your presentation was

PRESENTATION SKILLS

How can you make a good presentation even more effective?

This page draws on published advice from expert presenters around the world, which will help to take your presentations from merely ‘good’ to ‘great’.

By bringing together advice from a wide range of people, the aim is to cover a whole range of areas.

Whether you are an experienced presenter, or just starting out, there should be ideas here to help you to improve.

1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience

It’s hard to be relaxed and be yourself when you’re nervous.

But time and again, the great presenters say that the most important thing is to connect with your audience, and the best way to do that is to let your passion for the subject shine through.

Be honest with the audience about what is important to you and why it matters.

Be enthusiastic and honest, and the audience will respond.

2. Focus on your Audience’s Needs

Your presentation needs to be built around what your audience is going to get out of the presentation.

As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can tell them.

While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to remain focused on your audience’s response, and react to that.

You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and respond.

3. Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message

When planning your presentation, you should always keep in mind the question:

What is the key message (or three key points) for my audience to take away?

You should be able to communicate that key message very briefly.

Some experts recommend a 30-second ‘elevator summary’, others that you can write it on the back of a business card, or say it in no more than 15 words.

Whichever rule you choose, the important thing is to keep your core message focused and brief.

And if what you are planning to say doesn’t contribute to that core message, don’t say it.

4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience

This sounds very easy, but a surprisingly large number of presenters fail to do it.

If you smile and make eye contact, you are building rapport , which helps the audience to connect with you and your subject. It also helps you to feel less nervous, because you are talking to individuals, not to a great mass of unknown people.

To help you with this, make sure that you don’t turn down all the lights so that only the slide screen is visible. Your audience needs to see you as well as your slides.

5. Start Strongly

The beginning of your presentation is crucial. You need to grab your audience’s attention and hold it.

They will give you a few minutes’ grace in which to entertain them, before they start to switch off if you’re dull. So don’t waste that on explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.

Try a story (see tip 7 below), or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide.

6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

This is a tip from Guy Kawasaki of Apple. He suggests that slideshows should:

Contain no more than 10 slides;
Last no more than 20 minutes; and
Use a font size of no less than 30 point.

This last is particularly important as it stops you trying to put too much information on any one slide. This whole approach avoids the dreaded ‘Death by PowerPoint’.

As a general rule, slides should be the sideshow to you, the presenter. A good set of slides should be no use without the presenter, and they should definitely contain less, rather than more, information, expressed simply.

If you need to provide more information, create a bespoke handout and give it out after your presentation.

7. Tell Stories

Human beings are programmed to respond to stories.

Stories help us to pay attention, and also to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. It is a good idea to start with a story, but there is a wider point too: you need your presentation to act like a story.

Think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation to tell it.

Finding The Story Behind Your Presentation

To effectively tell a story, focus on using at least one of the two most basic storytelling mechanics in your presentation:

Focusing On Characters – People have stories; things, data, and objects do not. So ask yourself “who” is directly involved in your topic that you can use as the focal point of your story.

For example, instead of talking about cars (your company’s products), you could focus on specific characters like:

The drivers the car is intended for – people looking for speed and adventure
The engineers who went out of their way to design the most cost-effective car imaginable

A Changing Dynamic – A story needs something to change along the way. So ask yourself “What is not as it should be?” and answer with what you are going to do about it (or what you did about it).

For example…

Did hazardous road conditions inspire you to build a rugged, all-terrain jeep that any family could afford?
Did a complicated and confusing food labelling system lead you to establish a colour-coded nutritional index so that anybody could easily understand it?

To see 15 more actionable storytelling tips, see Nuts & Bolts Speed Training’s post on Storytelling Tips .

8. Use your Voice Effectively

The spoken word is actually a pretty inefficient means of communication, because it uses only one of your audience’s five senses. That’s why presenters tend to use visual aids, too. But you can help to make the spoken word better by using your voice effectively.

Varying the speed at which you talk, and emphasising changes in pitch and tone all help to make your voice more interesting and hold your audience’s attention.

For more about this, see our page on Effective Speaking .

9. Use your Body Too

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of communication is non-verbal.

That means that as well as your tone of voice, your body language is crucial to getting your message across. Make sure that you are giving the right messages: body language to avoid includes crossed arms, hands held behind your back or in your pockets, and pacing the stage.

Make your gestures open and confident, and move naturally around the stage, and among the audience too, if possible.

10. Relax, Breathe and Enjoy

If you find presenting difficult, it can be hard to be calm and relaxed about doing it.

One option is to start by concentrating on your breathing. Slow it down, and make sure that you’re breathing fully. Make sure that you continue to pause for breath occasionally during your presentation too.

For more ideas, see our page on Coping with Presentation Nerves .

If you can bring yourself to relax, you will almost certainly present better. If you can actually start to enjoy yourself, your audience will respond to that, and engage better. Your presentations will improve exponentially, and so will your confidence. It’s well worth a try.

Improve your Presentation Skills

Follow our guide to boost your presentation skills learning about preparation, delivery, questions and all other aspects of giving effective presentations.

Start with: What is a Presentation?

Continue to: How to Give a Speech Self Presentation

See also: Five Ways You Can Do Visual Marketing on a Budget Can Presentation Science Improve Your Presentation? Typography – It’s All About the Message in Your Slides

How to improve your presentation skills: 10 tips for exceptional presentations

Discover actionable tips designed to help you deliver compelling, effective presentations that engage your audience. Leave a lasting impression in the workplace, master your message delivery, and pave the way for professional success.

1. Master Your Verbal Communication: Pay attention to how you're delivering your message. Speak with conviction, make your language engaging, and remember that a presentation is more than just conveying information - it's a performance. Let your voice be a tool that amplifies your message and engages your audience.

2. Use the Power of Storytelling: Transform your data or points into a compelling narrative that emotionally resonates with your audience. This will not only make your presentation more engaging but will also leave a lasting impression.

3. Cultivate Self-Awareness and Embrace Feedback: Develop a keen understanding of how you come across during your presentations. By honing your self-awareness, you can adjust your approach in real-time to better engage with your audience. Actively ask for regular feedback to ensure continuous improvement of your presentation skills.

What makes a good presentation?

Think back to a presentation that truly moved you. It could have been a TED talk that stirred your curiosity, a product announcement that left you in awe, or perhaps a pitch that compelled you to take action. What elements made those presentations successful?

Just as Steve Jobs enthralled audiences with his product reveals, or how Brené Brown captivated listeners with her insights into vulnerability, a good presentation is about creating an engaging narrative and fostering a connection with the audience. It isn't merely about conveying information, but rather about creating an impactful and lasting experience.

This guide will introduce you to the skills you need to deliver presentations that truly connect. We’ll also look at some top tips for making your next presentation make an impact.

Why are presentation skills important?

Imagine the feeling of delivering a presentation that falls flat. Your points aren't landing, the audience is disengaged, your ideas are misunderstood. In contrast, envision a scenario where you speak and everyone listens, your ideas are appreciated, and your call to action is followed. This difference in outcomes is largely attributable to presentation skills.

At their core, presentation skills are communication skills. They encompass the ability to express your ideas clearly, resonate with your audience, and convey a persuasive message. Whether you're in a meeting with colleagues, a negotiation with business partners, or even a casual conversation with friends, the essence of good presentation is the effective exchange of ideas.

Good presentation skills empower you to navigate through life and work more effectively. They enable you to articulate your thoughts, persuade others, and make your voice heard. Not only that, these skills make you more visible in your professional life, opening doors for career advancement and leadership roles.

How could your professional journey be different if you could present your ideas more effectively? By honing your presentation skills, you are not only enhancing your ability to communicate, but also increasing your potential for success.

Effective Presentation Skills

Great presenters skillfully weave together various presentation techniques to captivate their audience. Below we explore some of these core presentation skills:

Verbal communication

Consider Steve Jobs' original iPhone unveiling. His presentation was meticulously crafted, using precise intonation, strategic pauses, and a compelling narrative to captivate his audience. His ability to weave a compelling story around a technological device turned the presentation into a memorable event. It was more than just unveiling a product; it was a performance.

Verbal communication in presentations involves this same balance of clarity, confidence, and performance. It's about using your voice as a tool to share your message, express your ideas effectively, and bring your audience on a journey with you. Confidence plays a key role; when you speak with self-assuredness, your audience is more likely to trust and engage with what you're saying. Likewise, considering your presentation as a performance can help in capturing and maintaining your audience's attention.

How to improve your verbal communication skills:

1. Prepare and Practice

Preparation is key for effective verbal communication. Understand your subject matter thoroughly and anticipate potential questions from the audience. The more familiar you are with the content, the more confidently you can present. Practice the presentation multiple times before delivering it, this will help with timing, fluency, and clarity. If possible, seek feedback from someone you trust and make adjustments accordingly.

2. Speak Clearly and Concisely

Deliver your message in a straightforward and concise manner. Use simple language and avoid unnecessary jargon or technical terms. Try to avoid using a monotonous tone which can come across as dull or uninteresting to your audience. Instead, change your tone to highlight important parts of the presentation. It needn't feel too forced or strained, but just a natural change of tone can make a big difference in how a presentation is delivered.

3. Engage with Your Audience

Use interactive techniques to keep your audience engaged and attentive. Ask rhetorical questions, use brief pauses for emphasis, or invite the audience to think about a particular point. This can make your presentation more dynamic and stimulate the audience's interest and engagement. Remember to maintain eye contact and use expressive body language to further involve your audience.

Storytelling

Try to think of a story that’s captivated you. Perhaps it was a story told by a friend, an engaging book, or a compelling TED Talk. What made it so memorable? Chances are, it was the story's ability to draw you in, make you care about its characters, and take you on a journey.

Storytelling, when applied in presentations, can have the same profound impact. It is the art of weaving facts and information into a narrative that resonates with your audience on an emotional level. Just as a good book makes you turn pages, a good story within a presentation keeps your audience engaged, curious, and invested in your message.

Take, for example, Brené Brown's TED talk on vulnerability. She interlaced her research with personal stories, making complex psychological insights relatable and memorable. She didn't just share information, she shared a part of herself, therefore building a powerful connection with her audience.

Storytelling in a presentation is not just about sharing data or information, but about transforming that information into a narrative that emotionally resonates with your audience. When you make your audience feel something, they are more likely to remember your presentation, understand your message, and take the desired action.

How to improve your storytelling:

1. Develop a Strong Narrative Structure

Every good story has a beginning, middle, and an end. The beginning sets the stage and introduces the characters or key concepts. The middle presents challenges or conflicts, and the end provides resolution. Use this structure to guide your presentation and weave your data or points into this narrative.

2. Create Relatable Characters or Scenarios

The power of storytelling lies in the ability to connect with your audience on an emotional level. To do this, you need to present characters or scenarios that your audience can relate to. Use examples, anecdotes, or hypothetical situations that are relevant to your audience's context or experiences.

3. Use Visuals to Enhance Your Story

Visual aids such as images, diagrams, or videos can greatly enhance your story by providing a visual representation of the concepts or data you're discussing.

Self-awareness

At one time or another, you've undoubtedly experienced presenters who seemed completely disconnected from their audience, perhaps appearing nervous, unprepared, or unaware of how their message was being received. These experiences can be disengaging and detract from the effectiveness of the presentation.

On the other hand, consider a presenter who is aware of their strengths and weaknesses, who knows when to pause for effect, when to adjust their tone, and who can read the room to gauge audience reactions. This is the essence of self-awareness in a presentation setting.

Self-awareness involves understanding and managing your own emotions and behaviors during a presentation. It's about realizing the impact of your body language, maintaining appropriate eye contact, and being attuned to subtle cues from your audience. Importantly, it also means acknowledging and working on areas where you need improvement.

Being self-aware can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your presentation. It allows you to adapt on the fly, better engage with your audience, and ensures that your message is delivered in the most impactful way.

How to improve your self-awareness:

1. Solicit Feedback

Regularly ask for constructive feedback from colleagues, mentors, or anyone who has seen your presentations. Try to understand how your delivery is perceived by others. This can offer valuable insights into areas of strength and potential improvement. You can also record and review your presentations to better understand your verbal and non-verbal communication patterns.

2. Mindfulness and Reflection

Practice mindfulness to increase your awareness in the moment. This can help you to better recognize your emotions and behaviors during a presentation, as well as interpret audience reactions. After your presentation, take time to reflect on what went well, what didn’t, and why. This active reflection is crucial in developing self-awareness.

3. Develop Adaptability

Learn to adjust your presentation style in response to the audience's reactions. If they appear engaged, you're likely on the right track. If they seem disinterested or confused, you may need to change your approach, explain points more clearly, or involve them through questions or interactive activities.

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10 presentation tips: How to give a memorable presentation

1. Prepare thoroughly

Preparation is the cornerstone of a successful presentation. Familiarize yourself with every aspect of your topic, just as an athlete would practice before a major event. Consider Steve Jobs, who famously rehearsed for hours before product unveilings. Take your preparation to the next level by not only knowing your material, but also rehearsing the delivery of it.

