There are many different models and approaches for effective and persuasive communications. Most of them are useful, but we also thought it would be useful to create a simple, helpful list with 10 tips for better presentations.
Summary by The World of Work Project
10 Tips For Better Presentations
There is a lot of advice available in relation to improving communications and presentations. We thought we’d like to add some of our own thoughts to that pool as well, so we’ve pulled together a list of points that we think help when preparing and delivering presentations.
- Be clear of your own strategic goals.
- Understand your audience. Get to know them if possible.
- Be clear on what you want to change for your audience. What do you want them to think, feel and (or) do as a result of your communication?
- Communicate with narratives and stories, not with facts and figures.
- Have the courage not to use notes.
- Have the courage not to use slides if possible (perhaps pictures?).
- If presenting in a room, get support in the room. Ask specific people to nod, smile and support you throughout (if you can see past lights!).
- Get to know your physical space. Visit it. Walk it. Be comfortable in it.
- Be a great audience member yourself, when not presenting. Being a good audience member is a skill too.
- Practice. It’s one of the most important things you can do.
Learning More
To learn more broadly about communication, consider reading our post on the seven C’s of communication. You might also enjoy our posts on on Effective Listening, the Rhetorical Triangle and Feedback.
Of course, speaking and writing are not the only ways we communicate. We all also communicate a lot through our tone of voice and body language.
The World of Work Project View
We think these 10 Tips For Better Presentations speak for themselves. We have nothing much to add to this post!
If you put time and effort into your presentations, follow tips like those above, have something worth saying, get feedback and practice, it’ll all go well.
