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1: Be your own stage manager

  • Check out ahead of time where you will be presenting, find out about the setup, make sure you have tested all your appliances.

— Lydia Graham

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��2: A good presentation contains only the necessary information

  • It has one main point and everything is structured around that point. It doesn't rely heavily upon PowerPoint or slides filled with text, and it allows time for discussion and asking questions. — Eddie Rice

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� 3: Use technology

  • A great presentation that is both effective and engaging must use visual storytelling in order to capture your audience's attention. Research has proven that visuals are recalled six times better than words alone.  Tim Riesterer

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� 4: Use natural humor (not jokes)

  • Humorous quotes work well, especially during your introductions. For example, I usually begin my workshop on speaking anxiety with the following quote: "Mark Twain said it best: 'There are 2 types of speakers. Those that are nervous and those that are liars. Which one are you?'" This usually results in a chuckle or two from the participants . — Lenny Laskowski

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� 5: Practice

  • What makes a good presentation is practice, practice, practice! It's just like sports! You have to repeatedly practice your presentation to improve it.  Thinking that you know enough about the topic to just stand up in front of your audience and go is a total myth.

— Andrew J. Zurbuch

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� 6: Be authentic

  • Authenticity is engaging; let your true personality show. Too many presentations are technically proficient but lack heart. If you are not genuine, there will be a huge gap between you and your listeners.

— Brandt Johnson

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� 7: Be more dynamic

  • Stand instead of sit. If you're talking about something big, make a balloon shape with your arms. Describing a surprise? Clap your hands loudly. Talking about a big step? Take a big step. Use drama: "It killed me," versus "It was disappointing."

— Bill Rosenthal

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� 8: Do an analysis of the audience

  • The presenter should do an analysis of the audience and determine the best way to present to them. The delivery and the content should be specific and relevant to them. The presenter should know the purpose of the presentation and exactly what the end result is to be.

— Glenn Schroeder

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� 9: Keep it brief

  • If you can’t capture people’s attention and deliver your message with brevity, you’ll lose them. Joe McCormack

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� 10: Don't read

  • One absolute don't in presentations is reading slides. Tell stories and talk to the slides, but by no means read the slides.  

— Justin Honaman

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� 11: Have your "takeaway" clear

  • What's the one point that you want your audience to drive home? Your presentation should start by declaring a 'big idea' that will be the takeaway. You should follow with three or four points that support the big idea, and then bring it back around and restate the idea to summarize. — Michael Assad