Powerful Presentation Tips

1. Plan backwards.

● Ask yourself: What do I want people to do as a result of this presentation? This is your call to action.

● Then ask: What are three things the audience needs to understand before they act? These are your key points.

● Finally, structure your presentation clearly using the information above: ○ Outline your key points and call to action. ○ Explain your key points. ○ Recap your key points and reiterate the call to action.

2. Tell a good story.

Engage listeners with a story illustrating the main point of your presentation. Use a captivating personal, literary, or real-world anecdote. Make sure it’s relevant—something that the audience can relate to from experience.

3. Don’t curb your enthusiasm.

When it comes to public speaking, it might be more important to be passionate than confident. Ask yourself: Why do I care about this? Why should my audience care about it, too? If you are genuinely excited about your subject, it is hard for people to resist “catching” that excitement.

4. Involve your audience.

● Ask genuine, not rhetorical, questions (and wait for people to answer).

● Physically engage people by having them illustrating data points or feedback through movement.

● Ask for volunteers to assist you where appropriate.

5. Create impactful visuals.

● Challenge yourself to illustrate bullet points or guiding concepts in unusual, unexpected ways.

● On slides, use very few words and a single powerful image per slide.

● Visualize data with clear, compelling charts and graphics.