keys to a good presentation

"However, as soon as the audience figures out that you’re reading the text, it reads ahead of you because it can read faster than you can speak. The result is that you and the audience are out of sync.”

Kawasaki goes as far as saying that many presenters use small fonts because they haven’t memorized their presentations well enough. His solution? Use a font no smaller than 30 points.

“I guarantee it will make your presentations better because it requires you to find the most salient points and to know how to explain them well,” Kawasaki writes.

Note: Using a font size of 30 and above in your slides is also beneficial for audience members who have visual impairments.

9. Show your passion.

Have you noticed that it’s quite easy to spot when someone is actually excited about the topic they’re presenting — as opposed to someone who doesn’t care?

That’s because passion can’t be faked.

You can spend months getting the outline, words, and delivery right for your speech, but if you aren’t fascinated by what you’re presenting, the audience will catch on. You can’t expect people to be enthusiastic about your presentation when you aren’t excited yourself.

Showing genuine passion for your topic fosters a sense of intimacy between you and your audience. Your listeners will catch the “excitement bug” from you and become interested in what you have to say.

Pro tip: Before you give a presentation, take awesome time to remind yourself why the topic is so fascinating to begin with. When you know why, you’ll be able to pass on that energy to your listeners.

10. Develop stage presence.

The first time I had to give a speech, I was eight years old, and the speech was directed to my elementary schoolmates. My heart was beating so fast, and my hands were shaking.

When the time came, I stood in front of the crowd, stared at some tree in the distance, and reeled off the entire speech without moving a muscle.

My stage presence was zero. Nothing.

If you’re reading this, chances are, you’re not in elementary school, and you’re about to give a serious presentation. While standing stiff as a board with your arms stuck to the sides of your body won’t cut it, you don’t need to do too much either.

In his piece, Chris Anderson, TED Talks’ curator, wrote, “Getting the words, story, and substance right is a much bigger determinant of success or failure than how you stand or whether you’re visibly nervous. And when it comes to stage presence, a little coaching can go a long way.”

According to Chris, the biggest mistake people make with their stage presence is moving their bodies too much.

"People do this naturally when they’re nervous, but it’s distracting and makes the speaker seem weak. Simply getting a person to keep his or her lower body motionless can dramatically improve stage presence.”

Pro tip: If walking around the stage comes naturally to you, you can do that. If not, it’s best to stand still (not stiffly) and rely on hand gestures for emphasis.

11. Engage with the audience.

Earlier, I mentioned that you can start off your presentation by asking your audience questions. Well, the engagement shouldn’t stop there; it should continue throughout the entire presentation, however long it is.

There are many ways to engage with your audience. The most common method is to ask questions they can easily answer. How many of you have experienced this? Can you raise your hand if you’re familiar with this situation?

You can ask direct questions to your audience members to explain a point. Or you can use a person from the audience (whose name you should know) to illustrate a situation or an idea.

12. Practice, practice, practice.

Reading your entire presentation from a slide deck is a recipe for disaster. Slide decks (and other visual aids) are meant to be complementary, which means you’ll have to memorize the bulk of your speech.

“The only way to give a relaxed talk that sounds like it isn't rehearsed is to rehearse it a lot,” says Dr. James Whitehead, the CEO of My Green Window .

“When you can relax a little and rely on muscle memory to do most of the talk for you, you will be able to enjoy the experience and build a more positive relationship with the audience through your body language and clear pronunciation.”

Dr. Whitehead is right. Practice makes perfect. After writing out your presentation speech, you’ll need to practice continually until you know the speech inside out.

There are several ways to practice your speech, including:

• In front of the mirror (it’s cliche, but it works).
• Doing mock presentations to your friends and family.
• Rehearsing your presentation with your colleagues.

Pro tip: Choose a quiet place to memorize your speech so you can concentrate. If you’re rehearsing in front of others (friends, family, colleagues, etc.), ask for honest feedback. You’ll know where to improve. You can also time your presentation so you’ll know how long it’ll take you to deliver it.

Bevy’s talk encompasses all the elements of a great presentation, starting with her opening line, “I am a late bloomer.”

This is a strong start because it’s hard to imagine that Bevy Smith, a prominent TV personality and business professional, didn’t achieve success early in life.

Throughout her presentation, Bevy shared personal anecdotes with the central idea that you can be whatever you want to be, no matter how old you are.

She spoke confidently about how, as a 38-year-old fashion advertising executive, she quit her job when she realized that she was unhappy with her life. She segued into telling uplifting stories about her 94-year-old mother, Lolly, who’d always known what she wanted and who she was at heart.

During the presentation, Bevy peppered her speech with funny quips, like calling Jay-Z a Brooklyn poet and talking about how ‘Black don’t crack’ in the segment about the literal beauty of aging. So, while she didn’t directly ask interrogative questions, Bevy still interacted with the crowd through humor.

For her closing statement, Bevy challenged the common maxim, “Be your most authentic self,” by asking thought-provoking questions like: “What if you don’t really know who you are because you’ve suppressed your inner self?”, “Who am I at my core?” and “How am I perceived — and how would I like to be perceived?”

This is the train of thought that’ll linger in the minds of the audience after Bevy’s long left the stage. That’s her call-to-action.

Throughout the entire presentation, Bevy used no slides. She didn’t move around a lot on the stage, either. Instead, she relied on the power of her voice, her gesticulations, and the substance of her speech to make the necessary impact.

And it worked superbly.

Give a Powerful and Impactful Presentation

Giving a great presentation is a daunting task, but it isn't exactly rocket science.

Quite a lot of people experience presentation jitters, but you can drastically reduce your chances of delivering a bad presentation by following the tips outlined above.

While every audience is different, a general rule is that knowing your topic in and out and practicing your speech well ahead of time will give you the confidence you need to give a great presentation.

Don’t forget to enlist the help of your friends, family, and colleagues; they can look over your slides, help you predict audience questions, and give you pointers on where to improve.

Don't forget to share this post!

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How to Memorize a Speech Using Visualization Techniques [Infographic]

10 Things to Stop Doing in Your Next Public Speaking Opportunity

The Science of a Great TED Talk: What Makes a Speech Go Viral

A Helpful Guide of Public Speaking Tips [Infographic]

The Uneasy Speaker's Guide to Confident Public Speaking

Top 10 Tips For Panelists

Download ten free PowerPoint templates for a better presentation.

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How to Make Effective Impactful Presentations (Tips & Tools)

Learn how to make a good presentation great - step-by-step with examples. Learn the principles, guidelines & qualities needed to prepare captivating slides.

Dominika Krukowska

12 minute read

Short answer

Short answer: how to make a good presentation.

Start with a surprising statement, a bold promise, or a mystery

Provide context with a bit of background information

Structure your presentation within a story framework

Make every word count, and use as few as possible

Use visuals only to support your presentation text

Use interactive design to make your audience active participants

End by telling your audience what they can do with what they’ve learned

Boring presentations are instantly forgotten. How’s yours?

Lifeless presentations can spell doom for your message, leaving your audience disengaged and your goals unreached.

The price of a mediocre presentation is steep; missed opportunities, unimpressed prospects, and a bad rep.

In a world where everyone has grown to expect a good story, a boring presentation will be instantly forgotten. Like a drop in the ocean.

But not all is lost.

This post will teach you how presentation pros create compelling narratives and leverage the latest tech tools to command attention, drive a powerful message, and get shared like gossip.

Let’s get started!

How to prepare a presentation?

The successful presenter understands the value of small details and thorough preparation like the seasoned chef knows the importance of quality ingredients and careful technique for serving a 5 star dish

But where do you start?

Step-by-step guide for preparing a presentation:

1. Define your objective

Every presentation needs a clear goal. Are you looking to persuade, educate, or motivate? Perhaps you aim to showcase a product, or share insights about a recent project.

Defining your objective early on will guide your content creation process, helping you to focus your message and structure your presentation effectively. Think of your objective as the North Star guiding your presentation journey.

2. Analyze your audience

Next up, who are you talking to? Your audience should shape your presentation as much as your objective does. Understanding their needs, interests, and background will enable you to tailor your message to resonate with them.

Are they experts in your field, or are they novices looking for an introduction? What questions might they have? The more you know about your audience, the more compelling your presentation will be.

3. Research your topic

Once you've defined your objective and analyzed your audience, it's time to delve deep into your topic. Comprehensive research lays the groundwork for a robust, credible presentation.

Don't just scratch the surface – explore different perspectives, recent developments, and key statistics. This will not only enhance your understanding but also equip you with a wealth of information to answer any questions your audience might have.

4. Choose the right delivery format

Finally, consider the best format to deliver your message.

The right format can make all the difference in how your message is received, so choose wisely!

PowerPoint presentations are classic and easy to work with. But PowerPoint and Google slides are not so versatile in terms of their content experience. They're static, packed with information, and all look alike.

Our own presentation maker offers interactive, personalized, and multimedia content experience.

Data from our research of over 100K presentation sessions shows that audiences engage with Storydoc presentations 103% better than PowerPoint.

How to create an effective presentation?

There’s part art and part science in creating high-engagement high-impact presentations.

An effective presentation is the painstaking result of well-organized content, visuals that support and elevate your message, simplifying complex information, and personalizing wherever possible.

I wrote this post to teach you how to do all these, and a few things more.

Ready to learn? Let's dive in!

How to organize your presentation content?

Crafting a compelling presentation is like writing a page-turner.

You need to captivate your audience, maintain their interest, and guide them effortlessly through your narrative.

But how do you transform a heap of information into a well-structured presentation you can’t stop reading? There’s a structure you can follow.

3-step process for organizing a magnetic presentation:

1. Prioritize content

Your presentation should immediately capture interest and demonstrate relevance before moving on to establish understanding .

A) Build interest:

Begin with a strong hook that grabs your audience's attention. This could be an intriguing statistic, a powerful image , or an engaging question. It should stir curiosity and make your audience eager to hear more.

B) Establish relevance:

Once you have their attention it's time to establish why your presentation matters to your audience.

Address your audience's main concerns. Make sure your content directly speaks to these pain points, and address them in order of importance.

2. Build anticipation

A great presentation is like getting a new car – it builds anticipation, takes you on a thrilling ride, and ends with you wanting to share the experience with all your friends.

Start with a compelling problem your audience relates to and follow up with a promise of an amazing way they can solve it. This problem-solution dynamic creates a suspense that keeps your audience glued to your presentation.

3. Use a story framework

Finally, use a story framework to give your presentation structure and flow.

Begin with a big idea that underpins your presentation. Then delve into the problem, showcasing why it needs attention. Present your solution, painting a vision of a better future for your audience.

Weave in concrete examples of how your solution changes lives.

Tell the story of WHO you helped, WHAT the situation was before and after your solution, WHERE and WHEN it happened, WHY it worked and HOW it made them feel.

If you’re writing a business presentation you should follow this with an execution plan that outlines how the solution will be implemented.

Finally, close with clear next steps, guiding your audience on what they should do after the presentation to bring meaningful change into their lives.

Our recommended story framework:

How to design your presentation?

A good presentation is more than just making it look pretty ; it's about communicating your message effectively and creating a lasting impression.

Good presentation design grabs attention, and leads it to where it’s needed most. It takes your hand and leads you through the easiest and most pleasant path to understanding.

Good presentation design supports your message rather than steals the spotlight. Good design is narrated design.

What is narrated design (Scrollytelling)?

Scrollytelling, where "scroll" meets "storytelling", is an interactive content experience that guides readers through a narrative journey with a simple scroll. It connects text, images, videos, and animations into integrated “scenes” where content is both shown and narrated.

