Are you able to block out an afternoon to work on your presentation? No, I didn’t think so. You need to be able to knock out a persuasive presentation fast!

Here are ten steps to help you get that presentation started, structured and finished.

1. Work on your confidence fitness
– What are you saying to yourself?
– Do you need to ‘Flip the tape?’
– Practice ‘exposure therapy’ to reduce nerves

2. What is your presentation objective?
– What do you want your audience to do, say, think or feel?
– Make sure you design a presentation to meet your objective

3. What is your audience’s WIIFM?
– What are the burning issues that your audience has?
– Look at your subject from their perspective – Why should they care?

4. Develop your topic
– Prepare a mind map or a brain dump of all information you have on the subject
– Delete everything that is not related to your objective or the audience

5. Structure your presentation
– Have a 10 second grab
– Ensure your presentation has a logical flow
– Conclude with passion and have a call to action

6. Make it Persuasive
– Focus on:
– Attention
– Need
– Emotion
– Logic
– Action

7. Ensure your delivery matches the material
– Be aware of your posture and body language and ensure that they match your message
– Use eye contact and vocal variety to engage your audience

8. Manage those curly questions
– Go back to mind map and uncover as many questions and objections as you can
– PREP them:
– Point of view
– Reason
– Example
– Point of view

9. Beat PowerPoint into submission
– Only use PowerPoint if it is going to add to your presentation.
– Eliminate redundant text.
– Photos and diagrams work best as they prevent cognitive overload

10. Practice
– Out loud as well as in your head!

Of these steps, along with practise, 2,3 and 4 are the most important. We tend to procrastinate that which we fear. By jumping in as soon as you get the invitation to speak you can start collating the information that you want to speak on. It gives your subconscious time to marinade the topic and your body has time to manage the nerves.

Need more? Give me a call pn 0438 831 877 as I’d love to help.

Sharon Ferrier
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All Good Presentations Start With a Confident Speaker

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