How To Prepare A Professional Presentation (With Pictures)

10/14/2018 How to Prepare a Professional Presentation (with Pictures)
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Four Parts: Help Creating a Presentation Framing Your Story Designing Your Slides Views: 169,656
Practicing Your Presentation Community Q&A
When you give a professional presentation, you're sharing important information. At the same
Geeta Bhardwaj
time, the presentation also reflects on you. Giving a presentation can be nerve-racking, GB
Aug 4, 2016
especially if you have a fear of public speaking. The key is to frame your presentation as a "It helped me in preparing my mind to make
story you want to tell. Focus on that story, using PowerPoint slides as necessary to support a nice presentation by keeping some crucial
points in my mind."
your main points. To ensure success, practice until your delivery becomes second nature.[1]
Share yours!
Help Creating a Presentation
Professional Presentation
Basics
Part
1 Framing Your Story
https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-a-Professional-Presentation 1/16
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1 Narrow down the purpose of your presentation. What you want your audience to
know, and what you want them to do with that knowledge, is the purpose of your
presentation. Every point of your presentation should relate back to that main purpose.[2]
To take a simple example, suppose you've created a widget. You want the people
in the audience to buy your widget, as well as encourage their friends or
colleagues to buy one. Every point of your presentation should present a specific
reason your widget is valuable and necessary.
Keep the time you've been allotted in mind. You may need to expand, or narrow,
your purpose to fill that time. For example, for a 15-minute presentation you may
only be able to focus on 3 reasons your widget is valuable and necessary. An hour
long presentation, on the other hand, could add 2 or 3 other reasons, or go into
more detail about the original 3.
Related Articles
2 Identify your audience. You can't convince people of the value of your product, or
work, unless you understand their background and familiarity with your subject matter. How to How to
Tailor your presentation to your audience so you don't alienate them.[3] Make a Deliver Effective
Presentation Fun Presentations
For example, if you're giving a presentation to fellow colleagues who are well-
versed in the basics of your industry, you can assume they already have that
knowledge and leave the details out.
If you're presenting at a larger conference, look through the conference materials
How to How to
and website to get demographic information about your potential audience. You Write a Brief Prepare a
Description of Professional
want to know the average age, education level, and work experience for typical
Yourself Report
conference attendees.
Think in terms of what you want your audience to get out of your presentation as
well. For example, if you want them to buy a product, you don't need to start with a
history of the evolution of products designed to serve the same need.
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3 Choose the main points of your presentation. Brainstorm points you want to make
through your presentation, then choose 3 or 4 that are the most important and can be
explained clearly. These points should build on each other and take your audience into
account.[4]
In a 10-minute presentation, you typically don't want more than 3 main points. For
a longer presentation, you might be able to get away with 4 or 5 – just make sure
each point can be explained thoroughly in the time allotted.
To best identify your main points, you might ask yourself what 3 things you want
members of your audience to take away from your presentation. For example, if
you're presenting the widget you've invented, you might want your audience to
know that your widget is reliable, portable, and affordable.
Limit the scope of your presentation to points that can be conveyed in a concrete
way, preferably with specific examples.[5]
4 Decide how you want to convey those points. Your points should be ordered in a
logical manner so that they build on one another without making any logical leaps that
might leave your audience behind. Provide concrete examples to shore up each point.[6]
For example, suppose your widget is more expensive than similar products on the
market that provide a solution to the same problem. You may still be able to prove
its affordability by showing that your widget is more reliable and more portable than
competing products.
To continue with the widget example, one point you want to make is that your
to doYou
widget is reliable. anything...
can demonstrate this concretely if you've done studies to
prove that it continues to work for a long period of time. If it's made to be MESSAGES
particularly sturdy, you might add a physical demonstration in which your widget is
dropped from a height and doesn't break (just make sure it won't actually break, or
this demonstration could backfire).
5 Open your presentation with a good hook. If you open your presentation with a
humorous anecdote or a compelling story about a problem, your audience will be
hooked and want to hear more of what you have to say.[7]
For example, suppose you invented a product that would allow people to quickly
and easily wash their clothes when they were away from home. You could open
with an anecdote about being on a business trip and having your suit sprayed with
street muck by a passing truck.
Fill your hook with emotion to get your audience to empathize with you. Even if
they've never experienced similar circumstances, they will react to the emotion.
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6 Use your main points to weave a story. People often think the standard
presentation is boring, but the human brain is hard-wired to listen to stories. If you can
create a story through which you present your main points, you'll maintain your audience's
attention throughout your presentation.[8]
To continue with the previous example, you could easily transition from the
embarrassing quandary of a mucky suit in a strange city to the need for a product
that would quickly and easily clean your clothes. Such a product would eliminate
the need to find and wait at a laundromat, or to use an expensive dry-cleaning
service.
Continue through your main points in a logical and coherent way, relating them in
the same way you would tell a story. This could be through basic chronological
order, or it could be that one main point raises a question that is answered by your
next main point.
7 Close your story by returning to the original purpose. At the end of your
presentation, summarize your main points – the 3 main things you want your
audience to take away from your presentation – and then provide them with a clear call to
action so they know what you want from them.[9]
If you want them to buy your product, let them know where and how to buy it. On
the other hand, if you want them to invest in your product, you might point them
towards a crowd-funding website where money is being raised to take your product
to the next level.
Keep your closing short and to the point. Don't introduce any new ideas in your
closing. However, it can be beneficial to refer back to your original hook. For
example, you might note that your suit is clean for the presentation thanks to the
product you invented.
Part
2 Designing Your Slides
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1 Search for free templates. Especially if you don't have a lot