Scrollytelling breaks complex content into digestible chunks and gives the reader control over pace. It has been scientifically shown to enhance engagement, understandability and memorability.

Scrollytelling came up as a central thing when Itai Amoza, our Founder and CEO was building the foundations for Storydoc.

He partnered with one of the world’s leading visualization scientists , prof. Steven Franconeri , to help him bring to Storydoc the means to reduce the complexity, friction, and information overload so characteristic of business presentations.

Scrollytelling is part of the solutions that came up, which led to specialized storytelling slides like our narrator slide (in the example below).

An example of Storydoc scrollytelling:

How to design presentation visuals to support your story

Presentation visuals can be unsung heroes or sloppy distractions.

Visuals can bring your message to life, make complex concepts easy to understand, and engage your audience in ways that words alone cannot. Or… they can sit there looking all pretty and distract you from what’s really going on.

4 elements of great presentation visuals:

Support your message: Your visuals should support your text, highlight your main message, and align with your objective. They should reinforce your points and help your audience understand your message.

Represent your audience: The best visuals are relatable. They should resonate with your target audience and reflect their world of associations. Use images and graphics that your audience can identify with – this can enhance their engagement and make your presentation more memorable. Equally important is using clean images - an effective way to do this is by using tools that allow you to remove your image backgrounds . By eliminating distractions and focusing on your subject, you create images that are more impactful and, therefore, can potentially increase audience engagement.

Introduce your product, outcomes, and clients: Wherever possible, use visuals to demonstrate your product, illustrate outcomes, and represent your clients. This can remove doubt and misunderstanding by letting your audience see (and make obvious) what words sometimes struggle to describe.

Follow your branding guidelines: Your presentation is an extension of your brand, so your visuals should conform to your branding guidelines. Consistent use of colors, fonts, and styles not only enhances brand recognition but also creates a cohesive, professional look.

Here’s an example of a well-designed presentation:

How to communicate complex information?

Did you ever have to read a presentation where you felt like you're lost in a maze of jargon, data, and complex concepts?

Are you giving others this same experience?

Communicating complex information is a common challenge in presentations. But there are ways you can simplify your presentation and reengage your audience.

Here’s how you can get complex information across:

1. Use interactive content

Interactive content is your best friend when it comes to simplifying complex information and getting deeply engaged with your content.

It gets the readers more involved in your presentation by letting them play an active part; like choosing the content route they wish to take and controlling the pace.

It keeps your presentation textually lean - giving readers the choice to expand more details on demand (in tabs, live graphs, sliders, accordions, and calculators).

Beyond that, live graphs can illustrate trends, animations can demonstrate processes, and videos can bring concepts to life.

Calculators, questionnaires, and chatbots provide personalized and specific answers to readers as part of your presentation, without them having to get in touch with you or your team.

Elavating your presentations from static to interactive has been tied to increasing the number of people who read your presentation in full by 41% !

Making interactive used to be hard, but now you can just use Storydoc. Go make your first interactive presentation. It’s easy as pie.

2. Show don’t tell

A picture is worth a thousand words. Because no one will read a presentation with a thousand words, do everyone a favor and use images.

Images can be super effective at communicating complex information and save you a lot of needless text.

In fact, visual representation of data and concepts can often convey what words cannot. Use diagrams, infographics, and images to illustrate your points and simplify the complex.

The goal is to create a visual narrative that complements your verbal one.

3. Narrate your content

Storytelling is another powerful tool for communicating complex concepts.

Whether it's through text to speech AI, video bubbles, or a scrollytelling narrator slide, narrating your content can help guide your audience through the complexity.

By giving your information a narrative structure, you can make it more digestible, engaging, and memorable.

According to Sales Hacker’s data, people remember up to 10% of numbers and 25% of images they see. When you center your presentation around a story, this rises to 60-70% .

4. Use examples and allegories

Examples and allegories help unravel the complexity of ideas.

They scaffold your message with concepts we already know and understand, and can easily imagine in our mind. This makes them less new and intimidating and more familiar.

Critically, the real secret lies in selecting examples that are not just familiar but also deeply relevant—those are the ones that will truly ring with your listeners.

If you tailor the allegory to your audience's world, it is guaranteed to lead to an “aha” moment.

5. Open a line of communication

Finally, invite dialogue. This could be through a chatbot or an option to book a meeting for further discussion. This not only helps clarify any confusion but also encourages engagement and deepens understanding.

For example, finishing your presentation with an interactive calendar to book a meeting instead of a generic “Thank you” slide has proven to boost conversion rate by 27% !

How to personalize your presentation?

Imagine attending a party where the host doesn't remember your name or anything about you. Not a great experience, right? The same holds true for presentations.

In a sea of generic content, personalization can be a lifeline that connects you to your audience on a deeper level. It’s also the single most important predictor of success, getting 68% more people to read your presentation in full .

But how do you add that personal touch?

1. Address reader by name

Just as you wouldn't start a conversation without a greeting, don't start your presentation without acknowledging your audience.

Using your audience's name can make your presentation feel like a personal conversation rather than a generic monologue. It's a simple yet powerful way to engage your audience from the get-go.

2. Use their company logo

Including your audience's company logo in your presentation can make them feel seen and valued. It shows that you've taken the time to tailor your presentation to them, enhancing its relevance and appeal.

Plus, it's a subtle way to reinforce that your message is specifically designed to address their needs and challenges.

3. Add a personal message (video or text)

A personal message can go a long way in building a connection with your audience.

It could be a video message from you, expressing your enthusiasm for the opportunity to present to them, or a text message highlighting why the presentation matters to them.

This personal touch can make your audience feel special and more invested in your presentation.

4. Personalize your Call-to-Action

Finally, cap off your presentation with a call to action that speaks directly to your audience.

Swap out the generic 'Contact us' with something that gets to the heart of their needs, something like, 'Let's roll up our sleeves and tackle your [specific issue] at [their company].'

By tailoring your call to action, you show your audience you've truly got their back, that you're not just here to talk, but to make a real, positive impact on their world.

Here’s an example of a personalized slide:

How to measure the effectiveness of your presentation

Imagine if you could peek into your audience's mind, understand what resonated, what fell flat, and what drove them to action?

Presentation analytics is essential in order to guide you on how to fine-tune it for maximum impact.

But how do you get your hands on presentation analytics?

Any presentation you create with Storydoc comes with an out-of-the-box analytics suite , ready to track and provide insights.

We give you 100% visibility into how people engage with your presentations and send you real-time engagement alerts.

Here’s a video explaining how you can track performance with our analytics panel:

4 critical presentation engagement metrics to keep track of

1. Reading time

Storydoc gives you the precise time prospects spend reading your presentation so you can quickly figure out what's hitting the target and what's not.

Are they soaking up every word or just quickly skimming through? This can help you shape your content to hit the bullseye.

NOTE: Keep in mind that reading time alone might not show you a full picture. A better way is to use a smart engagement score that brings together different metrics like time spent and depth of reading. You can get this kind of total score in Storydoc.

2. Reading completion

Another basic metric we track is how many people read your content from start to finish.

This metric is a strong sign of the prospect’s interest and your content quality. It shows you if they're finding the information relevant, but also worth sticking with till the end.

3. Next step conversion rate

This one tracks how many people take the next step after they check out your presentation. This could be filling out a form, setting up a meeting, or downloading more files.

For business presentations, measuring this can show how well your presentation is pushing people further down the sales funnel.

At the top of your analytics dashboard, you can find a tab that shows you how many people clicked on your CTA divided by presentation, date, and location. If you scroll down to the list of readers, next to each person you can also see whether they clicked on the CTA or not.

Here's what it looks like:

4. Number of shares

This metric is particularly important for B2B sales teams . As more people are getting involved in buying decisions, this measure helps you see if and when your content is being passed around inside your prospect’s company.

On the analytics dashboard, under each presentation version, you can find detailed information on how many people read it. So, the higher the number, the more your presentation has been shared internally.

We'll notify you when your presentation has been shared, and who opened it, so you can time your follow-up perfectly to your buyer’s readiness to advance further.

Here's where you can find this information:

Best tool for making an effective presentation

In the realm of presentation tools, classics like Google Slides and PowerPoint offer simplicity and ease, while Canva and Pitch add a dash of design flair and collaboration.

If you're seeking to elevate your presentations to new heights you’ll need to do better than simple PowerPoints or flashy Canvas. Next-gen AI presentation tools like Storydoc are your game-changer.

They break free from the static concept of slides and offer the creation of interactive, immersive content experiences that sweep us along like a good story.

Grab a template - create your best presentation to date

Ever wished for a secret recipe to whip up a killer presentation? We've got something even better! Our interactive presentation templates are your shortcut to success.

Say goodbye to hours of formatting and hello to captivating, interactive presentations, all with a few clicks.

Grab a template and turn presentation woes into wows!

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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How to give a good presentation

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera April 27, 2023

Presenting in front of an audience, whether a small group of colleagues at work, a classroom full of students, or an audience of potential investors for your personal project, can be a nerve-wracking experience. The pressure to convey your ideas clearly, engage your audience, and make a lasting impression can feel overwhelming. However, with the right preparation and approach, you can confidently deliver a good presentation that captivates your audience and achieves your desired outcomes.

In this article, we will delve into seven key elements that are essential for giving a good presentation. These elements encompass both the preparation and delivery aspects of presenting, ensuring that you are thoroughly prepared and equipped to deliver a compelling presentation. From understanding your audience and creating a strong structure to incorporating effective design practices and storytelling techniques, we’ll provide you with practical tips and strategies to develop good presentation skills. With these key elements in your arsenal, you will be well on your way to giving a presentation that makes a lasting impact.

If you’d like to watch a video on how to give a good presentation featuring a Prezi Video presentation template , check it out here:

What makes a good presentation

Before we dive into the seven key elements of a good presentation, let’s first explore what initially makes a good presentation.

As a matter of fact, what makes a good presentation is a combination of several components. First, it should be well-prepared, with thorough research on the audience and tailored content that is relevant and engaging. A survey by the National Speakers Association revealed that 74% of audiences pay closer attention to presentations that are tailored to their needs and interests. This emphasizes the importance of researching the audience to understand their preferences, expectations, and knowledge level and creating content that aligns with these factors.

Another key element to a good presentation is a strong structure with a clear beginning, middle, and end helps to keep the presentation organized and easy to follow. The Serial Position Effect , a concept from memory research, proves this point. It indicates that people tend to remember information presented at the beginning and end of a sequence better than information presented in the middle. By structuring a presentation with a clear beginning and end, the presenter can take advantage of this effect and ensure that key points or main messages are more likely to be remembered by the audience. To learn more about how to structure your presentation effectively, watch our video on this topic:

Also, effective design practices, such as visually appealing slides and appropriate use of images and visuals, enhance the overall visual appeal of the presentation. In fact, research has shown that incorporating visual aids into presentations increases their persuasive power by 43% compared to those without visual aids. By utilizing visual aids and spatial relationships to simplify complex ideas and make them accessible, presenters can effectively capture their audience’s attention and keep them engaged throughout the entire presentation. And that’s exactly what a Prezi presentation can offer to you. This also ties in with storytelling, which is another key technique presenters use to deliver good presentations. 

Storytelling techniques, including personal anecdotes and real-life examples, can captivate the audience and make the presentation more memorable. A study by Harvard University found that presenters who use storytelling techniques in their presentations are able to capture and maintain the audience’s attention for longer periods of time, resulting in better overall comprehension and retention of information.