2. Manage and leverage your anxiety

It's natural to feel stage fright. Instead of attempting to eliminate it, learn how to channel this nervous energy into your performance. You could use mindfulness techniques, as Susan Cain did for her TED Talk, or try deep breathing exercises or power poses. Transform your nerves into a tool for enhancing your presentation.

3. Craft an impactful beginning

The opening of your presentation sets the tone. Use a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or a bold statement to grab your audience's attention immediately. Using Steve Jobs again as a reference, he riveted the audience by declaring, "Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone" when the iPhone was unveiled in 2007.

4. Simplify and clarify

Keep your language clear and accessible, and your points focused. Avoid jargon and over-complication. As Albert Einstein noted, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." Use this principle to guide your presentation development.

5. Use visuals strategically

While visuals can augment your presentation, excessive or complex visuals may detract from your message. Select visuals that clearly illustrate and reinforce your points. When presenting using slides it's really important not to fill them with text which you proceed to read aloud. Instead, add images or graphics to them to support your story.

6. Be mindful of body language

Your non-verbal cues can significantly impact how your message is received. Engage your audience and display confidence through open gestures and an expressive demeanor. Eye contact is important, too. Try not to get fixated on the same spot, but instead keep your gaze moving casually around the room to engage with as many people as you can.

7. Interact with the audience

Involve your audience in your presentation by pausing for questions, incorporating live polls, or soliciting opinions. This strategy not only enhances engagement but also makes your audience feel valued and included. Even if you can't engage directly with the audience, asking rhetorical questions, where appropriate, can help audience members feel involved.

8. Tell a story

Humans are naturally drawn to stories. Convert your data and facts into a compelling narrative to make your presentation more engaging and memorable. As we've already discussed, Brené Brown's TED Talk, which skillfully interwove personal experiences with research, is a great example.

9. End powerfully

An impactful conclusion reinforces your core message and leaves a lasting impression. You could circle back to your opening, make a provocative final statement, or end with a compelling call to action.

10. Get feedback

Improve your presentation skills over time by actively seeking feedback from colleagues, mentors, or even from reviewing recordings of your own presentations. Recognize that presentation mastery comes from iterative learning and constant improvement.

Crafting and delivering an effective presentation isn't a skill reserved only for the likes of Steve Jobs or Brené Brown. It's a tool that anyone can harness, with the potential to significantly enhance professional success and personal influence. Whether you're pitching a product, sharing research findings, or simply seeking to connect with others, understanding and applying the principles of good presentations can create a profound impact.

Presentation Training Institute

A division of bold new directions training, how to measure presentation success.

You spent weeks planning and preparing and you just finished delivering your presentation, so how do you know if it was a success? In some ways, the success or failure of your presentation should be obvious- did your audience pay attention or were they falling asleep in their seats and fidgeting with their phones? Other times we assume that smiles and the occasional laughter are signs of success. However, it is important to dive deeper and find out whether or not you truly succeeded in your presentation goals instead of making assumptions. After all, you put an enormous amount of time and effort into this presentation so you need to know if you hit the mark or missed it altogether. Here are ways you can really measure your presentation success.

Observe Audience Behavior An informal way to measure presentation success is simply paying attention to the audience’s behavior during the presentation. Are they making direct eye contact with you? Are they raising their hands to ask questions and participate in interactions? Do they appear to look interested in what you are saying? All of these are good signs that your audience was engaged. Conversely, if they were looking down at their phone or tablet, checking the time, dozing off, and looking exasperated, it would be safe to assume they are less than enthusiastic about your presentation.

Observe the Quality of the Discussion Most presenters have a Q&A session at the end of their presentation and offer their audience a chance to discuss the material. You can get an idea of how successful your presentation was by the quality of this discussion. Is the audience eager to ask questions and learn more? Do they seem to have an understanding of the topic? Are they trying to work out the details of your discussion right then and there? All of these are indicators that your presentation went well and resonated with the audience.

Take a Survey A simple way to know if you have achieved your presentation objectives is by asking your audience to provide feedback with a quick survey. Be sure and include open ended questions that encourage audience members to explain their answers. A “good job” is meaningless without an explanation of why it was a good job. You know you have made an impact when audience members list specific examples of things they learned and took away from your presentation.

Post-Presentation Conversations If you have ever sat through a boring presentation then you are familiar with everyone packing up and racing to the door to get out as soon as it’s over. On the other hand, great presenters draw you in and make you want to engage with them even after the presentation is over. If your audience members come up to you afterward and thank you or share feedback with you, you know you have made an impression. If they say something like, “your story reminded me of my own experience,” you know your message resonated with them in a personal way and that’s the mark of a successful presentation.

Thank Someone For a Speech or Presentation • Example Letters, Guides and Samples

Whether you are writing a thank you note out of duty or from your personal desire to express thanks, use a sincere tone. Mention specific details and show that the speech or presentation did have an effect.

How to write this thank-you letter:

Thank and compliment the speaker(s) or presenter(s).
Express congratulations for an excellent performance, and point out some of the more memorable parts. If the performance was only mediocre, simply thank the person(s) for participating in the program.
Close with a second compliment or expression of appreciation.

Example Letter #1

It seems everyone I talk to wants me to express appreciation for your inspiring presentation last week. Your years of research, your depth of understanding of user interfaces, and your ability to present the subject in such an interesting way produced one of the most memorable evenings in our group's history. I personally appreciated your approach to anticipating users' intents. The subject intrigues me, and I plan to learn more. Please consider adding our group to your annual speaking tour. You are always welcome at our conference.

Example Letter #2

Thank you for speaking to the Doe Alumni yesterday evening. We are grateful for the time and effort you took to share your thoughts and experiences with the Doe Development office.

Since we are entering a new growth phase on our campus, your comments were very timely. I believe we can benefit immediately from the methods you suggested for recruiting more members. Your enthusiasm is contagious, and we hope to use your suggestions in our next campaign. Thank you again for your contribution.

Example Letter #3

Thank you for your stimulating speech at last month's meeting of the Springfield Genealogical Society. Your comments were especially helpful to those doing research in the British Isles. Many members were at a standstill in their progress, and your talk seemed to provide much needed help. Thanks again for a truly memorable evening. We hope you can join us again.

Example Letter #4

Please accept our sincere appreciation for the outstanding presentation you made to the Springfield Women's Club about your experiences in China. It was very interesting to hear about your experience teaching in the university there. Your stories about your Chinese colleagues were fascinating. The slides you showed gave us a close look at the land, culture, and people that we couldn't have gained in any other way. Thank you so much for sharing your time and experiences with us. We all agreed that your lecture was the most interesting we have had this year.

Example Letter #5

I would like to personally thank you for your presentation to the Kansas Education Association Conference in October. Judging from the comments of those who attended, the conference was very successful. Most of the credit goes to you and the others who gave such interesting presentations.

We hope that you will want to be involved in our conference next year. We will send you a call-for-presenters form as we get closer to next year's convention. We were pleased to have your participation in this outstanding conference, and we thank you for your valuable contribution.

Example Letter #6

Thank you for taking the time to speak to our student body on the dangers of drug abuse. I felt that your remarks on prescription drug use and abuse were especially timely.

We truly appreciate parents like you who are willing to give their time and talents to enrich the lives of our young people.

Example Letter #7

I appreciated the remarks you made at the City Council meeting on Tuesday. You had clearly researched the subject, and many of us felt that yours was a voice of sanity in the midst of an emotional and divisive discussion. I wish that more people would try to see all sides of the issues that come up.

No matter how the final vote goes, I want you to know that what you said had a significant impact on many of us. Thank you.

Write Your Letter Step-by-Step

1 Thank and compliment the speaker(s) or presenter(s).

Sample Sentences for Step 1

On behalf of the members of the local Chamber of Commerce, I want to thank you for your insightful presentation yesterday.
As chairperson for our County Fair entertainment committee, I want to thank your dance group for their delightful performance. They won the hearts of the entire audience.
Many thanks for addressing our group on your unwed mothers' program. You are doing a wonderful service.
The members of our book club would like to thank you for speaking to us last Thursday.
Your lecture on new technologies for the 21st Century at our symposium last week was very interesting and informative; in fact, it was the highlight of the evening.
Thanks for an excellent presentation. Your address to our company yesterday evening has everyone talking today.
Thank you for the inspiring sermon that you delivered on Easter Sunday. Your message was exactly what I needed to hear.

Sample Phrases for Step 1

appreciate the time you took
for being with us
for sharing your
for an outstanding presentation
for participating so effectively
for your thought-provoking
for your delightful
for helping us recognize
for providing us with
for accepting this assignment
highlight of the
hold you in such high regard
how much we appreciated
interesting and informative
know how busy you are
many thanks for
on behalf of the
thank you for
volunteering your time to
want you to know how much
was exactly what I needed to hear
was very kind of you to
was a pleasure to listen to
would like to extend my thanks

2 Express congratulations for an excellent performance, and point out some of the more memorable parts. If the performance was only mediocre, simply thank the person(s) for participating in the program.

Sample Sentences for Step 2

Your talk was particularly appropriate at this time when we are considering new initiatives for expanding growth. Many of us were especially interested in your analysis of water resources available to sustain growth.
I believe the quality and variety of their dances have set new levels of expectation for future performers.
Several in our group have expressed appreciation for the information you presented on adoptions and educational counseling. Most were unaware of the services that are available.
We know how busy you are, so we are grateful that you would take the time to prepare and spend an evening with us.
Our audience was intrigued by the new possibilities for global communication. We truly are becoming a global village.
Several of our people are looking at ways that we might implement some of your suggestions. The consensus is that they would like you to return next year as a follow-up to this event. Let me know if that is a possibility for January.
Often we are too close to our problems to view them with the clarity that someone else would. I recognize now that I must change the way I respond to my daughter's challenges.

Sample Phrases for Step 2

a very stimulating experience
appreciated your participation
audience was intrigued by
consensus of opinion is
everybody is talking about
found ourselves identifying with
has given rise to
have a wonderful gift for
held the children's attention
identifying ways to apply
informative and enlightening
look forward to implementing
made a lasting impression on
most were unaware that
several in our group have
the time you took to
touched on so many critical areas
were particularly intrigued by
were so pleased with
were enthralled by your
were especially interested in
were previously unaware of
your insights into

3 Close with a second compliment or expression of appreciation.

Sample Sentences for Step 3

Thanks again for helping to make our monthly meeting so rewarding.
We hope you will be able to join us again next year.
Thank you for helping us become more aware of the problems and the ways we can help solve them.
We hope you will consent to speak to us again, perhaps next year.
Many thanks from all of us.
I am grateful for the time you spend in careful preparation to present us with meaningful weekly sermons.

Sample Phrases for Step 3

a most worthwhile experience
able to join us again
accept our invitation to
carry on the tradition of
for making our meeting so
for so generously volunteering to
hope you will be able to
hope you will consent to
innovative approach to
it was a privilege to
look forward to
many thanks from all of us
played a major role in
so many people benefited from
such a special occasion
to bring us this important message
to share your expertise
was a superb presentation
was the high point of
wish to invite you to

Action Verbs for Resumes and Cover Letters

Business Letter Format Tips

Letter Closings

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30 presentation feedback examples

Understand Yourself Better:

Big 5 Personality Test

Jump to section

You're doing great

You should think of improving

Tips to improve

3 things to look for when providing presentation feedback

3 tips for giving effective feedback.

We’re all learning as we go.

And that’s perfectly OK — that’s part of being human. On my own personal growth journey, I know I need to get better at public speaking and presenting. It’s one of those things that doesn’t necessarily come naturally to me.

And I know there are plenty of people in my shoes. So when it comes to presenting in the workplace, it can be intimidating. But there’s one thing that can help people continue to get better at presentations: feedback .

The following examples not only relate to presentations. They can also be helpful for public speaking and captivating your audience.

You’re doing great

You really have the natural ability to hand out presentation material in a very organized way! Good job!
Your presentations are often compelling and visually stunning. You really know how to effectively captivate the audience. Well done!
You often allow your colleagues to make presentations on your behalf. This is a great learning opportunity for them and they often thrive at the challenge.
Keeping presentations focused on key agenda items can be tough, but you’re really good at it. You effectively outline exactly what it is that you will be discussing and you make sure you keep to it. Well done!!
You created downloadable visual presentations and bound them for the client. Excellent way to portray the company! Well done!
Your content was relevant and your format was visually appealing and easy to follow and understand. Great job! You’re a real designer at heart!
You always remain consistent with the way you present and often your presentations have the same style and layout. This is great for continuity. Well done!
You always remain consistent with every presentation, whether it be one on ones, small group chats, with peers, direct reports, and the company bosses. You have no problem presenting in any one of these situations. Well done!
You are an effective presenter both to employees and to potential clients. When controversial topics come up, you deal with them in a timely manner and you make sure these topics are fully dealt with before moving on. Well done!
You effectively command attention and you have no problem managing groups during the presentation.

