‘But what if I go under time?’
I hear this in every coaching session and every presentation skills workshop I deliver.
The fear is real.
And because of this people cram too much information into their talk… Then realise they’re running out of time… Then speed… And suddenly their presentation becomes a rushed shopping list of bullet points.
The best presentations are not scripted. They are scaffolded with a prepared plan.
To do that well you need three things:
- A deep understanding of your topic.
- A structure that flows naturally
- Stories that wrap your content and make delivery easier
You can’t plan a timed talk if you don’t know your material.
Start here:
- Define a clear objective. What do you want this presentation to achieve
- Understand your audience’s wants and needs and decision-making triggers
- Create a large mind map with all the content that you know about the topic.
- Then pull it in, refine, prioritise, and focus on what’s relevant
- Build a structure with an engaging grab, a strong introduction, three key topics, and a crisp conclusion
And now to timing.
Most people panic at the idea of a 45-minute presentation, but when you break it down it’s surprisingly manageable
5-10 minutes – Introduction
- Grab their attention with story, analogy, metaphor, photo or diagram
- Describe the problem and the challenges and why this topic is important.
- Ensure your introduction is audience focused.
30 minutes – Body of your talk
Topic 1: 10 minutes
Explain the problem and provide context
Topic 2: 10 minutes
Share facts, evidence, examples and a case study.
Topic 3: 10 minutes
Offer options and recommendations
5-10 minutes – Conclusion
- Reinstate recommendations.
- Share the action plan
- Ask for support.
Write up your notes in point form and large font. Ensure your slides have diagrams that support your material and you’re good to go.
And here’s the thing: unless you’re a professional speaker you are not going to be penalised for finishing 5-10 minutes early.
If you are concerned about timing and falling short, I recommend a couple of backup questions that you can segue into at the end of your presentation.
One of my favourites is “Whenever I speak about this people often ask me about X so let me clarify that for you.”
This enables you to elaborate on some of your content if needed.
Oh and one other thing, yes it pays to practise. Focus on going low and slow and as painful as it is, do record yourself to see if you have any verbal graffiti or irritating mannerisms you need to rein in.
And I’m here to help if you want support building your next presentation plan.
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