How to Rock a Presentation

Public speaking can be scary! Listen in to this conversation as three pro speakers share their tips to rock a public presentation and master your next speech.

f you've ever wondered how to give a presentation or wanted more tips to be successful with your speaking, this information will help you!

This conversation was hosted on a Blab which was live and recorded so please enjoy the video. Here are some highlights from our conversation and other ideas about how to be a great presenter.

Keep it simple

People go to conferences or events to be educated, be inspired, or to be entertained. I strive for a mix of education, inspiration, and humor in each workshop, webinar, or speech that I give.

When creating a presentation, the first thing I consider is what will people learn from this speech. Don't try to pack your speech with too many ideas – hone your speech down to the essentials. I try to have three main things that I'm hopeful people will remember.

Add humor

One thing that Jeff excelled at in his presentation was his opening sequence. He told a hilarious story with a fantastic punchline that had the audience laughing. It was a great start to his speech; everyone was actively listening and entertained.

I start with a joke or two in my opening and try to sprinkle them into my presentations, too. It's definitely an area that I'm working on. We're all a work in progress, right?

Present in a top ten list

Master tip from Guy Kawasaki – he uses a top ten list for all his presentations so people can follow where you are in the speech, and they also know if they missed a point.

Be generous

Michael Hyatt had a fantastic presentation at Social Media Marketing World, which he closed with a link to his slides and exclusive downloads for everyone who attended his speech. Everyone went to his website by adding the download, and he gathered email addresses. He was super smart but also generous because Michael shared great resources.

Be sharable

Add slides in your presentation with tweetables and sound bites. It helps your ideas spread and adds a punch to your speech.

Cite your sources

If you're adding facts and figures to your presentation, put them on a slide and add the source to the bottom so that people can look up the full research later. They'll appreciate it, and you're adding credibility to your presentation by citing the sources.

Hire a coach

Rebekah works with a consultant to help her with her presentation and storytelling. It's helped her hone her personal stories and deliver more powerful speeches.

Practice makes perfect

Know your shizzle! The only way this will happen is to practice your presentation. Honor your audience and conference planners by delivering the best possible speech. Rebekah likes to do hers in front of the mirror. I like to watch mine back after events to see if there's something that I can improve upon. There's always room for growth when you speak!

I hope that you get some ideas for the next speaking engagement!

What have you found to be your biggest obstacles when you're speaking or planning your presentations?