51 Quick Tips for Business Presentations

  • 51 Quick Tips for Business Presentations

    51 Quick Tips for Business Presentations

    Want to leave your audience clapping? Review this list of miscellaneous tips before giving your next business presentation.

    51.  Love your topic!
    50.  Decide what you want to achieve during your presentation, before you start creating it.
    49.  Structure your presentation to achieve your goals.
    48.  Keep it short.
    47.  Analyze your audience.
    46.  Assess your audience’s perceptions.
    45.  Determine your audience’s goals.
    44.  Develop key messages.
    43.  Start on time.
    42.  Don’t rush.
    41.  Create a hook, to get your audience listening.
    40.  Introduce yourself after you ‘hook’ your audience.
    39.  Use pictures.
    38.  Tell stories.
    37.  Show a cartoon.
    36.  Speak with passion.
    35.  Alter your tone.
    34.  Vary the volume.
    33.  Use silence to emphasize a point.
    32.  Move with your message.
    31.  Don’t dance.
    30.  Use videos.
    29.  Smile.
    28.  Talk to each person in your audience as if they are the focus of your presentation.
    27.  Show confidence.
    26.  Simplify your messages.
    25.  Repeat key messages.
    24.  Use a quote.
    23.  Organize logically.
    22.  Tell your audience exactly what you want them to do after the presentation.
    21.  Use an example.
    20.  Share an analogy.
    19.  Don’t read word for word from a script (there are exceptions to this comment).
    18.  Don’t read each bullet point.
    17.  Avoid words and bullet points entirely, if possible.
    16.  Use just one message per slide.
    15.  Use diagrams instead of words.
    14.  Choose the chart or diagram style that emphasizes your message.
    13.  Create a consistent template.
    12.  Make your presentation easy to see.
    11.  Explain your charts, or simplify them so they don’t need explaining.
    10.  Use a template that creates the desired perception.
    9.  Dress in a way that creates your sought after image.
    8.  Listen to your audience’s body language.
    7.  Respond to signals from the audience.
    6.  Show that you care.
    5.  Use your body to amplify your message.
    4.  Make sure that your audience has enough time to absorb each key message.
    3.  Speed up as you build your message.
    2.  Emphasize your key point by saying each word very slowly.
    #1 TIP — Practice, practice, practice!!!  Preparing to give a presentation is like preparing for a tennis match.  You need the skills, a great coach and lots of practice.

    Kimberly VanLandingham is a presentation trainer, public speaking coach, keynote speaker and international business consultant with a masters in communications. Presentation Training Switzerland is part of European Market Link Sàrl, a Swiss limited company, providing presentation training to technical, business, sales and international presenters.

    Presentation Training Switzerland offers workshops and private coaching with practice sessions including video feedback.  

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