You should think of improving

You’re a great presenter in certain situations, but you struggle to present in others. Try to be more consistent when presenting so that you get one single-minded message across. This will also help you broaden your presentation skills by being able to portray one single idea or message.
You tend to be a little shy when making presentations. You have the self-confidence in one-on-one conversations , so you definitely have the ability to make compelling presentations. Come on! You can do it!
During presentations, there seems to be quite a lack of focus . I know it can be difficult to stick to the subject matter, however you need to in order for people to understand what the presentation is about and what is trying to be achieved.
To engage with your audience and make them attentively listen to what you have to say, you need to be able to use your voice in an effective manner to achieve this. Try to focus on certain words that require extra attention and emphasis these words during your presentation.
Knowing your audience is critical to the success of any presentation. Learn to pick up on their body language and social cues to gauge your style and tone. Listen to what your audience has to say and adjust your presentation accordingly.

presentation-feedback-examples-person-handing-out-papers

During presentations, it’s expected that there will be tough questions . Try to prepare at least a couple of days before the time so that you can handle these questions in an effective manner.
To be an effective presenter you need to be able to adjust to varying audiences and circumstances. Try learning about who will be in the room at the time of the presentation and adjust accordingly.
Remember not to take debate as a personal attack. You tend to lose your cool a little too often, which hinders the discussion and people feel alienated. You can disagree without conflict .
The only way you are going to get better at public speaking is by practicing, practicing, practicing. Learn your speech by heart, practice in the mirror, practice in front of the mirror. Eventually, you’ll become a natural and you won't be afraid of public speaking any longer.
Your presentations are beautiful and I have no doubt you have strong presentation software skills. However, your content tends to be a bit weak and often you lack the substance. Without important content, the presentation is empty.

Tips to improve

Remember it’s always good to present about the things you are passionate about . When you speak to people about your passions they can sense it. The same goes for presentations. Identify what it is that excites you and somehow bring it into every presentation. it’ll make it easier to present and your audience will feel the energy you portray.
Sometimes it can be easier to plan with the end result in mind. Try visualizing what it is you are exactly expecting your audience to come away with and develop your presentation around that.
Simplicity is a beautiful thing. Try to keep your presentations as simple as possible. Make it visually appealing with the least amount of words possible. Try interactive pictures and videos to fully immerse your audience in the presentation.
It’s a fine balance between winging the presentation and memorizing the presentation. If you wing it too much it may come across as if you didn't prepare. If you memorize it, the presentation may come off a bit robotic. Try to find the sweet spot, if you can.
When presenting, try to present in a way that is cause for curiosity . Make people interested in what you have to say to really captivate them. Have a look at some TED talks to get some tips on how you can go about doing this.
Remember presentations should be about quality, not quantity. Presentations that are text-heavy and go on for longer than they should bore your audience and people are less likely to remember them.
Try to arrive at every staff meeting on time and always be well prepared. This will ensure that meetings will go smoothly in the future.
Remember to respect other people's time by always arriving on time or five minutes before the presentation.
Remember to ask the others in the meeting for their point of view if there are individuals during presentations.
If you notice presentations are deviating off-topic, try to steer it back to the important topic being discussed.

Presentation feedback can be intimidating. It’s likely the presenter has spent a good deal of time and energy on creating the presentation.

As an audience member, you can hone in on a few aspects of the presentation to help frame your feedback. If it's an oral presentation, you should consider also audience attention and visual aids.

It’s important to keep in mind three key aspects of the presentation when giving feedback.

presentation-feedback-examples-presenting-team-meeting

Communication

Were the key messages clear?
Was the speaker clear and concise in their language?
Did the presenter clearly communicate the key objectives?
Did the presenter give the audience clear takeaways?
How well did the presenter’s voice carry in the presentation space?

Delivery

Was the presentation engaging?
How well did the presenter capture their audience?
Did the presenter engage employees in fun or innovative ways?
How interactive was the presentation?
How approachable did the presenter appear?
Was the presentation accessible to all?

Body language and presence

How did the presenter carry themselves?
Did the presenter make eye contact with the audience?
How confident did the presenter appear based on nonverbal communication?
Were there any nonverbal distractions to the presentation? (i.e. too many hand gestures, facial expressions, etc.)

There are plenty of benefits of feedback . But giving effective feedback isn’t an easy task. Here are some tips for giving effective feedback.

1. Prepare what you’d like to say

I’m willing to bet we’ve all felt like we’ve put our foot in our mouth at one point or another. Knee-jerk, emotional reactions are rarely helpful. In fact, they can do quite the opposite of help.

Make sure you prepare thoughtfully. Think through what feedback would be most impactful and helpful for the recipient. How will you word certain phrases? What’s most important to communicate? What feedback isn’t helpful to the recipient?

You can always do practice runs with your coach. Your coach will serve as a guide and consultant. You can practice how you’ll give feedback and get feedback … on your feedback. Sounds like a big loop, but it can be immensely helpful.

2. Be direct and clear (but lead with empathy)

Have you ever received feedback from someone where you’re not quite sure what they’re trying to say? Me, too.

I’ve been in roundabout conversations where I walk away even more confused than I was before. This is where clear, direct, and concise communication comes into play.

Be clear and direct in your message. But still, lead with empathy and kindness . Feedback doesn’t need to be harsh or cruel. If it’s coming from a place of care, the recipient should feel that care from you.

3. Create dialogue (and listen carefully)

Feedback is never a one-way street. Without the opportunity for dialogue, you’re already shutting down and not listening to the other person. Make sure you’re creating space for dialogue and active listening . Invite questions — or, even better, feedback. You should make the person feel safe, secure, and trusted . You should also make sure the person feels heard and valued.

Your point of view is just that: it's one perspective. Invite team members to share their perspectives, including positive feedback .

You might also offer the recipient the opportunity for self-evaluation . By doing a self-evaluation, you can reflect on things like communication skills and confidence. They might come to some of the same important points you did — all on their own.

Now, let’s go practice that feedback

We're all learners in life.

It's OK to not be perfect . In fact, we shouldn't be. We're perfectly imperfect human beings, constantly learning , evolving, and bettering ourselves.

The same goes for tough things like presentations. You might be working on perfecting your students' presentation. Or you might want to get better at capturing your audience's attention. No matter what, feedback is critical to that learning journey .

Even a good presentation has the opportunity for improvement . Don't forget the role a coach can play in your feedback journey.

Your coach will be able to provide a unique point of view to help you better communicate key points. Your coach can also help with things like performance reviews , presentation evaluations, and even how to communicate with others.

Madeline Miles

Madeline is a writer, communicator, and storyteller who is passionate about using words to help drive positive change. She holds a bachelor's in English Creative Writing and Communication Studies and lives in Denver, Colorado. In her spare time, she's usually somewhere outside (preferably in the mountains) — and enjoys poetry and fiction.

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The Real Measure of Presentation Success

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Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images

Historically, it’s been tough to quantify the success of events, presentations, and speeches. We’ve long known that the spoken word is a powerful tool for influence and action, but how do you measure that power?

When many organizations flipped from in-person to virtual and hybrid meetings and events, presentation analytics became a whole new ballgame. Speakers used to measure impact largely by surveying people and reading the literal room. While those forms of feedback still provide useful information about whether and how a message is landing, presenters now have many other metrics they can use.

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Here’s a quick example: For decades, my firm built all the decks for a large company’s annual software developer conference. When the conference went remote because of COVID-19, we reworked all the content — each of the breakout sessions, as well as the keynotes — for a virtual audience. After that conference, the organizers stack-ranked the most popular sessions and realized they’d put the same amount of energy into creating a session that garnered 40 views as they’d put into creating sessions that earned hundreds of thousands of views. The organizers also got data on the percentages of participants actively engaging with the sessions, along with related numbers on downloads and shares. Combined with the substance of attendee comments, these insights told the conference folks which topics were resonating both broadly and deeply, helped them manage their time investments, and shaped their choice to keep the conference mostly virtual.

That’s just one of many ways you can slice, dice, and analyze. But to gauge a presentation’s success, what should you measure for ? In the example above, a key organizational goal was for developers to learn and build new software features into products, so the conference folks were looking specifically at how long each attendee stayed in the critical sessions, how active they were in the learning sessions, which tools they downloaded, and, after the event, how many applications the developers rolled out. Once the event team knew which sessions had turned out to be the most useful, they could create better-targeted content for the next conference.

All of these yardsticks measured some form of action. And really, that’s what all presenters should be looking for: evidence that they’ve moved people to do something, whether it’s learning a new skill, adopting a new approach to organizational culture, changing a deeply ingrained process or behavior, or treating customers differently.

To measure a presentation’s success, you need to assess your audience members’ feelings and actions before you speak, while you speak, and after you’re done.

Before Your Talk

To define what baseline result you’re after — that is, what action you want people to take after they walk away from your talk — it helps to know your audience. In studying hundreds of powerful speeches (and even checking out business speeches from the Stanford University library all the way back to the 1950s), I found that most of their calls to action targeted one of four audience types: doers , who could instigate activity and get things moving in the organization; suppliers , who could provide resources and other types of support needed to achieve a desired goal; influencers , who could mobilize others to adopt a new idea or approach; or innovators , who could generate new ideas and apply their smarts to solve a problem or seize an opportunity.

Which type of audience will you address in your talk? Once you’ve sorted out that critical “who,” you can analyze the “what” and the “how” of getting people to adopt and implement your idea. Specifically, you can take one of the following approaches.

Delve into your audience’s thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself about the people you want to reach: What do they think about your idea now? If it’s not on their radar yet, how will they feel about it when they hear what you have to say? And how do you want their thoughts and feelings to change as a result of your talk?

How do you want your audience’s thoughts and feelings to change as a result of your talk?

This isn’t just a hypothetical stepping-into-their-shoes exercise. Gathering that information in advance — and articulating the points of view you want to move people from and to — will determine the way you frame an issue and possible responses to it. That could mean doing some research or surveying the audience to assess what people currently know about your topic and how they feel about it. For example, you might interview the people closest to your customers or culture. Are they excited about your idea, or skeptical of it? What questions do they have about it? Not only will you figure out what baseline you’re starting from — you’re also likely to gain insights about your audience that will help you craft your message . You can also identify a benchmark to measure against later on, after your presentation — say, one of your organization’s KPIs or an important talent-recruitment metric.

Anticipate emotional sticking points. The bigger the transformation you’re trying to trigger in your audience, the more difficult it can be to quantify, especially if it’s an emotional shift. As you research what’s currently going on in your audience members’ heads, consider their hearts as well. What’s going to be the hardest part of your message for people to accept or process, no matter how logical the argument or solid the evidence? What sources of potential resistance can you identify? If you do win over people’s heads, how will you know when you’ve won over their hearts, too?

Emotional change often won’t show up on a dashboard. Even technologies that allow organizations to track customer or employee sentiment won’t collect data on everything you need to know. Sometimes you’ll know you’ve overcome emotional resistance only when you see it later in new behaviors — when employees stop pushing back on important initiatives, for example, or when customers change their minds and buy the new release of your product.

During Your Talk

You can gauge your talk’s likelihood of success as it’s happening. To do this, you’ll measure audience reactions in a few ways.

Observe audience behavior in the room or online. The most immediate form of measurement is to watch how people respond to a presentation in real time. When everyone takes out their phones to snap pictures of slides, you know something’s grabbing their attention. Notice, too, when people laugh, gasp, or applaud — these basic behavioral cues signal which moments in your talk are resonating . Tech comes in really handy here. If your talk (whether delivered in person or remotely) is recorded, you can easily go back and look for places where the audience visibly or audibly responded.

Look at the number of attendees. If you’re addressing a crowd at a big event such as an industry gathering, another useful metric is the number of people who showed up to hear you speak when they could have attended other sessions instead. If you’ve packed a physical or virtual room, that means you’ve teed up your talk effectively before even opening your mouth. When I spoke this year at Dreamforce, a Salesforce conference, most of my audience members skewed young and weren’t familiar with my work, but the talk was still oversubscribed, with overflow attendees clustered in the doorway. My name wasn’t the draw — rather, it’s the way I’d titled and framed the message that hit a nerve. When attendees rated the talk, the data showed that it had lived up to the promise in the title and program description.

Spark and track social engagement. If your talk is getting everyone buzzing, especially at a large event, they might share quotes or images from your presentation in real time on social channels. Be sure to add your social handles and event-specific hashtags to your slides so it’s easier for your audience to tag you and for you to track the ideas they’re engaging with most. (Those posts, comments, likes, reshares, and other in-the-moment social reactions can later be captured in a post-event report.) You can also accelerate and measure the spread of ideas by providing repackaged presentation content in easily shared formats like infographics or Slidedocs (slides that have more text because they are meant to be read by the audience rather than simply presented by the speaker). One of our tech customers has us build their keynote speeches into skimmable e-books with the script and slide visuals as well as trackable links to additional material.

After Your Talk

Your post-talk metrics can track both satisfaction with the presentation and some of the steps audience members have taken to implement the ideas.

Use surveys to assess audience satisfaction. Many speakers use surveys to measure audience sentiment after a presentation. If you surveyed people before you spoke as well, you’ll be able to see whether your talk has moved the doers, suppliers, influencers, or innovators in the audience any closer to your point of view. One Fortune 100 tech company we work with also uses audience ratings as a management tool to motivate speakers to perform well. Everyone wants to get the highest possible score, and those who don’t score well are likely to work hard to raise their score the next time they speak — or not be invited back.

