Have you ever woke up from a dream startled and upright imagining yourself in front of an audience and you did not know what to say? Whether you are in front of one person or many, I have learned that there are several things you can do to make a great presentation. Now wipe the sweat from your brow, what I have to share with you is not rocket science but very simple lessons that can help you take a good presentation and make it great!

1. Know Your Audience. It is very important to know the 5 W’s and the How of presentations so you can best target your message and make it meaningful. Who? What? Why? When? Where? How?

Who are you presenting to is one of the most important because you want to tailor your content  to relate to your audience so that they can take away some information and implement it into their lives. What stories can you tell them that would resonate the most? Are the attendees there willingly or did someone else send them? What are their interests? What is important to them? What stage of life are they in? What do the need? What challenges may they be facing?

2. Prepare Your Delivery. Brainstorm your presentation by using a mind map. Create a powerful introduction and end to your presentation. Leave your audience with something to reflect on or make them feel empowered. Find powerful quotes or your own stories to support your key 3-5 points. Avoid telling your audience everything you know on the subject. Otherwise, they make feel that they are being blasted with a fire hose of information. They will not retain what you have said. What is the best method of sharing or supporting your message?

3.  Practice, Practice, Practice, and Practice again. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will feel about your content. You want to embody your message. Speak with conviction. If you do not believe in the message you are sharing, you will have a disconnect with your audience. They will not resonate with your message. Practice in front of others and get there feedback and adjust your talk as necessary. Practice in front of a mirror and watch you facial expressions and movement. Also pay attention to your tone and the rate at which you speak. It is all the little things that make an big impact in your talk. What are the key points you want to emphasize.?

4. Tell Stories. People love stories! Unless you are an performance analyst or an accountant, you may not fall in love with facts, figures, or stats. You can make facts, figures, and stats come alive through storytelling. Share testimonials of other’s experiences. Every person has a story or lesson in their life that they can share and make an impact. Let people know that they are not alone in their challenges and others face the same issues. How can you build up your audience?

5.  Speak in conversation. Speaking to one or many should be done in a conversation. There should be more “you’s” than “I’s” – the conversation is about them not you. There is also much power in engaging others when you speak of “we” versus “me”. When you speak as though you are conversing with your audience versus lecturing or telling them to do something, you will build trust, rapport, and credibility. People are more apt to listen to what you have to say. They may even start asking themselves questions. If you are talking with many, scan the audience a look at one person and speak to them for a moment or two and then move to the next section. People like to feel you were sharing a message directly to them.

There are books exploding with lessons, techniques, and tips that can help you build and create presentations with purpose and meaning, so that your message resonates beyond your audience.

What is your greatest presentation tip?