Lastly, practice and rehearsal are crucial for delivering a polished and confident presentation. The more a presenter practices and rehearses, the more confident they become in their presentation skills. Confidence is a key factor in delivering an effective presentation, as it helps the presenter establish credibility and engage the audience. Confidence also allows the presenter to handle unexpected situations, such as technical glitches or difficult questions, with poise and professionalism.

When all these elements come together, it results in a good presentation that leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

How to give a good presentation 

Now that we’ve established what makes a good presentation, explore how you can ensure that your next presentation is set up for success and makes a memorable impact on your audience.

Prepare for Success

Thorough preparation is essential for giving a successful presentation. Start by researching and gathering information on your topic. Dig deep into your subject matter to ensure that you have a solid understanding of the content you’ll be presenting. What you can also do is organize your thoughts and create an outline to guide you through your presentation, using a mind map that you can create on Prezi. This will help you stay focused and ensure that your presentation flows logically from one point to the next. Practice your delivery multiple times to build confidence and identify areas that may need improvement. Rehearsing will also help you manage your time effectively during the actual presentation, allowing you to stay on track and deliver your message with clarity and confidence.

Know Your Audience

Understanding your audience is a critical component of delivering a good presentation that truly resonates with them. Taking the time to thoroughly consider who your audience is and what they are interested in can greatly enhance the impact of your presentation. Start by researching and analyzing your audience demographics, such as their age, education level, professional background, and interests. Also, consider their prior knowledge and familiarity with your topic, as well as their expectations and goals for attending your presentation.

Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, tailor your content to meet their specific needs and expectations. Use language that is appropriate and understandable to your audience, avoiding jargon or technical terms that may be unfamiliar to them. Craft your message in a way that is relevant and relatable to their interests, concerns, and experiences. This will help you establish a connection with your audience and make your presentation more engaging.

In addition, incorporating relevant examples or anecdotes that your audience can relate to can be highly effective. Real-life examples, case studies, or anecdotes that are relevant to your audience can help illustrate your points and make your content more relatable and memorable. This creates a sense of connection and relevance, as your audience can see how your topic directly applies to their own lives or work.

By connecting with your audience on a personal level, you can captivate their attention and keep them engaged throughout your presentation. When your audience feels that you understand their needs, interests, and expectations, they are more likely to actively participate and remain attentive. Tailoring your content and language to your audience’s preferences and using relatable examples can create a sense of rapport and trust, which enhances the overall impact of your presentation.

Create a Strong Structure

A well-structured presentation is key to keeping your audience engaged from start to finish. Your structure should include an attention-grabbing introduction, a clear and organized body, and a strong and memorable conclusion.

Introduction

Your introduction sets the stage for your entire presentation and presents an opportunity to make a lasting impression on your audience. It’s your chance to captivate their attention right from the start and create a sense of anticipation for what’s to come. To achieve this, start with a hook that grabs their attention and piques their interest.

One effective way to hook your audience is by using a compelling statistic that is relevant to your topic. It can be a surprising fact, a startling figure, or a thought-provoking data point that immediately captures your audience’s attention. This can create a sense of intrigue and curiosity, motivating your audience to lean in and listen attentively to what you have to say. And you don’t need to outsource a data visualization tool to create a visually appealing chart or map – you can use Prezi Design and incorporate charts, graphs, and maps into your presentations like in the example below.

Another effective approach is to start with a thought-provoking question that encourages your audience to reflect and engage with your topic. It can be a rhetorical question that stimulates their curiosity or a direct question that prompts them to think about their own experiences or opinions related to your presentation. This can help establish a connection with your audience and encourage them to actively participate in your presentation.

Alternatively, you can begin your introduction with a powerful quote that is relevant to your topic. A well-chosen quote from a reputable source can instantly grab your audience’s attention and lend credibility to your presentation. It can also evoke emotions or convey a sense of urgency, compelling your audience to sit up and take notice.

In addition to using verbal hooks, visual aids or multimedia can also be effective in creating an attention-grabbing introduction. Incorporate relevant images, videos, or slides that are visually appealing and enhance your message. This can add an element of visual interest and help reinforce your key points.

However, it’s crucial to ensure that your introduction is not only attention-grabbing but also relevant to your topic and sets the tone for the rest of your presentation. It should provide a clear transition into the main content of your presentation and establish the context for what is to follow. This helps your audience understand the purpose of your presentation and sets their expectations for the remainder of your talk.

Discover more ways to start a presentation by watching this video:

Once you have successfully captured your audience’s attention with a compelling introduction, it’s crucial to deliver your main points in a clear and organized manner. This ensures that your audience can easily follow along and grasp the key messages you are conveying. 

Organizing the body of your presentation can be done in different ways, depending on your topic and audience. One common approach is to use a chronological order, where you present your ideas in a sequence that follows a timeline or a sequence of events like in the Prezi presentation below. This can be effective when you are presenting historical information, explaining a process, or discussing the progress of a project or an initiative.

Another approach is to organize your content by priority. This involves presenting your ideas in an order of importance, starting with the most critical or impactful point first and then moving on to the lesser ones. This can be useful when you are discussing a series of ideas or recommendations, and you want to emphasize the most important ones to your audience.

Alternatively, you can organize your content by theme. This involves grouping related ideas together and discussing them in a cohesive manner. This approach is useful when you are presenting different aspects or perspectives of a broader topic, and you want to highlight the connections between them.

Whichever organizational approach you choose, it’s important to use transitions between your ideas to create a smooth flow. Transitions can be in the form of verbal cues or visual aids, such as signposts, that indicate a shift from one idea to another. This helps your audience to follow along easily and understand the logical progression of your presentation.

Visual aids, such as graphs, charts, images, or videos, can be valuable tools to enhance your message and make your content more engaging. They can provide visual representations of complex information, support your key points, and make your content more memorable. However, it’s crucial to be mindful of the pacing of your presentation and avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information. Use visual aids judiciously and ensure they are relevant and supportive of your main message.

Ending your presentation with a memorable conclusion is a crucial opportunity to reinforce your main points and leave a lasting impression on your audience. By summarizing your key messages and tying them together in a cohesive manner, you can create a powerful ending that resonates with your audience.

One effective way to reinforce your main points is to concisely summarize your key messages. This can help reinforce the key takeaways from your presentation and ensure that your audience remembers the most important information. You can also use this opportunity to highlight the significance of your key messages and emphasize their relevance to your audience.

In addition to summarizing your main points, you can also include a call to action in your conclusion. This can be a specific next step that you want your audience to take after your presentation, such as signing up for a newsletter, visiting a website, or taking action on a particular issue. 

Furthermore, you can offer a final thought or reflection in your conclusion. This can be a powerful way to leave a lasting impression on your audience and encourage them to reflect on the content of your presentation. 

To make your conclusion even more impactful, consider using visual aids or multimedia. Visuals such as images, icons, stickers, GIFs, and more can add an extra layer of engagement and creativity to your conclusion, all of which you can find in Prezi’s media library. 

Use the best design practices

The visual aspect of your presentation is crucial in creating a memorable and engaging experience for your audience. Follow these best design practices to ensure that your presentation is visually appealing and effective:

Easy to read and understand

When creating your presentation, it’s essential to ensure that you use a legible font size and style. Choosing a font that is easy to read, even from a distance, can greatly enhance the clarity of your content. Additionally, leaving ample space between elements and text is crucial to avoid a cramped and cluttered appearance. This allows your audience to easily process the information without feeling overwhelmed. Opting for a clean and simple layout that logically organizes your content can further aid in comprehension. Avoid unnecessary elements or distracting visuals that may divert your audience’s attention from the main message. Clutter can hinder the audience’s ability to understand your content, so it’s best to keep the design minimalistic and focused. By following these guidelines, you can create a visually appealing and effective presentation that effectively conveys your message to your audience.

In the realm of design, the principle of “less is more” holds true. Embracing simplicity and minimalism can result in a more impactful and effective presentation. One effective strategy is to remove unnecessary design elements that don’t contribute to the main points of your content. By doing so, you can streamline your visuals and direct your audience’s attention to the key information you want to convey.

Consistency is also key in design. Choosing a harmonious color scheme that complements your content and aligns with your brand or message can enhance the visual coherence of your presentation. Avoid using too many colors or conflicting color combinations that can be distracting or overwhelming. Keeping your visual aids clean and uncluttered, with ample whitespace, can help create a sense of balance and ease of comprehension.

A simple and visually appealing design can greatly assist in conveying your message. It allows your audience to focus on the content without unnecessary distractions. A clutter-free design can also help in improving information retention, as it makes it easier for your audience to absorb and retain the key points of your presentation.

Storytelling

One effective way to elevate your presentation to the next level is by incorporating a motion-based presentation tool like Prezi. Prezi offers a unique and dynamic way to illustrate the connections between different ideas, creating a visually captivating and engaging storytelling experience. By utilizing motion, zooming, and panning effects, you can create a seamless flow of content that guides your audience through your presentation with fluidity and purpose.

A motion-based presentation can be particularly valuable when explaining complex concepts or showcasing intricate relationships between ideas. It provides a visually appealing way to showcase the relationships, patterns, and interactions between different elements, making it easier for your audience to grasp the content and retain the information. 

In addition to the visual benefits, a motion-based presentation also allows you to inject your own personal style and creativity into your presentation. You can customize the motion paths, zoom levels, and transitions to create a unique and memorable visual experience that aligns with your content and delivery style. This can help you stand out from traditional slide-based presentations and create a lasting impression on your audience.

Visual Aids

Visual aids are an invaluable tool in presentations as they can greatly enhance the impact and effectiveness of your content. Whether it’s charts, graphs, images, or videos, strategic use of visual aids can add depth and clarity to your presentation, making it more engaging and memorable for your audience.

When using visual aids, it’s essential to ensure they are relevant to your content and directly support your main message. Choose visual aids that complement your presentation goals and help clarify complex information or concepts. For example, using charts and graphs to present data can provide a visual representation that is easier to understand and interpret than raw numbers.

However, it’s important to strike a balance and avoid using too many visual aids that may overwhelm or distract your audience. Too many visuals can cause sensory overload and detract from your main message. Instead, use visual aids selectively and purposefully, focusing on those that directly support your key points and enhance audience understanding.

Engage Your Audience

Engaging your audience is critical to keeping their attention and making your presentation memorable. Use the following techniques to actively involve your audience during your presentation:

Questions and polls

By actively involving your audience in the presentation process, you can encourage their participation and keep them engaged throughout.

Asking questions can be a powerful tool to gauge your audience’s understanding of the content you are presenting. You can ask open-ended questions that require thoughtful responses or closed-ended questions that prompt quick answers. This not only allows you to assess their comprehension of the material but also encourages them to actively think about the topic and participate in the discussion.

It’s also important to create a supportive and inclusive environment where participants feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions. Encourage them to ask questions, provide feedback, and actively participate in the discussion. Acknowledge and appreciate their contributions, and use their feedback to further enhance your presentation.

Interactivity

Incorporating interactive elements into your presentation can elevate your content to a whole new level by actively involving your audience in the learning process. By going beyond traditional lecture-style delivery, you can create a dynamic and engaging experience that resonates with your audience and leaves a lasting impression.

One effective interactive element is demonstrations. Showcasing practical examples or demonstrations of concepts, products, or processes can help your audience visualize how things work in real life. This hands-on approach allows them to see your content in action, making it more tangible and relatable. You can use props, visual aids, or multimedia tools to enhance your demonstrations and create a memorable experience for your audience.

Group activities are another powerful interactive element that promotes active participation and collaboration. Break your audience into smaller groups and assign them tasks or activities related to your content. This could include brainstorming sessions, role-plays, simulations, or problem-solving exercises.

