Identify your topic
Be prepared
know the facts that you are presenting in a given time
Always be prepared. Make it simple but direct. Plan ahead . know your audience
Eric,
Great point about avoiding the long, technical explanations. Always be aware that your audience probably isn't as knowledgeable as you are about the topic.
Ryan
Dr. Ryan Meers
NELLY,
Yes, I really do not think it is possible to be over-prepared when it comes to presentations.
Ryan
Dr. Ryan Meers
1. Of course be prepared (know your facts and your presentation)
2. Be friendly.
3. Don't give long technical explanations.
The main important things to remember when preparing and delivering an effective presentation:
The purpose of the presentations- make sure that all the information is accurate and know what type of presentation that you will presenting to the audience.
Knowing your audience: once you are aware of the type of audience you have, the easier it is to customize the presentation.
Last be ready for any unexpected questions pertaining the subject. Always try and prepare as much in advance, in order to have everything in order. Having product knowledge before hand, the worse thing to do is speak on a subject that is new and or not rehearsed. However,we should keep in mind the time frame when presenting.
This ensures that you do not lose the audience and they are able to retain the information. Using visual aids as well as a guide for the audience is good .
As explained in the text from the course that simplicity is key, when presenting. So that the audience may understand the subject and is not lost in the context.
All of these factors play a major part when presenting. The trick that works for me. is making an outline and checking off as I go to make sure that all is in order.
Tina,
These are all great questions to ask in presentation prep. I especially like your number 4 question. It is vital to consider how you will get buy in from your audience.
Ryan
1. know subject
2. know audience
3. know time frame allotted
4. use multiple teaching strategies
Number one: what is the purpose of the presentation?
Number two: who is the audience? What is their background?
Number three: How much time is available?
Number four: how to get buy-in from audience?
All three are very important items needed for effective presentations. And to me, being prepared is what helps me truly be relaxed too.
Ryan
I believe the top three things you need to be an effective presenter is to be prepared, relaxed, and to know and understand your audience before your presentation begins.
Su,
Great question & to me the answer ties back to your statements about preparation. The better prepared I am, the more adaptable & flexible I am. I should know my presentation so well that if I need to cut several minutes off my time, I can easily & fluidly do this.
Ryan
Tim:
As you mentioned in your post, having fun and being confident in what you know about the topic helps in preparation, and also in credibility. I once had to do a presentation on a character, any character from a movie or a book. I chose the main character of 'Like Water for Chocolate', did my research on the character, the time frame in which the movie took place, and I must say that I had a blast doing all of it. When it came the time to give the presentation, I felt prepared, and confident in what I had learned during my research. How would you handle your presentation if your time suddenly became limited?
Cheers
Su
I think one of the best ways is to review the materials you will go over before class to help you get more prepared.
To have a good time with it, the audience can sense people that are nervous. It is very important to know the subject, they won't take you seriously if you can't answer questions on the subject you are covering. Get their attention and keep them focused on you and your subject matter, without that they will just fall asleep or start texting.
Great points. So true that we need to make it clear to the audience how the message is relevant to them, too often we assume they can see that for themselves.
Ryan
Tim,
Great point about having fun & making the audience part of your presentation. This does help with credibility & effectiveness.
Ryan
Jessica
Great points & I like to emphasize making the content relative & making it fun & entertaining. We really can accomplish both.
Ryan
I believe the top things to remember when preparing and delivering an effective presentation include: 1) be prepared; 2) vary the content delivery method (ie, Powerpoint, video, white board); 3) make the content relative to the audience; 4) make the content fun and entertaining.
The most successful presentations that I have delivered have been when I was prepared, confident about the subject and had fun with the audience. If you are having fun presenting, then the audience will have a good time on the receiving end. Make them a dynamic part of your presentation.
You can't be relaxed and come across as a SME if you are not prepared and know the subject. The audience will sense this quickly and you will spin in. This has a negative effect on your credibility and your own confidence for future presentations.
