“Our greatest battles are those within our own minds”
Indira Gandhi

THE THREE P’S

Planning, Preparation & Practice

1. Planning
‘Failing to plan is planning to fail’

A few simple preparatory measures can make a huge difference in how you perform on the day. Finding out about the venue and the audience are the first steps. The best source of information is almost certainly the organiser of the event at which you are speaking. Ask them to provide you with details of the venue and if possible, try to make a visit in order to become familiar with the surroundings. If you are unable to visit try to obtain a floor plan showing the size, shape and layout of the room. You may be able to obtain a list of delegates in advance, in which case it is always a good idea to carry out some basic checks to help you establish a little about them. Here are some questions to help you plan ahead.

Where is the venue and how do I get there?

Will I be able to rehearse on site?

Who will be attending – colleagues, prospective clients, industry peers?

What is the expected size of the audience?

Are there any other speakers and if so, will what they say have any bearing on the content of your presentation?

What level of knowledge does the audience have about your subject?

Will there be a question and answer session?

2. Preparation
“Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success”
Henry Ford

The most effortless looking presentations are without doubt the most successful, and are also inevitably the result of a great deal of research and preparation. The thought of amassing information then drafting and re-drafting might seem daunting, especially when you have other work pressures but thinking about what you want to communicate and honing the information into a concise, well structured format will give your audience the right message. In the words of Mark Twain, “It takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”

Here are some pointers to painless preparation:

Set the tone – Think about the purpose of your speech and set the tone accordingly. A logical, well structured approach is necessary if your main purpose is to impart information. If you wish to entertain include some jokes, anecdotes and funny stories. If you want to inspire keep the content positive and at a level where the audience can respond personally and emotionally.

Select Your Key Points
Think about the message you wish to communicate and break this down into separate points. Try to limit yourself to three or four main points only. Help yourself to clarify the points you are making by summarising them into one sentence.

Create An Outline
Preparing a written outline will help you to clarify the structure of your presentation and provides a basis to work from. Make a list of your main points, and put sub headings under each one.

Structure the Information
A simple but effective way to structure your presentation is to divide it into three sections.

Cut, Cut and Cut Again

The KISS factor – Keep It Short and Simple. Stick to the main points and avoid going off on a tangent. Use everyday language and incorporate some anecdotes to strengthen the message. If you are using technical aids like Powerpoint or slides try to avoid too much text. Instead, incorporate some images that illustrate the point you are making.

3. Practice

'The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public'.
- George Jessel

Practicing your presentation is one of the most vital parts of the three P’s. Practice will help you memorise and fine tune the content of your presentation which in turn will help you feel more confident and relaxed. Start by reading through your full script, then once you are comfortable with the material, switch to notes. The following techniques should help:

Time yourself. Almost every presentation has a time limit so use a stopwatch to check every rehearsal, and remember to build in any time for audience questions.

Memorise your content. Rehearsals should rely less and less on the script each time.

Practice with an audience. Get a friend or colleague to watch you and give you feedback on your vocal and physical delivery.

If you can’t practice with an audience try recording your voice. Listen to the tone and pace. Do you need to slow down, or speak more clearly?

Practice losing your place in your script – and then finding it again.

Think about the questions the audience might ask and practice answering.

Did you know?
The average adult audience has an attention span of around 45minutes, in which time they will absorb around one third of what is said, and a maximum of seven concepts. With this in mind, limit yourself to three or four main points and emphasise them at the beginning, middle and end of your presentation. One way of helping yourself to clarify the main points you are making is to summarize them into one sentence.

Simple Rules For Successful Structure

The Three E’s - Educate, Entertain, Explain
There are three main objectives to any successful presentation.

The first is to educate – the audience should learn something.
The second is to entertain – the audience should enjoy the experience.
The third is to explain – the audience should understand the message you are communicating.

Question and Answer Sessions
The Q & A session can make or break a presentation. Handle it well and the audience will feel informed and satisfied. Handle it badly and no matter how brilliant your preceding performance has been, the audience will leave on a sour note. One of the most dreaded situations is being asked a difficult or unanswerable question. Here are some responses to help you out of a sticky situation:

I don’t know the answer, but I will be happy to find out and if you leave me your contact address I will get back to you.

That’s an interesting question. What do you think?

I need to think about that one. Could we come back to it later? Next question please.

I’m not sure I know the answer to that one. Perhaps we could discuss it after the session.

There really is no right or wrong answer to that. However my personal beliefs….