Let’s do something a bit different but important.
At one point or the other, every presenter would like to imitate Bill Gates or Obama (then) presentation. But the truth is that you don’t even need to give their kind of presentation to start with, because you are not presenting a multi-million product or neither are you addressing millions of audience.
Rather, you are creating an impression to few selected important personality, therefore, delivering your message and how to deliver it to this particular audience is your top priority.
This goes beyond the normal stuff every good presenter does viz researching your work, practicing the presentation beforehand and of course being punctual. There are certain “life-hacks” that can turn an average presentation into a long lasting impression.
Tips to observe for that remarkable presentation
1. Save your powerpoint presentation to open as slideshow
A simple trick of changing your powerpoint presentation extension from “.ppt/.pptx” to “.pps/ppsx” will open your presentation directly on the screen as a slideshow.
This makes your presentation look more professional as well as saving “white” time.
2. Grab attention in the first few seconds
First impression, “they say”, is the last impression, but only few presenters can master this rule. Getting the attention of your audience in the first few minutes makes them more likely to listen to you through the session.
Therefore, instead of going straight to your lecture, entertain them with relevant fact, ask them a question or even surprise them with a mental pause.
Like the famous public speaker Seth Godin says, “Pause for two or three seconds and the audience assume you’ve lost your place; five seconds, they think the pause is intentional; after ten seconds, even the people texting can’t help looking up.
3. Say more with less
Most presenters apply the 10-20-30 rule which implies that on a typical presentation, you should not have more than 10 Slides which should not take more than 20 minutes to complete and have an average font size of 30 point.
Try as much as possible to have as less information as you can on each slide and descriptive images are always preferred over text.
4. Be plain and interesting
Use a plain background themed template (without any background pictures or animation) and use it consistently throughout your presentation. It cuts the distraction and focuses your message.
5. Get something handy
It is always advisable to hold something in your hands, eg a remote pointer, pen or even a ruler. This makes you feel more confident with your hand gestures. And, as a rule, always keep a bottle or glass of water beside you when delivering your presentation; it may be helpful if you forget the lines. Just take a sip and no one will suspect.
