presenting to clients, create a handout with key points and contact information so they can get in touch. You should provide your LinkedIn information, email address, and phone number so they have a variety of ways to reach you.
There’s no one-size-fits-all template for an effective presentation, as your unique audience and subject matter play a role in shaping your speech. As a general rule, though, you should aim to connect with your audience through passion and excitement. Use strong eye contact and body language. Capture their interest through storytelling and their trust through relatability.
Learning how to give a good presentation can feel overwhelming — but remember, practice makes progress. Rehearse your presentation for someone you trust, collect their feedback , and revise. Practicing your presentation skills is helpful for any job, and every challenge is a chance to grow.
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Elizabeth Perry, ACC
Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.
How to write a speech that your audience remembers
6 presentation skills and how to improve them, 3 stand-out professional bio examples to inspire your own, tell a story they can't ignore these 10 tips will teach you how, how to make a presentation interactive and exciting, your guide to what storytelling is and how to be a good storyteller, reading the room gives you an edge — no matter who you're talking to, 18 effective strategies to improve your communication skills, writing an elevator pitch about yourself: a how-to plus tips, how to disagree at work without being obnoxious, the importance of good speech: 5 tips to be more articulate, the 11 tips that will improve your public speaking skills, 30 presentation feedback examples, fear of public speaking overcome it with these 7 tips, how to not be nervous for a presentation — 13 tips that work (really), 8 clever hooks for presentations (with tips), stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..
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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.
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The secret structure of great talks
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The beauty of data visualization
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TED's secret to great public speaking
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How to speak so that people want to listen
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How to Give a Good Presentation: 11 Top Tips for Killer Presentations
![giving great presentations How to Give a Good Presentation: 11 Top Tips for Killer Presentations](https://visme.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Header-3.png)
Written by: Orana Velarde
![giving great presentations how to give a good presentation - header](https://visme.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Header-3.png)
Giving a good presentation takes practice. Not everyone is born a natural public speaker, which is why we’re here today.
In this article, we’ll give you some of the best tips for killer presentations. These are techniques used by all the best public speakers, and yes – even they had to practice to get this good.
If you need to give a presentation for work, be it a pitch about a new project or product idea, a quarterly marketing report, a product launch or as an industry expert in a summit, we’ve got you covered.
How to Give a Good Presentation [Presentation]
To learn more about our top 11 tips for giving a killer presentation, keep reading throughout this article. But for those of you who are skimmers, feel free to browse through this presentation rounding up our top tips.
How to Give a Good Presentation
Here’s a quick look at the 11 tips on how to give a good presentation. Plus, you’ll find a bonus resource you won’t want to miss, The Visme Presentation Guru Course.
- Rehearse What You’re Planning to Say
- Prepare Mentally, Emotionally and Technically
- Start Strong
- Follow the Outline You Practiced With
- Finish With Confidence
- Use a Storytelling Technique on Your Slides
- Keep Your Slides Short
- Use Templates
- Learn From Your Mistakes
- Keep Yourself Inspired for the Future
Let’s dive in.
1 Rehearse What You’re Planning To Say
Before you even give a good presentation, you need to prepare.
This part has two steps – to rehearse what you’re going to say and to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. These two tips go hand in hand, but we’ll explain what each one is about individually.
Notice that we didn’t say “memorize your presentation.” There’s a big difference between memorizing a speech and practicing telling a story. The difference is that a memorized speech can end up sounding robot-like and practiced storytelling sounds effortless.
You’ll be better off if you have at least a rough outline of your slides before you start rehearsing.
Section 1, Pause, Section 2, Pause, Repeat
Rehearse what you’re planning to say during your presentation by using a written outline, index cards, printed out versions of your presentation slides or whatever works for you.
Practicing the spoken part of your Visme presentation is easy when you use the presentation notes feature .
Separate your presentations into sections. The best way to do this is by topic. Try and keep all the sections about the same length, that way you can plan your pauses.
Presenter’s Notes
Add presenter’s notes to your slides to help you along as you present. Visme makes this easy for you. As you go through each slide, you’re able to see the notes, what slide you’re on and what slide is next. There’s also a timer to help you pace each slide switch.
This tool will help if you can have a computer close by as you give the presentation. But if you are giving a presentation on a stage without a screen to help you, you’ll have to practice without notes.
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- Choose from various presentation options
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![giving great presentations Create a stunning presentation in less time](https://visme.co/blog/wp-content/themes/blog/img/shortcodes/presentation.png)
How to Give A Good Presentation With Mnemonic Tools
Create some mnemonic tools into your presentation to help you remember what comes next. For some people, this comes as second nature and is easy. For others, it can become convoluted and cause you to overthink things.
Try out a variety of different techniques until you find the one you feel the most comfortable and confident with.
Ask For Feedback
For better results and to know if you’re improving, record yourself or ask someone to watch you. Ask them to give you honest feedback. Don’t accept feedback like “that was great.” Insist they go into the details. Offer them a pen and paper to take notes as you present.
You’ll notice as you practice and rehearse, that when you follow an outline, all the information you want to share is easier to remember. The TED talk below by Dr. Bolte Taylor was rehearsed 200 times and it’s one of the most famous TED Talks ever.
You don’t need to practice that many times – just enough so it feels effortless. Needless to say, rehearsing is key to learning how to give a good presentation.
2 Prepare Mentally, Emotionally and Technically
It’s highly likely that you’ve already had to give presentations before, most probably at school. But let’s be honest, a classroom and a TED stage are a little different. So is an online summit via Zoom, which as you know are even more common now!
Let’s get one thing straight, though. We’re not talking about just any presentation here – we’re talking high stakes, high-quality presentations.
Preparing yourself mentally and emotionally for a weekly sales report meeting is not as important as doing so for one that will be in front of thousands of people and recorded for posterity.
This tip includes mental, emotional and technical preparation. Let’s focus on each one.
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Mental Preparation
While you’re rehearsing the outline and general speech for your presentation, notice the times when you feel like things flow and when they don’t.
Why do you think that’s happening?
If it flows well it’s because you feel comfortable with the content. You know what you’re talking about. You might even be passionate about it!
On the other hand, if you’re having trouble, maybe the content is still new to you. You might need to do a little more research to feel more knowledgeable about that topic. If you are unsure, you might completely forget what you had to say next during the presentation.
That’s why rehearsing, adjusting and creating mnemonic cues will help.
Emotional Preparation
Not everyone needs to get emotionally prepared before a presentation. Conscientious rehearsing can usually be enough. But not everyone is the same.
Many people that suffer from glossophobia or the fear of public speaking. Some have anxiety or social anxiety and just being close to that many people is difficult for them. Many successful speakers used to be riddled by fear before their first few presentations.
Some of them still are, every single time. The difference is that they have learned how to manage their fear and lean into it. As soon as they step on the stage, the fear and anxiety melt away and all the rehearsing and practicing take over.
To get emotionally prepared, you can try some mindfulness exercises and relaxation techniques.
Wear clothes that make you feel powerful and confident. Try doing the power pose and high five some people before you go on stage. Sing your favorite song and have a little quick uplifting dance.
Technical Preparation
You might be wondering what technical things you need to give a good presentation. It’s all in the details.
Regardless if you’ll be speaking in a venue or an online summit, you have to test all technicalities.
If you’ll be speaking in a venue, visit the space and stand in the place where you’ll speak. Have a look around and pinpoint some elements or aspects that make you comfortable.
If there’s anything that bothers you, like a weird smell or a column in the middle of the room, think of ways to overcome that.
Always ask to test the technical aspects in the room. Connect your computer or tablet to their system to check if your slides will look good with their setup. Also, test the audio. These detailed checks might not always be possible but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
If your presentation will be online, test all your tech beforehand. Locate a spot with the strongest wifi or hardwire your computer to the router.
Check your background and the lighting. Organize with housemates or family for some quiet time during the time of your presentation.
3 Start Strong
The day and time of your presentation have arrived! Now it’s time to shine.
Starting strong is a huge factor in achieving a good presentation. The first few seconds and minutes that you’re on stage will make a first impression on your audience . And yes, you can leverage that to your advantage!
How To Give A Good Presentation Through Impactful Body Language
The first thing people will notice is your body language. The way you carry yourself says a lot about how confident you are at that specific moment. If you prepared emotionally and mentally before your turn, then you’re as ready as you’ll ever be.
Watch the video below to learn about the power pose and how body language affects both you and your audience.
Make An Impressionable Statement
Starting a presentation with a joke, for example, can make the audience relate or feel more familiar with you. Letting them laugh a little will clear the air in the room and it’ll be easier to continue.
Other opening techniques include:
- Be Provocative
- Incite Curiosity
- Shock the Audience
- Ask a Question
- Tell A Story
Use your first slide as a visual and impactful complement to start your presentation.
We have an article all about starting strong with plenty of inspiration. Check it out here – it’ll inspire you to think of new ideas for your presentation.
4 Follow The Outline You Practiced With
If you followed our tip above, you used an outline or a ‘section, pause, section’ technique to practice with. Maybe you even used some mnemonic tools or presenters’ notes.
It’s time to put them all to use.
As long as you follow what you practiced you’re gold. This tip, as you can see, is a short one. It’s more of a reminder that the rehearsing step is more important than you might think at first.
Only when you practice and rehearse a lot will you feel more comfortable when you present.
5 Use Props
Are you wondering how to give a good presentation with props? Good, that means you’re thinking creatively. Using props is a technique that not many consider when preparing for a presentation.
Props can help not only to get the message across but also to serve as emotional support for the speaker! Just make sure it’s obviously a prop and not an emotional crutch.
A prop can be as small as a book, as big as a washing machine, or as weird as a preserved human brain.
Of course, the prop must make sense with your presentation and topic. Not only that, but you must also practice with it. It’s important to be comfortable with your prop or props as you talk and switch slides.
Actually, if you use props you might not need slides at all!
To get you inspired, watch this TED talk where Hans Rosling uses a washing machine as his prop.
6 Finish With Confidence
The end of the presentation is just as important as the beginning. You have to bring it all full circle. Knowing how to give a good presentation is like knowing how to structure a story, essay or article. The beginning and end are connected and must be relevant to each other.
