q119/random_k4/random_3.md

Module 9: Presentation Skills and Public Speaking

GOALS
By the end of this module, participants should be able to understand:
	 •	Strategies	for	becoming	a	better	public	speaker.
	 •	Strategies	for	effective	presentations.
	 •	Strategies	for	calming	nerves.

TIME
Total: 30 minutes

OVERVIEW
The	focus	of	this	session	is	to	help	people	think	more	strategically	about	their	public
speaking	and	presentation	skills	in	order	to	improve	their	overall	effectiveness	in	relaying
information	to	others	about	advocacy	skills	and	the	Common	Core	State	Standards.

PTA	leaders	have	the	opportunity	to	share	the	PTA	messages	to	many	groups.	Additionally,
PTA	leaders	are	called	upon	to	use	public	speaking	and	presentation	skills	on	a	regular
basis,	even	if	the	leaders	are	not	comfortable	speaking	in	public.

MATERIALS NEEDED
	 •	Easel	paper
	 •	Masking	tape
	 •	Dark	markers

HANDOUTS
	 •	PowerPoint	printout
	 •	Presentation	Checklist

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public Speaking
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
	 •	Easel/flipchart
	 •	If	you	have	elected	to	develop	your	own	PowerPoint	presentation	to	suit	your

			specific	training	audience	for	this	module,	you	will	need:

–	Computer	with	PowerPoint	software
–	LCD	projector
–	All	cords	and	cable	needed	to	connect	computer	with	LCD	projector,
			and	extension	cord	to	connect	computer	and	LCD	projector	with	electrical
   outlet
–	AV	stand	or	tab	(if	you	will	be	using	PowerPoint	in	this	module)
–	Portable	speakers	for	videos

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Materials	in	this	module	are	Copyright,	National	PTA.	PTA	shall	have	the	right	to	use
them	for	training	purposes	within,	and	at	all,	levels	of	the	association	in	perpetuity.
Training	modules	may	not	be	used	or	sold	to	other	entities.

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public Speaking

Introduction

WELCOME TO MODULE 9: PRESENTATION SKILLS
AND PUBLIC SPEAKING

SAY
By the end of this module you should understand:
	 •	Strategies	for	becoming	a	better	public	speaker.
	 •	Strategies	for	developing	stronger	presentations.
	 •	Strategies	for	calming	nerves.

Chances	are	that	you	will	have	to	speak	in	public	as	part	of	your	role	with	PTA.	While	this
can	seem	intimidating,	the	benefits	of	being	able	to	speak	well	outweigh	any	perceived	fears.

In	this	session	we	are	going	to	discuss	strategies	for	becoming	a	better	public	speaker,
delivering	effective	presentations	and	calming	nerves	that	are	associated	with	public
speaking.

Even	if	you	don’t	need	to	make	regular	presentations	in	front	of	a	group,	good	public
speaking	skills	are	useful	for	all	aspects	of	your	life,	work	and	home.	For	example,	you
might	have	to	talk	about	your	organization	at	a	conference,	make	a	speech	after	accepting
an	award	or	provide	training	for	new	PTA	members.	You	might	be	asked	to	make	a	speech
at	a	friend’s	wedding,	give	a	eulogy	for	a	loved	one	or	inspire	a	group	of	PTA	volunteers	at
a	meeting.	In	short,	being	a	good	public	speaker	can	enhance	your	reputation,	boost	your
self-confidence,	and	open	up	countless	opportunities.

However,	while	good	public	speaking	skills	can	open	doors,	poor	speaking	skills	can	close
them.	For	example,	your	boss	might	decide	against	promoting	you	after	sitting	through	a
poorly-delivered	presentation.	You	might	lose	a	valuable	new	PTA	member	by	failing	to
connect	with	a	prospect	during	a	PTA	sales	pitch	or	you	could	make	a	poor	impression
with	your	new	team	because	you	trip	over	your	words	and	don’t	look	people	in	the	eye.