Case studies are yet another valuable interactive element that can bring real-world relevance to your content. Presenting relevant case studies or scenarios that reflect the challenges and opportunities your audience may face can help them apply your content to practical situations. 

Incorporating interactive elements into your presentation not only makes it more engaging and relevant but also fosters active learning, enhances retention, and encourages audience participation. 

Eye contact and body language

Maintaining eye contact with your audience is a powerful communication technique that helps establish a connection and build rapport. When you make direct eye contact with individuals in your audience, you convey confidence, sincerity, and respect. It shows that you are present and attentive and that you value their attention and participation.

In addition to eye contact, your body language plays a crucial role in projecting confidence and engagement during your presentation. Stand tall and maintain a good posture, as it conveys confidence and authority. Avoid slouching or fidgeting, as it can detract from your message. Use purposeful hand gestures to emphasize key points or to illustrate concepts, as they can add dynamism and expressiveness to your presentation. If applicable, move around the stage or the room to engage with different parts of the audience and create a connection with everyone in the room.

Confident body language also includes facial expressions, tone of voice, and overall energy. Smile genuinely and use a warm and friendly tone of voice to create a positive and approachable presence. Show enthusiasm and passion for your topic through your gestures, facial expressions, and vocal intonation. Your energy and enthusiasm can be contagious and can help keep your audience engaged and attentive.

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can make your presentation more relatable and compelling to your audience. By incorporating storytelling techniques, such as sharing anecdotes, case studies, or personal experiences, you can create a narrative that resonates with your audience on an emotional level and helps them connect with your content.

When using storytelling techniques, it’s important to keep in mind the purpose and relevance of the stories you share. Ensure that your stories directly support your main message and contribute to the overall flow and coherence of your presentation. 

Manage nerves and handle questions

Managing nerves and handling questions effectively are crucial skills for a successful presentation. Here are some tips on how to not be nervous for a presentation .

Practice, practice, practice

As you devote more time to practicing, honing your skills, and refining your presentation, you will notice a tangible increase in your self-assurance. The process of rehearsing your content, timing, and delivery multiple times is essential for building a robust sense of confidence and reducing any lingering nervousness that may arise. The more effort you put into practice, the more comfortable and prepared you will feel when it comes time to deliver your presentation. So, don’t hesitate to invest ample time and energy into rehearsing, as it will undoubtedly pay off in terms of boosting your confidence and ensuring a successful presentation.

Prepare for questions

Anticipating potential questions and crafting thoughtful and concise answers is a crucial step in preparing for your presentation. By considering the possible inquiries that your audience may have, you can proactively address them, demonstrating your expertise and preparedness. 

Take the time to thoroughly research and gather information to ensure that your responses are accurate and relevant. When the time comes for questions during or after your presentation, remain open and approachable, encouraging audience participation. 

Responding with confidence and professionalism will not only showcase your knowledge but also establish your credibility as a speaker. Plus, your ability to handle questions with confidence and professionalism will leave a lasting impression on your audience and enhance the overall effectiveness of your presentation.

Stay calm and composed

Feeling nervous during a presentation is entirely normal, but there are strategies you can employ to manage those nerves and deliver a confident performance. One effective technique is to take deep breaths, allowing yourself to inhale deeply and exhale slowly to calm your nerves and regulate your breathing. Remember to breathe from your diaphragm, as this can help you relax and maintain a steady voice.

In addition to deep breathing, remind yourself that you are the expert on your topic. You have put in the time and effort to research and prepare for this presentation, and you are well-equipped to share your knowledge with your audience. Embrace the confidence that comes with being knowledgeable about your subject matter, and let that knowledge guide your delivery.

During the presentation, if you are faced with questions that catch you off guard or make you feel anxious, take a moment to pause and gather your thoughts. Don’t rush to respond, as this can result in hasty and incomplete answers. Instead, take a deep breath, maintain eye contact with the questioner, and thoughtfully compose your response. If needed, ask for clarification or repeat the question to ensure you fully understand it before responding.

If you want to learn more about how to give a good presentation without being nervous, watch the following video: 

In the event that you encounter a question during your presentation for which you do not know the answer, it’s important to prioritize honesty and transparency. Resist the urge to guess or provide inaccurate information, as this can undermine your credibility as a presenter. Instead, be upfront and candid with your audience, acknowledging that you don’t have the answer at the moment.

A professional approach in such situations is to offer to follow up later with the correct information. You can assure the questioner that you will make the effort to research and verify the accurate response after the presentation, and then provide it to them in a timely manner. This demonstrates your commitment to accuracy and your dedication to providing reliable information to your audience.

By being honest and transparent about not knowing the answer, you uphold your integrity as a presenter and maintain the trust of your audience. It’s far better to admit when you don’t have the information rather than provide incorrect or misleading answers that can lead to confusion or misinformation.

Stay Positive and Confident

Lastly, stay positive and confident throughout your presentation. Believe in your content and your ability to deliver it effectively. Keep a positive attitude, smile, and connect with your audience. Remember, confidence is contagious, and a confident and positive presenter is more likely to captivate their audience and deliver a successful presentation.

In conclusion, giving a good presentation goes beyond just having great content. It requires careful planning, understanding your audience, creating a clear structure, implementing effective design practices, engaging your audience, managing nerves, handling questions with grace, seeking feedback for improvement, and maintaining a positive and confident demeanor throughout. By incorporating these key elements into your presentation strategy, you can elevate your presentation skills and deliver memorable and impactful presentations that leave a lasting impression on your audience. Remember, preparation and practice are essential, and it’s normal to feel nervous, but with the right techniques and mindset, you can overcome those nerves and deliver a presentation that truly shines. 

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The 10 Key Elements of a Great Presentation Explained

Whether we’re at a team meeting or making a presentation for an audience, we all have to speak in public once in a while. 

That’s why public speaking causes so much anxiety and worry; the good news is that with preparation, practice, and other techniques, you will overcome your nervousness and perform exceptionally well! In this article, you will learn which elements make an excellent presentation.

The 10 Key Elements of a Great Presentation

We all want to make a good impression, build rapport, and ace any presentations that we do at work or when speaking in front of others in general. Some are great at it, and those who fail at it for the lack of proper guidance and experience, or worse, never even try to do it due to fear.

What are the elements of a good presentation? 

The 10 key elements of a GREAT presentation a 1. PREPARATION AND PLANNING 

Unless, of course, you’re making an impromptu speech , then that is a different story, and you can learn more about how to successfully deliver those here .

What are the key aspects of Planning a Great Presentation?

2. the debut and opening.

A successful entry will give you energy, a good connection with the audience, and establish your presence on stage.

Start big and make your mark! Before entering the stage, you will be backstage, seated in the back of the stage or at the foot of it.

To deliver the presentation, we advise you to move to the center of the stage, take your support and count to three before you start talking.

3. SHARE VALUABLE INFORMATION

The first thing that will guarantee you to make a good presentation is the choice of material: talk about what you know, so much so that you’re comfortable talking about it.!

When you hold your structure, you can work on transitions. These are key moments where you release the audience and mobilize their attention again for the next part.

4. PRESENTATION STYLE

Finally, some people who speak in public do not need notes to make their presentations. 

Choose the style that suits you best, and you will probably notice that your presentation style will change over time or depending on the audience you are speaking to.

If you want to learn more, we have an interesting piece on the different methods of speech delivery . Check it out, it should prove helpful in deciding your approach.

5. GOOD ARTICULATION OF IDEAS

Being an excellent speaker requires having some degree of knowledge of the topic of discussion, it is not helpful to not have anything to say; this is why we always advise starting by identifying the key message.

Use terms that will attract their attention based on their interests; whatever you say, be yourself, and don’t use slang or jargon if you don’t know the meaning. 

6. ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE WITH COMPELLING STORYTELLING 

Telling a story is much catchier and can be very visual and engaging to the audience when it comes to delivering the message and engaging the audience.

According to the book “Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive, and Others Die,” in a speech, only one in ten students counts one.

7. CONTENT OF THE PRESENTATION 

The simpler and clearer they are, the better. The same goes for the visual support, and we hope it is user-friendly without it becoming a distraction to what you have to say. Less is more; that is the rule.

If you need to submit complex charts, you can also send them in advance to avoid losing your audience’s attention.

8. VISUAL CONTACT

One of the most common mistakes is to address everyone as a group; the best way to hook an audience is to look at people individually and face-to-face, and spend 3-5 seconds talking to each one of them, as you shift to a different sentence or idea.

In a video conference, you can hang a picture of a person you are comfortable with above your camera and pretend to present it to that person to look in the right place. Although, some people may see through this trick.

9. BODY LANGUAGE 

Good body language will give you comfort on stage and reinforce the critical passages of your speech; the gestures are much simpler than they seem.

Each gesture has a meaning, so if you try to adapt some motion that doesn’t correspond to your natural communication style, it can be noticed, and everything may seem forced.

10. STRESS MANAGEMENT (Keeping Fear in Check) 

Fortunately, there are different methods to manage this stress; we are all different, and what works for one person does not necessarily work for another. 

A. The fear of facing judgment and the eyes of the public, this fear can also derive from fear of failure;

B. The fear of the unknown, the impossibility of controlling the future, generates anguish of sometimes unbearable waiting.

To combat these two causes, there are many methods. I will list a few here:

9 Basic Elements of a Great Persuasive Speech

As human beings, we commonly face debates, sales pitch, or even casual conversations, where we discuss with an audience (that can be familiar or not) about a subject that we want to convince, to think in a similar or same perspective that we do. If we are playing the speaker role, we need to bring…

11 Best Body Language Tips For Engaging Presentations (#11 is Underrated)

The 7 basic elements of public speaking.

Public speaking is an area where we progress with each experience; your presentation will never be perfect, especially if it is the first one. Embrace it and be authentic.

Reference and Further Reading

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14 Must-Know Presentation Tips for a Killer Presentation [in 2023]

Guru - November 8, 2022 - Leave your thoughts. 18 min read

We're all familiar with the old adage: "A good presentation is like a great conversation."

What makes a presentation great?

Is it a compelling story? Or a good connection with your audience? Or is it about an eloquent delivery by the presenter?

The truth is, there is no “one-size-fits-all solution” for creating great presentations. Every presentation is different, and every audience is different.

When you’re tasked with delivering a presentation, you want to ensure it goes off without a hitch. We all know how important it is for the audience to remember and understand the content.

So if you’re wondering how to make a killer presentation that will stand out and stay in people’s minds for a long time, you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we have addressed the most frequently asked questions about presentations.

We have also compiled a list of great presentation tips to improve your deck designs, presentation best practices, and effective ways to communicate the subject to your audience.

Here’s what the article covers,

What makes a good presentation?

• 14 Must-Know Presentation Tips to give a killer presentation

What are the difficulties in making a presentation?

Spellbound your audience with these presentation tips.

When we think about presentations, we often think about the content itself. We imagine a long list of facts or figures, a well-rehearsed script, and a PowerPoint slide deck.

But what makes a good presentation? What makes it memorable, engaging, and valuable?

These are questions that any presenter should be asking themselves.

Here are the four characteristics of a good presentation:

• A good presentation makes you want to take action.
• It helps your audience engage and be interested in what you have to say. It educates and entertains at the same time.
• It puts forth information in a way that makes it easy for them to understand and process without overwhelming them.
• If you're one of those people who's always thinking, "What can I add to my own presentation?”

Well, we've compiled some best presentation tips for you that will help make your next presentation memorable—and, more importantly, help you do what you came here to do: share information with the world.

So read on to find out.