For example, if you made a joke at the beginning, make the same joke but with a fun twist. If you made a provocative statement, close it up with a similar statement or question about it.
Closing Statement
Your presentation’s closing statement is a section in itself. Even if you do as we suggest above, the entire closing statement must be a conclusion of what you talked about during the entire presentation.
The last sentence you say will stay in your audience’s memory. At least until the next speaker takes the stage. If someone in your audience noted down your last sentence, you’ve hit the mark 100%.
Q and A Session – Yes or No?
Ending a presentation with a Q and A session is a bit iffy. If you ended your presentation with impact, a Q and A section can fizzle that out.
What you can do is ask the host to let the audience know that if they have questions, they can find you in the lobby for a conversation. For a digital summit, offer your Twitter handle where people can get in touch.
In the case of webinars or instructional lectures though, Questions and Answers is a great idea. These can help familiarize you with the audience and make them more confident to work with you in the future.
Consider the purpose of your presentation and make a decision according to what impact you’re looking to make.
Here's a great example of the chat section from Visme's webinars , where viewers make comments and ask questions throughout. In our webinars, we have someone help the presenter by gathering questions and ensuring everyone gets answers.
![giving great presentations how to give a good presentation - q&a](https://visme.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2.-1.jpg)
7 Use A Storytelling Structure
Moving on to the tips for the creation of your slides. It’s important to remember the role your slides will play in your presentation. The audience’s attention should be on you, not your slides. These are meant to be complementary, not a crutch, nor even a text to follow.
With that said, this tip is the most important. It applies to your slides AND your spoken speech. They should both follow a storytelling structure that you and the audience will follow together.
Some of the most common storytelling structures are:
- Fact and Story – Go back and forth between facts and stories, or “what is” and “what could be.”
- The Explanation – Inform about a process or plan to fix something or to learn something new.
- The Pitch – Take your audience uphill over a hurdle and onto a positive resolution.
- The Drama – AKA “The Hero’s Journey,” this follows the plight of a main character from beginning to end.
You can also check out our quick video on how to structure a presentation like the experts to learn even more.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://blog.visme.co/wp-content/themes/blog/img/play_button.png)
8 Keep Your Slides Short and Visually Balanced
There are two ways to design slides for a good presentation:
- As a standalone presentation
- As visual support, while you speak
Either way, you need to keep your slides short in text and visually impactful. For a visual support deck, the slides need even less text than a standalone presentation.
If that idea worries you, and you have tons of information to share, you can always create a full-fledged informative PDF version of your deck to give your audience, investors or guests.
Here are some important things to remember when designing the slides for your presentation:
- The flow from start to finish
- Visual hierarchy
- Keeping the words to around 6 per slide
- Visual impact
- Balanced compositions
The 29 Best Presentation Layout Templates for 2020 [Plus Design Ideas]
9 Use Presentation Templates
Creating presentation slides doesn’t need to be difficult or a stressful affair. When you use a Visme presentation as a foundation, you’re on your way to being an expert on how to give a good presentation.
To select a presentation template, you can either go for a topic-based template or a style based template. Both have their merits, you just need to figure out what’s easier for you.
Topic-based templates are fully designed templates with color themes, graphics, images, icons, etc. You’d only have to adjust the content and maybe the colors and graphics.
Style-based templates are better for those of you that need more freedom in terms of colors and visuals. The Visme slide library is full of layouts organized into categories that you can choose from.
Presentation Templates
![giving great presentations Ecommerce Webinar Presentation](https://assets.visme.co/templates/presentations/thumbnails/i_eCommerce-Webinar-Presentation-full_1.jpg)
Ecommerce Webinar Presentation
![giving great presentations Buyer Presentation](https://assets.visme.co/templates/presentations/thumbnails/i_Buyer-Presentation-full_1.jpg)
Buyer Presentation
![giving great presentations PixelGo Marketing Plan Presentation](https://assets.visme.co/templates/presentations/thumbnails/i_PixelGo-Marketing-Plan-Presentation-full_1.jpg)
PixelGo Marketing Plan Presentation
![giving great presentations Technology Presentation](https://assets.visme.co/templates/presentations/thumbnails/i_Technology-Presentation-full_1.jpg)
Technology Presentation
![giving great presentations Product Training Interactive Presentation](https://assets.visme.co/templates/presentations/thumbnails/i_Product-Training-Interactive-Presentation-full_1.jpg)
Product Training Interactive Presentation
![giving great presentations Work+Biz Pitch Deck - Presentation](https://assets.visme.co/templates/presentations/thumbnails/i_Work-Biz-Pitch-Deck-Presentation-full_1.jpg)
Work+Biz Pitch Deck - Presentation
Create your presentation View more templates
10 Learn From Your Mistakes
When the presentation is over and you feel like you just conquered the world, it’s not the end just yet. Celebrate the moment but remember, there will be more presentations in the future.
If your presentation was filmed, watch the recording. If there was anyone in the audience that you can fully trust to be honest with their feedback, ask them for it. Take mental notes and the next time you’ll be even more prepared.
The secret sauce to know how to give a good presentation is to always keep learning the ways to improve.
11 Keep Yourself Inspired for Future Presentations
When you keep learning, you keep growing. This also applies to the art of giving good presentations. Follow well-known presentation experts like Nancy Duarte and Carmine Gallo. Read their book, their stories and their theories about giving good presentations.
Watch famous speeches or TED talks to get inspired. Take notes of what you notice in those speeches that you think would suit your personality. You don’t want to copy how other people speak, but you can definitely be inspired!
Bonus: The Visme Presentation Guru Course
To top off your knowledge base for giving good presentations with killer slides, we present you with the Visme Presentation Guru Course .
How to Give a Good Presentation Every Time
As long as you’re prepared, your slides are well-balanced and your speech is rehearsed, you’re ready to give an impactful presentation.
Plus, never underestimate the power of templates! Check out the Visme slide library to visualize the possibilities. Take our presentation course and improve your abilities as a public speaker and slide creator.
Learn how to give a good presentation with all the resources Visme has in store for you. Sign up for a free Visme account today to get started.
Create beautiful presentations faster with Visme.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://blog.visme.co/wp-content/themes/blog/img/02_sidebar_presentations.png)
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About the Author
Orana is a multi-faceted creative. She is a content writer, artist, and designer. She travels the world with her family and is currently in Istanbul. Find out more about her work at oranavelarde.com
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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
![giving great presentations How to make a good presentation](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/How_To_Make_a_Good_Presentation_Blog_Header.png)
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:
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/image-62-767x1024.png)
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.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/image-63-814x1024.png)
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.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/image-64-648x1024.png)
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 .
![giving great presentations Peloton Pitch Deck - Conclusion](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/69ea63d9-bbd7-4977-986f-93ddc3f128fc-1024x576.png)
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.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/image-65-646x1024.png)
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.
![giving great presentations Venngage Real Time Collaboration](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/image-66.png)
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 .
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/image-69-814x1024.png)
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.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/image-67-814x1024.png)
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.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/image-72-814x1024.png)
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.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/07/image-68-814x1024.png)
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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How to Give a Great Presentation (+ Expert Tips)
![giving great presentations Althea Storm](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/hs-fs/hubfs/1704623273867.jpeg?width=48&height=48&name=1704623273867.jpeg)
Published: November 14, 2023
In your career as a business professional, there’s a good chance you’ll be asked to give a presentation, be it in the office or at an event.
![giving great presentations woman gives presentation tips at a conference](https://www.hubspot.com/hs-fs/hubfs/presentation%20tips.webp?width=595&height=400&name=presentation%20tips.webp)
So we’ve spoken to experts across several industries who shared some presentation tips that can help you overcome the fear of public speaking, which affects 75% of the general population .
![giving great presentations → Free Download: 10 PowerPoint Presentation Templates [Access Now]](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/2d0b5298-2daa-4812-b2d4-fa65cd354a8e.png)
In this piece, you’ll also learn the elements of a great presentation and the breakdown of a real-life TED talk that encompasses most of the tips provided by experts.
Table of Contents
What makes a presentation great?
Presentation tips to follow, presentation tips in action.
A great presentation is one that starts off in a compelling manner that grabs the audience’s attention from the start.
It maintains a clear and structured narrative throughout, seamlessly transitioning between key points while incorporating engaging visuals to reinforce each idea.
In the end, a great presentation leaves a lasting impact that inspires and empowers the audience and encourages them to take action, both in their personal lives and in their surroundings.
Here are five elements of a great presentation.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://www.hubspot.com/hubfs/aspects.webp)
"All the advice I gave in the presentation was peppered with personal anecdotes and examples, which made it more meaningful and memorable. I ended up having the top-rated talk at the conference based on audience feedback.”
Doty’s not the only person who thinks stories are a great vehicle to deliver the message of your presentation. Cody Candee , the founder and CEO of Bounce shares the same sentiment: sharing stories = connecting with your audience.
“Many presenters make their data the focal point of their presentation, but this approach fails to take into account how people connect information to their own experiences or how the human brain creates relational memories.”
Candee continues: “Talking about your own personal experiences, employing mild self-deprecating humor, and adding observational tales can create the connection between the data you are dispensing and the parts of your audience’s brains that take in and store information."
"Adding storytelling to your presentation helps you move away from sterile data distribution and toward the human element that makes your data meaningful.”
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://www.hubspot.com/hubfs/quote-2-1.webp)
![](http://blog10.website/777/templates/cheerup2/res/banner1.gif)
5. Frame your presentation with data.
In presentations, especially business-focused ones, you’ll make quite a lot of claims. But those claims mean nothing without the appropriate data to bolster them.
As you prepare your presentation, do your due research. Find examples and studies to support your message and frame your presentation with them.
The operative word here is “frame.” You don’t want to make your presentation chock full of data and research that there’s little to no room for light-hearted humor, interesting personal anecdotes, and audience interaction.
Pro tip: Let the data and research you cite be few and far between. Whenever you cite one, expand on it by explaining the meaning and implications of the research, sharing personal (or non-personal) anecdotes, and asking the audience yes/no questions to demonstrate the authenticity of the data.
6. Pause to breathe.
The prospect of giving a presentation to a (semi)large group of people is enough to set anyone’s nerves on fire.
