- Everyone needs structure.
- Shorter is better.
- Be yourself, minus the distractions.
- Expect interruptions.
- Love your goal more than your message.
Let’s take them one at a time:
First, you need your message to be structured, and so does your audience. On your end, if you don’t have a clear outline in mind, you will be inclined to wander. On their end, your audience is trying to wrap their heads around a topic that you have been thinking about for at least a few minutes longer than they have. Reward yourself and your audience by having a structured, organized message.
Second, shorter is better. Worried that you have too many slides? You do. Focus on what you are trying to achieve in the presentation (your goal), and gather a few of the best points you can in support of that goal. People like things in threes, so consider three points in support of your goal, not thirty-three. If you need a few more points, put them in, but be careful not to unnecessarily complicate your presentation, or turn your message into an endless lecture.
Third, be yourself, minus the distractions. Don’t try to copy someone else’s communication style—it almost never works. Instead, be yourself, but try to eliminate the most distracting one or two things that you do. Find those distractions by getting a minute or two worth of video footage of you giving a basic presentation (you can choose any topic and even make up the content). Watching yourself on video will almost always reveal a small number of distracting mannerisms. Try to eliminate the one or two things you see that are most distracting. And then, tape again and check your progress. When you can, use this same process of taping, finding and eliminating distractions, and taping again before actual presentations. This technique is a great way to quickly and steadily improve your public speaking and your presentation skills.
Fourth, expect interruptions. If you are giving a business presentation, expect interruptions, usually in the form of questions or statements disguised as questions. If you have followed points #1 and #2, you will have an organized, straightforward presentation. Such a clear structure will help you reenter your presentation following the interruptions. Don’t lose sight of your primary goal (what you are trying to achieve with the presentation), and get back to your strongest material in support of your goal after interruptions.
Fifth, beware the tendency to fall in love with your message and spurn your faithful goal. Your goal is your priority, and everything else supports the goal. For more on this, see “Are you in love with your message? Consider seeing others.”