Preparing for a presentation isn’t easy. However, there are a number of aspects one has to consider to ensure for an excellent presentation.  

For instance, it’s important to note that a great presentation doesn’t only need putting slides together but rehearsing for it as well. 

Research shows that most people spend hours preparing a presentation but very little time practicing it yet preparation is one of the most essential part of making an exceptional presentation. 

According to Mutesi Gasana, the founder of Ubuntu publishers, every presentation has a goal that makes the presentation valid or invalid. The goal of the presentation should be very clear and clear outcomes have to be defined. 

Once you are set to present please take note of the following;

During the opening of your presentation, it’s important to attract the audience’s attention and build their interest. If you don’t, listeners will turn their attention elsewhere and you will have a difficult time getting it back. 

Make the introduction relevant to the listeners’ goals, values, and needs, ask questions to stimulate thinking, share a personal experience, if possible begin with a joke or humorous story, project colourful visuals and make an inspirational statement and offer a unique demonstration, Gasana notes.

Start with key talking points. Gasana explains that you don’t have to write a full script or presentation until you know what points you want to put across. Then, you can stick with a standard format.

Understand your audience. Your audience will determine whether you communicated or not. The audience has to be defined in terms of age, social-economic status, gender and political views.

What is the presentation expected to achieve? And what outcome(s) do the organisers and the audience expect? It’s a good idea to obtain some information on the background, values, and interests of your audience so that you understand what the audience members might expect from your presentation.

These outcomes will shape your presentation, because it must be designed to achieve the objective and deliver the desired outcomes, she says.

Define your message. Once you know who you are talking to, determine the message and how you want to deliver the message, for instance, is it a message to push them to buy or give them information on your product or service?

Find your comfort zone. All the advice in the world might not be of help until you are comfortable with your preparation, practice techniques and ultimately, the presentation itself. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable, Gasana urges.

Select a topic. Get a topic that the audience might be interested in and yourself as well. It will be much easier to deliver a presentation that the audience is connected with.

Dress code. Gasana also points out that most of the time, people judge us from how we dress. Before people can listen to you and fall in love with your presentation, clothes will determine how they perceive you. Therefore, make sure that your colours or dress code is not a distraction but rather an addition to your presentation.

Think of what would be your perception of your message. She also adds that make yourself the audience you will speak to. What would be the honest feedback you would give yourself?