A common byproduct of this is getting on stage and reeling off the entire presentation in one breath, leaving your audience half-confused, half-startled.
To prevent that from happening, take strategic pauses to emphasize key points. Not only does this give you a moment to breathe and collect your thoughts, but it also gives the audience time to absorb information.
In many cases, strategic pauses also help you develop suspense and put some weight behind your data.
Pro tip: Ray Slater Berry , the founder and director of DSLX has a cool tactic that can help you deliver your presentation at a good pace.
“Deliver 1-2 lines, and then picture yourself standing up from one chair, taking a step to the left, and sitting down on the chair next to it—before you continue talking. This is adequate time to give your listeners a moment to digest and for you to breathe,” Berry says.
7. Don’t be tied to slides.
Slides are the customary visual aid used in presentations — and for good reason, too. They’re efficient, and you can add both text and images to them. They get the job done, but they’re not the be-all and end-all of visual aids.
Hand-drawn charts and short videos work just as well, too. Or you can take the daring route and rely on just the power of your own voice.
On this, Christoph Trappe lends his opinion again. “When it comes to delivery, think beyond just PowerPoint slides. While visuals can be helpful, rely more on connecting through storytelling, audience interaction, and conversational speaking. Slides full of bullet points tend to lose people's attention quickly.”
Pro tip: Slide decks are not detrimental to a presentation, but you can switch things up by finding a different medium (or combination of media) to convey your points in an engaging way.
And if you do use slide decks, don’t inundate them with bullet points and read directly from them. Instead, let them contain sentences, images, charts, and graphics that are complementary to your presentation.
8. Follow the 10-20-30 rule.
If you are planning to use slides in your presentation , a good rule to follow is the 10-20-30 rule proposed by prominent venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki .
The 10-20-30 rule of PowerPoint presentation is simple:
- Your presentation should have no more than 10 slides.
- Your presentation should be no longer than 20 minutes.
- The text on each slide should be no smaller than 30 points in size.
This rule emphasizes the importance of brevity, focus, and visual appeal when giving presentations. Kawasaki believes that people generally can’t comprehend more than ten concepts in a meeting, hence the cap of ten slides.
He also believes that, to keep the audience’s focus, it’s best to present all ten slides in 20 minutes, with roughly 2 minutes for each slide. This makes a lot of sense, especially when you realize that most, if not all, TED talks (and your favorite sitcom episodes) last approximately 20 minutes.
The final rule stems from Kawasaki’s observation on how presenters fit text in slides wrongly.
On his blog , Kawasaki writes, “The majority of the presentations that I see have text in a ten-point font. As much text as possible is jammed into the slide, and then the presenter reads it."
"However, as soon as the audience figures out that you’re reading the text, it reads ahead of you because it can read faster than you can speak. The result is that you and the audience are out of sync.”
Kawasaki goes as far as saying that many presenters use small fonts because they haven’t memorized their presentations well enough. His solution? Use a font no smaller than 30 points.
“I guarantee it will make your presentations better because it requires you to find the most salient points and to know how to explain them well,” Kawasaki writes.
Note: Using a font size of 30 and above in your slides is also beneficial for audience members who have visual impairments.
9. Show your passion.
Have you noticed that it’s quite easy to spot when someone is actually excited about the topic they’re presenting — as opposed to someone who doesn’t care?
That’s because passion can’t be faked.
You can spend months getting the outline, words, and delivery right for your speech, but if you aren’t fascinated by what you’re presenting, the audience will catch on. You can’t expect people to be enthusiastic about your presentation when you aren’t excited yourself.
Showing genuine passion for your topic fosters a sense of intimacy between you and your audience. Your listeners will catch the “excitement bug” from you and become interested in what you have to say.
Pro tip: Before you give a presentation, take awesome time to remind yourself why the topic is so fascinating to begin with. When you know why, you’ll be able to pass on that energy to your listeners.
10. Develop stage presence.
The first time I had to give a speech, I was eight years old, and the speech was directed to my elementary schoolmates. My heart was beating so fast, and my hands were shaking.
When the time came, I stood in front of the crowd, stared at some tree in the distance, and reeled off the entire speech without moving a muscle.
My stage presence was zero. Nothing.
If you’re reading this, chances are, you’re not in elementary school, and you’re about to give a serious presentation. While standing stiff as a board with your arms stuck to the sides of your body won’t cut it, you don’t need to do too much either.
In his piece, Chris Anderson, TED Talks’ curator, wrote, “Getting the words, story, and substance right is a much bigger determinant of success or failure than how you stand or whether you’re visibly nervous. And when it comes to stage presence, a little coaching can go a long way.”
According to Chris, the biggest mistake people make with their stage presence is moving their bodies too much.
"People do this naturally when they’re nervous, but it’s distracting and makes the speaker seem weak. Simply getting a person to keep his or her lower body motionless can dramatically improve stage presence.”
Pro tip: If walking around the stage comes naturally to you, you can do that. If not, it’s best to stand still (not stiffly) and rely on hand gestures for emphasis.
11. Engage with the audience.
Earlier, I mentioned that you can start off your presentation by asking your audience questions. Well, the engagement shouldn’t stop there; it should continue throughout the entire presentation, however long it is.
There are many ways to engage with your audience. The most common method is to ask questions they can easily answer. How many of you have experienced this? Can you raise your hand if you’re familiar with this situation?
You can ask direct questions to your audience members to explain a point. Or you can use a person from the audience (whose name you should know) to illustrate a situation or an idea.
12. Practice, practice, practice.
Reading your entire presentation from a slide deck is a recipe for disaster. Slide decks (and other visual aids) are meant to be complementary, which means you’ll have to memorize the bulk of your speech.
“The only way to give a relaxed talk that sounds like it isn't rehearsed is to rehearse it a lot,” says Dr. James Whitehead, the CEO of My Green Window .
“When you can relax a little and rely on muscle memory to do most of the talk for you, you will be able to enjoy the experience and build a more positive relationship with the audience through your body language and clear pronunciation.”
Dr. Whitehead is right. Practice makes perfect. After writing out your presentation speech, you’ll need to practice continually until you know the speech inside out.
There are several ways to practice your speech, including:
- In front of the mirror (it’s cliche, but it works).
- Doing mock presentations to your friends and family.
- Rehearsing your presentation with your colleagues.
Pro tip: Choose a quiet place to memorize your speech so you can concentrate. If you’re rehearsing in front of others (friends, family, colleagues, etc.), ask for honest feedback. You’ll know where to improve. You can also time your presentation so you’ll know how long it’ll take you to deliver it.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://www.hubspot.com/hubfs/quote-3-1.webp)
Bevy’s talk encompasses all the elements of a great presentation, starting with her opening line, “I am a late bloomer.”
This is a strong start because it’s hard to imagine that Bevy Smith, a prominent TV personality and business professional, didn’t achieve success early in life.
Throughout her presentation, Bevy shared personal anecdotes with the central idea that you can be whatever you want to be, no matter how old you are.
She spoke confidently about how, as a 38-year-old fashion advertising executive, she quit her job when she realized that she was unhappy with her life. She segued into telling uplifting stories about her 94-year-old mother, Lolly, who’d always known what she wanted and who she was at heart.
During the presentation, Bevy peppered her speech with funny quips, like calling Jay-Z a Brooklyn poet and talking about how ‘Black don’t crack’ in the segment about the literal beauty of aging. So, while she didn’t directly ask interrogative questions, Bevy still interacted with the crowd through humor.
For her closing statement, Bevy challenged the common maxim, “Be your most authentic self,” by asking thought-provoking questions like: “What if you don’t really know who you are because you’ve suppressed your inner self?”, “Who am I at my core?” and “How am I perceived — and how would I like to be perceived?”
This is the train of thought that’ll linger in the minds of the audience after Bevy’s long left the stage. That’s her call-to-action.
Throughout the entire presentation, Bevy used no slides. She didn’t move around a lot on the stage, either. Instead, she relied on the power of her voice, her gesticulations, and the substance of her speech to make the necessary impact.
And it worked superbly.
Give a Powerful and Impactful Presentation
Giving a great presentation is a daunting task, but it isn't exactly rocket science.
Quite a lot of people experience presentation jitters, but you can drastically reduce your chances of delivering a bad presentation by following the tips outlined above.
While every audience is different, a general rule is that knowing your topic in and out and practicing your speech well ahead of time will give you the confidence you need to give a great presentation.
Don’t forget to enlist the help of your friends, family, and colleagues; they can look over your slides, help you predict audience questions, and give you pointers on where to improve.
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How to give more persuasive presentations: A Q&A with Nancy Duarte
![giving great presentations presentations_no_cliches_TED](https://wpvip.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2012/10/presentations_no_cliches_ted.png)
Stepping onto the TED or TEDx stage — or speaking in front of any group of people, for that matter — is truly nerve-wracking. Will you remember everything you wanted to say, or get so discombobulated that you skip over major points? Will the audience be receptive to your ideas, or will you notice a guy in row three nodding off to sleep?
Presentation expert Nancy Duarte , who gave the TED Talk “ The secret structure of great talks ,” has built her career helping people express their ideas in presentations. The author of Slide:ology and Resonate , Duarte has just released a new book through the Harvard Business Review: The HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations .
What would you say are the three keys to giving a great presentation?
The number one thing, I think, is to be audience-centric. To take the time to think through who the audience is and develop all your material from a place of empathy toward them. You’re asking them to adopt your idea, which means they may have to abandon a belief they hold as true — and that’s hard. So, know your audience — take a walk in their shoes. What keeps them up at night? How are they wired to resist your message? Most presenters are consumed with preparing their content rapidly, which makes the material about their own narrow perspective. By flipping that paradigm to an audience-centric approach, your material will resonate and the audience can feel a deeper connection to you and your material.
Number two, you need to understand your role in the presentation. So many people feel like they’re the central figure — kind of like the hero of the story — because they’re the one talking the most. But in reality, your role is that of a mentor — you should be giving the audience a magical gift or a special tool, or helping them get unstuck in some way. You have to defer to your audience. When you put your idea out there for an audience to contend with — if they reject your idea, your idea will die. You have to think of it as, “The speaker needs the audience more than the audience needs the speaker.” Then you’ll start to approach a material with your audience in mind – you’ll have more of a stance of humility than one of arrogance. That will help you create the kind of movement needed to get your idea to spread.
