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14 Dos and Don’ts for an Effective

Presentation
Renderforest Staff
n the Key Message
16 Jun 2021 7 min read
e Structure
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Conversational Tone
ber the Takeaway
ur Speech
Rehearsals
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se Fancy Slideshows
alk Too Fast (or Slow)
orget Backup Slides
eglect Body
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Category Design Topics business design presentation

Giving a presentation can be stressful. There are just too many balls to keep in the air:
an effective opening, audience engagement, body language, visual aids, anxiety
management. The list goes on.

On a positive note, public speaking and presentation skills can be learned and refined.
That’s why we put together a list of 14 dos and don’ts that will help you deliver a killer
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presentation. If you already have your presentation idea and are wondering how to
effectively develop and deliver it, this article is for you.

Let’s jump right in and explore the basic rules of making and giving a presentation.
Slideshow Presentation Basic Skills | How to Practice For a Speech

1. Focus on the Key Message

From the very beginning, the audience should feel that your speech is leading to
something important. This is what will spark their curiosity and keep their attention
focused.

Of course, to achieve such an effect, you should actually have something important to
communicate. Otherwise, your audience will feel like they wasted their time (and
would be right to think so). The material you present should resemble an arrow with a
clear point, not an unending loop of words that leads to nowhere.

But having something worth telling is only part of the job. You also need to make sure
that your entire presentation is woven around that key idea. From beginning to end,
your core message should be your guiding light. Each sentence should move the
audience closer to it, and by the end of the speech, leave them with a sense of
illumination.

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Recommended Reading

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2. Plan the Structure

Planning your speech beforehand is the only way to avoid getting sidetracked. As you
think about your message, try to structure it in a way that makes its delivery most
effective for the audience.

speech structure

So, how do you structure a presentation? Consider both the logical and emotional
implications of your structure. First, you want to give your listeners enough
background information to help them get better acquainted with the topic, but not so
much as to get them bored. Once all the need-to-knows are out of the way, make a
seamless transition to your main message and start laying out your arguments in a
convincing way.

Also, think about the emotional effect you want to achieve in each part of your
presentation. The best way to go about it is to capture your audience’s attention right
off the bat, which is often considered to be the hardest part of giving a presentation.

“How do I begin a presentation?” is a question you’ve surely asked yourself. Once

you’re done introducing yourself, you can jump into the presentation with a story or
an intriguing question. Then, build suspense throughout the speech and release it at
the end with a well-grounded closing statement.

create presentations

3. Tell a Story
How do you present a topic? As human beings, we’re attracted to stories. This is why
we go to the movies, read fiction and, yes, become all ears when hearing gossip. Thus,
it’s always a good idea to begin your presentation with a story or even spice it up with
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one in the middle. This can make all the difference between an engaged and
indifferent audience.

Need some proof? Watch this TED talk and see how the presenter wins the audience
over in less than 3 minutes using the magic of a personal story (admittedly, a relatable
one).

Tim Urban: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator

4. Keep a Conversational Tone

Many first-time public speakers try a bit too hard to make their speech expressive. As a
result, their presentations appear showy and even pompous to the audience.

To prevent this, simply use a conversational tone. Feel like you are communicating
your message to individual people, rather than a large alien audience. This will not
only ease you up but will help the audience connect to you as well.

After all, when you really look at it, you are talking to individual people, not their
aggregation.

5. Remember the Takeaway

What is the one thing you’d wish the audience to take away from your speech as they
leave the room or the auditorium? Define it in a single phrase or sentence, using
straightforward, accessible language, and present it at the end of your presentation.
Keep that takeaway in mind when planning your speech, and put a special emphasis
on it during the wrap-up.

Angela Lee Duckworth TED talk

Source: TED talk by Angela Lee Duckworth

6. Time Your Speech

There’s probably a specific timeframe within which you should complete your speech.
Even if it’s not rigidly set, the audience will have certain expectations as to how long
your presentation will take.
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Therefore, it’s important to plan beforehand the approximate time your speech should
take and set a timer during rehearsals. If your presentation lasts longer than expected,
make sure to leave the inessential parts out.

As you memorize your material, your speech will get smoother and faster. This will
also shorten the time required for it. Thus, before making any adjustments to the
length of your script, rehearse it a few times.
How to Manage Time When Giving a Speech

7. Do Your Rehearsals
Practice your speech as many times as necessary to build confidence. This is not to say
you should memorize every single word or sentence, but you should know exactly
what you need to cover at every point.

