Ten tips to become a better presenter

If you need a script because you can’t remember it, your audience won’t remember your talk either.

If you need to write it in the slides to remember it, your audience won’t remember it either.

The purpose of presentations is to get the audience to do something. If your presentation is not actionable, or actionable but not acted upon, it's near useless – at least for the audience.

Your presentation won't be acted upon unless you get your audience to emotionally experience the benefits of acting during your presentation. Show, surprise, and let them experience emotions. Use stories, visuals, interaction, rules-breaking, and role-playing.

Don’t present anything that could have been a handout. Your presentation should go above and beyond anything a handout could have been.

If you do not understand your presentation, your audience won’t understand it either. If you do not believe in your presentation, your audience won’t believe in it either. Practice the contents of your presentation before practicing your presentation.

Use all of the points above as creative constraints. Anything you can’t remember shouldn’t go in your presentation; at least, not in its current form. Anything you didn’t practice or apply yourself shouldn’t be the sole content of your presentation.

On speaking in person:

– Speak loud enough to reach the end of the room

– Speak louder (no excuse for not using mics)

– Keep eye contact with different people

– Always keep your hands above your waist

On designing slides:

– Never use bullet points unless it’s a checklist

– Never use a slide that can’t be read without glasses

– Never say something you can’t remember yourself

The best way to improve at presenting is to set small goals (e.g., this time, I will speak loud enough) and rehearse each time with a specific focus. If you’re not improving, ensure you get more feedback: record yourself, get a coach, give your friends this checklist and then present in front of them, etc.