Posts Tagged ‘Preparation’
Speaker Essentials: A checklist for smooth presentations
If it hasn’t happened to you already, it will.
There will be a day when something goes amiss at your speaking gig:
- The tech fails
- You have a wardrobe malfunction
- The room set up doesn’t work
- You get lost en route or traffic delays you
Virtual presentations have their own set of potential pitfalls to plan for. (Though they’re still a win in many ways.) And we’ve grown accustomed to them. So much so that we may have forgotten how to prepare ourselves for in-person speaking engagements. One of the best ways to ensure things go smoothly—every time you speak—is to create a routine or a list to follow.
Read MoreHow To Goldilocks Your Presentation Preparation
In recent weeks, I had two clients describe their presentation preparation process to me. Each represented one end of what we’ll call the “preparation spectrum.”
The first said, “I’m a manuscript speaker,” meaning that she writes out her message verbatim and uses that manuscript as her notes the day of the presentation (or memorizes it as written).
The other summed up his preparation saying: “I just jot a sticky note with three points and take that up with me and start talking… it’s more authentic that way.”
While there are benefits to both approaches, each carries pitfalls, too. Here’s what to know and how to find the sweet spot of preparedness that sets you up to deliver with confidence while still connecting with the audience.
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