Next time you are faced with the daunting prospect of having to write a presentation, try out these tips from Skillstudio and you'll be surprised at just how effective they can be at helping to design and prepare for a presentation.



1.Prepare Prepare Prepare - The more time you spend preparing your presentation beforehand the more confident you will be on the day.

2.Get to know your audience. Put yourself in their shoes. What's in it for them? What understanding do they currently have? Do they want a detail or strategic level talk from you?

3.What's the one key goal you want to achieve by giving this presentation? Make sure that this is clear to your audience at the beginning and end of the presentation.

4.Split your presentation into a beginning a middle and an end. Use the middle section to develop your ideas.

5.Remember the power of three. Wherever possible think of things in threes. eg three key points to make at the beginining, three key points to develop further in the middle and three key points to make at the end. Your middle can further expand on the three points with three additional points each. etc

6.Brainstorm the likely questions you will be asked by your audience. Prepare answers using the Power of three.

7.Try using a mind map to help you organise your ideas into logical chunks. The clearer your thinking is the easier it should be to understand when you are presenting.

8.Avoid the trap of preparing for your presentation at the last possible minute. It will only mean you lose a night's sleep - on the night before you have to present!

9.Lead your audience through your presentation using sign-posting. Recap on what you've just covered and then use rhetorical questions to move onto the next section. Always summarise your main points just prior to the end of your presentation.

10.Plan to end your presentation with a call to action, a request for a decision to be made, or whatever you believe is the most appropriate means to achieve your overall goal.