Make	sure	that	you	learn	how	to	speak	well!

ASK
Who	is	afraid	of	public	speaking?	(Take	a	few	minutes	to	discuss.)

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public SpeakingSAY
Well,	we	are	not	alone!	Some	surveys	and	research	results	show	that	most	people	are
terrified	of	speaking	in	front	of	a	live	audience,	as	you	can	see	in	this	list	of	the	top	10
fears	globally!

DISPLAY ON A FLIPCHART OR POWERPOINT:
Top 10 Global Fears
		 1.	Public	speaking	or	stage	fright
		 2.	Death	and	end	of	life
		 3.	Spiders	and	other	arachnids	creatures
		 4.	Darkness	and	twilight
		 5.	Heights,	altitude	or	elevations
		 6.	People	or	social	situations
		 7.	Flying	in	airplanes
		 8.	Open	spaces	and	squares
		 9.	Natural	thunder	and	lightning
		 10.	Confined	spaces	or	small	rooms

SAY
Chances	are	that	you	will	at	some	point	have	to	speak	in	public	as	part	of	your	role	with
PTA.	While	this	can	seem	intimidating,	the	benefits	of	being	able	to	speak	well	outweigh
any	perceived	fears.	To	become	a	better	speaker,	use	the	following	strategies:

DISPLAY ON A FLIP CHART OR POWERPOINT:
	 •	Planning
	 •	Practice
	 •	Engaging	Your	audience

•	Body	Language
•	Thinking	Positively

	 •	Calming	Nerves

SAY
Planning	—	Make	sure	that	you	plan	your	communication	appropriately	to	think	about
how	you’ll		structure	what	you’re	going	to	say	from	your	opening	words	all	the	way
through	to	your	closing	statement.

Think	about	how	important	a	book’s	first	paragraph	is;	if	it	doesn’t	grab	you,	you’re	likely
going	to	put	it	down.	The	same	principle	goes	for	public	speaking:	from	the	beginning,
you	need	to	intrigue	your	audience.	You	will	notice	that	in	each	of	the	PTA	modules	we
have	included	“attention	grabbers”	throughout	the	scripts.	These	can	include	quotes	from
famous	people	on	the	topic,	statistics	that	emphasize	your	point	or	funny	anecdotes	that
lighten	the	mood.

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public SpeakingYou	also	want	to	develop	your	closing	remarks.	What	you	leave	your	audience	with	should
summarize	what	has	been	covered,	the	key	point	or	points	you	want	them	to	take	away
and	stress	any	action	you	want	them	to	take	after	the	session.

Planning	also	helps	you	to	think	on	your	feet.	This	is	especially	important	for	unpredictable
question	and	answer	sessions	or	last-minute	communications.

And	finally,	it	is	very	important	that	you	make	presentations	“your	own”	even	if	you	have
been	provided	with	all	the	written	tools	including	a	script.	If	your	audience	does	not	feel
like	you	are	genuinely	knowledgeable	or	excited	about	the	topic,	they	will	not	engage	with
you	or	find	your	material	valuable.

Practice

There’s	a	good	reason	that	we	say,	“Practice	makes	perfect!”	You	simply	cannot	be	a
confident,	compelling	speaker	without	practice.

To	get	practice,	seek	opportunities	to	speak	in	front	of	others.	As	a	PTA	member,	you
have	the	perfect	audience	in	your	PTA	family.	Your	local	PTA	is	a	great	place	to	develop
your	public	speaking	skills	because	you	already	know	your	audience,	are	familiar	with	the
material	and	your	surroundings	and	you	should	have	a	higher	comfort	level.	The	first	step
is	by	volunteering	to	speak	at	meetings.

When	you	are	planning	to	deliver	a	presentation	or	a	prepared	speech,	create	it	as	early	as
possible.	The	earlier	you	put	it	together,	the	more	time	you’ll	have	to	practice.	This	is	not
the	time	to	wait	until	the	last	minute!

