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nor from notes. It is important to practice extemporizing from the information so that the presentation takes on a more conversational style. The speaker should not look back at the screen to read the words as this will lose the attention of the audience. Instead the speaker needs to practice referring only to the slides as a cue about what to talk about next.

Step 9: Prepare a dynamic introduction

The audience will be won or lost in the first 30 seconds of the presentation. It is important to plan an introduction that will capture the attention of the audience or make the audience feel that they are invested in the topic. Tell an anecdote or give a shocking statistic that will make the audience want to hear more. Sometimes a shocking slide can have the same effect. If one is trying to convince the audience not to use chewing tobacco, the shocking opening slide of a 20 year old man who had major surgery on his jaw will get the audience listening to his story and then to the entire presentation.

Step 10: Polish and finalize the presentation

Usually in the course of rehearsals small problem areas come to light that the speaker should improve or make adjustments to before giving the presentation. Look for proofreading errors on the slide and readability. Practice and time the presentation, if it is not within the time requirements add or delete slides as appropriate. If the extemporization is too long or brief, it may be necessary to make adjustments to those areas. It is a good idea to practice in the actual room in which the presentation will be given and will any technology equipment that will be used during the presentation in order to work out any of those problems.

Having students follow these ten steps in the presentation process will result in a positive and effective presentaion. Preparing an effective presentation requires a significant amount of time and effort, but without it a presentation can be substandard. Invest the preparation and practice time and the end result will be a successful presentation.

Learn more about this author, MJ Suttor.
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