by Gilda Bonanno LLC www.gildabonanno.com
One of the most common mistakes that presenters make is to go over their time limit. Why?
Many people are not aware of how long it takes to deliver their presentation – and they tend to underestimate how much time it takes to get through their material.
Many people are not aware of how long it takes to deliver their presentation – and they tend to underestimate how much time it takes to get through their material.
The only way to be sure of how much time it will
take to present your presentation is to practice it and time it. Practice means saying the words out loud
rather than just glancing at your notes and flipping through your slides. Set a timer and note how long each slide or
section takes.
Practice a few times and
you’ll have a good average of how long it will take. You’re not memorizing your presentation word
for word – you are becoming comfortable enough with the material that you can
say it several different ways.
And in your planning, you also have to allow time for
changes; for example, leave time for questions if that’s part of the
program. And consider that you may speak
faster – or slower – when you present in front of a live audience.
If you practice and time your presentation a few
times, you will be less likely to underestimate how much time it will take to
present.
Gilda Bonanno's blog www.gildabonanno.blogspot.com