Examine the speaker’s own satisfaction. In companies without a strong measurement culture, sometimes one of the most telling signs of success is how the speakers themselves think their presentations went. That might seem like navel-gazing, but it’s a bigger deal than most people assume. If a leader who consistently works on their skills and performance as a communicator and is sensitive to cues from the audience feels that they’ve delivered an effective presentation, chances are actually pretty good that they have. And, hey, when your CEO wants to feel like a rock star, and they walk off the stage feeling like one, I call that a win.

Quantify actions taken. This is where you come back to that baseline result you’ve defined — the audience behavior you wanted to elicit or change when you developed your presentation. While reactions like satisfaction and buy-in matter, actions matter more. The whole point of giving a presentation is to persuade people to adopt and implement your ideas. So look at the traction that your initiative gained as a result of your talk. Did your employees complete the enrollment forms your HR team mentioned in the benefits presentation? Did your sales team download the new corporate overview deck you launched at kickoff? How many deals closed as a result? I embed QR codes in my slide decks — most people know how to use them — and share my slides. This allows attendees to do a deeper “double-click” on a concept. My marketing team can track all that activity for post-talk analysis.

While reactions like satisfaction and buy-in matter, actions matter more.

If you’re trying to prevent certain actions, it’s important to measure those, too. One year, a company hired my team to help them deliver news of a planned reorganization, one of the most difficult presentations to deliver. Executives worried about two kinds of fallout in particular: highly valued employees leaving their jobs in frustration, and a decline in productivity. So they decided to track two data points after the announcement: the number of resignations over the next several months, and any productivity dip as reflected in customer relationship management data over the next several weeks. With those reports in, they were relieved to see that both numbers were much better than company leaders had anticipated. In this situation, measuring success meant tracking a lack of (that is, negative) action after delivering a sensitively crafted message.

About the Author

Nancy Duarte is the CEO of Duarte Inc. , a communication company in the Silicon Valley. She’s the author of six books, including DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story (Ideapress Publishing, 2019).

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Self-Assessment • 18 min read

How Good Are Your Presentation Skills?

Understanding your impact.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

How do you feel when you have to make a presentation? Are you well prepared and relaxed, confident that your performance will have the desired impact on your audience? new score

Or is the thought of standing on a podium, holding a microphone, enough to give you stage fright?

Enjoy it or not, presenting – in some form – is usually a part of business. Whether you get up in front of formal audiences on a regular basis, or you simply have to make your voice heard in a meeting, you're using presentation skills.

Many believe that good presenters are born, not made. This is simply not true . Sure, some people are more relaxed and comfortable speaking in front of others – but everyone can learn the skills and techniques they need to increase their level of confidence and performance when presenting.

From sales pitches to training lectures, good presentation and public speaking skills are key to many influential roles in today's business world. The good news about presenting is that you can improve with practice.

So do you have the skills you need to do a good job? And how effective are you when you have to "perform?" Take this short quiz to help you assess your skills.

Instructions

For each statement, click the button in the column that best describes you. Please answer questions as you actually are (rather than how you think you should be), and don't worry if some questions seem to score in the "wrong direction." When you are finished, please click the "Calculate My Total" button at the bottom of the test.

Becoming a Better Presenter

Effective presentations are a mixture of a variety of elements. You have to know what your audience wants. You need to prepare good, interesting, engaging content. You must be confident in presenting the material, you have to know how to manage your environment successfully, and you need to make sure that your message has maximum impact.

Balancing all four elements is no easy task. And, when combined with the natural anxiety often felt before giving presentations, it's no wonder that many people struggle with this skill. In fact, fear of public speaking is extremely common.

However, you don't have to remain fearful and stressed by the thought of giving a presentation. With the right tools and material, along with planning and preparation, you can present with energy and confidence.

Let's now look in detail at those four key elements of effective presentations:

Understanding your audience.
Preparing your content.
Delivering confidently.
Controlling the environment.

Understanding Your Audience

(Questions 2, 5, 9)

The success of most presentations is generally judged on how the audience responds. You may think you did a great job, but unless your audience agrees with you, that may not be the case. Before you even begin putting your PowerPoint slides together, the first thing you need to do is understand what your audience wants. Try following these three steps:

Determine who the members of the audience are.

Find out what they want and expect from your presentation. What do they need to learn? Do they have entrenched attitudes or interests that you need to respect? And what do they already know that you don't have to repeat?

Create an outline for your presentation, and ask for advance feedback on your proposed content.

When what you say is what your audience wants or needs to hear, then you'll probably receive positive reinforcement throughout your presentation. If you see nods and smiles, or hear murmurs of agreement, for example, then this will motivate you to keep going and do a great job.

When your audience is satisfied, it doesn't matter if your delivery wasn't absolutely perfect. The primary goal of the people listening to your presentation is to get the information they need. When that happens, you've done a good job. Of course, you want to do a great job, not just a good job – and that's where the rest of the tips can help.

Preparing Your Content

(Questions 6, 11, 13, 14)

The only way to satisfy your audience's needs and expectations is to deliver the content they want. That means understanding what to present, and how to present it. Bear in mind that if you give the right information in the wrong sequence, this may leave the audience confused, frustrated, or bored.

If you provide the information in a well-structured format, and you include various techniques to keep the audience engaged and interested, then they'll probably remember what you said – and they'll remember you.

There are a variety of ways to structure your content, depending on the type of presentation you'll give. Here are some principles that you can apply:

Identify a few key points - To help the audience retain the messages you're giving them, use the chunking principle to organize your information into five to seven key points.

Don't include every detail - Good presentations inspire the audience to learn more, and ask further statements to maximize their understanding of the issue.

Use an outline - At the beginning, tell your audience what you intend to cover, and let them know what to expect. This helps build anticipation and interest from the start.

Start and end strongly - Capture people's interest as soon as you begin, and leave them with a message they won't forget. It's tempting to put all of your effort into the main body of the presentation. However, if you don't get people's attention at the start, they'll probably lose interest, and not really hear the rest anyway.

Use examples - Where possible, use lots of examples to support your points. A lecture is often the least interesting and engaging form of presentation. Look for ways to liven things up by telling stories, talking about real-life examples, and using metaphors to engage your audience fully.

A special type of presentation is one that seeks to persuade. Monroe's Motivated Sequence , consisting of five steps, gives you a framework for developing content for this kind of presentation:

1. Get the attention of your audience - Use an interesting 'hook' or opening point, like a shocking statistic. Be provocative and stimulating, not boring or calm.

2. Create a need - Convince the audience there's a problem, explain how it affects them – and persuade them that things need to change.

3. Define your solution - Explain what you think needs to be done.

4. Describe a detailed picture of success (or failure) - Give the audience a vision; something they can see, hear, taste, and touch.

5. Ask the audience to do something right away - Get the audience involved right from the start. Then it's usually much easier to keep them engaged and active in your cause.

To brush up on your skills of persuasion, look at The Rhetorical Triangle . This tool asks you to consider your communication from three perspectives: those of the writer, the audience, and the context. It's a method that builds credibility and ensures that your arguments are logical.

Delivering Confidently

(Questions 1, 4, 7, 10)

Even the best content can be ineffective if your presentation style contradicts or detracts from your message. Many people are nervous when they present, so this will probably affect their delivery. But it's the major distractions that you want to avoid. As you build confidence, you can gradually eliminate the small and unconstructive habits you may have. These tips may help you:

Practice to build confidence – Some people think that if you practice too much, your speech will sound rehearsed and less genuine. Don't necessarily memorize your presentation, but be so familiar with the content that you're able to speak fluently and comfortably, and adjust as necessary.

Be flexible – This is easier to do if you're comfortable with the material. Don't attempt to present something you just learned the previous night. You want to know your material well enough to answer statements. And, if you don't know something, just admit it, and commit to finding the answer.

Welcome statements from the audience – This is a sign that a presenter knows what he or she is talking about. It builds audience confidence, and people are much more likely to trust what you say, and respect your message.

Use slides and other visual aids – These can help you deliver a confident presentation. The key point here is to learn how much visual information to give the audience, and yet not distract them from what you're saying.

Keep your visuals simple and brief – Don't use too many pictures, charts, or graphs. Your slides should summarize or draw attention to one or two items each. And don't try to fit your whole presentation onto your slides. If the slides cover every single detail, then you've probably put too much information on them. Slides should give the overall message, and then the audience should know where to look for supporting evidence. Manage your stress – Confidence has a lot to do with managing your stress levels. If you feel particularly nervous and anxious, then those emotions will probably show. They're such strong feelings that you can easily become overwhelmed, which can affect your ability to perform effectively. A little nervousness is useful because it can build energy. But that energy may quickly turn negative if nerves build to the point where you can't control them.

If you have anxiety before a presentation, try some of these stress management tools:

Use physical relaxation techniques , like deep breathing and visualization, to calm your body and ease your tension.

Use imagery to help keep calm, and visualize yourself delivering a successful presentation.

Learn strategies to build your self-confidence in general. The more assured you are about yourself and your abilities, the better you'll feel when you get up in front of people, and say what you want to say.

When you present with confidence and authority, your audience will likely pay attention and react to you as someone who's worth listening to. So "pretend" if you need to, by turning your nervousness into creative and enthusiastic energy.

For other tips on delivering confidently, see Delivering Great Presentations , Speaking to an Audience , Managing Presentation Nerves , and our Skillbook Even Better Presentations .

Controlling the Environment

(Questions 3, 4, 8, 12)

While much of the outside environment is beyond your control, there are still some things you can do to reduce potential risks to your presentation.

Practice in the presentation room – This forces you to become familiar with the room and the equipment. It will not only build your confidence, but also help you identify sources of risk. Do you have trouble accessing your PowerPoint file? Does the microphone reach the places you want to walk? Can you move the podium? Are there stairs that might cause you to trip? These are the sorts of issues you may discover and resolve by doing one or two practice presentations.

Do your own setup – Don't leave this to other people. Even though you probably want to focus on numerous other details, it's a good idea not to delegate too much of the preparation to others. You need the hands-on experience to make sure nothing disastrous happens at the real event. Test your timing – When you practice, you also improve your chances of keeping to time. You get a good idea how long each part of the presentation will actually take, and this helps you plan how much time you'll have for statements and other audience interactions.

Members of the audience want you to respect their time. If you end your presentation on time or early, this can make a huge, positive impression on them. When speakers go over their allowed time, they may disrupt the whole schedule of the event and/or cause the audience unnecessary inconvenience. Be considerate, and stick to your agenda as closely as possible.

Presenting doesn't have to be scary, or something you seek to avoid. Find opportunities to practice the tips and techniques discussed above, and become more confident in your ability to present your ideas to an audience. We all have something important to say, and sometimes it takes more than a memo or report to communicate it. You owe it to yourself, and your organization, to develop the skills you need to present your ideas clearly, purposefully, engagingly, and confidently.

This assessment has not been validated and is intended for illustrative purposes only. It is just one of many that help you evaluate your abilities in a wide range of important career skills.

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Hello, This was really an excellent overview with concise instructions, using clear communication methods. I found the article to be captivating and poignant. Thank You

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18 Ways to Make Your Presentation More Interactive

November 10, 2017 - Dom Barnard

It can be difficult to hold your audience’s attention for the entire presentation. According to a Prezi study , half of the respondents said they did something other than listen during a co-worker’s presentation, including:

Sending a text message (28%)
Checking emails (27%)
Falling asleep (17%)

An interactive presentation is much more likely to keep your audience’s attention and build rapport with them, and there are a few simple ways to achieve this, from live polling to asking questions throughout.

This article explores several different effective strategies for making the audience feel fully involved in your presentation and keeping your audience’s eyes away from their smartphones.

Why involve your audience?

Listening to a presentation for any length of time can be a difficult process. If you don’t involve the audience, they’ll start to play with their phones, talk to colleagues and generally lose track of what you are saying. Once this happens and you start seeing that the audience would rather be somewhere else, you’ll start feeling anxious and might try to speed up the presentation.

Engage your audience with your presentation

To engage a large audience fully, the presentation needs to be energetic, purposeful and staged, as if it is a direct conversation between both you and your audience. That way, they’ll absorb your ideas and insights and they’ll have learnt something in an enjoyable way.

1. Plan from the audience’s perspective

Before you start writing your presentation , think about these points:

What are the most interesting parts in my topic?
How much will the audience know about my topic? What level do I target it at?
Which members of the audience will most likely be disinterested?
How can I help them learn and understand my topic?
What is the size of the audience?

You can do this by researching the event or conference, investigating other speakers at the event and even contacting the organisers to find out more about the demographic.

By asking these questions about your audience and identifying answers, you are starting to think about your audience’s interests and needs. Remember, the aim is to give the impression that your presentation has been planned according to your audience’s specific interests.

2. Use an easy-to-follow structure

When building your presentation, focus on giving it a structure which people can easily follow. Start by introducing the core concepts and goals, then elaborate on the various points in a bit more detail, draw logical conclusions and leave your audience with a clear takeaway message. You want to flow naturally from one part to the next like you are telling a big story chapter by chapter.

