Plan, Prepare & Practice Your Presentation

Giving a virtual or in-person presentation? Use the following framework to plan, prepare and practice so you can effectively and confidently communicate your message to your audience. 

1.       Plan your presentation (plan early!)

  • What general topic are you presenting on?
  • How long do you have to present?
  • Understand other logistics: how many people, who are they, room setup, order of presentation, present seated vs. standing, etc.)

2.      Prepare content

  • What is your message – the one thing you want people to remember from your presentation?
  • What supporting information will you provide to convey that message?
  • Outline it: introduction, points 1-3, conclusion
  • Create notes that you will use to deliver it (1 piece of cardstock paper or 1 big card – printed or handwritten in large font)

3.       Practice (practice early and often!)

  • Practice for fluency, timing and getting comfortable with notes
  • You are not memorizing word for word, but getting comfortable with the material  - make any final adjustments to content well in advance of actual presentation day
  • Practice your delivery out loud (can record yourself): be aware of your body language – voice, facial expressions, gesture, posture, movement, eye contact
  • Practice your “pregame ritual” and your confident self-talk

© Gilda Bonanno LLC - Gilda Bonanno serves as a trusted advisor to executives and entrepreneurs to transform their communication, presentation and leadership skills.  She has worked with companies on 4 continents, from Chicago to Shanghai and Rio to Rome.  The instructional videos on her YouTube channel have received over 2 million views and her e-newsletter has reached subscribers in over 45 countries since 2008.  For other articles or to receive Gilda's e-newsletter, visit www.gildabonanno.com