of PowerPointexperience, using the free templates that are available with the
application can save you a lot of technical hassle. The focus of your preparation should be
on the content itself, not tech wizardry.[10]
You can customize the templates, but don't spend too much time on this. Keep
your slides as simple as possible so your audience will pay attention to the content
of the slide and not be distracted by fancy graphics.
Black and white can be hard for your audience to focus on, especially if the lights
in the room are dim. Opt instead for a black or dark blue background, with an off-
white or cream-colored text.
2 Start with a title slide. The title slide is the first slide of your presentation, and
introduces the purpose of your presentation to your audience. Use a clear, readable
font in at least 24pt type so that it can be seen from a distance.[11]
Your title should be as brief and descriptive as possible. If you have a related
image, that can liven up a title page. For example, if you are pitching a product you
invented, your title slide might include a picture of your product. However, if the
image is simply decorative and unrelated to your presentation, leave it off.
Don't include any specifics on your title page, other than the title of your
presentation and perhaps your own name.
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3 Prepare slides for your main points. You need at least 1 slide for each of the 3 or 4
main points you've identified. Each of these slides should look roughly the same as
your title page, using the same color scheme and font for consistency.[12]
If you have sub-points you want to emphasize on your slide, make a bullet list
under the main point. However, keep them brief. You want as few words on the
slide as possible, so your audience is listening to you – not reading the slide.
4 Add supporting slides as needed. If you have graphs, charts, or other illustrations,
give them their own slides. Add them behind the main point they relate to, being
careful that the slide doesn't look too busy and isn't difficult to read.[13]
Generally, you want to avoid having more than 3 or 4 things for your audience to
look at on any given slide. A simple line or bar graph is fine, because you're only
looking at the relationship between 2 things.
For more complex data or illustrations, you may be better served by providing a
handout, or to do anything...
directing your audience to a website where they can get more details.
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5 Proofread your slides carefully. A glaring typo or technical error on a slide can
derail even the most powerful presentation. In addition to going through your slides
several times yourself, you may want to have someone else look at them as well. Their
fresh eyes may see something you glossed over.[14]
If you have any handouts or other materials, make sure these are free of errors as
well.
6 Back up your presentation and save it in multiple formats. After you've done all
that hard work preparing your slides, you want to make sure you'll be able to use
them. Unless you already know what technological resources will be available in the room
on the day of your presentation, have multiple formats ready in case one isn't available.[15]
Email yourself a copy of your presentation so that if you can't get your laptop or
towith
tablet to work dothe
anything...
display software, you can open your presentation on a
computer that does work. MESSAGES
7 Refresh your knowledge of the basics. You don't have to be an expert on