14 Must Know Presentation Tips for a killer presentation [in 2023]

Ever felt like you're struggling to make a presentation on time? Worried about how good your presentation will turn out? We have all been there.

This is why we have put together a list of great presentation tips that can make your next presentation a breeze, and we hope it helps!

Here are some tips to help you create a great presentation:

• Do proper homework on the subject
• Have a strong opening
• Follow a presentation structure
• Have a Hook!
• Tell an engaging story
• Use visual elements
• Keep it short
• Add a touch of humor
• Have a parking lot for questions
• Learn to empathize with the audience
• Keep it interactive with Call-to-action
• Incorporate Data when required
• Use Hashtags in your presentation
• Try out unique presentation templates

Tip 1 - Do proper homework on the subject

Whenever a topic is assigned to you for a presentation, it goes without saying that you understand the topic correctly.

You must do proper homework and research on the subject to ensure you know what you're talking about.

Reading articles and books, or even watching videos or podcasts, will help you understand the topic and how the presentation should be structured.

Also, if you need more background information on the topic, don't be afraid to ask for help from other people—you might find that they know more than you think!

Take notes while learning about the topic. This will help you remember key points.

Then, read your notes before you present and practice saying them aloud (this will help with timing and pronunciation).

Use a timer; this helps keep track of how long you take to say things while also keeping yourself from getting too nervous.

Do some fundamental research on your audience and their expectations about your presentation.

For instance, If they're business executives, they might be looking for intellectual information and numbers. Or, If they're a general audience, they may want more details about how your product works or how it can benefit them.

You'll be surprised how much more effective your presentation will be when you know,

Everything about the topic How crucial it is for the audience, and What the audience expects from the presentation

So only present a topic after doing loads of essential research!

Tip 2 - Have a strong opening

An excellent way to ensure that your presentation is successful is by having a solid opening. Plan the intro slides ahead so that you can set the right tone for the pitch.

Have a strong opening statement that tells your audience who they are listening to, why they're here, what they will hear from you, and anything else you want them to know!

Doing so will help keep your audience engaged and interested in what you have to say.

Be prepared for questions from your audience before you start speaking. It is not necessary that the audience must wait till the end to ask questions.

Being prepared will help you answer them well and present yourself as an expert in the field.

Tip 3 - Follow a presentation structure

The first thing you should do is decide on a structure for your presentation. This will help you ensure that you cover all essential topics and leave no gaps in what you say.

The most successful presentations start with a strong introduction, followed by a clear and concise main body, and ending with a proper sign-off.

The body presents the study's research, findings, and conclusions in an organized and engaging way.

The final section/sign-off should close with any additional information or recommendations. Not just that, it must also give the audience space to ask questions related to the presentation.

Each section can have about two or three minutes of content. This would help structure the presentation concisely and make sure to include all important information.

Use transitions between slides that move from one topic to another, rather than just jumping from one slide to another in one continuous flow.

This makes your content more manageable for your audience to follow and gives them more time to digest what they're seeing before moving on to the next thing!

Hence, remember this effective presentation tip - follow a proper structure!

Tip 4 - Have a Hook!

When you're delivering a presentation, keeping your audience's attention is essential.

But how do you make learning a little more fun? What are the best presenting tips and tricks?

Well, one way is by making sure that your presentation has a hook.

A hook can be anything from an element of surprise (like an announcement that will keep them anticipated till the end) to something unexpected (a discount!).

This will help to keep your audience engaged because they won't feel like they're reading through a textbook or manual - they'll feel like they're getting involved in your story.

Ideally, hooks are placed at the start of the presentation. It's the part that acts as a surprise for the audience, keeping them engaged and excited, and would help retain the audience's attention.

However, remember that the fewer distractions in your presentation, the easier it will be for them to see how amazing it is!

Tip 5 - Tell an engaging story

When you're creating a presentation, it’s a thumb rule to make sure your slide decks are memorable and engaging throughout.

One of the best ways to do this is by telling a story—whether that's a story about your business, your life, or anything else related to the subject.

Telling a story is the key to creating an excellent presentation.

Your audience will be more interested if they can relate to what's on your slides. So tell them a story that connects with their lives and work experiences - it may be a funny anecdote or a relatable work prank!

Let's say you're talking about how to create a product. You can start by showing an image or a video of the product. You can develop the flow by telling the product story and how it has grown through the years.

That way, your audience gets to see both sides of the coin: what this product does and how it was made.

The more details you include in your presentation, the better it will be for viewers—not only because they'll get more information but because they'll also have more context for what they see on screen.

Hence, remember to carve your presentation with a well-practiced, engaging story.

Tip 6 - Use visual elements

People love visual aids—they help them remember things better than words alone!

When you're presenting a product or service, you have to look at it from all angles—from the customer's point of view, the provider's point of view, and your own.

It's essential to keep in mind that your presentation must build a connection with the audience. You must consider the audience’s needs and how you can meet them. The best way to bring that connection is not just through words but to incorporate visual proofs in your slide decks.

But the visual elements used must be relevant to the topic at hand.

For example, if your company is doing something great for the community, show pictures of people smiling in joy from being around you!

If you're talking about how much money you've made over the years as an entrepreneur, add pictures of dollar signs!

Finally, make sure that everything in your presentation flows together nicely.

For example, if visual element parts don't match, then consider breaking them up into two separate slides or changing how things are laid out so it doesn't feel so jarring when someone views it.

Use quality screenshots and images that are relevant to the topic at hand. This is especially important when you're speaking in front of an audience who may need to become more familiar with your product or service.

If possible, use photos or videos of people who might be familiar with your topic—people who will help convey your message more effectively than just text alone.

You don't have to go all out on the graphics, but if you can, try to use high-quality images that are easy to understand.

With online presentation makers like Animaker Deck, you get access to the stock images library; you can pick and add high-quality images for your slide decks with a simple click now!

Also, the best part is you can upload screenshots and brand images directly into the app and use them in the presentation.

Tip 7 - Keep it short

Ever wonder why some presentations are so dull? It's because they're dragging!

A good presentation should be at most 20 minutes at maximum and be structured so that even a first-time viewer can easily understand the information conveyed.

Ensure your audience knows what to expect from you and your content. Refrain from crossing the line of being boring or boringly informative. Your audience should never feel like they're being lectured.

One key business presentation tip is to convey the message to the audience most memorably and engagingly possible.

It is really in the hands of the presenter to steer the audience’s attention throughout the presentation without giving too many dull moments.

The shorter, the better. Keep your slides concise, and avoid falling into the trap of talking about things that have nothing to do with your actual point.

Tip 8 - Add a touch of humor

If you're trying to create an awesome presentation, you can do a few things to ensure it's easy on the eyes and makes people want to engage.

One of the best methods for communicating the message in a light-hearted manner and making your presentation stand out is through humor.

Try to avoid text-heavy slides! You can use witty remarks, analogies, drawings, personal anecdotes, or even memes that suit current trends.

When you tell about something that has happened to you, people may be able to associate with it even more if the story is humorous.

This way, you can easily withhold the audience’s attention through the presentation.

Tip 9 - Have a parking lot for questions

When you're creating a presentation, it's important to keep the audience engaged and excited about what's coming up next. Therefore, it is very necessary to make the presentation a two-way street.

A good way to do this is by asking questions during your presentation and allowing them to answer. This helps keep the audience interested in what they're learning and makes them feel like they're part of the conversation.

The audience should be engaged throughout the presentation and allowed to ask questions to the presenter.

However, it is also vital to ensure that the flow of the presentation is not disrupted by the bombardment of questions in the middle of the presentation.

To tackle this, the presenter can introduce a “parking lot” in their presentation.

So when the audience asks a question about a particular section in the presentation, the presenter can choose to park similar questions together and answer them all together at the end of the presentation.

This way, the presentation’s flow is not affected, and even the audience will get their questions answered.

This is an important skill to be imbibed by every presenter to ensure the audience feels comfortable and gains a good experience from the presentation.

Tip 10 - Learn to empathize with the audience

One of the most important things to remember when creating a presentation is that you are trying to connect with your audience.

Learn to empathize with the audience. You'll want to understand what they're seeing, feeling, and thinking so that you can communicate your message in a way that resonates with them.

By understanding their needs, you can create a more meaningful presentation that will resonate with them. Try to put yourself in their shoes and imagine how they think about this topic.

Are they excited? Are they bored? What are they hoping for? What do they want to see from you?

Know your audience's needs!

It would help if you talked to people with similar backgrounds as your audience and how they would like to be educated on the topic.

Before you start creating content for your presentation, think about who you're speaking to and what they need from you.

When you do this, you will not only speak more clearly, but you'll also be able to connect with them emotionally, making your message stick.

Tip 11 - Keep it interactive with Call-to-action

Have you ever been in a presentation where the speaker makes it look like a one-way conversation? It's not an intentional act of rudeness—the speaker is just trying to get their point across.

But for the audience, it might be very disappointing!

The solution? Keep your presentation interactive with call-to-action buttons that let your audience help move things along.

When something important is being discussed, ask them to take action by clicking on one of the buttons that appear on the screen.

Include a call-to-action that tells your audience what they should do next (like sign up for my newsletter!) or take action on what you've just told them (like buy my product!).

So include call-to-action buttons wherever necessary, so viewers feel like they're partaking in something meaningful rather than just watching someone talk for hours on end!

But one thing, don’t go overboard on those CTAs either. Too many CTAs can be bugging.

Tip 12 - Incorporate Data when required

Creating a presentation is a complicated task, but it's also incredibly important that you need to be able to convey information clearly and effectively.

That's where data comes in!

Data can help you make your point by giving context and supporting the main points of your argument.

Incorporate data when required to present information to the audience quickly. This will make your audience understand what you're talking about more efficiently and allow them to consume the information in a way that makes sense to them.

Use real-life examples and statistics whenever possible because people love those!

With an online presentation maker like Animaker Deck, you get access to the property section, where you can search and add charts, graphs, icons, and other properties directly into your slide decks with just a few clicks.

For example, if you're presenting an overview of how your company's business model works, include graphs or charts that show how the different parts of the model work together so that people who aren't familiar with it can follow along easily.

Or, if you're talking about something more complex, like an industry trend, use graphs or charts to illustrate key points about it, such as growth rates for specific industries over time or changes in consumer demand based on demographics.

You can also use numbers and percentages in charts when comparing different items or events.

Tip 13 - Use Hashtags in your presentation

It’s the era of social media. People are likely tweeting, emailing, or running their entire little business on their phones and sharing every life update on the internet while still doing other chores.

When used correctly, hashtags can: Persuade attendees to share your event on social media, give participants a way to continue the conversation online, and permit you to review tagged comments to evaluate consumer feedback.

You can create a hashtag for your event and use it in the presentation. Promote social media interactions with the hashtag. This will allow you to connect with other users interested in what you have to say!

You can help inspire viewers to share news, ideas, and updates about your presentation by linking this custom hashtag you created. It combines social interaction, event promotion, and word-of-mouth marketing into one.

So if you use social media in your presentation, make sure you promote the hashtag you'll use. This will ensure that people who follow your brand or business see and interact with the hashtag!

Tip 14 - Try out unique presentation templates

We know how hard it is to come up with a good pitch and how hard it is to be creative when you have no time to waste on making something from scratch.

Thanks to online presentation makers like Animaker Deck, creating a presentation online is now easier than ever.

You can access exciting presentation templates with the help of Animaker's online presentation software, hundreds of customizable layouts and branding options, free stock images, properties, transition effects, and animations.

They'll let you get straight to the point and help you win every pitch because they're so easy to use and exceptionally engaging that they'll blow your audience away!

