Suggestions to Make a GREAT Presentation

Many students enrolled in an e-business course will already have had a course in business
communications and/or other opportunities to become an experienced presenter. However,
just in case, here are some suggestions or reminders how to make a great presentation:
Content suggestions: The following suggestions are offered to improve the content of the
presentation, or what you say.
First tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, finally tell them what you
told them. These three make up the introduction, body, and conclusion of any great
presentation.
start with a title slide that includes the title of the presentation, who the presentation is
for (the audience), who is presenting (you), and the date.
the next slide is an overview or agenda (i.e., "tell them what you are going to tell
them"); introduce the presenters at the same time
advise the audience whether questions should be asked during the presentation or at
the end
if appropriate, start with a powerful presentation opener a startling statistic, a poem,
a dramatic quotation, a confession, a surprising entry, meaningful humor, etc.
in the presentation, consider the expertise of your audience (e.g., explain technical
terms if necessary, avoid TLAs (three letter acronyms))
use graphics, but make sure they are appropriate graphics and do not distract from the
presentation or the content (e.g., avoid animation graphics which attract the audience's
attention to the graphic and away from you)
use humor, but make absolutely sure it is appropriate humor
at the end, summarize the highpoints (i.e., "tell them what you told them")
during question time, repeat questions from soft-spoken people or people in the front
of the room so the audience know what is the question before you give the answer
if you aren't sure of an answer to a question, don't be afraid to say "I don't know" and, if
appropriate, promise to get back to them with an answer
finish on time (if necessary, ask for "last question please")
thank the audience for their time and attention


Presentation suggestions: The following suggestions are made to improve the presentation of
the presentation, or how you say it.
use large fonts, 22 point is minimum size for text; a title should be 32 point or larger
use a sans serif font such as Helvetica or Arial for normal text; use a serif font such as
Times Roman or Book Antiqua in titles to show good contrast
for emphasis, use bold, italic or all caps, but never more than one at the same time
use no more than 36 words per slide
use bullet points as "talking points" and avoid paragraphs
try to use 3-6 points per slide
be consistent and correct in capitalization
as with any writing, use proper grammar, phrases or sentences must make sense, no
misspelled words
avoid bright colors; consider using light colors (e.g., white, yellow) on a dark background
(e.g., dark blue)
don't use primary colors (red, green, blue) together (e.g., red text on blue background)
when finished preparing the presentation, save two copies of the file (current version +
earlier version) to two disks (working + backup) that are carried separately to the
presentation
leave as much room light on as possible (people fall asleep in the dark)
don't read your material from the slide
don't read from notes (having notes is okay, just don't read from them)
don't talk to the screen, talk to the audience with only occasional glances at the screen
don't use stick pointers (they focus your attention on the screen and can make you look
like Zorro)
use a laser pointer selectively, and put it down when it isn't being used
establish eye contact with areas of your audience on a regular basis
if appropriate and as time permits, involve the audience in the presentation (e.g., ask
them a question, conduct an interactive exercise, conduct a lottery to give away a
product sample)
move around to keep the audience's attention, but don't move too fast or too far
dress appropriately, to meet the audience's expectations, and slightly more formal than
them
don't hold objects in your hands, but do use your hands and arms for gestures; do not
put your hands in your pockets

take clues from your audience (watch for "eyes glazed over" or "eyes shut") and take
action to correct
if the presentation is longer than 45 minutes, give your audience a stretch break
conclude on time
Finally, the most important three things to know about making a GREAT presentation are:
practice, practice, and practice!