When you’re confident enough about your speech, there’s one less reason to be
nervous during the presentation. You can now relax and focus on building rapport
with your audience.

Recommended Reading

100+ Creative Presentation Ideas

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8. Don’t Read
Perhaps, the worst thing you can do during a presentation is to read your script. Even
glancing at a paper or screen far too many times is distracting enough. What’s more,
your audience will find it difficult to connect to your message, as it will all feel
mechanical and staged.

The solution? It’s fairly simple: rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

don't read slides

9. Don’t Rely on Slides

A slide should never be the main source of information for the audience. Use it as a
mere extension that makes your speech more engaging or credible. Always keep in
mind that your audience needs to learn from you, the speaker, not from your slide.

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t stuff any slide with text. Or include so much
information (whether textual or visual) that your audience gets overwhelmed and
stops following your speech. When it comes to slide design, minimalism is your best
friend.

To know if you’re relying heavily on your slides or not, ask yourself this question: “Will
my presentation still make sense without the slides?” If the answer’s no, then you
should rethink your script. But, there’s also a fun side to this. When you free your
slides of the burden to inform, they can now be used creatively and even enhance the
effect of your speech.

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 Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model.

Notice how the presenter in the video shown above only turns to slides to highlight or
demonstrate a point she made. And if you remove all the slides? The presentation will
be just as complete and impactful.

10. Don’t Use Fancy Slideshows

How a good presentation should look like? Nowadays, there are lots of advanced
presentation software and screen-sharing tools one can use to “wow” the audience.
The problem with them? “Wowing” your audience with something as trivial as slides is
hardly why you’re making your speech. The fewer distractions there are in your
presentation, the better. Keep this in mind, and avoid using anything showy.

11. Don’t Talk Too Fast (or Slow)

While presenting, it’s recommended to maintain a consistent pace that’s neither too
fast nor too slow. Talking fast might cause unnecessary tension in the audience, and
excessively slow speech is sure to annoy them.

While different people naturally speak at different paces, it’s still something that can
be worked on and modified with enough practice. You can refine your pacing during
rehearsals until theWe use cookies
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 How to Pace a Speech | Public Speaking

12. Don’t Forget Backup Slides

You’re about to start your presentation, but the internet connection is too slow, and
your slides won’t load. On top of it, you didn’t follow our advice about not relying on
slideshows. What do you do?

Well, if you’re considerate enough, you will have a USB flash drive with backup slides.
Next time you feel like forgoing this little step, recall this scenario.

13. Don’t Neglect Body Language

The way you move your body on stage tells a story. And if that story is incoherent with
the one you’re telling with your words, disharmony arises. Imagine a speaker is talking
about peace and tolerance, yet their every movement is abrupt, hasty, and aggressive.
Sure, this might be the result of nervousness, but would you still be able to connect to
their message? The answer’s likely to be no.

When rehearsing your speech, don’t neglect body language. Practice standing tall,
keeping your hands open, and your movements relaxed. Avoid pacing on the stage
during your presentation, as it may distract or, worse yet, annoy your listeners.
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Check out this TED talk by Emily Esfahani Smith. Pay attention to how her empathetic
facial expressions and open hand gestures help to reinforce her message.
There's more to life than being happy

And, of course, don’t skip eye contact. Instead of glancing over the entire audience,
pick a few individuals from different parts of the room, and establish your eye contact
with them. This little trick will help you feel like you’re speaking to one person at a
time. And that’s far more manageable than speaking to everyone at once.

14. Don’t Rush

To emphasize a point, sometimes, what you need is not words but their absence. Take
a pause after you ask a question or make a strong statement. Spare your audience a
moment to think, reflect, and ponder. Or leave a gap of silence right before you
present something exciting to build suspense and anticipation.

No one expects you to go on talking for 10-15 minutes without a pause. Take a few
seconds once in a while to breathe. Draw in deep breaths to collect your thoughts and
calm your nerves if the situation calls for it. This is one of the most effective ways to
relax when presenting.

To Sum Up
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These were the things good presentations include. Hopefully, you’ve learned enough
from our tips and are now ready to get to work. Delivering effective presentations is
not an easy task, but definitely, one that’s worth the effort. If you’d like to create a
presentation for your speech or even online platforms, give these customizable
templates a try.

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template template template

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