Important work presentation coming up? Here are 4 steps to master its delivery

It’s normal to feel nervous when you have an important presentation coming up at work, especially when it’s in front of a large crowd.

“Will the audience be bored? Will I mess up my points? How will I make sure I make the best impression?” These are no doubt the sort of thoughts playing through your mind. Luckily for you, we’ve rounded up the four best ways to make sure you master your next work presentation, so you make an impression that lasts.

Let’s get started!

- Practice…but not too much
‘Practice makes perfect’ is most certainly true when it comes to giving a presentation in front of people at work, especially if you’re not a natural-born public speaker. But one important thing to remember, is not to practice too much. Studies from Harvard show that the optimal number of times to practice a speech or a presentation is seven times. When you overdo it, you’re in danger of starting to reel off your presentation like a robot and may lose the natural touch. You never want it to sound like you’ve learnt your presentation off by heart, as that can lead to an unconscious mono-tone delivery that will have your audience snoozing in their seats!

- Pay attention to attention spans
Research shows that if a presentation is any longer than 20 minutes the attention span of the audience dramatically decreases. So, it’s important that you keep yours concise, to the point, and interactive to stop people falling off track. If you do need to give a presentation that goes over 20 minutes, mix in as much interactive and engaging content as possible, and remember that incorporating exciting visuals into your presentation can improve comprehension by up to 400%.

- Watch your non-verbal communication
It’s not just what you say but also how you say it. Pay attention to your body language – make sure you’re not fidgeting or pacing around too much as that can be quite off-putting or annoying for the audience; make eye contact across the room so that you are engaging with those around you enough; keep your facial expressions natural – meaning you smile when it naturally suits the words you’re saying and not too much/too little; and don’t overdo the hand gestures as that can be distracting.

- Prepare for questions from the audience
Whether those listening to your presentation are well-versed on the topic or not, it’s highly likely that they will still have questions. And there’s nothing worse than listening to an informative, well delivered presentation and then asking a question only to be met with silence or uncertainty. List out the potential questions you think you may get from those you are presenting to and map out responses for each. Also prepare your plan for what you will say if someone asks something you don’t know the answer to. For example, saying ‘I’m not 100% sure on the figures for that but I can find out and get back to you later today’ is a respectable and professional way of saying ‘I don’t know right now’.

Whether you’re an expert public speaker or the thought of giving a presentation to a large group fills you with dread, these four points will hopefully help you deliver your speech in a professional and appealing way.