Practice	it	plenty	of	times	alone,	using	the	resources	you’ll	rely	on	at	the	event,	and,	as	you
practice,	tweak	your	words	until	they	flow	smoothly	and	easily.	Then,	if	appropriate,	do	a
practice	run	in	front	of	a	small	audience:	this	will	help	you	calm	your	fears	and	make	you
feel	more	comfortable	with	the	material.	Your	audience	can	also	give	you	useful	feedback,
both	on	your	material	and	on	your	performance.

Whenever	possible,	record	your	presentations	and	speeches.	You	can	improve	your	speaking
skills	dramatically	by	watching	yourself	later,	and	then	working	on	improving	in	areas	that
did	not	go	well.	As	you	watch,	notice	any	verbal	stalls,	such	as	“um”	or	“like”,	and	practice
replacing	those	verbal	stalls	with	brief	pauses.	Look	at	your	body	language:	are	you	swaying,
leaning	on	the	podium	or	leaning	heavily	on	one	leg?	Are	you	looking	at	the	audience?
Did	you	smile?	Did	you	speak	clearly	at	all	times?	Pay	attention	to	your	gestures.	Do	they
appear	natural	or	forced?	Make	sure	that	people	can	see	them,	especially	if	you’re	standing
behind	a	podium.

Last,	look	at	how	you	handled	interruptions,	such	as	a	sneeze	or	a	question	that	you	weren’t
prepared	for.	Does	your	face	show	surprise,	hesitation,	or	annoyance?	If	so,	practice	managing
interruptions	like	these	smoothly	so	that	you’re	even	better	next	time.

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public Speaking
Engaging Your Audience

When	you	speak,	try	to	engage	your	audience.	This	makes	you	feel	less	isolated	as	a	speaker
and	keeps	everyone	involved	with	your	message.	If	appropriate,	ask	leading	questions
targeted	to	individuals	or	groups,	and	encourage	people	to	participate	and	ask	questions.

Keep	in	mind	that	some	words	reduce	your	power	as	a	speaker.	Think	about	how	these
sentences sound:

  “I just want to add that I think we really need the Common Core State Standards.”

  “I just think this plan is a good one.”

Phrases	such	as	“Just”	and	“I	think”	limit	your	authority	and	conviction.	Don’t	use	them.

  “I believe in the Common Core State Standards because they are clearer and more focused.”

  “I am confident that this plan will increase enrollment and allow our members stronger

  advocacy efforts.”

Notice	the	increase	in	authority	and	conviction?

A	similar	word	is	“actually.”	When	you	use	“actually,”	it	conveys	a	sense	of	submissiveness
or	even	surprise.

  “Actually, I’d like to add that we were under budget last year.”

By	removing	actually	your	message	is	clear,	concise	and	stresses	confidence:

  “We were under budget last year.”

Also,	pay	attention	to	how	you’re	speaking.	If	you’re	nervous,	you	might	talk	quickly.
This	increases	the	chances	that	you’ll	trip	over	your	words	or	say	something	you	don’t
mean.	Force	yourself	to	slow	down	by	breathing	deeply.	Don’t	be	afraid	to	gather	your
thoughts;	pauses	are	an	important	part	of	conversation,	and	they	make	you	sound
confident,	natural,	and	authentic.

Finally,	avoid	reading	word-for-word	from	your	notes.	When	you	read,	you	are	not
looking	at	your	audience	so	you	will	not	be	seen	as	an	engaging	speaker.	Additionally,
when	you	try	to	read	from	your	notes	and	look	up	occasionally,	you	appear	awkward
and	come	across	as	less	confident.

Instead,	make	a	list	of	important	points	on	index	cards	and	use	bullet	points.	For	instance
for	this	workshop,	I	know	I	need	to	cover	each	of	the	strategies:	planning,	practice,	engaging
your	audience,	body	language,	thinking	positively,	and	calming	nerves.