And then the third thing — wrap your content in story. A story serves like the sugarcoating on the outside of a pill in some ways — it just makes it go down easier. If you look at preliterate generations for thousands and thousands of years, stories would pass down for generation after generation after generation — and stay almost completely intact. Yet, a lot of people can’t remember the last presentation they sat through. So, using principles of story — the tension and release that happens in a story — that’s what will help persuade the audience toward your idea.
What do you feel like you learned from giving your own TED Talk?
I learned so much. Being the “Presentation Lady,” I knew I couldn’t suck at it. The hardest part was getting [my talk] to fit within this finite amount of time. So I trimmed and trimmed, keeping in mind that you still have to nail why this is important to the audience. I had a person coach me and point out places where I could trim. “You took too long here, and that made this part of emphasis too long.” I worked with the timer counting up until I knew I was within the time window — then what I did was work with the timer counting down so I’d know, “When I’m a fourth of the way through, I should be on this slide. When I’m halfway through, I need to be on this slide.” I created markers in my mind so I would know how I was running on time. Sure enough, I finished the talk and I had six seconds left on the clock.
It was a great experience for me because I hadn’t gone through it myself. I’d coached people through it but — wow — to actually be a victim was interesting. I learned the power of rehearsing. If you rehearse really, really, really well — it looks improvisational. Some people rehearse to a point where they’re robotic, and they sound like they have memorized their presentation and didn’t take it to the next level. Going from sounding memorized and canned to sounding natural is a lot of work.
So, the classic advice for stage fright is to imagine the audience in their underwear. What do you recommend people do to calm their nerves?
I don’t usually get nervous, but when I got on [the TED] stage, I was nervous because it’s pretty high stakes. I recommend doing some breathing exercises — breathe in as deep as you can, and then take a couple more big gasps. Then, release it really slowly. That calms my heart down. But my favorite piece of advice isn’t my own — it’s from a guy named Nick Morgan. He said, “What you need to do right before you walk on stage is think of someone that you love dearly.” Doing that, I felt the chemistry in my whole body change. My shoulders relaxed and my heart melted. That feeling of affection makes your body calm itself down. That’s a really great way to stop stage fright.
What is the best way to start creating a presentation?
My best advice is to not start in PowerPoint. Presentation tools force you to think through information linearly, and you really need to start by thinking of the whole instead of the individual lines. I encourage people to use 3×5 note cards or sticky notes — write one idea per note. I tape mine up on the wall and then study them. Then I arrange them and rearrange them — just work and work until the structure feels sound. And from that sound structure, you start to fill it in using a presentation tool.
[For visuals], I think people tend to go with the easiest, fastest idea. Like, “I’m going to put a handshake in front of a globe to mean partnership!” Well, how many handshakes in front of a globe do we have to look at before we realize it’s a total cliche? Another common one — the arrow in the middle of a bullseye. Really? Everyone else is thinking that way. The slides themselves are supposed to be a mnemonic device for the audience so they can remember what you had to say. They’re not just a teleprompter for the speaker. A bullseye isn’t going to make anyone remember anything. Don’t go for the first idea. Think about the point you’re trying to make and brainstorm individual moments that you’re trying to emphasize. Think to the second, the third, the fourth idea — and by the time you get to about the tenth idea, those will be the more clever memorable things for the audience.
One thing that is really different about giving a TED Talk is the fact that you know it will be filmed. How do you think about the difference between live presentations and ones that will exist on video?
On stage, it feels really awkward to do large movements because — normally in life — we’re talking to someone in a more intimate setting and moving your arms really big feels melodramatic. But on the stage, you have to move your body in really big gestures. It feels awkward at first if you’re not used to it, so you have to kind of close your eyes and get used to it. Say things and move largely. Take big bold steps forward, big bold steps backward. You have this grand stage and people don’t use the space enough. I think one of the great things that Jill Bolte Taylor did was how she used her body. Her arms stretched all the way up when she talked about nirvana. Then she when she talks about her whole soul feeling constricted, she brings her hands down and folds her arms down in front of her. She’s using her body as a prop. That’s an important way to create meaning.
![giving great presentations TED-Talks-on-public-speaking](https://wpvip.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2012/10/ted-talks-on-public-speaking.jpg)
Also, with video, a tech rehearsal is important. Your audience on video is exponentially larger than the people in the room. So by familiarizing yourself with the cameras, you can at least look in that general direction. You know how you’re supposed to look around the audience — look and hold for five seconds, look and hold for five seconds? You should look at the camera as if it’s a human. Get used to seeing that circular lens as a face. Feel like it’s a person you’re talking to, because that audience on camera needs to feel like they’re there and that you’re looking right at them.
To me, presentations are the most powerful device. You can’t really name a movement that didn’t start with the spoken word. TED was once this exclusive, amazing event where ideas were exchanged, but you’ve moved to treating presentations as a media type. You guys have been so refined at it, that what it’s done is created a movement. What TED has done is made a platform for introverts, for scientists, for inventors — to share their ideas in a way that’s clear and appeals to a broad audience so that their ideas spread and get adopted. It’s completely changed how people present. It’s created this desire to be excellent in communication.
When you look at even how businesses communicated in the ’30’s, ’40’s and ’50’s — they were so much clearer and well-crafted. I recently went to the Stanford Library and I got a bunch of old GE Board meetings from, like, 1957. And I thought, “These are so beautiful!” Their presentations referenced history, they quoted things, they crafted their words in such a beautiful way. Then PowerPoint entered into the mix and suddenly there wasn’t any desire to craft anymore. I think TED Talks have brought the desire for the craft back.
Your new book is from the Harvard Business Review. Is it intended for someone who is in business, or for anyone?
All of my books are for anyone who has an idea that they need to communicate! I loved working with Harvard Business Review and I think because of the publisher, business professionals may be more interested in this book. But anyone with an idea can benefit from it. It’s a guidebook, so that people can think, “Oh, I need to know how to do this specific thing. I’m going to go get this book and find that one thing.”
Want more advice on giving talks? Our curator Chris Anderson is writing the official TED guide to public speaking —to be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in spring 2016. Titled Talk This Way! , it will be packed with insights on what makes talks work.
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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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Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)
Also, take what you'll learn in this tutorial further. Download our free eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . In it, you'll learn the complete presentation process of how to write your presentation effectively, design it like a pro, and more.
![giving great presentations Making Great Presentations Free Guide Download](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/71/posts/28734/image-upload/eBookPromo_850x150px.jpg)
Now follow along to learn step-by-step how to make a great presentation in PowerPoint that's ready to present to an eager audience.
1. Content Comes First
The first part of writing a successful PowerPoint-based presentation has nothing to do with PowerPoint. It's all about the content that you'll put inside of it.
You're making a mistake if you start by looking at the design of your PowerPoint presentation or by making animations for your slides. Instead, prioritize writing the content for your presentation first. Write your content before you even open PowerPoint.
![giving great presentations Plan the content of your presentation first](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1223/posts/34171/image/working-on-computer.jpg)
In summary, keep these two simple points in mind when you start writing the content for your presentation:
- Bad . You start off creating a PowerPoint presentation by opening the app and choosing a theme and your favorite colors.
- Good . Put yourself in your audience's shoes. Decide what they should feel and know at the end of your presentation.
I use a simple note-taking app like Notes for Mac or Evernote to help me organize my thoughts. I also jot down my content ideas on a spare napkin or the back of a notebook. For this exercise, grab a piece of paper and follow each of the content-writing steps.
Remember: The point is that we decide on what we want to say before we begin saying it in PowerPoint.
Let's break down the detailed steps I use when writing presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint:
Step 1. Write Down Your Presentation's Goal
I've been guilty of throwing all my data or ideas into a PowerPoint file and seeing what it looks like when I'm finished.
This directionless wandering is a surefire recipe for presentations that'll bore your audience and lose their attention. That's why it's so important to set your presentation goal first.
Here are some examples of goal setting for a presentation:
- To educate the audience on the latest developments with the Swift programming language.
- To update my team on the progress of a major project at the company.
- To persuade the audience to use your product to grow their own freelance business.
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/48/posts/27325/preview_image/bad_pres.jpg)
You could break these main types of presentations down into other categories. But I find that this is a simple and helpful way to start setting your goal.
![giving great presentations Goal for your PowerPoint presentation](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=842/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/goal-screenshot.jpg)
Before you start writing your presentation or pulling together all the data and visuals do this. Write the goal for your presentation on a piece of paper , or the app taking note of choice. Put it in front of you throughout the content writing process so you won't lose track of your ultimate goal for your presentation.
Step 2. Define Your Audience
Who will you be speaking to? What do they already know about the topic at hand?
It seems so obvious, but many presenters use a one-size-fits all approach to sharing information. Instead, you've got to tailor your content to who will hear it and what they know about the topic beforehand.
A presentation about the future of blockchain should be different if I'm speaking to a room of PhD economists that it would be if I were presenting to a group of high school students. Tailoring your content to the audience helps them get the most from your presentation.
Do This: Describe your primary audience below the goal you wrote in step one. Write down what their level of familiarity with the topic is, and anything they might have in common.
![giving great presentations Audience for your PowerPoint presenation](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=846/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/audience-added.jpg)
Consider all the following when defining your audience:
- What do they know about the topic before attending your presentation?
- What do they know about you coming into the presentation? Your presentation could range from your daily colleagues to a complete group of strangers.
- Decide upon their expectations for the presentation. Are they coming to find a solution to a problem, learn something new, or to be entertained?
Consider all these factors when you're writing content. You'll approach an audience of your peers differently than an unfamiliar audience.
Best of all, you can create many versions of your presentation if your audience changes. Each time your audience changes, you can tweak the presentation to match.
Learn more about how to put your audiences needs first, as well as how to make a great PowerPoint presentation that's memorable and persuasive:
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/23/posts/25459/preview_image/preview-persusive-presentation.jpg)
Step 3. Set Your Key Presentation Points
We've defined the presentation's goal and considered our audience. Now, it's time to write a presentation outline that fits with both.