presentation programs, such as PowerPoint or KeyNote, to create a powerful and
effective presentation. However, if you're going to use a program in your presentation,
make sure you can start it up and move through the slides without difficulty.[16]
If you set the presentation to run automatically, make sure you've rehearsed and
that your slides won't jump ahead of you. If this happens during your presentation,
it will be distracting at the least, and may cause you to get flustered.
The University of Leicester has a helpful table of keyboard shortcuts for
PowerPoint available
at https://www.le.ac.uk/oerresources/ssds/presentationskills/page_66.htm.
Part
3 Practicing Your Presentation
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1 Go through your presentation several times by yourself. The more you practice
your presentation, the more familiar you'll be with your material. The more familiar you
are with your material, the more comfortable you'll be talking about it.[17]
While you may have notes, if you look at them frequently, you will alienate your
audience. They'll sense that you're not prepared, or perhaps not as enthusiastic
about the subject matter as you told them you were.
You don't necessarily have to memorize your whole presentation. However, any
notes should be there to ensure you get specific names and numbers correct – not
to tell you what to say next.
You may also want to tape or video your presentation and watch it yourself.
However, keep in mind that people are typically their own worst critics. Don't get
too down on yourself if your presentation doesn't rise to the level of, say, the last
TED talk you saw.
2 Recruit a practice audience. An ideal practice audience will be made up of people

similar to the people who will be watching your actual presentation. If people who fit
that description aren't readily available to you, use family and friends if necessary.[18]
If people in your practice audience don't have the background and experience
people in your real audience will, give them a short briefing before your rehearsals
to get them up to speed.
Try to include 5 to 10 people in your practice audience so you can work on eye
contact with different people in the audience. This also gives you the opportunity to
space people out so you can work on projecting your voice.
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3 Organize the materials you need. Check with the people in charge to find out what
you'll need to bring to your presentation in terms of technological equipment, cables,
and the like. Get together more than you need, in case there are any mix-ups.[19]
Bring paper notes and a print-out of your slide presentation, just in case you can't
get the slides to work. That way, you'll still be able to make your presentation.
4 Ask if you can use the room where your presentation will be. If at all possible,
you want to do at least one rehearsal of your presentation in the room where it will be
held. This enables you to prepare technical details and ensure everyone in the entire room
can see and hear you.[20]
Have your practice audience sit in different parts of the room so they can let you
know if they can hear and see you clearly.
If you aren't able to do a full dry run of your presentation, at least make sure you
can show up early and prepare the room. For example, if you're using a
microphone, you want to make sure the audio is set up properly before you start.
While the time you'll need depends on how much equipment you have to set up,
you should generally allow at least an hour. If others will also be presenting, the
organizers may have a designated set-up time the day of the presentation.
You also want to make sure your laptop will work with the display technology
available. You may need to download software, and you want to do this in
advance.
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5 Limit your body language to hand gestures. Especially if you're nervous, you may
have the tendency to sway or move around a lot. Generally, it's better to stand in one
place and use hand gestures where necessary to make your points.[21]
For example, you might think that people won't notice that you're shaking if you
pace back in forth. In reality, your audience is likely having trouble keeping up with
you as you move around the stage. You'll also have difficulty making eye contact
with members of the audience.
6 Use your rehearsals to practice good eye contact. When giving a professional
presentation, making eye contact with members of the audience engages them and
makes them believe you're genuinely interested in sharing with them.[22]
In a small group (fewer than 20 people), try to make eye contact with each person
at least once. In a larger group, direct your gaze to zones of the room to involve
more people. Don't just focus in and talk to one person.
Hold eye contact for 1-2 seconds, then switch somewhere else. You don't want
someone to feel that you're staring them down.
If you have trouble looking people directly in the eye, simulate eye contact by
to do foreheads
looking at people's anything...
instead.
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7 Seek constructive criticism after your rehearsal. Ask your practice audience what
you can do to improve. Since many people aren't skilled at giving constructive
criticism, you may want to give them a specific list of questions to answer at the end of your
presentation.[23]
For example, one question might be "What were the main points of my
presentation?" If they can't identify your main points, that indicates that you need to
be clearer about them. If they listed something as a main point that wasn't one of
your main points, that might indicate you spent too long talking about something
that was actually tangential.
Also ask about your body language, voice projection, and other physical traits. Find
out if your practice audience thought you were active and engaged.
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Community Q&A
Question
What is a professional presentation?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
It's about how to act professionally during a presentation. Like trying to be confident and
speak clearly.
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Unanswered Questions
What do you currently do to plan for designing your presentations?
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What strategies can I use to help me conserve energy and resources when
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Tips
If you don't like PowerPoint, consider alternative software, such as KeyNote (similar to
PowerPoint, but only available on Apple devices) or Prezi (which is good for non-linear
presentations).[24] You can get more information about Prezi or subscribe by