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public Speaking
Here	is	a	sample	index	card	that	allows	you	to	engage	with	your	audience:

DISPLAY ON A FLIP CHART OR POWERPOINT:
Planning
	 •	Attention	grabbers
	 •	Closing	summation
	 •	Plan	for	Q&A
	 •	Making	it	your	own

SAY
Body Language
Your	body	language	will	give	your	audience	constant,	subtle	clues	about	your	inner	state.
If	you’re	nervous	or	if	you	don’t	believe	in	what	you’re	saying,	the	audience	will	know	by
how	you	present	yourself.	Research	has	shown	that	up	to	94%	of	communication	is	non-
verbal!

ASK
What	are	some	examples	of	non-verbal	communication	that	you	have	seen	during
presentations?	(Discuss	both	positive	and	negative	examples.)

Examples:
  Pay attention to your body language: stand up straight, take deep breaths, look people in the
  eye and smile. Don’t lean on one leg or use gestures that feel unnatural. Don’t cross your arms.

SAY
Many	people	prefer	to	speak	behind	a	podium	when	giving	presentations.	While
podiums	can	be	useful	for	holding	notes,	they	put	a	barrier	between	you	and	the
audience.	They	can	also	become	a	“crutch,”	giving	you	a	hiding	place	from	the
dozens	or	hundreds	of	eyes	that	are	on	you.

Instead	of	standing	behind	a	podium,	walk	around	and	use	gestures	to	engage	the
audience.	This	movement	and	energy	will	also	come	through	in	your	voice,	making
it	more	active	and	passionate.

Don’t	forget	to	SMILE!	When	you	smile,	your	audience	is	more	inclined	to	forgive
nervousness	and	they	will	be	rooting	for	you.

Think Positively	—	Positive	thinking	can	make	a	huge	difference	to	the	success	of	your
communication	because	it	helps	you	feel	more	confident.

Fear	makes	it	all	too	easy	to	slip	into	a	cycle	of	negative	self-talk,	especially	right
before	you	speak.

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public SpeakingSelf-sabotaging	thoughts	such	as,	“I’ll	never	be	good	at	this!”	or	“I’m	going	to	fall	flat	on
my	face!”	lower	your	confidence	and	increase	the	chances	that	you	won’t	achieve	what
you’re	truly	capable	of.

Use	affirmations	and	visualization	to	raise	your	confidence.	This	is	especially	important
right	before	your	speech	or	presentation.	Visualize	giving	a	successful	presentation,	and
imagine	how	you’ll	feel	once	it’s	over	and	when	you’ve	made	a	positive	difference	for
others.	Use	positive	affirmations	such	as,	“I	am	the	local	expert	on	this	topic!”	or	“I	am
going	to	do	well!”

Don’t	forget	to	smile!

DISPLAY ON A FLIPCHART OR POWERPOINT:
“The	way	you	overcome	fear	and	shyness	is	to	become	so	wrapped	up	in	something	that
you	forget	to	be	afraid!”	-	Lady	Bird	Johnson

SAY
Cope With Your Nerves

ASK
How	often	have	you	listened	to	or	watched	a	speaker	who	really	messed	up?

SAY:
Chances	are	the	answer	is	“not	very	often.”	When	we	have	to	speak	in	front	of	others,	we
can	envision	terrible	things	happening.	We	imagine	forgetting	every	point	we	want	to
make,	passing	out	from	our	nervousness,	or	doing	so	horribly	that	we	will	never	be	asked
to	speak	again.	But	those	things	almost	never	happen!	We	build	them	up	in	our	minds
and	end	up	more	nervous	than	we	need	to	be.

Make	an	effort	to	stop	thinking	about	yourself,	your	nervousness,	and	your	fear.	Instead,
focus	on	your	audience:	what	you’re	saying	is	“about	them.”	Remember	that	you’re	trying
to	help	or	educate	your	audience	in	some	way,	and	your	message	is	more	important	than
your	fear.	Concentrate	on	the	audience’s	wants	and	needs,	instead	of	your	own.