3. Get the audience immediately involved

You audience will come to your presentation in a range of different moods. Try using a simple ice-breaker to re-energise them and get them focussed on your presentation.

For example, ask people to stand up and introduce themselves to their neighbours, or have them identify two or three questions they would like to hear addressed during your presentation. By starting with an ice-breaker, you show your audience that your talk will be interactive and require their participation.

Ask the audience questions at the beginning of your speech

4. Ask the audience questions during your presentation

The audience’s attention drops to zero after just 10-15 minutes of your presentation. To get their attention back, take a break from your presentation from time to time and interact with your audience. Ask for their questions and answer them during your presentation. This will help clear up any confusion the audience might have.

When planning your presentation, identify opportunities in your material for your audience to ask questions. If you’re not comfortable breaking the flow of your presentation, mention that you’ll be taking questions at the end so the audience can prepare some questions.

Asking rhetorical questions as you move through your presentation involves your audience by stimulating their own thought processes. This technique also helps move between sections of your presentation as it establishes a clear transition from one point to another.

If you’re comfortable with taking questions throughout your presentation, use a tools such as Slido , which allows your audience to ask questions anonymously at any time, so even shy people can participate in the discussion.

Example of what can go wrong with audience interaction

Audience interaction:

Watch how the presenter tries but initially fails to get the audience to interact with the presentation. Notice how he encourages them to get involved and eventually they do join in.

5. Use storytelling to make it more memorable

Since our early ancestors, stories have always been a huge part of human culture and civilisation. Storytelling is the most universal way to captivate your audience’s attention, no matter where they are from or what they do for a living.

Stories are much more engaging and memorable than lists of facts and figures, but you wouldn’t think so looking at the majority of presentations (particularly academic ones).

People automatically tune in when you start telling your story because they want to know what happens next. A popular storytelling technique is when you present the status quo and then reveal an improved path to that end goal.

Think of your presentation as one arching narrative. As we mentioned earlier, give it the proper structure with a clear beginning, middle and end. Introduce conflict and provide a powerful resolution that reinforces your key messages.

6. Use non-linear presentation software

Instead of flipping through slide after slide, you can show the relationships between your ideas and give your audience the “big picture” view of your topic. Try letting your audience drive the presentation by laying out all of your main points, and then let them choose which topics they want to go to. Your audience will get a truly custom presentation based on their interests, which they will appreciate and more easily remember.

Prezi example of non-linear presentations

Prezi, shown above, is a popular non-linear presentation tool.

7. Add in a short video

Billions of hours of YouTube are consumed each month and advertisers have identified videos as having a high retention rate for users. However very few presentations ever use videos to engage with their audience.

Find a short video clip that reinforces your story or explains a concept better than words can. You can either embed the video directly into your presentation software or include a link to an external website. Just make sure you test your method on the day of the presentation and have a backup on a USB just in case you need it.

8. Invite people onto the stage

If you’re preparing a particularly long presentation, consider having other people to come on stage and talk for a bit. This will help you narrate the story and make the whole presentation more interactive.

Steve Jobs never pulled off the entire presentation by himself; he always invited several speakers, including designers, partners, and other executives, to help him introduce their latest product. Of course, this technique should always be arranged with your colleagues in advance.

9. Poll the audience

Polls are similar to quizzes in that they engage the audience during the presentation. Polls encourage participants to think not only about your questions but also about their answers. Moreover, live polls help create mental breaks, so your audience can regain attention and stay focused throughout your presentation.

By including everyone in answering the question, you also create a group experience that leaves the audience feeling like they all have been part your presentation.

Slido example of a live poll during a presentation

10. Use (appropriate) humour

Some of the best speeches and presentations in the world feature plenty of humour. No matter the subject, a great speaker will use natural charisma, humour and language to convey their points and get the crowd excited about what they are saying.

A great example of building rapport with the audience through the use of humour is Barrack Obama talking about the government building Iron Man.

Another example is when Morgan Spurlock offers individuals the opportunity to buy the rights to name his TED talk—which he refers to again at the end, where he reveals the title. He peppers the entire presentation with humorous commentary that nonetheless supports his point.

Create relevant jokes or find a way to bring out the humour in your subject, and your audience will be much more engaged and more likely to remember your words.

11. Practice your delivery, again and again

Practicing is the most important part of delivering an interactive presentation. You’ll need to practice where to use live quizzes, when to accept questions, which points to emphasise with body language and many more. There are several options for practicing:

Practice Presentation Skills

Improve your public speaking and presentation skills by practicing them in realistic environments, with automated feedback on performance. Learn More

In front of a mirror – great for seeing and improving your body language, however it can be distracting to what you are saying.
To friends or colleagues – a useful way to get feedback on your presentation, try and action the feedback straight away to improve on it. You can also give the person some key areas to focus their feedback on if you believe you are weaker in those areas.
Virtual reality – practice in realistic public speaking environments , whether it be in a virtual conference room or boardroom. Receive feedback on your speech with voice analysis technology.

With all three of these, you’ll want to work on your tone of voice, accent, pauses between sentences and facial expressions. The most important thing is to talk slowly and loudly enough to be heard and understood clearly.

A list of the best presentation skills courses you can practice with:

Presentation Skills Training Courses

12. Try and relate to the audience

Make comparisons to events from everyday life that most people are more than familiar with. By making things look simple, not only will you help your audience get a better understanding of the subject by enabling them to visualize the information more clearly, you will also draw a connection between you.

After all, you are all just regular people with similar experience, you just happen to be performing different roles at the moment.

13. Strong body language (position, posture and gesture)

Non-verbal communication plays a large part in how we construct meaning, so it makes sense to consider how to use it in your presentation. You can make things more interesting for your audience by using your body language to enhance what you’re saying.

Body language goes beyond reinforcing your messaging – it’s useful from a biological standpoint. As discussed in her body language TED talk , Amy Cuddy’s research found that using ‘assertive’ body language released testosterone and reduced cortisol in both men and women, thereby increasing confidence and decreasing stress.

An effective presenter pays close attention to the physical relationship with her/his audience. If you stand hidden behind an overhead projector or stand too far away from your audience, they will not develop a bond with you and this will limit the effectiveness of your presentation.

Your posture will also dictate levels of audience involvement. If you’re too relaxed and sit slumped in a chair to deliver your talk, the audience might drift away. Find a comfortable but purposeful position in relation to your audience and adopt an upright sitting or standing posture that allows for movement and gesture.

Audiences respond well to the physical energy and enthusiasm being conveyed by a presenter, and thus the use of clear and controlled gestures will greatly enhance your presentation. Gestures that are open and reach out to your audience serve to extend your presentation to them and thus help them feel more involved.

Examples of good body language:

Use hand gestures when delivering key points
Use calm, deliberate movements when highlighting certain information
Keep arms and legs uncrossed

14. Maintain eye contact with all sections of the audience

Making eye contact is one of the most powerful techniques for involving your audience. If used well, eye contact can serve to make your address much more personal and thus more effective. If eye contact is avoided, the presenter can appear to be nervous and unconvincing.

It is important to share eye contact with all members of a small audience or all sections of a large audience. Avoid making eye contact with just the people you know, taking particular care not to deliver your entire presentation to the person who’s assessing your work. Remember that you will need to involve the whole audience if you are to make an effective presentation.

If you are nervous, eye contact can be very difficult to establish and maintain. Remember that some eye contact is better than none and that you should try to build your confidence over time.

15. Use live quizzes to better understand your audience

Live quizzes are a great way to understanding your audience better get them engaging with the material.

For example, if you’re giving a presentation on autonomous vehicles, you could ask questions such as:

When do you think autonomous vehicles will become mainstream?
Are you concerned by safety issues?
If someone is injured or killed by the car, who is to blame?

These will surely create some interesting results which you, as the presenter, can talk about and discuss.

16. Use physical props if possible

You don’t need to be giving a product demo to use props during your presentation. Props are a great way to help the audience visually picture what you are talking about. While talking through your presentation, you can refer to the prop at certain points to highlight your point or make it clear to the audience.

Kenny Nguyen does this will in his TEDx talk on ‘The Art of Saying No’. He refers to the “sword of yes” and “shield of no.” Naturally he picks up a sword and shield from the table to help demonstrate his points.

Another great example is when Jill Bolte Taylor brings a real human brain on stage during her TED talk to explain to what happened to her when she had a stroke. She touched the audience with this demonstration and left the audience in complete awe.

Using a brain as a physical prop during a presentation

17. Extend your usual vocal range

Your tone of voice, your volume, and other vocal aspects affect how people listen and hear your message.

Julian Treasure’s TED talk on ‘How to speak so that people want to listen’ is all about this, and at the end offers several tips ‘in our toolbox’ for how to master the use of voice, from changing your speaking pace to speaking in a different pitch.

Get feedback from a friend or colleague to see what works best for you.

18. Use language and literary techniques

Your use of language has a huge influence on the way you engage your audience. It’s important to use language your audience understands and is familiar with.

Avoid using language that is too formal or informal, too technical or too simplistic depending upon the nature of your talk and the knowledge base of your audience. Pitching your presentation at the right level can be a challenge but it is very effective for making the audience feel involved.

There are various literary techniques you can use, such as the Power or Three, to give greater impact to your message.

Involving your audience is essential to making an impact. Your presentation should pull them in, get their attention and stimulate their thoughts and understanding. This can be done in a number of ways.

The way that you plan your presentation will be critical in terms of using language and ideas that your audience will understand. You must also ensure that there is sufficient time for questions and discussion. The way that you deliver your presentation should create a bond with your audience.

Your use of eye contact, body language, spoken words and energy should communicate effectively and enthusiastically with all areas of the room, thus ensuring that the audience receives positive messages about you and your material.

How to Appreciate a Presentation in English: Phrases & Tips

A boss is appreciating his colleague's presentation

In any professional or educational context, presentations are crucial to exchanging ideas and knowledge. So is appreciating people’s presentation regardless of an educational or professional context. Learning to appreciate a presentation enhances the speaker’s confidence and builds a supportive environment, fostering better communication and understanding.

To appreciate a presentation in English, use phrases like “Excellent job, your presentation was insightful” or “Your analysis was enlightening.” Be genuine, specific in compliments, and follow-up post-presentation. Employ encouraging body language and offer constructive feedback as well.

Are you looking for a book or a guide to help you learn and improve your English? You may try English Made Easy Volume One: A New ESL Approach: Learning English Through Pictures (Amazon Link) .

As you delve deeper into this article, you’ll find a wealth of phrases and practical tips to express appreciation more effectively. Each section is carefully designed to enhance your ability to give meaningful feedback. Continue reading to understand how each tip can be implemented, accompanied by relevant examples to provide a clear understanding.

Boosting confidence, enhancing delivery, promoting mutual respect, enhancing communication, building a supportive culture, 1. general appreciation, 2. appreciating content, 3. complimenting presentation skills, #1 be genuine in your appreciation, #2 be specific in your compliments, #3 employ encouraging body language, #4 post-presentation follow-up, #5 constructive feedback, sample conversation: appreciating a presentation in english, in conclusion, 10 frequently asked questions related to appreciating a presentation in english, why is appreciation important.

Appreciation is a powerful tool that can significantly transform the landscape of communication and knowledge sharing, especially in the context of presentations. By providing genuine and thoughtful feedback, we not only acknowledge the effort and time invested by the speaker but also pave the way for an environment that cherishes learning and growth.

There are two key facets to understanding the role and impact of appreciation – it encourages speakers and fosters a positive environment.

1. To Encourage Speakers

Presentations often involve substantial research, planning, and preparation. Recognizing this effort is crucial in making the speaker feel acknowledged and appreciated. This recognition goes beyond simple words of praise; it’s a form of motivation that helps speakers enhance their performance and strive for better future endeavors.

When you appreciate a presentation, you are effectively instilling confidence in the speaker. This validation gives them a sense of accomplishment, which motivates them to improve their skills further.

Example: “I really enjoyed your presentation; you tied all the facts together. You should be proud of your effort.”

Appreciation also has a direct impact on the delivery of the presentation. Positive feedback encourages speakers to continue refining their presentation skills, which ultimately leads to more effective delivery of information in the future.

2. To foster a Positive Environment

Appreciation is a key ingredient in fostering a positive environment. It’s a catalyst for creating an atmosphere that values shared learning and mutual respect. It goes beyond benefiting just the speaker, as the ripple effects can be seen throughout the group or organization.

When presenters recognize their efforts, it uplifts their spirits and cultivates a culture of respect. The appreciation sets a precedent for other members to respect and value each other’s contributions.

By appreciating a presentation, you indirectly facilitate a more open and receptive form of communication. Presenters are more likely to be receptive to questions and discussions, which leads to a more engaging and interactive session.

Example: “Thank you for that enlightening presentation. It has given me a new perspective on [topic]. Let’s explore this further in the discussion.”

Appreciation fuels a sense of camaraderie and support among peers. It encourages everyone to support each other’s ideas and presentations, leading to a more collaborative and inclusive environment.

You can create a more engaging, supportive, and productive environment by implementing a culture of appreciation. It goes beyond just a simple ‘well done’ and can significantly enhance the overall communication process, making it more effective and rewarding for everyone involved.