I used to blow off the idea of writing an outline for my presentations. I thought I had all the ideas and key points clearly defined in my own mind. Unfortunately, this is a false sense of clarity. We're biased to understand our own ideas far better than anyone else is.
Below the audience we defined, start writing down the key supporting ideas for your presentation. Aim for four to five major points that'll be the cornerstone of your presentation.
![giving great presentations Outline Major points for your presenation](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=847/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/major-points.jpg)
If I'm writing a persuasive speech each of the major bullet points will be key ideas that reinforce my goal. Again, tie everything you write back to that original goal.
There are no rules for writing an outline, and there's no reason to belabor the process. The goal is to solidify the structure of our content and lay out the road map for our presentation with each key idea as its own bullet point.
Step 4. Build Your Supporting Points
Let's keep working on that outline. We've identified the main points. It's time to go one level deeper.
For each of our major ideas, let's add a second level of detail. These are the supporting points for each of the major ideas, or basically the second level of your outline.
We've built a pyramid of content now. The bottom of the pyramid that guides the entire presentation is the goal. On top of it is the outline, with supporting points that drive the goal.
For more detail, learn more about the presentation writing process in this helpful tutorial:
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/988/posts/25682/preview_image/preview_MILD_PowerPoint_Template.jpg)
In many ways, the hard work is finished. We now have all the pieces to build a great PowerPoint presentation. We just need to assemble them.
2. Add Your Content
At this point, you should have four key items written down. Now we're ready to use them to start putting together our presentation. These key items are:
- The Presentation Goal . The driving force of why you're presenting and what your audience should understand at the end.
- The Audience Defined . Who are you presenting to? What do they know coming into this presentation?
- The Outline . The road map for your presentation, the guideposts that keep us on track when designing and giving a presentation.
- The Support . The individual facts, ideas, and data that build the case for what you'll share with your audience.
With that in hand, it's now time to jump over to PowerPoint and start building your presentation. Let's open PowerPoint and start working.
Step 1. Work With PowerPoint's Outline View
So far, we've been building an outline on paper or in another app. But PowerPoint actually allows you to build a presentation from outline view. Take the outline you've written down on paper and start loading it into your PowerPoint presentation.
To switch to outline view, find the View tab on the PowerPoint ribbon and click on Outline View. On the left side of the window, click next to one of the white boxes to get started.
To add a new major point, press Enter . As you add a new bullet point to the outline view, PowerPoint will update the slide with the points.
Press Control + Enter to add a second level of outline points. Type your outline points, and PowerPoint will populate the slides with your data.
![giving great presentations Outline view](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/outline-to-pptx.jpg)
Use the outline you wrote in the first half of this tutorial to build the content on your PowerPoint slides. Of course, you'll want to rewrite what's in your outline in a presentation-friendly way. For example, keep the bullet points short and succinct to hold your audience's attention.
Learn more about working with PowerPoint views in our guide:
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/988/posts/28442/preview_image/preview_Bravo.jpg)
Step 2. Use Short Tips for Each Slide
We've all sat through enough presentations where the speaker read the contents of a presentation word-for-word.
This is the fastest way to lose your audience's attention. If I wanted to read slides, I would do it on my own and skip listening to someone do it for me.
Bullet points shouldn't be full sentences, pulled from your outline. They should be summaries of your ideas that you'll elaborate on while speaking.
Make the font size large for the best readability. And keep sentences short for your audience's attention span. Keeping your bullet points concise helps make a great PowerPoint presentation that's more memorable.
Step 3. Put Layouts in PowerPoint to Use
Layouts are the preset combination of elements like content boxes and placeholders for images and media. There are several choices to work with. When used well, they can make a good PowerPoint presentation great.
To choose a layout, find the Layout button on the Home tab of the PowerPoint ribbon. Click on the dropdown option to choose a different layout for a different arrangement of the content on your slides.
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/23/posts/28146/preview_image/how-to-change-slide-layouts-in-powerpoint-video-tutorial.jpg)
These layouts are different ways to adapt your content. No matter what content you've typed in Outline view, changing the outline will keep the content but adapt it to a new arrangement.
![giving great presentations PowerPoint Layout View](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=502/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/layouts.jpg)
Depending on the PowerPoint presentation theme you're using, you should select a layout that gives you the elements that you want. If I know that my slide will include images, I'll make sure to pick a layout with an image placeholder.
To make a great PowerPoint presentation, choose the best slide layout that fits the content of each of your slides. It should also fit the overall flow of your presentation.
3. Build the Look of Your PowerPoint Presentation
You'll be much more confident if you know that your presentation's theme looks great. PowerPoint has some built-in themes that are a good starting point. But there are much better alternatives that are unique.
Step 1. Work With a Custom PowerPoint Theme
My favorite resource right now for giving a PowerPoint presentation is Envato Elements. This is really an incredible, all-you-can-eat buffet of great looking PowerPoint presentation themes. For one flat rate fee, you get access to a huge library of creative assets:
![giving great presentations Envato Elements Unlimited Use PowerPoint presentation templates](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/agio-envato-elements.jpg)
That access includes hundreds of PowerPoint templates that you can use. If you're a subscriber, you can download an unlimited number of great PowerPoint presentation themes for your next big presentation.
The best part about custom themes is that they include ideas for your slides. They'll include layouts that you can easily place your own content into.
I'm almost always preparing a presentation on a tight deadline. I hardly have the time to build all my own illustrations, graphics and visuals from scratch. Elements has enough presentation themes for any type of presentation.
You can also find great PowerPoint templates for individual sale on Envato Market to download one-at-a-time. Discover more trending presentation designs in this curated selection:
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/23/posts/27742/preview_image/awesome-amazing-powerpoint-template-designs.jpg)
Step 2. Change Themes and Styles for Your Presentation
To change your PowerPoint theme, navigate to the Design tab on PowerPoint's ribbon. Click the drop-down arrow. Choose one of the thumbnails to change your PowerPoint theme to the best one for your presentation.
![giving great presentations Change themes in PowerPoint](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=672/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/pptx-themes.jpg)
Using themes and adding your content goes hand-in-hand. As you change your theme, you might need to rework the content so that it appears correctly. Learn more about how to work with professional PowerPoint templates to make your presentation:
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/988/posts/26727/preview_image/Preview_1_.jpg)
4. Add Visualizations to Your Presentation
Visualizations are a great way to break up the monotony of bullet points in your PowerPoint presentation. A well-placed chart or stunning image can hold your audience's attention or provide a visual representation of a fact.
Check out the tutorials below to learn about several key visualization techniques in PowerPoint. You'll also learn how to use them to make great PowerPoint presentations for class or work:
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/26/posts/20059/preview_image/powerpoint-and-video.png)
I add visualizations near the end of the process after I've selected the theme for the entire presentation.
5. Prepare in PowerPoint and Then Present
It's finally showtime. All your hard work to write your content and package it into an attractive presentation is about to pay off.
Let's look at how to get ready to give a great presentation using PowerPoint. For many of us, this is the most intimidating stage in the process—where we step up and deliver.
PowerPoint has several great features to cut down on your presentation anxiety. Use these while preparing to speak.
Step 1. Prepare Your Speaker Notes
Since our slides don't contain exactly what we'll say while presenting, the Speaker Notes is where to place that information.
At the bottom of PowerPoint is a Notes button. Click it to open the speaker notes. This is a great place to type in and capture your cues or key speaking points for your presentation.
![giving great presentations Use PowerPoint speaker notes](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/speaker-notes.jpg)
Learn how to add Speaker Notes to your PowerPoint presentation quickly:
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/988/posts/27976/preview_image/intro_speaker_notes_2.jpg)
Where do these notes show up? You'll see them in either presentation mode (more on that in a minute) or if you print a copy of the slides out. Either way, I use these to prompt my speech and remember my essential talking points.
Step 2. Work With Presenter View in PowerPoint
Presentation mode is perfect for those times when you've connected your device to an external display. What you see on your own screen can be different than what your audience sees.
To enter this mode, check the Use Presenter View box on the Slide Show tab of PowerPoint's ribbon. When you enter Slide Show view (F5 is the keyboard shortcut), you'll enter a Custom Presenter view.
![giving great presentations Use Presenter View in PowerPoint](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=479/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/presenter-view.jpg)
When you enter the Slide Show view, you'll have a different view on your own monitor, complete with the speaker notes below.
![giving great presentations Example of speaker notes in your own monitor view](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=800/uploads/users/151/posts/28734/image/presentation-view.jpg)
If you've got a second screen, this is the best way to present. You'll keep your notes in front of you and have a quick view of the next slide in your deck.
5 Quick PowerPoint Presentation Tips
Now that you know how to make and give great PowerPoint presentations for class or work, here are a few extra tips. These will help you nail down your presentation and leave a great impression on your audience.
1. Use Legible Fonts
The first tip is to use legible fonts. This will ensure that your audience can read the contents of your presentation without having to squint their eyes. Stick to traditional serif and sans-serif fonts and avoid using decorative or script fonts.
![giving great presentations Batagor PowerPoint Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1223/posts/34171/image/Batagor.jpg)
2. Make Eye Contact With Your Audience
Maintaining eye contact with your audience is a great way to establish a connection with them and keep them interested. Focus on a few people in each section of the room and look at them often throughout the presentation.
3. Be Careful With Colors
It goes without saying that your presentation should include your brand or company colors. But, be careful not to overdo it. Otherwise your audience will have a hard time focusing on the topic of your presentation.
![giving great presentations Healthy - Medical PowerPoint Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1223/posts/34171/image/healthy.jpg)
4. Embrace White Space
Ensure that there’s plenty of space between different elements on your slides. This will help them stand out more instead of making your slide appear cluttered.
5. Use Visual Aids
Finally, don’t be afraid of using visual aids to help present information and data in your presentation. Photos, charts, graphs, infographics, and even illustrations will make it easier for everyone to envision what you’re talking about.