In other words, Animaker Deck handholds you in bringing all your fascinating presentation ideas to life with its one-of-a-kind features and built-in templates, ready for you to use on the go!

Making a presentation can be a daunting task.

The difficulty lies in brainstorming the subject matter, preparing the presentation, and successfully presenting it to the audience. Overall, it is a lengthy and time-consuming process.

A good presentation must be organized and have a logical flow.

Many difficulties are encountered when preparing a presentation. This includes lack of preparation, lack of information about the subject, or worse, lack of interest in learning the subject from an academic perspective, let alone presenting it.

1st , you have to know what you're talking about. You must do your research and be able to explain the topic clearly and concisely.

2nd , you have to make a good impression quickly. You need to get your point across in a way that makes people want to listen—so they don't drift off and tune out!

3rd , your presentation must be not only exciting but also useful. If people don't learn something from your presentation, then it wasn't worth making in the first place!

Sure, you've been doing it for years—but that doesn't mean you're an expert at it. On the contrary, it's a skill that takes practice and dedication to master, and it can be frustrating when things don't go quite as planned.

So if you want to make better presentations every time, implement the above compelling presentation tips and overcome all the difficulties!

That’s all, folks!

We hope you found the above slide Presentation tips very useful, and you will never have to worry about making a presentation anymore!

Now that you know how to make an excellent presentation, it's time to start imbibing these presentation tips in your next presentation and spellbound your audience immediately!

Create a free account with Animaker Deck today to start dominating all of your presentations right away!

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How to make a good presentation great: 8 pro tips.

• 10 Jun 2019

It’s 2am.

You’ve got a huge presentation tomorrow, but you’re afraid to go to bed for fear of having an on-the-stage-in-my-skivvies level nightmare about the big day. We’ve all been there. Learning how to make a presentation (without breaking out into a cold sweat) takes practice.

In our experience, a serious case of the jitters is best fixed by a serious injection of expert wisdom.

We’ve gathered the best advice from experts like Tony Robbins, Steve Jobs, and Guy Kawasaki on how to make a good presentation great, along with insider knowledge on both designing and delivering a presentation.

Plus, as a bonus, we included our best practices for adding video to your next presentation. We also threw in a few of our favorite video presentation templates from Biteable. With Biteable’s online video making software, creating a video presentation is as simple as making a PowerPoint (and far more effective).

Content & Design

How to make a good presentation.

Making a good presentation starts with crafting the content. No matter how compelling your message is, if you don’t get it out of your brain and on to the screen in a simple way, you’ll be met with a sea of blank faces. So, where to begin?

1. Create an easy-to-follow structure

When it comes to what you have to say, break it down into three simple sections: your presentation needs an introduction, body, and conclusion.

A compelling introduction . Your introduction needs to briefly sum up what you’re going to talk about and why it’s useful or relevant to your audience.

Offer a body of evidence . The body of your presentation is where you hit ’em with the facts, quotes, and evidence to back up your main points.

Sum up with key takeaways . The conclusion is where you loop back to your original statement and give the audience some key takeaways on how they can put into practice what they’ve learned.

• No more than 10 slides in total . Who wants to sit through pages and pages of slides? No one, that’s who. By keeping your slide deck to 10 slides, even if your presentation is 30 minutes long, you’ll give the audience a chance to digest the on-screen messages in line with your talk. Using  concept maps  before structuring your slides can help keep to the point.

2. Limit the amount of copy on each slide

Less really is more, especially when it comes to making a good presentation. Too much text and the audience will just be reading the screen instead of looking at you and feeling the emotional impact of your message.

No more than six words per slide . Marketing king Seth Godin says we should have just six words per slide – that’s not a lot of copy. Choose your words carefully and rewrite until you’ve got it just right.

• Think ‘bite-size’ information . We called ourselves Biteable a reason: studies show information is retained better when it’s broken down into bite-sized chunks. Video is a great way to do this, and research suggests it’s  95% more compelling than text.  Consider adding video to your presentation strategy. But regardless, break your information up into smaller, palatable pieces.

3. Be savvy with design details

A well-thought-out design can make all the difference between a good presentation and one that falls flat. Consider these design standards as you make your presentation.

Use color sparingly . Bright colors can dazzle, but too many can be off-putting. Use the colors most relevant to your message. We’d recommend sticking with one or two (not counting black and white) for your palette so it has a consistent look and feel.

Be consistent with your font . Consistent design makes you look more professional. Don’t switch between caps and lower case, Times New Roman and Comic Sans, or 8 and 30 point text size. Stick with one font and one size throughout. You can vary the emphasis with your words later, but keep your on-screen text uniform for a more cohesive message.

• Format for perfection . A wonky line on a slide or a badly pixelated graphic will put some people off, as it will look like you haven’t tried very hard (or worse, that you just aren’t very good). Make sure your text is aligned and neat like in the example below.

4. Polish several times

Just like a pair of well-worn shoes, a good presentation often needs a few rounds of dusting before it’s shiny and sparkly.

Start Messy . Don’t be afraid to start messy. Using a non-linear writing tool like  Milanote  allows you to explore and outline your initial ideas in a flexible way before you even open up PowerPoint or Keynote. Arrange your ideas side-by-side and discover new connections that you didn’t see before.

Edit ruthlessly . At first you might have a huge amount of information and will wonder how you’re ever going get it down to six words per slide. That’s OK. Keep editing ruthlessly until you’ve pared your message down to the bare essentials.

• Get someone else to look at it . A fresh pair of eyes can work miracles when it comes to refining your presentation. Get a trusted mentor or colleague to review your work. If you don’t know anyone who can help, an online writing assistant like  ProWritingAid  or  Grammarly  can help you weed out a lot of problems.

How to give a good presentation

How you deliver your slides is as important as their content and design. Here are some quick pointers to help you get your message across with impact.

5. Have a strong opening

How you start and finish your presentation is extremely important. Audiences usually make up their minds about someone in the first seven seconds, so make those first moments count.

Be different . You’re doing a presentation about saving tree frogs in Costa Rica. You open with an amusing story about one that escaped on a  bunch of bananas  to the UK. A story like this is different and unexpected for your audience, so they’ll sit up and take notice.

Ask a question . Rhetorical questions are a great way to frame a topic and introduce ideas. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, ‘When will you be satisfied?’”

• Tailor it to your audience . How much do you know about your audience? The more you know, the better. Especially if you know their likes and dislikes. Inserting a relevant metaphor or popular culture reference. Oprah Winfrey’s Stanford commencement address spoke to the graduates about her lessons learned and how they were entering ‘the classroom of life.’

6. Be genuine

Oscar Wilde said “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” A lack of authenticity will be spotted a mile away. Whatever you’re saying, speak from the heart and don’t try to impress – there’s no need to prove yourself, just to get the point across as you see it. After all, that’s why you’re there, and you can’t do more than that.

Use humor . Humor can be great for giving a presentation, but cut it out if it feels like a stretch. Telling a humorous story can break down any barriers, make you more likeable, and make your message more memorable (and people are surprisingly generous with laughter) but the faintest whiff of desperation will kill a funny vibe.

Don’t be afraid to mess up . The fear of making a mistake can make you inordinately nervous. Relax, even the best speakers mess up or have bad luck. Theresa May, ex-Prime Minister of England, once stumbled and  coughed her way through a presentation , with someone even handing her a resignation letter. She battled through like a pro, though, and simply acknowledged it and moved on. No big deal.

• Open up and be vulnerable . Brené Brown,  a researcher whose presentations  have amassed over ten million views, says that “Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.” This means speaking your truth and daring to feel a little uncomfortable as you share a meaningful story. It will connect your audience to you like never before.

7. Have a plan for a smooth delivery

With all the prep you’re doing on the content and design of your presentation, it can be easy to overlook other variables that are within your control for a stress-free delivery.

Have a practice run-through . There’s nothing like reading it out loud to ensure your message makes sense before you actually deliver it. Try recording your presentation on video — this way you’ll be able to review with an accurate eye and notice whether your speech matches up with your slides. It’ll also help you sort out your run time.

Use a remote . A clicker or remote will help you face the audience and not have to keep turning back to your laptop. Sought-after public speaker Garr Reynolds says a remote is essential in order to pause and advance your presentation so you have time to be spontaneous and control the flow of your delivery.

Have backup material . Not everything you say is going to resonate with your audience. It’s best to be flexible enough to change the game as and when needed. Steve Jobs had standby anecdotes prepared to fill time when the technology he was using to give the presentation failed. Preparing for every eventuality will help soothe your nerves and allow you to feel more in control.

• Use a timer . When you get into the flow of your message, it’s easy to go off on a tangent or even spend too long on audience questions. Put your phone on airplane mode and set the stopwatch just as you begin speaking. A quick glance down at the table during a pause will allow you to make sure you’re not going overtime.

8. To conclude, focus on audience value

You’re coming to the end of your presentation. How do you wrap it up in a way that will be everlasting in their memories? The experts recommend you focus on the feeling you want the audience to take home.

Leave your audience with an emotional impression .”They might forget what you said, but they’ll never forget the way they made you feel” said the poet Maya Angelou. By leaving them with an emotional impression, from a piece of video with moving music to a line from a song or poem, you’ll strike that resonant chord and end on a high.

Use a pause for key takeaways . Want the audience to remember something specific? Say it slowly and leave a pause at the end. The silence will emphasize what you said and make it meaningful.

• Make your core message sing . A call-to-action is the best way to wrap up your presentation with strength and impact. What do you want your audience to do next? Tony Robbins tells a great story, moving his audience emotionally towards change.

Make your next presentation shine with one of these video templates

You’ve learned from the pros and you feel much more confident about how to make a presentation that stands out. But to really make your presentation one to remember, consider adding video into the mix.

Create a nice change of pace by  embedding a video in your PowerPoint presentation  or go out on a limb and turn your entire presentation into an engaging, thoughtful video.

Either way, make it great with one of the professionally designed video presentation templates available in Biteable.

Make a video presentation with Biteable

With Biteable, making a video presentation has never been easier.

Biteable’s  online video making software  gives you access to hundreds of brandable templates and video scenes, plus over 24 million stock clips, images, and animations all in an easy-to-use platform.

Add text to your video, include a voice over, and even record your screen without ever leaving the app. Once you’re done making video presentation magic, automatically apply your company colors and logo to your entire video with Biteable’s innovative  brand builder  feature.

Anyone can make an impactful video with Biteable. Are you ready to try?

Make stunning videos with ease.

Take the struggle out of team communication.

Try Biteable now.

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How can you make a good presentation even more effective?

This page draws on published advice from expert presenters around the world, which will help to take your presentations from merely ‘good’ to ‘great’.

By bringing together advice from a wide range of people, the aim is to cover a whole range of areas.

Whether you are an experienced presenter, or just starting out, there should be ideas here to help you to improve.

1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience

It’s hard to be relaxed and be yourself when you’re nervous.

But time and again, the great presenters say that the most important thing is to connect with your audience, and the best way to do that is to let your passion for the subject shine through.

Be honest with the audience about what is important to you and why it matters.

Be enthusiastic and honest, and the audience will respond.

2. Focus on your Audience’s Needs

Your presentation needs to be built around what your audience is going to get out of the presentation.

As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can tell them.

While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to remain focused on your audience’s response, and react to that.

You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and respond.

3. Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message

When planning your presentation, you should always keep in mind the question:

What is the key message (or three key points) for my audience to take away?

You should be able to communicate that key message very briefly.

Some experts recommend a 30-second ‘elevator summary’, others that you can write it on the back of a business card, or say it in no more than 15 words.

Whichever rule you choose, the important thing is to keep your core message focused and brief.