Useful English Phrases for Appreciating a Presentation

Communicating appreciation effectively requires a well-curated arsenal of phrases. The right words can inspire, motivate, and contribute to a positive atmosphere of learning and cooperation. In the context of presentations, appreciation can be broadly categorized into three segments: General appreciation, appreciation for content, and complimenting presentation skills.

An overall appreciation of a presentation acknowledges the speaker’s effort and hard work. This recognition is especially encouraging for speakers, as it serves to validate their efforts. Here are some phrases that can be used to express general appreciation for a presentation.

Excellent job on the presentation, it was very informative.
Your presentation was outstanding, I was captivated throughout.
Your talk was both engaging and illuminating.
I must say, that was an impressive presentation.
Your presentation was so captivating, I lost track of time.
Well done, your presentation was very inspiring.
Fantastic job, your presentation was thorough and comprehensive.
I really enjoyed your presentation, it was high in quality and rich in content.
Good job, the presentation was both informative and entertaining.
Your presentation was remarkable, it was clear you put a lot of thought into it.
I must commend your presentation skills, they were superb.
Your presentation was exceptional, I found it very insightful.
I appreciated your clarity and depth in the presentation.
Great presentation, it was evident you knew your topic well.
Your presentation was riveting, it kept me on the edge of my seat.
Your presentation was noteworthy, it made me think in new ways.
Brilliant work on your presentation, it was truly enlightening.
Your presentation was well-delivered and very interesting.

Appreciating the content of a presentation is vital, as it shows the presenter that their research and analysis have been recognized. Here are some phrases to appreciate the content of a presentation.

The facts you provided were well-researched and thought-provoking.
Your deep dive into the impacts of climate change was thoroughly engaging.
The data you provided on the recent economic trends was very enlightening.
Your analysis was on point and made the topic of artificial intelligence more understandable.
Your breakdown of the complexities of quantum physics was comprehensive and well-explained.
You presented the information on the French Revolution very logical and clear.
I was captivated by your insights on the evolution of digital marketing.
Your in-depth research on the development of human rights was commendable.
I appreciate the thorough analysis you provided on the global effects of COVID-19.
Your case studies on successful startup businesses helped clarify your points.
Your discussion on the influence of social media in politics was well-artificially and enlightening.
I learned a great deal from your in-depth exploration of the philosophy of existentialism.
Your approach to tackling the subject of mental health was refreshing and insightful.
I really appreciated your fresh perspective on the challenges of space exploration.
Your understanding of the principles of sustainable agriculture was evident in your presentation.
Your commentary on the implications of the fourth industrial revolution was very insightful.
Your detailed exploration of the cultural nuances in linguistics was very enriching.
Your research on the historical implications of World War II was compelling and well-presented.

Complimenting presentation skills can motivate speakers to continue improving and honing their skills. Here are some phrases to compliment the presentation skills.

Your presentation style was dynamic and captivating.
The flow of your presentation was seamless and well-structured.
Your command over the subject was impressive.
The clarity of your speech made the content easily understandable.
The way you involved the audience was commendable.
I was impressed by your confident demeanor and eloquent speech.
Your use of visuals was impactful and helped to explain the subject better.
The way you handled questions was admirable.
Your body language and gestures added to the effectiveness of the presentation.
Your clear and concise speaking style held everyone’s attention.
I was impressed by your ability to articulate complex concepts in a simple way.
Your use of anecdotes and examples made your points more relatable.
Your confident presentation style was infectious and engaging.
Your skillful use of data visualization made complex data easy to understand.
Your eye contact and positive demeanor enhanced your connection with the audience.
Your pacing and rhythm during the presentation were spot on.
The way you maintained audience engagement was impressive.
Your enthusiasm for the topic was infectious and added to the presentation.

Armed with these phrases, you will be equipped to appreciate presentations effectively and constructively, thereby creating an environment that values effort, fosters mutual respect, and encourages continuous learning and improvement.

Tips for Appreciating a Presentation

Understanding how to express appreciation after a presentation goes beyond simply knowing what to say. It involves authenticity, clarity, and even body language. To truly resonate with the presenter, appreciation must be sincere, targeted, and expressed verbally and non-verbally.

Furthermore, continuing the dialogue after the presentation can cement your appreciation and encourage further interaction. Below, we explore these principles in more detail.

The foundation of effective appreciation lies in sincerity. An authentic compliment resonates far more with the speaker than generic praise. If you’re struggling to find a specific aspect to commend, you can always appreciate the presenter’s effort or the depth of research involved.

I appreciate the effort you put into this presentation.
It’s clear you’ve done an immense amount of research.
You’ve obviously put a lot of time into this, and it shows.
I can see the hard work you put into this presentation.
Your dedication to the topic was evident.
The energy you put into the presentation was commendable.
Your commitment to making this presentation informative is appreciable.

Being specific in your compliments indicates that you were attentive and truly engaged in the presentation. It helps the presenter understand which aspects were particularly successful and impactful.

Your explanation of the impact of deforestation on the global climate was really insightful.
The way you presented the concept of Schrödinger’s cat made it easy to understand.
Your discussion about the nuances of postmodern literature was truly enlightening.
I found your insights on the psychological effects of social media very valuable.
The part about the civil rights movement in the 1960s really stuck with me.
Your interpretation of the theory of relativity was quite unique.
Your presentation’s segment on the biochemical reactions involved in photosynthesis was particularly engaging.

Non-verbal cues are just as important as verbal ones. A smile, nod, or maintaining eye contact can significantly enhance the impact of your appreciation. Here is how different body languages work.

A simple nod during the presentation shows your engagement.
Maintaining eye contact during your feedback conveys sincerity.
Smiling while expressing your appreciation makes it more uplifting.
An open posture shows your receptiveness to the presenter’s ideas.
Gesturing naturally as you speak demonstrates your enthusiasm.

After the presentation, a follow-up conversation, email, or note reinforces your appreciation and provides an opportunity for a more detailed discussion about the presentation. Some follow-up steps can be the following.

Sending an email post-presentation to commend the speaker’s efforts.
A one-on-one conversation about specific parts you found insightful.
A handwritten note expressing your appreciation.
Asking further questions about the topic shows your interest.
Acknowledging the presenter in a group meeting or a public forum.

In addition to appreciation, offering constructive feedback is also beneficial. It helps the presenter identify areas of improvement and shows your commitment to their growth.

Acknowledging a challenging area of the presentation and offering your thoughts.
Providing gentle suggestions for improvement.
Discussing any unanswered questions you had during the presentation.
Sharing your thoughts on the pacing and structure of the presentation.
Suggesting different methods or tools the presenter could use in the future.

By implementing these tips, your appreciation will be well-received and serve to encourage and motivate the presenter for their future presentations. It builds a supportive atmosphere that values shared learning and open communication.

Situation: After a business conference, Emma and Raj are discussing a presentation they just witnessed by a keynote speaker.

Emma: Raj, wasn’t that presentation by Dr. Williams absolutely captivating ?

Raj: Absolutely, Emma! I was thoroughly impressed by how he articulated his points. The way he structured the entire presentation made it so easy to follow.

Emma: Yes, and his use of visual aids and graphs really helped in understanding the complex data. It wasn’t just informative but also visually appealing .

Raj: I agree. His eloquence and command over the subject were evident. And the way he engaged the audience with questions and interactive polls was a masterstroke.

Emma: Absolutely! And I must say, his closing remarks were inspiring . It made me reflect on our current strategies and consider new approaches.

Raj: Me too. We should definitely commend him for such a stellar presentation . It was a learning experience.

Appreciating a presentation in English involves a combination of effective phrases, genuine admiration, and careful consideration of your body language and post-presentation interactions. By mastering the art of appreciation, you create a supportive environment that fosters learning, encourages presenters, and enhances communication.

Whether you’re applauding the presenter’s efforts, complimenting specific points, or providing constructive feedback, remember to be honest, specific, and encouraging. With the tips and phrases provided in this article, you’ll be well-equipped to appreciate presentations in a way that motivates and uplifts the speaker.

1. How can I start my appreciation for a presentation?

You can begin with phrases like, “I was thoroughly impressed by…” or “The presentation was truly enlightening because…”

2. What elements of a presentation should I focus on when appreciating?

Highlight the content , delivery , visual aids , structure , and the speaker’s engagement with the audience.

3. How can I comment on the presenter’s speaking skills?

Use terms like articulate , eloquent , clear , and engaging to describe their speaking skills.

4. How should I talk about the content of the presentation?

You can mention if it was informative , well-researched , relevant , and insightful .

5. Are there specific terms to describe the visual aids used in the presentation?

Yes, terms like clear , effective , relevant , and engaging can describe the visual aids.

6. How can I appreciate the structure of the presentation?

You can mention if it was well-organized , cohesive , and easy to follow .

7. What if there were interactive elements in the presentation?

Highlight how they enhanced engagement , facilitated understanding , and added value to the presentation.

8. How can I conclude my appreciation?

Summarize the key takeaways , express gratitude for the insights, and convey your eagerness for future presentations by the speaker.

9. Is it appropriate to provide constructive feedback along with appreciation?

Yes, but ensure your feedback is constructive , polite , and aimed at improvement .

10. Can I use the appreciation to reflect on personal or business implications?

Absolutely! Relating the presentation’s content to your own experiences or future strategies can be a testament to its impact.

How to Express Agreement in English: A Complete Guide

Different Ways to Say “For Example” in English

How to Introduce Yourself in English: Formal and Informal

A man is talking to another in formal dress asking how was the day

Alternate Ways of Asking “How Was Your Day?”

Niaj A A Khan

Niaj A A Khan is an ESL Instructor with over 8 years of experience in teaching & developing resources at different universities and institutes. Mr. Khan is also a passionate writer working on his first book, "Learn English at Ease."

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Do You Have What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation?

Michael Foley

Three skills anyone can learn.

Great presentations are all about how well you engage your audience. Here are three ways to do that:

Be balanced: Strike the right balance between structure and improvisation during your presentation. Rather than preparing your content in a narrative form, take the time to segment it by topic. Leave room to respond to your audience’s immediate needs, even if that means going off script for a while.
Be generous: You goal should be to offer your audience something of value. Let this principle guide the content you choose to present.
Be human: Rehearse to familiarize yourself with your content, but do not memorize it. If you go blank for a moment, don’t apologize and act flustered, just pause, take a breath, collect your thoughts and continue on. Your audience wants you to be relatable.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Have you ever seen a really great presentation? Honestly, they’re pretty rare.

Michael Foley is an educator and coach, and founder of Clarity Centra l, a communications training and consulting firm based in Chicago. He is also an adjunct lecturer of leadership at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

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"How was your presentation?" vs "how did your presentation go?"

Last Updated: March 23, 2024

How was your presentation?

This phrase is correct and commonly used to ask about the overall experience of a presentation.

How was your presentation? Did you enjoy it?
I wanted to ask, how was your presentation today?
How was your presentation received by the audience?
How was your presentation received by the clients?
Can you tell me how was your presentation with the investors?

Alternatives:

How did your presentation go?
How did your presentation turn out?
How did your presentation fare?
How did your presentation perform?
How did your presentation go over?

how did your presentation go?

This phrase is correct and commonly used to ask about the outcome or result of a presentation.

How did your presentation go? Did you get good feedback?
I'm curious, how did your presentation go yesterday?
How did your presentation go overall?
How did your presentation go in front of the clients?
Can you tell me how did your presentation go with the investors?
How was your presentation received?

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Android Police

How to convert a powerpoint to google slides.

Work with a familiar interface by converting a PowerPoint to Google Slides

Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides are popular software solutions for creating presentations. While PowerPoint has more features, Google Slides offers seamless collaboration, cross-platform availability, and an easy-to-use interface without a subscription. When you receive a PowerPoint presentation, convert it to Google Slides to continue editing and collaborating on it.

Converting a PowerPoint presentation to the Google Slides format has advantages, but it isn't a smooth process. Formatting issues can occur. You can use Google Drive or Google Slides to convert a PowerPoint presentation. This trick is also helpful when using a PowerPoint template with Google Slides.

Although Google Slides has apps for iPhone and Android , we focus on the company's web version.

Convert a PowerPoint to Google Slides Using Google Drive

You can upload a PowerPoint presentation to Google Drive and open it in Slides. It's the easiest way to convert from PowerPoint to Google Slides.

Visit Google Drive on the web and sign in with your Google account details.
After uploading the file, Google Drive converts your PowerPoint file, making it compatible with Google Slides. Double-click it to open it in Google Slides.

Whether you use a .pptx or an older .ppt file, Google Drive automatically converts it to Slides. You can open it like a traditional Slides file and make changes.

How to add audio to your Google Slides presentation

Use google slides to convert a pptx file.

If you don't want to deal with Google Drive, you can import and use any PowerPoint file using Google Slides. Follow the steps below to make changes.

Go to Google Slides on the web and create a blank presentation. Or, type slides.new in the address bar and press the Enter or Return key.
The following menu shows your recent files and several online and offline locations where you can import a file. Move to the Upload menu.
Google Slides converts and opens a PPT file in the Slides format.