Crowds	are	more	intimidating	than	individuals,	so	think	of	your	speech	as	a	conversation
that	you’re	having	with	one	person.	Although	your	audience	may	be	100	people,	focus	on
one	person	at	a	time,	and	talk	to	that	person	as	if	he	or	she	is	the	only	one	in	the	room.
You	should	seek	several	people	within	the	audience	to	focus	on,	ideally	strategically	located
around	the	room.

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public SpeakingDISPLAY ON A FLIPCHART OR POWERPOINT:
Steps for Conquering Your Presentation Nerves
	 Step	1	–	Know	your	audience
	 Step	2	–	Know	your	material
	 Step	3	–	Structure	your	presentation
	 Step	4	–	Calm	yourself	from	the	inside

SAY
Notice	we	didn’t	say	to	get	rid	of	your	nervousness.	This	is	because	presenting	is	not	a
natural	activity.	Even	the	most	practiced	presenters	get	a	bit	nervous.	The	point	is	this:
your	nervous	energy	can	be	used	to	your	advantage.	When	you	are	in	a	heightened	state
from	the	adrenaline	that	is	being	pumped	into	your	body,	you	can	use	that	energy	to
communicate	enthusiastically,	convincingly,	and	passionately.	The	key	is	to	decrease	your
level	of	nervousness	so	you	can	use	your	energy	on	these	positive	activities,	not	on	trying
to	control	your	nerves.	The	more	uncertain	you	are,	the	more	nervous	you	will	be.

Step 1  —  Know Your Audience:	If	you	are	asked	to	speak	to	a	group,	make	sure	to	take
time	to	find	out	a	few	things	beforehand:
	 •	Ask	who	will	be	in	the	audience?	(Are	they	parents,	teachers,	members	of	the

			business	community,	school	board	members,	etc.)

	 •	What	do	they	already	know	about	the	topic?	Are	they	experts	on	the	topic?

			Will	this	be	brand	new	information?

	 •	Is	there	a	meeting	or	event	planned	before	and/or	after	your	talk?	What	other
			topics	will	be	discussed?	What	is	the	agenda	for	the	meeting?	How	much	time
			do	you	have?

The	more	confident	you	are	that	you	are	presenting	useful	and	interesting	material	for
your	audience,	the	less	nervous	you	will	be	overall.	A	great	tip	is	to	greet	audience	members
at	the	door	and	do	a	quick	survey	of	why	they	are	there	and	what	they	expect.	This	really
helps	you	build	a	rapport	with	the	group.

Step 2  —  Know Your Material:	Nothing	is	worse	for	nerves	than	trying	to	give	a
presentation	on	a	topic	that	you	do	not	know!	Our	modules	will	provide	you	with
information	and	tools	for	each	of	the	topics;	however,	it	is	on	you	to	make	sure	that	you
take	time	to	read	the	material	and	become	familiar	with	each	topic.	Remember:	Your
audience	will	ask	you	questions	and	will	look	to	you	as	the	expert.

Another	important	point	to	remember	is	that	you	cannot	possibly	cover	everything	you
know	in	your	presentation.	That	would	probably	be	long	and	boring.	So	select	the	most
pertinent	points	from	your	subject	base	and	then	supplement	with	other	material	if	time
allows.	A	great	tip	is	to	make	your	material	interesting	and	memorable,	include	occasional
questions	to	the	audience	to	encourage	audience	participation.	This	enhances	the	learning
experience	and	gives	you	a	break	from	presenting.	It	also	allows	you	deliver	your	information
in	a	more	conversational	manner,	which	is	often	more	believable.

