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January 7, 2014

Fearless Presentations

Fearless

Understanding how to give a good presentation is a key skill for any professional. How you present yourself — whether in a job interview, client pitch or speaking engagement — can lead to numerous opportunities.

Inspired by an upcoming Delucchi University event by the same name (thanks Kimberly), I thought I would share eight tips I’ve learned over the years when in a presentation situation.

1. Never go to a meeting and say nothing. Find a way to interject your voice in a pitch, round table discussion or strategy session at least twice. Otherwise there is no reason you should be there. Speaking not only forces you to pay attention but also proves your worth in the process, even if you’re the most junior person at the table.

2. Don’t forget to introduce yourself and the reason why you’re in the room/relevance to the conversation. Sounds simple but I can’t count how many times I’ve seen folks you just dive right in and leave the audience wondering, “Who might this person be?”

3. Always have energy. Good energy can even make the most boring topic or group of people fun. You can affect the mood of a room by what you say and how you deliver it.

4. Pick up cues from the room. What gets the head shake and what is putting people to sleep? You may have the most insightful things in the world to say but if everyone is asleep only you will remain inspired. Figure out what is resonating and use it to your advantage.

5. Unless you’re giving a dissertation of molecular biology to the world’s leading scientists of our day, keep it simple. Hit your major points over and over again and always summarize along the way and at the end. Better to have your audience leave with a few crystal clear points than a whole lot of nothing.’

6. Don’t let technology be an enemy or a crutch. Presentations are about sharing information and making personal connections, not crawling around on the floor trying to figure out what plug does what. Come early, get prepared and have a backup plan if all else fails. Never let them see you sweat that video not playing or those cool slide transitions not working.

7. Possibly the most important tip: If you are using — and it pains me to say it — Powerpoint slides, do not copy-and-paste a chapter’s worth of text on every slide. Slides are most effective when they help set the mood and provide just enough for the audience to crave what you’re about to say. No one, including you, wants to squint and read lots and lots of words on a screen. Remember — keep it simple.

8. And, always remember every guy and gal in that room puts their pants on one leg at a time. They all have their own insecurities and at the end of the day you can only be you. Be respectful, be articulate and be willing to listen and understand their questions. You may not always have an answer but at least show them the same amount of attention you expect from them.

Have a tip to share? Find me on Twitter @tomonedge