There are times when you want to convert specific PowerPoint slides. Importing an entire presentation and deleting irrelevant slides isn't the most productive way. Instead, import selected slides using the steps below.

Open a blank presentation in Google Slides (check the steps above).

Your PowerPoint slides are ready for editing in Google Slides.

Advantages of Converting a PowerPoint to Google Slides

Here are the benefits of converting a PowerPoint file to Google Slides.

Easy access

Google Slides is a web app. Whether you use Slides on Windows, Mac, Linux, or ChromeOS, you only need a web browser to access and edit your presentations. PowerPoint also has a web app, but it has limited features compared to its desktop app.

Real-time collaboration

Although Microsoft offers real-time collaboration on PowerPoint, the sharing experience isn't as good as Google Slides. One or more users can work on a presentation simultaneously, share comments, and check tweaks instantly.

Free to use

PowerPoint desktop apps require an active Microsoft 365 subscription. In contrast, Google Slides is free to use. If one of your team members or a colleague doesn't have a Microsoft 365 plan, convert the PowerPoint presentation to Google Slides and invite them for collaboration.

What's the difference between Google Slides templates and themes?

Convert a powerpoint to google slides: our observations, complete and collaborate your presentation in style.

Whether you use PowerPoint or Google Slides, your pitch requires interactive visuals and fancy animations to attract people's attention. A bland and static presentation won't impress your audience. Creating an engaging presentation from scratch can be time-consuming. Check the top Google Slides templates for personal and work use and finish your presentation quickly.

Search for: Toggle Search

NVIDIA GTC 2024: A Glimpse Into the Future of AI With Jensen Huang

NVIDIA’s GTC 2024 AI conference will set the stage for another leap forward in AI.

At the heart of this highly anticipated event: the opening keynote by Jensen Huang , NVIDIA’s visionary founder and CEO, who speaks on Monday, March 18, at 1 p.m. Pacific, at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

Planning Your GTC Experience

There are two ways to watch.

Register to attend GTC in person to secure a spot for an immersive experience at the SAP Center. The center is a short walk from the San Jose Convention Center, where the rest of the conference takes place. Doors open at 11 a.m., and badge pickup starts at 10:30 a.m.

The keynote will also be livestreamed at www.nvidia.com/gtc/keynote/ .

Whether attending in person or virtually, commit to joining us all week. GTC is more than just a conference. It’s a gateway to the next wave of AI innovations.

Transforming AI: Hear more from Huang as he discusses the origins and impact of transformer neural network architecture with its creators and industry pioneers. He’ll host a panel with all eight authors of the legendary 2017 paper that introduced the concept of transformers: Ashish Vaswani, Noam Shazeer, Niki Parmar, Jakob Uszkoreit, Llion Jones, Aidan N. Gomez, Lukasz Kaiser, and Illia Polosukhin.Wed., March 20, 11-11:50 a.m. Pacific.
Join Visionaries Transforming Our World: Hear from leaders such as xAI cofounder Igor Babuschkin ; Microsoft Vice President of GenAI Sebastian Bubeck , Stanford University’s Fei-Fei Li , Meta Vice President of AI Research Joelle Pineau ; OpenAI Chief Operating Officer Brad LightCap ; Adept AI founder and CEO David Luan ; Waabi f ounder and CEO Raquel Urtasun ; Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch ; and many others at the forefront of AI across various industries.
Be Part of What Comes Next: Engage from March 17-21 in workshops and peer networking and connect with the experts. This year’s session catalog is packed with topics covering everything from robotics to generative AI, showcasing real-world applications and the latest in AI innovation.
Stay Connected: Tune in online to engage with the event and fellow attendees using #GTC24 on social media.

With visionary speakers and a comprehensive program covering the essentials of AI and computing, GTC promises to be an enlightening experience for all.

Don’t miss your chance to be at the forefront of AI’s evolution. Register now .

NVIDIA websites use cookies to deliver and improve the website experience. See our cookie policy for further details on how we use cookies and how to change your cookie settings.

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Learning Technology Solutions

Register for April 17 Canvas Ally Presentation on Enhancing Inclusivity

Boise State faculty and staff are invited to join the Learning Technology Solutions team to explore accessibility in the University Learning Management System with Canvas Ally. This 45-minute Zoom session will elevate your understanding of accessibility by using Canvas Ally to create an inclusive and empowering learning environment.

The presentation provides an insightful discussion on the importance of accessibility in education, including how to create an inclusive learning environment, meet diverse student needs, and foster equal educational opportunities for all.

A step-by-step walkthrough on reviewing the Canvas Ally report and how its valuable feedback allows you to identify and address accessibility issues within your course materials efficiently will be provided.

Patrick Lowenthal, a faculty member in the Department of Educational Technology, will also share his experience using Ally to improve accessibility in Canvas courses.

The presentation will conclude with a dedicated time for questions and discussions, allowing you to interact with our experts and fellow faculty members.

Session Details

The session will be held on Wednesday, April 17 from 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm via Zoom.

Click here to join the Zoom Session or add the link to your calendar .

How to add the event to your calendar

Go to the LTS Events Calendar.
Scroll to the calendar on the webpage, click on the event to open its details, and select Copy to my Calendars.
A pop-up window will appear asking you to choose the calendar to copy the event to. Select your personal Google Calendar.
Confirm your choice and save the copied event. The event will now appear in your personal Google Calendar.
Go to your personal Google Calendar to ensure the event appears.

Office of Information Technology

‘Lost Restaurants of Downtown Cleveland’ author to give presentation

Updated: Mar. 21, 2024, 5:48 a.m. |
Published: Mar. 21, 2024, 5:30 a.m.

We offer brief capsules on 57 food books that cover a range of flavors and tastes, from Mexican to Mediterranean, assorted cooking techniques, scores of recipes and much more.

Bette Lou Higgins is scheduled to give a presentation based on her book, “Lost Restaurants of Downtown Cleveland.”

Marc Bona, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Author Bette Lou Higgins is offering a storytelling program based on her book, “Lost Restaurants of Downtown Cleveland.”

The “tour of Cleveland Restaurants in 30 minutes - more or less!” is based on Higgins’ book, which came out in 2021. The storytelling program – which is designed to take you back in time to “visit” the forgotten eateries – is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, at Columbia Library.

Stories by Marc Bona

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Introducing Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business

Nancie Gaskill, General Manager, Surface

AI-powered PCs built for a new era of work

We are excited to announce the first Surface AI PCs built exclusively for business: Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business. These new PCs represent a major step forward in customer-focused design and are packed with features that business customers have been requesting – from amazing performance and battery life to more ports, better security and custom, durable anti-reflective displays. These are the first Surface PCs optimized for AI, with the new Copilot key being added to Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro keyboards that accelerate access to the best Windows AI experiences 1 . In addition to the new Surface for Business products, we are pleased to announce the Microsoft Adaptive Accessories will now be available to commercial customers.

These new PCs are powered by the latest Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. We partnered with Intel to deliver the power and reliable performance our customers depend on, along with compelling AI experiences for Surface and the Windows ecosystem. Surface has also been leading in Neural Processing Unit (NPU) integration to drive AI experiences on the PC since 2019, and the benefits of these connected efforts are evident. From a performance perspective, Surface Laptop 6 is 2x faster than Laptop 5 2 , and Surface Pro 10 is up to 53% faster than Pro 9. The benefits of the NPU integration include AI features like Windows Studio Effects and Live Captions 3 and the opportunity for businesses and developers to build their own AI apps and experiences.

Meet Surface Pro 10 for Business

Surface Pro 10 for Business is designed for teams that need a no-compromise device. It is our most powerful Surface Pro ever powered by Intel Core Ultra processors, and the first time we’re bringing 5G 4 to the Intel platform. It brings a new level of productivity and versatility – whether used as a powerful tablet for frontline workers out in the field, a versatile laptop in the conference room, or anywhere in between – Surface Pro 10 adapts to our customers’ needs and to how they use technology.

With the power of AI assistance from Microsoft Copilot and the innovation in Windows 11 Pro, Surface Pro 10 unlocks the ability to be more productive than ever before. We’ve added the Copilot key to all of our new Surface Pro keyboards, including a new version with a bold keyset 5 with a larger font, high contrast and backlighting that make the keys more visible and easier for everyone to type.

But our customers don’t choose Surface Pro to interact with it using only the keyboard. They’re choosing Surface Pro to use with touch gestures, voice commands and even with handwritten prompts with Surface Slim Pen. With Surface Pro, they are able to use all these natural input methods to make it even easier to use Copilot. And in Microsoft 365 apps like OneNote, Copilot will be able to use AI to analyze handwritten notes, saving time and keeping them in their flow.

This device comes with the best display we’ve ever shipped on a Surface Pro. Whether working under fluorescent office lighting or outside in the field, the display looks incredible in almost any lighting condition. We’ve made it 33% brighter and with a higher contrast ratio and have added a custom designed durable anti-reflective coating, all without making any sacrifices to the experience when using it with touch, and pen.

We focused a lot of attention on making the video calling experience on Microsoft Teams and other apps even better. With Surface Pro 10, we’ve put in a new Ultrawide Studio Camera that is the best front-facing camera that has ever been put into a Windows 2-in-1 or laptop. It’s the first Windows PC with a 114° field of view, captures video in 1440p, and uses AI-powered Windows Studio Effects to ensure that the speaker is in frame and looking their best during video calls.

Surface Pro 10 is a Secured-Core PC that delivers the industry-leading security that our business customers need. We’ve added additional layers of security to keep customer and company data safe and secure with Enhanced Sign-in Security on by default and a brand-new NFC reader designed to make secure password-less authentication even easier with NFC security keys like YubiKey 5C NFC .

Meet Surface Laptop 6 for Business

Surface Laptop 6 for Business is the ultimate laptop that’s built for business. It is powered by the latest Intel® Core™ Ultra H-Series processors and designed with improved thermal capacity to deliver incredible performance. This allows your team to be their most productive with the least amount of downtime when crunching huge data sets in Excel, creating marketing assets in Adobe Photoshop, or building critical applications in Visual Studio.

Consistent with the legacy of Surface, Surface Laptop 6 has an industry-leading typing experience that is designed for quality, and confidence. Every element of the keyboard has been considered to ensure productivity when typing, with nothing to get in the way of self-expression. Also, the new Copilot key on Surface Laptop 6 makes accessing the power of AI even easier, with a quick button press to invoke Copilot in Windows 1 to help customers to plan their day, find a document using natural text, analyze a website and more with commercial data protection built in.

Choose between 13.5” and 15” PixelSense touchscreen displays that are built for touch to help browse and navigate with ease. These vibrant displays also all come with anti-reflective and adaptive color technology that helps to clearly see the content on the screen in almost any lighting environment and reduces reflections by up to 50%.

We’ve designed a new Surface Studio Camera for Surface Laptop 6. The new camera captures 1080p video and uses AI-driven Windows Studio Effects to help everyone look their best on video calls. Windows Studio Effects are enabled by machine learning algorithms that run efficiently on the NPU leaving plenty of power to run other critical apps like Microsoft Teams on the CPU and GPU.

In the U.S. and Canada, customers will also be able to choose options on the 15” Surface Laptop 6 that include an integrated smart card reader. This helps customers in highly secure industries like government agencies and financial services login without a password simply by inserting their smart card.

Advances in accessibility, sustainability, security and modern tools for IT

In addition to the new products, there are advances in accessibility, sustainability, security and IT tools that will help our customers to empower all of their employees, advance their sustainability efforts, further secure their critical data and manage their devices over their life cycle.

Our Designed for Surface accessory partners are proud to offer a range of accessories specifically created to enhance the Surface experience in various commercial and industry scenarios. Our collection spans the Surface portfolio and includes everything from protective cases to mobile-kiosking retail solutions. One example is the ViewSonic ColorPro 4K Monitor , which offers Pantone Validation, stunning 4K Ultra HD resolution and calibrated color accuracy – making it a great option for Surface Laptop 6 customers. Our commitment is to ensure that your team can deploy Surface in any way and place you need.

Accessibility

Accessibility is core to Surface design and to Microsoft’s mission to enable every person and every organization to achieve more. Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 for Business bring the power of AI to accessibility, bringing together the latest hardware innovations from Surface with the software experiences designed to make it possible to use your device in the ways most natural to you.

We’ve made it even easier to turn on accessibility features through Copilot in Windows 1 . Ask Copilot to “turn on live captions” or “turn on the magnifier” without having to navigate to settings in Windows. Live captions 3 are now even better on these new products as the processing for this feature is offloaded to the NPU so the system operates with greater efficiency, freeing up the CPU and GPU to run other demanding applications.

We’re also launching the first ever Surface Pro Keyboard with bold keyset 5 , featuring a bold font change and brighter backlighting, making it easier to read and reducing eye strain for everyone. And finally, we’re very excited to launch our Microsoft Adaptive Accessories to commercial customers, empowering anyone with difficulty using a traditional mouse and keyboard to create their ideal setup, increase productivity, and use their favorite apps more effectively.

All of these innovations in accessibility have been created to match the elegant design of our products and empower more people to be productive and efficient in the way that works best for them.

