Presenting is not a skill we are all born with, heck it’s not even a skill we learn or refine in school. Most of us probably gave a few presentations in college or high school but did not seek feedback or value the skill of briefing at the time. One of the most valuable skills I have gained in my career has been how to nail a presentation. Below are some of the most valuable tips and tricks I have learned.
1. Know Your Audience
Before you even begin to prepare your brief, you need to know the audience. Are you presenting to upper management, a customer, peers? Know their background knowledge on your topic to help inform how much basic information should be provided in your brief or whether you can jump right into the hard stuff.
2. Define Your Message
There is nothing worse than sitting through a presentation and wondering what the briefer is trying to convey. A presentation should have a specific point and message, otherwise you will lose your audience. Ask yourself what do you want from the audience? Are you informing them? Asking them to make a decision
3. Create Visuals
A visual can truly make or break a presentation. If it’s too wordy, the audience will read the screen instead of listening to your voiceover. Inconsistent formatting will distract the audience from the content. The goal of a visual is for it to compliment your brief and summarize the key takeaways.
4. Practice, Practice, Practice
Don’t go into your presentation and think that winging it will work, especially if you are early in refining your presentation skillset. The best thing I did for myself was find a mentor who continuously delivered successful briefs. I requested some time to sit with her and practice a presentation a few days prior to the meeting. We spent about an hour reviewing and tweaking. This helped ease my nerves and I walked into my presentation feeling prepared and poised.
5. Dress For Success
This is where The Shattered Ceiling comes in. We offer a variety of high-end workwear available for rent. The perfect solution to feeling confident and empowered during your presentation without breaking the bank. Check out our suits here.
The last think I will leave you with is don’t beat yourself up if your presentation doesn’t go perfectly. Ask a trusted peer or mentor to attend your presentation and provide you with actionable feedback. Take that feedback and use it to improve your next brief and know that this skillset is one that requires continuous learning and adjusting.
Good luck and Go Shatter The Glass Ceiling
Laura