124 The Professional's Guide To Presentation Rehearsal

<p>Every performance is better when practiced beforehand and presenting is no different.  We don’t do it for a multitude of “good” reasons, none of which abrogate the need to make the time and put in the effort.  We have the time, we just need to allocate it.  We are putting ourselves out there when we present, so don’t miss it, there is a lot on the line.  We need to ensure we are a triumph rather than a joke.  The way to do that is to practice beforehand.  How do we do that, what are some best practices to help us?</p> <p> </p> <p>We cannot start with the slides, which is what most people do when putting their presentation together.  Instead, we need to design the whole presentation first.  We need to start with the close.  Yes, we need to plan how will we finish the talk.  What is the one key message we want to get across to our listeners. </p> <p> </p> <p>Getting the whole thing down to one key point is no easy task, but the mental effort to do so will pay big rewards when it comes to ensuring clarity and getting the talk’s structure correct.  When we distill that one point, it becomes the beacon on the hill around which to arrange the preparation of the data and the flow of the talk. </p> <p> </p> <p>We now design the sections of the talk.  What are the key points we will make and what is the evidence we will marshal to sustain the argument in the time allotted to us.  These should flow together nicely, like in a good novel.  Each part leads seamlessly into the next. </p> <p> </p> <p>We are also going to be introducing personal stories of our successes and failures and those from highly regarded experts, to flesh out the points we want to make.  Stories are easy to understand and remember, so don’t make our audience work hard, give them the information in story form for maximum effect.  So each section has some key point, supporting data, told in a story format.</p> <p> </p> <p>Finally, we design the opening – how can we break through all the competition for the mind space of our audience.  How can we grab t