5 Ways to Guarantee A Great Presentation
By Deborah Biron

Communication is important in today's business environment. How we deliver our information can be the difference between success and failure. Here are some tips that will guarantee a great presentation:

 1. Slow down. We speak quickly when we are nervous or anxious. "The faster I speak, the sooner this will be over." For some, a faster pace is normal, but your listener may not be able to keep up, interpret or visualize your information, particularly if you factor in age, hearing issues, ability to concentrate and distractions. New or complex information and numbers should all be delivered at a normal to slower pace. Articulation and clarity are also sacrificed when we speak quickly. To correct a fast pace breathe more fre-quently; Pause between new ideas, before and after saying something of importance and at sentence endings; Make good eye contact and stay focused.

 2. Organize your information. Imagine you're the driver for a group going to San Francisco for the day. Everyone buckles up, puts blinders on and off you go. You drive down the coast to Santa Barbara, cross inland to Modesto and at the end of the day arrive in Richmond. Your passengers take the blinders off, look around and are confused. "I thought we were going to San Francisco?" "Well, I got sidetracked," you say, "We'll get there, eventually, maybe. Just not today." If you are organized, not only will you take your audience where you told them you were taking them, but they will know where they are at all times.
The adage, "Tell them what you're going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them" builds trust and confidence between you and your audience.

 3. Recognize limitations. You will never deliver everything you know. We only assimilate 3 to 5 points of new information during a presentation and forget those in the days after the presentation. Be selective of your information, based on what you know about your audience and their needs. They'll ask for more if they want it. And you will always make mistakes. We're human. We misspeak, misquote, laugh at the wrong time, forge something significant. Oops! We all do it. So, don't try to bluff. Assure the audience that you will seek the information you lack and proceed to get back to them in a timely fashion.

 4. Preparation and Practice. As soon as you know you are scheduled to deliver a presentation, begin to prepare. Research your audience, outline your information and practice. Work in small increments of time. Practice your presentation out loud with volume. The words you speak in your head sound quite different when you speak them aloud. Practice segments of your presentation in the shower, on a walk, driving, and with friends and co-workers.

Discuss the ideas. Talking about your information helps give you the feel of the ideas and words you will use and how they flow together. When something doesn't 'feel' right you can make the change before the formal event.

 5. Be genuine and authentic. Don't try to be what you think someone else wants you to be or say what you imagine someone wants to hear, regardless of the truth. Bring your unique qualities to your presentation. Share your personal opinion and experience regarding your topic; reveal what makes this information important to you. Being authentic demonstrates confidence and captivates an audience.

Put these 5 steps into practice and I guarantee your information will be easier to organize, your delivery will be more influential and your audiences will be more responsive.