![giving great presentations Neo - PowerPoint Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1223/posts/34171/image/Neo.jpg)
Find More Great PowerPoint Templates: 5 Top Designs
Finding a great PowerPoint template isn't hard once you know where to go. We’ve mentioned earlier that Envato Elements has thousands of great PowerPoint templates to choose from. Take a look at some of our best-selling PowerPoint templates from Envato Elements below:
1. Sparrow - Creative Agency PowerPoint Template
![giving great presentations Sparrow - Creative Agency PowerPoint Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1223/posts/34171/image/Sparrow.jpg)
The Sparrow is a creative and colorful PowerPoint template best suited for agencies or freelancers such as designers or artists. The template comes with over 100 unique slides that are based on master slides. Customize fonts and colors and use the drag and drop placeholders to quickly add your images.
2. Yura PowerPoint Template
![giving great presentations Yura PowerPoint Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1223/posts/34171/image/Yura.jpg)
Yura is a clean and minimal PowerPoint template. Use it for any type of presentation thanks to its versatile design. The template has 100 unique slides and was designed in widescreen format. You’ll also get plenty of charts, graphs, and other infographic elements to create a powerful presentation.
3. Cleira - Elegant PowerPoint Template
![giving great presentations Cleira - Elegant PowerPoint Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1223/posts/34171/image/Cleira.jpg)
The Cleira template is a perfect choice if you need to create a stylish and elegant presentation. The template has more than 150 slides and five color variations. It’s entirely based on master slides, so you’ll have an easy time editing it.
4. Mild - Vibrant PowerPoint Template
![giving great presentations Mild - Vibrant PowerPoint Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1223/posts/34171/image/Mild.jpg)
The Mild is a vibrant PowerPoint template. It can be used for business or portfolio presentations. The template comes with 35 unique slides and 50 premade color schemes. Use these as a starting point for your presentation design. The template is easy to customize and was designed in full HD resolution.
5. Lekro PowerPoint Template
![giving great presentations Lekro PowerPoint Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/1223/posts/34171/image/Lekro.jpg)
The Lekro is a professional PowerPoint template. It’s perfect for any type of corporate or business presentation. It's got more than 60 unique slides and comes with editable charts. The template is based on master slides for easier editing.
To see even more great PowerPoint templates, be sure to check out these roundups:
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/151/posts/34200/preview_image/Brochure-PowerPoint-Templates.jpg)
Download Our Free eBook on Making Great Presentations
![giving great presentations Download Our Free eBook on Making Great Presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=850/uploads/users/71/posts/28734/image-upload/eBookPromo_850x500px.jpg)
Grab The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations now for FREE with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter. Get your ideas formed into a powerful presentation that'll move your audience!
Explore More PowerPoint Tutorials on Tuts+
Also, we've been building a library of PowerPoint and presentation skills here on Envato Tuts+. Check out more great PowerPoint tutorials to keep learning:
![giving great presentations](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=400/uploads/users/988/posts/19898/preview_image/Preview_Aequor_.jpg)
What's your top tip for how to make a great PowerPoint presentation? Let me know in the comments section below.
Design a Great PowerPoint Presentation
Designing a great PowerPoint presentation isn't that hard once you know what’s involved in the process and have the exact steps to follow. You've just learned how to do a PowerPoint presentation, step-by-step.
The first step is to find a great PowerPoint template to use for your presentation. Start your search for the perfect PowerPoint template on Envato Elements and take advantage of everything this marketplace has to offer. Or, if you need a PowerPoint template quickly, stop by GraphicRiver and download one of our easy to use PowerPoint templates .
Why not download your favorite template today? It'll make giving your next PowerPoint presentation a snap.
Editorial Note : This tutorial was originally published in May of 2017. It's been updated to include new information—with special assistance from Brenda Barron .
![giving great presentations Andrew Childress](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=64/uploads/users/15/profiles/36/profileImage/profile.jpg)
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Do You Have What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation?
- Michael Foley
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://hbr.org/resources/images/article_assets/2021/03/A_Mar21_04_1154903435.jpg)
Three skills anyone can learn.
Great presentations are all about how well you engage your audience. Here are three ways to do that:
- Be balanced: Strike the right balance between structure and improvisation during your presentation. Rather than preparing your content in a narrative form, take the time to segment it by topic. Leave room to respond to your audience’s immediate needs, even if that means going off script for a while.
- Be generous: You goal should be to offer your audience something of value. Let this principle guide the content you choose to present.
- Be human: Rehearse to familiarize yourself with your content, but do not memorize it. If you go blank for a moment, don’t apologize and act flustered, just pause, take a breath, collect your thoughts and continue on. Your audience wants you to be relatable.
Have you ever seen a really great presentation? Honestly, they’re pretty rare.
![giving great presentations giving great presentations](https://hbr.org/resources/css/images/hmm/HBR-learning-icon.png)
- Michael Foley is an educator and coach, and founder of Clarity Centra l, a communications training and consulting firm based in Chicago. He is also an adjunct lecturer of leadership at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
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8 tips to make the best powerpoint presentations.
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These 10 games make playstation plus extra worth it, today's nyt connections hints and answer for august 24 (#440), 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.
![giving great presentations define a goal](https://static1.howtogeekimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/start.png)
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.
![giving great presentations avoid walls of text](https://static1.howtogeekimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/less.png)
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
![giving great presentations use better fonts](https://static1.howtogeekimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/fonts.png)
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.
![giving great presentations use fewer bullets](https://static1.howtogeekimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/bullets.png)
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.
![giving great presentations avoid transitions](https://static1.howtogeekimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/transitions.png)
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.
![giving great presentations use visuals](https://static1.howtogeekimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/visuals.png)
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.
![giving great presentations find a color palette](https://static1.howtogeekimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/palette.png)
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.
![giving great presentations change views](https://static1.howtogeekimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/view.png)
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.
- Microsoft Office
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How To Give a Great Presentation – 7 Presentation Skills and Tips to Leave an Impression
Did you know that more than 75% of people fear public speaking? It’s come to the point that this fear has been classified as a phobia, known as “glossophobia.”
When it comes to delivering an impactful presentation, everyone wants to have a standing ovation– or at least a satisfied nod from your boss. What if we told you that you could be Tony Stark marching out after a speech, Jeff Bezos walking out of an Amazon meeting, and Harvey Spectre giving a riveting argument?
Today, we’re going to teach you how to give an excellent presentation by breaking down seven presentation tips and skills to leave an impression. Let’s dive right in!
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The 5 Second Rule
by Mel Robbins
⏱ 14 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Buy on Amazon
Dress to Impress
The first step occurs way before the actual presentation. You will never give an impactful, passionate, and serious presentation without the appropriate attire. Not only will it be confusing for your audience, but it may affect the way you speak and hold yourself.
Clothes hold power. Donning a sleek blazer, pressed pants, and a crispy-white shirt is like putting on your superhero cape. The clean, groomed appearance is considered traditional for the presenter to be dressed slightly more formally than their audience. This way, you’ll receive a dramatic boost in confidence, and you’ll have a unique air of authority that makes people compelled to focus on you.
Choose professional, clean clothes, an outfit that you feel comfortable in, can move around easily in, and won’t make you feel sweaty right before the showtime. This is not the occasion to break in new shoes that will likely hurt your ankle and pinch your toes, nor is it the time to try out that brand new shirt or blazer with a still stiff collar. It’s also not the time to wear something flashy that may steal the attention away from your message.
As a general rule of thumb, when in doubt, go for a classic business style.
Wield Body Language to Your Advantage
Whether you know it or not, and whether your audience knows it or not, body language makes or breaks a presentation. Your viewers will subconsciously notice if you’re hunched over, if you look closed off, and if you’re too cocky– all of which will affect your likeability level.
You are likable, and you’re telling an important story, but your audience may need a little help in realizing that.
Let’s break this down into a few small but notable things to improve your body language while presenting.
First things first, let’s take your posture as a primary example of how much body language affects everyone in the room. First of all, your posture also works to influence your voice, especially how loud or low it is.
You want to stand up tall and straight, yet aim for a natural position. It should be a given that no presentation is given while sitting down. And while standing may make you feel nervous or exposed, it grants you a feeling of authority over your listeners.
Now, your shoulders should be down and relaxed. Your head and chin slightly up and back.
No matter how tempting or comfortable it is, it’s essential to never give a presentation with your arms crossed over your chest. This gives off the vibe that you’re closed off and not at all connected with your audience. In contrast, you also shouldn’t have your hand placed on your hips. This will make you look bossy or arrogant.
So what can you do? And the more important question: what do you do with your hands during a presentation?
The answer is way more straightforward than you think. You just have to forget about your hands. Be natural. It’s as if you’re having a normal, one on one conversation with someone. You don’t think about what you’re doing with your hands then.
Not comfortable with being casual? We have your back!
You can use several hand gestures and movements not only to appear confident but even further to capture your audience’s attention.
Use these hand gestures when you need to emphasize and draw attention to something special during your presentation. Move around a little. That will help you relax.
Here are some don’ts of body language during a presentation:
Don’t place your hands in your pockets. Studies have shown that people tend to trust others more when they can see their hands.
Don’t nervously fiddle. That means rolling loose change in your pockets, playing with pens, et cetera. While it may be an outlet for your nervous energy, it’s actively making your look nervous, which will be disconnecting and distracting for the audience.
Sprinkle in Some Humor
Still nervous? It’s important not to take yourself too seriously. A few witty lines here and there makes you endearing to your audience, even if you don’t get a few out-loud laughs. If you can make your audience feel amused and engaged, you have their attention in your pocket. Now, they’re more receptive to what you’re saying, which in turn makes you feel more reassured and confident.
Obviously, outright jokes aren’t recommended. Instead, try to go for an entertaining observation, use a couple of witty lines about the subject you’re presenting.
Use Take-Home Points
Have you ever attended a presentation that ended with you not knowing what on Earth that person was talking about? They didn’t have the secret we’re about to share: take-home points.
This is to ensure that your audience doesn’t go home, wondering what the point you were trying to reach for the past 20 minutes was. Before you go on stage, make sure you have all the ideas and main messages you want to stick into your audience’s minds and leave a lasting impression.
And right at the end of your no-doubt phenomenal presentation, summarise all your take-home points. Boom! You have left an impact.
