How do you plan and prepare for a presentation in a short time? Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you might face situations where you have to deliver a presentation with little preparation. In this article, we will share some tips on how to create and deliver a presentation that is clear, engaging, and effective in a short time.
The first step to plan and prepare for a presentation is to know your audience. Who are they? What are their needs, expectations, and interests? How much do they know about your topic? How will they benefit from your presentation? Knowing your audience will help you tailor your content, tone, and style to suit them. It will also help you avoid unnecessary or irrelevant information that might confuse or bore them.
Knowing your audience encompasses a number of important aspects. One of the key areas that I focus on is Research. Understanding how to research the organization and the audience in advance will help you craft your message. Once you are able to understand who will be in the room you can then work the room in a tailored manner. If presenting for a specific group, a great pointer is to ask your liaison to that group on the age range, demographic, sentiments, and responsiveness of the audience to cater your message to those characteristics.
The most important point of any presentation is that you have something to say. Both situations- having to present in a short time or your presentation being cut short mean you have to have the agility and expertise on some subject. Has happened multiple times with me that what I have prepared has to be cut short simply because of the time or some other speaker has extended their time or the audience is late. In that moment, its your mastery over what you want to say that becomes important. Being able to understand what needs to be presented versus what can be shared with the audience that they can read helps. Ideally you should prepare 2 versions before the presentation date and prepare for such an eventuality.
The next step is to define your goal and message. What is the purpose of your presentation? What do you want your audience to learn, do, or feel after listening to you? What is the main point or takeaway that you want to convey? Defining your goal and message will help you focus your presentation and make it clear and concise. It will also help you structure your presentation and create a logical flow of ideas.
Quick preparation is my superpower. The key is working on several projects at once. You literally don't have time to worry and overthink. You must use the precious second you have to shape it to be as close to ready as possible. No extra reviews. No third pair of eyes. Just crank it out and jump on stage. Do that enough and it becomes second nature.
I agree with all of the points provided above. When preparing I always try to hone down my presentation points. It helps to hone down the specific information I am providing. This process prioritizes my thoughts and the actual verbiage I will use.
The third step is to choose your format and tools. How will you present your information? Will you use slides, handouts, videos, or other visual aids? What software or platform will you use to create and deliver your presentation? How will you interact with your audience? Choosing your format and tools will help you design your presentation and make it engaging and effective. It will also help you avoid technical issues or glitches that might disrupt your presentation.
In my presentation training I learned to utilize as many tools as possible to fit the venue. You do not always know what will be available for your usage. One example I can share is at a small conference room I did not network access for those attending remotely. I used my mobile phone’s hot spot capability to transmit the presentation while providing an onscreen powerpoint to the attending audience. Prepare for all possibilities. In one other field presentation I only had a post-it flip chart pad and sharpies. No electric power available.
We now have the benefit use tools that have built in analytics. When you send out your presentation or onesheets you can see where your audience spends their time reviewing your content. Use that information to follow up with your audience with more detailed content or to schedule that follow-on meeting!
The fourth step is to create your outline and content. Based on your goal, message, format, and tools, create a simple outline of your presentation. What are the main sections or points that you want to cover? How will you introduce and conclude your presentation? How will you transition between sections or points? How will you support your message with evidence, examples, or stories? Creating your outline and content will help you organize your presentation and make it coherent and persuasive.
I outline all of my presentations initially. Once I have identified all of the points I can rearrange them more easily. It also helps me determine how much info is required to make the point. In my experience one needs to utilize as many tools as possible to create and driver effective presentations. I use a brief introductory story and try to insert relatable experiences for illustrative purposes throughout the presentation. You always have to be mindful of your time constraints. I would concur with all of the points identified in the aspect of the article.
Lean on AI for these outlines! Generative AI can really support you here. Prompt your goals, point of view and any details you want to highlight and let AI build outline. Then you can use that outline and add it into AI presentation software to extrapolate a deck. Edit the fine details and you'll be good to go!
The fifth step is to practice and rehearse. Once you have your outline and content ready, practice and rehearse your presentation. Try to time yourself and adjust your pace and length accordingly. Try to speak with confidence and enthusiasm. Try to anticipate and prepare for possible questions or objections from your audience. Practice and rehearse your presentation will help you improve your delivery and performance. It will also help you reduce your nervousness and anxiety.
I prepare all of my presentations to match my on hand knowledge In my head. It minimizes my practice time. I always remember that my audience is typically there to hear my information and not necessarily challenge me. Helps to relax but still keeping mind that challenges may arise and I always give them the most accurate info. Better to admit that don’t know and follow up with them.
The final step is to review and refine your presentation. Before you deliver your presentation, review and refine your outline, content, format, and tools. Check for any errors, inconsistencies, or gaps in your presentation. Make sure your presentation is clear, engaging, and effective. Make any necessary changes or improvements to your presentation. Review and refine your presentation will help you polish your presentation and make it ready for your audience.
In my experience this is a critical element of my presentations. Even details of formatting layout and color schemes can help me to get the message out there . Lastly, I have one last change to check even more current information.
This are all good points to keep in mind. However, in promptu presentations may not allow for these. I was one asked by our department leadership to give a 15 minute presentation on the activities I was directing to a group over 100. Not always time to prepare and refine. Stay clear on your points and keep it reasonably basic.