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public Speaking

Step 3  —  Structure Your Presentation: A	common	technique	for	trying	to	calm
nervousness	is	memorizing	what	you	intend	to	say;	however,	all	this	does	is	make	your
delivery	sound	like	it	is	coming	from	a	robot.	If	you	miss	a	word	or	draw	a	blank,	your	whole
presentation	is	thrown	off	and	then	your	nervousness	gets	worse.	It	is	far	better	to	structure
your	presentation	so	that	you	give	yourself	clues	to	what	is	coming	next.
	 •	Have	a	set	of	key	phrases	listed	on	a	cue	card.
	 •	Refer	to	these	phrases	to	trigger	your	mind	as	to	what	is	coming	up	next.
	 •	If	you’re	using	slides,	use	these	key	phrases	in	your	transitions.

This	approach	helps	you	control	your	own	uncertainty	about	whether	you	will	remember
what	you	want	to	say	and	the	order	you	want	to	say	it.

Step 4  —  Calm Yourself from the Inside: Nervousness	causes	physiological	reactions,
which	are	mostly	attributed	to	the	increase	of	adrenaline	in	your	system.	You	can	counteract
these	effects	with	a	few	simple	techniques:

  Practice deep breathing	–	Adrenalin	causes	you	to	breathe	shallowly.	By	breathing	deeply
	 your	brain	will	get	the	oxygen	it	needs	and	the	slower	pace	will	trick	your	body	into
	 believing	you	are	calmer.	It	also	helps	with	voice	quivers,	which	can	occur	when	your
	 breathing	is	irregular.

  Drink water	–	Adrenalin	can	cause	a	dry	mouth,	which	in	turn	leads	to	getting	tongue-
	 tied.	Have	a	glass	of	water	handy.	Take	sips	occasionally,	especially	when	you	want	to
	 emphasize	a	point.

  Smile	–	This	is	a	natural	relaxant	that	sends	positive	chemicals	through	your	body.

  Use visualization techniques	–	Imagine	that	you	are	delivering	your	presentation	to	an
	 audience	that	is	interested,	enthused,	smiling,	and	reacting	positively.	Cement	this
	 positive	image	in	your	mind	and	recall	it	right	before	you	are	ready	to	go	on.

Here	are	a	few	more	calming	presentation	tips:
	 •	Press	and	massage	your	forehead	to	energize	the	front	of	the	brain	and	speech	center.
	 •	Just	before	you	start	talking,	pause,	make	eye	contact,	and	smile.	This	last	moment	of

			peace	is	very	relaxing	and	gives	you	time	to	adjust	to	being	the	center	of	attention.

	 •	Speak	more	slowly	than	you	would	in	a	conversation,	and	leave	longer	pauses	between
			sentences.	This	slower	pace	will	calm	you	down,	and	it	will	also	make	you	easier	to
			hear,	especially	at	the	back	of	a	large	room.

	 •	Move	around	during	your	presentation.	This	will	expend	some	of	your	nervous	energy.
	 •	Remember	that	the	audience	is	there	to	get	some	information	and	it	is	your	job	to	put	it

			across	to	them.

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public Speaking

When	it	comes	to	presenting,	nerves	are	inevitable.	Letting	them	get	the	better	of	you	is	not.
You	need	to	develop	a	strategy	for	taking	the	focus	off	your	nervousness	and	putting	that
energy	to	positive	use.	By	controlling	as	much	of	the	uncertainly	as	you	can,	you	increase
your	confidence	in	your	ability	to	deliver	an	excellent	presentation.	This	confidence	then
counteracts	your	nerves,	and	you	create	a	positive	cycle	for	yourself.

Nerves	are	not	your	enemy	and	you	don’t	have	to	fear	public	speaking.	For	your	next
presentation,	be	knowledgeable,	be	well-practiced	and	prepared,	and	try	out	some	physical
relaxation	techniques.	Amaze	yourself	and	impress	your	audience	with	your	calm	and
cool	delivery	of	a	great	presentation.

Grassroots Advocacy Trainer’s ManualModule 9: Presentation Skills and Public SpeakingGrassroots Advocacy Trainer’s Manual

How much does your audience know about the presentation's subject? (Make sure
that your presentation matches their knowledge level – don't make it too
complicated or too simple for their needs.)

