Your boss has asked you to make a presentation to valued clients and you shudder at the very thought. But you can’t get out of it, neither can you delegate the responsibility to anyone else. So what do you do to get through it? Consider the following strategies:

1. DON’T PROCRASTINATE
Get to it straight away. The more time you spend preparing, the easier the presentation will be.

2. BRAINSTORM
On a sheet of paper, brainstorm ideas around the topic including what your audience needs to know. Sometimes these ideas are not all relevant but they will help you identify the key points you wish to make.

3. KEY IDEAS
Ensure that you have between 3-5 key ideas at most for a 60 minute presentation. Any more than this, and your audience will lose concentration and switch off.

4. AVOID OPENING POWERPOINT
Try not to open PowerPoint until you are clear on your key points. Spend time discussing your ideas with colleagues to get a “feel” for their relevance.

5. THINK OF EXAMPLES AND STORIES TO SUPPORT YOUR KEY POINTS
Once you have your key points, think of a concrete and relatable example for each point to assist your audience to engage with the content. These examples or stories are going to be the highlight of the presentation. Embedded in each story will be your key point. Good presenters are essentially persuasive storytellers.

6. STRUCTURING YOUR PRESENTATION
How will you structure your presentation? Make sure it has dramatic shape. Use the 3-part principle i.e. Introduction, Body, Conclusion. For each of your key points, –state the point, explain it with a relevant example or story and summarise it. Keep it simple and conversational.

7. PICTURE IT UP
Use a few well designed slides to “picture up” your presentation. The slides are there to support your presentation NOT speak for you. Use pictures and graphics with minimal text. Remember, that a presentation is not a reading exercise. It is an aural and visual experience. Listening and watching you (not your slides) should be inspiring and convincing.

8. REHEARSE YOUR PRESENTATION OUT LOUD
Allocate sufficient time to rehearse your presentation aloud. Get off your chair, stand next to your computer and practise your presentation referring to your slides as and when required. Your ability to deal with anxiety and nerves will be achieved through thorough preparation and rehearsal.

8. STYLE OF DELIVERY
Remember, your successful delivery is dependent on relaxed body language, expressive tone of voice and confident eye contact. This will engage and inspire your audience.

9. BE CONFIDENT
Audiences want you to succeed. They are not as critical as we imagine them to be. Concentrate and focus on sharing your ideas clearly and succinctly.

Enjoy the ride!