Practise Makes Perfect
Sometimes, leaving a lasting impression after a presentation is credited to lots of practice. Whenever you have the time, practice that presentation as often as you can. Practice it to the point that you’re so familiar with it and the subject that you can deliver the content blindfolded– with ease —kind of how you would feel if you were talking to a trusted friend.
Also, if you have someone you trust that will provide useful feedback, have a friend or a family member help you. Try at least one practice-presentation in front of them and have them give you feedback. If there is no one available, you can even break the tension a little by presenting your point to your pet. You’ll find them to be excellent listeners!
But jokes aside, if you want to deliver a passionate, rousing presentation, this is the way to go. It’s better than trying your luck at stalling or forgetting what you’re about to say.
Prepare for Your Surroundings
You can’t expect to effortlessly deliver a stirring speech, animatedly talking and gesturing, while you’re not familiar with the stage.
The more you’re prepared for your surroundings, the more comfortable you will feel, and the more confident and relaxed you will be. It helps to spend a little time in the space where you’re going to do the presentation. Take note of how the seating is set up, and make sure you know if there will be any distractions or obstacles in your path.
Have a Powerful Start
Our final tip takes us all the way back to the beginning of your presentation. As nerve-wracking as it is, presenters only have a few minutes at the start to grab their audience’s attention and not only that but to hold it.
A strong start to your presentation should be entertaining and riveting. Introduce yourself later. You’ll have a grace period before the audience starts losing focus.
Still, don’t forget that most audiences will be sympathetic. Remember that part when we said over 75% of the world suffer from fear of public speaking ? That equates to people being more patient when listening to nervous speakers. That also means that– unlike what you may think– your audience won’t burst out in mocking laughter or point fingers at you if you misstep or make a mistake.
What you do is to take a deep breath. Yes, you feel nervous at the moment. That’s okay . It’s just important that you don’t let your muscles tighten up and hold your breath as a result. Take a deep breath and step on stage with confidence.
The last step? Smile. Smile even if you feel anxious. Even the simple act of turning your lips up increases happy endorphins, making you feel good about your presentation. Your audience will also warm up to you. Don’t worry. You’ve got this!
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How to give better PowerPoint presentations and improve your slides to keep an audience engaged
- You can improve your PowerPoint presentations by both improving your presentation skills and making better use of the program.
- To create a more compelling PowerPoint presentation, you can use tricks like animated charts, a background soundtrack, or embedded fonts.
- Here are 17 tips for making cleaner slides, speaking more effectively, and using little-known PowerPoint tools for smarter presentations.
Microsoft PowerPoint remains the most common platform to create and deliver presentations.
No matter what your content, you can make a more compelling presentation when you've toned some common presentation skills and also mastered some of PowerPoint's lesser-known features.
How to make a better PowerPoint presentation
Here are nine ways to get more out of PowerPoint and create a killer presentation.
Start your presentation instantly
Few things look as unprofessional as fumbling around trying to start your presentation in the PowerPoint app. But you can skip all that by setting your presentation to start instantly.
1. When your PowerPoint deck is complete, click "File" and "Save As."
2. In the Save As dialog box, change the "Save as" type to "PowerPoint Show" and store it somewhere easy to find, like your desktop.
3. When you're ready to start the presentation, double-click this icon, and the deck will launch instantly in presentation mode, without needing to open the PowerPoint application.
Create an animated chart
You can format any kind of chart so each segment animates individually. This can help you call attention to specific parts of the chart as you discuss it. Add a chart in the usual way, then:
1. Click the "Animations" tab in the ribbon and then click "Animation Pane."
2. In the ribbon, click "Add Animation."
3. Choose the kind of animation you want to apply to the chart.
4. Right-click the effect in the Animation Pane and then, in the menu, choose "Effect Options."
5. In the Properties box, choose the "Chart Animation" tab and then change "Group chart" to "By Category" and click "OK."
Align your graphics
PowerPoint lets you add objects — shapes, lines, arrows, text boxes, and other elements — to the screen, but getting them aligned can be tricky. You might appreciate knowing you can perfectly align any elements on the screen with just a couple of clicks.
1. Press and hold the Shift key.
2. While continuing to hold Shift, click each item on the screen that you want to align. If you click an element by accident, click it again to de-select it. Release the Shift key when they're all selected.
3. Click the "Home" tab in the ribbon.
4. In the ribbon, click "Arrange" and then, in the "Position Objects" section, choose an alignment to arrange or distribute the objects neatly on the screen.
Embed your fonts for portability
If you're using special fonts in your presentation and you try to open the deck on a computer that doesn't have those fonts installed, PowerPoint will substitute a local font, sometimes with disastrous results. You can avoid that problem by embedding the font in the deck, making the presentation fully portable (and possible for other people to share and edit the deck as well).
1. Click the "File" tab in the ribbon and then choose "Options."
2. In the PowerPoint Options dialog box, choose "Save" in the navigation pane on the left.
3. In the section called "Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation," click "Embed fonts in the file" and then select "Embed all characters."
Blank the screen to keep all eyes on you
It seems inevitable: For whatever reason, you find yourself needing to discuss a topic that's not directly related to the slide on the screen. That's when the deck can become a distraction, with your audience's eyes focused on a pie chart when you're answering an unrelated question. PowerPoint has an easy solution: Press the B key to blank the screen — it'll turn black until you press B again or move to the next slide. If you prefer, press W to turn the screen white.
Easily jump between sections of your deck
Not every presentation is linear, and you might prefer to jump back and forth from sections of your deck to a common "table of contents," so you can tackle the presentation in any order. This can be handy, for example, if you're using a deck for training or education. PowerPoint's Zoom feature is ideal for this.
1. Create a presentation and be sure to organize it into sections, ideally with title slides dividing each part of the deck.
2. Click the "Insert" tab in the ribbon.
3. Click "Zoom" and then click "Summary Zoom."
4. In the "Insert Summary Zoom" window, select the title slide or start of each section and then click "Insert."
PowerPoint will add a summary page to your deck. Now you can start your presentation here and click a section to go there. When that section is complete, PowerPoint will return you to the summary page.
Preserve the presentation as a PDF
If you want to share your presentation with your audience, a PDF file is an easy way to preserve the formatting, make it easily printable, and prevent anyone from modifying your content. Just click the "File" tab in the ribbon, choose "Save As," and then select "PDF" as the "Save as" type. You can now share this PDF file quickly and easily.
Zoom in for a closer look
During a presentation, you might realize that the audience can't clearly see a detail you want to focus on. That's ok — PowerPoint lets you zoom in with a couple clicks.
First, make sure your presentation is set to Slide Show view. To zoom in, click on the magnifying glass in the lower-left corner of the presenter view. You'll see a zoom box appear — position it where you want to zoom, and click. Now the presentation will be zoomed in on the part of the screen you want to focus on. You can even click and drag to move around the screen while zoomed in.
When you're done and want to zoom back out, either press the Escape key or the magnifying glass icon again.
Add a musical soundtrack
You can easily add a musical score that plays in the background across all your slides. This is especially handy for "kiosk" presentations that run autonomously.
1. Go to the slide where you want the music to begin and then click the "Insert" tab in the ribbon.
2. Click "Audio" and then click "Audio on my PC…"
3. Choose the track you want to play.
4. In the ribbon, click "Play in Background."
Now, when you reach this slide, the music will start to play automatically and it will continue playing across slides until the track is over, then loop and play again.
Related coverage from Tech Reference :
How to do a voiceover on a powerpoint presentation and add pre-recorded audio to your slides, the 48 best powerpoint keyboard shortcuts for making great presentations quickly and easily, how to add a border to slides in powerpoint, and give your slideshow a sleek design, how to compress a powerpoint file so that it loads faster and doesn't take up as much space, how to create a custom powerpoint template to use or share with others.
- Main content
- INNOVATION FESTIVAL
- Capital One
03-26-2024 DESIGN
3 fail-proof tips for giving a presentation like a pro
A sommelier, a costume designer, and a marathon runner offer their best advice for giving a great presentation.
![giving great presentations 3 fail-proof tips for giving a presentation like a pro](https://images.fastcompany.com/image/upload/f_webp,c_fit,w_1920,q_auto/wp-cms/uploads/2024/03/p-2-91067988-creative-endurance-presentation-guide.jpg)
[Illustration: Marco Goran Romano /courtesy Rockport Publishers]
BY Mike Schnaidt 5 minute read
“Alright, Mike. You go on stage in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1. Go for it!” says the stagehand at DesignThinkers, a major graphic design conference in Toronto, Canada. I walk out on stage, waving to a dark sea of roughly 400 people as I approach the sleek silver podium.
“This is a big crowd, and to be honest, I’m kinda relieved, because I, uh . . . I thought I was supposed to present in the larger building next door. That crowd is waaay bigger.”
The audience erupts in laughter. Whew . That joke landed. With fellow presenters such as Paula Scher and Stefan Sagmeister, I was feeling the pressure. But now, I’m feeling pretty good.
My confidence in presenting didn’t come naturally. I was haunted by public speaking for years—ever since I bombed a comedy roast when I was in my twenties. It seemed like a good idea at the time: roasts were big on Comedy Central in the 2000s, so we arranged one for a friend’s 25 th birthday.
Our roast was at a wood-paneled VFW hall in Long Island, so the stakes were low. But when it was my turn to tell jokes, standing in front of a crowd of 40 friends, I was a hand-shaking, brow-sweating, verbal-stuttering mess. My roast turned into an act of self-immolation because I didn’t bother to prepare. This flub remained a patch of black mold in the walls of my mind, creeping its way into the workplace. Early in my career, when it came time to present, I’d worry that I’d get nervous and shaky again.
But no one starts out being great at anything, myself included. The more I presented, the better I became.
Today, as a creative director, a professor, and an author, I do my fair share of public speaking. And regardless of your profession, you’ll— gulp —have to stand before a crowd and deliver a speech or a presentation. So, for my book Creative Endurance , I interviewed a sommelier, a costume designer, and a marathoner—all large event experts—to glean tactics that are universally applicable to delivering great presentations.