And if what you are planning to say doesn’t contribute to that core message, don’t say it.

4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience

This sounds very easy, but a surprisingly large number of presenters fail to do it.

If you smile and make eye contact, you are building rapport , which helps the audience to connect with you and your subject. It also helps you to feel less nervous, because you are talking to individuals, not to a great mass of unknown people.

To help you with this, make sure that you don’t turn down all the lights so that only the slide screen is visible. Your audience needs to see you as well as your slides.

5. Start Strongly

The beginning of your presentation is crucial. You need to grab your audience’s attention and hold it.

They will give you a few minutes’ grace in which to entertain them, before they start to switch off if you’re dull. So don’t waste that on explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.

Try a story (see tip 7 below), or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide.

6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

This is a tip from Guy Kawasaki of Apple. He suggests that slideshows should:

• Contain no more than 10 slides;
• Last no more than 20 minutes; and
• Use a font size of no less than 30 point.

This last is particularly important as it stops you trying to put too much information on any one slide. This whole approach avoids the dreaded ‘Death by PowerPoint’.

As a general rule, slides should be the sideshow to you, the presenter. A good set of slides should be no use without the presenter, and they should definitely contain less, rather than more, information, expressed simply.

If you need to provide more information, create a bespoke handout and give it out after your presentation.

7. Tell Stories

Human beings are programmed to respond to stories.

Stories help us to pay attention, and also to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. It is a good idea to start with a story, but there is a wider point too: you need your presentation to act like a story.

Think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation to tell it.

Finding The Story Behind Your Presentation

To effectively tell a story, focus on using at least one of the two most basic storytelling mechanics in your presentation:

Focusing On Characters – People have stories; things, data, and objects do not. So ask yourself “who” is directly involved in your topic that you can use as the focal point of your story.

For example, instead of talking about cars (your company’s products), you could focus on specific characters like:

• The drivers the car is intended for – people looking for speed and adventure
• The engineers who went out of their way to design the most cost-effective car imaginable

A Changing Dynamic – A story needs something to change along the way. So ask yourself “What is not as it should be?” and answer with what you are going to do about it (or what you did about it).

For example…

• Did hazardous road conditions inspire you to build a rugged, all-terrain jeep that any family could afford?
• Did a complicated and confusing food labelling system lead you to establish a colour-coded nutritional index so that anybody could easily understand it?

To see 15 more actionable storytelling tips, see Nuts & Bolts Speed Training’s post on Storytelling Tips .

8. Use your Voice Effectively

The spoken word is actually a pretty inefficient means of communication, because it uses only one of your audience’s five senses. That’s why presenters tend to use visual aids, too. But you can help to make the spoken word better by using your voice effectively.

Varying the speed at which you talk, and emphasising changes in pitch and tone all help to make your voice more interesting and hold your audience’s attention.

For more about this, see our page on Effective Speaking .

9. Use your Body Too

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of communication is non-verbal.

That means that as well as your tone of voice, your body language is crucial to getting your message across. Make sure that you are giving the right messages: body language to avoid includes crossed arms, hands held behind your back or in your pockets, and pacing the stage.

Make your gestures open and confident, and move naturally around the stage, and among the audience too, if possible.

10. Relax, Breathe and Enjoy

If you find presenting difficult, it can be hard to be calm and relaxed about doing it.

One option is to start by concentrating on your breathing. Slow it down, and make sure that you’re breathing fully. Make sure that you continue to pause for breath occasionally during your presentation too.

For more ideas, see our page on Coping with Presentation Nerves .

If you can bring yourself to relax, you will almost certainly present better. If you can actually start to enjoy yourself, your audience will respond to that, and engage better. Your presentations will improve exponentially, and so will your confidence. It’s well worth a try.

Improve your Presentation Skills

Follow our guide to boost your presentation skills learning about preparation, delivery, questions and all other aspects of giving effective presentations.

Start with: What is a Presentation?

Continue to: How to Give a Speech Self Presentation

See also: Five Ways You Can Do Visual Marketing on a Budget Can Presentation Science Improve Your Presentation? Typography – It’s All About the Message in Your Slides

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Do You Have What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation?

• Michael Foley

Three skills anyone can learn.

Great presentations are all about how well you engage your audience. Here are three ways to do that:

• Be balanced: Strike the right balance between structure and improvisation during your presentation. Rather than preparing your content in a narrative form, take the time to segment it by topic. Leave room to respond to your audience’s immediate needs, even if that means going off script for a while.
• Be generous: You goal should be to offer your audience something of value. Let this  principle guide the content you choose to present.
• Be human: Rehearse to familiarize yourself with your content, but do not memorize it. If you go blank for a moment, don’t apologize and act flustered, just pause, take a breath, collect your thoughts and continue on. Your audience wants you to be relatable.

Have you ever seen a really great presentation? Honestly, they’re pretty rare.

• Michael Foley is an educator and coach, and founder of Clarity Centra l, a communications training and consulting firm based in Chicago. He is also an adjunct lecturer of leadership at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

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I'm a mac user with an android phone, here's how i get my devices working together, windows 11 is fixing a big issue with webcams, quick links, table of contents, start with a goal, less is more, consider your typeface, make bullet points count, limit the use of transitions, skip text where possible, think in color, take a look from the top down, bonus: start with templates.

Slideshows are an intuitive way to share complex ideas with an audience, although they're dull and frustrating when poorly executed. Here are some tips to make your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations sing while avoiding common pitfalls.

It all starts with identifying what we're trying to achieve with the presentation. Is it informative, a showcase of data in an easy-to-understand medium? Or is it more of a pitch, something meant to persuade and convince an audience and lead them to a particular outcome?

It's here where the majority of these presentations go wrong with the inability to identify the talking points that best support our goal. Always start with a goal in mind: to entertain, to inform, or to share data in a way that's easy to understand. Use facts, figures, and images to support your conclusion while keeping structure in mind (Where are we now and where are we going?).

I've found that it's helpful to start with the ending. Once I know how to end a presentation, I know how best to get to that point. I start by identifying the takeaway---that one nugget that I want to implant before thanking everyone for their time---and I work in reverse to figure out how best to get there.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. But it's always going to be a good idea to put in the time in the beginning stages so that you aren't reworking large portions of the presentation later. And that starts with a defined goal.

A slideshow isn't supposed to include everything. It's an introduction to a topic, one that we can elaborate on with speech. Anything unnecessary is a distraction. It makes the presentation less visually appealing and less interesting, and it makes you look bad as a presenter.

This goes for text as well as images. There's nothing worse, in fact, than a series of slides where the presenter just reads them as they appear. Your audience is capable of reading, and chances are they'll be done with the slide, and browsing Reddit, long before you finish. Avoid putting the literal text on the screen, and your audience will thank you.

Related: How to Burn Your PowerPoint to DVD

Right off the bat, we're just going to come out and say that Papyrus and Comic Sans should be banned from all PowerPoint presentations, permanently. Beyond that, it's worth considering the typeface you're using and what it's saying about you, the presenter, and the presentation itself.

Consider choosing readability over aesthetics, and avoid fancy fonts that could prove to be more of a distraction than anything else. A good presentation needs two fonts: a serif and sans-serif. Use one for the headlines and one for body text, lists, and the like. Keep it simple. Veranda, Helvetica, Arial, and even Times New Roman are safe choices. Stick with the classics and it's hard to botch this one too badly.

There reaches a point where bullet points become less of a visual aid and more of a visual examination.

Bullet points should support the speaker, not overwhelm his audience. The best slides have little or no text at all, in fact. As a presenter, it's our job to talk through complex issues, but that doesn't mean that we need to highlight every talking point.

Instead, think about how you can break up large lists into three or four bullet points. Carefully consider whether you need to use more bullet points, or if you can combine multiple topics into a single point instead. And if you can't, remember that there's no one limiting the number of slides you can have in a presentation. It's always possible to break a list of 12 points down into three pages of four points each.

Animation, when used correctly, is a good idea. It breaks up slow-moving parts of a presentation and adds action to elements that require it. But it should be used judiciously.

Adding a transition that wipes left to right between every slide or that animates each bullet point in a list, for example, starts to grow taxing on those forced to endure the presentation. Viewers get bored quickly, and animations that are meant to highlight specific elements quickly become taxing.

That's not to say that you can't use animations and transitions, just that you need to pick your spots. Aim for no more than a handful of these transitions for each presentation. And use them in spots where they'll add to the demonstration, not detract from it.

Sometimes images tell a better story than text can. And as a presenter, your goal is to describe points in detail without making users do a lot of reading. In these cases, a well-designed visual, like a chart, might better convey the information you're trying to share.

The right image adds visual appeal and serves to break up longer, text-heavy sections of the presentation---but only if you're using the right images. A single high-quality image can make all the difference between a success and a dud when you're driving a specific point home.

When considering text, don't think solely in terms of bullet points and paragraphs. Tables, for example, are often unnecessary. Ask yourself whether you could present the same data in a bar or line chart instead.

Color is interesting. It evokes certain feelings and adds visual appeal to your presentation as a whole. Studies show that color also improves interest, comprehension, and retention. It should be a careful consideration, not an afterthought.

You don't have to be a graphic designer to use color well in a presentation. What I do is look for palettes I like, and then find ways to use them in the presentation. There are a number of tools for this, like Adobe Color , Coolors , and ColorHunt , just to name a few. After finding a palette you enjoy, consider how it works with the presentation you're about to give. Pastels, for example, evoke feelings of freedom and light, so they probably aren't the best choice when you're presenting quarterly earnings that missed the mark.

It's also worth mentioning that you don't need to use every color in the palette. Often, you can get by with just two or three, though you should really think through how they all work together and how readable they'll be when layered. A simple rule of thumb here is that contrast is your friend. Dark colors work well on light backgrounds, and light colors work best on dark backgrounds.

Spend some time in the Slide Sorter before you finish your presentation. By clicking the four squares at the bottom left of the presentation, you can take a look at multiple slides at once and consider how each works together. Alternatively, you can click "View" on the ribbon and select "Slide Sorter."

Are you presenting too much text at once? Move an image in. Could a series of slides benefit from a chart or summary before you move on to another point?

It's here that we have the opportunity to view the presentation from beyond the single-slide viewpoint and think in terms of how each slide fits, or if it fits at all. From this view, you can rearrange slides, add additional ones, or delete them entirely if you find that they don't advance the presentation.

The difference between a good presentation and a bad one is really all about preparation and execution. Those that respect the process and plan carefully---not only the presentation as a whole, but each slide within it---are the ones who will succeed.

This brings me to my last (half) point: When in doubt, just buy a template and use it. You can find these all over the web, though Creative Market and GraphicRiver are probably the two most popular marketplaces for this kind of thing. Not all of us are blessed with the skills needed to design and deliver an effective presentation. And while a pre-made PowerPoint template isn't going to make you a better presenter, it will ease the anxiety of creating a visually appealing slide deck.

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How to Start a Presentation: 12 Ways to Keep Your Audience Hooked

Written by: Nayomi Chibana

Wondering how to start a presentation that makes your audience sit up in their seats with excitement?

"Today, you will learn something that will add 10 years to your life."

"20 years from now, your job won't exist."

"Did you know that more people have access to a mobile phone than a toilet?"

Presentation starters like these are key to grabbing your audience's attention and making the most of the time allotted to you.

Instead of thanking the audience, making an unrelated joke or apologizing for a technical issue, why not dive right into the subject matter with a gripping statement or thought-provoking question?

To help you craft your own killer presentation starters, we've sorted through some of the most popular TED talks in history and created this list of the most effective ways to start your next presentation .

