Presentation tips
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In the old days it was considered useful to be able to do things like make fire and slay mammoths. These skills are in less demand these days. But an ability to present well in front of an audience is something that is always going to come in handy. Here are my tips:
Decide what you want your presentation to achieve:
Leave them knowing something
Get them to do something
Change the way that they think about something
Try to pull out five or so really important things that you want the audience to take away. Don't try and do too many. Say what they are at the start, do each one and then say what they were at the end.
Make acting on the outcome of the presentation as easy as possible.
Never apologise at the start. It will only lower expectations.
Don't expect to enjoy giving your first presentation, but don't be surprised if you get a taste for it.
Do not try too hard to judge how your presentation went. What you think was a bad presentation might well go down a storm with the audience. And, unfortunately, vice-versa.
If you think you're having more fun than the audience, stop at once.
Don't expect things that are important to you to be important to your audience as well.
Expect to have to sell your subject, so try to put it in a context that works for your audience.
Don't think that you have to show off your knowledge to impress the audience. They are going to be more engaged if they can see how what you're telling them will improve their lives.
The ultimate sin for a presenter is to overrun. Underrunning is fine. I find it easier to pad out a bit with things that I'd like to say than chop stuff out on the fly to hit the end time. Although I've done both.
Always take questions. Make it clear when/how this is will happen.
If a question only seems relevant to the questioner, take it offline. Some questioners like to ask things to show that they know more than you. Allow them to do this (you look a lot bigger that way). Don't start trading points. If the answer is a matter of opinion, take it offline.
Never argue with the audience, and never set the audience up against a questioner.
Don't be afraid to be wrong in front of the audience.
The audience will be more inclined to follow you if you are amusing/interesting but they will be very inclined to follow you if they think what you are saying is useful/valuable to them. So make sure you tell them why the content is important. And use their words.
Make sure you have a backup plan in case everything breaks. Test the backup.
Don't write down everything you are planning to say but do have something that you can look at if you need inspiration. Me, I love a good slide deck, but I may be out of fashion. Bullet points are a good compromise.
A rehearsal won't do any harm, particularly in respect of getting the timing right.
Having something fun you can look forward to (a trip to the bar, etc etc) that you will definitely be doing after the presentation, whether it goes well or badly.
