Presentation types

Traditionally, presentations involved standing in front of a large audience, often with accompanying visual aids, and talking without interruption. Although these types of presentations are still relevant for some, many of us aren’t presenting in this way on a regular basis.

However, we are all using presentation skills more than we realise. Whether we are in a one to one meeting updating our manager on a project, in group meetings with our department, or updating colleagues working remotely over a conference call – we are always presenting.

Improving your presentation skills allows you to overcome the initial fear of facing people, understand and engage the audience more effectively, and improve your bargaining and persuasive skills. So whatever your context, improving your presentation skills in any setting is important, for both you as an individual and your organisation.

Ingredients of a great presentation

Setting a clear purpose

Before you start planning your presentation, it’s essential you identify the purpose of your presentation. If your audience leaves remembering one thing, what should it be?

A simple way to classify your purpose is to work out what you would like your audience to:

Presentation types

Traditionally, presentations involved standing in front of a large audience, often with accompanying visual aids, and talking without interruption. Although these types of presentations are still relevant for some, many of us aren’t presenting in this way on a regular basis.

However, we are all using presentation skills more than we realise. Whether we are in a one to one meeting updating our manager on a project, in group meetings with our department, or updating colleagues working remotely over a conference call – we are always presenting.

Improving your presentation skills allows you to overcome the initial fear of facing people, understand and engage the audience more effectively, and improve your bargaining and persuasive skills. So whatever your context, improving your presentation skills in any setting is important, for both you as an individual and your organisation.

Ingredients of a great presentation

Setting a clear purpose

Before you start planning your presentation, it’s essential you identify the purpose of your presentation. If your audience leaves remembering one thing, what should it be?

A simple way to classify your purpose is to work out what you would like your audience to:

Profiling your audience

Always try to think about your presentation from the perspective of the audience. It’s important to identify what they hope to get from the experience, as this allows you to tailor the content and make it more engaging.

Profiling your audience also helps remove nerves and anxiety, as you will feel more prepared and ready for any difficult questions that may come up.

Try answering the following questions about your audience:

1) Name of one person to represent the audience – usually the most important person in the room

2) What role do they have?

3) How long have you known them?

4) How receptive will they be? (on a scale of 1-10?)

5) How much knowledge do they have already?

6) What’s in it for them? What will they gain from your presentation?

7) What do you want them to Do/Decide/Know?

8) What are the likely questions they will ask?

Deciding on supporting materials

When deciding on the appropriate supporting materials, ensure you consider the following aspects:

·       Your audience - Your audience analysis will help you here, so think about the way your audience likes to receive information. Also consider the size and formality of the setting.

·       The type of information you are presenting – if you are presenting very complicated, technical data then you may like to use additional resources for further reading after the presentation, so no details are missed.

·       The venue – is your presentation in a large conference room? Is it in a small meeting room or catch-up area? Is it over the phone/Skype? Where your meeting takes place should dictate your choice of supporting materials.

·       Your familiarity with the topic – Often, we choose to use more supporting materials when we are less confident in the content, or when we are ‘winging it’. You will need to evaluate your own abilities and decide how best to make the presentation. When you first start giving presentations you may feel more confident with more detailed supporting materials. As you become more experienced you may find that you can deliver effectively with less.

·       The facilities available – Sometimes the equipment or facilities available to you will make the decision, as you simply can’t use presentation slides without a projector or TV screen. Make sure you check this in advance, especially if you are presenting in a venue you’re not familiar with.

Some possible options: