Prepare Your Presentation

Whether you're the featured speaker in your weekly chapter meeting, or guest speaking at a public event, take time to prepare your presentation. I have been an audience member for a few presentations recently, and it was obvious the speaker hadn't prepared.

Here are a few tips:

• Don't wait until the last minute to prepare. If you're up late the night before, your focus and energy probably aren't where they should be. Do your best to work on it a few days before.

• Rehearse. If you have 10-15 minutes to speak, make sure your material covers that time span. If you have too much, you'll never get through the material. If you have too little, it makes your presentation look bad.

• Also leave enough time for questions.

• If you're using other audio/visual equipment, make sure you've tested it beforehand. How many times have you seen someone struggle to launch a PowerPoint presentation? You don't want to start with a bad first impression.

Your presentation skills provide and insight into who you are as a professional. It goes a long way to instilling confidence in your fellow AmSpirit Business Connections members that they can refer to you without reservation.