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Most executives at some point in their careers will have to make a PowerPoint presentation. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I’ve had the opportunity to see numerous presentations both good and bad in addition to the many that I’ve done myself. Based on these experiences, I recommend the following for anyone interested in public speaking:

Know your audience prior to giving your talk. People coming to hear presentations want to know what value will this talk provide them. Understanding your group will help accomplish this task. Provide examples or cases relevant to your audience to make the topics easier for your listeners to grasp.

Visit the room before the event. Knowing the environment builds confidence. Visiting the room before the talk also helps prevent problems related to technology malfunctions, etc.

Smile during the talk. See a nice smile and you’ll see people become engaged. It’s inviting, yet many people seem to have trouble smiling when getting in front of groups.

Use eye contact and avoid reading off of your PowerPoint slides. Eye contact makes people feel like you’re speaking directly with them and engages the audience. Start with the left side of the room, make eye contact for a few seconds, then move your eyes to the middle of the room, repeat the process, and then work the right side of the room. Do this throughout the presentation.

Speak slowly and clearly. Prior to speaking, practice in front of a mirror and tape yourself to hear how you’re coming across. Have others critique you in a dress rehearsal presentation to make sure you’re coming across the way you want. Get a good grade in front of your peers and you’re on your way to a successful presentation when it’s time to go live.

Provide an agenda. People like getting an overview before getting into the details and providing an agenda accomplishes this. It is like serving an appetizer before the main course.

Keep to your allotted time. It is rude to go over or under your scheduled time. If you’re supposed to present for 90 minutes, keep it to 90 minutes.

Use graphics to enhance your slides. Pictures, slides, and charts can all be effective tools to get your points across. Make sure you cite your sources properly. Tools including Flickr and Slideshare can be helpful. Both sites allow free access to pictures and power point slides used by others provided you credit the source.

Another effective tool that can be used to enhance presentations is humor. Making people laugh eases anxiety for speakers and listeners. Video and music are also effective tools that can be used to engage your group as is asking questions to promote discussion and dialog among the attendees.

If you have the opportunity to make presentations to groups of people who may be interested in your topic, always go for it. It is good practice to speak to these groups and after a short time you will be able to tell which ones are the best ones for the information you are presenting.

Make sure that you have a handout to give everyone in the audience. Use brightly colored paper and make sure it is at least 24 pound paper so that it is not too flimsy. One page is enough for the handout. It should include some relevant information that they will want to keep, along with your name and contact information. If you have a special class or program coming up, be sure to talk about it and direct them to it on your handout. The idea is that you want the people you speak to to make a connection with you during the time you are there. That way they are far more likely to call you, visit your website, or tell someone else about you.

You may want to begin with smaller groups so that you can practice what you will say and how you will say it. Allow time for questions and spend enough time to give a complete answer. This will be an opportunity for you show that you know more about your topic.

There are always groups looking for speakers. The local Rotary Club, professional organizations and other groups usually need speakers and will give you a chance to talk. Ask them how long you will have and try to visit the location where you will be speaking before the day of the event. This will give you a feel for the room and the surroundings. Arrive a little early so that you can get a good parking spot.

Get a business card from each of the people you are speaking to and promise to give them more information. Ask for their permission to do this so that they do not get upset and feel you are spamming them.

By taking the time to give presentations you can reach more people and perfect your speaking and presentation skills.