to do anything...
visiting https://prezi.com/. KeyNote comes pre-installed on all Apple devices.
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Especially if you have a fear of public speaking, you might want to try deep breathing
exercises to relax and focus before beginning your presentation. Practice several times
before you give your presentation, though, so you can find something that works for you.
[25]
Warnings
Turn off your screensaver before giving your presentation. You don't want it to accidentally
come on, which would distract your audience.[26]
Related wikiHows Edit
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Create a PowerPoint Presentation Add Background Graphics to Powerpoint
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How to Choose the Right Number of Slides for a
Use Microsoft Office PowerPoint Powerpoint Presentation
How to How to
Make a PowerPoint Template Fix a Corrupted PowerPoint PPTX File
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How to
Change the Background on PowerPoint How to
Slides Add a Header in Powerpoint
Sources and Citations
1. ↑ https://hbr.org/2013/06/how-to-give-a-killer-presentation
2. ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/686/01/
3. ↑ https://www.elsevier.com/connect/how-to-give-a-dynamic-scientific-presentation
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Article Info
Categories: PowerPoint Presentations
In other languages:
Español: preparar una presentación profesional, Italiano: Preparare una Presentazione

Professionale, Русский: подготовить профессиональную презентацию, Português: Preparar
uma Apresentação Profissional, Deutsch: Eine professionelle Präsentation vorbereiten
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10/14/2018 How to Prepare a Professional Presentation (with Pictures)

How to Prepare a Professional Staff

Presentation How helpful is this?

Help Creating a Presentation

Is this article up to date?

1 Search for free templates. Especially if you don't have a lot

7 Refresh your knowledge of the basics. You don't have to be an expert on

2 Recruit a practice audience. An ideal practice audience will be made up of people

You're helping people by reading wikiHow

to support the relief effort for Indonesia.

Yes, I read the article

What is a professional presentation?

What do you currently do to plan for designing your presentations?

Answer this question Flag as...

How do I prepare a professional video presentation?

Answer this question Flag as...

Can you give me more tips on how to prepare presentations?

Answer this question Flag as...

Answer this question Flag as...

presentations).[24] You can get more information about Prezi or subscribe by

Related wikiHows Edit

Sources and Citations

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Did you try these steps?

Categories: PowerPoint Presentations

Español: preparar una presentación profesional, Italiano: Preparare una Presentazione

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