Sustainability

In 2020, Microsoft committed to becoming carbon negative, water positive and zero waste by 2030. This commitment means that we are constantly working to advance the sustainability of our products, and we know that many of our customers are also pursuing their own ambitious sustainability goals. Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 contain the most recycled content that we’ve ever put into our PCs with the Surface Laptop 6 enclosure being made with a minimum of 25.8% recycled content and the enclosure on Surface Pro 10 being made with a minimum of 72% recycled content 6 . Both devices are even easier to service and repair with built-in QR codes that provide convenient access to service guides. In Surface Pro 10 we’ve also included internal markings that identify the number of screws and driver types needed for key components. This increased device repairability can offer significant carbon emissions and waste reduction benefits 7 . We are also making trade-in more convenient and secure for our commercial customers in the U.S. to help limit device waste.

Security is of critical importance to our customers, and we design devices with Zero Trust security principles to help keep their most sensitive data safe and protect all the way down to the firmware level. Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 for Business have the highest-level security features and protections available in the ecosystem, are certified Secured-Core PCs, and have Enhanced Sign-In Security (ESS) on by default. We’ve made updates to the hardware itself with an optional smart card reader on Surface Laptop 6 and new NFC reader on Surface Pro 10. These new features combined with chip-to-cloud security deliver the ultimate in authentication and protection.

Modern tools for IT

At Surface we think about the entire lifecycle of the device, and how we can make customers’ lives easier. Today we are excited to introduce innovation from Surface and Intune to create the most modern and comprehensive solution for IT. The Surface Management Portal delivers insights-based monitoring to bring value and efficiency to device management. Customers can also track the estimated sustainability improvements of their devices right in the management portal. We’ve also created the Surface IT Toolkit with features to help modernize deployment, security and data compliance. Read more on the Surface IT Pro Blog .

Our team works relentlessly to create and tune every detail of our products to help our customers be more productive and engaged in the work they do today and in AI workstreams to enhance creativity and collaboration going forward. Our new Surface for Business portfolio is a key part of a holistic offering that includes Copilot, AI enhancements across key applications, and innovation in Windows 11 to bring our customers into a new era of work.

Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business are available for pre-order starting today, with product shipping to customers starting April 9. To learn more and pre-order your devices today, visit Surface.com/Business to find an authorized reseller or the Microsoft Store.

Disclaimers

Copilot in Windows (in preview) is available in select global markets and will be rolled out to additional markets over time. Learn more . Copilot with commercial data protection is available at no additional cost for users with an Entra ID with an enabled, eligible Microsoft 365 license . When Copilot for Windows is not enabled on the device, pressing the Copilot key will launch Windows Search.
Based on 3DMark TimeSpy benchmark measuring graphic performance.
Live Captions supports English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Danish.
Surface Pro 10 with 5G will be available later in 2024 and not available in all areas. eSIM and 5G support are also not available in all areas; compatibility and performance depend on carrier network, plan and other factors. See carrier for details and pricing.
Surface Pro Keyboard with bold keyset available only in U.S. English and is available only in the U.S. and CA.
Based on validation performed by Underwriter Laboratories, Inc. using Environmental Claim Validation Procedure, UL 2809-2, Second Edition, November 7, 2023.
Based on Microsoft-commissioned assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and waste impacts prepared by Oakdene Hollins in April 2022 comparing device replacement to factory repair and Microsoft ASP repair.

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COMMENTS

What Are Effective Presentation Skills (and How to Improve Them)
Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images. You'll make presentations at various ...
What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation
Buy Copies. Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization ...
How to Self-Evaluate Your Presentations Effectively
4 Use the feedback to improve. Self-evaluating your presentations is not only a way to measure your success, but also a way to learn from your experience and improve your skills. By using the ...
How to Start a Presentation: 12 Ways to Keep Your Audience Hooked
1 Make a provocative statement. "I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you're going to fail to have a great career." One surefire way to get your audience's attention is to make a provocative statement that creates interest and a keen desire to know more about what you have to say. The presentation above, for example, does just that by ...
11 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Skills (& Free Training)
Table of Contents. Tip #1: Define the purpose of your presentation. Tip #2: Create an audience journey map. Tip #3: Keep your slides short and sweet. Tip #4: Focus on your presentation design. Tip #5: Visualize boring numbers and data. Tip #6: Practice in front of a live audience. Tip #7: Meet your audience before presenting.
Top Tips for Effective Presentations
But you can help to make the spoken word better by using your voice effectively. Varying the speed at which you talk, and emphasising changes in pitch and tone all help to make your voice more interesting and hold your audience's attention. For more about this, see our page on Effective Speaking. 9. Use your Body Too.
How to Prepare for a Presentation, with Examples
4. Practise presentation flow. As well as practising for the ideas and what you want to say, practise how you want your presentation to flow. Think of it almost as a symphony, with high points, slow movements and crescendos. If it's important, think about how you want your audience to feel, what emotions you want them to have, and when. 5.
How to improve your presentation skills: 10 tips for ...
1. Master Your Verbal Communication: Pay attention to how you're delivering your message. Speak with conviction, make your language engaging, and remember that a presentation is more than just conveying information - it's a performance. Let your voice be a tool that amplifies your message and engages your audience. 2.
How to Measure Presentation Success
Take a Survey. A simple way to know if you have achieved your presentation objectives is by asking your audience to provide feedback with a quick survey. Be sure and include open ended questions that encourage audience members to explain their answers. A "good job" is meaningless without an explanation of why it was a good job.
How to Give a Killer Presentation
Frame your story (figure out where to start and where to end). Plan your delivery (decide whether to memorize your speech word for word or develop bullet points and then rehearse it—over and ...
Thank Someone For a Speech or Presentation
Sample Sentences for Step 1. On behalf of the members of the local Chamber of Commerce, I want to thank you for your insightful presentation yesterday. As chairperson for our County Fair entertainment committee, I want to thank your dance group for their delightful performance. They won the hearts of the entire audience.
30 Presentation Feedback Examples
Make it visually appealing with the least amount of words possible. Try interactive pictures and videos to fully immerse your audience in the presentation. It's a fine balance between winging the presentation and memorizing the presentation. If you wing it too much it may come across as if you didn't prepare.
How to Evaluate Your Presentation's Success
Another way to evaluate your presentation's success is to reflect on your own experience as a speaker. You can use self-assessment, journaling, video recording, or coaching to help you with this ...
The Real Measure of Presentation Success
The most immediate form of measurement is to watch how people respond to a presentation in real time. When everyone takes out their phones to snap pictures of slides, you know something's grabbing their attention. Notice, too, when people laugh, gasp, or applaud — these basic behavioral cues signal which moments in your talk are resonating.
10 Tips for Giving a Great Presentation to an Audience
Follow these tips to help you create a presentation that will engage your audience: 1. Keep your presentation simple. When putting your presentation together, remember that simpler is better. Many presenters follow the "10-20-30" rule, which is to use 10 or fewer slides, keep your presentation under 20 minutes and use at least 30-point font.
20 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills
10. Smile. Smiling increases endorphins, replacing anxiety with calm and making you feel good about your presentation. Smiling also exhibits confidence and enthusiasm to the crowd. And this tip works even if you're doing a webinar and people can't see you. Just don't overdo it - no one enjoys the maniacal clown look.
How Good Are Your Presentation Skills?
Monroe's Motivated Sequence, consisting of five steps, gives you a framework for developing content for this kind of presentation: 1. Get the attention of your audience - Use an interesting 'hook' or opening point, like a shocking statistic. Be provocative and stimulating, not boring or calm. 2.
18 Ways to Make Your Presentation More Interactive
You want to flow naturally from one part to the next like you are telling a big story chapter by chapter. 3. Get the audience immediately involved. You audience will come to your presentation in a range of different moods. Try using a simple ice-breaker to re-energise them and get them focussed on your presentation.
How to Appreciate a Presentation in English: Phrases & Tips
Your presentation's segment on the biochemical reactions involved in photosynthesis was particularly engaging. #3 Employ Encouraging Body Language. Non-verbal cues are just as important as verbal ones. A smile, nod, or maintaining eye contact can significantly enhance the impact of your appreciation. Here is how different body languages work.
7 Ways to Take Your Presentation Structure to the Next Level
Hook, Meat and Payoff. This presentation structure, like The Drama, is deeply founded in the art of storytelling. While the Hero's Journey is more of a literary technique, Hook, Meat and Payoff is more like a spoken-word progression. Source. Create your own graphics with this drag-and-drop tool.
Do You Have What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation?
Great presentations are all about how well you engage your audience. Here are three ways to do that: Be balanced: Strike the right balance between structure and improvisation during your presentation.
how did your presentation go? or How was your presentation??
Commissioner, you talked in your presentation about distorting competition. Denise, your presentation was quite an inspiration. And I love how I knew your presentation had finished. It was exactly as substantive as your presentation. First thing we need to work on is your presentation.
How to convert a PowerPoint presentation to Google Slides
Open a blank presentation in Google Slides (check the steps above). Click File and select Import slides . Select Upload and click Browse . Select your PowerPoint file and click Open . Check the ...
NVIDIA GTC 2024: A Glimpse Into the Future of AI With Jensen Huang
Planning Your GTC Experience. There are two ways to watch. Register to attend GTC in person to secure a spot for an immersive experience at the SAP Center. The center is a short walk from the San Jose Convention Center, where the rest of the conference takes place. Doors open at 11 a.m., and badge pickup starts at 10:30 a.m.
2024 NCVRW Resource Guide
Always have two ways to access your presentation, such as an accessible email account, removable drive, or hard copy. Sample PowerPoint Template . This Resource Guide includes a sample PowerPoint template featuring the 2024 NCVRW theme and design. Use the template to prepare and customize your own NCVRW PowerPoint presentations.
25 Great Presentation Examples Your Audience Will Love
Presentation Example #1: Colorful Slides. Draw your audience in by including a lot of bright colorful slides within your presentation. This colorful presentation example was created to showcase how fun and playful Adidas's boring presentation deck could actually be. Image Source.
Register for April 17 Canvas Ally Presentation on Enhancing Inclusivity
The presentation will conclude with a dedicated time for questions and discussions, allowing you to interact with our experts and fellow faculty members. Session Details. The session will be held on Wednesday, April 17 from 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm via Zoom. Click here to join the Zoom Session or add the link to your calendar.
'Lost Restaurants of Downtown Cleveland' author to give presentation
Published: Mar. 21, 2024, 5:30 a.m. Bette Lou Higgins is scheduled to give a presentation based on her book, "Lost Restaurants of Downtown Cleveland.". By. Marc Bona, cleveland.com. CLEVELAND ...
07a 2 Attachment A Presentation Local Expenditure Planning for 2024
Association of Bay Area Governments. Bay Area Metro Center 375 Beale Street, Suite 800 San Francisco, CA 94105-2066. Phone: (415) 820-7900 Fax: (415) 660-3500 [email protected]
Introducing Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for
This allows your team to be their most productive with the least amount of downtime when crunching huge data sets in Excel, creating marketing assets in Adobe Photoshop, or building critical applications in Visual Studio. Consistent with the legacy of Surface, Surface Laptop 6 has an industry-leading typing experience that is designed for ...

Top Tips for Effective Presentations

How can you make a good presentation even more effective?

1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience

2. Focus on your Audience’s Needs

3. Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message

4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience

5. Start Strongly

6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

7. Tell Stories

Finding The Story Behind Your Presentation

8. Use your Voice Effectively

9. Use your Body Too

10. Relax, Breathe and Enjoy

How to improve your presentation skills: 10 tips for exceptional presentations

What makes a good presentation?

Why are presentation skills important?

Effective Presentation Skills

Verbal communication

How to improve your verbal communication skills:

Storytelling

How to improve your storytelling:

Self-awareness

How to improve your self-awareness:

Create documents that make an impact

10 presentation tips: How to give a memorable presentation

1. Prepare thoroughly

2. Manage and leverage your anxiety

3. Craft an impactful beginning

4. Simplify and clarify

5. Use visuals strategically

6. Be mindful of body language

7. Interact with the audience

8. Tell a story

9. End powerfully

10. Get feedback

Other presentation resources

Presentation Training Institute

Thank Someone For a Speech or Presentation • Example Letters, Guides and Samples

How to write this thank-you letter:

Example Letter #1

Example Letter #2

Example Letter #3

Example Letter #4

Example Letter #5

Example Letter #6

Example Letter #7

Write Your Letter Step-by-Step

Sample Sentences for Step 1

Sample Phrases for Step 1

Sample Sentences for Step 2

Sample Phrases for Step 2

Sample Sentences for Step 3

Sample Phrases for Step 3

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30 presentation feedback examples

3 things to look for when providing presentation feedback

You’re doing great

You should think of improving

Tips to improve

Communication

Delivery

Body language and presence

1. Prepare what you’d like to say

2. Be direct and clear (but lead with empathy)

3. Create dialogue (and listen carefully)

Now, let’s go practice that feedback

Madeline Miles

How to not be nervous for a presentation — 13 tips that work (really!)

The Real Measure of Presentation Success

Get Updates on Transformative Leadership

Before Your Talk

During Your Talk

After Your Talk

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