Many of these presentation starters are successful because they appeal to human emotions such as curiosity, awe, surprise or fear. You can read more on creating viral content that triggers emotional responses in this post .

Better yet, check out the video version of this blog post. This video distills 12 killer strategies to start your presentation and keep the audience's attention throughout.

• Knowing how to start a presentation is crucial because it sets the tone for the rest of the presentation. A strong and engaging opening can capture the audience's attention and generate interest in your presentation.
• There are many ways to start a presentation: make a provocative statement, incite curiosity; shock the audience; tell a story, be authentic;  quote a famous or influential person.
• Here are other presentation opening strategies: Begin with a captivating visual; ask a question; use silence; start with a prop; tell a relevant joke; use the word "imagine.
• Take advantage of Visme's free online presentation software to create attention-grabbing presentations that align with your branding and engage your audience.
• If you're short on time, tap into the power of Visme's AI presentation maker to create stunning presentations in minutes. Simply describe what you want to create, select your preferred design option and let the tool do the heavy lifting.

How to Start a Presentation

Knowing how to start a presentation is just as crucial as the message you're trying to convey. If you can't start it effectively, you might not be able to leave a strong enough impact by the end of it.

TED speakers are some of the best presenters in the world, and there's a lot you can learn from their talks. Below, we've handpicked some of these presentations that start with a bang and manage to keep the audience hooked till the very end.

1 Make a provocative statement.

"I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you're going to fail to have a great career."

One surefire way to get your audience's attention is to make a provocative statement that creates interest and a keen desire to know more about what you have to say.

The presentation above, for example, does just that by making a surprising first statement that inspires surprise, amusement, curiosity and fear at the same time.

With 4.8 million views and counting, this talk by an economics professor draws you in precisely because it steers clear of the traditional talk, using blunt humor to enumerate all the irrational excuses people make for not pursuing their dreams and passions.

2 Incite curiosity.

"I need to make a confession at the outset here. A little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret, something that I'm not particularly proud of. Something that, in many ways, I wish no one would ever know, but here I feel kind of obliged to reveal."

Another way to grab your audience by the collar is to incite curiosity. In this popular TED talk viewed over 15.4 million times, career analyst Dan Pink succeeds at getting the entire audience to look at him intently, waiting for his next word, by resorting to an opening statement that builds suspense.

Since human beings are by nature curious creatures, most people in the audience were probably asking themselves "What did he do?" and imagining all sorts of possible scenarios.

3 Shock the audience.

"You will live seven and a half minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk."

In many ways related to the previous two presentation starters, this hook involves making a counter-intuitive or paradigm-shifting statement that goes against a popular belief or simply shocks due to the perceived impossibility of the proposed statement.

This introduction by game designer Jane McGonigal, for example, achieves a level of surprise by making a seemingly improbable assertion. After hearing this kind of statement, most people will want to listen to your entire talk, if not out of genuine interest, then at least for the sake of pacifying their incredulity.

(By the way, she makes good on her promise by revealing a game she designed to boost resilience, which is backed by scientific research.)

4 Tell a story.

"When I was seven years old and my sister was just five years old, we were playing on top of a bunk bed..."

As covered in a previous post , storytelling is the key ingredient that separates good, engaging presentations from bad ones that lack a clear message and persuasive delivery.

In his popular talk on the secret to being more productive, psychologist Shawn Achor tells a childhood story to lead into the effectiveness of positive psychology. He then goes on to provide concrete evidence backing his claim that pursuing happiness, rather than productivity for its own sake, actually makes you more--not less--productive.

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5  Be authentic.

"I'm going to tell you a little bit about my TEDxHouston Talk. I woke up the morning after I gave that talk with the worst vulnerability hangover of my life. And I actually didn't leave my house for about three days."

Another way to draw your audience into your own world is to tell a revealing personal story. This is certainly not easy but, when done right, can quickly spark interest in your topic and build an emotional connection between you and your audience.

In Brene Brown's talk on confronting shame, she begins by admitting that she felt embarrassed over the revelations she had made in her massively popular TED talk on embracing vulnerability.

6 Quote an influential person.

One of the easiest ways to start a presentation is to quote an influential person. In these cases, it's best to use a pithy, short and relevant quote to catch your audience's attention.

In the widely viewed video above, for example, writer Andrew Solomon quotes Emily Dickinson to begin his talk on depression, an illness he asserts affects many more people than the official figures suggest.

The quote is particularly powerful and effective because it eloquently describes the state of depression from the point of view of a person who is feeling all the emotions associated with it.

7 Begin with a captivating visual.

To introduce this fascinating TED talk on how movements really get started, entrepreneur Derek Sivers uses some surprising footage to support his statements. They are especially captivating because they debunk widely held beliefs on the matter, proving that it takes more than just a charismatic leader to start a revolution of any sort.

8 Ask a question.

"Do you think it's possible to control someone's attention? Even more than that, what about predicting human behavior?"

In this attention-grabbing presentation on the flaws in human perception, world-famous pickpocket Apollo Robbins starts off by asking the audience a question that leads right into the meat of his talk, which has been viewed worldwide more than 10.5 million times.

In these cases, it's best to pose a question that will really get your audience thinking and, in the best possible scenario, challenge their prevailing beliefs or preconceptions on a certain topic.

51 Best Presentation Slides for Engaging Presentations (2024)

9 Use silence.

Another effective technique--which should only be used if you're a seasoned presenter and are able to maintain your composure throughout--is to leverage silence to command a room.

Watch, for example, how musician Amanda Palmer starts off her talk by not saying a word, simply breathing in and out and using props to communicate her message.

Although you may not want to resort to both silence and using a prop in your presentation, this is a very effective dramatic technique that, if done right, quickly draws all eyes to you.

10 Start with a prop.

Considering that the audience's gaze is attracted by motion and visual objects, another way to hook them right from the outset is to use a prop.

Take a look at how best-selling author Susan Cain uses a physical object to visually complement her opening story on her first summer camp experience. It not only adds a dramatic effect, it also keeps viewers eyes on her while on stage.

11 Tell a relevant joke.

"Okay, now I don't want to alarm anybody in this room, but it's just come to my attention that the person to your right is a liar."

Humor is not only a good way to break the ice and endear the audience to you right from the outset, it can also be very effective in getting your point across if it's relevant to your talk.

Lie detector Pamela Meyer, for example, deftly uses both humor and an element of surprise in her opening statement as she tells the audience that the person to their right is probably a liar. This gets the audience to laugh and then focus on her topic at the same time.

She goes on to give some shocking statistics (such as that on any given day, we're lied to up to 200 times) and delivers an intriguing talk that has been seen close to 13 million times.

12 Use the word "imagine."

"Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary."

Lastly, there are times when leading your audience to use their imaginations is the best bet. You can prompt them to do this by using the commands "imagine," "think of" or "picture this." These are just a few of the most powerful opening words for presentation.

Plane crash survivor Ric Elias, for example, uses this technique in the video above to quickly thrust his audience into the central scene of his harrowing story.

Learn How to Start a Presentation Effectively

What about your next presentation? Have you thought about how you're going to set the mood for your talk? We've rounded up some of the best way to start a presentation.

When you're ready to get started creating your presentation, give Visme's presentation software a try! The tool comes with an AI writer that helps you generate killer content for your next presentation in seconds.

Plus, check out our post on how to end a presentation so you both start and end your speech with a bang.

And if you want to learn all our secrets on how to deliver an unforgettable presentation, as well as how to create visual slides with impact, grab our free e-book below.

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About the Author

Nayomi Chibana is a journalist and writer for Visme’s Visual Learning Center. Besides researching trends in visual communication and next-generation storytelling, she’s passionate about data-driven content.

Presentation 101: How to Conclude Your Presentation with a Strong End

What do you do when you're ready to close a presentation? Maybe you'll just summarize the main points to end the topic, or make a call to launch an initiative, or play a video related to the topic, and so on. Typically, there are many methods to have a strong ending in presentation. Different presenters can have different methods. Overall, presenters should end their presentation with a strong end to motivate their audience. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the benefits of a strong end in presentation and the methods to conclude a presentation well.

What are the benefits of a good ending in presentation?

1.Leave a deep impression on the audience. At the end of the presentation, we can summarize the content of the presentation, emphasize the key points, or use a vivid metaphor to summarize the whole text, so that the audience has a clear impression of the content of the presentation, which can make the audience remember our presentation more deeply.

2.Enhance the persuasive power of the presentation. At the end of the speech, we can re-emphasize our own position and point of view, or use some thought-provoking words to impress the audience, so that they will resonate with our point of view, to enhance the persuasive power of the presentation.

3.Leave the audience with good feelings. At the end of the presentation, we can use some warm words to thank the audience for listening and support, or to express our good wishes for the future, so that the audience will still be immersed in a good emotion when they leave the presentation.

4.Add a sense of completeness to the presentation. At the end of the presentation, we can summarize the whole presentation, review the key content of the presentation, so that the whole presentation presents a complete structure, so that the audience feels that the content of the presentation is clear and logical, so as to increase the attractiveness of the presentation.

5.Provide a strong call to action: A well-crafted ending can prompt your audience to take action, whether it's to implement your suggestions, support your cause, or purchase your product or service

Seven Tips for have a strong end in your presentation:

1.Call to Action. At the end of the speech, he used his profound understanding and unique insights to offer hope and appeal to the audience. This kind of ending can inspire the audience's enthusiasm and make the audience take action.

E.g. "Now that we've discussed the importance of saving water resource, I urge each of you to commit to one small change in your daily lives to reduce water pollution. Whether repeatedly use water or reduce bath time, every action counts towards a more sustainable future."

2.Reiteration of Key Points. This is the most common way to end. Generally speaking, restating a point can help the audience review the speech and deepen their memory and understanding.

E.g. "In conclusion, our three main strategies for improving customer satisfaction are proactive communication, personalized service, and swift issue resolution. By implementing these strategies consistently, we can strengthen our relationships with customers and drive long-term loyalty."

3.Quotations or Anecdotes. This method uses a poem or a famous quote to summarize the key points. It not only makes the speech dramatic but also better conveys the speaker's emotions.

E.g. "As Lao Tzu said, ‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.’ Let's remember these words as we are going to implement our plan.”

4.Visuals or Demonstrations. Using tools such as video at the end of a speech can better capture the audience's attention, increase the visual impact of the speech, and convey the message more vividly.

E.g. "Before we conclude, let me show you a brief video showcasing the impact of protect the marine environment. the beautiful sight of the sea serves as a powerful reminder of why our work is so important."

5.Open-Ended Questions. By using open-ended questions to elicit responses from your audience, you can effectively engage your audience and make your presentation more memorable.

E.g. "Finally, I'd like to leave you with a question: What role can each of us play in promoting diversity and inclusion within our organization? I encourage you to reflect on this question and share your thoughts with your colleagues."

6.Give a Storytelling. Sharing a story at the end is equivalent to responding to the speech with an example. This not only attracts the audience's interest, but also emphasizes the content of the speech.

E.g. "Let me share a story with you. Years ago, a small team of passionate individuals set out to change the world with nothing but an idea and a relentless drive to succeed. Today, that idea has transformed into a global movement, touching the lives of millions. Remember, it all started with a vision and the courage to pursue it."

7.Inspiring or Motivational Statements. This method can directly express the speaker's ideas. Give the audience a powerful attraction.

E.g. "As we conclude today's presentation, I want to leave you with this thought: No matter how daunting the challenges may seem, never underestimate the power of perseverance and innovation. Together, we have the ability to overcome any obstacle and create a brighter future for generations to come."

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