Writing a Successful Presentation

In order to write a successful presentation

• Analyze Audience

• Set Objectives

• Organize Ideas

• Determine Key Message

Every good Presentation begins with a sound structure. A sound structure allows you to clarify which points you want to make, the order you make them in and how to back them up. With a sound structure your audience will find it easier to follow and understand what you are trying to say.

A structured Presentation contains 3 parts

• Opening

o The Opening is very important; it sets the tone for everything that follows. This is where you grab the attention of the audience; tell them who you are, and say why you’re there. It gives you an opportunity to deliver the main message of your presentation and to establish a rapport with your audience.

 Introduce yourself properly

• At the beginning, introduce yourself and tell the audience why you’re presenting to them. Aim to establish a rapport with your audience immediately. You should also give them a “roadmap” of what you’ll be covering. State how long the presentation will last and whether there’ll be a question-and answer session at the end. Also, clarify whether you expect them to take notes or whether you’ll be providing handouts.

• State your main message in the opening remarks. Make sure the audience understands what the purpose of the presentation is and how it will benefit them.

• Include an attention grabber early on that will get the attention of the audience members. You might tell them about a personal experience you’ve had or describe a hypothetical situation, such as what they would do if they won a large sum of money. You could also include a startling fact, a rhetorical question, or an anecdote to stimulate interest.

• Middle

o The middle section is where you provide more detail about your main message. You need to maintain the interest of your audience here, as you don’t want them to get bored. You also need to include transitions, which link your points and help you move smoothly from one to the next.

 Limit number of supporting points.

 The middle section should contain points that support your main message. Aim to have from three to five supporting points. This is a manageable number for you and your audience. You can present these in your notes as a series of headings. For example, if you are presenting the advantages of your company’s products, your supporting points could be headings such as “Unique features”, “Competitive prices”,