Tell a Sommelier-grade Story
![giving great presentations](https://images.fastcompany.com/image/upload/wp-cms/uploads/2024/03/i-1-91067988-creative-endurance-presentation-guide-234x300.webp)
Sommelier Anthony Giglio stresses the importance of storytelling in presentations. Every year, Giglio speaks to an audience of roughly 150 people at the Food & Wine classic in Aspen. Despite the upscale location, Giglio keeps it light, leaning into his blue-collar upbringing. “I wasn’t born in Napa Valley. I’m from a row house in Jersey City. That approach makes me relatable,” says Giglio, who shares stories to make the technical information about wine more palatable. “When I explain wine, I weave in stories about my family,” says Giglio. “I describe them like we’re watching a home movie in Technicolor.” Years after his story-driven talks, audience members have reconnected with Giglio, reminiscing about the photo he showed of his mother’s 1960s-era black beehive hairdo. He’s never shown a photo—his stories are that visual.
Your move: Consider the balance of verbal and visual components in your presentation. While software programs such as Figma and Canva provide great options for eye candy, try remaining on a slide while you narrate a story—it’ll encourage your audience to use their imagination, keeping them engaged and connected with you.
Prepare like a costume designer
Jeanie Cheek, a costume designer and wardrobe stylist, responsible for shows like Lip Sync Battle and the BET Awards , stresses the importance of over-preparing for a big event. Cheek was responsible for the wardrobes of hip-hop duo Salt-N-Pepa and their backup dancers for the 2023 Grammys. This was a big event, where Salt-N-Pepa were slated to perform with Queen Latifah and LL Cool J as a celebration of the 50 th anniversary of hip-hop. But a change in plans occurred: Salt-N-Pepa wanted to be in charge of their own outfits, which left Cheek in limbo—how could she coordinate outfits for the backup dancers without knowing what the duo planned to wear?
The day before the Grammys, Salt-N-Pepa revealed their outfits: gold and black pantsuits, emblazoned with patterns of Salt-N-Pepa logos. Unfortunately, these patterned pantsuits clashed with the equally patterned houndstooth tracksuits that Cheek planned for the backup dancers. “You need to plan for a wrench getting thrown into the plan,” says Cheek, who purchased multiple outfit options for the backup dancers. Thanks to her planning, the switch was easy—she dressed the backup dancers in solid forest green tracksuits, which complemented Salt-N-Pepa’s outfits. Crisis, averted.
![giving great presentations](https://images.fastcompany.com/image/upload/wp-cms/uploads/2024/03/i-2-91067988-creative-endurance-presentation-guide-813x457.webp)
Your move: Practice, practice, practice. It may feel awkward to rehearse your presentation, but the more you rehearse, the more comfortable you’ll feel on stage. In prep for my DesignThinkers talk, I practiced my presentation, often as part of my mile-long walk to the train station for work. Like a cast member on an Aaron Sorkin TV show, I walked and talked, strengthening my ability to speak conversationally about my presentation. By drilling my talk on a daily basis, I was fully equipped for the overwhelming sight of a large crowd. Preparation enabled me to ad-lib the line: “I thought I was supposed to present in the larger building next door.”
Use Your Imagination
Dick Beardsley, a marathoner who came in second place in the 1982 Boston Marathon and holds a Guinness Record for the most consecutive personal bests in a marathon, knows how to use mental tactics to remain motivated through tough situations. Beardsley shares that motivation with others, delivering presentations to clients such as GE, New Balance, and a group of coal miners in North Dakota—a story he recounted for me in Creative Endurance . The tired coal miners wrapped up a 12-hour shift, and Beardsley was tasked with giving them an uplifting speech afterwards. “There was no response. No one laughed. Nothing.” In deflating situations like these, Beardsley visualizes a situation where “a crowd went nuts,” which maintains marathon-level stamina through the energy-depleting visual of a bored crowd.
![giving great presentations](https://images.fastcompany.com/image/upload/wp-cms/uploads/2024/03/i-3-91067988-creative-endurance-presentation-guide-246x300.webp)
Your move: The most difficult part of a presentation can be the beginning, when the audience is still sizing you up. Use the metronome method, spending a few seconds looking at each section of the crowd. Once you find an engaged audience member, use them as your beacon, constantly looking back at them for emotional support. (Just don’t stare at them the whole time, OK?) And if you’re on a video call where no one has their cameras on, go full Beardsley and imagine an excited crowd—it’ll boost your mood. If you’re having fun, they’re having fun.
For more tips on overcoming creative obstacles, check out my book, Creative Endurance , which is available on Amazon and wherever fine books are sold.
Apply to the Most Innovative Companies Awards and be recognized as an organization driving the world forward through innovation. Early-rate deadline: Friday, August 23.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Schnaidt is the creative director of Fast Company. He’s the author of Creative Endurance , a guide for overcoming obstacles More
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More From Forbes
Eight tips for delivering a great presentation.
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Ira M. Gostin, MBA, APR is the chief strategist at G8 Strategies LLC , helping global companies tell their stories & move the needle.
In the corporate world, the PowerPoint, or pitch deck, is still a relevant communications tool. CEOs, COOs and CFOs, as well as their teams, use these decks to communicate to investors, analysts, shareholders, the media and others.
There are articles that state the “slide deck is dead,” but people still use it effectively in daily practice. The slide deck is not dead if you create a great storytelling deck with visual impact—and rehearse and present it with authority.
The core of the pitch deck is the combination of the oral presentation with a visual one. However, a failure to excel in either domain can create a situation where the merged program is less effective than the combination of the two.
The following are eight critical points that can help you ensure that your presentations are as effective as possible and deliver on your presentation goals.
1. Control Your Modulation
Your voice leads your presentation and is one of the most overlooked aspects of the presentation world. If your goal is to present at a level (loudness, excitement and authority) of an eight, you should actually project your voice at a nine or 10. Many times people fail to rehearse and come across as flat, lifeless or not committed to the story.
2. Practice, Rehearse And Practice Again
Many CEOs hate to practice or rehearse, but I believe it’s imperative. No matter how many talks they have given, put them in a staged room, videotape it and make them go through the presentation. Look for traps in the slide deck or areas where they might stumble. Count the “ums” and “ahs” they use to help eliminate these unnecessary fillers.
3. Work On Your Posture
Stand with authority. Rehearsing and videotaping will help with this, but a good speaker will stand up straight, have their microphone pre-positioned and make sure they’re not swaying back and forth or hanging onto the podium. I saw one CEO at an event who was draped over the podium and mumbled through his entire presentation. That’s not a company I want to invest in.
4. Make Sure Your Slides Visually Represent Your Company
Your brand should be prominent. Use colors purposefully. Graphics should be clean and vibrant and not pixelated and hard to read. Buy stock photos; don’t clip other people’s photos from the internet.
5. Don’t Overuse Bullets
Slide after slide of numerous bullets will put your audience in a trance. To create a dynamic visual storytelling deck, you can insert a slide or two with bullets, but keep them simple. I recommend using odd numbers of bullets and using no more than five per slide. Three is better if you insist on using bullets.
6. Don’t Read The Slides
Your script should augment the slides. If you have bullets, pick one bulleted item to expand on, but never read the slides. Give additional information that supports the information on the slide.
7. Find Your Cadence
When you rehearse a program, you build a sort of muscle memory. Your cadence keeps people engaged in the audio part of the story. A weak cadence and soft voice can lead to “drone on” symptoms, something you never want to be associated with.
8. Tell A Story
The most important part of any presentation is telling a story. It should always have a beginning, middle and end, and the end should wrap up your entire presentation.
The brain captures information in a variety of ways, and in many cases, it does so in different ways at the same time. Your visuals, tone, emphasis, authority, expertise and passion for the subject should all come across when you’re presenting your subject.
Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
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Presenting effectively involves careful preparation, understanding your audience, and delivering your message in an engaging manner. Here are some popular tips that can help you give a great presentation: Know Your Audience. Prepare Well. Write and Stick to a Script. Create an Engaging Slide Deck. Start Strong.
Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images. You'll make presentations at various ...
Presentation expert Nancy Duarte, who gave the TED Talk " The secret structure of great talks ," has built her career helping people express their ideas in presentations. The author of Slide:ology and Resonate, Duarte has just released a new book through the Harvard Business Review: The HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations.
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.
Tips for giving a great presentation. Follow these tips to help you create a presentation that will engage your audience: 1. Keep your presentation simple. When putting your presentation together, remember that simpler is better. Many presenters follow the "10-20-30" rule: use 10 or fewer slides, keep your presentation under 20 minutes and ...
Now follow along to learn step-by-step how to make a great presentation in PowerPoint that's ready to present to an eager audience. 1. Content Comes First. The first part of writing a successful PowerPoint-based presentation has nothing to do with PowerPoint. It's all about the content that you'll put inside of it.
March 04, 2021. dvulikaia/ Getty Images. Summary. Great presentations are all about how well you engage your audience. Here are three ways to do that: Be balanced: Strike the right balance between ...
Research, plan, and prepare your presentation professionally. It helps you deliver an effective message to your target audience. Designed Correctly. Your visual points should stand out without overwhelming your audience. A good PowerPoint visual shouldn't complicate your message. Practiced to Perfection.
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.
The first step occurs way before the actual presentation. You will never give an impactful, passionate, and serious presentation without the appropriate attire. Not only will it be confusing for your audience, but it may affect the way you speak and hold yourself. Clothes hold power. Donning a sleek blazer, pressed pants, and a crispy-white ...
1. When your PowerPoint deck is complete, click "File" and "Save As." 2. In the Save As dialog box, change the "Save as" type to "PowerPoint Show" and store it somewhere easy to find, like your ...
1. Go for it!" says the stagehand at DesignThinkers, a major graphic design conference in Toronto, Canada. I walk out on stage, waving to a dark sea of roughly 400 people as I approach the sleek ...
Giving a good presentation takes practice—and a lot of great insight. In this video, we walk you through our top 11 tips on giving a great presentation. Know...
The following are eight critical points that can help you ensure that your presentations are as effective as possible and deliver on your presentation goals. 1. Control Your Modulation. Your voice ...
Give concrete and specific examples in your feedback: Use specific examples from the presentation when you're giving constructive or positive feedback. Use "I" statements when giving feedback: Even if you're an expert in presenting, any feedback you give is still an opinion. Using phrases like "I think that…" or "I felt like ...