9 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Next Presentation

A common fact is that not everyone has the natural ability or even the comfort to speak in front of an audience or make presentations, and there is no problem with that because even the best trainers and public speakers who have the courage to make presentations had to prepare for hours and hours before giving their speech.

It is said that practice makes perfect, whether in sports, music, taking tests, and cooking, and that also it applies for almost all fields in life.

Why is it important to prepare early for any presentation?

Your ability to give all of your power to prepare for a speech shows your audience that you care enough to give time in order for you to be able to deliver the messages and content that makes them excited to understand them clearly. A smooth delivery that has clear goals and good presentation are all good things that will for sure lead to keeping the content and integration well.

Here are some tips to guide you as you prepare for your next presentation. Not all the tips will work for you, so identify what suits your training style and choose it.

Tips to prepare for your next presentation:

1. Start with the simple main ideas: 

Do not write every word you think you will say, but rather put a simple plan or ideas that specify your goals that you want your audience to keep, from opening question ideas or stories to general topics that you need to deliver to your audience. It is important to have a first draft, and after you are done with all of that, information will flow in a natural and orderly way.

2. Organize your show with the audience's skills in mind:

It is possible that you are an expert on the topic that you are going to present, and it is also easy for you to be very detailed that you forget what others may not know; therefore, you must think of your audience and what they may not know about when composing your speech. For example, you will not need to define the main terms for a group of experts in a very specific field.

3. Avoid giving too many examples and facts:

Anyone in your audience can look up facts, statistics, and other information though your audience is there to listen to your opinion on the matter. Even though giving facts and statistics that support your topic may be good, you must make sure that the frequency and arrangement of your facts are not too heavy on the audience.

4. Write a script for the presentation:

Bring your first draft to the presentation and fill in the more complex information and support the ideas that excite the audience. Surely, you do not need index cards to do this, but you can write all you want to say word by word.

5. Set a tone for your speaking style:

With the time passing and sufficient practice, you can learn to speak and present in any style you want, but if time is tight and you do not have enough time to try a new speaking style that suits your personality and level of comfort, you can still find a style that suits you. Are you a fun person in life? Are you a very excited person or maybe a mature person? Choose your style that makes you seem natural without feeling stressed or pressured to get ready for your presentation in a style that does not suit you if the time is tight.

6. Rehearse your own scenario:

Rehearsal is not once, twice, or even three times. Start by practicing the main ideas in your presentation to take root in your mind. Rehearse as much as you need to confidently express all your presentation ideas, and do your best not to sound like a machine or as if you are reading directly from a text. After practicing this text over and over again, you will be able to present it naturally with your own style and personality.

7. Practice with distractions:

Turn on the TV or some music in the background while training. Your final presentation probably won't be in a completely silent room or free from visual distractions. In fact, a good ending scenario will be with an engaged audience, and the atmosphere will be filled with hype and excitement.

8. Do not forget the utilities and flyers:

Make sure you get the utilities out early and practice how to incorporate them into your presentation. Utilities make your main ideas tangible and emotional, make great metaphors, and can add humor into your presentation.

9. Practice your hand gestures and vocalization:

A monotonous presenter who does not show any emotion won't make an impression on the audience, and whether you have visuals or PowerPoint slides to support your presentation or not, using hand gestures and eye contact with your audience is a great way to show your passion for the topic and engage your audience.

In conclusion:

These were some tips that trainers can use to prepare for their next presentation. While preparing, think carefully about previous presentations you've attended that have had a lasting impact on your learning, and this influence is largely related to the presenter's preparation early on.