Let’s start with the DOs!
DO practice, practice and practice some more. As the old adage goes: practice makes perfect, and while no one expects you to be perfect, you are expected to have practiced so many times you feel and look comfortable up there on stage.
DO be overdressed. We like Guy Kawasaki’s advice to always dress for a tie. Confidence is key when presenting, and because you tend to feel as good as you look, get up on stage looking like a million dollars.
DO have a ‘less is more’ attitude about presentation design. As a presenter, you always want to be in a situation where you can speak to your slides, and that’s precisely why less is always more in presentation design. Keep your presentation clean and sleek by presenting only one point per slide, and by using large visuals with few words.
DO be brief and concise. Your audience’s time is precious, so try to be brief. Never use the audience’s time without asking, and remember that they have about a million other things they could be doing instead of watching your presentation. Honor that sacrifice, and use your time wisely.
DO be excited! You’ve got a roomful of people’s attention for ten, twenty, maybe even thirty minutes. All eyes are on you. Seize the opportunity! Make the most of it. Do your best to inspire and excite your audience with an amazing, memorable presentation.
And now for the DON’Ts!
DON’T use bullet points in your presentations. There are so many more interesting, exciting ways to present information than in a bulleted list. Think outside the (boring, ordinary, mundane) box.
DON’T use ten words when five words will suffice. Never make things more complicated than they need to be. In fact, spend time finding the simplest, most accessible way to present information to the audience. They’ll understand and retain it much easier.
DON’T tolerate the complex. Einstein famously said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t know it well enough.” And if you don’t know it well enough, there’s a pretty good chance your audience has no chance of understanding. Distill the content of your presentation into something that the audience can swallow easily.
DON’T be nervous. Of course, this isn’t the easiest of the resolutions to master, but a good trick to remaining calm is to keep things into perspective. Remember that most people in the audience are kind, gentle souls that want you to do a great job, and probably won’t think twice about it if you fall flat on your face. Breathe deeply now… in… out… in… out…
DON’T underestimate yourself. Just because you may not be a certified graphic designer doesn’t mean you can’t design a beautiful, dazzling presentation. Just remember the basics: less is always more, use big visuals with little text, and be creative! And as always, when in doubt, Google it, or just head over to our blog for more tips & tricks!
Happy 2013 Presenters! It’s gonna be a great year!
