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1. Keep the goal in mind – Have a very clear idea of a problem to be solved, an issue to be resolved. Know from the start what your call to action will be. Everything you do from beginning to end will support that goal. Don’t ramble or include irrelevant material Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. The best speakers have always stayed on point and used plain language to support their point.

2. Outline – Tried and true The old tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em, tell ‘em, then tell ‘em what you told ‘em. It really works. Instead of copious notes that you’re tempted to rely on, index cards with your heading and subheadings or a single page with your outline on the lectern or podium will keep you on track. If you’re using a PowerPoint presentation, use the screen that faces you as your notes.

3. Open with an attention getter – Whether it’s a startling statistic, a question for them to respond to, getting them all out of their seats for an exercise, or a humorous anecdote, you want to get their attention. You want them to sit forward in their seats, raise their eyebrows, show signs of life, even if it’s right after lunch. Once you have their attention, your job is to keep it.

4. Use three points to make your main point – Make the structure solid. Don’t bounce back and forth from one supporting topic to another. Have your three points and keep them clearly differentiated. If you have a handout, nothing is more distracting than having the audience flip back and forth through the pages. Keep the structure in place so people don’t have to work to follow your logic.

5. Keep them awake – Surprise them with an unexpected action or loud statement. Darren LaCroix, the 2001 International Champion for Toastmasters and successful professional speaker and coach, fell on his face to show the audience that falling on your face isn’t as bad as we think and kept talking. If you don’t know how to do something safely, don’t do it but do surprise them.

6. Keep the visuals simple – Nothing pops less than a presenter who reads lengthy notes or PowerPoint slides to the audience. You might as well offer pillows and blankets to the audience as they file into the room. Use your outline headings on your visuals, not paragraphs. Use graphics and photographs. It’s true that a picture is worth a thousand words. Before and after pictures side by side can tell your story.

7. Have a closing that sticks with them – Tie your conclusion back to your opening, reiterate your three main supporting points, and say how your approach is going to solve the problem or resolve the issue. Give your audience a call to action, a specific step that will make a difference. If there is a physical or internet address they need, give them the address in your handout or on a card. Invite them to follow up with you.

Has this ever happened to you? Gord (his name changed to protect the innocent) thinks his presentation is going well. His content is accurate. His delivery is passionate.

He just has to end his Question and Answer session with a bang to leave his audience feeling motivated. So he asks, “Are there any questions?”

Gord methodically answered every question, until there were no more questions left. By that time, the audience’s energy level had plummeted. All the “big” questions had been answered. The final questions were of limited interest and should have been dealt with one-on-one after the session.

With his audience staring at the floor, Gord ends his Question and Answer session by saying, “Well, if there are no more questions, thanks for attending.” People in the audience give token applause and flee the room.

Gord’s terrible ending damages his career. He looks weak and indecisive. His presentation fails to generate any enthusiasm for his cause.

Do not let this happen to you! If you end your presentation with a typical Question and Answer session, the energy will leak out of the room like air out of a burst balloon. What can you do to prevent this?

Well, it is better to intersperse questions throughout your presentation. But, if you have to leave questions until the end, use the following technique to guarantee you’ll end on a high note.

Say, “I’ll take a few questions. Then, I’ve got one final important story to share with you!”

Take questions from the audience. When the questions become less frequent, tell the audience, “I’ll take one more question. Then I need to tell you that final important story I promised.”

Make your final point a great story that propels them to take action. Motivate them to do something. Since your closing story is the last thing they hear, it makes a big impact.

Do not make the mistake of ending your presentation with a standard, boring Question and Answer period. Instead, use this technique to end your Question and Answer session with a bang, not a whimper!

© 2008 Reflective Keynotes Inc., Toronto, Canada

Have you ever experienced the all too often death by PowerPoint? Or maybe, you were the guilty party during a presentation massacre. Guess what, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can prepare awesome presentations that will enhance and engage your audience. You just need to follow a few simple principles to create great PowerPoint presentations that even Tom Antion can enjoy. So, read and apply the following tips to your presentations to capture your audience’s attention every time.

#1 – Remember Who’s the Show

Your PowerPoint is not the show. Your audience came to hear you and that’s what they want. Don’t disappoint your audience give them what they want. Prepare your PowerPoint to enhance your presentation not replace it.

#2 – Limit Your Slide Text
The biggest problem with most slides is the content; there is way too much text. Don’t try to place all your information on your slides. It turns your presentation into a boring reading assignment. It turns you into a boring speaker and you will lose your audience. Keep the text on your slides to a minimum and deliver the message yourself.

#3 – Keep Your Slides Simple

PowerPoint is so amazing that you can become mesmerized by all the bells and whistles available to you. There are animations, sounds and special effects galore. But, you don’t need to use everything in one PowerPoint. Simple slides with few special effects are usually the best. A slide with only a picture (that relates to your message) and one keyword can be very engaging. Try it, you will be surprised.

#4 – Choose Your Fonts Wisely

It is very important that when you do use text that it be readable. It needs to be large, the right color and the right font. The size of your fonts should be large and bold. If you are using a small font to get everything on a slide you have too much text. The color of your font should contrast with your background color like black on white or white on blue. However, you should avoid colors like red, yellow, orange or black for backgrounds.

Also, you should avoid using too many fonts. Choose a serif font (like Arial) and a sans serif (like Times New Roman) that will complement each other. Save fancy fonts for the title slide or the ending slide.

#5 – Use Pictures and Graphics

Pictures and graphics must be colorful and large. Your pictures should be at least 50 percent of your slide with limited text. Your slide engage and attract your audience not bore them. Appropriate pictures and graphics (not clip art) are your most effective types of content, especially pictures of people your audience knows.

#6 – Use Video

Insert video into your PowerPoint for a change of pace, especially if your presentation is a long one. A good video from You Tube or a similar site can be used to add humor or relief from the usual routine. Or even better create some of your own videos.

#7 – Tell a Story

People enjoy stories and will be much more receptive to what you have to say if you have captured their attention with a story. Stories help you connect with your audience and get them to accept you and your message. So, make sure that your content, slides and pictures tell a story.