Planning

Where and how will you present (indoors, outdoors, standing, sitting)? Will this
affect how you need to prepare?

What is going on before and after your presentation? Do you need to adjust your
presentation?

How long do you have? Will your presentation fit in the time allotted?

Are you knowledgeable enough about the topic that you're covering in your
presentation? If not, how will you build this knowledge?

Can you visit the presentation room beforehand to get a feel for it?

Does the presentation room have everything that you need? (For example, electrical
supply, Internet access, projector screen, and so on.) Do you need to bring your own
equipment? (You should always bring your own equipment even if you don’t use it,
as a back-up)
Do you want to inspire your audience to act? If so, how are you going to do this?

Are you presenting as part of a team? How will you divide up the presentation?
Have you scheduled planning and practice time well in advance?
Have you prepared an evaluation?
Do you need to provide your own handouts and evaluations? How many copies do
you need? If someone else is making them, how will you get them the material?
How will you know they are ready?

Does your introduction grab your audience's attention? And does it need to explain
your objectives?

Content

Do you follow this by clearly defining the points of the presentation?
Are the main points in a logical sequence?
Do these points flow well?
Do the main points need support from visual aids or props?

Is your presentation too complex? (It's easy to go overboard, especially when you
want to impress - remember, keep it simple and focused.)

Does your presentation contain any jargon or acronyms? (These can be confusing
for many people, so make sure that you define or eliminate jargon/acronyms from
your presentation.)

Does your presentation's conclusion summarize the presentation clearly and
concisely?
Is the conclusion strong?
Have you tied the conclusion to the introduction?

Have you practiced your presentation standing (or sitting, if applicable), paying
close attention to your body language and posture?
Have you rehearsed often enough to be able to speak smoothly and fluently?
Have you practiced your presentation in front of others? Your practice audience can
give you valuable feedback about your presentation.

Power Point Presentation

Is the power point easy to read/view and easy to understand?
Is it tied into the points that you're trying to communicate?

Do your slides all look consistent?
Have you used the same fonts throughout? Are the slides easy to
read? Can they be seen easily from all areas of the room?

Have you included too much wording? (Remember, slides are meant
to support points or concepts, not replace them. So, no sentences or
paragraphs!)
If you're representing an organization, do your visual aids and slides
match your organization's branding?

 Do you have all of the equipment you need? Laptop, projector, all
cords needed to hook it all up? Do you have spare projector bulbs,
just in case your existing bulbs blow? Do you have speakers if you
plan to show a video?
Have you prepared contingency plans in case your audio/visual
equipment fails? Do you have a printed copy so you can use it in the
event Power point is not an option?
Be sure to save your presentation on your laptop, a USB drive and
email it to yourself, just in case!
Even if all equipment is supposed to be provided; BRING YOU OWN.
You never know!

The Day of your Presentation

Do you have your slides, notes, and other visual aids in the right
order?
Are you dressed and groomed appropriately? (Make sure that this is
in keeping with your audience's expectations.)

Have you left enough time for travel and setting up?
Have you checked your visual aids to ensure that they're working,
and that you know how to use them?

REMEMBER: Did you provide a sign in sheet? Be sure to remind
everyone to sign in. (Ideally, your sign in sheet includes printed
name, email, phone number)
Do you know how to deal with nervousness? (Presentation nerves
are very common, so learn how to manage presentation nerves to
use that energy to your advantage.)
REMEMBER: Greet participants as they arrive if possible, helps to
establish rapport.
REMEMBER: During your presentation, make and maintain eye
contact with members of your audience?
Have you made sure that your audience understands everything that
you've covered? (Invite them to ask questions if you're unsure.)

REMEMBER: Hand out evaluations Have you asked for feedback from
your audience? Is there anything that you could learn, to improve
your next presentation?
Do you need to follow up with any of your audience? Put a star by
their name on your sign in sheet.