If you are out of practice and you have to give a presentation it’s a good idea to first get some answers to five key questions. That's because the answers to these five key questions will shape your approach to your presentation. And, importantly, they'll also make you focus on the really key deliverables in whatever time you have available.
5 Questions To Ask Before You Commit To A Presentation
Five Questions To Ask Before You Give A Presentation
Five tips to ask before you give your presentation.
Tip 1
What’s the presentation objective?
You should be clear about why you need to give a presentation. Because depending on whether you need to motivate or inform an audience your choice of content or presenting style could be very different. So, your presenting objective will influence the main points that you make to your audience. Clearly there was a huge objective for these Government PowerPoint slides during 2018.
Tip 2
For how long do I need to give a presentation?
Really this question might be better phrased, “how long should I speak?” Aim to speak for 20 or 25 minutes with some five or 10 minutes of questions. Yes, an alert audience might give you more attention for perhaps 35 to 40 minutes. But beyond that you are on borrowed time. In all cases you should respect the endurance of your audience. Because you really don’t want a reputation for giving a lengthy speech. Unlike José Manuel Durão Barroso, of course.
Tip 3
Who is in the presentation audience?
Your audience helps you to determine your content, the points you need to make and the theme for your presentation. In-built relevance is an essential starting point for a presentation’s success. Because without it your hard work and preparation might be in vain. So, doubtless the audience for this Barclays results presentation knew what was coming.
Ask These Questions Before You Give A Presentation
Tip 4
When do I need to give the presentation?
Simple logistics and planning are key attributes for any presentation. So when you know an event’s schedule you can plan and prepare beforehand. Then you can rehearse and finally familiarise your presentation. These are essential steps. Clearly this didn’t happen for the President Jonathan speech at the African Union conference in Addis Ababa. He just didn’t show up at all.
Tip 5
Where is the event?
If travel plans are needed before you give a presentation it helps to know about them from the very start. That’s because your event could be simplified if you can combine it with other travel plans.
Being sure of the answers to these five questions before you give a presentation will help you to get the most from your presentation opportunities, build the right content and get the right level of audience involvement.
What Questions To Ask Before You Present
Before you commit yourself to giving a presentation, you should really discover the answers to these 5 questions.
- 1What is the presentation objective?
- 2For how long do I need to give the presentation?
- 3Who is in the presentation audience?
- 4When do I need to give the presentation?
- 5Where is the event?
To help you prepare to give a presentation, you can always attend a Time to Market presentation training course. And with more than 40 training centres available, you are never that far away from your nearest course, presentation coaching session or one-day skills refresher.
“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
Plato
Contact Details
Please don't hesitate to get in touch for presentation course or coaching advice.
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01344 859823
Email Address
training@timetomarket.co.uk
