by Gilda Bonanno LLC
We’ve all sat through presentations that left us wondering, “What was the point of that?” Too often, presenters fall into the trap of delivering a “data dump”—pouring out everything they know without structure or focus. The result is confusion, not clarity.
To present effectively, whether in person, virtually or in a hybrid setting, you need to think differently.
The starting point is your message. Before you build slides or rehearse, ask yourself: What is the purpose of my presentation? Are you trying to sell, inform, update, or influence? Once you know your purpose, define your message in one crisp sentence, what I call the “billboard version.”
If someone left your presentation and I asked, “What was that about?” they should be able to capture your main point in their own words.
Before You Present
To set yourself up for success, take a few deliberate steps:
- Define your purpose: Fill in the blank: “The purpose of my presentation is to…” (sell, inform, update, influence, etc.). Remember, each presentation is also an opportunity to build your brand.
- Clarify your message: Identify the one key idea you want your audience to remember and tie it directly to your strategy.
- Keep calm and get organized: Collect your content, examples and evidence, and then organize them around your central message.
- Think about your audience: Ask, What is necessary to tell this story and persuade or inform this specific audience? Tailor your approach to the people in the room.
From there, use a simple structure that works every time:
- Introduction: State your key message and connect it to your strategy.
- Body: Build your case with supporting points that blend numbers and narrative.
- Conclusion: Restate your message and include a call to action. What do you want your audience to think, do or feel?
Finally, remember that effective presenting is as much about mindset as content. Stay calm under pressure. Replace the negative voice in your head with a positive mantra. Control your breathing and create a “pre-game ritual” that centers you before you step up to speak.
Presenting effectively is not about dazzling with slides or speaking nonstop—it’s about clarity, focus and connection.
Every presentation, large or small, is a chance to build your brand and influence outcomes. With the right message, structure and mindset, you can turn your presentations into moments of real impact.
© 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 1.5 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