The Essence of Great Presenting: A Brief Overview

When you’re on stage or presenting to anyone anywhere, you’re the host, the leader, and the bringer of information, solutions, joy, or enlightenment. What is the experience you will create for your guests?

Making great presentations begins with creating a strong opening. As the presenter or speaker, you set the tone for what’s going to happen during your presentation. This is true even if your presentation follows others or will be followed by others.

Consider how you will keep your audience engaged and what you want them to think, feel, and/or do during and after your presentation. Even when speaking about seemingly dry topics, look for ways to connect emotions and humanity to them. For example, if you’re talking about a new technology, in addition to discussing the features and immediate benefits it delivers, you can talk about what these benefits mean to the user’s life or to the world.

Streamlining your content is crucial. If you view your presentation as a journey, it’s important to be clear on where you want the journey to end and what the important stops or sights are along the way. Everything you say should be relevant or add color, humor, or intrigue to the journey. Avoid tangents or asides that may distract your audience. End your presentation strongly with a memorable statement or thought. Sometimes, your strong beginning and strong ending emerge as you practice presenting your content.

Be clear on your ending and include a call to action, an inspiring or empowering last thought, or both.

Once your content is structured, study it and practice presenting it. I’m not a proponent of word-for-word memorized presentations, except possibly in cases such as a TED Talk, which is timed and very specific. For most situations, it’s enough to present the concepts, not the exact wording, of your presentation.

Practice delivering your presentation at performance level multiple times. Many people believe that reading and studying their content will prepare them, but there is a big difference between knowing something and communicating it effectively. Furthermore, it is during the practice of your presentation that you may discover which parts of your content feel right and what needs tweaking.

Create good habits to help you be at your best when it’s time to present. There are things you can do in your daily life and immediately before presenting that will help you manage nervousness and feel confident, centered, and focused. I give my clients some techniques and help them find the formula that works best for them.

One of the most important things to remember is to stay out of self-judgment mode when you’re presenting. If your mind is flipping back and forth between communicating with your audience and judging yourself, you will lose your power and effectiveness. Stay focused on your mission, your message, and your audience.

This is a bit about Lisa’s philosophy. In her private work with clients and her programs that focus on public speaking and communication, she provides the foundation and practical skills needed to bring it to life, quickly elevating your presenting and speaking skills.

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For information on working with Lisa privately, click here.